MAHA

Do you have to take the train to board the ship. Could you see if the rental car agencies have a location in the port where you are boarding?

We are doing Denali and Seward before boarding RAdiance next June. We are flyig into Anchorage and renting a car from Hertz. Seward has a Hertz drop off, so we are going to drop the car off before boarding Radiance. We will have the car to go to Denali and then to drive to Seward and to drive to areas near Seward that we want to see.

Just an option. I think Princess sails from Whittier.

Mary Anne:

 

Are you staying at the McKinley Village or the McKinley Chalets?

 

While the McKinley Chalets and the Denali Bluffs are both located right outside the entrance to Denali National Park. These are two of the hotels located in the area commonly referred to as "Glitter Gulch."

 

I've never stayed at the McKinley Village Lodge but have driven past a number of times. It seems to me that it is located eight or nine miles south of the park entrance. If my memory is correct it seems to me that it is south of the Parks 229 Restaurant.

 

While I haven't checked the DOT website I have read the articles in our local newspaper regarding the Parks Highway. Not only will there be upgrades to the Parks between Denali and Healy there will also be stretches of upgrades south of Denali. I have no idea if there will be work directly south of the

Denali Park entrance.

My understanding is that McKinley Village Lodge and McKinley Chalet are next door to each other and that McKinley Chalet was recently sold to HAL.

We want somethings close to the entrance because of the construction.

Mary Anne

We are staying 3 nights pre-cruise near Denali in June 2014. There will be construction on the Parks Highway, so we want to stay as near to the entrance to the park as possible. We also want to stay as close as possible to be able to catch the shuttle busses each morning. I am looking at both of these properties with a slight preference to Denali Bluffs. For thos who have stayed near Denali, what would you recommend? We do not want to be 15 miles away in Healy due to the highway construction this summer. I do not want to stay in a Bed & Breakfast or a cabin with outside toilets. I want a nice room with a private bathroom.

We are also staying 3 nights in Seward following the Denali stay, but have already reserved the Holiday Inn express.

Thanks!

Mary Anne

Definately glad they got rid of the Nation of Why Not. Like this new commercial and liked the shell phone ones much better.

There is no way this package would be economical for us. We have a couple of glasses of wine before dinner in the diamond lounge as well as a couple of diet coke's each day. We could not drink that much alcohol and be functional. We don't drink juices or coffees of any kind. We buy an occasional drink or bottle of wine as well.

There is another thread about construction of the George Parks highway that could affect getting to and from Healy to Denali.

Here it is: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1939713

Neither of the books have any coupons for the hotels near Denali for 2014 either. Last year, there were quite a few offerings for buy one night get the second free.

We have sailed on Grandeur 3 times out of Baltimore in 2006, 2009 and 2013. We have never experienced the sewer smell. We were in cabins on Deck 7 Forward and Deck 8 Aft.

Captain Espen Been boarded Grandeur on September 5. We were on a B2B that started August 30. We had Captain Trond Holm for the August 30 cruise and Captain Espen Been for the September 5 cruise. Radio is on the current cruise. Maybe he knows if Captain Espen is leaving at the end of this cruise for his vacation.

We were on Adventure of the Seas that sailed on January 2, 2011, out of San Jaun. The decorations were up on the ship when we embarked on the 2nd, but came down on the 4th or 5th. They may leave them up longer on a ship that sails from San Juan as 3 Kings Day (Janaury 7) is big in Puerto Rico.

I am frankly very glad to have balconies as non smoking starting in January. The last 2 cruises we have been on, we have had neighbors who chain smoked most of the day and evening on their balconies. We could not enjoy our balcony that we also paid for. I hope they also ban it in the casino as Celebrity does. They have a "non-smoking" area, but you get the second hand smoke and smell there as well. The last cruises also did not have any non smoking nights in the casino, which really bothered us.

We have eaten in Chops on Radiance, Serenade X2, Enchantment and Grandeur. All of my Petite Filets have been ordered Medium Rare, which they were. They were flavorful and very tender.

We have also ordered the Chops Filet in the MDR on Grandeur (2009), Serenade, Radiance and Grandeur (2013). They were all also very good, except for the latest one on Grandeur. It was good, but not very good.

Mary Anne

Ship - Grandeur of the Seas

Deck - 8

Stateroom # - 8066

Stateroom Category – JS

Starboard or Port Side - Port

Quiet Stateroom? (With comments on problems) – No. We had this stateroom in 2009 before the recent upgrades and it was quiet. However, they changed the Solarium Cafe to the Park Cafe and there is noise from above during the late night and very early morning. The Park Cafe is open for longer hours and for breakfast.

Was stateroom a connecting stateroom? - No

Balcony View - Very good view.

Balcony Size? Normal or oversized for class? - Normal for a JS on Grandeur

Was wind a problem? - Never

If an aft cabin, was soot a problem? - Aft, but on the Port side.

Any specific problems with this cabin? - No

Any other comments? - Newer balcony furniture with 2 nice chairs and a side table that was at the right height for eating if getting breakfast from Room Service.

Would not book this JS again due to the noise we heard from above. It sounded like carts being rolled around both late at night and very early morning. We are not people who go to bed early, but the noise was there for much of the night off and on.

Mary Anne

We just got off Grandeur on Friday, September 13 and Efren Aquirre, The Diamond concierge told us he was leaving Grandeur to go to Vision of the Seas in Norway. It was our understanding that he was leaving on September 13.

Mary Anne

We've had 8066 on Grandeur and it did not have a pole.

Mary Anne

Our son and daughter in law are going on a cruise over Christmas for their belated honeymoon. I have decided that instead of decorations, I will get them the champagne & chocolate covered strawberries for their cabin. I think that is more romantic than decorations.

We have the double neoprene wine bottle holder as well. I plan on putting it into a large ziplock and then a second large ziplock before putting it into my carryon. That way, in case of a spill, it son't ruin mine or anyone else's clothes, etc.

Mary Anne

Frankie has left the Explorer, and is RUMORED to be going to the Oasis. The Activity Director is currently Kristen/Christine (I apologize for the spelling) Blair aka Mrs. John Blair. Her husband, John is filling in for Leigh, as the CD. Erky from Turkey will arrive on September 28 to assume the duties of Activity Director.

 

I am cruising on October 20th and have been promised by Royal that the Blairs WILL BE GONE by then!

 

Hope this helps - Miriam

We frankly have had the Blair's twice as CD and Activities Manager on both Grandeur and Enchantment. We felt they were a good team. Very energetic, not phony. The one Activities Manager we have had, who is now a CD that we absolutely could not stand was Dave Chapman on Explorer. He would pretend cry like a baby when calling out #1 on Bingo - so annoying! Can't imagine what he is like as a CD unless he has matured.

If your DS needs to be at work by 1pm in Bowie I would get there by before 11:30 am. There is sometimes a line to pay for parking. But good luck on your cruise.:):D:)

He's just dropping us off. That should be less of a line, although we do have luggage to drop off. Actually, I forgot, he now has Fridays off, so there is no problem with having to be at work by 1:00 PM.

Thanks!

Mary Anne

Great review. Congrats! I am sure it is a memory you will always have. :)

 

As to the unorganized arrival--I think you were a little early for them. 10:30 is about the earliest most people arrive. They do not clear the previous cruise until around. 9:30 or 10.

On my cruise docs for our August 30 cruise and Sept. 5 cruise on Grandeur, it says boarding starts at 10:30 AM. Thought that might be a bit early. Our son is driving us and needs to be at work by 1 PM in Bowie, so we probably will get there by 11:30. Haven't had problems in the past with boarding at 11:30 AM in Baltimore. We have sailed from the new port in Baltimore 3 times in the past.

Mary Anne

Ricky Mathews was supposed to be on Serenade until September 16. How can he be on 2 ships at the same time? His Serenade dates were from July 30 until September 16. Could he actually be on Grandeur starting in August when John Perry was supposed to originally leave?

They could position her in Baltimore as Carnival is pulling the Pride out in April of 2014. Baltimore will be down to Grandeur of the Seas after that.

It is called vacation. For me I sure don't want to waste it waiting for laundry to wash and dry. JMHO.

Where is the LIKE button!! Totally agree. Do not want to do my normal day to day things while on vacation!

Mary Anne

I am highly concerned that Royal Caribbean seems to be so narrowly focused on the bigger is better theory of ship building. I appreciate and understand that they have a reputation for innovation, however I agree that the larger ships just have "too much stuff," to borrow your words. I think including bumper cars, a carousel, a boardwalk, etc. creates more of a land-based resort atmosphere. A few unexpected features are great. Everyone likes seeing an ice show at sea because it's so DIFFERENT. One or two never-expected-to-see-at-sea features per ship is great! Bowling, an ice rink, a park with growing grass, self-leveling pool tables, bumper cars...GREAT. Piling them on takes the focus OFF the ocean. Isn't that why we cruise?? Water slides, flow-riders....I'm fine with these things because water-features still fit the "I'm on the ocean" atmosphere.

 

To avoid flaming by the Oasis Class fans, I admit that this is just my opinion. The OP really touched a nerve with this post. I really like the FUN elements of RCL (Quest, Belly Flop Contest, 70s Party...), but see myself eventually being forced to change cruise lines to avoid having to feel like I'm at a theme park, rather than on a cruise ship.

 

Ideal size? RADIANCE CLASS. Okay, the main pool could be a little larger. That would be my one and only change. I love all the windows. I love the ocean-view elevators. I love the solarium. And I think the size is perfect. The main feature I want to enjoy on my cruise ships is THE OCEAN. I want to never forget that I'm AT SEA! The Radiance Class ships are perfect for me!

Totally agree! Love the Radiance class size ships!

When the older ships become to old to keep in their fleet, RCCL will have to abandon ports where there are bridges that the ships have to fit under. That includes Baltimore and Tampa as well as others, I'm sure.

Mary Anne

Anyone have any experience with John Perry as CD? We will be sailing Grandeur the end of August into early September. Does anyone know the dates he will be CD?

Thanks!

Mary Anne