Grandeur Questions & Tips

Hello cruisers.

I have a few questions about the Grandeur OTS. We will be cruising on her July 17'.

My husband and I travel with our 2 teenage boys (17 & 15). To date, this will be the smallest ship that we have cruised on. I chose the Grandeur for this cruise mainly for the convenience. We live in PA so Baltimore is only about 2 hours drive. Way cheaper to drive when all 4 of us are traveling. My heart was set on the Harmony. :( But ~ I have been reading lots of reviews and am really excited for the Grandeur. My boys go to the teen lounge the first night and we barely see them the rest of the vacation. We see them when we arrive at each port, as they are happy to explore with us, and dinner. They have a great time! My husband and I enjoy all the shows, "watching" karaoke, relaxing by the pool and enjoying the cuisine. Every other ship we have been on has had all that we needed for a wonderful vacation. My concern this time is with the size of the Grandeur, will we be disappointed? So my questions....

1. Has anyone been on the Grandeur with teens (that utilize the teen program)? If so, did they enjoy it?

2. With the passenger capacity/size of the Grandeur being smaller, does that mean there are not a lot of teens on board?

3. All the other ships we sailed on had a main show. Does the Grandeur have a big show? How is the entertainment overall?

4. I see lots of other reviews.....but not many for the 9-night to Bermuda-Bahamas. Has anyone sailed with that itinerary?

5. We did OV Deck 3 Forward (almost mid). I'm ok with OV, but Deck 3 is the lowest deck we will have ever been on. Feelings on my location?

6. On the 9 night cruise anyone know which nights are formal nights?

Any other advice or tips is much appreciated.

Thanks!!

DH and I did the 9 night Bahama-Bermuda Cruise this last August. Two Formal Nights. One was the second night on board and the second one was the second to the last night on board so that would be nights 2 and 7.

There are two showings of a main show each night, one about 8 PM and the other one about 10:30 PM, I believe. We went to every show and really enjoyed the entertainment.

In July, I would say there will be plenty of kids on board since school is out. Our cruise was at the end of August and we had lots of kids on board of all ages.

With only three ports in 9 days, there were plenty of sea days. DH and I like more port intense cruises since we get board on sea days on the ship. We are not Trivia players. Bingo is too expensive. We did enjoy most of the movies they showed in the theater each day. It gives you a good amount of time to relax on the pools deck and people watch. The "Two days in Bermuda" was not very good since it was Saturday Afternoon and Sunday Morning. Transportation was very limited and there really was not a lot of time to explore the island. We have been there about 8 times so we have seen most of the island several times but I did hear some other passengers mentioning the poor hours in port. We took the ferry to Hamilton on Sunday AM just to walk around since the entire city is closed except for a few restaurants. We played the 18 hole miniature golf at the dockyard on Saturday evening and enjoyed that. Just be ready for not much to do in Bermuda. The stores are open at the Dockyard until 5 PM on Saturday.

We enjoyed the cruise and love the 9 day itineraries.

We love the 9-night cruises as well. New England/Canada was 9-night and port heavy. We all had a blast. We were in Bermuda on the Anthem June 16'. So this will be a repeat. We will have to find something new to do. We too will be there over a weekend. Sad, that seems like a waste - you can't really experience it fully. That may be a good day to stay on board and relax. In Nassau someone recommended going to one of the resorts to use there amenities. I looked at Atlantis....it's $$. My DH and I actually like playing Trivia. ;) I was concerned about the show because most other ships list their main show on RC website (ex. on the Anthem we saw We Will Rock You). There is nothing on the RC website that states what the Grandeur has. We may do Giovanni's Table on one of the formal nights. Had dinner there while on the Liberty (watching the murder mystery) and we enjoyed it.

We were on the Grandeur in August to NE. We had 350 kids of various ages. The previous cruise to Bermuda had 500 youths. Don't know the breakdown regarding age. Many used the kid's activities as they were not highly visible. I believe if you go in the summer or school holidays there will be plenty of youth, unlike other times.

