Grandeur of the Seas Family Review April 5 - 12

[aprylstar]

Thanks for this great review! The ship looks great, just my size!

 

Its a shame your sailing got noro, you never really know what goes on behind the scenes when something like this happens on a ship. Glad you were understanding and enjoyed most of the trip. These people work so hard, and to have to deep clean must be awful....they probably wish the were sick too to be honest so they could go to bed!

 

Hopefully our New Years cruise is "pre-noro season" and we don't have to go through this. Looking forward to some bloody marys and bingo on those chilly first and last sea days!!

 

Exactly the opposite. They prayed the did not get sick, b.c they said they don't get paid if they get sick and can't work! I wonder if some crew ever do get sick & don't report it so they can still get paid. I guess we'll never know!

[aprylstar]

This was great to read and I appreciated finding it. A friend of mine is sailing on Grandeur with her husband and 2 children, ages 4 and 6. We sail on Celebrity and have only been on 3 RCCL ships, but not on this one.

 

What is there for kids to do? Do they have a basketball court? Mini golf? I think there is a rock climbing wall and ping pong and of course the pool. Anything special for the kids?

 

Also, they are in an ocean view room. Any idea what they are like?

 

Thanks for any help you can give me.

 

Also - page 1 post # 8 there is a description of our oceanview & pics. There will be 2 pullman beds for the kids that come out of the ceiling.

[tinkerbell24081175]

Loved your reviews. We had several "issues" as well with things not being up to Royal Caribbean standards. There seemed to be a lack of consistency between what staff members said and did. There were inconsistencies as you mentioned with how the extra sanitizing was handled. Our biggest issue was that suite holders were told to gather in the Concierge Lounge, which was sharing the same space that those quarantined were told to go for disembarkation. We were there between 7-8, there were already 15-20 families in the Viking Crown who were waiting for the "sick" embarkation, while there was an overflow from the Concierge Lounge sitting in the Viking Crown. There was no staff member on that level present that morning in either area until we had to call someone when we read on the big screen tv that they had already called us to disembark, and no one was there to take us down. Not what we expect from Royal Caribbean standards. I agree with all you comments, it was a great cruise, but this were just "off". I can appreciate that the staff was working overtime, but that doesn't lessen the cost I paid for vacation.

[Bonnie Voyager]

We got our email/phone call Friday around noon.

 

That's good to know! I will be waiting for it! But hoping it doesn't come! ;)

[Kelcbell]

I loved reading your review! I love that you included both the good things and the bad things, but overall I could tell that you enjoyed your time, minus the sickness of course!! Your review made me even more excited! We go on 5/16 and I can't wait (: You review makes me wanna take the time to do my own review(: So we will see!

 

Thanks again for taking the time to explain in detail your vacation (:

Edited April 17, 2014 by Kelcbell

[aprylstar]

Loved your reviews. We had several "issues" as well with things not being up to Royal Caribbean standards. There seemed to be a lack of consistency between what staff members said and did. There were inconsistencies as you mentioned with how the extra sanitizing was handled. Our biggest issue was that suite holders were told to gather in the Concierge Lounge, which was sharing the same space that those quarantined were told to go for disembarkation. We were there between 7-8, there were already 15-20 families in the Viking Crown who were waiting for the "sick" embarkation, while there was an overflow from the Concierge Lounge sitting in the Viking Crown. There was no staff member on that level present that morning in either area until we had to call someone when we read on the big screen tv that they had already called us to disembark, and no one was there to take us down. Not what we expect from Royal Caribbean standards. I agree with all you comments, it was a great cruise, but this were just "off". I can appreciate that the staff was working overtime, but that doesn't lessen the cost I paid for vacation.

 

Thanks!

 

Yes - they definitely should have put the "sick" group somewhere different & somewhere with a washroom. Our letter said to meet at 845 & if the VCL was the only option, they should have made it clear they would make an announcement when we could proceed to the VCL. This way they could have allowed the suite guests to disembark before filling it back up with sick people.....

[aprylstar]

I loved reading your review! I love that you included both the good things and the bad things, but overall I could tell that you enjoyed your time! Your review made me even more excited! We go on 5/16 and I can't wait (: You review makes me wanna take the time to do my own review(: So we will see!

 

Thanks again for taking the time to explain in detail your vacation (:

 

:) Yes. Most definitely we enjoyed our vacation!! Prior to the sailing & Noro, I had read mostly great reviews about how awesome the crew is on this ship, so I can only assume it was the stress & exhaustion they experienced that created any problems we had. I am sure you will have a great time!!!!!!!

[ksadonnab]

Yes, I agree - Great review.

 

P.S.......Now I know what I'm doing in Port Canaveral ;)

 

Thanks!

[firestopr]

great review, we are going On the Grandeur At thanksgiving this year

Edited April 17, 2014 by firestopr

[Stephluva2711]

Yes, I agree - Great review.

 

P.S.......Now I know what I'm doing in Port Canaveral ;)

 

Thanks!

 

Where ya going? I know what i'm doing too! :D

[theanoy]

Thank You aprylstar for all the posts. I will be taking my family on a cruise on the Grandeur in August. This is the first time for us on a Royal Caribbean ship. Being able to see your great pics and to read the compass was priceless.

[myhouseofmouse]

Ditto with all the other comments and thanks aprylstar!!! This was one of the best trip reports I have read. So much great information along with honest, REAL feedback and thoughts. Your info will be real helpful to those of us going on the Grandeur in the future.

