Just off the Grand

[Charlotte sometimes]

Hello, we were on the January 17th sailing and got off yesterday after 2 weeks in the Caribbean. I haven't even unpacked yet. I wanted to write a review while it is fresh in my mind. The reviews helped me a lot before we sailed so I wanted to return the favour.

 

I feel a bit jet lagged after a connecting flight from FLL back to Canada. My advice is to always have a direct flight when you can. I also am still swaying a bit from the ship motion so I hope my spelling and punctuation will be up to snuff for the pedants reading. :)

 

We are a couple in our mid 50's who have done cruises on Carnival, RCCL and HAL. This was our first Princess cruise.

 

I won't say much about the embarkation or disembarkation. They were extremely efficient and well done. I liked the muster drill in the theatre rather than standing up on a hot deck. It's amazing, how many people wore the life jackets when they are specifically requested not to, can't resist a new outfit I guess.

 

The ship.

 

The ship was Ok. It was extremely clean everywhere. The public washrooms were always gleaming. There was a bad odour at times, on deck 14,by the elevators something no doubt, to be sorted in the re fit.

 

I liked the four pools. it meant that there was never any crowding in or around the pools. My favourite was the lotus spa pool. It's a pity though, that the swim against the current feature only worked on the first day!

 

It was always easy finding somewhere to sit, but the shade was limited. The Sanctuary was practically empty on all the days. I did talk to one woman who really enjoyed it though. There was plenty of shade in there. We never felt the need to try it.

 

I loved the plentiful hot tubs they were really hot as was the steam room. The gym looked fabulous,but I forgot my trainers......Take your trainers even though they are a pain to pack. There were many days I wanted to work out.

 

We had an inside cabin on Aloha deck. It was alright, There were times I did wish we had a balcony, just to get away from people and be more relaxed. I found the closet/drawer space tight, but it was a two week cruise and I had a different outfit for day and night for all those days. We managed though. The room steward was efficient he bought us gowns and an egg crate for the bed. He was just a bit too available, always there when we came and went to and from the cabin. All that good morning stuff, when I staggered out the cabin first thing before I had my caffeine, was a bit annoying. I guess it worked because he did get an extra tip. :)

 

The bed was uncomfortable, but not horrendously so. Even with the egg crate I was two inches higher than my husband on my side.It was hilarious really. We slept well when we were tired enough. The bed just wasn't cosy. It gets you up in the morning, no lingering.

 

The ship had tennis advertised I love playing tennis.but the only court was a basket ball one. We shot hoops instead. We tried the golf course it was fun and we played table tennis and the ridiculously difficult shuttle board. I never saw anyone get a puck inside a square without it touching the sides. My husband and I made our own scoring system which consisted of the winner being the one closest to the 10 square. Sometimes my puck was nearly off the deck and into the sea, but it was the winning shot. :)

 

I didn't like the promenade deck. It was so crowded especially in the morning. It wasn't worth the walk when we had to shuffle along behind two 80 year olds without being able to pass because of people coming the other way. We walked the top decks instead, but sometimes it was too windy.

 

The food was mostly good even stupendous at times. We did have some so so meals, mostly in the middle of the cruise when they were probably not trying as hard.

The food at lunch in the main dining room was the best, but we couldn't always get there due to shore excursions or being too lazy to change out of bathing suits.

 

The food was more than plentiful....I couldn't believe the sheer abundance of it or some of the portions people could pack away. The afternoon cookie was really popular. I never had room for one though.

 

The bread was awesome, the sorbets awesome. I liked the beef Wellington, the goat cheese souffle, the fetuccine. I never felt the need to try the specialty dining rooms. The regular food was more than enough.

There was plenty of fish, fruit and raw veggies things that I eat a lot of at home.

 

I feel that I put on ten pounds easy and that's without the extras, never eating at the grill, only two afternoon ice creams in two weeks, no popcorn and one slice of pizza.

 

The coffee was horrible but diluted half and half with hot water it was drinkable. I didn't but a coffee card,but bought occasional lattes and capuccinos. The price was reasonable I thought. The dining room coffee was OK.