The ship has a friendly crew and does not feel crowded. There are frequent activities , esp in the Centrum.

We will be sailing on Grandeur on the June 24th sailing driving down to Baltimore with 3 adults and a 17yo. I am taking her as a graduation present to Bermuda am hoping she does use the teen program and at least meet some friends.. I am paying for her to have the internet package to keep in touch with friends back home....

We just returned from a cruise on the Grandeur. A couple that we were seated with at lunch one day said that they did not pay the $13.50 per day gratuity and instead tipped people on the last day of the cruise .

They said that they tip the Waiter $10 for the cruise ,Asst.Waiter $5 and Cabin Steward $5.

I always thought that the $13.50 was mandatory ,am I wrong ?

We generously tip everyone beyond the $13.50 a day.

Tips are not mandatory. You can have them removed from your Sea Pass account. I always leave them on my account and tip extra based on the service I received.

... I always thought that the $13.50 was mandatory ,am I wrong ?...

You can go to Guest Services and request automatic tips be discontinued.

I get so angry when I see people not tipping or leaving a small amount but can afford to cruise.

Bah humbug Ontario Cruiser

I get so angry when I see people not tipping or leaving a small amount but can afford to cruise.

Bah humbug Ontario Cruiser

I too get very angry when people remove their tips and do it themselves. People working in the buffets and behind the scenes deserve their piece of the action. Very few cruise ship passengers make less than the crew members that are working for them. It is a given they are all away from their families trying to earn a living and to stiff them is disgusting. Friends of ours have decided to tip on their own and we no longer travel with them.

I too get very angry when people remove their tips and do it themselves. People working in the buffets and behind the scenes deserve their piece of the action. Very few cruise ship passengers make less than the crew members that are working for them. It is a given they are all away from their families trying to earn a living and to stiff them is disgusting. Friends of ours have decided to tip on their own and we no longer travel with them.

What is the break down of the $13.50 per day? How do the buffet workers factor in?

Why would what someone else does (or doesn't do) get you "very angry"?

Hello cruisers.

 

 

 

1. Has anyone been on the Grandeur with teens (that utilize the teen program)? If so, did they enjoy it? at that age it is all about the other kids they meet the first night. if there are others and they hit it off, then great. if there are very few on board then it can be boring.

2. With the passenger capacity/size of the Grandeur being smaller, does that mean there are not a lot of teens on board? size off ship rarely affects the demographics. it's just that 25% of a smaller pool means.. well, less teens on board.

3. All the other ships we sailed on had a main show. Does the Grandeur have a big show? How is the entertainment overall? all ships have a main show. GR however will not have the production value of Harmony or Oasis I personally find all on board entertainment to be lacking unless the Piano bar has an engaging pianist.

4. I see lots of other reviews.....but not many for the 9-night to Bermuda-Bahamas. Has anyone sailed with that itinerary? we did the 8 nighters but the ports are old hat to us so rarely actually care what we do on shore.

5. We did OV Deck 3 Forward (almost mid). I'm ok with OV, but Deck 3 is the lowest deck we will have ever been on. Feelings on my location? I'd never do it, but I also prefer to have closer proximity to the areas we use most often.

6. On the 9 night cruise anyone know which nights are formal nights? first full day and usually the last sea day or second to last night on board, depending on itinerary

 

Any other advice or tips is much appreciated.

 

Thanks!!

She's older, smaller and does not have the bells and whistles. if you want to be entertained all day every day while on board, you will probably be disappointed. Her crew however is top notch and always seem to be ..well.. happier.. to be there and much more willing to engage you.

We just returned from a cruise on the Grandeur. A couple that we were seated with at lunch one day said that they did not pay the $13.50 per day gratuity and instead tipped people on the last day of the cruise .

 

They said that they tip the Waiter $10 for the cruise ,Asst.Waiter $5 and Cabin Steward $5.

 

I always thought that the $13.50 was mandatory ,am I wrong ?

