"LIVE" from Grandeur of the Seas - July 11, 2013

[KeywestK]

Thanks Radio for your "Live" report! Your trip was short but sweet, and I know all of us loved reading your thoughts and seeing all the great pics! I hope to meet you one of these days on a cruise, and it'll be my pleasure to buy you a cup of coffee!:D

[beachnative]

After having breakfast with dear friends who did the 1-night cruise yesterday, we are now on board having coffee in the Concierge Louinge.

 

I am quite taken by the new flag flying beside the huge American flag; it sports huge white letters on a blue field saying "DON'T GIVE UP THE SHIP".:):)

[PCWalton1]

Thanks for the report Radio.

 

On our May 26th Allure cruise they had a glow party but they didn't give all the blinking stuff out for free, they spent two days hawking it on the Promenade. The night they had the party we walked by to see what it looked like and it was full of people with all their glow gear. A serious cash cow for the ship.

 

Bill

[KelJ]

After having breakfast with dear friends who did the 1-night cruise yesterday, we are now on board having coffee in the Concierge Louinge.

 

I am quite taken by the new flag flying beside the huge American flag; it sports huge white letters on a blue field saying "DON'T GIVE UP THE SHIP".:):)

 

Have a wonderful cruise!! We'll be passing you on the 19th as you exit and we enter!

[dshebert]

after having breakfast with dear friends who did the 1-night cruise yesterday, we are now on board having coffee in the concierge louinge.

 

I am quite taken by the new flag flying beside the huge american flag; it sports huge white letters on a blue field saying "don't give up the ship".:):)

 

nice!!!

[ShakyBeef]

After having breakfast with dear friends who did the 1-night cruise yesterday, we are now on board having coffee in the Concierge Louinge.

 

I am quite taken by the new flag flying beside the huge American flag; it sports huge white letters on a blue field saying "DON'T GIVE UP THE SHIP".:):)

 

 

Bon Voyage, Gil & Gail!:) Please tell us all about the cruise when you get back.

 

 

And thanks, Radio, for the photo-packed review.:)

[Radio]

Hello everyone . . . I finally left Grandeur of the Seas at about 845AM. It was clearly the most pleasant Debarkation I have encountered. I just walked off the ship, and went to my car without even entering Cruise Maryland. The total time was less than 5 minutes. This will not likely happen ever again, (Unless I am invited to another “Special” sailing)

 

I don’t think I mentioned this, but the Captain for our sailing was Capt Espen Been. The Cruise Director was John Perry (Who was previously on Navigator of the Seas. I spoke to many officers about the timeline of the repairs and was told that there are many cabins that have not been refurnished in the AFT portion of the ship. There are currently contractors in those cabins, and several items still need to be repaired (panels, electric, finishings) that were damaged not by the fire but by the water used by crew and sprinkler systems onboard.

 

 

The South Pacific Lounge is 90% completed, but the Diamond Lounge still needs a bit more work. These lounges should be completed in a week, but the cabins may still take a few weeks to finish. There is a lot of teak that needs to be replaced on the AFT section of Deck 5.That was being worked on during my sailing. There may have been much more work going on, but it was nothing that I could see.

 

Most of the Crew stayed with Grandeur while she was in the Bahamas for 6 weeks, but about 100 of them went home because there contract had been completed. Another 100 or so came back to Grandeur on July 10 to join the ship when she arrived in Cruise Maryland.

 

 

Here are a few pics from the last 24hrs. Thanks for the nice comments!

 

 

 

Radio

 

 

I woke up today to a lot of rainfall very early this morning (4AM)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was very dry in the Solarium . . .and very quiet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Park Café would normally open for breakfast, but not today

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I would have liked to dined in the MDR last night as they had a special Appreciation Event Menu.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Giovanni’s Table had a nice tastings menu yesterday, and I will dine here on the first night for my next sailing

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I was intrigued by this flag that was hoisted this morning at Cruise Maryland. . .”Don’t Give Up the Ship”

 

 

 

 

.

[Radio]

Here are a few more. . .

 

 

Radio

 

 

My inside cabin was not bad. . .but I think I will have a Balcony next time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The bathroom was completely re done. .It has the Oasis Class designs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I really love what has been done to the Centrum area

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My list for the next Cruise will include dining in Izumi.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The 2 levels up in the Viking Crown Lounge can seat many passengers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I will miss the great coffee and my friends at Cafe Latte-tudes

 

 

 

 

 

.

