smilz Posted September 13, 2016 #1 Share Posted September 13, 2016 This will be cruise #37 (give or take one or two!) We have cruised on Princess, Carnival, RCCL, Celebrity, NCL and Holland America. Our best and worst experience has been on RCCL. We haven't sailed on RCCL in 8ish years. Decided to do Grandeur out of Baltimore because the price and timing was right. Not concerned about negative reviews. We have been on old and brand new, large, small and everything in between. A cruise is what you make it. Now for the questions. 1. Are reservations required for parking at the pier in Baltimore? 2. Is MDR open for lunch on embarkation day? 3. We have purchased the Ultimate beverage package (I think that's what its called) how is your sea card identified? Sticker? And are drink gratuities included? Is it accepted on Coco Cay? 4. Where is the coffee bar? Is it Starbucks on Grandeur? 5. We have My Time dining. We have read that reservations are suggested. We are a party of 2. Can we make reservations on the same day after reading the Compass or do we need to make reservations before leaving home. 6. Any don't miss entertainment? 7. We have an OV cabin. Is there room under the bed for empty luggage? 8.Is the solarium pool heated? Any other info or tips would be greatly appreciated. Thank you all! Love CC! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biker19 Posted September 13, 2016 #2 Share Posted September 13, 2016 (edited) This will be cruise #37 (give or take one or two!) We have cruised on Princess, Carnival, RCCL, Celebrity, NCL and Holland America. Our best and worst experience has been on RCCL. We haven't sailed on RCCL in 8ish years. Decided to do Grandeur out of Baltimore because the price and timing was right. Not concerned about negative reviews. We have been on old and brand new, large, small and everything in between. A cruise is what you make it. Now for the questions. 1. Are reservations required for parking at the pier in Baltimore? No 2. Is MDR open for lunch on embarkation day? No 3. We have purchased the Ultimate beverage package (I think that's what its called) how is your sea card identified? Sticker? And are drink gratuities included? Is it accepted on Coco Cay? Called Deluxe now. Yes. Yes. Yes. 4. Where is the coffee bar? Is it Starbucks on Grandeur? Cafe Latitudes on deck 5. No. 5. We have My Time dining. We have read that reservations are suggested. We are a party of 2. Can we make reservations on the same day after reading the Compass or do we need to make reservations before leaving home. Your choice, though it might be tough to get a popular time once on board. 6. Any don't miss entertainment? Aerial show in Centrum. 7. We have an OV cabin. Is there room under the bed for empty luggage? Yes. 8.Is the solarium pool heated? Sorta. Any other info or tips would be greatly appreciated. Thank you all! Love CC! See above. Edited September 13, 2016 by Biker19 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merion_Mom Posted September 13, 2016 #3 Share Posted September 13, 2016 This will be cruise #37 (give or take one or two!) We have cruised on Princess, Carnival, RCCL, Celebrity, NCL and Holland America. Our best and worst experience has been on RCCL. We haven't sailed on RCCL in 8ish years. Decided to do Grandeur out of Baltimore because the price and timing was right. Not concerned about negative reviews. We have been on old and brand new, large, small and everything in between. A cruise is what you make it. Now for the questions. 1. Are reservations required for parking at the pier in Baltimore? No 2. Is MDR open for lunch on embarkation day? No 3. We have purchased the Ultimate beverage package (I think that's what its called) how is your sea card identified? Sticker? And are drink gratuities included? Is it accepted on Coco Cay? Called Deluxe now. Yes. Yes. Yes. 4. Where is the coffee bar? Is it Starbucks on Grandeur? Cafe Latitudes on deck 5. No.Cafe Lattetudes is on Deck 6. ;) 5. We have My Time dining. We have read that reservations are suggested. We are a party of 2. Can we make reservations on the same day after reading the Compass or do we need to make reservations before leaving home. Your choice, though it might be tough to get a popular time once on board. 6. Any don't miss entertainment? Aerial show in Centrum. I agree. Listening to it right now. VERY good. All the music in the Centrum is absolutely fantastic. I am truly impressed. 7. We have an OV cabin. Is there room under the bed for empty luggage? Yes. It was very difficult for me to get my bags under the bed. Never had that happen before on any ship. My cabin steward did it for me. 8.Is the solarium pool heated? Sorta. Only naturally, by the sun and ambient air. Biker's answers in black. Mine in red. ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smilz Posted September 13, 2016 Author #4 Share Posted September 13, 2016 Thanks for your rapid response! Very helpful. Glad coffee bar is not Starbucks (apologies to all the Starbuck lovers out there!) I guess I really am not a true coffee drinker. I like foofoo coffee Just like I like foofoo cocktails! We tend to eat at off times so I guess we have to decide if we should make reservations soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merion_Mom Posted September 13, 2016 #5 Share Posted September 13, 2016 Thanks for your rapid response! Very helpful. Glad coffee bar is not Starbucks (apologies to all the Starbuck lovers out there!) I guess I really am not a true coffee drinker. I like foofoo coffee Just like I like foofoo cocktails! We tend to eat at off times so I guess we have to decide if we should make reservations soon. I find the Windjammer buffet a perfectly acceptable alternative if on some night the wait looks too long in the MDR without a reservation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coneyraven Posted September 13, 2016 #6 Share Posted September 13, 2016 When are you going on Grandeur? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smilz Posted September 13, 2016 Author #7 Share Posted September 13, 2016 When are you going on Grandeur? November 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
