Just off Grandeur yesterday, 12/20

[Weebsie]

Just off Grandeur, 12/15 - 12/20. It was a very nice cruise. We went to Cozumel and Belize. Quickly, my goods and bads....

 

Good:

Most service was outstanding

Ship was beyond clean- sparkling clean at all times

Lots of activities (both free and $)

Never, ever felt crowded

Nice mix of people old and young

Dan, Anna, Mandy, Belle and Martin are fantastic with their activities

Rodney, our stateroom attendant

 

Bad:

dinning room (specifically the head waiter and table assignments - more on that later)

food

soda card difficulties (In Windjammer, difficult to get a soda, or a refill if needed.)

 

Very quickly about the head waiter and dinning room table issue...

 

On the second night (formal night) we were being seated by the head waiter at our assigned table, and as soon as I'm seated, the table waiter tells the head waiter that another couple was going to be sitting there that evening. (In our seats!! Apparently friends of the other guests at the table.) We are then abruptly ushered from the table, to the front of the dinning room and the head waiter then tries to locate us a new table.

 

By that time I was very frustrated (and embarrassed that seemingly we were being kicked out of our own table!) and requested a private table for two because frankly I was no longer wanting to sit with strangers. The HW assured me that he would find us a wonderful table. He then escorts us to the new table where we are seated with two elderly couples. I am 33 and my BF is 35. :confused:

 

I am a long term care nurse and love the elderly, so that's not the issue. The issue is that we were given no explanation, no apology and then seated with people easily 40 years older. We were not late to the dinning room for dinner (second seating) so I couldn't understand why we were being removed from our original table.

 

Anyway, On top of that, one of the women at the new table turned out to be a disgusting bigot and made racist comments that were a very (non) subtle slam of my BF, and I was horrified about the situation. Of course, the HW can not help that, I know. But it just added insult to injury if you know what I mean.

 

That was the worst thing that happened, and otherwise it was a very nice trip. I will type up a review later. Here is a link to some photos:

 

If you have any questions, you can email me at kc4668 at gmail dot com.

[crusinmama06]

You were moved from your table on the SECOND night? :eek: I have never heard of that happening. They should have found you a private table together. I honestly would have been very angry.

[PH8]

Wow..........that sure was not right how you were treated :mad: and then to have to sit with people who made comments.......did you stay there the rest of the trip ???

 

Looked at your pics and was wondering where you went in Cozumel?? Looks really nice..........

 

Anyway,sorry to hear of your snafus......

[Jay Bee]

That is horrible. We were on that cruise, and we would have been happy to have you at our table. We had one for eight. (There are 4 of us.) The first night we were there wondering who our tablemates would be. A group approached, took one look at us, and promptly went to the HW to get a table change. So we ate alone for the whole time. I don't know what the problem was, but if they had that attitude, I'm kind of glad they didn't elect to stay.:rolleyes:

 

Regarding your list of "goods," I agree. The ship, crew, service, activities - all great. Captain Robbie is very amusing. My daughter calls him the Haiku Captain because of how he parses his sentences. The CD, Dan Whitney (only his 2nd cruise on the GOS) has been around for many years, and we appreciated his style. No manic antics that so many of the younger CDs have. Dining room food was good, not great. WJ food was just ok. There was a Platinum/Diamond reception in the Viking Crown at midday which was very nice.

 

Our major (and possibly only) bad was that we actually had to leave a few activities (karaoke, quest, random others) because of disgusting smoke. I did notice crowding at certain times - at peak times in the WJ, in public areas when dinner or a show had recently ended. Not a huge deal. You could always find somewhere to go.

 

We also did two fantastic excursions - Cave Tubing with Major Tom in Belize and the Royal Swim with dolphins in Cozumel. Embarkation and debarkation were painless. All in all, a great cruise for us.

[famplan28]

Sorry to hear about your dinning problems. We were on that cruise and had problems with dinning as well. As a group of 21 I booked this crusie a year in advance and submitted a group seating request on the first day possible through my TA. We requested a 12 and 10 top but when we arrived discovered that they gave us an 8 and two 6 tables. When I asked them how that happened they said that they only had two 12 tops and they were not near any 10 tops and couldn't put 11 people at a 10 table...although they put 7 at one of our 6 tops. Seating us together was our top priority for the cruise and we were very disapointed. I am not happy with RC right now. Other requests were ignored as well. I do not blame the staff. They were great, but very over worked.

[Weebsie]

crusinmama06 - Yes, the second night! I've gotten more and more angry every time I think about it. I wish I would have found the courage to complain. Loudly.

 

Parrothead8- After that evening, we did not return to the dinning room. We enjoyed our meals in the Windjammer for the most part. In Cozumel we went to Nachi Cocom (http://www.cozumelnachicocom.net/) which was lovely, and very peaceful. I'd go back in a heartbeat!

