Grandeur of the Seas, Transatlantic 24 April - 8 May 2011: (lengthy) report

[PCWalton1]

Thank you for the great review. You had me a little misty eyed at the end as you wandered amongst the new arrivals. thanks again.

Bill

[OSUZorba]

Great review. I really want to do a TA and this review will help convince my wife.

 

How did you sign up for the late departure? This would have been very nice on my honeymoon cruise, since we were poor back them and had to take the latest flights out of Orlando.

[tiggerman101]

Thank your for taking the time to write this up. I enjoyed reading it.

[Ronn452]

Thank you, David, for a most enjoyable read. Your offering brought to life the TA cruise for those of us that are currently between voyages. I'm sure you are a most congenial table mate on a cruise.

 

Captain Ronn

[cinnamon]

Great read David, thanks very much.

[Cotswold Eagle]

Great review. I really want to do a TA and this review will help convince my wife.

 

How did you sign up for the late departure? This would have been very nice on my honeymoon cruise, since we were poor back them and had to take the latest flights out of Orlando.

 

Hi, I'm afraid the late departure is only available on some ships and I believe only in Europe. It shows up as a Shore Excursion for the final port of call (they charge for it), if it is available. That's slightly odd, I know, but I guess it's the easiest system for them. I think there were only 5 or 6 of us at the end of this cruise.

 

And thanks for all the kind comments from you and other posters about my review.

[Snowboarders]

Great review David, having been on Grandeur back in 2005 - we did a cruise on her from Baltimore to the Caribbean... it was fantastic...it was lovely to read your take on the whole cruise. My hubby and I absolutely hate disembarkation day - you feel like an outcast!! We always treat our cruises like home from home so when you have to leave its very sad... We are travelling in August on Grandeur with our daughter, SIL, 6yr old grandson and 1yr old grandson... we are looking forward to the cruise very much - my grandchildrens' first!! They are so excited - Thanks again..:D

[jlajr]

I agree with the others who enjoyed your review. I haven't been on a cruise in about 15 years, but the idea of a transatlantic crossed my mind about a month ago, and I can't get it out of my head:) I live in Israel, and my family lives in South Florida, so a TA will actually replace a flight leg! The Grandeur is returning to Colon in the fall, with very good prices, but the cost of getting to Mallorca, from Panama to Miami, and then back to Tel Aviv is way too much. But, next year's Miami to Malaga sailing looks VERY promising, so, again, I really appreciate your review.

[Cotswold Eagle]

Thank you both for your kind words :)

 

Seeing this thread again reminds me I should get some photos and the Compasses sorted, especially for those doing TAs in the autumn.

 

There are some great prices for TAs next year. Very tempting! Of course, if you do both legs, you can buy a (cheaper) return flight.... We can but dream of having the time and money :)

[teddie]

Thanks for referencing your review on the TA post. I read every word, and enjoyed it very much.

 

Teddie

[AnDeNo.UK]

One of the best detailed reviews I have ever read. Thank you for taking the time David. It's given me an insight as to what to expect in 13 days. :D

[travelplus]

So at last, this momentous day in history, a day for celebration dawns. Yes, we have the new passengers on board, it is the Captain’s Welcome Aboard Reception and our first formal night this evening. Oh, and there is also some small private wedding taking place in London....

 

The Centrum has been massively decorated with red, white and blue balloons, Union flags and bunting, and the Royal Wedding coverage is available live on BBC and Fox on our stateroom TVs early in the morning. At noon we gather in the Centrum, where champagne is provided for a Royal (if not necessarily Loyal) Toast and two special celebration cakes are served. The piece de resistance is a life-size cardboard cutout of the happy couple, which, I am told by a member of the crew, has been living in the Hotel Director's office for weeks in anticipation of this day! At 12-30 pm, the wedding is replayed on the big screen in the theatre.

 

This probably all sounds a little cheesy, but everyone I spoke to thoroughly enjoyed it. Hats off to Tony Curtis, the Hotel Director, who organised it all and sourced the decorations himself. Other ships in the RCI fleet are apparently showing the TV coverage, but as far as anyone knows, the Grandeur is the only one with its own street party. The ship's photographers are kept busy this evening taking photos with the new Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, as many passengers ignore the five formal portrait studios they have set up, in favour of Tony's cutouts!

 

I attend the Captain's reception before dinner, which is held in the South Pacific Lounge. Our captain is a young looking Norwegian, Espen Been. I know some of my fellow passengers found his accent difficult to penetrate at times, but I seemed to manage better than most (I can't vouch for his Spanish, but he did speak directly to our Latin guests.) He has a subtle sense of humour and a clear interest in the history of sailing, passing on some tidbits of information (the derivation of 'knots', for example) in his daily announcements. He is not seen around the ship that often, but is friendly enough.

 

We are joined by Pam from England for dinner, so we now have a table of four. She also came aboard in Barbados and was originally placed on a table on her own, both in the early seating and My Time Dining. We all agree that RC's dining seating arrangements are in danger of disadvantaging solo travellers and those who wish to meet other passengers over dinner - Grant discusses this with the Food and Beverage manager later in the week and is told that they recognise this and that changes to the system may be forthcoming, but they have to respond to the growing demand for smaller tables. My dinner tonight is creamy mushrooms in pastry, followed by grilled giant prawns, and I am pleased to find the kitchen back on top form.

 

What a nice way to commemorate the Royal Wedding. Actually my Cousin in London is close friends with the Royal Family and attended their wedding. Prince Charles and Camilla made their first public attendance at my Cousin's wedding.

 

I woke up at 3 AM to see it live