Just off the Grandeur... pros/cons, and willing to answer any questions!

Loved the Grandeur and hope to sail her soon. Did they have Zumba and other dancing? Who's cruise director? Was food and service still outstanding?

We're looking at Anthem which we sailed a few years ago great ship but poor food and service. Did Grandeur last year loved the food and service and activities. Wonderful fellow passengers. But Bayonne is much closer to our home in New England. Any activities schedules would be appreciated.

Thanks. Gotta keep my wife happy!

• They had dance classes almost every day in the Centrum
  
• "Cruisin" Susan Adams was the CD in July, but you should check out the running thread for the latest information (they rotate every four months or so)
  
• The food and service was pretty good almost everywhere except for Giovanni's Table, but Chops was outstanding
  
• I have all of the Cruise Compasses saved from our nine day Bermuda and Bahamas cruise, but I am not home right now, I will post them later if you want
  
• For us, the cruise was 10/10, I would highly recommend EXCEPT if you want a balcony cabin
  

An impossible to spell Norwegian name in August. :D

 

Staff Captain was Rune something (not around my cruise takeaways).

Thank you very much. I just didn't want it to be that Klaus guy.

Thank you very much! I didn't want it be that Klaus guy.

Pulled this off the "Current Captains Con't" thread: Grandeur OTS - Capt Yngvar Knutsen (started rotation 9-9-17)

Thank you very much!

So, does anyone know how much karaoke there is on RC? The last trip I took (about 4yrs ago) they only had 3hrs over a 7 day cruise (this cruise will be 9 day).

So, does anyone know how much karaoke there is on RC? The last trip I took (about 4yrs ago) they only had 3hrs over a 7 day cruise (this cruise will be 9 day).

Varies with activity manager/cruise director. Some cruises I see it every night, some just a night or two.

• They had dance classes almost every day in the Centrum
  
• "Cruisin" Susan Adams was the CD in July, but you should check out the running thread for the latest information (they rotate every four months or so)
  
• The food and service was pretty good almost everywhere except for Giovanni's Table, but Chops was outstanding
  
• I have all of the Cruise Compasses saved from our nine day Bermuda and Bahamas cruise, but I am not home right now, I will post them later if you want

What was wrong with Giovanni's?

The service was great, the food tasted great. I got the oso buco, and they brought me half a cow.

I would have liked some more traditional Italian offerings.

What was wrong with Giovanni's?

 

 

The service was great, the food tasted great. I got the oso buco, and they brought me half a cow.

 

 

I would have liked some more traditional Italian offerings.

Our waiter was one of the rudest servers we have ever had on a cruise and the food was definitely not up to par. We went to Giovanni's on the Adventure and it was one of the best meals we have ever had on a cruise ship. We were glad to go back and were met with lukewarm food that tasted like plastic and a snarky inattentive waiter (he had TWO tables). The manager was helpful, at least. Maybe it was just an off night for them, but it was by far our worst meal of the entire cruise.

Strange, we had great service and the food was quite good.

Must have been a bad night that you went.

Varies with activity manager/cruise director. Some cruises I see it every night, some just a night or two.

Thank you Clarea. Hoping its a lot!

• I have all of the Cruise Compasses saved from our nine day Bermuda and Bahamas cruise, but I am not home right now, I will post them later if you want
  

Hi coolcruiser, yes please post the Compasses from your cruise when you have time. We are going in January and I would love to read them. Thanks, Carley

Thanks for posting about your cruise. We have this same cruise booked for May 24, 2018. We have never sailed on RC and I am really excited to give them a try. What kind of things did you do in Bermuda? We are looking at a sunset/rum tasting tour for the first evening and maybe an island tour for the next morning. Do you have any suggestions? What is the cost of RC specialty restaurants? Thanks again for your help. I am sure I will have more questions in the coming months.

Thanks for posting about your cruise. We have this same cruise booked for May 24, 2018. We have never sailed on RC and I am really excited to give them a try. What kind of things did you do in Bermuda? We are looking at a sunset/rum tasting tour for the first evening and maybe an island tour for the next morning. Do you have any suggestions? What is the cost of RC specialty restaurants? Thanks again for your help. I am sure I will have more questions in the coming months.

The one bad thing about this itinerary is that the port times aren't good. In Bermuda, we went to Horseshoe Bay on day one. If you are doing Horseshoe Bay definitely do it day one because you will be the only ship in port and chairs/umbrella rentals are half price by the time you get there. Keep in mind that both days you are there are weekends. On day two the Norwegian Dawn pulls in and we just hung around the Dockyard. Island tour does sound like a good idea though. Do not feel like you have to book excursions through RCCL. We tried to go to Hamilton but the ferry did not come for unknown reasons...

