Grandeur 3 Weeks Tomorow-How About Your Best Tips, Tricks & Secrets!!

[Shawnee Indian]

1st Time on Grandeur!

1st Time on a Vision Class!

 

Any one care to share their Tips, Tricks or Secrets?

 

Any hidden Hot Tubs, Etc. Etc.

:) Thanks!

[tazmancruiser]

I have been on G.O.S. three times. Just got off the ship in Dec. '06.

1. Don't miss using the steam bath and sauna in the dressing rooms in the spa. Private area (men and women)

2. Walk through the spa to the back and sit, relax, dream, look out the window. Very quiet. Nice chairs to sit in. The spa does have seminars here but not all the time.

2. Take your honey up to the library late at night. Slip out the sliding glass doors onto a small deck. No one can see you. Look at the stars, steal a kiss, and then ??? l.o.l.

3. Get dressed early for dinner, slip down to deck four and enjoy the dancing in the atrium.

4. Always eat breakfast in the main dining room instead on the windjammer. If you do go the the windjammer go to the area where they will fix omelet and eggs to your liking. Scrambled eggs on ship tend to be a little cold and runny.

5. Get on the ship on sail date before noon. Slip the room attendant $5 and maybe you will get lucky and she will let you leave your carry on luggage instead of dragging them around till 1:00

6. Don't miss the last night of the talent show. Don't be surprised if you hear some very talented guests.

7. Don't miss Quest show.

8. If you go to Costa Maya. Take the taxi into town. Find a nice spot on the beach and enjoy. The salsa and chips are good. Massages are $30 for 1/2 hour. Really worth the price.

9. If you get coupons to go to the wine taste seminar. Don't miss it. You will a lot about wine and have samples so you can pick and choose what you want for the rest of the cruise.

10. If you leave out of N.O. make sure to ask the cabbie how much. I didn't and he "clipped me" for $50. He got mad because of traffic and I paid. You do not have to go all the way to the end of the dock. If the cabbie knows what he is doing he will let you off at the first ship. (which is the Grandeur)

 

HAVE FUN - WISH I COULD GO AGAIN!

[Shawnee Indian]

Great Tips!

Thank You!

 

Anyone else have any?

[Shawnee Indian]

Great Tips!

Thank You!

 

Anyone else have any?

[the_woodman]

No tips, but I do have a few pictures.

 

Click the link in my signature below and choose the Granduer of the Seas album.

[39august]

My massage in Dec. at Costa Maya was $20 for 45 minutes right in front of The Cat's Meow bar and restaurant. A friend was on Grandeur last month and she and her husband loved dining at the Windjammer at night. They found they could order a strip steak which was then cooked to order. They also requested escargots several nights and received them. She also said that the waiters came around and asked if they could bring them anything. This service must be only on the Grandeur, because we have not experienced this on Jewel, Radiance or Navigator.

[fiorita]

just booked today for 2 weeks from today. It will be our first time on RCCL and we are looking forward to it. It was such a good deal we could not past it up. Thanks for the photos.

Fiorita:)

[R'man]

Breakfast in the dining room...rather not. As mentioned, if you do eggs/omlettes with b'fast, the Windjammer does them fresh. Don't care for "next in line" seating in DR, and service was so-so. OTOH, b'fast on deck outside W'jammer is great!

 

Solarium for adult swim and hot tubs - plenty of deck chairs and "indoors". Solarium for evening french fries snack, and a hot dog, maybe. Selection of fruit available there all day, too.

 

Another good place to read and/or relax is the Crown Room before 5:00.

 

Schooner Bar in evening with Peter on the Piano.

 

Illuminated star chart on deck 10 forward - great on a clear sea night!

 

Have a great time - the Grandeur is a fine ship in every way.

[FoodieGirl_VeganBoy]

We had a outside cabin on the 2nd floor. It was our first cruise so maybe this is normal, but we would sometimes have problems where the water in our shower would get all over the bathroom floor, soaking the bathmat and it was just a mess. Add to this that Boy liked to sleep in late...

