Solo on the Grandeur - Semi-live

[Mystaken]

Maureen, I'm following along, LOL! Baltimore is a great port to sail from. I have several friends that I have cruised with before who work in the terminal. I don't think they are permitted to post on CC anymore, though. How much was your taxi fare? Do you have a post cruise hotel or will you go straight to the train station?

 

Have a great cruise!!!

 

Edited to say I love the Blue Heaven, too! I recommend their Bloody Mary's and their banana bread.

Edited December 6, 2013 by Mystaken

[setsail]

Maureen, so you used the bwi station? Did you use a cab to your hotel.

 

Been debating using Amtrak from Richmond, and wondered weather to use the downtown station or the bwi one.

[maureencruiser]

LOL, you crack me up! I've never eaten at the Six Toed Cat Cafe, but it sounds very cute. Everything in KW is walkable, especially if the ship docks near Mallory Square. Just have a great time--somehow I think you always find where the fun is;):D:o

 

I didn't choose the fun life, the fun life chose me! I like how my countdown clock says CRUISED! when I'm sitting here in the hotel. LIES! LIES!! :D

 

OOps, It says SAILED, not CRUISED! You say potato, I say potato. You say car, I say caaaaaaaah!

Edited December 6, 2013 by maureencruiser

[maureencruiser]

How much was your taxi fare? Do you have a post cruise hotel or will you go straight to the train station?

 

Edited to say I love the Blue Heaven, too! I recommend their Bloody Mary's and their banana bread.

 

The hotel shuttle picked us up from the train station, only about a 5 minute ride. They will take us anywhere within a 3 mile radius of the hotel for free, a couple bucks tip for the driver is all. Turtle didn't have wine, so, we went to the liquor store and a local restaurant. She went this morning to get a pedicure and I was going to go the the National Electronics Museum, right across the street, but, the driver was busy. It's like 4 lanes, very crazy looking and raining, so I didn't want to chance it on foot.

 

Maureen, so you used the bwi station? Did you use a cab to your hotel.

Been debating using Amtrak from Richmond, and wondered weather to use the downtown station or the bwi one.

 

 

See above about the cab. My understanding is Penn is closer to the port, so, that is why we booked there. Hotel ended up closer to the airport, so, that is why the change to BWI. Her discount overruled any increase in cab fare. :) We think a cab to the port is going to be about $20-30 for the two of us, not too bad.

 

The train was a wonderful way to travel. The only "bad" thing was there is a scheduled stop in Washington, DC for 1/2 an hour. We got there at 11:30 and left at noon. People who were continuing on to New York or Boston went to get lunch at McDonalds. Once we got underway again, our stop was 12 minutes down the road! So close and yet so far! :rolleyes:

 

Bloody Mary's and Banana bread - the breakfast of champions! :D

[setsail]

Thanks, enjoy the cruise:)

[KeywestK]

Maureen, so you used the bwi station? Did you use a cab to your hotel.

 

Been debating using Amtrak from Richmond, and wondered weather to use the downtown station or the bwi one.

 

I don't mean to highjack the thread, but depending on where your hotel is will determine if you use the BWI station or Penn Station. The BWI station (near the airport) is good if you're staying at one of the hotels in that area. Penn Station, which is located on the northern fringe of downtown, is better if you are staying at any of the hotels in the downtown area, including the Inner Harbor, Harbor East, Fells Point. Hope this helps!

[hansolosmom]

This intrigued me, why would there be a little shelter in the wall?

 

 

Here is a close-up of it, anybody have any

 

Are the train tracks above it? We have an old track on a hill across from us & every 50-100 yards there's one of those, they're for the train guys to be able to cross under the tracks easily if they need to check something on the other side. Also in the old days people would use them as shortcuts when walking the hill.

[smeck]

Well, if we're gonna talk about critters...

 

The stowaway is my Nutmeg.

 

 

 

My avatar is my Ginger (RIP).

 

I got them together at the Humane Society and it turned out, Ginger had FLV. I gave her a good life for two years, though. My vet called them, the Spice Girls!

 

Another of my critters is the albino groundhog who lived in my backyard(RIP). I thought he looked like a tiny polar bear.

 

 

And speaking of critters and me being in Baltimore, anybody want some crab?

 

 

That's my niece, Heather. She works on a fishing boat in Alaska!

 

Oh my God the deadliest catch!

[WetToes]

I'm following along. ;)

Hope you have a great cruise.

[Oshawapilot]

This intrigued me, why would there be a little shelter in the wall?

 

 

Is the other side upstream of the dam? My guess would be that this was a water feed to a mill that probably sat on site at some point long in the past - they often used a pipe or a sluice to feed water from the upstream side of a dam down to the actual mill building in order to power the equipment. In the following picture you can see what I'm talking about - look at the pipe headed down into the mill.

 

[Oshawapilot]

That aside, now that you're onboard - a question! Can you confirm if there's ANY sign of the Coke Freestyle machines being onboard anywhere? On Enchantment there was one in the Centrum (on the deck near guest relations IIRC), 1 outside Windjammer on the port side IIRC, and 2 in the Windjammer itself, one port side one starboard side.

 

They'd be hard to miss.

 

Last I'd heard they were not on Grandeur yet for some reason - frustrating since almost every other ship in NA fleet has them now. We really came to enjoy them on Allure, Explorer, and Enchantment, so not having them on Grandeur will be a bit of a disappointment.

 

They just installed them on Enchantment a week before our sailing so here's hoping for a similar repeat on Grandeur. ;) Any insight appreciated.

[Ourusualbeach]

Following. Love your reviews and we have relatives aboard on the second leg of a B2B.

