My Review - New Cruiser - Grandeur of the Seas - May 21-26, 2016

Hi Everyone,

I've just recently returned from my first cruise aboard Grandeur of the Seas, May 21-26th. It was a 5 day Bermuda cruise. I know that there have been some recent reviews of Grandeur. I will just report back about my experience, both for my memory and to share my impressions in case they are useful. I did take some photos and I might be able to share them later on if there is interest. I know that there are many other reviews of Bermuda and there have been some recent reviews of both Grandeur and of 5 day Bermuda cruises. I'll post this in a few chunks. I did not keep all of the Cruise Compasses, but I think this was a pretty standard cruise.

About the Ship: It is an older ship as has been mentioned before. I did see evidence of some wear around especially on the windows around the pool deck. That said, I think it's a beautiful ship and for the most part it looks great. I didn't care about the little marks of age. I will say that towards the end of my cruise, the solarium seemed kind of grotty and as though it could have used a power-mopping. The staff were mostly very good but I felt like towards the last sea day, there were some dirty corners that grossed me out somewhat. There were also some towels that had been washed but had stained patches. Again, I wasn't wild about that. Other than that, I generally had a great experience.

While Grandeur could stand to have some routine maintenance, I think it is a gorgeous ship with a lot to offer and it felt classic rather than old.

Staff: Grandeur has a good reputation and it is well-earned. I only ran into one staff member who was less enthusiastic than all the others and that person stood out only because everyone else was at the 5 star level. The staff were consistently nice and pleasant in my experience. My room attendant and servers were all wonderful and tried very hard to provide great service.

Stateroom: I was in a large interior and I actually liked it. I'm sure I would enjoy a balcony or ocean view but as someone who was just trying cruising and who wanted to go with a great price, I was very happy with my room. I did notice what people were saying about the beds but I was able to sleep. I did find that after a rough first night that I needed to drink chamomile tea when finishing my dinner in order to sleep well but that always worked for me and I slept well for the rest of the cruise.

There wasn't much outside noise even though I was near a crew area. I was on the 7th deck near the forward elevators and I liked my position in relation to the amenities of the ship. I would be willing to stay on this deck again but I would avoid being too close to the atrium because I could see how that would be noisy. Someone else said that and I think they are right.

Food: I was actually generally happy with this. I ended up preferring the MDR just because it was less crowded and had a nice feeling. It was interesting to meet different people and so I found myself doing this a lot. The conversations were sometimes hit or miss but it was generally always interesting. I preferred the MDR breakfast over the Windjammer breakfast just because I liked the set up. I also agree that the Tutti Salad at lunch is cool. I had a nice medium-rare steak in the MDR one day for lunch as well. The eggs benedict was a little heavy on the mustard seasoning but it was decent.

I will say that I had two lunches in the Windjammer and they were both great. I was not unhappy with the food. I liked the salad dressing, the pasta and a Caribbean braised oxtail dish with rice. I avoided waiting for the griddle. I did go to the pool deck barbecue for a sail away lunch and I really liked the barbecue chicken. My hot dog was also decent. I can definitely see how Carnival would win on burgers. Also, it's true that Royal's pizza needs a reboot. I only tried that once and it tasted like cardboard with cheese. I did have 4-5 of those Kummelweck sandwiches at the Park Cafe because I would have them around 4 pm on the pool deck. (I had late seating dining). I generally thought the Kummelweck is a good sandwich with good quality meat and seasonings. I do think the sandwich can vary depending on who is making it and what cut of the meat you get. I had one on the last day that was frankly bad because it was just the fatty ends of the meat and the server really should not have served it. I didn't finish it. I think I'd be pickier about them if I cruise again but I wanted to try them. Two of the sandwiches were really excellent when the server got my instructions right.

The menus were Coconut, Saffron (formal with steak), Pimiento, Pomodoro, and Jasmine (lobster tail or prime rib).

The only one that I wasn't crazy about was on the first night. My regular server who was lovely was needed to help with a problem at another table. I ordered the beef stroganoff and the server who was filling in wouldn't let me order it. He said that the meat was tough and chewy and that I should order the better beef that would be served the next night. I appreciated his point but that meant I randomly picked something else because I didn't want the dish that he was telling us all to order. I got a chicken dish that he told me was spicy. (I like spicy food). The seasoning was fine but the dish was really just ok. I was a bit disappointed that the beef stroganoff wasn't considered to be good quality. Why have it on the menu then?

Other than that, my experience of the food was good and the regular service was great as well. I enjoyed every meal and I think everyone else at my table did too. I was in a group of random dinners with my friend and no one went to a specialty restaurant for dinner during the cruise. They all seemed happy. I tried a lot of things and I was not disappointed.