[Radio]

These will be the last for today. . .

I still have some things to scan and post.

 

 

Thanks for tuning in.

 

 

 

Radio

 

 

 

I wasn’t invited to the Chefs Table last night, but I would love sometime to dine here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A dinner at the Chefs Table can be purchased as nice package deal

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I guess I didn’t think about RCI having to update all of the acrylics deck maps after the Upgrade in May 2012

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I think Security wants me to start the Debarkation process. . “Radio, you have consumed much too much coffee this cruise”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I reluctantly head ashore to my car. . .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So long Grandeur of the Seas. .I am very sure our paths will cross again soon. . .

 

 

 

 

 

 

.

[spookwife]

I can ALMOST survive until 19 September now.

 

Thanks, Radio.

[dshebert]

Anyone else notice there are not 50 stars on the American flag?

[MAHA]

Thanks for taking the time to post another "LIVE" thread. I follow all of your "LIVE" postings as they are very informative. Grandeur looks great and we can't wait to sail on her soon!

 

Mary Anne

[chengkp75]

Anyone else notice there are not 50 stars on the American flag?

 

I believe that that is an 1812 flag, along with Admiral Perry's "don't give up the ship" flag, and is a tribute to Baltimore.

[chengkp75]

These will be the last for today. . .

I still have some things to scan and post.

 

 

Thanks for tuning in.

 

 

 

Radio

 

 

 

 

I guess I didn’t think about RCI having to update all of the acrylics deck maps after the Upgrade in May 2012

 

 

 

Not only do they have to update all of the deck maps, but the signs at each deck in each staircase, etc, etc, etc. When we reflagged the Norwegian Sky to the Pride of Aloha, all the public space names changed, and it took nearly the entire 3 week yard period to get the signs up, check that they were correct, check that they were in the correct location, so that people wouldn't get lost. A big job.

[Eng23]

Anyone else notice there are not 50 stars on the American flag?

 

I'm going to take a wild guess here. Since the ship is sailing from Baltimore I think that particular flag is a replica of the flag that would have been flying at Ft. McHenry back when our National Anthem was written by Francis Scott Key.

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[Eng23]

These will be the last for today. . .

I still have some things to scan and post.

 

 

Thanks for tuning in.

 

 

 

Radio

 

 

 

 

I guess I didn’t think about RCI having to update all of the acrylics deck maps after the Upgrade in May 2012

 

 

 

Not only do they have to update all of the deck maps, but the signs at each deck in each staircase, etc, etc, etc. When we reflagged the Norwegian Sky to the Pride of Aloha, all the public space names changed, and it took nearly the entire 3 week yard period to get the signs up, check that they were correct, check that they were in the correct location, so that people wouldn't get lost. A big job.

 

Looks like you beat me to the punch about the flag! :- )

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[dc67]

Anyone else notice there are not 50 stars on the American flag?

 

That's the style of the flag that flew over Ft. McHenry in Baltimore during the war of 1812 that inspired Francis Scott Key to pen the National Anthem.

[dshebert]

I believe that that is an 1812 flag, along with Admiral Perry's "don't give up the ship" flag, and is a tribute to Baltimore.

 

That's too cool!!!

[KeywestK]

After having breakfast with dear friends who did the 1-night cruise yesterday, we are now on board having coffee in the Concierge Louinge.

 

I am quite taken by the new flag flying beside the huge American flag; it sports huge white letters on a blue field saying "DON'T GIVE UP THE SHIP".:):)

 

Wish there was a "LIKE" button on CC:D

[Bobbie John]

Thanks, Radio! We always enjoy your informative "LIVE" posts. Thank you for all of your time and effort.

[beachnative]

the good news is that the Concierge Lounge is open and the Diamond Lounge will be open for business but temporarily in the Viking Crown......life is good.:)

[superduper123]

the good news is that the Concierge Lounge is open and the Diamond Lounge will be open for business but temporarily in the Viking Crown......life is good.:)

Have a great cruise!

[brownblonde]

Have been happy that others who knew about you posted your name and I was able to see all your writings and very good pictures.

Don't know where you came from but many seem to know you.

With all that is left to finish up I hope by my Sept 13 sailing all this will be a thing of the pass and cruises will just go on one at a time.

Great reading.

[UNV-IT!!!]

Thanks for the pics.

[blonde375]

Radio, thank you so much for posting and taking the time to upload the photos. I especially thought the small rainbow above one of the first Ship photos was so cool!