 

So my solution was in the morning I would wake up and get dressed in workout clothes and pack a bag of toiletries and something to wear back to the room after the workout. I'd go for a morning walk on the outside deck (and sometimes be viewing the sunrise ;) earlier on in the cruise anyway) and then stash my stuff in a lockerroom. I'd be on the treadmill and lift some light weights, and then go to the steam room, and then shower. There is a saune there instead/also if you'd like.

 

After the shower, I'd grab some coffee to go on the way back to my room when Boy would be awake so he'd have coffee right away, which made him very happy. And, the bathroom didn't have to get so wet! The downside is there is no place to blowdry my hair, but I enjoyed having that extra room while in the shower- I was always bumping my elbows in the cabin shower.

[tazmancruiser]

I all most forgot. As soon as you see your attendant ask for "egg crate matress cover" to place on top of the existing matress. They haven't put new matresses on the Grandeur of the Seas. G.O.S is to have this done later this year. Believe me you will sleep a lot better.

If you are platnium, gold or diamond members call crown and anchor and make the request in advance.

[Radio]

The Promenade deck on deck 4 is a great place to read a book...always shaded, very quiet with a great view of the Caribbean !

 

Click below for some Grandeur Pics and Vids .

 

Radio

;) ;)

 

.

[teajak]

tazmzncruiser: Great tips, I had forgotten all about those hot tubs back of the spa. When we got on early they had the hall doors locked so you could not get to the rooms. Was there a name for the beach in Costa Maya and how much was the cab. We can get a limo in NO for $35.00 for 2, that seems the best way as we are coming in the day before and going to the Marriott on Convention Drive block and 1/2 from the docks got it on Priceline for $65.00!!!!!Thanks for the tips

[bickee]

Wonderful tips! I'll be on the same trip at the end of February. Question...what limo company did you get that quote from? I'd love to look into it. Also...can you just use the spa whirlpools/saunas without booking a treatment? Thanks!!! Great thread!

[teajak]

Wonderful tips! I'll be on the same trip at the end of February. Question...what limo company did you get that quote from? I'd love to look into it. Also...can you just use the spa whirlpools/saunas without booking a treatment? Thanks!!! Great thread!

Yes you can use the spa facilities without booking a treatment.There was a thread on here a couple weeks ago about airport transportation in NO. Shuttle to hotels is $13.00 each but they stop at a lot of hotels, taxi is supposed to be $28.00 for 2, some spoke of problems with them, limo is $35.00 for two. I went into NO site and airport transportation,limo is walk up when you get there, no reservations needed and that was the price they quoted.Sounds good to me. We will be on Grandeur 2/24.

[silentbob007]

The taxi rates are posted, so it shouldn't be too big of a deal to get to the port if you want to take one. $28 for 2, $36 for 3, and add $! fuel surcharge.

 

I'll second going out on the promenade deck ... though they block it off if it gets too windy.

 

Also, especially at the moment before drydock, never expect an automatic door to work (or you'll find yourself slamming into them ;)).

[R'man]

I all most forgot. As soon as you see your attendant ask for "egg crate matress cover" to place on top of the existing matress. They haven't put new matresses on the Grandeur of the Seas. G.O.S is to have this done later this year. Believe me you will sleep a lot better. If you are platnium, gold or diamond members call crown and anchor and make the request in advance.

 

Good catch! BTW: You can also make the on-line request through RCCL website without being a C&A member. We did, and our added padding was installed before we arrived.

 

The beach at Costa Maya is at Majahual, about two miles down the coast. It was a great place to relax. Don't pay more than $2 for the taxi, but make sure you have fare agreement before you take off. If you tour the ruins with Ivan and David, you'll be dropped off there afterwards, so take your beach stuff along. Sadly, the apres tour time was short, only about 90 mins before heading back for us. It was still well worth the time to just unwind after the tour. And, beer drinkers, try an ice cold Sol to break the Corona habit.:) Then there's the well-known secret hole in the fence to access the place next to the pier...