Drinks: FYI - I had the non-alcoholic drinks package (Royal Replenish) and Starbucks at Cafe Lattetudes was included. I am not a Starbucks fiend but I did enjoy it and make use of it. Was the package worth it? I have mixed feelings about this. I did not hit the $19 target in usage every day but I generally came pretty close and sometimes I did hit it. I never drank less than $15 and usually more like $17 or $20 based on my estimate. I had fresh OJ every day, I drank all kinds of soda combos from the Free Style and I had plenty of Starbucks iced chais during the day. I took bottles of water with me when I went off the ship. Basically, I enjoyed the for-fee non-alcoholic drinks. The variety and convenience were nice.

I will say that mixing the free lemonade and iced tea was pretty tasty too. I don't think that the for-fee drinks are necessary at all but they were nice.

Would I get a package again? I might get this package again in the right circumstance, depending on the cruise itinerary. I don't think I would on a long cruise where I need to save money. If I do another 5 or 6 day cruise? I would consider it again. I don't think it is necessary at all but it was nice to not stress out about drinks.

I would not get an alcoholic drinks package because I would be much better off just doing a la carte pricing with that.

Activities: I spent a lot of quality time in the Solarium during the days. Other than cleanliness issues towards the end (that I fault my fellow passengers for more than anything because some people did some disgusting things like clipping their dirty toenails in the lounge chairs and leaving the mess in the chair ... who does that? Were you raised in a barn?), I had a good time there and loved to relax with the views and my Kindle. I swam a lot in the adult pool and tried out the jacuzzi when it was not too crowded.

I watched a few of the main pool activities from afar. i was glad that there was a loud pool and a quiet pool. I don't think I could do a ship with one main loud pool and no quiet area.

Entertainment: I had low expectations for this. I was pleasantly surprised though. I went to the Tony Tillman show and that was very good. He was really high-energy. I also watched some of the dances, the aerial shows, and the love and marriage game show. I liked it all. I watched The Quest but I don't think I would ever participate. It was fun to be in the audience though. I watched the art auction as well. It was kind of fun to see see the art of varying quality and to see if people would bid on it.I was impressed by all of the dancing and singing. Even if the numbers were a bit cheesy, all of the talent was good. Sometimes cheesy is fun, lol, and it certainly felt that way.

I did not go to the late night comedy. My friend got tired on the one night and on another, I needed to shower and get ready for the AM because it was the last night. If I do another cruise, I would check the late night comedy out. I didn't go to the dance clubs at all or the 1970s disco party because that is a bit before my time lol. I can appreciate music from all the eras but I skipped a few of the musical reviews due to feeling like I had had enough of the genre of music. Lol.

I lost $20 in the slots but I chalked it up to entertainment. I wanted to experience the casino. I usually win at least a small amount when I play and sometimes more than that. (I play sporadically). I consider any money that I take into a casino to be spent when I enter the door though so it was no big deal. It was not my lucky day.

Weather/Port/Shore Excursions: The weather in the Mid-Atlantic has been soggy for a while. Up until the day of the cruise, the weather apps were predicting rainy/stormy/cruddy weather for pretty much the whole cruise. I thought I might get one nice sea day on the last day. I was pleasantly surprised though. It rained the entire day when we arrived, so I spent a lot of time lounging in the atrium sofas with a frappacino. I did enjoy it despite the weather. For the rest of the cruise, we got pretty lucky. We had mostly nice and warm weather for the rest of it including while we were in Bermuda. I really can't complain because it was nicer than expected.

As for Bermuda? I loved it and I would absolutely visit again. We did an island tour which we booked through Royal because there were just two of us. I had a really good time on the excursion and we saw the entire island. It was a great experience and I feel like I know the island well enough now that I can visit it on my own and feel "oriented". We only had a small amount of free time in Hamilton and St. George on our tour but our guide was really active and took us all over. Bermuda is not that far for me and if I want to see more of it, I definitely can. I would absolutely visit again whether on another cruise or by flying in.

I will point out because it might be useful for others that Royal printed the wrong time for meeting for the excursion on our tickets. Our tickets said that we were to meet at 2:15 pm but we met others on the cruise doing our same tour who said they were going to meet at 1:15 pm and the tour would leave at 1:30 pm. To clarify, we checked with the Shore Excursion Desk and they reprinted out our tickets with the correct time. If we had not checked with them then we would have certainly missed the excursion and we would have had a headache. Happily it did not work out that way, so I definitely recommend paying attention if you have booked with them.

