onyourtoes

I am so sorry for your loss.  I will light a candle and say a prayer for you, your family and friends. May God give you all the strength to carry on. I have one suggestion for you. I know it's hard, but talk to him like you did when he was with you.  After my mom passed away I talked to her every day. Sometimes all day.  It helped me out tremendously.  My mom as been gone since 2017 and I still talk to her, but I don't talk to her all day like I did when it first happened. I hope it helps.  God bless and keep you safe and well.

Sheila  

That looks a whole lot better than my Shredded Wheat breakfast :p

 

Have a great day at Port Canaveral!

Greek yogurt for me. No fruit :(

Glad you are sharing ! We can't wait to experience the Grandeur. We will will be on her May 19 th, 2018. Every ship is a wonderful journey.

I'm on this sailing also. Cool:cool:

Sorry, for some reason I’m having problems posting pix so I need to figure this out tomorrow. Arrrgh.

 

We left about an hour late for some reason so not sure I believe the captain when he said he lost the keys...love this captain!

 

This cruise has a great range of passengers...all ages including kids. Some schools have Spring break next week. Last cruise was definitely an older crowd but there’s a nice mix...yeah.

 

 

 

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I was on board Grandeur last September. And although I don't recall seeing any children (I'm sure there were) I did appreciate the age range. I think (personal opinion) that we "mature" adults prefer the art of cruising to all big ships with the bells and whistles. Although, I may be wrong. :D

My first and second cruises were aboard Empress of the Seas (back then The Nordic Empress). She will always be special to me. Maybe I'll take a cruise on her next year, or later this year.

Day 3 or 4. Ask the bartenders as sometimes it's not advertised or obvious.

Darn! I'm on a 5 nighter. Wouldn't be beneficial to me. :loudcry:

I must, of course, leap to the defense of the inner cabins. We would rather, when the budget allows, the balcony suites, but when having an inner cabin, we spend so little time in the room (outside of naps and sleeping at night) that having a stateroom window or not really didn't matter much. We could usually be found near a window away from traffic. Hope that helps a little.

Thanks for your response. I am at the cruising stage now, where I spend a little more time in my cabin than when I first started cruising. The portholes may be okay, but that picture just made it look like the room was dark and small. I'll wait until I get there to see for myself. I have a feeling I'll be spending more time out of the cabin on this cruise, than in the cabin.

Here's a shocker: on the Liberty this week, a waiter was walking around the MDR selling after dinner shots!!!

:eek::D I haven't seen that in at least 4 years.

No worries, leaveitallbehind is correct. Cabin 2018 has a window, not portholes. From the RCI website: Staterooms 3000-3014, 3500-3514, 2008-2014, & 2508-2514 have two portholes instead of a window. Enjoy your cruise, I had the pleasure of sailing on the Grandeur's inaugural back in 1996. Loved it! :cool:

God those look awful. I have never had 2 portholes in my entire cruise life. I have a feeling that it's just a step up from an inside cabin. Too late to change now. I guess I'll have to just grin and bear it.;p

I'm sure that all of what y'all have been saying is true (about changes coming) but I will mention that when we were on the November 5 Rhapsody TA Barcelona to Tampa with 250 D&D+ they turned over the entire Shall We Dance Lounge for the Diamond hours so it wasn't horrible. Still pretty crowded but not bad.

The good thing about Freedom/Liberty of the Seas, when the Diamond Lounge got crowded, there was another room on the opposite side of the Viking Crown Lounge (can't remember the name) but the overflow was put in there, or they used a part of the VCL. That's what I like about the Freedom class. On Grandeur last year, the Diamond Lounge was on the same deck as the Schooner bar, but to the back. It's smaller than the one on the Freedom class. Thank goodness when I went it wasn't crowded. I don't know if it was because people were looking for it in the VCL or not.

Rule is that you buy 2 packages or you don't. She has the choice not to buy. It's not snark, it's reality. She can also ask on the ship, but she doesn't want to because it's cheaper online. Sometimes you can't win em all.

That's why I always travel solo. Well, that and the fact that I'm single :(

Is anyone on the May 19, 2018 Grandeur sailing?

Booked for March 2018 on Grandeur.

Grandeur May 19, 2018. Looking forward to it.

Empress of the Seas in 41 days!

160 Grandeur of the Seas :D

If you eat solo in the MDR on NCL they will put you at a table by yourself... They don't really do mixed company tables like other cruise lines. The solo coordinator will set up dining for solos at the solo meet ups, which are normally nightly at around 6:00

 

I have no problem dining solo in the MDR or the specialty restaurants...

I used to ask my TA to place me at a large table for dinner because I travel solo. About two years ago I asked her to see if she could get me a table for 1 (which is actually for 2 but since I was alone, it was for 1) Anyway I got tired of eating with couples all the time - and opted for solo seating. I love it. When I travel this year on Grandeur, I will also be seated by myself. It's not that I don't like meeting people (I do that at the pool bar and different venues) but I just don't have anything in common with "married" or "couples" so I tend to rather just stay to myself during dinner. Besides, the waiters, etc. always make sure I'm well taken care of . So, no matter how you do it, just enjoy your cruise.

Depends on the demographic and itinerary. Sometimes My Time fills up first, sometimes late traditional, sometimes early traditional.

My cruise in in October on Anthem and on my guest confirmation sheet where "Dining" is listed it reads "Classic 2" What the hell is that?:confused: Sorry.

