Most magical moment on the Grandeur of the Seas?

[norcalemt02]

Never been on that ship before

[w&k]

Thank you to everyone for sharing your memories of a special ship!

 

The Grandeur is our favorite ship, and we've been able to sail on her three times. A 7-day out of Miami back in 2000 (and our first Royal), an 11-day Caribbean a few years later, and a WONDERFUL repositioning from Baltimore to Tampa.

 

To pick just one memory, I have to go back to our very first trip in the summer of 2000. I was working full time + and caring for my mom, who had cancer, with help from my wonderful hubby, in-laws and Auntie.

 

I was starting to crack under the pressure of burning the candle at both ends, and several places in the middle. All of them got together, decided that I was worn down to a nub, and they were going to kick hubby and I out for a week to take a much-needed vacation and get recharged.

 

I got on the phone to my cruise TA, and he found us a 7-day trip leaving in a couple weeks out of Miami on the Grandeur. We rolled the dice on a GTY Q inside, and got upgraded a couple categories to one of the forward/back facing cabins in the bow. Our cozy little cabin was paradise.

 

We went to an event hosted by the cruise director the first evening, and he said that the folks in the bow would know when we reached our first stop in the morning, as we were anchoring. I think it might have even been at CocoCay.

 

We were a bit younger then, and had shut down both the casino and disco before a beautiful moonlight stroll on deck. I think we went back to our cabin about 3 or so... and it was awhile longer before we went to sleep... ;)

 

Fast forward a couple of hours. We were blissfully asleep in our cozy little cabin, when we were jolted out of the bed by the sound of the ship coming apart! HOLY CRAP! WHAT IS THAT NOISE???? Are we grounded? sinking? HELP!!!!!

 

Once we finally got a light on, the racket stopped, and rational thought started to return as we were struggling into our scattered clothes. As I'm sure you have already guessed, the noise was the anchors dropping. As soon as we figured it out (we turned on the TV to the bow camera and saw land), we started laughing, and kept laughing until we had stitches.

 

Then, we went back to bed to celebrate our narrow escape from catastrophe... ;)

 

I wish we had had an infrared camera to catch the two of us stumbling and crashing into the walls and each other trying to get out of the bed and find a light!

 

Wendy

[w&k]

2 days later the Grandeur hit the pier while trying to dock in Costa Maya, tearing 20 foot by 6 foot hole in her side just above the water line, and extending our cruise another 3 days! But that's another story... :)

 

It's a small world!

 

We were right behind you on the Brilliance of the seas. Our captain wisely decided not to try to dock after the Grandeur hit the pier, and we had a sea day on the way to our next port.

 

Wendy

[londongal796]

I think mine was one of the afternoons we were onboard Grandeur in the middle of the Mediterranean, sun was shining through the centrum, and my husband and I decided to treat ourselves to some Ben & Jerry's ice cream. We sat in the comfortable chairs nearby, with the full-panels of glass beside us, watching the sun set over the sea. It was very beautiful.

[runningtide]

July 2008 my wife and our two sons left on GOS for a 10 day Caribbean Trip. Though not our first cruise, it was to be our last together. Two months later, my wife and best friend of over 30 years lost her year long battle with cancer. We took the cruise knowing this might be our last, and determined to make it great. And thanks to the crew and RCI, it was! One of my most wonderful memories was a crew attendant in the Windjammer that would ride my wife's rented scooter to and from the table to a out of the way parking place by the main entrance. We rented the scooter because Sharon was gradually having problems walking due to her treatments. Anyway, Sharon and I always got a laugh when the same staff member would rush to help her with the scooter. I don't think the guy was ever on one, and he had this enormous smile while he would drive the scooter around the isles of the Windjammer. It was one of many lasting memories of the special cruise.

 

Now almost seven years later, I am leaving again on Grandeur the 21st of March. This trip will be another first cruise with a wonderful woman I have been together with for the past two years. I'm glad the GOS has been thru refit because it will have a different look, yet still have the charm I remember. And most of all, the exceptional crew that work so hard to make each cruise special for us guest.

I'm sure this trip will also be one of those great memories that remain with us forever.

[billjessmaddie]

When the ship came back to the port of Baltimore and we were free to leave. I was with my family and we ran as fast as we could ;)

[Tankminder]

It's a small world!

 

We were right behind you on the Brilliance of the seas. Our captain wisely decided not to try to dock after the Grandeur hit the pier, and we had a sea day on the way to our next port.

 

Wendy

 

Wendy - my profile pic is a picture of the hole in the ship. It was quite an interesting few days while they figured out what to do, while we pretty much just hung out on board. Costa Maya had no real equipment at the port, arrangements had to be made for people who just had to fly home, rearranging menus, bringing in new entertainment and more food, not to mention flight/hotel arrangements for not only for everyone stuck on the ship and arriving home later, but the poor souls waiting who's ship came in 3 days late. I just kept thinking what a logistic nightmare. Though it was great fun to call into work and say "no, really, we're stuck in Mexico - I can't come in!"

[Cruzoholic]

We were on the Grandeur 3 trips after the slit and they did their best not to let you see until we went on a shore excursion and around we went. DH said they should have painted a bandaid there.

[Tankminder]

We were on the Grandeur 3 trips after the slit and they did their best not to let you see until we went on a shore excursion and around we went. DH said they should have painted a bandaid there.

 

A bandaid would have looked far better. They hid it with tarps almost immediately then built a wall that day to hide it from us until we got off. Here's the hole, and the patch we saw as we got off below it.

 

And Patched

[jp30338]

Uhhh nothing st all. She is an old, outdated and worn out ship ready for the scrap yard...

[Cinderellie]

Thanks for reminiscing about the slit but can we get back to the topic of your most magical moments on the Grandeur? Thank you.

[Cruzoholic]

For my DH, when our 7 year old gd got to the Centrum in August and said WOW. for me when we boarded in December and saw the tree and gingerbread houses. Never saw that on a ship before. It made it festive for the holidays.

[webteach]

We live in Baltimore and we just love the Grandeur. Sometimes we drive down to Harris Teeter across from the port just to look at her and to see friends from the crew. The CREW- very special people. Undoubtedly the friendliest and happiest of any ship I've sailed. We have many happy memories because of them.

 

Flying to Tampa today to board Brilliance- wondering why we have to go so far, but Lady G is doing longer cruises than we have time for right now.

[Cinderellie]

Can't wait to report our new magical memories on the Grandeur in just 2 weeks. Any more you'd like to share?

[NEPhillyRN]

last summer... we took 6 of our 7 kids on a cruise but did not tell them we were going. they thought we were going to an all inclusive resort in Baltimore but starting with a "dinner cruise". I know, crazy story but it worked. All the way through customs we managed to maintain the story, even the customs agents were picking up on it and playing along. We walked in, got the picture and walked the kids onto the ship. As they stood there taking in the beauty around them we told them it was a cruise to the Bahamas. I rarely see my 11 year old smile but he started jumping up and down. It truly was a magical moment