rccl-grandeur4

Note - this page contains multiple reviews.

Name: Brad Bruington
Email: bbruington@MNWD.com
Age: 45
Occupation: Superintendent
NumberOfCruises: 2
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Grandeur
SailingDate: March 7, 1998
Itinerary: Eastern Caribbean
FoodDiningRoom: 98
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService: 90
CruiseStaff: 98
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck: 90
DiningRoomService: 98
CabinQuietness: 98
FoodMidnightBuffets: 90
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety: 95
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue: 95
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland: 95
GoodForFamilies: 98
LoungeService: 95
TenderService: 98
GoodForSeniors: 90
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 95
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 95
OverallPortsofCall: 95
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 95
CruiseActivities: 95
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram: 95
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 98
EmbarkDisembark: 98
DiscoNightclubs: 95
DeckSpace: 95
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard: 95
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 23 Mar 1998
Time: 17:32:41
Remote Name: 207.212.28.45
Remote User:

Comments

Since the day we got off our first cruise, Oct. 1996, we have wanted to go again. My wife and I have never been treated so
nicely on any vacation ever. We love the people on the ship as much as the beautiful areas they take us. RCCL's ships
are huge , comfortable, new and very stable. My wife and I get motion sick in a car or on a ride at Disneyland, but the
Granduer and Splendour were very stable. We were in 8 to 13 foot seas one day. Not a problem.

RCCL is not the cheapest but we wouldn't take a chance on another since we believe we've got the best. Our air-sea
package was fine, airlines are not my favorite, but the hotel before the cruise is the best. All transportation is handled
very well. Even get to go to the Mall at night thanks to RCCL.

We love Labodee (private island) quiet if you want, some snorkeling not the best, native Haitians are fun to deal with for
gifts, para-sail just lay around.

Puerto Rico is boring for us, but some shopping and using the ships pool is fine for us. St. Thomas and St. John are
great. You choose your itinary for the day. Cococay (private island) is our most favorite. Snorkelings is perfect just like St.
John. To much to do there in one day. You got to go !!

Family's on the ship were very happy. Little kids (150) having a blast. Parents relaxing. No loud, drunks, everyone just
having fun. I have nothing negative to say except I don't get to go for another year.

You got to go.

Name: Diane M. Reese
Email: diane.reese@stpete.honeywell.com
Age: 47
Occupation: Software Engineering Aide
NumberOfCruises: 20
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Grandeur
SailingDate: 4/4/98
Itinerary: Eastern Caribbean
FoodDiningRoom: 98
CruiseDirector: 98
CabinComfort: 99
FoodRoomService: 90
CruiseStaff: 98
CabinAmenities: 99
FoodLidoDeck: 88
DiningRoomService: 98
CabinQuietness: 98
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 99
ShoreExcVariety: 98
FoodVariety: 97
DeckService: 98
ShoreExcValue: 98
GoodForHoneymoon: 84
CasinoStaff: 96
PrivateIsland: 100
GoodForFamilies: 82
LoungeService: 97
TenderService: 97
GoodForSeniors: 86
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 89
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 85
OverallPortsofCall: 97
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 94
CruiseActivities: 96
Casino: 92
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities: 95
ShipCleanliness: 100
EmbarkDisembark: 89
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 99
Stabilization: 979
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 98
OverallCruiseValue: 97
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 14 Apr 1998
Time: 00:13:14
Remote Name: 130.181.10.118
Remote User:

