Recent Grandeur cruisers please share your experience with us

I don't see many recent posts regarding Grandeur. Would anyone like to share their experience? I'd love to hear about dining, entertainment and all other aspects of a cruise on Grandeur. Pictures would be great too. Thanks!!!!

We were on Grandeur last July and will be on her again this July. She is beautiful ship with a great crew. In addition to the Main Dining Room and the Windjammer Cafe as standard with all RCI ships, she also features Chops Grille, Izumi's, Giovanni's Table, and Chef's Table as alternative surcharge restaurants. There is also the Park Cafe, which is also a no charge venue with limited breakfast, lunch, dinner hour, and late night offerings that are a combination of hot and cold selections, sandwiches, salads, and deserts.

The entertainment is good as well but not the Broadway based shows on some RCI ships. But along with the ship's company will be featured headliners and comedians. There also is a aerial act the performs a couple of times during the week from deck 7 in the Centrum. There also is a big screen on the pool deck for movies and sporting events.

Grandeur is an older and relatively smaller ship than the other ship classes with RCI, but she has recently undergone a major refurbishment and is, as mentioned, in great condition. We actually sailed on her on her maiden voyage and then again after her refurbishment. We enjoy her a lot and look forward to sailing on her again in a couple of weeks.

Just came off the Grandeur. The crew was by far the best we have had. The cruise director we had was filling in for the regular one and the activities director is leaving in Sept. I totally agree with everything the previous poster said. There are videos on youtube that show full tours of the ship. If you have a specific question I would be happy to try and answer it.

Did you see this recent thread?

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2054246&highlight=grandeur

We board her Friday for a back to back. Can we help with any specific questions?

I was on Grandeur the last week of May to Bermuda. The ship was spotless, although you could still find a bit of the damage to the jogging deck sustained in rough seas several months earlier. The metal railing was actually pulled apart in a few spots, and if you look along the teak upper rail, you can see it swerve for maybe 10 ft above those areas. They've put "speed bumps" over the cracks that people might trip over.

The crew was great, the service was great. The entertainment was typical cruise ship fare. Amusing, but not terribly memorable.

Never ran in to a crowd or had to stand in a long line anywhere.

Food was good. We ate in the MDR every night and never had a bad meal. I didn't order a steak, but others did and said they were very tender and cooked properly. They offered escargot every night.

We particularly enjoyed having light lunches and afternoon snacks at the Park Café in the Solarium. We went there upon boarding instead of the hectic Windjammer (before we were allowed into our cabins), and it was calm and quiet, with plenty of vacant tables.

It was my first time on Grandeur, and I'd do it again without hesitation.

Have a great time on your cruise! :)

I have sailed 9 cruises on the Grandeur this year alone and board her on Friday for numbers 11 & 12. We wouldn't keep going back if she didn't provide a good product.

She is an excellent, older ship with a fantastic crew. She does not have all of the bells and whistles as the newer mega ships but what she has she presents in a delightful manner.

There have been a few negative reviews about the Grandeur on the Cruise Critic review thread. When you read them keep in mind that some people are very difficult to please or are misguided in looking for what they want.

Thanks for your responses everyone. I don't have any specific questions right now I just wanted to get a "feel" for the ship from those who have sailed and enjoyed themselves. We're not sailing until Jan. and we have a D2 accessible balcony. We've sailed Enchantment in the past so we've been on the slightly larger version.

I'm looking forward to the expanded dining, enclosed Solarium and the balcony stateroom. This is our first oceanview balcony on a Royal ship.:)

All your thoughts and insights are much appreciated.

Did you see this recent thread?

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2054246&highlight=grandeur

We board her Friday for a back to back. Can we help with any specific questions?

Starry Eyes, Thanks for the link. I did see this review but I'm not able to view the pics correctly. We've been having some pc problems so I'm thinking that's the reason why.

The menu for the Viking Lounge sounds good enough to make a meal. It's my 2nd favorite bar, Schooner. Has anyone had eaten there? It sound like hors d'oeuvre heaven.

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Going on Grandeur of the seas in 151 days.

The menu for the Viking Lounge sounds good enough to make a meal. It's my 2nd favorite bar, Schooner. Has anyone had eaten there? It sound like hors d'oeuvre heaven.

Not exactly sure what you are asking, but I've not seen food served at Schooner.

I don't see many recent posts regarding Grandeur. Would anyone like to share their experience? I'd love to hear about dining, entertainment and all other aspects of a cruise on Grandeur. Pictures would be great too. Thanks!!!!

Hi Seeshore,

A person on our cruise did a review look for April 5th. I like the Grandeur and have booked another cruise on her and in the same room after I had booked it I got the Noro Virus would not wish this on Anyone. Went to Chops the first time and liked the food. It is a Very nice ship and it is great that I do not have to fly to get to the port. We were delayed getting in to Port Canaveral do to a Submarine and it was cool seeing it go by the ship. Coco Cay was nice but we were delayed getting off and missed our excursion and had to get a refund, but if you go there look for an older Gentleman working with glass,sand and shells and he creates a design on the glass and then he hot glues the sand and shells to the glass and then paints it. He did an Osprey for and I like it.