 

Thank you for taking the time to share it with all of us.

[1Aussi]

We were on the same cruise (our first with RCI) with four of our friends! Hi April!!

 

While we enjoyed our vacation, but the overall impression I have of the ship & crew is "exhausted". We ate each night in the dining room and our waiters were EXCELLENT!! Shout out to Ramil & Diego!! We were "My time" diners so each night before we left the table Ramil or the Maître d confirmed what time we would eat the following night. Most nights we ate at about 7:30-ish. Our room attendant, Robert, was great too!

 

The dinners were nice, although sometimes a little too salty for us and often lukewarm, but we had no problem getting extras! After the second night Ramil proceeded to bring me an additional shrimp cocktail, no matter what I ordered!! :D When we were having trouble deciding between two menu items, he brought us both! I brought them chocolates from our chocolate tour in Nassau which they really appreciated ;)

 

We only ate lunch in the MDR once, I had Pasta Pomodoro and DH had Baramundi (fish) which we both enjoyed! The service wasn't great :(

 

Breakfast in the MDR was horrible. Tired/overworked/inattentive staff, uninspiring menu & surprising "hidden costs". For example - I wanted Cranberry Juice the first morning we ate there and was told I'd have to go to the bar to buy it for myself!! Orange juice was "free" so I had that, however no refills were ever offered.

 

The Windjammer was busy and most of the problems we had there had to do with the "norovirus procedures".

 

The embarkation & debarkation procedures (on the wharf, not the ship) were swift and efficient. My only suggestion is that they put a sign directing non-US citizens to the other line. We waited longer than necessary ;)

 

On the whole we had a good time and met our goals for this vacation, which were to relax and enjoy visiting with our friends!

 

Robyn

[1Aussi]

Room info - we had an outside view room. Room number 4042 which was smaller than I anticipated but perfect for the two of us! The bed was very firm and, as April noted, tended to separate a bit in the center. We also enjoyed lazing on the bed and staring at the ocean or the stars. I was surprised at how small the shower was! I'm 5' 10" & DH is 6' 3" and we both felt a bit claustrophobic in the shower. I kept apologizing to Robert, our room attendant, for the mess/flood on the bathroom floor! :rolleyes: The water pressure in the shower was great!! But not so good in the sink, also the sink plug didn't work so that was a bit of an inconvenience for DH when shaving.

 

We didn't notice any noise, except the occasional bump or murmur, from neighbors or decks a over or below. All in all a great stateroom choice!

 

Here's a photo of the sub that delayed our arrival at Port Canaveral :) It was pretty cool to see it go by so close !!

 

Robyn

[spedrson]

 

Here's a photo of the sub that delayed our arrival at Port Canaveral :) It was pretty cool to see it go by so close !!

 

Robyn

 

I'm glad you got a photo of the sub. I was out on the deck (without my camera) when it went by and I was so disappointed not to get a picture!

[1Aussi]

I'm glad you got a photo of the sub. I was out on the deck (without my camera) when it went by and I was so disappointed not to get a picture!

 

I got a whole bunch of photos!! :D DH says I went overboard over it :p

[aprylstar]

Thank You aprylstar for all the posts. I will be taking my family on a cruise on the Grandeur in August. This is the first time for us on a Royal Caribbean ship. Being able to see your great pics and to read the compass was priceless.

 

Ditto with all the other comments and thanks aprylstar!!! This was one of the best trip reports I have read. So much great information along with honest, REAL feedback and thoughts. Your info will be real helpful to those of us going on the Grandeur in the future.

 

Thank you for taking the time to share it with all of us.

 

Thanks :) I definitely try to keep it real! Cheers.

 

April

[aprylstar]

Room info - we had an outside view room. Room number 4042 which was smaller than I anticipated but perfect for the two of us! The bed was very firm and, as April noted, tended to separate a bit in the center. We also enjoyed lazing on the bed and staring at the ocean or the stars. I was surprised at how small the shower was! I'm 5' 10" & DH is 6' 3" and we both felt a bit claustrophobic in the shower. I kept apologizing to Robert, our room attendant, for the mess/flood on the bathroom floor! :rolleyes: The water pressure in the shower was great!! But not so good in the sink, also the sink plug didn't work so that was a bit of an inconvenience for DH when shaving.

 

We didn't notice any noise, except the occasional bump or murmur, from neighbors or decks a over or below. All in all a great stateroom choice!

 

Here's a photo of the sub that delayed our arrival at Port Canaveral :) It was pretty cool to see it go by so close !!

 

Robyn

 

Hi Robyn!

 

Great pic :)

 

Thanks for sharing all your thoughts here as well! I am sure people travelling the Grandeur in the future appreciate it.

 

Hope you had a wonderful Easter :)

 

April

[sharse]

April, I have a question if you don't mind! Is the water slide on Coco Cay into the ocean? I can't tell where you end up after sliding down! Is it salt or fresh water? Thanks!

[aprylstar]

April, I have a question if you don't mind! Is the water slide on Coco Cay into the ocean? I can't tell where you end up after sliding down! Is it salt or fresh water? Thanks!

 

Hi there:) the slide was on the beach in front of the aqua park. It does not end in the water. There is an inflated wall at the end although end is so long I did not see and children reach it.

 

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