Live! DragonOfTheSeas' B2B on the Grandeur of the Seas 3.28 to 4.18.19

[ShillyShally]

20 hours ago, siempredescalzo said:

Someone on another cruise forum recommended this collapsible metal straw to me and it's been a game changer. It comes with a compact case and a little squeegee brush so you don't have a dirty straw just floating around at the bottom of your bag. 

 

 

 

 

This is super interesting, we may get these prior to future travel!

[DragonOfTheSeas]

Dh and I can not believe that our 21 days are almost over.  We have love, love loved our cruise.  We can't believe what great weather we had.  We had a couple of rainy spells--but, never a whole day.  

 

I think we are ready to get back and check on our family and friends. 

 

We booked another cruise for this fall yesterday.  It is known as the Snowbird Migration cruise.  It leaves Quebec City on Oct 7, 2019 and goes to Ft. Lauderdale.  Many passengers from Canada use it as a means of getting to their winter homes.  We have been looking at that one for awhile.  We should have booked it sooner.  It is almost sold out and we are back to an oceanview cabin.  [all that is left]  It is a 13 day cruise.  I told DH that was just too short. 😁

[ShillyShally]

6 minutes ago, DragonOfTheSeas said:

Dh and I can not believe that our 21 days are almost over.  We have love, love loved our cruise.  We can't believe what great weather we had.  We had a couple of rainy spells--but, never a whole day.  

 

I think we are ready to get back and check on our family and friends. 

 

We booked another cruise for this fall yesterday.  It is known as the Snowbird Migration cruise.  It leaves Quebec City on Oct 7, 2019 and goes to Ft. Lauderdale.  Many passengers from Canada use it as a means of getting to their winter homes.  We have been looking at that one for awhile.  We should have booked it sooner.  It is almost sold out and we are back to an oceanview cabin.  [all that is left]  It is a 13 day cruise.  I told DH that was just too short. 😁

LOL I can see where 13 nights may seem short, and I can't believe your 21 days are almost up!  So happy you had such a terrific time!!

[DragonOfTheSeas]

FYI--those you on the Grandeur cruise that leaves tomorrow.  I hope you have packed at least a couple of long sleeve shirts.  The sea days going and coming will be cool and windy, even if it is sunny. Also, Bermuda is on the same latitude as North Carolina.  So it can still be chilly in April.

 

Not trying to be negative--just giving a heads up. Have a great cruise. Bermuda and Charleston are such great places to visit. 

[DragonOfTheSeas]

5 minutes ago, ShillyShally said:

LOL I can see where 13 nights may seem short, and I can't believe your 21 days are almost up!  So happy you had such a terrific time!!

There is a 6 day Western Caribbean cruise right after the one we booked.  DH says he does not love that itinerary.  [I will have to work on him] 

 

I would have considered the cruise before the one we booked to make it a B2B. The same itinerary in reverse.  But, it leaves Bayonne, NJ and goes to Quebec City.  Then our cruise goes from Quebec City to Ft. Lauderdale.  That combination would violate the PVSA. [I think I have the initials right] 

 

That is a law that says ships can't take passengers from one US port to a DIFFERENT US port unless you visit a distant foreign port.  To do this ships need to be registered in the US and must abide by all US laws.  [Labor laws, hours worked, minimum wage, etc]. To my knowledge only the Pride of America fits in this category. [of the major cruise lines]  It sails in Hawaii. 

 

Nothing in North America qualifies as a distant port.  Aruba, Curacao and Bonaire are the closest porst that qualify. I know a B2B is 2 separate cruises.  But, they only look at where you started and where you end. In this case Bayonne to Ft. Lauderdale would be a no go. 

