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

[siempredescalzo]

Oh yay, a Grandeur live blog! Def following along as I’ll be on her this Thanksgiving. 

[sixesandeights]

We will be on with you next week.  Can't wait to hear what you think of the food!  

 

6&8

[DragonOfTheSeas]

We had the Meet and Mingle in the South Pacific Lounge this morning from 9:15 to 9:40. 

 

John and Katrina Blair were hosting.  They really did not say much during the meeting.  A little chit chat about how happy they are to be back on the Grandeur.  He reminded everyone about his Facebook page.  He mentioned Katrina's brother is the cruise director on the Viking ship that had the engine trouble.  Yikes!

 

They gave out some prizes and that was it. The ocean is pretty flat today.  But, the gentle motion turned over the orange juice container and several paintings set up for an art auction. That was the most excitement. 

 

The top tier event was in the theatre--and well attended. After the usual introductions they recognized several milestones.  [one couple 920 points, another 1025, top cruiser 2042 points] There are over 1200 Crown and Anchor members on the ship.  

[CruisinCrow]

15 hours ago, DragonOfTheSeas said:

One of my favorite things is to be on the deck when we pass under the bay bridge.

 

It looks like the ship will not clear the bridge--but, it does.  I have often wondered what the people driving on the bridge think.  

 

 

 

 

 

It's like that going under the Sunshine Skyway Bridge out of Tampa, too.  It always looks like you're going to hit.  I've never been lucky enough to be actually on the bridge when I ship went under.

[ShillyShally]

15 hours ago, DragonOfTheSeas said:

One of my favorite things is to be on the deck when we pass under the bay bridge.

 

It looks like the ship will not clear the bridge--but, it does.  I have often wondered what the people driving on the bridge think.  

 

 

 

I would love to sail under a bridge like this, definitely will plan on booking the Grandeur one of these days!!

[bowler15547]

1 minute ago, ShillyShally said:

I would love to sail under a bridge like this, definitely will plan on booking the Grandeur one of these days!!

 

There's actually three when you sail down the Chesapeake from Baltimore. First is the Key Bridge pictured here. Second is the bay bridge which is actually two bridges. At the end of the Chesapeake you sail over the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel. Very cool watching the cars disappear into the ocean. 

[CruisinCrow]

5 minutes ago, bowler15547 said:

 

There's actually three when you sail down the Chesapeake from Baltimore. First is the Key Bridge pictured here. Second is the bay bridge which is actually two bridges. At the end of the Chesapeake you sail over the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel. Very cool watching the cars disappear into the ocean. 

 

About how long does it take to reach the Bay Bridge after you leave port?

[bowler15547]

Key Bridge is around 20 minutes, Chesapeake Bay Bridge is usually around 2 hours, and the Bay Bridge Tunnel is usually around midnight. Give or take a few knots 🙂

[ShillyShally]

9 minutes ago, bowler15547 said:

 

There's actually three when you sail down the Chesapeake from Baltimore. First is the Key Bridge pictured here. Second is the bay bridge which is actually two bridges. At the end of the Chesapeake you sail over the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel. Very cool watching the cars disappear into the ocean. 

OHHHH, awesome, thank you!  I love bridges, this makes the Grandeur a lock - does she do all 3 of these pretty much heading anywhere?  Or only going south?  What about Bermuda?

[ShillyShally]

2 minutes ago, bowler15547 said:

Key Bridge is around 20 minutes, Chesapeake Bay Bridge is usually around 2 hours, and the Bay Bridge Tunnel is usually around midnight. Give or take a few knots 🙂

First day on board planned 🙂

[bowler15547]

1 minute ago, ShillyShally said:

OHHHH, awesome, thank you!  I love bridges, this makes the Grandeur a lock - does she do all 3 of these pretty much heading anywhere?  Or only going south?  What about Bermuda?

 

Every sailing since she has to transit the Bay to reach the ocean. It's really neat to watch, especially with all the ships you pass at very close proximity. On the way back, you'll hit the tunnel around 6PM the last night, the other two are early in the morning. 

[ShillyShally]

Just now, bowler15547 said:

 

Every sailing since she has to transit the Bay to reach the ocean. It's really neat to watch, especially with all the ships you pass at very close proximity. On the way back, you'll hit the tunnel around 6PM the last night, the other two are early in the morning. 

Terrific, thank you!  I know we'd enjoy this part of the trip a lot, not sure I'd make the last 2 middle of the night but it could be a way to extend vacation to the last moment 🙂

[CruisinCrow]

31 minutes ago, bowler15547 said:

Key Bridge is around 20 minutes, Chesapeake Bay Bridge is usually around 2 hours, and the Bay Bridge Tunnel is usually around midnight. Give or take a few knots 🙂

 

Thanks!  That means we should be able to see the Chesapeake Bay Bridge before heading to dinner.  

[DragonOfTheSeas]

CrusinCrow.  Yes, before dinner.  We were in the Viking Crown Lounge having a drink and I went outside to get the pictures.

 

The Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel is usually late at night both going and coming. . . . However, some of that timing depends on how fast the captain is moving and when you leave port. 

 

It takes approximately 8 hrs to get to the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay. We left last night at 4 pm so it should have been around midnight. [I was in bed by then and missed it. 😁 It had been a long week]

 

Coming back I have seen it around 10-11 at night.  But, on a couple of trips the Captain was moving as quickly as he could to get into the protection of the bay because the sea was rough.  We saw it about 8 or 9pm. 

 

The Bridge Tunnel, including the ramps, is 23 miles long.  There are 2 one-mile long tunnels.  Large ocean going ships use the Chesapeake Channel tunnel.  It is very cool to be on the top deck [best vantage point] and look right and left to see the street lights and car headlights just stop.  I have tried to get a picture in the past. They were not good quality. 