[brio613]

Lunch in the dining room when open, the pasta station is wonderful. If Damaciano is cooking tell him what you like and let him be creative....it was wonderful. Also want to agree w/ previous poster about Pete in the Schooner lounge. He is really very talented and just alot of fun. Sit up at the piano and get to know him. If you do tell him Barb, Rich, Carol and Dennis from the very rough halloween cruise say hello. Enjoy your cruise, we had a wonderful time and just loved the Grandeur.

[bickee]

Thanks! I will definitely check out the limo service.

[Shawnee Indian]

Thanks for the Tips and Photo's!

I have one of the Solarium as my computer wallpaper!

 

Star Chart? Tell me more!

Little Balcony off the Library? Tell me more!

Hot Tubs @ the back of the Spa? Tell me more!

 

Thanks Again!! :) :)

[Crackerjack]

Lunch in the dining room when open, the pasta station is wonderful. If Damaciano is cooking tell him what you like and let him be creative....it was wonderful. Also want to agree w/ previous poster about Pete in the Schooner lounge. He is really very talented and just alot of fun. Sit up at the piano and get to know him. If you do tell him Barb, Rich, Carol and Dennis from the very rough halloween cruise say hello. Enjoy your cruise, we had a wonderful time and just loved the Grandeur.

 

Damaciano was our waiter during our B2B in '05. He's great!

(Did he tell you the brown sugar story?! I'm still laughing at the thought.) He recognized my DD during lunch and made her pasta extra special! He came to our table one evening to say hello to our group... and make sure our waiter, Paulo, was doing a good job. LOL! :D We loved Paulo, too!!!

[Crackerjack]

Oh I forgot, the tips...

 

1) There's a handy little stairway from the Salon down to deck 10. Be sure to hold the handrail, they're a bit narrow and steep.

2) If you want to attend the wine tasting, ask your waiter the first night at dinner. It's often the first full day at sea. (We missed it.)

3) If you have kids, make sure to attend the kids talent show. My kids now plan out their "talent" before we leave home. (Everyone that participates get a medal.)

4) If you know someone wanting to get their hair braided, go to the square in the middle of town in the afternoon. Our DD has thick, long hair and we paid $35 for her whole head. It took an hour and 45 minutes ~ and stayed in for a month!

5) If your looking for beach access in Grand Cayman, there's free access across from the Holiday Inn. A taxi for 8 was $25 ~ and he came back and picked us up at a set time.

[Cinderellie]

This thread is old, and perhaps out of date, but some great tips. Still true? Can anyone add more tips and secrets you wish you had known if you were on the Grandeur for the first time? It's our first trip aboard her, and our honeymoon (though we're a 50-ish couple of widowers remarried.)

 

Please share with us!

 

Thanks!

[RSLeesburg]

This thread is old, and perhaps out of date, but some great tips. Still true? Can anyone add more tips and secrets you wish you had known if you were on the Grandeur for the first time? It's our first trip aboard her, and our honeymoon (though we're a 50-ish couple of widowers remarried.)

 

 

 

Please share with us!

 

 

 

Thanks!

 

 

I scanned through the previous replies - the ship has received several updates since this thread. It now has three specialty restaurants - Chops, Giovanni's, and Izumi. We have eaten at all three, and would highly recommend all three! They offer a much more intimate and quieter dining experience than MDR or WJ. The centrum arial show is pretty awesome. If you want a quiet place to relax during the day, the Viking Crown Lounge is fantastic (but, it is often used for private functions, so may not always be open). In the back of the spa, there is a room, I think it's called Tranquility Room. It overlooks the aft of the ship - incredible views. The solarium is nice, but can get quite crowded during the day. At night, it is pretty empty. The park cafe is great place to grab some food - during the day or late at night (my son would always insist on grabbing a cookie or brownie there after we picked him up from the kids club).

 

The ship is very beautiful, the crew is fantastic, and I hope you have a great honeymoon.

 

 

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[Cinderellie]

Thank you so much, RSLeesburg. I appreciate this update, and I bet we can get a lot more of those little things we should know about.

[Boilermaker77]

Is that area in the spa exclusively for spa patrons or can anyone go use the steam room?:confused: