Grandeur of the Seas 10/8/16

[Bow Tie]

I was on this cruise. It was an adventure.

 

We were told that we could arrive at the port any time between 11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. I figured there would be a crowd at the start, so we arrived at noon. We had no trouble getting on the ship, but we also got to skip the line because we were in a suite.

 

I didn't note the exact time, but after 2:00, we were told we were leaving early to get out of Chesapeake Bay before it closed at midnight. This was an official announcement from the Captain. Off we sailed. The cruise was sold out, but empty suites were given away the next day as prizes at bingo and in the casino.

 

Again, I did not note the exact time, but hours later, there was an announcement from the Captain that due to severe weather, we were not going to Bermuda. The Captain said that as soon as they found another port, we would be notified.

 

Many passengers speculated that we were going to Canada, Bar Harbor, or Portland. The folks I had contact with at dinner and afterwards were all taking things well and hoping for the best. I didn't hear any complaints. After dinner, there was a letter in our room (along with the usual ton of junk mail promoting the spa, art auction, bingo, specialty restaurants, and future cruises) announcing a 50% credit towards a future cruise.

 

Because we were changing our itinerary to avoid bad weather, I was very surprised by what happened next. We went to bed and the ship pitched and rocked heavily all night long.

 

I did not get seasick, but it was a rough night, with everything in the room banging and no sleep.

 

The next morning, things were not as bad, but the ship was still quite rocky. All the railings had been coated in Purell, understandably, but it was a surprise when I grabbed the first gooey one.

 

At noon the Captain announced that we were going to Port Liberty, New Jersey. That was all that was said. I had no idea it was right across from Manhattan. Adding that to the announcement would have softened the blow.

 

It was after the rough night and the New Jersey announcement that passengers seemed to fall into two groups. One group included my father and I. We figured we were still on vacation and this was going to be a great story once it was over, much better than, "I went to Bermuda." The other group was angry. Not about the weather, but the lack of communication. They felt they should have been given an option to get off the ship before it sailed and complained bitterly that RCCL should not have waited until we were at sea to announce that we were not going to Bermuda. Some of these people seemed very committed to being angry and it appeared to me that they were enjoying their outrage very much. Some threatened to jump ship in NYC.

 

Later that day, we were told about the ferry to Manhattan. The next morning, numbered tickets were handed out, but they let people board the ferry whenever regardless of ticket number. They also told us to go to deck 3 to board the ferry even though the end of the line was on deck 5. Quite a bit of unnecessary chaos. They had announced a schedule of leaving every hour on the hour and returning every hour on the half hour. They did not stick to this schedule.

 

We were told that the ship was leaving NYC the following morning at 6:00 a.m. But that night, I learned that we were staying in NYC for a second day, with the same ferry service. I was told this had been announced earlier, but I had not heard it. We were given a new letter, along with more junk mail, announcing the future cruise credit would now be 100%.

 

After the second day in NYC we slowly sailed back to Baltimore in beautiful sunny weather.

 

I get that RCCL can't control the weather and we were traveling during hurricane season. But would someone explain why we were in bad weather for well over 12 hours?

 

Once RCCL knew the hurricane was heading north, why didn't we sail due east and get away from it all, have some calm days at sea, and return to Baltimore?

 

I don't have the data to decide whether RCCL made the right decision to leave Baltimore early and dock in New Jersey. I won't second guess them. This was prime leaf peeping season - New England was likely packed and Canada may have been too far a trek for a five day cruise.

 

But here is my criticism:

 

1. We all should have been warned that we were in for a night of very rough seas, but that we were in no danger and they expected to be in calmer waters by x time, instead of leaving everyone surprised and anxious.

 

2. I understand the change in ports was sudden, but RCCL is a big business, and is owned by an even bigger one. They failed to rise to the occasion. The cruise director should have given an impromtu port lecture on things to do in NY or found someone on board to do so. It could have been fun to gather the NYC residents on board and have them each give us a "New York minute" rap on how to best experience Manhattan in a day.

 

Or RCCL could have put together some excursions. Or at least provided us with info on what shows were playing on Broadway. It was a Monday, so I had no idea what might be available. I had purchased a WiFi package, but my phone barely worked and I had no internet connection to do any research.