 

We had anytime dining and found that the most popular time to eat was at 6pm. There seemed to be always a wait then. We tended to go for dinner at 730pm or 8pm when it was easy to get a table.

 

I'm getting tired now so I'll write more later about the entertainment, fellow passengers and shore excursions if anyone is interested.:)

[nunuc2000]

Please keep it coming Charlotte! We're on the same cruise in a few weeks and i love hearing about it in advance :D

 

One question for you... or for anyone else who may know - is it possible to buy wine at each port and then bring on a bottle each for comsumption in our room?

 

Oh... something else too... we were informed by Princess that on our sailing, the video arcade and the level 15 sundeck will not be available - were there any closures, etc. on your sailing that you noticed?

 

Thanks :)

[IECalCruiser]

One question for you... or for anyone else who may know - is it possible to buy wine at each port and then bring on a bottle each for consumption in our room?

You can bring wine aboard at embarkation and at ports along the way. One part of the website says something about bring only one bottle of wine and/or champagne at a port but the Passage Contract has no limit on the amount that can be brought on board. You can bring on board what you need at embarkation or "reload" in ports along the way as you need. Ask your steward for wine glasses for use in your cabin. If you would want to bring a bottle to a dining room there is a $15 corkage fee.

[nunuc2000]

You can bring wine aboard at embarkation and at ports along the way. One part of the website says something about bring only one bottle of wine and/or champagne at a port but the Passage Contract has no limit on the amount that can be brought on board. You can bring on board what you need at embarkation or "reload" in ports along the way as you need. Ask your steward for wine glasses for use in your cabin. If you would want to bring a bottle to a dining room there is a $15 corkage fee.

 

Thanks... now I know we won't have to "load up" in FLL prior to the cruise :D

[1 HappyCruiser]

Do you happen to know if there were people who had standing reservations in the anytime dining room?

[tjschwalm]

What we did if a group of us wanted a table , in Michaelangelo's where we always ate atd , we would just call in the afternoon . For example two or three nights we had 8 ATdiners that wanted a big table so we would just call and they would tell us what times they had available , easy peesy . Our longest wait was 5 minutes and we would just sit with a beeper at the coffee bar on deck 5 .

[tjschwalm]

Charlotte , Your review is great and welcome to Cruise Critic ! Glad your home safe and sound ! Ted

[Phyljim]

Charlotte, thanks for the good review of the Grand. She is one of our favorite ships. Glad you found everything to be in good condition. We are looking to sail again on the Grand after the retrofit

Welcome to Cruise Critic, and will look forward to further posts from you.

[joken3438]

Sailing on the Grand on the 28th,we would like to meet other Critic members,perhaps to share experiences and ideas on how to enrich the experience.We are with another couple.:)

[nunuc2000]

Sailing on the Grand on the 28th,we would like to meet other Critic members,perhaps to share experiences and ideas on how to enrich the experience.We are with another couple.:)

 

Hi Ken... please join our roll call! :)

 

Go to the rollcalls section and search for our sailing... tons of info and lots of lively folks and discussions... and welcome to Cruise Critic!

 

Celine

[Charlotte sometimes]

Thank you for all the encouragement. I'm happy that this review might be helpful.

 

You are allowed back on the ship with wine from the port, but we never bothered. There were some reasonably priced wines in the dining room. We drank a half or full bottle every night. The cheapest red was $22, not bad at all.

 

People did make reservations for the anytime dining, but I think there were some mistakes made judging by hearing converstions about people expecting a table that had been given away. We just went when we were ready and as long as it wasn't around 6pm it was never a problem.

 

We didn't like the Maitre D or the head waiter in the Michealangelo. We thought they seemed to look down on people who were not obviously rich. You have to give your cabin # When you go for dinner before a table is found. The Maitre D consistently gave us horrid tables and we felt it was our inside cabin. We saw him being charming to people wearing lots of expensive clothes and jewellery, same with the head waiter. We were ignored.The Da vinci Maitre D was much nicer and seemed to treat people the same.

