This was a seven day cruise from New Orleans departing on 12-4-04. This is our third year in a row to take this cruise on the Grandeur, my first review. The cruise was originally booked with the ports being Cozumel, Grand Cayman and Costa Maya. Key West replaced Grand Cayman as one of the ports. I didn't really have a problem in going to Key West but I felt like RCI could have been much more forthcoming with the announcement of the change.

Some of the passengers had gone to the Grand Cayman Cruise terminal internet site weeks before the cruise and it clearly showed the Grandeur wasn't scheduled to be in port during our week onboard. Despite repeated e-mails to RCI by some of the passengers on the cruise forum there was no reply to the question on changes, they just didn't answer the e-mails. With about a week left RCI finally did respond to some stating that we would not be going to Grand Cayman and would go to Key West instead. We actually talked to some passengers onboard who had no idea until check-in that there had been a change. I realize the contract gives cruise lines the legal right to do this. I think they generated a lot of ill will in how it was handled.

Check in was really super, we arrived about 11:15 and with no one in line we were able to check in immediately. Check in took about five minutes total. When asked how long it would be until we could board we were told we could board at that time. The check in procedure was the best we have ever experienced on any ship. Read more