[kahliasmom]

Following. I will be getting on Grandeur Dec 24th. I can't wait! Have a great cruise!!

[Beth Y]

I'm planning on driving to Linthicum to stay the night before. It's going to be an adventure because my friend and I always get lost, even with a GPS.:o Maybe we should plan on two days before. I'm assuming the Holiday Inn has a shuttle to the port?

 

Your "almost" stowaway looks just like one of my critters.:)

 

I stayed at the Wingate by Wyndham BWI Airport the night before my Grandeur cruise. Their Park & Cruise deal includes a room for one night, parking for up to 10 days, and shuttle service to and from the port. It was $149 in October.

[emeraldcity]

Love the pictures ... what a fabulous gem that park is! I suspect the little manmade cave was brought to you by the local humane society, who felt it was necessary to provide a home for the beavers who were displaced when man built the damn dam.

 

And if I was hauling a dinosaur around, I would expect him to earn his keep. He looks like he should be putting those teeth to good use ... hence, I'd name him Nutcracker.

 

Those of us following in your footsteps next week would be mighty appreciative of a warmth-o-meter. I was guesstimating that you were off the coast of Cape Hatteras this morning and acccuweather said it was 47 degrees at 8 a.m. Ouch! While that was better than our 18 degrees here, I'm rather greedy and was hoping I can expect better next Sunday morning.

 

Have an awesome cruise!

[emeraldcity]

I'm planning on driving to Linthicum to stay the night before. It's going to be an adventure because my friend and I always get lost, even with a GPS.:o Maybe we should plan on two days before. I'm assuming the Holiday Inn has a shuttle to the port?

 

Your "almost" stowaway looks just like one of my critters.:)

 

try trinityreservations dot com ... I got the BWI Best Western for $95, which includes parking for up to 14 days, breakfast, and port transfers before and after.

[Mystaken]

Bloody Mary's and Banana bread - the breakfast of champions! :D

 

All of the food was good. The Bloody Mary's and banana bread are what I always order, in addition to the other food. I seem to remember lobster benedict, hmmm, I'm getting hungry!

 

I wonder if that little cubby under the train tracks was for a railroad worker to have a place to keep their lantern and lunch pail out of the inclement weather? Just a guess. Wonder if the train ever stopped at the mill.

 

If you ever take Amtrak to sail out of Boston, expect an additional long stop in New York Penn station. Enough time to leave the train, get a sandwich or pizza to eat when you get back on the train.

Edited December 7, 2013 by Mystaken

[Oshawapilot]

try trinityreservations dot com ... I got the BWI Best Western for $95, which includes parking for up to 14 days, breakfast, and port transfers before and after.

 

I got our hotel and parking for free, but that's another story. ;)

 

And 47 degrees? Shorts, T-Shirt, and sandals weather for me! Usually as soon as we board I switch into my Caribbean gear and don't put it away until disembarkation day. I don't care how cool it may be, I'm in CRUISE MODE. :)

[iheartbda]

try trinityreservations dot com ... I got the BWI Best Western for $95, which includes parking for up to 14 days, breakfast, and port transfers before and after.

Thanks so much, I will look into it.:)

[MrFunInTheSun]

Bye Bye MaureenCruiser and Rusty the Dinosaur from Port Canaveral.. Have a great night at sea and your continued adventures at the rest of your ports. :D:D

 

 

 

 

[maureencruiser]

Are the train tracks above it?

 

No, no train tracks??

 

Oh my God the deadliest catch!

 

I know right?? Is she gonna eat it or is it gonna eat her?

[maureencruiser]

Is the other side upstream of the dam?

 

 

Ah, that may be it, the other side is upstream. Thanks, I still prefer to think there are trolls there, though! :D

 

That aside, now that you're onboard - a question! Can you confirm if there's ANY sign of the Coke Freestyle machines being onboard anywhere?

 

Hmmm, I haven't seen any, but, I haven't been looking, either. People have the cups, but, I guess you get them with the package, anyway. I promise to look.

[maureencruiser]

 

And if I was hauling a dinosaur around, I would expect him to earn his keep. He looks like he should be putting those teeth to good use ... hence, I'd name him Nutcracker.!

 

Oh my!! Now, we have a contender!! :D

 

I wonder if that little cubby under the train tracks was for a railroad worker to have a place to keep their lantern and lunch pail out of the inclement weather? Just a guess. Wonder if the train ever stopped at the mill.

 

If you ever take Amtrak to sail out of Boston, expect an additional long stop in New York Penn station. Enough time to leave the train, get a sandwich or pizza to eat when you get back on the train.

 

See, this is how rumors spread on CC! One person asked if there were train tracks, now, it is being reported as FACT that there are train tracks. ;)

 

I was told by someone that the train stops at DC to change the locomotive from diesel to something else or the other way around. Either way, a new engine. :)

[maureencruiser]

Bye Bye MaureenCruiser and Rusty the Dinosaur from Port Canaveral.. Have a great night at sea and your continued adventures at the rest of your ports. :D:D

 

Aww, So sweet! Zoom in on the Windjammer, you might see me wolfing down food like I never saw food before! Universal was a long day, pics to follow. Why didn't you come play with me? Tampa's not that far from Universal? ;)

[maureencruiser]

OK, Im gonna try to post now. I did my write up today and I am currently uploading my pics. I don't know if snapfish will let me share pics while others are still uploading. I'll be cutting and pasting from Wordpad and trying to share pics, so, bear with me if things get a little crazy. $3 an hour wifi from Starbucks seems like a better deal than $25 an hour from RC!