Grandeur from NOLA

[jeff f]

Looking for some opinions about the RCCL Grandeur of the Seas.

I'm thinking about sailing on her in December from New Orleans. Does anyone have any comments on the ship/cruise? I'm a little concerned because of her age. And is NOLA back and ready for tourist? I was there in 03' and I am thinking about flying in a day or so early to experience the city once again.

 

Thank you in advance.

[mustangjoe]

Jeff: DW & I were on the Grandeur April '05 from NOLA. Even though she is an "older" she is just fine for us. We arrived in NOLA a day early and spent a day after the cruise in the Crescent City.

 

We are also doing the repo cruise on her in NOv. It leaves from Baltimore on 11/19 and arrives in NOLA on 12/2. 13 nights should be very interesting. What part of NE Ohio are from? As you can see we are in Akron.

 

Whatever you decide have a great time!!!!!!!!!!:D

[FlorenceItaly]

Thanks so much :)

 

 

Marie

[jillybean2]

Hi! We did the Grandeur in December of 04 and had a great time. There was a big group with us ranging in age from 10 to 61 and everybody loved it. It is an older and smaller ship, but we found the service to be exceptional and the food to be better then our last cruise which was on Disney. Also staying a few days ahead of time in NOLA just can't be beat.

 

Hope you have fun!

[QueenBee1212]

I don't have any input on the cruise...but I was in New Orleans in May, and I would definitely recommend spending some time there. We had a great time there, and while many places had decreased or erratic hours, they were still ready and waiting for tourists. I would go back in a heartbeat!

 

Beverly, who is making her first post and needs to figure out how to make a signature

[FlorenceItaly]

I don't have any input on the cruise...but I was in New Orleans in May, and I would definitely recommend spending some time there. We had a great time there, and while many places had decreased or erratic hours, they were still ready and waiting for tourists. I would go back in a heartbeat!

 

Beverly, who is making her first post and needs to figure out how to make a signature

 

Beverly - Welcome to CC. You can make a signature by clicking on User CP(assuimng you are logged in) at the top of the pagejust under the Cruise Critic banner). I hope this helps some.

Once you are there look on the left hand side of the page.

 

Would love to know what you did while you were in New Orleans. I had decided not to go in early, but now you have me wondering. Thanks.

 

Marie

[deseylou]

We sailed on the Granduer in Feb or 05.

She is what made us fall in love with RCCL.

We were on the 3rd deck and still everything seemed so convienent.

We really love the adult pool area.

I cant wait for her to come to NO. so I might sail again.

Debbie

[QueenBee1212]

Beverly - Welcome to CC. You can make a signature by clicking on User CP(assuimng you are logged in) at the top of the pagejust under the Cruise Critic banner). I hope this helps some.

Once you are there look on the left hand side of the page.

 

Would love to know what you did while you were in New Orleans. I had decided not to go in early, but now you have me wondering. Thanks.

 

Marie

 

Thanks for the help, Marie! I appreciate it!

 

As for what we did in New Orleans. We stayed in the French Quarter, so we explored a lot of the Quarter on foot, which was great...and we were a block from Cafe du Monde, so I had more than my fair share of late night snacks there. We did a lunch time cruise up and down the Mississippi on the Steamboat Natchez...that was fun! We went to Mardi Gras World and saw the floats and accessories for them, that have been made for the Mardi Gras parades. We did a walking tour/ghost tour of the Quarter that was really interesting. We ate A LOT. One of the friends that was there with me (it was a girls weekend...husbands and kids stayed home) grew up in the New Orleans area, so she took us to see some of the Katrina damage...that was pretty amazing, in an awful sort of way...but I am glad I saw it. We toured one of the cemetaries. And, of course, we went to Pat O's and had a drink.

[jillybean2]

Hi again! I second everything that Beverly mentioned. Another fun thing that we did right in the quarter was take a cooking class from the New Orleans school of cooking. You don't actually do the cooking, and I think it takes about three hours, but they cook traditional dishes with a big overhead mirror so you can follow along with the recipes. The cooks provide you with the history of New Orleans through the food and ingredients. You get lunch and sampling of New Orleans beer. Highly recomended if they are up and running again.

[FlorenceItaly]

Wonderful information. Thanks so much. I think we are seriously going to consider going in early.

 

 

Marie

[jeff f]

Jeff: DW & I were on the Grandeur April '05 from NOLA. Even though she is an "older" she is just fine for us. We arrived in NOLA a day early and spent a day after the cruise in the Crescent City.

 

We are also doing the repo cruise on her in NOv. It leaves from Baltimore on 11/19 and arrives in NOLA on 12/2. 13 nights should be very interesting. What part of NE Ohio are from? As you can see we are in Akron.

 

Whatever you decide have a great time!!!!!!!!!!:D

 

mustangjoe:

Thanks for the response. RCCL Grandeur out of NOLA is only one of the ships that I am looking at for a December cruise. I had been to NOLA pre-Katrina and wasn't quite sure that she was back on her feet. But now after reading the responses here I believe that a visit there would be fine.

 

You are right down the road, I'm in Cuyahoga Falls.