Grandeur of the Seas?

[tkline]

We are looking into a cruise leaving from Baltimore on the Grandeur of the Seas. Has anyone sailed on this ship recently? What was it like? I tried looking for some reviews, but was mostly finding things from a few years ago. What was your favorite parts? Anything go wrong?

 

So far I've been on the Celebrity Solstice to Alaska and Regal Princess to New England & Canada, Looking forward to seeing what RCL will be like 🙂

[Clarea]

Info here:

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/search/?type=forums_topic&search_and_or=or&search_in=titles&nodes=51&q=grandeur

 

[suesnake2002]

101 more days til my next cruise on grandeur. Was on her in april for 12 days. I love this ship!!!

[DragonOfTheSeas]

I was on Grandeur for 21 days in March and April.  I did a live review.  We had a very good cruise--actually 2 cruises.  Here is a link:

 

 

[tkline]

thanks .. we like the idea of sailing out of Baltimore. Our New England cruse left from Brooklyn and it a pain driving through NY to get there. We're in philly so the distance is pretty much the same, but I know Baltimore will be nicer and easier to get to. Hopefully more ships will start going there soon, seems like all they have is this one and a Carnival ship.

[JTBCruiser]

DW and I did a cruise down east coast to the Bahamas this past March.  I read many reviews, mostly positive and it lived up to the majority of the reviews.  We prefer smaller ships without all the bells and whistles.  We had a JS which gave us plenty of room and spent time in the hot tubs and pool.  Never seemed crowded on any part of the ship.  Shows were enjoyable and food though subjective, above average.  Service and friendliness of crew and fellow passengers was top notch.  We intend to book it again for the New England/Canada cruise TBD.

[cruisegirl1]

 We just returned a couple of days ago from the nine night grandeur  to New England/Canada cruise. Later this month we are heading back on Grandeur for the five night.    For the nine night cruise, we parked at the port as we were already visiting family a few hours away from Port. For the five night cruise coming up later  this month,  we will fly into Baltimore and either do in hotel shuttle or an Uber to port 

 

 The ship was in pretty good shape, although we did see some rust around the balconies.   We had a standard balcony cabin that seemed very large, and had an abundance of storage. The shower had a curtain rather than a door. 

 

 The staff was fabulous, the food was very good. Our headliners were hit or miss, and one production show  lacked energy, the second production show was better. 

 

 Check in was very simple, seemed a little low tech, but then again there were only about 2200 passengers so it didn’t present any problem.   

 

 Everything is still fresh in my mind so if you have a particular question, I’ll be happy to try to answer it. 

 

M

Edited August 7, 2019 by cruisegirl1

[SRF]

4 cruises so far on Grandeur.  2 more booked.

 

That tell you anything? 😄

 

[h20skibum]

I did a review just after @DragonOfTheSeas, so between the two, most of Grandeur’s itinerary is covered. 

 

 

 

Edited August 7, 2019 by h20skibum

[Rogueperson]

I did 2 live threads, but they're a couple years old now.  There are two links to more recent ones already posted, which I read and enjoyed, because I love the Grandeur.

 

I still believe Baltimore is the best port, administratively.  They still hold the record of door to ship in 11 minutes for me (but in part, I was Emerald status). 

 

Pros of the ship is that its intimately small and you get to know people easily.  Its much easier to feel connected with your fellow cruisers and staff when you see.  The activities on board are more geared to connecting you with each other than "the wow factor" that is on the bigger ships.

 

Cons, (for some), Grandeur is an older ship.  It doesn't have the same bells and whistles as some of the newer and larger ships.  Personally, I like the traditional cruise experience this ship offers, but for many, some may find this kind of cruise boring.

[biomedbob]

Worst ship in the fleet!  Stay away!  Run!

[tkline]

36 minutes ago, biomedbob said:

Worst ship in the fleet!  Stay away!  Run!

Why do you say that? What don't you like about it?