 

They could have had Gray Line, Hop On/Hop Off, or some other tour buses waiting in Manhattan to pick us up. There was plenty of time to arrange this. RCCL should have contingency plans ready to execute when there is a change in port like this one.

 

Instead, we were on our own for two days. Had I been traveling alone, I would have taken the first ferry in, seized the day, and had a great time walking all around Manhattan. However, I was with my 88 year old father and that was not an option. Because RCCL told us nothing, I didn't even know that the ferry dropped us off right across from the September 11 Memorial.

 

My father and I ended up going to mass (since the ship provided no religious services on board on Sunday) and having lunch with the only person we knew who lives in NYC. Afterwards, we went back to the ship. The next day, we stayed on the ship. We aren't big city people and with my father's limited mobility it was just too much to try to figure out what we wanted to do and how to do it. For us, this was a terrible missed opportunity. I can sit at home and read for free. I don't need to travel across the country and pay to be on a ship to do that.

 

3. Minor point, but when the ship was unable to keep the schedule they announced for the ferries, they should have told us!

 

Rather than a credit towards a future cruise that we are very unlikely to use, I would have much rather seen RCCL use that money to help us enjoy the cruise we were on. They had plenty of staff to continue to hawk the art auction, etc. We even received a phone call in our cabin, telling us that we should not miss the opportunity to pay $$$ to have a wine pairing dinner at the chef's table. Yes, a telemarketing call. Just what I want on vacation.

 

I am sure many on this board would have handled this differently or could have managed NYC on their own, but we were in desperate need of an excursion, as I know many others on the cruise were, especially the older passengers. In my opinion, RCCL did not handle this well at all.

[BND]

RCI does not control the ferries. They have to work around other ferries and traffic in the Hudson. It's a very busy port. As for the rough seas, if you go back and check the forecast and what happened, you will see that the hurricane came 75 miles farther north than was forecast before it turned east out to sea. No one controls the weather and hurricanes do what they want.

[cruisecrazybmore]

Bow Tie, I hope I don't sound like I'm diminishing what you're saying. Just offering my point of view on things.

 

Because we were changing our itinerary to avoid bad weather, I was very surprised by what happened next. We went to bed and the ship pitched and rocked heavily all night long.

 

I get that RCCL can't control the weather and we were traveling during hurricane season. But would someone explain why we were in bad weather for well over 12 hours?

 

Once RCCL knew the hurricane was heading north, why didn't we sail due east and get away from it all, have some calm days at sea, and return to Baltimore?

 

Since Matthew wasn't forecast to go that far north, had we gone east, we could have very well stayed in the storm the whole time as well. Also, further east would have meant a rockier trip as they you would be getting seas from both Matthew and Nicole. We were stuck between a rock and a hard place. The Captain made the decision to slow down on Sunday (significantly) so it was more comfortable, that also limited where we were able to go on such a short cruise.

 

1. We all should have been warned that we were in for a night of very rough seas, but that we were in no danger and they expected to be in calmer waters by x time, instead of leaving everyone surprised and anxious.

 

Leaving early because the Bay was closing because of the storm was the warning that the weather could be bad. Then again, the seas can be rough anytime leaving from Baltimore.

 

2. I understand the change in ports was sudden, but RCCL is a big business, and is owned by an even bigger one. They failed to rise to the occasion.

 

Considering they got together two different means of transportation in such a short period of time, I think they did great. It takes a LOT of planning to put together shore excursions, especially when it's not a usual port of call.

 

Considering how many people were considerably sea sick on Sunday, I doubt many people who have gone to a talk about things to do in NY if they could have gotten it together so quickly. They also said you could go to the shore excursion desk to ask questions about things to do.

 

3. Minor point, but when the ship was unable to keep the schedule they announced for the ferries, they should have told us!

 

They did make announcements on board as to when the ferries would be back. I'm not sure how much more they could have done. It takes as long as it takes to load/unload passengers and get through the harbor. They don't control that.