 

We generously tip everyone beyond the $13.50 a day.

they are morally mandatory and that couple was extremely rude and insulting by only tipping the amount they claimed especially if it was total. most housekeepers get $5 a NIGHT at land based hotels. same with your average tip at a restaurant. $20 a meal is not out of the ordinary and these people are serving you 3 meals day....

What is the break down of the $13.50 per day? How do the buffet workers factor in?

 

Why would what someone else does (or doesn't do) get you "very angry"?

the breakdown can be found elsewhere( I am too lazy to copy/paste) but the dining staff are all covered by that portion.. you will often see your dinner waitstaff in the buffet during lunch or pouring your OJ at breakfast in the MDR,. thats why even if you never set foot in the MDR for dinner, you should never adjust your tips.

only room service is not covered under the daily tip charges. so unless you eat all your meals via RS, no adjustments should be made at all.

We just returned from a cruise on the Grandeur. A couple that we were seated with at lunch one day said that they did not pay the $13.50 per day gratuity and instead tipped people on the last day of the cruise .

 

They said that they tip the Waiter $10 for the cruise ,Asst.Waiter $5 and Cabin Steward $5.

 

I always thought that the $13.50 was mandatory ,am I wrong ?

 

We generously tip everyone beyond the $13.50 a day.

Ten dollars for the entire cruise is beyond cheap!:eek::mad:

Sherri:)

For those who are staying either before or after the cruise in Baltimore; I recommend these hotels; Days Inn, low end, Courtyard, mid priced and The Four Seasons, high end. If you want to get around I recommend the water taxis.

Ten dollars for the entire cruise is beyond cheap!:eek::mad:

 

Sherri:)

In the other current tipping thread the cheapskates are actually admitting to stiffing the crew and seem quite proud of themselves for their behavior. Guess it takes all kinds. Just hope I never meet them.

I love the Grandeur!

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OP, you asked about pros/cons of being on Deck 3. It's fine! We have been on 2, 3, and 4; all are good. More stable on a lower deck. Closer to theater, dining room, Centrum. Nice views of the sea. We will be on Deck 3 in a few weeks.

Just back from the 12/10 12-day sailing, OV cabin on Deck 3 a few cabins aft of the forward elevators, starboard side. They are fine. Nice view and slightly but noticeably larger than inside. Met people far forward on Deck 3, they knew when ship was using bow thruster or dropping anchor! A couple with Deck 2 OV knew when seas were up (some water action against cabin windows). Neither of those issues where we were. If you sleep in, soft AM light is a nic way to wake up when you want to. Can also open drapes at night for viewing sea, sky. Even helps with cell phone service while inside Chesapeake Bay.

Recommend getting hotel in/near port and leaving car at hotel and take shuttle. Terminal parking is $15/night plus tax. We used Best Western just north of tunnel. Drop off was fine and pick up was easiest exit we've had yet.

Baltimore is a tourist destination of it's own: Inner Harbor, National Aquarium, Ft McHenry, Fells Point (seafood restaurants galore). If you want a true Maryland Crab cake, you are likely to get better in Baltimore (tablemates on our cruise thought the ones in MDR one night were adequate but not exceptional).

We've been on GoS with older teen/adult children (college or recent post-college, 7 day Christmas & 9-day Bermuda-BOS-Newport cruises) in a connecting or adjacent cabin and had a great time. No info on teen program. Recent 12/10 cruise had only a few kids o board (but the 12/22 cruise I heard has MANY). Will depend on how many schools are off, I think.

There is no tax on terminal parking in Baltimore. It is $15 per day- no tax added.

We are also off the Dec 10 sailing. We are from NY and came in the day before and stayed at the Days Inn in Glenn Berne. As was said, it is a lower end chain hotel, but very adequate, clean with nice large rooms and a decent enough breakfast in the AM. One of the few motels that let you park for 12 days at no additional charge and they shuttle you to and from the cruise port. Just FYI, they have shuttles on the hour, 8,9,10 etc. There were a load of people staying there and some, sort of pushed their way onto an earlier than scheduled shuttle, so others, who were scheduled on that shuttle, missed it. The motel hired a taxi van to take those that missed their original shuttle, to the dock instead of making them wait for the next shuttle. Nice touch.