 

The waiters everywhere were wonderful as was the whole ships staff in general. We felt the staff were genuinally happy at times, we heard them singing when they thought no-one was around.They must be well treated by Princess. On the HAL cruise the staff seemed really stressed for some reason.

 

We always had a table for two and some tables were very close together which made it difficult when someone chatty was at the next table. If they were between courses and you just had your order delivered they decided to start up a conversation with you so that you couldn't taste a thing. Not many were like this though.

 

The formal nights were the most formally dressed people we had seen anywhere. It was a bit scary really. I had bought some cheap evening shoes from Walmart and I just wanted to pitch them over the deck after the formal night. They just seemed too cheap. The Horizon Court at night was very popular though, for people who had been to Walmart for all their outfits :)

 

Most of the people on this cruise were in there 60's 70's and eighties. There was a handful or 20 and thirty somethings. No teenagers and two small children. We did feel a bit out of it, especially with the entertainment which we didn't enjoy very much.The songs were just too old fashioned.

 

I'm going to take a break now and do some more unpacking and I'll continue later with the entertainment. I just want to say though, it sounds a bit negative but we had a lovely time a really enjoyable cruise.

[nunuc2000]

We noticed too, that Princess is by the far the most formal of the lines we've been on... not that we have a lot of experience to draw from, only having sailed princess, NCL and Carnival... but we truly enjoy the formal nights - it give me a chance to see my husband in that tuxedo I find so very alluring!! Grroowwwllll!!!! :D

 

As for entertainment, were there any comedians or comedy style shows to be seen?

 

Though I love children (we have four almost all grown sons) I rather like hearing that there were very few kids aboard - we cruise with Carnival when we have the kids, and would prefer to see fewer kids when our own aren't with us. This isn't intended to open a whole new conversation on the topic, I'm just saying that hearing you say there were very few is what I like to hear. :o

 

Keep it coming, Char!!

[amistad]

Charlotte, I am enjoying your review, please continue when you have a chance. I have only been on one prior Princess cruise, and 25+ on the other lines, and we are taking another cruise with Princess this April. I appreciate everyone that takes the time to post about their cruise experience.

[1 HappyCruiser]

We didn't like the Maitre D or the head waiter in the Michealangelo. We thought they seemed to look down on people who were not obviously rich. You have to give your cabin # When you go for dinner before a table is found. The Maitre D consistently gave us horrid tables and we felt it was our inside cabin. We saw him being charming to people wearing lots of expensive clothes and jewellery, same with the head waiter. We were ignored.The Da vinci Maitre D was much nicer and seemed to treat people the same.

 

 

It was probably Burno Bogazzi. He'll me your best buddy if you slip him a $50 at the start of the cruise otherwise forget any special treatment. ;)

[Charlotte sometimes]

Well the unpacking is finally done. The snow is falling hard, I had to make my own bed and clean my own bathroom. The only thing I had to eat without going out into the storm was cheese on toast. Am I missing the ship? You bet I am!

 

So we were talking about the entertainment, but I see I missed a question about the sun deck and the video arcade. Well these were the dead zone of the ship, but it's nice to have a dead zone to be quiet in so I would probably miss them. Well not the video arcade. We never saw a single soul in there and it was quite spooky. I felt it was haunted. We often walked through it as a way to get to the aft deck and then it started quiet, but halfway across the machines would start playing and pinging and there was an odd atmosphere. We just wanted to get out as fast as possible. It was like that movie ghost ship. I expected to see a drowned child asking me to save her.

 

The only entertainment we enjoyed was the classical music on deck 6. I tried to watch motor city I lasted 15 minutes which was longer than the British invasion show 10 minutes. I felt the singing and dancing was tired and mediocre, but that's just me. I don't like musical movies even except for the Wizard of OZ and Mary Poppins.

 

The comedian was no joke I lasted 15 minutes and didn't laugh once, the jokes were old. The pool band was too loud, as was some singing crooner they had on deck 7 and the songs as I say, were ancient. They were heavy on Neil Diamond and Frank sinatra. Sweet Caroline, must have been played 50 times........It was dire. The background recorded music seemed to be heavy on Hermans Hermits. I like Led Zeppelin and Radiohead, the Pixies, stuff like that. I was you know what, out of luck!