Comments

My husband and I cruise once a year for our main vacation. We drove from North Central Florida to Miami which took approximately 5.5 hours. We
stayed Friday night in Miami at the Windham Hotel that RCCL set up for us. The parking fee at the garage at the hotel is $10.00 per day if you drive
your own car. The room was 15 stories up overlooking the port. This was our first cruise with RCCL and the Grandeur of the Seas. Parking at the Port
of Miami is $8.00 per day if you drive your own car, so expect to pay $56.00 up front for 7 days to park your car. We were impressed from our first
steps on board. The ship is very well laid out, easy access for all passengers to get around no matter where your stateroom was located. We chose
this ship for its ports of call. Our room was very spacious (outside cabin with a balcony) however there was no hairdryer in the bathroom so be sure
to pack a hairdryer. We dined in the Windjammer Café for Breakfast and Lunch which is self serve. The food was good for breakfast and lunch but
we do not recommend the Windjammer Café for dinner. The night we decided to try the Windjammer for dinner we were given the wrong menu for
dinner that night, the service was extremely slow and the food was not prepared as we ordered. Dine in the double deck Great Gatsby Dining Room
for dinner. The food was excellent, service was excellent and the waiters and assistant waiters entertain you also. Plenty of activities to do on board
ship. Ports of call were excellent. Labadee, Haiti was a very clean, beautiful beach island stop. Take time to explore the island on your own. San
Juan, Puerto Rico has changed a lot in 20 years since we were last there. The city has grown and the terminal where we docked is very modern.
Shops in Old San Juan are rustic looking but the area is very clean and in some areas are being modernized. St. Thomas, U.S.V.I. great shopping if
you know where to look for bargains. The shops around the dock at the mall are just as good as the shops downtown. You can walk from the dock to
downtown in about 30 - 40 minutes. Believe us it IS NOT 3.5 miles into town from the dock as some taxi drivers may tell you. Its just a little over a mile
walk along the harbor that has a sidewalk. A little hint - take the walk into downtown St. Thomas right after you dock. The morning breeze is
refreshing, and you arrive downtown just as the shops are beginning to open. The downtown was not crowded at 9 AM because the other 4 ships
had not arrived yet. By 12 Noon its best to head back to the ship and shop over at the shops in the mall by the dock. Our most favorite stop was
CocoCay, Bahamas RCCL’s private island. All we can say is RCCL did everything RIGHT at this beach island stop! Other comments: For entertainment,
all shows were held in the two story Palladium theater, scheduled according to dinner seating (Main or Second seating). Plenty of seating available
for all. Some entertainers were excellent during the week however the we did not enjoy the RCCL Wave Revue entertainers choice of productions for
the week. The productions did not seem to fit the style, class or age group of passengers that were sailing this week. Also the sound was too loud in
the theater. Don’t expect to win big at Casino Royale aboard ship. They have slot machine (entry fee $15.00) and blackjack (entry fee $20.00)
tournaments for cash prizes and casino gifts which were fun to enter. Sign up early for these tournaments. Overall the cruise was great and we
hope to sail with RCCL in the future.

Name: Deborah Solmonson
Email: deb67@hotmail.com
Age: 30
Occupation: Business Owner
NumberOfCruises: 04
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Grandeur
SailingDate: 2-28
Itinerary: Eastern Caribbean
FoodDiningRoom: 88
CruiseDirector: 80
CabinComfort: 84
FoodRoomService: 81
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 93
FoodLidoDeck: 87
DiningRoomService: 100
CabinQuietness: 90
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 70
ShoreExcVariety:
FoodVariety: 87
DeckService: 81
ShoreExcValue:
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland: 97
GoodForFamilies: 97
LoungeService: 92
TenderService: 79
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff: 95
EntertainmentLounges: 81
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 84
EntertShowLounge: 88
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon: 90
EntertainmentPoolside: 81
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino:
AirSeaProgram: 77
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 89
EmbarkDisembark: 98
DiscoNightclubs: 86
DeckSpace: 88
Stabilization: 85
ShopsOnBoard: 79
SpaceRatio: 84
OverallCruiseValue: 91
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 24 Mar 1998
Time: 18:53:39
Remote Name: 207.215.93.55
Remote User:

Comments

The whole experience was better than I thought it would be. This was my first Royal Caribbean cruise but I will be honest
I will be a perminant customer due to the wonderful friendly staff of this ship. There was only one exception and that was
my room steward. He was at the end of his tour on the ship and was constantly tired and forgetful. I know this is not the
standard, because I saw and heard about many other very friendly, helpful, and on top of things room stewards. The best
part of the cruise was the service we recieved in the diningroom. Both our waiter and assistant waiter were better than
we could ever had wished for. They made my 6 year old daughter feel like if she was the most valued guest on board.
They would take the time to feed her if she refused to eat, they brought out these huge ice cream sundaes they
personally put together and they included her in all the parades. My daughter is now hooked on cruising as much as I
am. The diningroom wine stewert was just as wonderful to usall. He allowed my daughter to help him pick up the checks
and run them through the computer and on the last night gave her a wine tasting necklace of her own. There almost
always was a place to sit around the pool. The covered pool was usually less crowded and the little cafe back there was
nice. My daughter ate the cheese pizza for lunch every day and my brother who is 15 stopped and ate the french fries
there every night before going to bed. Asking for something extra was no problem. Wewere celebrating my mom's 50th
birthday and asked for half a cake that said 'Only half baked' and recieved it with a rousing song of happy birthday. Last
but certainly not least the bar staff was quit friendly. They were almost always available to take my drink order or share
in some friendly conversation with the guest. I especially liked the Schooner bar staff.

Name: Christopher Harding
Email: 101633,3565@Compuserve.co.uk
Age: 49
Occupation: Business Affairs Consultant
NumberOfCruises: 5
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Grandeur
SailingDate: 30th May 1998
Itinerary: Eastern Caribbean
FoodDiningRoom: 94
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 98
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 94
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck: 90
DiningRoomService: 96
CabinQuietness: 95
FoodMidnightBuffets: 92
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety: 93
FoodVariety: 96
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue: 90
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland: 98
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 92
TenderService: 95
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff: 85
EntertainmentLounges: 95
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 90
EntertShowLounge: 98
OverallPortsofCall: 92
BeautySalon: 85
EntertainmentPoolside: 94
CruiseActivities: 95
Casino:
AirSeaProgram: 93
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 98
ShopsOnBoard: 93
SpaceRatio: 97
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 11 Jun 1998
Time: 12:25:43
Remote Name: 195.232.2.137
Remote User:

Comments

This was the fifth cruise on Royal Caribbean that my wife Lorraine and I have taken, previously we have sailed on the Monarch, Majesty, Legend & Splendour Of
The Seas to the Caribbean, Hawaii and Europe. We live in the United Kingdom and therefore can add a British perspective to reviewing our cruise experience.

Firstly, we must say that we thoroughly enjoyed our cruise and that ‘Grandeur Of The Seas’ is a beautiful and well run ship. As we must travel a long distance to
reach Miami from London, RCI arrange travel on the day before the ship sails, with accommodation overnight at the Miami Airport Hilton. This is an excellent
arrangement giving time to adjust to the new time zone in a comfortable hotel, and the added bonus of being able to check-in to the ship at the hotel in the
morning. This bonus was much appreciated by ourselves, and our friends Pam & Alan who travelled with us and who celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary
during the cruise.

We transferred to the ship early, arriving at mid-day, and straight away went to search out our cabins. For this cruise we had chosen ‘K’ class inside cabins on
Bridge Deck (8). We have always chosen inside cabins as we find that we only use the cabins for sleeping and dressing, and the financial saving over an outside
cabin is significant to us when we have to take into account the cost of transatlantic flights. These cabins were much better than their counterparts on Monarch
or Majesty. We know that RCI used to believe that size of cabin was not an important issue, and the smallness of those on the earlier ships would not in
themselves stop us recommending cruising on them, but the extra size and well thought out storage space on the ‘Vision’ class ships is much appreciated. Our
cabin steward (Rhonda from Trinidad) kept the cabin spotless and seemed to always be there to tidy up every time we left the cabin. We are surprised that hair
dryers are still not included in the cabin amenities wish seems to us a strange omission. On the other hand though, the much improved ‘ships information’ TV
channels alleviate the need to take time-off from sunbathing to attend debarkation talks and port lectures.