I believe Giovanni's is around $20 and Chops is around $30. We did the BOGO package where you pay half price for two nights but you have to go on the first two nights. If you want to book anything, wait. A sale will pop up in your online cruise planner with discounts on dining, beverage packages, excursions, etc.

I will try to post the compasses soon.

We were on the Grandeur last December for her 20th birthday, before she went into dry dock. Now we are scheduled to do a 9 day in February.

So how does she look after the rehab?

Cheers

Len

Thanks for posting about your cruise. We have this same cruise booked for May 24, 2018. We have never sailed on RC and I am really excited to give them a try. What kind of things did you do in Bermuda? We are looking at a sunset/rum tasting tour for the first evening and maybe an island tour for the next morning. Do you have any suggestions? What is the cost of RC specialty restaurants? Thanks again for your help. I am sure I will have more questions in the coming months.

Hi there. I am also booked on this cruise and it is my first RCI as well. Am looking forward to it. Hopefully we will meet up. Have cruised many times and different lines.

One caveat about the loungers and umbrellas at Horseshoe Bay. You get to port around 2. Get to HSB around 2:30. They pick up the umbellas and loungers starting around 5PM. :(

And look at the Bermuda page about how to take a mini bus to HSB. VERY easy, and takes you right to the beach. The bus drops you off on the road above the beach.

On the Aug cruise, they offered a 3 specialty restaurant package for $75 per person. Supposed to be one meal in each of three, but you could do all three in one. For Izumi, the deal was for $50 credit per person.

Thanks for the review. Grandeur is the perfect size ship for us. I do miss the observatory at the bow though.

The observatory is gone??

Our waiter was one of the rudest servers we have ever had on a cruise and the food was definitely not up to par. We went to Giovanni's on the Adventure and it was one of the best meals we have ever had on a cruise ship. We were glad to go back and were met with lukewarm food that tasted like plastic and a snarky inattentive waiter (he had TWO tables). The manager was helpful, at least. Maybe it was just an off night for them, but it was by far our worst meal of the entire cruise.

We were on this same cruise. Had the same experience with a rude waiter. We waited almost 20 minutes with our empty dinner dishes in front of us and no one came to remove them and ask for coffee and desert. The place was 1/2 empty at the time. We got up and walked out! Last time for us . Food was great that night though.

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We were on this same cruise. Had the same experience with a rude waiter. We waited almost 20 minutes with our empty dinner dishes in front of us and no one came to remove them and ask for coffee and desert. The place was 1/2 empty at the time. We got up and walked out! Last time for us . Food was great that night though.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

Was your server named "Luigi"?

The observatory is gone??

The "observatory" is just an elevated sundeck above the buffet... I don't know why it is called the observatory or how it was ever "gone".

Hi there. I am also booked on this cruise and it is my first RCI as well. Am looking forward to it. Hopefully we will meet up. Have cruised many times and different lines.

Nice to meet you. We are excited to be going to Bermuda. As of right now there are 4 adults in our group and hoping to make it 6. We are all friends who hang out and vacation together in December. I will keep you posted on what excursions we are going on.

Thanks to everyone posting about the Grandeur of the Seas. I have a question about a 10 limit drink package. How does this work and when do they normally offer this? Is any of this offered before we cruise or only after we get on the boat? We booked 3rd party, would we still get these offers? Thanks

Thanks to everyone posting about the Grandeur of the Seas. I have a question about a 10 limit drink package. How does this work and when do they normally offer this? Is any of this offered before we cruise or only after we get on the boat? We booked 3rd party, would we still get these offers? Thanks

The drink card is only offered on board, usually during the last half of the cruise. If it is offered, it's available to all, no matter how you booked.

• 
   
  
• They had dance classes almost every day in the Centrum
   
  
• "Cruisin" Susan Adams was the CD in July, but you should check out the running thread for the latest information (they rotate every four months or so)
   
  
• The food and service was pretty good almost everywhere except for Giovanni's Table, but Chops was outstanding
   
  
• I have all of the Cruise Compasses saved from our nine day Bermuda and Bahamas cruise, but I am not home right now, I will post them later if you want
   
  
• For us, the cruise was 10/10, I would highly recommend EXCEPT if you want a balcony cabin
   
  

Hi -

Did you get a chance to post your Cruise Compasses? Would love to see.

Thanks much!

Hi -

Did you get a chance to post your Cruise Compasses? Would love to see.

Thanks much!

I will work on doing that tomorrow when I get home.