 

~~~~~~

Just my $0.02. I think RCCL did a great job and believe they kept us informed as much as they could. I can't imagine how difficult it was trying to find an open port during this time, and am happy for everyone who was seasick they found one that was relatively close even though it took quite a while to get there. I am also beyond happy with the 100% future cruise credit and did not expect it at all.

 

I do wish there was a better way to communicate with people that sailing out of the Baltimore area has a tendency to be rocky at all times and more so during hurricane season. I'm thinking that by the number of people seasick on this cruise, which was considerably less rocky than the cruise to Canada/New England last October that came up behind hurricane Joaquin, that a lot of people did not realize how bad it was going to be. Maybe a lot of first time/newer cruisers?

[Biker19]

I'm thinking that by the number of people seasick on this cruise, which was considerably less rocky than the cruise to Canada/New England last October that came up behind hurricane Joaquin, that a lot of people did not realize how bad it was going to be. Maybe a lot of first time/newer cruisers?

 

It doesn't matter how many times someone cruises - if it's rocky enough, some get sick - just the way some folk's body tolerates motion.

 

Biker, who was on a 10 day Grandeur sailing in March which had lake smooth seas (but missed Labadee because of a mechanical issue).

[nolesrule]

We went to Bermuda on Grandeur in July 2015, and even with no storms, that first sea day was pretty rough. They put out vomit bags, green apples and crackers just about everywhere throughout the ship.

 

My understanding is the rough seas are not unusual out of Baltimore. It's unclear if the hurricane added to that or not.

[BND]

We've had completely smooth (glass like) seas sailing in and out of Baltimore, some waves 5-8'(which are really nothing), all the way up to 30' waves. The only time I've felt sick was when we had the 30' waves in March 2014. That was when the running deck split at the seam and twisted the railing so it popped off in spots. The next morning, we had 15 foot seas and people were thrilled with that. It's all relative. I also get seasick if I don't take anything so I keep Bonine in my system at all times on a cruise (1-2 tablets a day depending on seas). Certain times of year are more prone to rough seas, but that's not even predictable by time of year. We've cruised to Bermuda three times out of Baltimore at the end of July and have had no more than 6-8 foot seas and most of all three trips we had even lower. It is kind of funny when you get people who are used to cruising out of Florida and think that 6 foot seas are big and that it's a rough ride. Yes, we've seen that out of Baltimore.

Edited October 16, 2016 by BND

[Shammie06]

RCI does not control the ferries. They have to work around other ferries and traffic in the Hudson. It's a very busy port. As for the rough seas, if you go back and check the forecast and what happened, you will see that the hurricane came 75 miles farther north than was forecast before it turned east out to sea. No one controls the weather and hurricanes do what they want.

 

The NY Watertaxi was just for the passengers on RC! We were told the wait would be 20 minutes. That 20 minutes turned into an hour and then add in the additional time to unload passengers!!! When talking to the NY Watertaxi they told us at least 30 minutes to and from and add time for passengers unloading and loading. Something the crew from RC failed to mention.

[jstraw20]

When talking to the NY Watertaxi they told us at least 30 minutes to and from and add time for passengers unloading and loading.

 

That sounds about right.

[Philly Steve]

:confused: where did you read about any damage? R u talking about Rhapsody?

 

A member of a future cruise Roll Call who was on this Grandeur sailing reported broken Solarium windows and light damage to port side balconies. No one was hurt.

 

The Solarium reopened at the end of the cruise, they reported.

[BND]

The NY Watertaxi was just for the passengers on RC! We were told the wait would be 20 minutes. That 20 minutes turned into an hour and then add in the additional time to unload passengers!!! When talking to the NY Watertaxi they told us at least 30 minutes to and from and add time for passengers unloading and loading. Something the crew from RC failed to mention.

 

I know the water taxi was just for RCI, but they do not control them and there are tons of ferry, cargo and other ship traffic in the Hudson all the time. The crew can't know how long it will all take as this is not something they routinely do in NY/NJ. And, as I said, RCI does not control the ferries or the traffic. The delays were what they were and really are no one's fault. If you knew anything about how marine traffic is controlled, you'd know that it's not up to the individual to just take off at any time regardless of other ships and boats. There are rules of the road just like on land.

Edited October 18, 2016 by BND

[BND]