Experience has taught us a couple of useful tips to make sure you do on the first day, wish we will pass on to any readers of this review. Firstly, if ladies wish to
book hair or beauty appointments for either of the formal nights (Sunday or Thursday), make sure you book them as soon as possible as these are the most
popular times. Secondly, make sure you pick up tender tickets for both Labadee and Coco Cay from the shore excursion desk during the first evening. We chose
tender number 4 at both islands, which gave us time to finish a leisurely breakfast and still find the perfect quiet spot on each beach.

The food overall on Grandeur was excellent. We chose second sitting as, having tried both, we prefer not having to rise early or return early from shore visits.
Our waiter (Selcuk from Turkey) and assistant waiter (Franck from France) could not have been more attentive or entertaining. On this cruise, our head waiter
(Marcus from Austria) was also attentive (on some cruises we only heard from the head waiter on the last ‘tips’ evening) and helped us with the arrangements
to celebrate Pam & Alan’s wedding anniversary. We ate in the main ‘Great Gatsby’ restaurant for all dinners and most breakfasts, as the quality of food and
service was first class. However, we also enjoyed the lunchtime pizzas in the Solarium and afternoon tea (a very British institution)! in the Windjammer. Don’t
miss the Bread & Butter pudding!.

The cruise staff we found to be very professional, but a little more distant than our previous experiences. The only members of staff we felt were not up to
previous standards were the photographers. The quality of some of the formal pictures were not great (i.e. passers by in the background), and we felt they were
looking for just too many ‘photo opportunities’ (do you really want to buy a picture of yourself with a ‘mock’ pirate?). However, there is no pressure to purchase,
just as there is no pressure at any stage in any activity for you to ‘join-in’. To us, this freedom to do everything, or nothing at all, is a major factor in our
enjoyment of a Royal Caribbean cruise. Our favourite bar for a pre-dinner drink was the Viking Crown lounge. We never found it to be at all crowded, and the bar
staff were most friendly. We tried the Schooner Bar one evening, but felt that it’s positioning on the Grandeur gave it a sense of being a corridor, as people were
constantly passing through it either to or from the ‘Singing in the Rain’ lounge. By the way, the ‘Singing in the Rain’ lounge is a beautifully decorated lounge and
a great place to spend a late night, particularly if Private Stock are playing, they are a great band!

The entertainment aboard Grandeur was terrific. The Wave Revue singers and dancers were the best we had seen, and deserved the standing ovation they
received at the end of their ‘Star Struck’ review. Headlining the weeks' shows was Clint Holmes, an artist not known to us in the UK, but a first rate entertainer
with an excellent voice and stage act. We recommend that you go to the shows on each evening of the cruise. We also went to the ‘Newly Wed and not so Newly
Wed” show, which was most entertaining (we don’t think that we would volunteer!) and the Rock & Roll and Caribbean Deck parties which were both very good.

The destinations on the Eastern Caribbean on the whole suited our tastes very well. The balance of two sea days; two island days and two port days felt a good
and balanced mix. Labadee is a fabulous place, and this time (our second visit), we walked past the main beach (where the tender drops you off) to Nellie’s
Beach, where we had a perfect day lounging beneath a palm tree and swimming in the warm clear waters (something we certainly can’t do in the UK!). The
beach barbecue was great, but remember to take a few $1 bills with you to tip the local bands. The native marketers are very pushy, and to our way of thinking
loose out on selling opportunities as they will not leave you alone to browse. However, my wife did manage to bargain a good price for a pair of wooden trays, so
make sure you are not intimidated and only pay what you think an item is worth to you.

San Juan was not our favourite port of call. Apart from the fact that the weather gave us our only wet day of the cruise, we found our walking tour of Old San
Juan to be frankly a bit boring, and the shops to be very unimaginative in the choice of goods for sale. Having said that, we are aware that the majority of our
fellow cruisers are from the USA (about 95% on this cruise, with only 44 people from the UK), and that duty free purchasing of jewelry and drink is a major draw
for them. Unfortunately for us, the UK customs are quite mean with our duty free allowances, and so the temptation to buy is not so great. The Crown & Anchor
club in the centre of town is a very good addition, and helped us dodge the majority of the rain showers we experienced.

