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From John Blair's Facebook page:

After a great vacation, Katrina & I are looking forward to rejoin the Serenade team next week.

I'd love for them to be on the ship over thanksgiving but don't know how long this contract will be.

Abe Hughs was also onboard Jewel in early May as the port and shopping guide.

I know this isn't what you asked directly. I cruised from San Juan last November and my flight wasn't until 6:30 so I didn't want to be off the ship at 7:45 for the tour. When I got off the ship I asked the porter about taxis that do tours of old/new San Juan. He helped me find one that was getting ready to leave. We toured new San Juan, one of the forts, drove around old San Juan, he gave us the option (as a group) to get out and walk around Old San Juan but since it was pouring rain no one took him up on it. We then went to a restaurant for lunch and was at the airport about 1:30 or 2. The driver had about 2 couples that he was dropping off at hotels after that. If the ship tour doesn't work out, this might be a possibility.

They still sail out of Baltimore only now on Grandeur. They are on vacation at the moment but expect to be back on board September 18 according to their facebook page.

I'm with you. I love their music and use that as my evening entertainment.

Given that it is the first time back in the US it may also have some delays in clearance. Other people have reported delays either when a ship repositions to a new port or when the ship gets back to the US for the first time after being in Europe/Asia/Australia.

When Enchantment did the Bahamas run, and I assume Grandeur would be the same, the associate hotel/food and beverage manager said that the ship picked up provisions in Port Canaveral. He mentioned that since the food was ordered from Florida it was less expensive to pick it up on a port stop there, where RC already has facilities, than to ship to Baltimore.

Grazie! Going to Bermuda on a Sunday made no sense. It's closed on Sunday.

Not a lot of stores in Hamilton or St George are open (and the ferry to St. George does not run) but the buses still run and you can get to the beaches and the stores/restaurants in dockyard are open and so is the maritime museum in dockyard.

The Explorer of the Seas is on it's 9 Day cruise, and is supposed to be there today, not Sunday.

 

Cruise Schedule: New York City, New York (03 Jul d1600); Kings Wharf, Bermuda (05 Jul 0800-1600); Philipsburg, St. Maarten (07 Jul 1300-2000); San Juan, Puerto Rico (08 Jul 0700-1400); Labadee, Haiti (09 Jul 0900-1600); New York City, New York (12 Jul a0800)

I appreciate the correction. I normally sail Grandeur which does arrive on Sunday. Explorers dates are Saturday or Monday/Tuesday.

I'm a bit confused. The Explorer is there at Kings Wharf, and the Splendor is there at Heritage wharf. And PTZtvist both as departing today. Wonder if the Explorer is on a 9 day with a one day stop in Berm.

Explorer does alternating 5 and 9 night cruises. Right now it is doing a 9 night cruise which spends Sunday in Bermuda. It gets back on Friday then will spend Monday and Tuesday in Bermuda next week. It alternates in Bermuda with Grandeur which will get to Bermuda at 2 eastern tomorrow. Grandeur does alternating 7 night Bermuda and 7 night Bahama's itineraries. When in Bermuda it is there from 3 Sunday to 6 pm Tuesday. The two Norwegian and celebrity schedules are consistent from week to week.

We've checked in as early as 9:30. Have boarded between 10;30 and 11. Sometimes windjammer has opened at 11 sometimes 11:30.

Francis is fantastic too! Interesting that a few months ago, I though Ruth was in CL and Francis was in DL. I hope one or both are still there when we sail in Nov. Have heard nothing but good things about Ruth.

 

 

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Francis and Ruth alternate between the two lounges. I think one moves into the concierge lounge when the other goes on vacation and someone substitutes in the diamond lounge. Ruth just came back from vacation August 30 so I'm with you in hoping she will be in one of the lounges in November. Both concierges are fantastic. You can't go wrong with either.

Brilliance, Jewel, and Grandeur have stopped as well. They print the music schedule in instead of announcements.

Thanks Steph - Darryl really is the best :) I hope he hasn't changed ships!

 

Thanks for the dining info - Chops and Giovanni's Table. Don't faint, but I've never tried sushi, maybe this should be my first time!

 

Thanks again!

Darryl got back on lady g on May 23 - the same date of our cruise. Assuming his schedule doesn't change his last cruise before vacation will be September 18 - our next cruise on this ship.

I have another thought....you will be at dock in Bermuda for three nights, most of the passengers be on the ship and the casino is closed anyway while your in port. There will be activities about I am sure since the casino is closed, the food on X is suppose to be better, so now my suggestion is to go on X.

