Grand Review (Long)

[Patti-in-SK]

I am wondering what airport you flew out of, you stated that you were at the airport at 2:30. I was looking at booking this same post cruise excursion but my flight leaves at 2:56 from FLL. Did you fly out of FLL or MIA?

[B40 Tha Cruisa]

Hi

 

Great review!

We are booked on Grand next Christmas and New Year (1s time on Princess) and are wondering do they do anything special for Christmas or New yearThanks

Al.

 

This year they had snow on the ship everyday, fleet wide in the atrium.

They also decorate the atrium for the holiday.

[Sanibel*Gal]

Thanks for the review! Our first Princess Cruise was on the Grand & we enjoyed the ship so much we booked her again - glad to hear she is in good shape!!

[gregj359]

Gabrielle,

 

I have a couple more questions if you don't mind...

 

We have "The Everglades Flamingo Gardens" tour booked for our upcoming cruise. I believe it is the same one that you did.

 

- Did the tour group meet somewhere on the ship?

- Did they do something different with your luggage? Like put it on the tour bus for you? If so, did you have to do anything different the night before?

- I'm assuming at the end of the tour they take you to the airport, although it doesn't specifically say that.

 

Thanks again.

Greg

[Gabrielle R.]

Thanks for your honest input.

 

General questions:

New Menus ?

Did you get a table for 2 any nights, how long a wait ?

New Mattresses?

What's the quietest place to hang out during the day

What/where did you find that you thought was special ?

What days did they have eggs benedict (a personal favorite, only seem to get on a cruise)

 

 

Thanks

 

No, the menus I don't think were new. I was on the Tahatian this summer and we had some of the same meals on board the Grand.

 

Yes, we did get some tables for two. We ate in the Michaelangeo around 6-6:30. We asked and was seated as soon as we got there. We also shared tables too. Christmas Day and two other nights we did have a table for two.

 

I don't kow if the mattresses were new on the Caribe deck. What I did ntoice is some mattresses were replaced in Jamaica. I thought the beds were really pretty good. On the Tahiatian we did the egg crate for the bed. Onboard the Grand we didn't. My husband didn't complain that it was too hard. So Maybe? They were the new mattresses? So for the unsure answer!

 

A quiet spot during the day. Indoor? The library was fairly quiet. The atrium area was pretty quiet. Skywalkers was nice and quiet too- really chilly in there- might need a sweat shirt. The promenade deck was pretty quiet, with only walkers going by. On port days you pretty much have the ship all to yourself.

 

What/where did you find that you thought was special ? Boy, not sure what you wanted here. We liked Pardise Island (Or was it Passion Island?) Excursion in Cozumel. That was a nice area that we found a lot of quiet spots on the beach. Princess Cays is quiet if you go past the food area and follow the beach down. That was nice and quiet and you can snorkel there too. Not bad either. We liked the Pirate encounter in Grand Cayman. I could pretend I was a swashbuckling pirate and not have to worry about killing.....;) On board the ship, I really liked the Spa pool area, that was rather quiet too even on the last sea day. Walking up on the Emerald deck in the bow of the ship was really nice- I liked walking the promenade/Emerald deck at sunset- that was pretty and nice. I hope that helped???

 

Eggs Benedict.... I think it was Monday (or Tuesday) and Thursday in the Horizon Cafe (Buffet) I know my Husband had them twice there. The Eggs Benedict were not served on Christmas day in the Dining room- much to my husband's disappointment. The Horizon's Eggs were OK, but not great- that's what my hubby said.... I thought they looked cold and dry.

 

Hoped that helpd! Gabrielle

[Gabrielle R.]

Thanks for the great review. I just have one question:

 

How quickly were you able to tender into port in Grand Cayman? We are trying to arrange something and are trying to figure out what time we can reasonably be off, without sleeping in the room where they give out tender tickets.

 

I guess if you could elaborate on the tender procedure for Cayman that will be helpful.

 

Many thanks!