St. Thomas is an excellent port of call and a sophisticated tourist island. Here we chose to make a helicopter tour of St. Thomas & St. John in the morning, which
we highly recommend as a short, but thrilling excursion experience, and an undersea trip on the Atlantis submarine in the afternoon, which is another great
adventure. We even found time to do some shopping, and return to the ship for lunch. This was a full and exciting day.

We had not visited CocoCay before, and were in for a pleasant surprise. RCI really excel in their private islands, and CocoCay is a first rate destination. Once
again, we walked past the main beach by the landing area to Calypso Beach. We have never experienced such warm sea waters as here, and after a few
Coco-Loco drinks, found it a real wrench to leave and head back for the ship before it left (we would have been quite happy to miss the ship and stay there for a
week until it came back!).

The only sour note for us on the whole cruise was the morning of debarkation when, as we are not US citizens, we had to line-up from 7:00 a.m. for over one
hour to present ourselves before one of only three immigration officers. This was patently an insufficient number to deal with many hundreds of foreign guests.
After our cruise was over, we took an RCI post cruise package to the Sheraton Yankee Clipper in Fort Lauderdale. The transportation was on time and efficient,
and we appreciated the chance to relax quietly after the excitement of the cruise and re-live the memories of the past week together. We have always taken a
video of our RCI cruises and enjoy looking back on these memories through the UK’s cold winter months.

Overall, this was an excellent cruise on a beautiful and well-designed ship. We would not hesitate to recommend the Grandeur of the Seas to any prospective
passengers, nor would we hesitate to recommend Royal Caribbean as your chosen cruise line. We have taken one cruise a year for the past five years with RCI,
and our fears that success would lead to them ‘cutting back’ on the quality of food, amenities, services and ‘extra finishing touches’ have not been realised. A
first class experience, and we are now planning our next RCI cruise!

Name: Jennifer A. Cox
Email: jenncox@juno.com
Age: 20
Occupation: Student/UNC Chapel Hill
NumberOfCruises: 5
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Grandeur
SailingDate: March 7, 1998
Itinerary: Eastern Caribbean
FoodDiningRoom: 100
CruiseDirector: 80
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService: 75
CruiseStaff: 80
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck: 95
DiningRoomService: 100
CabinQuietness: 95
FoodMidnightBuffets: 100
CabinSteward: 100
ShoreExcVariety: 95
FoodVariety: 100
DeckService: 95
ShoreExcValue: 90
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 75
PrivateIsland: 100
GoodForFamilies: 95
LoungeService: 100
TenderService: 95
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 100
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 90
EntertShowLounge: 90
OverallPortsofCall: 95
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 95
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino: 80
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities: 95
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs: 95
DeckSpace: 95
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard: 80
SpaceRatio: 95
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 04 Apr 1998
Time: 16:01:23
Remote Name: 204.84.241.174
Remote User:

Comments

Hi everyone! It is my pleasure to be able to share with you my experience on Royal Caribbean's Grandeur of the Seas. I am a 20-year old
sophomore at the University of North Carolina, and although I am young, having been on 5 cruises, I feel that I can contribute some vital information
about this cruise! Hope it is valuable and informative for you!