A member of a future cruise Roll Call who was on this Grandeur sailing reported broken Solarium windows and light damage to port side balconies. No one was hurt.

 

The Solarium reopened at the end of the cruise, they reported.

 

Which roll call? I'd like to see it. I really wish people would link threads when they know where they are when they use them as information. I have not seen that reported anywhere. From what I understand, while the ride was rough, it was nowhere near as bad as other trips have been (like our 30' waves and the cruise before us in March 2014 who had 35' waves). What kind of damage to balconies?

 

ETA. I found the thread http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2349141&highlight=damage&page=13

 

20 foot seas and 40 mph winds, lol. That is nothing and very, very common sailing out of the NE, especially the winds. We've been on several trips where winds were in excess of 50-60 mph and decks are commonly closed due to winds when you sail out of the NE in the fall. Also, no one else on the Oct 8 roll call who reported back mentioned anything about it and the poster who did on the future roll call never mentioned it on the Oct 8 one. From what I can interpret, because they were replacing carpeting is that some water came in the balcony doors. Not uncommon with wind driven rain, but that is not balcony damage.

Edited October 18, 2016 by BND

[Biker19]

A member of a future cruise Roll Call who was on this Grandeur sailing reported broken Solarium windows and light damage to port side balconies. No one was hurt.

 

The Solarium reopened at the end of the cruise, they reported.

I call BS on that. If there was damage like that others would have reported it.

[cruisecrazybmore]

20 foot seas and 40 mph winds, lol. That is nothing and very, very common sailing out of the NE, especially the winds.

 

Per the captain, 20 ft seas and 70 knot winds. That's probably wind gusts, not sustained winds. I can see 40 mph sustained. Like you said, no big out of the NE at any time, let alone with a hurricane.

 

I call BS on that. If there was damage like that others would have reported it.

 

All I know was that the Solarium was closed and when we got out of the storm, people were working on top of it. No idea if there was broken glass or not.

[SueW]

There were indeed two panels missing from the top of the movable roof portion. More on the port side, and where the hot tub is. These appeared to be plexiglass because I saw them bring the replacement sheet up from a lower deck. Not BS.

 

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[John Reid]

There were indeed two panels missing from the top of the movable roof portion. More on the port side, and where the hot tub is. These appeared to be plexiglass because I saw them bring the replacement sheet up from a lower deck. Not BS.

 

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I was on the cruise the week before. Two port side panels in that exact location were not secured and banging severely in 40 mph winds. After I got out of the Solarium pool, I reported it to Guest Services. I thought they would break for sure. I guess they did just a few days later.

 

I wonder what one calls after calling a B.S. that isn't?

[Biker19]

I

I wonder what one calls after calling a B.S. that isn't?

 

The post made it sound a lot more serious than it it was. I mean read the two separate threads on what happened to Rhapsody and in neither of those cases was there that much weather that caused the issues. Here it sounds like those panels could have given way at any time and just happen to do so on this cruise. If it wasn't for this diversion and issue with Grandeur we may have never heard about it.

[John&LaLa]

Bermuda changed to Canada/New England happens about on the average of once a year.

 

Not a huge surprise or unique event.

How many FL sailings change to Canada?

 

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[Biker19]

[BND]

How many FL sailings change to Canada?

 

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Not necessary when you have the eastern and western Caribbean as well as the Bahamas to choose from ;)

 

But, of course, FL sailings do not go to Bermuda.

Edited October 18, 2016 by BND

[TeamAnnapolis]

Bowtie #176

 

Pretty good summary and generally agree especially: "Some of these people seemed very committed to being angry and it appeared to me that they were enjoying their outrage very much".

 

That said, I think they did a good job with the announcements and apologized when the ferry schedule got "off the plan"....I think you missed a couple of announcements....understandable that that was frustrating, but I still give them top marks.

Edited October 20, 2016 by TeamAnnapolis
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[hamrag]

RCL did much better than NCL. We were on the 9th October sailing, which did not go to Bermuda, and all we got was $200 per cabin non-refundable OBC!

[John&LaLa]

Not necessary when you have the eastern and western Caribbean as well as the Bahamas to choose from ;)

 

But, of course, FL sailings do not go to Bermuda.

I think some of the other lines do FL to Bermuda.

 

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