counsdr Posted September 13, 2016 #8 Share Posted September 13, 2016 I can add that the coffee in Lattitudes is served in Starbucks cups and the sign does say "we proudly serve Starbucks coffee" now how true that is, I don't know, but I did have a Cappuccino from there every morning and it was excellent! If you are diamond, the diamond lounge is wonderful!!!! I really like Grandeur, i've been on her several times! She is small and intimate, which I like! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PTAngel Posted September 13, 2016 #9 Share Posted September 13, 2016 Unless it has changed recently, we have never made reservations in the MDR. There was only a short in any wait to be seated. We don't need a 2 top because there are 2 of us. We enjoy meeting new people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djay Posted September 14, 2016 #10 Share Posted September 14, 2016 We were on the Gof Seas last week to new England. We had any time dining- early. On the 5th floor. Right side. maitre'd was Rhah and server- WILSON. They were the BEST. WONDERFUL food. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare DragonOfTheSeas Posted September 14, 2016 #11 Share Posted September 14, 2016 Parking in Baltimore and getting on the ship is VERY easy. The terminal is all one floor. [no need for elevators/escalators] and the parking is right beside the terminal. Makes the disembark easy, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atb Posted September 14, 2016 #12 Share Posted September 14, 2016 The only time MTD is difficult - or long lines is formal night. Not sure why that is - especially lobster night. Otherwise - lines are usually not long. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dot60 Posted September 25, 2016 #13 Share Posted September 25, 2016 November 12 We are also on this cruise! Have you been on the roll call page for this cruise? We have been on this ship before and never had any problem with My Time Dining. We never made a reservation and always got seated with no problems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
runningtide Posted September 27, 2016 #14 Share Posted September 27, 2016 We live in Annapolis MD, so its a short drive to the Port of Baltimore. Have sailed Grandeur three times and making reservations today for an 11 day Caribbean cruise leaving January 2, 2017. Last April, we did our first transatlantic on Celebrity Reflection to the Western Med. As much as we enjoyed the Celebrity Flagship, we still looked forward to our next trip on Grandeur. Its a small ship by todays standard, but we enjoy the more intimate environment of this ship. Our best memories are always the crew. I guess because of its small size, the crew can devote more time to their guest. (We wanted to adopt our cabin steward on our last trip on Grandeur :-) Another benefit is you get to know your fellow passenger's , again because of the smaller size. Have a fantastic cruise !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare rafinmd Posted September 27, 2016 #15 Share Posted September 27, 2016 Is the boarding bridge at the terminal back in service yet? Roy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sellwingri Posted September 27, 2016 #16 Share Posted September 27, 2016 Is the boarding bridge at the terminal back in service yet? Roy No it's not. I've heard that it won't be fixed until next year some time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RUMRNR Posted September 27, 2016 #17 Share Posted September 27, 2016 We just sailed on Grandeur in September, we also had my time dining and wanted a table for two. We never made reservations and never had to wait for a table. We always decided what shows we wanted to see that night and then showed up to dinner usually in between shows, so we would catch an early show, have dinner, then go to a late show. It worked out perfectly for us and we loved not being tied to any reservations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamTimeDining Posted September 27, 2016 #18 Share Posted September 27, 2016 (edited) Have sailed Grandeur three times and making reservations today for an 11 day Caribbean cruise leaving January 2, 2017. We're on that cruise too, 1/3/17 out of Baltimore on Grandeur, right? Very excited! Edited September 27, 2016 by SamTimeDining Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smilz Posted September 28, 2016 Author #19 Share Posted September 28, 2016 No it's not. I've heard that it won't be fixed until next year some time. What happened to it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken at the beach Posted September 28, 2016 #20 Share Posted September 28, 2016 What happened to it? A Carnival ship ran into it. http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/baltimore-city/bs-md-cruise-ship-crash-20160508-story.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merion_Mom Posted September 28, 2016 #21 Share Posted September 28, 2016 Is the boarding bridge at the terminal back in service yet? Roy No it's not. I've heard that it won't be fixed until next year some time. They told me "the parts had to ordered from France." :eek: ;) :rolleyes: :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coneyraven Posted September 29, 2016 #22 Share Posted September 29, 2016 I just got off Lady G this morning. You know, as much as I love the gangway, boarding on Deck 1 was fast and flawless, and, in all honesty, it wouldn't matter to me if it was ever repaired Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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