Embarkation: This was a fairly smooth procedure overall. After driving to Miami, we spent the night at the Marriot Biscayne Bay which was
approximately 5 minutes from the Port of Miami. This was a wonderful hotel overall with a connecting walkway to a mall and great room views!
Saturday morning we arrived to the port around 11am. There were plenty of guys to help with your luggage (don't forget to tip) and parking was
convenient and plentiful. . . .parking is $8 a day and for those handicapped passengers, it is free of charge. We were at the front of the line and
after checking in (be sure to have all your documentation filled out), we were on the ship by 12:30. We were escorted to our room be an eagerly
friendly staff and we headed straight up to the Singing in the Rain Lounge to set up our shipboard account. You can establish your account by
putting down cash or credit card and all your shipboard purchases from that point on are on a cashless system with transactions completed by a
mere swiping of the card. Be careful, this can make it much easier to spend it! The remainder of the time before sailing at 5 was spent with a
wonderful buffet, poolside entertainment, a mandatory muster drill, and acquainting ourselves with the ship. We sailed promptly at 5pm. . .and this is
important to keep in mind because the Grandeur always sails on time. . . be sure to be on the ship when they tell you to!

Bar Staff: These guys and gals are excellent! They are everywhere from the time you get on the ship with all kinds of exotic drinks in which to
partake. . . .with nifty souvenir glasses. Of course, all domestic beers are around $2.95 with imports being a dollar or so more and all mixed drinks
ranging from $4-$6. The drinking age is 18 of course, but if your age is questionable, you may want to carry a photo id (until they got to know me I
was forced to produce one on numerous occasions). The pool bar is great (say hi to bartender Wesley) as well as the bar staff in the Viking Crown
Lounge and we especially enjoyed the atmosphere of the Schooner Bar in the evenings before. . .with dim lighting, a friendly staff, and piano-bar
type entertainment. Very elegant indeed!

Dining Room and Food: Let's talk about 12 meals a day folks! The food on the Grandeur is amazing! As with all the cruises I have been on, the dining
room experience was my favorite. This is due in part to the wonderful service by our waiter Manix (from Romania) and our assistant waiter Abidin
(from Turkey), as well as the waiter at the next table over, Pieter (from the Netherlands) who also treated us like kings and queens. The dining room
is called the Great Gatsby and it is stunning and immaculate! It is two stories with a grand staircase that resembles that off of the movie Titanic (don't
let that intimidate you), and no doubt, when you enter it for the first time, you are treated like you are Kate Winslet. . . . .first class all the way! The
menu variety is incredible and the dinners are themed: Italian, American, International, French, etc. . . I ate everything you can possibly imagine from
caviar to escargot to filet mignon, to lobster to baked alaska, to eel! If I can offer advice. . . leave the dieting endeavors at home and eat a bite from
every course! The waiters were also very talented, performing shows and displays for us almost every night we dined! They are overly-friendly and
attentive to an unbelievable degree! The midnight buffets are wonderful and worthy of picture-taking. . . .buffet breakfasts and lunches in the
Windjammer Cafe were always stupendous and if you are still hungry in the middle of the day and don't want to order the 24 hour room service in
your cabin, check out the Solarium where they have pizza, french fries, and hotdogs from 1-5 and then again from 1am to 4am! I promise you will
never get hungry on the Grandeur and weight gain is probable. . .but who cares, you're on a cruise right?! Live it up while you can! It was pretty
difficult coming back to cafeteria food that's for sure!

Cabin and Cabin Steward: Our cabin was just the right size for a family of four. We were on level 3, just one floor down from the dining room
(obviously I enjoyed this aspect of it) and we had two twins and two pull downs from the ceiling. Since I hardly spent any time in the room, I couldn't
have cared if it was smaller or an interior cabin, but my parents who always had to have a mid-afternoon nap liked the idea of having two large
windows. Our cabin steward, Glenroy was attentive and very polite. Everytime we left the room and returned, it was all clean and neat! Everynight
upon returning from dinner, our beds were prepared with chocolates on our pillow (be sure not to fall asleep on those or it spells disaster)! Overall, it
was comfortable and we had no major complaints as far as noise was concerned!

