Grandeur reviews only 79% happy...worried!

[SandyBShores]

My family has our first RCI cruise coming up on Grandeur and I've been closely following cruiser reviews since January. Down, down, the ratings have gone. I know she's an old ship and took that into consideration when booking at what I thought a reasonable (but by no meas cheap) rate. My biggest concern are the constant reviews about bad food, in particular the newest chef's combination choices such as stroganoff that comes in mystery sauce instead of cream and potatoes with olives, or complaints of extreme under seasoning. What??

 

I realize not everyone has time to write a review, so please, if you have sailed her within the past few months can you reassure me you've had good meals in the MDR? We can't afford the specialty restaurants for our large family.

[xxoocruiser]

You have to remember the individuals that post on Cruise Critic Forums represents at best only about 5% of the cruising population. Now consider the fact that most people registered with CC do not post reviews.

 

Personally don't bother reading reviews as they are very subjective.

Edited May 29, 2014 by xxoocruiser

[tomatosauce]

I agree about the subjective nature. Someone wrote a negative review for the Voyager because they:

 

a) Were shocked at being seated with others when selecting traditional dining.

 

b) Were annoyed that they couldn't use My Time Dining because they had chosen traditional dining and

 

c) Were also disappointed that Portifinos was booked out on the last night of 3 when they went to book sometime during the day.

 

Negative reviews are often based on what people are expecting even if they shouldn't be expecting it.

[Harooni]

I had a great time, dont worry . some have been on a lot of cruises and tend to get a bit spoiled . its a nice ship. friendly staff and nice updates.

i had some nice meals in the mdr. ate there 5 nights out of 6.

Edited May 29, 2014 by Harooni

[Merion_Mom]

My family has our first RCI cruise coming up on Grandeur and I've been closely following cruiser reviews since January. Down, down, the ratings have gone. I know she's an old ship and took that into consideration when booking at what I thought a reasonable (but by no meas cheap) rate. My biggest concern are the constant reviews about bad food, in particular the newest chef's combination choices such as stroganoff that comes in mystery sauce instead of cream and potatoes with olives, or complaints of extreme under seasoning. What??

 

I realize not everyone has time to write a review, so please, if you have sailed her within the past few months can you reassure me you've had good meals in the MDR? We can't afford the specialty restaurants for our large family.

 

I board her on Friday. I will probably post live from the ship, but will definitely report afterwards.

 

:)

[winslow050]

Sandy, I was just on the Grandeur from 5/16-5/23/14 and had a GREAT time, This was my 3rd time on this ship. A lot of things have been upgraded and the food was outstanding and the service we received was fantastic . Sailing from Baltimore is a breeze, easy in and out, I am sure you will enjoy your cruise, have a great time and let us know how it was :D

[KJL53]

I spent 18 days on Grandeur in February and had a wonderful time. Remember it is a small ship without the bells and whistles. Join activities and make your own fun. I had no problem with the food. Some nights have better choices then others. Only my opinion.

 

Go and enjoy...................

[cruzinlady1947]

Hey, you're on a cruise.......what's not to like.;)

 

We've been on the Grandeur many times and never had any problems finding food we like. Lately, we have been doing the Windjammer for our dinners and have always had good food and a great variety.

 

Go with a positive attitude and have a good time.

 

If by chance some of you can try a specialty restaurant, Giovanni's is excellent and less expensive than Chops.

 

Enjoy and have a great cruise.

 

Gwen :)

[beachnative]

Please read reviews carefully. If you do you will usually find the real reason for the negativity…usually something that reflects the posters sense of entitlement, snobbish expectations, irritation due to traffic on the way to the port, etc. If 79% are happy then that means only 21% are unhappy. Hummm, that seems similar to most of the people I encounter in the real world.

 

I have sailed on the Grandeur 10 times since she arrived in Baltimore last May and I have 15 future cruises on the Grandeur already booked.

 

I HAVE NEVER BEEN DISAPPOINTED WITH THE SERVICE OR CREW OF THE GRANDEUR!!!

 

On our most recent cruise we were trying to maintain our recent weight loss. Instead of ordering our usual high calorie meals we opted for lighter items. We were amazed at the selection and the taste of the items that we had never tried in the MDR.

Edited May 29, 2014 by beachnative

[beerman2]

Food is probably the most subjective thing for people. Everyone's tastes are different.

 

You will not go hungry and find something to YOUR liking/tastes. And if you order something you don't care for in the MDR , don't be afraid to ASK for another entree.

 

And as beachnative stated some people just can't be pleased no matter what.

 

Only 5 cruises so far but I've yet to Lose weight.

[panthers_4890]

Also, most people will review only when something negative happens. When their trip is great, you won't hear too much probably because it met their expectations.