 

Then the MUTS was awful, booming out with daytime movies. I never sat by that pool so it didn't bother me,but once I walked that way and noticed not a single person was watching the day movie. The movies at night were well attended, but not by me. We watch tons of movies at home on cold winter nights I never felt the need on the ship...Maybe if black Swan had been playing I would have watched that.

 

We went hopefully to Starwalkers disco one night, when it was your request that didn't start at the ridiculous 11pm. I asked for "smells like teen spirit' by Nirvana and was told it couldn't be played because it was too hardcore! My advice is to find some dancy songs that are tame, to request before you go. I couldn't really think of many at the time. I did have a shuffle to Abba's dancing queen, although my days of being young and sweet and only 17 are well over.

 

The cruise director and staff were awesome. We didn't do any activities except for one game of trivia but I watched them in the lounges and on the decks. They were fun and energetic especially at the big deck party. A lot of people were miserable though and it makes you wonder what would make them excited....That's after me moaning about the shows and music hahaha.

 

I have to say and I feel guilty about this, but the best entertainment for us was the photo gallery............Oh it was a joy. We made up captions for the people after making sure they were not standing behind us and laughed ourselves silly. That wasn't fair either, because we would only let one photo be taken of us. I know I am not photogenic and if my photo as on display it woiuld be the funniest of the lot.

 

We didn't care about the activities and entertainment not suiting us. It's not important. I did feel sad about missing the making of crocheted evening bag though....dang!

 

I need a break again before getting to the shore excursions. Please don't let my entertainment review put you off. I heard lots of people praising the shows and the comedian. We are just strange.;)

[georgiavol]

You are doing great. Keep it up! You write very well.

[MattOsprey]

The pool band was too loud, as was some singing crooner they had on deck 7 and the songs as I say, were ancient. They were heavy on Neil Diamond and Frank sinatra. Sweet Caroline, must have been played 50 times........It was dire.

We have to agree, we loved Grand and would say she is one of our favourites, but found the pool band too loud, but they always seem too loud to me.

And the lunatic they had screeching and battering the piano on deck 7 was crazy. We would sit on deck 5 laughing at how bad he was. And we like older music, but he was brutal!

Nice review.

Matthew

[bjkTX]

Charlotte

 

Thanks for the review! We get on the Grand (for the 3rd time) in 13 days :-)

 

Did you go to Santo Domingo? We have been hearing they weren't going to go there anymore, possible diverting to San Juan. Princess is denying it, but they always have in the past as well as we ended up going where the folks on CC said we would :-)

[compozer]

It was probably Burno Bogazzi. He'll me your best buddy if you slip him a $50 at the start of the cruise otherwise forget any special treatment. ;)

 

 

We loved Burno and we didn't slip him any money. We even asked the head waiter, Arthur, if we should give him a tip and he said "you don't need to, he'll just throw it back in the pool. Bruno knew us by name and came by every evening to say hi (two weeks) he even sat down several evenings and had a glass of wine with us.

 

Your report is bring back neat memories from November.

[srpilo]

Wow, good work !!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Great 1st review, and welcome to Cruise Critic :)

Srpilo

[MattOsprey]

Did you go to Santo Domingo?

Just for information. We stopped at Santa Domingo in October on Grand and it was a great port. It did seem that a lot of other passengers got off the ship with the intention of hating it and managed to do just that.

It was a really nice walk around the town and we went into a couple of nice buildings.

As soon as we got on the return but I heard an old couple complaining as they thought they were going to the mall! Apparently there was a picture of a shopping centre on the front of the town leaflet, so they thought that was were we were going even though the bus said it was going to the town and they talked about the walks.

I hope you have as good a time as we did on Grand.

Matthew

[bjkTX]

Just for information. We stopped at Santa Domingo in October on Grand and it was a great port. It did seem that a lot of other passengers got off the ship with the intention of hating it and managed to do just that.