 

We did the Pirate ship encounter on Grand Cayman- an early excursion- so our tender tickets were already set. We barely waited in the theater before our number was called.

 

You could ask the main desk if they do early tenders. A few years ago we did Captain Marvin's and I set up our trip a few hours after our ship was cleared for debarkation.

 

I noticed that the tenders went really rather quickly- I think they had 4 or 5 tenders running at the start of the day. Sorry I couldn't be more helpful. The first hour is the biggest rush, then it starts to slow down and you don't need to do the cattle call feeling.

 

Gabrielle

[Gabrielle R.]

Hi

 

Great review!

We are booked on Grand next Christmas and New Year (1s time on Princess) and are wondering do they do anything special for Christmas or New yearThanks

Al.

Hi Al! Yes, as someone mentioned they did have snow in the atrium. Yes, it was a bunch of little flakes! I know snow- being a Minnesotan- I have no clue how they did it, but I imagine they had water and the air condtioning working.:confused: But it was nice.

 

They had Christmas carols sung in the atrium. A very nice sing along. A Jewish lady wished me a Merry Christmas and said: "The music is beautiful and I enjoy it, even though I'm Jewish." It was very nice.

 

The crew put on a very nice Christmas program. (we didn't see it we were at a different program- but soem friends sw it and said it was nice.)

 

They had a Catholic Mass at Midnight and another midnight mass for all denominations. Christmas Day there was a Catholic Mass at (8:30 AM)

 

Nice decorations all around. Nothing over done- tasteful. Little christmas sparkles at our doors- 'frosted' pine cone with holly.

Gabrielle

[Gabrielle R.]

I am wondering what airport you flew out of, you stated that you were at the airport at 2:30. I was looking at booking this same post cruise excursion but my flight leaves at 2:56 from FLL. Did you fly out of FLL or MIA?

 

Patti We flew out of Ft. Lauderdale. They have a shorter excursion at FLL. You would be really cutting it close. If you fly NorthWest you could make it with minutes to spare...... You might want to do the shorter excursion. One woman on our tour was supposed to catch a 3:30 flight and I know they were really worried. They got left off the bus after we got off.

 

Gabrielle

[Gabrielle R.]

Gabrielle,

 

I have a couple more questions if you don't mind...

 

We have "The Everglades Flamingo Gardens" tour booked for our upcoming cruise. I believe it is the same one that you did.

 

- Did the tour group meet somewhere on the ship?

- Did they do something different with your luggage? Like put it on the tour bus for you? If so, did you have to do anything different the night before?

- I'm assuming at the end of the tour they take you to the airport, although it doesn't specifically say that.

 

Thanks again.

Greg

Greg, we met onboard the ship- in the Casino. We got to the Casino early and our color was called early. We got therough everything very quickly. We had tags on our shirts and our guide met us outside of the terminal directed us to the bus. I think we got through everyting in less than 30 minutes! Being called through immigration and getting our bags, and to the bus.

 

We had our carry ons with us, our suitcases were in the terminal for us to take through customs. On board the bus, we had our suitcases in the 'belly' of the bus, we had our carry ons with us. The bus was secured so everyone left their carry ons on the bus- Of course I had my purse with me.

 

Yup, at the end of the tour they drop you off at the airport. It's divided by carrier.

 

Have fun in the everglades it was a blast! Gabrielle

[gregj359]

Thanks for the info, it is very helpful.

 

Greg

[CKDoodle]

Hi Gabrielle,

Thanks for the thorough review! My husband and I will be on the Grand on February 2nd. We did the same islands on another cruise line last June and really enjoyed them, so we are going back!

Thanks again,

Carrie

[rsspurple]

Thanks for a great review. We go on this cruise in February on school vacation week. It's nice to hear that the chidren are engaged in activities. We have sailed on this ship before and really enjoyed it. Now that I have read your review I really am getting excited about our upcoming cruise.

 

Hi we are going to be on this cruise Feb. 16. Is that the same week as you? There is a roll call for our cruise if you are interested. My husband and I are from NY. We are looking forward to a great, relaxing trip!