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[Bonnie Voyager]

My husband and I sailed on Grandeur last month, and we had a wonderful time. It was our second time on Grandeur and first time since she was refurbished a year ago. We had no complaints about the food, that I recall! We had wonderful service in the main dining room. We also enjoyed one meal at Chops and one meal at Giovanni's. Chops was exceptional. Giovanni's had some issues with service, but the food was tasty. Every meal we had in the main dining room, was well enjoyed. :D The ship was clean and attractive. No, she doesn't have all the bells and whistles of the mega-ships. But, being a "smaller" ship, you get a sense of intimacy with the passengers and crew. You see the same faces again and again, which is nice. The ship was very easy to navigate too. While I still have to say my favorite ships are the "bohemoths" Oasis and Allure, I would not hesitate to sail on Grandeur again. Oh, and sailing out of Baltimore is super easy! They know what they are doing there! Easy in/easy out! :D

[delirious9876]

I'm sorry - Grandeur is PANTS !!!!!!!!

[PrincessVIP]

Their still using these old rust boats to get every last penney out of them! Be my gust and ignore the reviews and maybe it will be floating in the water another 10 years!:eek:

[delirious9876]

I board her on Friday. I will probably post live from the ship, but will definitely report afterwards.

 

:)

Be careful doing a live blog from any ship. A friend of mine did this in March on another cruise forum site and when she sailed on Oasis last month she was put on 'the watch list' that RCI have. She received a call about conduct before she left home and the was met with a 'friendly lecture' on the ship when she boarded from the guest services manager.

[Harooni]

I'm sorry - Grandeur is PANTS !!!!!!!!

 

is that good or bad ? lol :confused:

[delirious9876]

is that good or bad ? lol :confused:

Bad - lol - sorry !

[Harooni]

Bad - lol - sorry !

 

haha no worries ,not up on the lingo i guess. i thought it was the cats pajamas myself.

[Donut23]

I agree about the subjective nature. Someone wrote a negative review for the Voyager because they:

 

a) Were shocked at being seated with others when selecting traditional dining.

 

b) Were annoyed that they couldn't use My Time Dining because they had chosen traditional dining and

 

c) Were also disappointed that Portifinos was booked out on the last night of 3 when they went to book sometime during the day.

 

Negative reviews are often based on what people are expecting even if they shouldn't be expecting it.

 

 

 

 

I agree-some people just see the grey clouds vs. the sunshine the next day.

 

My neighbors first cruise was the Grandeur-late boarding because of Noro.

 

She called me after getting onboard-furious. The ship was not leaving on time because people were still checking in on the pier. She expected the ship to leave on time-----leaving passengers on the dock so they could go under the Bay Bridges in daylight.

 

I was speachless.

[Philly Steve]

Just back from the 5/16 Bahamas cruise and had a great time on Grandeur.

 

I'm not a "foodie" but found the MDR meals adequate. Nothing was served cold (aside from the chilled soups). For me, the food highlights were Chops and the great breakfast selection every morning in the Windjammer.

 

For me, a cruise is much more than food. Grandeur may be an older ship, but the friendly crew keeps her clean. She is definitely "built to last" and I love her size.

 

We are looking forward to cruising Grandeur again, soon.

[PuterMonkey]

Negative reviews are often based on what people are expecting even if they shouldn't be expecting it.

 

I agree with this 100%. Often when someone has a mental expectation, if the reality turns out at all different, it's a disappointment even if others like it just fine.

 

Keep an open mind and remember you're there to enjoy yourself, not obsess over the negative.

[plank]

We have been on the Grandeur 3 times, even when she caught fire! She is a beautiful ship. The food was great in the MDR. The entertainment staff is top notch. The crew and staff are very nice. I did not smell any foul odors anywhere. She is small enough that you learn your way around easily but yet it seems more open and bigger. The guest entertainers were fun!

The centrum has lots of fun activities. Things on her are not perfect, but I would not expect that. Relax, breathe, and enjoy your vacation:) Off on the Independence in Nov....can't wait!

[Raenstoirm]

I was under the impression that the MDR menu was set by corporate. I had download the generic MDR menus before our trip this month on Freedom and the actual selections matched the menus I had downloaded.

 

As for Grandeur, we brought her "home" to Baltimore last spring on her repositioning cruise from South America. She is tiny with very few bells and whistles, but the excellent staff more than makes up for that. We don't love her itinerary, so I don't see us sailing on her anytime soon, but if she adds new ports, we would jump on the chance to sail her again. :)

[leaveitallbehind]

You have to remember the individuals that post on Cruise Critic Forums represents at best only about 5% of the cruising population. Now consider the fact that most people registered with CC do not post reviews.

 

Personally don't bother reading reviews as they are very subjective.

 

Agree completely.

[Ken Greco]

The Grandeur was the first ship we went on 23 years ago. Yes, it is an older ship. Our last cruise was on the Allure. Your really can not compare them. But if this is your first RCCL cruise you should enjoy your selves. Remember any cruises ship serves thousands of meals each week so food can be great, not so great, good or even poor depending on your level of food you are used to. Always remember you can send something back or order two entrees if you love one item.