On the second day, we went to Snorkel Park Beach because there was a holiday that blocked off most of the island. I know that people say Snorkel Park is the worst beach in Bermuda but my friend and I both concluded that the worst beach in Bermuda is still awesome. We paid $5 and just laid our towels out on the sand then went swimming. I got lucky because someone gave me her rented lounger and umbrella because her husband wanted to go back to the ship. Our ship had an all aboard time of 2 pm so we knew we didn't have a long time but we still had a really great time. We were at the beach from 10 am to 12:45 pm and really enjoyed it.

I got a few souvenirs at the rum cake and glassworks factory. I tried almost all the rum cake flavors and then bought two smaller rum cakes and a glass animal. I was really happy with the port in Bermuda. I thought that everything was of a good quality. They also had items at different price points.

Embarkation/Debarkation: Both were pretty easy. I got to the ship early and when I checked my phone from my table near a window in the Windjammer, it was 11 am and I was already in the ship and chilling out. I was a new cruiser in an interior with no status. It was really easy even without a gangway. I do recommend getting there early though especially until that gets repaired. It wasn't a bad experience for me though.

We self-carried our luggage both onto the ship and off. I was new to cruising and that was my friend wanted to do. She watched my stuff while I walked around and got familiar.

Self-carrying when exiting the ship meant that I was through customs and waiting for my ride at 7:25 am after having had breakfast. The only stressful part was coordinating with my boyfriend who was picking me up at the cruise. I chalk that up to being unfamiliar with the port area though and it wouldn't stop me from cruising there again.

Did I enjoy the cruise? Absolutely. I had a really good time and felt like it was a successful first cruise. I wanted to go to Bermuda and that did not disappoint either. I knew this was a short stay when I planned it but since it was a new experience for me, I was ok with that. I thoroughly enjoyed my time and it really relaxed me. I feel more recharged going back into my regular life. I was getting a bit burnt out before I left and now I feel great.

Would I cruise again based on this experience? Yes across the board. I would consider cruising again and I would even consider this same ship and itinerary. (Again, I live pretty close to Bermuda so I don't feel like it's a once in a lifetime kind of destination for me). I would also obviously consider a longer stay in Bermuda for a good price.

I am definitely very open to cruising again. I did not book a future cruise for various reasons. I'm a bit undecided about where I would go next. My friend would also like to cruise again but we have slightly different ideas of what to do and an idea did not coalesce for us though maybe that might change. I also know of at least one other friend who I might suggest cruising with. I know a few other people who I would recommend it to.

My boyfriend is very apprehensive about cruising, though he was nice enough to drop me off and pick me up. Maybe my healthy return from this trip will soften him towards the idea of trying it. I actually think his mother would probably like it. (I'm lucky enough to actually like her).

Though I did not book something specific, I am very open to cruising again among other types of travel. I don't know my plans for next year well enough yet. I got lucky and got what i feel was a decent price and a decent cabin when I booked this cruise about 2 months in advance. I wouldn't intentionally wait that long but I'm a bit flexible about where I would go, when I would sail and to some extent, what cabin I would have so I don't feel a rush. If factors line up nicely again, I would do this again.

Three cheers to everyone who gets out to explore this awesome world that we are lucky to live in! :)

Thanks for posting your thoughts.

Three cheers to everyone who gets out to explore this awesome world that we are lucky to live in! :)

Attitude is everything and you have the right attitude! Thank you for your review.:)

Nice to hear such positive thoughts from a new cruiser about our favorite ship.

Was formal night the second night?

Food:

 

The menus were Coconut, Saffron (formal with steak), Pimiento, Pomodoro, and Jasmine (lobster tail or prime rib).

 

The only one that I wasn't crazy about was on the first night. My regular server who was lovely was needed to help with a problem at another table. I ordered the beef stroganoff and the server who was filling in wouldn't let me order it. He said that the meat was tough and chewy and that I should order the better beef that would be served the next night. I appreciated his point but that meant I randomly picked something else because I didn't want the dish that he was telling us all to order. I got a chicken dish that he told me was spicy. (I like spicy food). The seasoning was fine but the dish was really just ok. I was a bit disappointed that the beef stroganoff wasn't considered to be good quality. Why have it on the menu then?

 

Other than that, my experience of the food was good and the regular service was great as well. I enjoyed every meal and I think everyone else at my table did too. I was in a group of random dinners with my friend and no one went to a specialty restaurant for dinner during the cruise. They all seemed happy. I tried a lot of things and I was not disappointed. .

I agree with you, coconut is my least favorite menu.