 

 

Edited March 29, 2019 by DragonOfTheSeas

[ShillyShally]

7 minutes ago, DragonOfTheSeas said:

CrusinCrow.  Yes, before dinner.  We were in the Viking Crown Lounge having a drink and I went outside to get the pictures.

 

The Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel is usually latish at night both going and coming. . . . However, some of that timing depends on how fast the captain is moving and when you leave port. 

 

It takes approximately 8 hrs to get to the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay. We left last night at 4 pm so it should have been around midnight. [I was in bed by then and missed it. 😁 It had been a long week]

 

Coming back I have seen it around 10-11 at night.  But, on a couple of trips the Captain was moving as quickly as he could to get into the protection of the bay because the sea was rough.  We saw it about 8 or 9pm. 

 

The Bridge Tunnel, including the ramps, is 23 miles long.  There are 2 one-mile long tunnels.  Large ocean going ships use the Chesapeake Channel tunnel.  It is very cool to be on the top deck [best vantage point] and look right and left to see the street lights and car headlights just stop.  I have tried to get a picture in the past. They were not good quality. 

 

 

Having driven all these bridges and the bridge tunnel I think seeing it on board would just be super cool!  Good to know on the timing of them too!

[BND]

32 minutes ago, DragonOfTheSeas said:

CrusinCrow.  Yes, before dinner.  We were in the Viking Crown Lounge having a drink and I went outside to get the pictures.

 

The Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel is usually late at night both going and coming. . . . However, some of that timing depends on how fast the captain is moving and when you leave port. 

 

It takes approximately 8 hrs to get to the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay. We left last night at 4 pm so it should have been around midnight. [I was in bed by then and missed it. 😁 It had been a long week]

 

Coming back I have seen it around 10-11 at night.  But, on a couple of trips the Captain was moving as quickly as he could to get into the protection of the bay because the sea was rough.  We saw it about 8 or 9pm. 

 

The Bridge Tunnel, including the ramps, is 23 miles long.  There are 2 one-mile long tunnels.  Large ocean going ships use the Chesapeake Channel tunnel.  It is very cool to be on the top deck [best vantage point] and look right and left to see the street lights and car headlights just stop.  I have tried to get a picture in the past. They were not good quality. 

 

 

Our experience on 7 trips out of Baltimore is usually on the way out we cross the bay bridge tunnel around 1130.  And, we cross back over in when coming in around 9.  We do late dining and most of the time we're in the MDR when we cross.  Everyone whips out their cell phones then lol.  How crowded have the lounges been?  You said 1200 C&A members, how many are D and above?  I know our 12 night on 6 April will have a lot also as they always do.

Edited March 29, 2019 by BND

[DragonOfTheSeas]

3 minutes ago, BND said:

 How crowded have the lounges been?  You said 1200 C&A members, how many are D and above?  I know our 12 night on 6 April will have a lot also as they always do.

The lounge was packed.  The Concierge lounge was extended by opening the divider to the Viking Crown Lounge. We did not go to the diamond lounge, but I will check tonight.  

 

Our drink server made a comment that last cruise there were only 5 tables in use each night.  What a difference this cruise was.  

 

The Loyalty Ambassador gave all the numbers this morning at the top tier event. I tried to remember them.   There are 32 pinnacles, 140 D+ and 200 ish Diamonds onboard.  I did not post those earlier because I could be off by a couple.  i.e. Was it 32 or 34 Ps?  

 

I expect next cruise to have more.  A longer cruise attracts more veteran cruisers.

 

There are not that many children onboard.  Less than I thought since some people are on spring break.

[tcmagnum]

1 minute ago, DragonOfTheSeas said:

I am testing to see if I can still post.  I just wrote a posting about our dinner last night in Giovanni's.  I got a message that a Moderator would need to approve it before it would be visible.  Has anyone gotten such a message?  There was nothing unusual except we ate too much. 

That post shows.  I've seen that message before.  Weird.  

Really enjoying your live posting.

[dixieva]

I don't see a post about your dinner.

[CruisinCrow]

24 minutes ago, dixieva said:

I don't see a post about your dinner.

I didn't see it either.

[DragonOfTheSeas]

Last night was DH birthday.  We ate dinner at Giovanni's Table and it was excellent. We started with the Antipasti plank, had a 1/2 portion each of pasta and our entrée was a petite filet.  Of the 2 pastas my Tagliatelle alla Carbonara was better than his Bucatini alla Bolognaise.  DH said it was the best dinner he had in a long time. That is saying something.

 

When it was over the waiter [and about 6 friends] brought a piece of the red velvet cake + candle that they serve in Chops and sang Happy Birthday.  The cake was great, too.  The thing is that I had not mentioned it was his birthday. 

 

I tried to upload a picture of the restaurant, but it has failed each time. The internet is very slow today. I will try again later.

[DragonOfTheSeas]

I just tried to copy the text and post it again and got the same message. Oh well.

 

 

I will just wait that one out.

[Jasonmom]

Went on the 12 night Southern Caribbean on Grandure last year.  Only 14 days till we will board Navigator.  Having that pre-cruise need to see more information on Cruising. Looking forward to your review.

[CruisinCrow]

7 minutes ago, DragonOfTheSeas said:

I just tried to copy the text and post it again and got the same message. Oh well.

 

 

I will just wait that one out.

 

It posted that time.  How weird about the messages!

[crisndeefromde]

anxious to see what you think of all the dry dock improvements.  I follow Mr. Blair on FB and have enjoyed seeing a drydock in progress.  We enjoyed this ship when we were onboard two years ago.  I would rather be on this one then the anthem..great crew