[ShillyShally]

3 minutes ago, DragonOfTheSeas said:

There is a 6 day Western Caribbean cruise right after the one we booked.  DH says he does not love that itinerary.  [I will have to work on him] 

 

I would have considered the cruise before the one we booked to make it a B2B. The same itinerary in reverse.  But, it leaves Bayonne, NJ and goes to Quebec City.  Then our cruise goes from Quebec City to Ft. Lauderdale.  That combination would violate the PVSA. [I think I have the initials right] 

 

That is a law that says ships can't take passengers from one US port to a DIFFERENT US port unless you visit a distant foreign port.  To do this ships need to be registered in the US and must abide by all US laws.  [Labor laws, hours worked, minimum wage, etc]. To my knowledge only the Pride of America fits in this category. [of the major cruise lines]  It sails in Hawaii. 

 

Nothing in North America qualifies as a distant port.  Aruba, Curacao and Bonaire are the closest porst that qualify. I know a B2B is 2 separate cruises.  But, they only look at where you started and where you end. In this case Bayonne to Ft. Lauderdale would be a no go. 

I've heard that about the prior one and the one you're on violating the PVSA which sucks!  Maybe convince him the 6 night can be all about staying on board and not doing much at all 🙂

[Merion_Mom]

21 hours ago, Lady Hudson said:

We took plastic individually wrapped straws with us on our last trip.  Yes, that may defeat the purpose of RC’s ban on plastic but if they truly have folks who separate the trash for disposal there should be no environmental damage.  RCs paper straws are terrible.  I agree that they get soggy long before frozen drinks or sodas are gone.  I think RC could invest in a higher quality paper straw.

 

I am sitting here drinking a screwdriver.  The bartender put the straw in an hour and twenty minutes ago.  The straw is doing just fine.

[Merion_Mom]

14 minutes ago, DragonOfTheSeas said:

There is a 6 day Western Caribbean cruise right after the one we booked.  DH says he does not love that itinerary.  [I will have to work on him] 

 

I would have considered the cruise before the one we booked to make it a B2B. The same itinerary in reverse.  But, it leaves Bayonne, NJ and goes to Quebec City.  Then our cruise goes from Quebec City to Ft. Lauderdale.  That combination would violate the PVSA. [I think I have the initials right] 

 

That is a law that says ships can't take passengers from one US port to a DIFFERENT US port unless you visit a distant foreign port.  To do this ships need to be registered in the US and must abide by all US laws.  [Labor laws, hours worked, minimum wage, etc]. To my knowledge only the Pride of America fits in this category. [of the major cruise lines]  It sails in Hawaii. 

 

Nothing in North America qualifies as a distant port.  Aruba, Curacao and Bonaire are the closest porst that qualify. I know a B2B is 2 separate cruises.  But, they only look at where you started and where you end. In this case Bayonne to Ft. Lauderdale would be a no go. 

 

You have summarized the PVSA quite well.

 

The thing is that RC COULD insert one of the ABC islands into these repositioning cruises and fix the entire problem.  They did back in 2014, but not lately.  

[DragonOfTheSeas]

5 minutes ago, Merion_Mom said:

 

I am sitting here drinking a screwdriver.  The bartender put the straw in an hour and twenty minutes ago.  The straw is doing just fine.

I am glad it is working out for you.  

 

The paper straws were a hot topic among cruisers the first few days of the cruise.  We have all made our peace with them one way or another.  I agree that this is a first world problem.  Life is pretty good if this is what you worry about. 

[h20skibum]

6 hours ago, Voc6 said:

Would love it you posted live as well.  We will be leaving next Thursday when you return.  Have a wonderful trip!

Well, to add a shameless plug, here is a start to the next Grandeur Live. 

 

 

[DragonOfTheSeas]

7 minutes ago, h20skibum said:

Well, to add a shameless plug, here is a start to the next Grandeur Live. 

 

 

I will be following along!

[Setting sail for fun]

Thanks so much for your Grandeur Live Review!  Enjoyed catching up with your adventures everyday.  Haven't been on a cruise in a few years, as the last three cruisesI have ended up with a virus or flu (not blaming anyone, just my experience). Want to take advantage of the Grandeur as she is so close.  Safe travels home.