Cheers

Len

Hello cruisers.

 

I have a few questions about the Grandeur OTS. We will be cruising on her July 17'.

 

My husband and I travel with our 2 teenage boys (17 & 15). To date, this will be the smallest ship that we have cruised on. I chose the Grandeur for this cruise mainly for the convenience. We live in PA so Baltimore is only about 2 hours drive. Way cheaper to drive when all 4 of us are traveling. My heart was set on the Harmony. :( But ~ I have been reading lots of reviews and am really excited for the Grandeur. My boys go to the teen lounge the first night and we barely see them the rest of the vacation. We see them when we arrive at each port, as they are happy to explore with us, and dinner. They have a great time! My husband and I enjoy all the shows, "watching" karaoke, relaxing by the pool and enjoying the cuisine. Every other ship we have been on has had all that we needed for a wonderful vacation. My concern this time is with the size of the Grandeur, will we be disappointed? So my questions....

 

1. Has anyone been on the Grandeur with teens (that utilize the teen program)? If so, did they enjoy it?

2. With the passenger capacity/size of the Grandeur being smaller, does that mean there are not a lot of teens on board?

3. All the other ships we sailed on had a main show. Does the Grandeur have a big show? How is the entertainment overall?

4. I see lots of other reviews.....but not many for the 9-night to Bermuda-Bahamas. Has anyone sailed with that itinerary?

5. We did OV Deck 3 Forward (almost mid). I'm ok with OV, but Deck 3 is the lowest deck we will have ever been on. Feelings on my location?

6. On the 9 night cruise anyone know which nights are formal nights?

 

Any other advice or tips is much appreciated.

 

Thanks!!

I'm on this sailing with you. I think you might be mistaken. We leave July 13th, not 17th.

Personally, I don't think you will be disappointed. As I said, my last cruise on the Grandeur ended up being the 2nd best cruise I've ever been on. 1st being my wedding cruise, but there is no comparison there. I've been on Independence, Jewel and Anthem and Grandeur easily won over them.

1. On a smaller ship, your kids will be more social than on larger ships. If they enjoy the teen lounge in general, then they'll be fine. Our teens enjoyed it even though they won't say it.

2. In July, there should be plenty of other kids around. In my opinion, the gimmicks of the larger ships are just that, gimmicks. They generally will not occupy anyone for any significant amount of time, and the remaining time, is spent on the cruise basics. The Grandeur may lack those bells and whistles on Harmony and the larger ships, but the result really is a more intimate cruise experience.

3. The Grandeur will have more of a traditional entertainment schedule as oppose to the larger ships that have a "grand show" that you need reservations for. Every night, there will be two shows that cater to the two dining schedules. I think these shows are just as good as those "grand shows" that I saw on Anthem and Independence. There will be the same activities on other ships.

4. The reviews you read, should be taken with a grain of salt, one way or another. Every cruise on every ship is unique in its own way due to passenger make-up, crew make-up, whether, activities schedule, etc. What maybe a great cruise the cruise before, may not translate to your cruise, and the next cruise after yours could be horrible for some people. In general, I've never had a bad cruise, but some were better than others, and the reviews never do it justice.

5. I generally don't sail that low. We are on 8, and my last cruise, we were on 7. MY TA says 3 on THIS class of ship is actually pretty quiet.

6. On 9 nights, I think they are still 2nd and 6th, or 7th night. This is dependent on our itinerary. However, our 8th day is a sea day, so they might have it then.

I'm on Grandeur now. With my 13 and 14 year old grandchildren. They hate it. Can't wait to get off. There is literally nothing to do The evening shows are embarrassingly bad. Daytime activities are limited to ring toss, baggo or trivia. That's it. Personally I will never sail this class of ship again There is literally nothing good I can say for this old dated ship

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I was on Grandeur in August and now booked the same cruise to Bermuda again in May. I loved the cruise and the ship. There were plenty of activities during the day and evening. The ship didn't seem small to us at all and the staff on board were the absolute best!