My table mate ordered the Beef Stroganoff. It was very grisly and had pickles in it and beets across the top. :confused: :eek: As the cruise went by [10 days] we found that meat that was in small bits in a sauce or gravy tended to be tough. . . . So the waiter gave you good advice. :)

Nice review. Thanks for sharing.

Nice to hear such positive thoughts from a new cruiser about our favorite ship.

Was formal night the second night?

Formal night was on Day 2 and it was some kind of steak. (I ate it, it was good). Surprisingly, the night with lobster tail and prime rib was not a formal night but it was the last night on Day 5.

I agree with you, coconut is my least favorite menu.

 

My table mate ordered the Beef Stroganoff. It was very grisly and had pickles in it and beets across the top. :confused: :eek: As the cruise went by [10 days] we found that meat that was in small bits in a sauce or gravy tended to be tough. . . . So the waiter gave you good advice. :)

Thanks for letting me know about this. It sounds like he was right, but it threw me off since it was my first night. My main dish was just kind of boring as I recall but definitely edible. If I were going to skip a night, it might be that one, especially if I had MTD.

That never happened with anything else. Sometimes a dish might have been a little aggressive with a seasoning like mustard but it was not bland.

For the record, I might be willing to try a line like Carnival with the right itinerary and price, but I was pretty happy with Royal. I will say that Carnival Victory was docked at the same time as us and most of the passengers that I met from it were very nice. The food at least on Grandeur was definitely decent though and over all, it was a nice experience that I can comfortably recommend.

Was the casino open while you were docked?

Was the casino open while you were docked?

If I remember correctly, I think that it was open at 9 pm on the night that we overnighted in Bermuda but definitely not during the day while docked.

The shops on board were closed while in Bermuda. I will say that while that was not my focus, the shops seemed to have pretty good quality. I saw a lot of people shopping during this cruise.

The casino was generally packed at night but not so much during the day.

Most activities had a good turn out especially if there was some kind of raffle or prize. I rarely went to an activity that felt "dead".

Thanks for the review.

Thank you for the review. Glad you had a great time.:)

Thanks for taking the time to post your review.

Thank you for a great review! We are going on this cruise over July 4th. Can you tell me approx what time the main shows were-and did they do 2 per night? I'm trying to figure out MTD reservations. Thanks!

If I remember correctly, I think that it was open at 9 pm on the night that we overnighted in Bermuda but definitely not during the day while docked.

 

The shops on board were closed while in Bermuda. I will say that while that was not my focus, the shops seemed to have pretty good quality. I saw a lot of people shopping during this cruise.

 

The casino was generally packed at night but not so much during the day.

 

Most activities had a good turn out especially if there was some kind of raffle or prize. I rarely went to an activity that felt "dead".

FYI - this trip had a lot of gamblers because of Casino Royale gamblers and folks were invited from a land casino. So the casino at night was much more crowded than it usually is on Grandeur.

FYI - this trip had a lot of gamblers because of Casino Royale gamblers and folks were invited from a land casino. So the casino at night was much more crowded than it usually is on Grandeur.

That makes a lot of sense, there were some people who seemed very glued to the gambling. At night it was wall-to-wall full of people at all of the slot machines.

Thank you for a great review! We are going on this cruise over July 4th. Can you tell me approx what time the main shows were-and did they do 2 per night? I'm trying to figure out MTD reservations. Thanks!

To my knowledge, there were nearly always two showings per night. I can't remember if every show had two showings but the majority of them did other than late night comedy or things like the Love and Marriage show which was set at around 10:15, I think.

Most of the events were timed to be easy to make with dinner for the two traditional seatings. I know that there were some events that would start at around 7 and then go for an hour but they usually had a later showing as well.

Nothing major ever started before 7 pm as I recall, definitely not without a later showing. My dinner was at 8 pm and I never missed seeing one of the showings due to dinner.

Thanks for the review. Looking forward to the July 30th cruise on the Grandeur to Bermuda, it will be my first cruise as well. You've answered a lot of my curiosities! What musical shows did they do? I love Broadway musicals and just curious if they do known musicals. Thank you!

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Thanks for the review. Looking forward to the July 30th cruise on the Grandeur to Bermuda, it will be my first cruise as well. You've answered a lot of my curiosities! What musical shows did they do? I love Broadway musicals and just curious if they do known musicals. Thank you!

 

 

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They'll have the Royal Caribbean singers and dancers who may sing Broadway tunes and probably a comic or a magician or something of that nature. Only the mega ships do Broadway musicals.

Wanderista: You might want to give Celebrity a try to Bermuda! But you will want to start looking early for those deals. Week cruise and 3 days in Bermuda!