We just got of Majesty yesterday, and we had MTD, table for 2. Our table was very close to a table for 4, and we all had the same tables/times all four nights. The six of us chatted every evening and got on very nicely. On the other side of us was another table for 2. The first three nights, the diners preferred to keep to themselves, which we respected. On the last night, a lovely woman, traveling solo, was seated there, and we started chatting, and she was quickly integrated into "our group." She said she wished she had found us earlier in the cruise, as she would have enjoyed being with all of us each evening at dinner.

 

My point is if you are traveling solo and choose MTD, do not feel obligated to stay at a table you are not happy with. Speak up and ask for a change.

I have been on 20 something odd cruises. When I first started cruising, I went with a friend. Then I started cruising solo. Every now and again, I would travel with a friend. The majority of my cruises have been solo. Now, up until this past cruise, I have always asked for a large table so I could meet people. But I have grown tired of sitting at a table with couples and being the only "single" (I'm not married, nor do I have a significant other) solo traveler. I asked my TA to request a table for 1 (which, of course, it's actually a table for 2). Every night I ate in the dining room at my table for one and still had a great time - by myself. I met people at other venues, and enjoyed the time I spent chatting it up with them. When I travel on Anthem next year, I will request a table for 1 again. I liked it that much. I've never done MTD so I don't know if I would like it or not. But I do like having the same waitstaff every night and they made my "solo" dining anything but. So, no matter what you do, enjoy yourself and as the author of this post said "speak up if you're not happy". I'm sure if they seat you with a large group you will find that you have something in common with at least 2 of them. Enjoy your cruise and happy sailing to you all:D

Debit haven't been recommended on these boards for a will. The problem with debit cards is that the daily doesn't get dropped by your bank for 4 to 10 days. That means when you get home your daily hold and final bill can be on at the same time.

I have used debit cards in the past and have NEVER had a 4 to 10 day "drop." If I sail Sunday to Sunday, whatever is spent that day shows up on my online bank account. The next day it's gone, (held) but I still mark the amount in my checkbook as "spent." When I get my final bill I double check it against my receipts and bring it home with me. If I get off the ship on Sunday, I've noticed that on Tuesday (2 days after I have been home) that the amount comes off my account. I don't know which bank holds on to the amount for 4 to 10 days, but my bank always drops in in 2 days. What I have started doing, since I know my spending habits onboard, is buying onboard credit before I leave home. I'll put x amount of dollars on my sea pass card and when asked how I will pay for purchases I say "cash". I've been lucky enough not to ever go above and beyond what I put on the sea pass, but I do have some money (close to or equal of what was put on the card) in case I do go over. It has always worked for me. I've only done Caribbean/Bermuda/Bahamas. Never done an overseas cruise so I don't know if that is the reason for the long hold on a debit card. Good luck with whatever you choose and also Happy Sailing and Congrats on the OP's upcoming nuptials.

Thank you for posting and the pictures we board in 34 days. :)

I board in 339 days. Think all the kinks will be out by then and the robotic bar tenders working :-) I really don't care about the robots - I prefer live bartenders :-)

Don't delay !

 

I booked Anthem last April for 10/2016. Prices have already risen such that the cheapest Inside is now higher than our balcony:eek:

I was looking at Anthem for my birthday next October. It sails the day before my birthday and I would have loved being on her. I checked out the prices for the single inside cabin (as I am a solo traveler) but all of those room (how few they are) have been sold out for that sailing. So now, I am looking at (I don't believe I am about to say this) sailing on Carnival for my birthday. An outside cabin with a balcony for a single, is the same price for an inside with a virtual balcony. Being that this is probably my last cruise, I think it's ironic that I started out cruising Royal and will probably end up on Carnival. Whodathunkit?

P.S. I know I still have Anthem in my signature. It's because I am hoping and wishing I will still be able to sail on her for my birthday

wow, i just saw that on FB, pretty cool

I must be the only person who doesn't like what they are doing to Liberty. They're taking a sleek ship and turning it to a carnivalesque cruise ship. What's next, pepto wall paper? I just got off Liberty two weeks ago and (although I caught a cold in Bermuda) I loved the cruise and the ship. As much as I love the Freedom class ships (especially Freedom) if they are going to make these changes too all the ships, I'll probably start looking at another cruise line that's less a carnival and more of a cruise ship. I know, instead of jumping ship (pardon the pun) I'll probably just stay with the smaller ships. Stop it Royal, you're killing me.:(

Just my opinion.

Hi....although not addressed to me, we'll be on the 9/19 sailing as well. Have you been to Bermuda before?

Kathy

 

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No, I have not. I am really looking forward to it.

Thanks for sharing. With an upcoming cruise that's good to know.

Kathy

 

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Hey, I'm on this cruise too :D

Subscribing. Pics are beautiful. We will be sailing Liberty Sept 2015

I will be on Liberty in September 2015. What is your sail date? I will be sailing on 9/19/15 to Bermuda:)

Solo cruising is a great experience. You do as much or as little as you choose to do. Interact with others when you want and just relax by yourself when you want. I was anxious my first solo cruise, but now do it all the time and love it.

More than one half of my cruises have been solo. I went on 2 solo's last year (April and December) I have one on Liberty to Bermuda in September. I love being by myself when I want to be - in my cabin just relaxing. I also like interacting with people that I meet. Give it a shot. If you don't like it, you can always remember the fun - or lack thereof - that you had.:D