[DragonOfTheSeas]

44 minutes ago, biomedbob said:

Worst ship in the fleet!  Stay away!  Run!

That is a pretty harsh statement.  . .  .  Have you been on all of them? 

 

Was this a tongue in cheek comment and you forgot the wink?

 

[BND]

18 minutes ago, DragonOfTheSeas said:

That is a pretty harsh statement.  . .  .  Have you been on all of them? 

 

Was this a tongue in cheek comment and you forgot the wink?

 

Of course it's "tongue in cheek".  It's a well known fact that those that love Grandeur want it all to ourselves.  We've been on her 7 times, the most recent time was April and we're going again in Nov 2020.  Only reason it's that far off is that we're doing Harmony and Adventure  in between.  We just did Carnival Pride last week because Grandeur was sold out for the last couple of months.  We booked a last minute anniversary trip and spent a bit of time wishing we had been able to book Grandeur.

[superduper123]

I'm another Grandeur lover! One of my favorite ships! I cruised the Bermuda itinerary in April. 

[Davebhoy]

Sailed Grandeur last year.

Its a great ship, as long as you realise its smaller than others you might have been on, and won't have all the bells and whistles.

Only slight downside was how quiet the ship was by about 2330 most nights - very little signs of life after the last show chucks out, and the Crown Lounge was pretty deserted.

[Wanderista]

13 hours ago, BND said:

Of course it's "tongue in cheek".  It's a well known fact that those that love Grandeur want it all to ourselves.  We've been on her 7 times, the most recent time was April and we're going again in Nov 2020.  Only reason it's that far off is that we're doing Harmony and Adventure  in between.  We just did Carnival Pride last week because Grandeur was sold out for the last couple of months.  We booked a last minute anniversary trip and spent a bit of time wishing we had been able to book Grandeur.

 

How does Carnival Pride compare to Grandeur? I've read a few basic reviews so I have a bit of an idea of what Carnival is like. I'd probably only do it if I want a specific itinerary and if I know someone who wants to go. Baltimore is very convenient for me. I can see someone I know wanting to try it. I haven't traveled much in the Caribbean and might be interested in seeing more islands. I like beaches.

 

I'm someone who will try different things but vacation time not being infinite, if something just isn't a fit for me, I don't necessarily need to try it. I'm all for fun but not necessarily a loud party ship.  Even on Royal, the pool contests didn't really amuse me but it's not like they were a big deal either. I enjoyed some of the activities such as watching acrobats and the art auction. I really liked the lounges where I could have a coffee and relax with sea views. I'm not against games and fun but what some people find amusing, I find annoying.

 

Anyway, it would be interesting to hear how the experiences on these ships compare.

Edited August 8, 2019 by Wanderista

[suesnake2002]

Dave bhoy. You musta had quiet fellow cruisers. We had a lively bunch in april. We rocked the viking crown lounge, closed down the schooner bar in the evening. 

[SRF]

It depends on the cruise.

 

One a couple of years ago, the Viking Crown Lounge was HOPPING most evenings.  Other cruises, not so much.

 

Last cruise, a group of us closed down the Schooner Bar each night.  The piano player/singer was quite good, and a nice guy.

 

Oh, just realized suesnake talked about closing down the Schooner Bar each night, we were on the same cruise. 😄

 

[red47]

16 hours ago, biomedbob said:

Worst ship in the fleet!  Stay away!  Run!

I know you are not serious!! I cruised with you and you certainly didn't look like you were having a bad time Bob! :-)

How are you doing? We're back on Grand  10/17!! 

[Nessa1dc]

Hello....I went on the Grandeur for the 2nd time November 2018.  I will be on her again at the end of this month.

 

I find the Grandeur to be a very traditional cruise.  Likes and Dislikes is very relative.  I find the Grandeur to be a lovely ship.  It is smaller and I find the crowd to be a little bit older.  Most everything shuts down around 10pm...but there are venues to go to that are open later.  There are great activities for the younger crowd, but I think the ship is geared towards a more seasoned (age and frequency) cruiser.