Just got back from Bermuda on Grandeur. Apparently a new rule in Bermuda for 2014 is that the casinos can open "late" as in about 9 pm both nights we were in port. Shops onboard remained closed.

My pipe dream is that with Ricky Matthews moving to Oasis John and Katrina will become the regular CD's on the Grandeur. I think they and the Baltimore market were a great fit.

 

Roy

I'm hoping that as well especially since they said the current activities manager might be following Ricky to Oasis - would have both positions open.

Ricky was on Grandeur from Jan 31 until May 24, and now he is on his break

 

 

Hmm...previous info is that Jimmy is leaving Oasis on July 19, and will be replaced by Drew Devine July 19 until November.

 

Is Jimmy staying until Aug 16? Then what happens to Drew?

It wasn't mentioned but could Ricky be getting a short break between ships, especially if November means November 1? He might be onboard for a week for the handover.

On the morning show on grandeur yesterday it was mentioned that Ricky Mathews would be coming back to grandeur in early August. He will be leaving about October 16 to take Jimmy Rhodes place on oasis of the seas. No mention of who would replace Ricky in October.

Have not gotten one for my May 3 cruise even though I've contacted customer service and crown and anchor requesting it.

Captain Stig on Brilliance started his vacation 4/7

Really enjoyed Mo when he was on Enchantment. Where is he now?

Darryll on Grandeur is fantastic and high energy.

That's great to hear. Are there any obvious signs of wear? On the Paradise, there were missing pool tiles, faded curtains, and cracked leather. We are pretty happy we are doing a comparison of Carnival to RCL, insisted of vice versa(if you know what I mean:D).

I sailed on Enchantment on the first cruise out of drydock December, 2012. Ship looked great.

As was mentioned the windjammer and shows can get crowded, especially because of the stretch. My mom and I tend to eat at off peak hours (like 10:30 for breakfast) so crowds were starting to thin out when we got there.

Music in the centrum was fantastic.

They've been scanning on Grandeur since she came back to Baltimore. First cruise out of Baltimore it gave a bit of a delay, I assume because passengers weren't used to it. It may also be why the drill has been moved to 3:15 from 3:30.

As mentioned, all of Grandeurs stations are outside.

Just got back from the Grandeur of the Seas 1/11/14 sailing yesterday and we had Jefferey Arpin. I know that's known already but I wanted to let everyone know that he was great. It should be noted that like the previous commenters mentioned he is not very present at the cruise director staff events like the 50's & 60's Sock Hop or the 70's Disco Inferno but the events he did do were great. The Belly Flop contest that he hosted with Daryl had to be the most entertaining one I've seen. His farewell show was hands down the best I've ever seen. I don't think I saw him use graphics or technology a single time during the sailing, everything is done off the cuff keeping it all very fresh and relevant which is the top requirement of a great CD. Even his pre and post evening show speeches were usually hilarious and always done in the moment. I would certainly love to see him be a little more involved in the party events, but as a host he is certainly top notch and I would be happy to sail with him again.

 

As an aside Daryl was as great as everyone said he would be. So much energy in everything he does and he seemed to have a great Odd Couple relationship going with Jefferey. The two could not be more opposite but made it work.

I'm the one that posted earlier. Glad to hear that you enjoyed him. Looking at your review I think part of the difference is in the style of cruising and the fact that I've done Grandeur 25 times. The shows, especially production, are the same as they he were in 2005 therefore I'm doing other things. I have, however, seen the cd's in the parties both on Grander and other ships. In fact on 60 cruises he's been the only one I haven't seen involved in them. I've also seen the other cd's walking around the ship talking to passengers. He may have done it and I just missed it.

Thanks pj:

Wife and daughter are on the cruise and I hope they were strapped in last night because they sailed right smack into that storm. Wife was surprised to find the new specialty restaurants and I could not find them anywhere

Izumi's is also at the top of the vicking crown and chiefs table is in a room off the dining room.

Hope they enjoy their cruise. I'd have loved to use it to get away from the snow in Baltimore. Grandeur is my favorite ship having been on it many times out of Baltimore.

Both captains are good but if captain Espeen is back from vacation he's extremely friendly and approachable if you want to have a chat with him.

Chops and Giovanni's are where the singing in the rain lounge on deck 6 were (leading from the centrum to South Pacific Lounge). They werdoce added during the 2012 dry dock.

Why? Does snow look different in 2014 from what it looked like in 2009?????

No but some of us like to see our favorite ship with snow be it Grandeur, Explorer, Oasis, etc.