 

Jarie- We would have loved to be seated with you! I'm sorry your tables-mates didn't give you a chance. Their loss! I agree with you about the smoke. I was surprised at how much smoke and how many indoor places were available to smoke at. Captain Rob is great! And it did sound a lot like Haiku when he made announcements! I'm definitely cave tubing the next time I'm in Belize! I have heard nothing but awesome reviews of it!

 

famplan28- I'm sorry you also had dinning snafus. How disappointing to have requested to be seated together and then not end up that way! What other requests did you have that went ignored? Most of the staff seemed very nice, and yes they work much too hard.

[Schplinky]

I HATE dining snafus. We had a less awful version of that on Brlliance. Our reservations were linked and we double checke don that but when we arrived at the DR, our friends were not at our table or our seating. Our tablesmates were sort of dull and their table mates were a scream. Sadly, there was no room to join them so we got sent to a new table. The first night, the waiter looked at us like we were squatters and he couldn't believe we were sitting there. The next night we were joined by other people who were pleasant but were really not interested in talking outside their group. It was a very ho-hum time and not a good ntroduction to our friends who were new cruisers. We told them we have tablemates were still in touch with years later but in this case, I don't even recall these folk's names!

[Schplinky]

 

Parrothead8- After that evening, we did not return to the dinning room. We enjoyed our meals in the Windjammer for the most part. In Cozumel we went to Nachi Cocom (http://www.cozumelnachicocom.net/) which was lovely, and very peaceful. I'd go back in a heartbeat!

 

[/quote]

 

I cannot find pries on their web-site. Do you recall what you paid?

[PH8]

Lee-according to what I read on this thread. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=606832

 

Its $49 PP inc drinks and food......the taxi(up to 4 people) costs $15 each way..........

 

You have to book it ahead of time with http://www.cozumelcruiseexcursions.com (look at the Beach break one)

 

We thought of doing it,but read where the water is kinda chilly right now .......be ok for you guys from Canada,but not this girl from FL:)

[cruzincurt]

They should have moved BOTH of the other couples somewhere else so they could dine together. They are the ones with the "problem".

 

Once we cruised with two other couples and we were separated from them. They moved all six of us to our own table on the second night. Since our new table for six was in a far corner, I assume they added the table just for us.

[Schplinky]

Lee-according to what I read on this thread. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=606832

 

Its $49 PP inc drinks and food......the taxi(up to 4 people) costs $15 each way..........

 

You have to book it ahead of time with www.cozumelcruiseexcursions.com (look at the Beach break one)

 

We thought of doing it,but read where the water is kinda chilly right now .......be ok for you guys from Canada,but not this girl from FL:)

 

We booked it. We like being near the water but don't spend a lot of time in the actual water.

[PH8]

We booked it. We like being near the water but don't spend a lot of time in the actual water.

Well,as soon as you come back, tell me all about it........write me on the other site we post on for faster response time.........thanks.....

[Schplinky]

Well,as soon as you come back, tell me all about it........write me on the other site we post on for faster response time.........thanks.....

 

Thefirst good sign is that I emailed this afternoon and heard back this evening. I was checking on their cancellation policy as Enchantment has changed her itinerary at the last second a few times and they assured me that if the ship didn't show, we get our money back.

[PH8]

Man, what a fast response(from you:) ).....

 

Glad to hear you heard so fast as well from the tour operators and they have a policy in place.........

[Rancher Dave]

They should have moved BOTH of the other couples somewhere else so they could dine together. They are the ones with the "problem".

BINGO..... I think the problem folks those wanting the seats as well as those who wanted the seats for their friends should have been the ones to move elsewhere or to WJ...I wonder if you had come back the next night if you would have been told that you could not come back to that table...

 

Of course some of the blame goes on the folks asking their friends and the friends for accepting with the expectation someone was getting kicked off their assigned table.

 

If we get the same HW and that HW pulls some crap like that with us, I will definitely have a chat with his boss on up the chain to make sure it is known we are not happy being shafted by an inept crew member who has no real understanding of customer service.

 

Weebse-

 

If you recall the HW name, I'd write to the Miami office of RCL...a HW is supposed to be a problem solver not someone who creates bigger problems and treats pax poorly. Perhaps the HW should be spending more time at home with his/her family or perhaps working WJ or someplace else.

 

Not happy to hear dining room issues as we board on Saturday for a 5 night excursion to Key West and Coz/MX. Last I checked we are still wait list for early dining...DD is 7 and usually goes to bed between 8-9, she is supposed to go at 8...and starting dinner at that time is not really going to work well. Our TA is trying to get it worked out with Miami based DR Coordinator. Sounds based on all of the DR snafus mentioned here that perhaps the folks working out DR arrangements ahead of the cruise needs to do better work.

 

Sorry that part of your cruise did not go well...

[Cruising89143]

To the OP, I would not have been happy about the move. RCI screwed up on this one. I guess that is why I always ask for table for just my party. Glad that you enjoyed the rest of your cruise.:)