 

The staff is amazing throughout the ship.

 

I believe you will enjoy it.  We are certainly excited for our 5 day cruise to Bermuda at the end of the month.  We don't prefer the super large ships...our ideal ship is the Freedom Class.  We love the Promenade. 

 

Bon Voyage.

[BND]

5 hours ago, Wanderista said:

 

How does Carnival Pride compare to Grandeur? I've read a few basic reviews so I have a bit of an idea of what Carnival is like. I'd probably only do it if I want a specific itinerary and if I know someone who wants to go. Baltimore is very convenient for me. I can see someone I know wanting to try it. I haven't traveled much in the Caribbean and might be interested in seeing more islands. I like beaches.

 

I'm someone who will try different things but vacation time not being infinite, if something just isn't a fit for me, I don't necessarily need to try it. I'm all for fun but not necessarily a loud party ship.  Even on Royal, the pool contests didn't really amuse me but it's not like they were a big deal either. I enjoyed some of the activities such as watching acrobats and the art auction. I really liked the lounges where I could have a coffee and relax with sea views. I'm not against games and fun but what some people find amusing, I find annoying.

 

Anyway, it would be interesting to hear how the experiences on these ships compare.

 

We had a nice week long getaway.  As far as comparisons. The cons:  We find Carnival décor a bit gaudy.  Pride has virtually no outdoor shaded areas so we had to move a few times to stay in any shade at all.  The adult only Serenity area (strictly enforced to 21+) was virtually all in the sun all day long as it's at the back of the ship.  There is a bar and a covered sitting area-limited though back there.  Meals felt very rushed.  Some evenings we were still eating dinner and they were shoving the dessert menus in our face.  Found out later one night in particular they had a crew party they all wanted to get to.  Dinner never took more than an hour. Crew wasn't overall as friendly as on Grandeur.  Debarkation was slower, which we've found on every Carnival cruise we've ever been on (6 so far).  And, since we booked late (4 weeks prior), we could only get an obstructed view balcony and by that I mean a lifeboat completely obstructed our view up to about our chest height.  No looking straight down at all and limited view otherwise.

 

Pros- shows were good, CD was excellent (Dr. E).  Food was always served at the correct temperature which we know isn't always true on RCI.  Embarkation was great for us, but we had bought Faster to the Fun so no real waiting except to start boarding because we got there early.   We really weren't out at the pools, except for one morning. They got very crowded, but there were like 700 kinds onboard too.  There are lots of indoor spaces to sit.  We loved the Piano Bar and the Punchliner comedy club.  Guy's burgers and Blue Iguana (burritos and tacos) are great to have in addition to the buffet, deli and pizza place.  Always able to find a seat in the buffet area also (indoors and out).  Showers are larger on Carnival than on RCI also so no clingy shower curtain or tube shower.  Although we usually cruise in JS so that's not really an issue for us.

 

Overall, it's just a different experience.  We're also used to the DL and CL on Grandeur (and other ships).  We did have terrific tablemates at dinner.  One couple was Platinum on Carnival and have been on RCI, we're Gold on Carnival and D+ on Royal and the other it was their first cruise so it was fun discussing Carnival, Royal and the changes we've seen, as well as giving advice to the new couple.  It did rain on us in our ports, mostly in the am and late afternoon.  Half Moon Cay, we had a huge thunderstorm and just ended up going back to the ship early and having lunch there. And it poured all day our last sea day.  But, we can't help that there was a tropical wave over the Bahamas last week.  The best part was we never had seas over 4' the entire trip.  Lots of families and not near the partying you'll see on shorter itineraries or when there are less kids onboard.

Edited August 8, 2019 by BND

[LESLIEKURZ]

We like Grandeur for the common areas (Centrum, Schooner, Pool, etc.) but it's quiet at night.  Even around the holidays.  Port in Baltimore is a breeze but so is Cape Liberty when you're coming from the suburbs of Philly.  Anthem had way more going on but it was spread out so you lose that "communal" feel.  Food and service is definitely better on Grandeur.  Anthem just offers more stuff to do and better late night activities.  If you're East coast and looking for a drive port, both are decent options.  

