My husband and I chose the May 13th five night Baltimore/Bermuda sailing on the Grandeur of the Seas to celebrate our 15th anniversary (no kids accompanying us on this cruise!) due to its proximity to our home, the length of the cruise and as our introduction to Royal Caribbean. A Baltimore departure allowed us a quick 1.5 hour drive. Parking at the terminal was quick and easy. We'd fastened the luggage tags beforehand, so the porters whisked them off as we drove up to the baggage train. Once inside, it was kind of a mess. Turns out, they couldn't get all the contractors off the ship in time to allow passengers on at the expected time (We were on the first sailing after the dry dock). When we entered the building around 12:00pm, the terminal was packed and the lines were not clearly defined until we got through security. One of the terminal employees pointed us to the right line whose sign was hidden by the masses of humanity. The Suites line was short, which was a huge benefit when looking at the long, snaking lines around us. That was the first perk of booking a suite, for sure! We checked in and received out sea pass cards with no difficulty, but due to the delayed boarding, there was nowhere to sit; even in the "special room" for suite guests. With everyone having to wait longer than usual, the snacks and goodies were completely picked over. My husband spent the whole cruise side-eying the lady who snaked the last two coconut cookies just as he was about to reach for one. ;-)

Once we were allowed to board, it was about 1:00pm. Not bad for us at all since we were allowed to board first (perk #2), but considering how long others had to wait, I'd be a little miffed at the delays. It seems RC and/or CBP could have handled the contractors' disembarking better.

We'd only been on the Disney Dream previously, but we knew the Grandeur would be a bit smaller. However, our first impression was lovely! It is an older ship, but there is great charm to it. It is kept up very well on the inside. The outside shows some rust, but not as much as I'd read in other reviews, which is probably due to the dry dock work. The main pool area and the running track are in great shape. No bumps or distractions on the running track, so it was repaired successfully. We ran on it twice (once on choppy seas and once docked in Kings Wharf) to justify the drinks... Read more