A question for you cruisers recently on the Grand

[jollyjones]

In one of the post dry dock reviews, I read that there are no midship passenger stairs above deck 7. Can this possibly be true?

 

I have booked two cruises on the Grand (a new ship for me) in the position I usually prefer - midships on Emerald deck - because it is so convenient just to run up and down the stairs to the promenade deck or the piazza. Since I have no patience to wait for elevators, I would seriously consider trying to move to another location if I cannot use midship stairs.

 

The deck plans on the Princess website show midship stairs but are they for passenger use? Or are the deck plans wrong? Someone on these boards must know ... I hope!

[srpilo]

Unfortunately yes...

 

This is why for me at least the Grand is my least favorite Princess ship. Not having a mid-ship stair well puts alot additional stress on the mid-ship elevators specially now with the addition of the IC after the drydock, further adding to the annoyance and inconvenience of having a mid-ship cabin, and the lack of vertical mobility associated with those cabins.

 

 

And yes having just sailed again on the Grand after her drydock, still no center stairwell..

Srpilo

[jollyjones]

Well, thanks for the prompt reply but how utterly depressing!

[caribill]

The Grand was the first of its class of ship and, as others have indicated, did not have the center stairway open to the public above deck 7.

 

This design "flaw" was corrected on all the ships built later.

 

Although I have found this to be an annoyance, it is not enough of one to keep me from sailing on the Grand.

[jollyjones]

And it won't be a deal breaker for me either - a new (to me) ship is always a new experience and I'm looking forward to it - but one of my greatest pleasures is just being able to nip down one flight of stairs and out onto the promenade deck which is 'my balcony'; sailing solo I'd rather cruise more often than pay so much for a balcony cabin.

 

It's particularly frustrating though because my cruise in January is two 7 nights that I booked as one 14 night and it seems that Princess holds two different cabin inventories for this - the first cabin I wanted was available on both 7 night cruise inventories but not the 14 night, and it took quite a lot of to-ing and fro-ing with my TA to get a cabin that I'd be happy with (I thought!). Now I'll have to bother my TA again trying to move closer to the forward or aft stairs, possibly with little success. And it would help if the Princess website didn't show midship stairs on their deckplans for the Grand - I do try and do my research carefully but with wrong information, what can one do? Except be truly thankful for all the helpful folk here on the boards!

[Pia1913]

And it won't be a deal breaker for me either - a new (to me) ship is always a new experience and I'm looking forward to it - but one of my greatest pleasures is just being able to nip down one flight of stairs and out onto the promenade deck which is 'my balcony'; sailing solo I'd rather cruise more often than pay so much for a balcony cabin.

 

It's particularly frustrating though because my cruise in January is two 7 nights that I booked as one 14 night and it seems that Princess holds two different cabin inventories for this - the first cabin I wanted was available on both 7 night cruise inventories but not the 14 night, and it took quite a lot of to-ing and fro-ing with my TA to get a cabin that I'd be happy with (I thought!). Now I'll have to bother my TA again trying to move closer to the forward or aft stairs, possibly with little success. And it would help if the Princess website didn't show midship stairs on their deckplans for the Grand - I do try and do my research carefully but with wrong information, what can one do? Except be truly thankful for all the helpful folk here on the boards!

 

Just think of it as getting more exercise. We were on the Grand TA in May and our cabin was as usual near the forward elevators. We've booked the Grand again for 2013 for 49 days; again in that same area.

[Mrterryl]

I have been on the Grand several times including 2 weeks in12/2010. I am booked again for 2 weeks in 12/2011. Good ship and Good time!!!!!! Don't let this issue stop you for traveling on this ship.

[jollyjones]

Just think of it as getting more exercise. We were on the Grand TA in May and our cabin was as usual near the forward elevators. We've booked the Grand again for 2013 for 49 days; again in that same area.

 

But you cruise with a balcony Pia - how I wish I could afford one and cruise as often as I do. My cabin choice is based on the fact that it is only a few steps to the outside - it's not a question of exercise, I get plenty of that, it's more a question of feeling cut off from a rapid route to the fresh air.

 

I'm still going on the cruises; I'm mostly upset that I carefully chose cabins for reasons that are very important to me (each to their own, this may seem trivial to others) only to find that the information provided by Princess is wrong.

[Pia1913]

But you cruise with a balcony Pia - how I wish I could afford one and cruise as often as I do. My cabin choice is based on the fact that it is only a few steps to the outside - it's not a question of exercise, I get plenty of that, it's more a question of feeling cut off from a rapid route to the fresh air.

 

I'm still going on the cruises; I'm mostly upset that I carefully chose cabins for reasons that are very important to me (each to their own, this may seem trivial to others) only to find that the information provided by Princess is wrong.

 

Most of the time yes. but not always. Our Ruby cruise last year was on Emerald Deck in a partially obstructed OV. For six weeks.

[caribill]

And it would help if the Princess website didn't show midship stairs on their deckplans for the Grand - I do try and do my research carefully but with wrong information, what can one do?

 

Excellent point. You may want to contact Princess and point out that the deck plans show the crew-only stairs above deck 7 without labeling them as such.

[jollyjones]

Excellent point. You may want to contact Princess and point out that the deck plans show the crew-only stairs above deck 7 without labeling them as such.

 

I'd love to - anyone got an appropriate email address I could use?

 

All I can get on the website is 'Please contact your Princess Cruise International Sales representative'. Us international pax are not allowed to go directly to Princess, we are forced to use a local travel agent (and pay higher prices than US pax, sigh ...). Calling the 1-800 number isn't free from here, it's an international call.