Wendy

We were on Enchantment 2years ago, is there difference even if they are same class ship?

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We were on Enchantment 2years ago, is there difference even if they are same class ship?

Enchantment and Grandeur used to be identical, but they stretched Enchantment in 2005, so there are some significant differences now.

I was on Grandeur the last week of May to Bermuda. The ship was spotless, although you could still find a bit of the damage to the jogging deck sustained in rough seas several months earlier. The metal railing was actually pulled apart in a few spots, and if you look along the teak upper rail, you can see it swerve for maybe 10 ft above those areas. They've put "speed bumps" over the cracks that people might trip over.

 

The crew was great, the service was great. The entertainment was typical cruise ship fare. Amusing, but not terribly memorable.

 

Never ran in to a crowd or had to stand in a long line anywhere.

 

Food was good. We ate in the MDR every night and never had a bad meal. I didn't order a steak, but others did and said they were very tender and cooked properly. They offered escargot every night.

 

We particularly enjoyed having light lunches and afternoon snacks at the Park Café in the Solarium. We went there upon boarding instead of the hectic Windjammer (before we were allowed into our cabins), and it was calm and quiet, with plenty of vacant tables.

 

It was my first time on Grandeur, and I'd do it again without hesitation.

 

Have a great time on your cruise! :)

(psst ~~ I'm from Midlo too!! :-))

How recent? I wrote a review from my December cruise, it's in my sig, if you'd like to read it, lots of pictures. I hope Darryl is still the AD when you go.

How recent? I wrote a review from my December cruise, it's in my sig, if you'd like to read it, lots of pictures. I hope Darryl is still the AD when you go.

Really enjoyed your review Maureen. Lots of great info there. We sail next April - can't wait:)

How recent? I wrote a review from my December cruise, it's in my sig, if you'd like to read it, lots of pictures. I hope Darryl is still the AD when you go.

Darryl is a pistol. :D

Did you see this recent thread?

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2054246&highlight=grandeur

We board her Friday for a back to back. Can we help with any specific questions?

Hi did you here alot of noise from deck above you?

We currently are booked in JS 8062

thans in advance for any information

Hi did you here alot of noise from deck above you?

We currently are booked in JS 8062

thans in advance for any information

We were in 8056 in May 2013. [3 down from you] The room was pretty noisy. Crew members rumbled trays over the tile floor of the Solarium to restock the Park Cafe. This happened late at night and around 5-6 in the morning. It will depend how heavy a sleeper you are.

Loved the size of the cabin and the balcony.

Hi did you here alot of noise from deck above you?

We currently are booked in JS 8062

thans in advance for any information

I hate to say it but if I were you I would change rooms if you can. That one is going to get noise from the Park Café. It sounds like there is a bowling alley right above you. We found it to be very annoying. Several times a day we would here the noise above us, from early in the morning all through the day.

I would move further forward or move to the other side of the ship.

Hi Seeshore!

The D2 Accessible Staterooms are very well located near the midship stairs and elevators. They are huge with loads of storage and space to maneuver.

Cabin 7602 is over the entrance to the Schooner Bar and we did not have any noise from the bar. In the evening we could hear music when we were on the balcony but it was not at all annoying. There are cabins above the D2 accessible cabins. If you click your stateroom number in your reservation you can see a photo of the cabin. It is a great cabin.

I'm sure you are aware that it will be cold sailing out of Baltimore in winter but it will warm up the second or third day.

Enjoy your cruise.

Doing grandeur in December. First winter cruise. Very nervous. We are below the theater. Any tips for sailing on this ship would be greatly appreciated. Did freedom years ago and last cruise was summitt out of Bayonne in July.

Loved Grandeur (my first RCI cruise)!:)

Be forewarned that if cruising in Winter, it is possible the Park Cafe will not be open upon embarkation. That's what happened on our January cruise. It was snowing, so that was probably why they herded everyone into the WJ. Watching snow being shoveled off the deck on our Caribbean cruise was interesting.:p

The specialty restaurants were all very good. Izumi was our favourite - we enjoyed our dinner there so much we went back for lunch on another day.

Keep in mind the aerial shows in the Centrum will be performed while docked in port, at some point(s) during the cruise. We missed them due to the timing of our excursions. So if seeing the show is really important to you, plan your shore excursions accordingly.;)

Keep in mind the aerial shows in the Centrum will be performed while docked in port, at some point(s) during the cruise. We missed them due to the timing of our excursions. So if seeing the show is really important to you, plan your shore excursions accordingly.;)

On our cruise in March, the aerial shows were performed in the evening. They practiced in the afternoon, but the performances were in the evening and it was very hard to find a seat unless you were there an hour or more earlier than the show. I never did get to see it.:(

Gwen :)