[bananawindnj]

5 minutes ago, LESLIEKURZ said:

We like Grandeur for the common areas (Centrum, Schooner, Pool, etc.) but it's quiet at night.  Even around the holidays.  Port in Baltimore is a breeze but so is Cape Liberty when you're coming from the suburbs of Philly.  Anthem had way more going on but it was spread out so you lose that "communal" feel.  Food and service is definitely better on Grandeur.  Anthem just offers more stuff to do and better late night activities.  If you're East coast and looking for a drive port, both are decent options.  

We sail on both as we live in South Jersey, but the different times of the entertainment on Anthem each day or night are so scattered that it is difficult to plan when to eat and try to make the shows. We end up missing shows.  I like on the smaller ships the 7 & 9 PM shows every night. 

 

[Wanderista]

1 hour ago, BND said:

 

We had a nice week long getaway.  As far as comparisons. The cons:  We find Carnival décor a bit gaudy.  Pride has virtually no outdoor shaded areas so we had to move a few times to stay in any shade at all.  The adult only Serenity area (strictly enforced to 21+) was virtually all in the sun all day long as it's at the back of the ship.  There is a bar and a covered sitting area-limited though back there.  Meals felt very rushed.  Some evenings we were still eating dinner and they were shoving the dessert menus in our face.  Found out later one night in particular they had a crew party they all wanted to get to.  Dinner never took more than an hour. Crew wasn't overall as friendly as on Grandeur.  Debarkation was slower, which we've found on every Carnival cruise we've ever been on (6 so far).  And, since we booked late (4 weeks prior), we could only get an obstructed view balcony and by that I mean a lifeboat completely obstructed our view up to about our chest height.  No looking straight down at all and limited view otherwise.

 

Pros- shows were good, CD was excellent (Dr. E).  Food was always served at the correct temperature which we know isn't always true on RCI.  Embarkation was great for us, but we had bought Faster to the Fun so no real waiting except to start boarding because we got there early.   We really weren't out at the pools, except for one morning. They got very crowded, but there were like 700 kinds onboard too.  There are lots of indoor spaces to sit.  We loved the Piano Bar and the Punchliner comedy club.  Guy's burgers and Blue Iguana (burritos and tacos) are great to have in addition to the buffet, deli and pizza place.  Always able to find a seat in the buffet area also (indoors and out).  Showers are larger on Carnival than on RCI also so no clingy shower curtain or tube shower.  Although we usually cruise in JS so that's not really an issue for us.

 

Overall, it's just a different experience.  We're also used to the DL and CL on Grandeur (and other ships).  We did have terrific tablemates at dinner.  One couple was Platinum on Carnival and have been on RCI, we're Gold on Carnival and D+ on Royal and the other it was their first cruise so it was fun discussing Carnival, Royal and the changes we've seen, as well as giving advice to the new couple.  It did rain on us in our ports, mostly in the am and late afternoon.  Half Moon Cay, we had a huge thunderstorm and just ended up going back to the ship early and having lunch there. And it poured all day our last sea day.  But, we can't help that there was a tropical wave over the Bahamas last week.  The best part was we never had seas over 4' the entire trip.  Lots of families and not near the partying you'll see on shorter itineraries or when there are less kids onboard.

 

Thanks very much for this, it is helpful. It sounds like Royal is a better fit for me but I have a friend who loves cruises and I could see doing a Carnival-specific itinerary with her. The lack of shade means that it's definitely not a fit for my significant other who prefers AC, shade, the indoors and cooler weather. I'm surprised that I convinced him to go on Majesty.

 

I could see my friend liking Carnival. For the right price and in the right season, I might try it. It's a fair point about NYC not being that far. I might be willing for the right price and itinerary but Baltimore is way easier for me.