[beed2010]

On 4/16/2019 at 5:23 PM, CruisinCons said:

 

We're staying here:

 

Holiday Inn express Baltimore at the Stadiums

1701 Russel St, Baltimore 1230

410-727-1818

 

 

$143.22 park & stay with shuttle to and from port.

Thank you so much for the information😁

[beed2010]

Thank you so much for the live report. It’s been an enjoyable diversion from life. 11 months until my sailing ☹️

[Cru1s1ng2009]

thanks for letting us follow along on your trip @DragonOfTheSeas

[h20skibum]

Thanks for taking us along. Safe travels home.

Now it is my turn. Leaving the hotel for the ship in about a half hour.


Past Reviews post 184

[DragonOfTheSeas]

Thanks, we enjoyed our cruise.  We got back to 55 foggy degrees here in Baltimore.  Back to the real world.  

 

H2Oskibum--have a good cruise.  

 

 

[h20skibum]

Thanks, we enjoyed our cruise.  We got back to 55 foggy degrees here in Baltimore.  Back to the real world.  
 
H2Oskibum--have a good cruise.  
 
 

I have already been outside in my shorts, and it is not bad for me.

But then I am.

Past Reviews post 184

[death_star]

Saw you guys at the dock at 0700 this morning driving by on the way to work. Remembered thinking hey DragonOfTheSeas is getting off today!

[Rogueperson]

1 hour ago, death_star said:

Saw you guys at the dock at 0700 this morning driving by on the way to work. Remembered thinking hey DragonOfTheSeas is getting off today!

Still jonesing, huuh...

[luv2cruise4ever]

On 4/16/2019 at 11:01 AM, DragonOfTheSeas said:

Today was the chocolate breakfast.  Those of you on the next cruise that are new to Royal Caribbean make sure you ask which morning they are serving this. I think it is always  a sea day. 

 

They have chocolate waffles, chocolate pancakes, chocolate parfait, chocolate Danish and what they call a chocolate milkshake.  The milkshake is more like chocolate milk--but, very good.  This is always a crowd favorite and the kids love it. 

Is the chocolate breakfast MDR or WJ? Sounds heavenly!!!!

[luv2cruise4ever]

27 minutes ago, luv2cruise4ever said:

Is the chocolate breakfast MDR or WJ? Sounds heavenly!!!!

Ha, I was so excited to see this I stopped reading posts.....sorry, I see now the answer is MDR.  A girl's gotta have her chocolate!!!

[DragonOfTheSeas]

4 hours ago, luv2cruise4ever said:

Ha, I was so excited to see this I stopped reading posts.....sorry, I see now the answer is MDR.  A girl's gotta have her chocolate!!!

It was the next to last day, a sea day.  It is not a new thing.  I have had the chocolate breakfast before. 

 

I can't tell you if it is unique to Grandeur.  We have been on Grandeur 7 times.  I don't remember if the other times were on Grandeur or other ships. 

[CruisinCrow]

12 hours ago, DragonOfTheSeas said:

It was the next to last day, a sea day.  It is not a new thing.  I have had the chocolate breakfast before. 

 

I can't tell you if it is unique to Grandeur.  We have been on Grandeur 7 times.  I don't remember if the other times were on Grandeur or other ships. 

 

I wonder if they have it on the 5-day Bermuda cruise.

[DragonOfTheSeas]

1 hour ago, CruisinCrow said:

 

I wonder if they have it on the 5-day Bermuda cruise.

I would ask your dinner waiter.  They all work the MDR or in the windjammer for breakfast, too.  . .  Or ask the head waiter as they walk around.  If they do not know they will find out for you.

 

I always loved the little savory bites they used to serve in the MDR. [mini hard bread rolls with poppy seeds]  I casually mentioned this to the assistant waiter as he passed out bread.  EVERY night from then [20 days] I got savory bites for dinner. I could not believe it.