It was a really nice walk around the town and we went into a couple of nice buildings.

As soon as we got on the return but I heard an old couple complaining as they thought they were going to the mall! Apparently there was a picture of a shopping centre on the front of the town leaflet, so they thought that was were we were going even though the bus said it was going to the town and they talked about the walks.

I hope you have as good a time as we did on Grand.

Matthew

 

Matt - something happened a month or so ago based on a report from a CC member who was on the Grand. They said they were diverted to San Juan and that ALL 14 days cruises until the end of the 14 day cruises this season would also be diverted. But as I said I had my TA ask Princess, and we just got an alert from Princess about a cholera outbreak in that area and not to drink the water etc. But the last time someone on CC mentioned the same kind of thing, Princess denied it for 2 months while every cruise was diverted, including ours 2 months later :-) We'll see.

[L&D]

Great comments Charlotte sometimes! We are also on the Grand on the 28th and reading your comments are really making me/us excited (I don't need much encouragement tho!) You write so well and have a great sense of humour. Looking forward to the next installment! Keep them coming!

Cheers Dixie

[Charlotte sometimes]

I'm going to write maybe a couple of shore excursion reviews before bed. We definitely went to santo Domingo and the review might get written tommorow. It was the shock of my life. I was expecting a mud hut village and it was a huge city. I must have stared, with my jaw on the ground as we sailed by the long, sky scrapered, coastline going into port.

 

Compozer... You must have been staying in a mini suite and wear a Rolex.

 

I'm just listening to a song by a band called Morcheeba. Part of the lyrics are "I left my soul down by the sea." I did too. The deep blue carribean, soft waves, flying fish, dolphins, the always moving sea. The best times are watching the sun rise from the high decks. No one around, just you alone with the dawning day. The sunset is nice too,but as another day fades into night you know that your precious time with the deep blue sea is passing and it makes you sad. Sometimes I wanted to sink with the setting sun. Anyway I resisted that hahahaha.

 

So after two lazy sea days we arrived in Aruba. hmmmm I was a bit dissappointed. It seems a bit flat and sterile to me. Yes the beach was nice and the hotel complex area is ritzy but I don't think I would do a land vacation there.

 

We chose to do the Arikok national park tour. I might have spelled that wrong. On the way to the park We had a bit of a city tour. The guide told us the island is over run with boa constrictors, that information further endeared me to the island. Apparently boa's have 75 babies a time.

 

The park was hilly. It was hot, humid and strange. I liked it a lot. The predominant plants were Cactus, aloe, and spiny acacia bushes. We didn't stray off the narrow winding paths for fear of a poisonous rattler that lurks in the tangled vegatation. It was very quiet, except for bird song. The landscape reminded me of a Carlos Castaneda novel. I wouldn't have been surprised to see Don Juan and have something magical happen. We did see a goat on the highest pile of rock. There it was, just looking at a bunch of cruise ship tourists with pot bellies hats and cameras. I suppose that seemed magical to the goat.

 

The paths were steep in places and rocky..people were sweating. Something awful happened. We were descending a rocky path when an elderly man tripped and fell flat on his face. He lay still for a couple of minutes and his face was bleeding. There was a stunned silence from everyone and then he started to stir. His nose and eye were pouring blood, his legs were grazed, he was in shock and so was his wife. On those tours, you always have someone who thinks of everything to bring and sure enough napkins were produced and bottled water to clean him up. First aid was given at the park center and he seemed Ok. The tour ended at a beach for a swim. It was cut short because of the accident. I think we had a 15 minute swim in fairly chilly waters. On the way there though, at the roadside, we saw an electric blue iguana as big as a cat.

 

I forgot to mention that in the park was a cave with ancient paintings and bats. It was interesting.

 

I hope that man is alright. A fall at that age can be nasty.

 

In the afternoon, I walked around the town in Aruba, but the shops were lacklustre.

 

I think I'm going to do Curacao tomorrow as I need a cup of tea and a hot water bottle.:)

[KreinKrunker]

Which nights were formal?

Thanks KK