Tipping: This is a big deal on the cruise I feel because those crew members who work closest with the passenger and do a good job, deserve to be
compensated for their hard work. These staff members include your waiter (recommended $3.50 per person, per day); assistant waiter
(recommended $2.00 per person, per day); cabin steward (recommended $3.50 per person, per day); and head waiter (pretty much optional. .
.ours didn't really do anything for us except walk around and act like he was the king of the waiters). We were lucky enough to have excellent
service from all these individuals so we tipped them above the recommended. . . they work long and hard and definitely deserved it! My mother had
had gall bladder surgery the week prior to the cruise and our waiter Manix, especially catered to her delicate condition! Like I said, the service is out
of this world!

Casino: The Casino Royale was mediocre. There was a lot to do: plenty of slots, blackjack, caribbean stud poker, you name it, and it was a bright,
colorful and lively place that stayed open till 3am for your gaming pleasure! However, the staff was not the friendliest. On two occasions I had to go
retrieve my photo id (one must be 18 to be in the casino) which I didn't mind because I do look young, however the staff didn't act friendly after they
checked to make sure I was 'of age' considering the fact that I had to truck down 3 flights of stairs and back up to get it. The dealers aren't very
talkative either for the most part, so maybe having a couple of drinks to accompany your gambling experience will make it a little more fun-filled!

Ports of Call: These were excellent. Labadee, Haiti was immaculate and very primitive. There are locals selling merchandise and they are somewhat
pushy. The beaches are beautiful, the tender service is quick and efficient, and the island itself is majestic with its mountainous terrain and crystal
clear water. San Juan is nice with lots of shops and tourist attractions. St. Thomas is beautiful with great shopping and St. John is even more amazing
(see excursions). And finally, Cococay is a wonderful 'Gilligan's Island' type setting, located in the Berry Island chain of the Bahamas. The eastern
itenerary was definitely wonderful and a good choice. . . I liked it better than last year's Western Caribbean itenerary!

Cruise Staff: Not as friendly as the staff on the Norwegian Crown, but then again, they had a lot more passengers to tend to and this can make it
difficult to be as personable I guess. They ran good activities including poolside dancing, karaoke, and lots of games! Jason and Suzanne are
especially great and full of energy!

Shows: There were shows in which to partake on a nightly basis! They were located in the Palladium Theater which is a beautiful, two-story, spacious
facility. The shows ranged from comedy to passenger talent show, to country singers, to magicians, to broadway show troupes! They are overall very
entertaining and I recommend attending as many as you can to compliment your wonderful dinner. Also, going back to dinner, I recommend late
seating (8:30), which puts you at the shows from 10:45-11:45 on most evenings (remember, this is early on a cruise). This is because most of the
time you won't want to return in from the ports as early as 4/4:30 to be prepared for dinner at 6:00. You want to maximize your time in the ports, so
late seating is best!

Disco: This is the Viking Crown Lounge and is open till 2am. This place is great and the DJ, Angelo plays a great mix in which to dance the night away.
It is always a good place to see the cruise staff and the cruise director letting loose and in full effect (this is interesting). The bar service is great and
I found this is where I congregated with all the other spring breakers. . .we had a blast and because it is located on deck 11, at the very top of the
ship, the view is outstanding!

Art: For all you art buffs, they have great sales and discounts on artwork by a variety of well-known artists at the ship art auctions. If nothing else,
the art director, Derek, is a good-looking southern gentleman from Alabama and he makes it worthwhile to attend an art auction! (speaking from my
point of view. . .haha)

Excursions: These are plentiful! I highly recommend parasailing (we did it for $55 a person in Labadee and we would do it again many times over),
the Leylon Sneed/Trunk Bay snorkeling tour to St. John in St. Thomas (approximately $35 per person but includes all snorkeling gear, an
entertaining staff, and unlimited rum punch on the way back to St. Thomas), and wave runners are always fun ($80 per runner in Cococay, but a
great time, led by a knowledgable tour guide and with great sights to see!

Dress: Although the nights range from casual to formal, I recommend dressing up every night. A cruise is all about atmosphere and the atmosphere
on the Grandeur is very elegant. . .so dressing up just enhances this setting.

Photographers: These people aren't very friendly but are everywhere and take good pictures. They can get annoying though (like when you are
trying to get off of the tender in Labadee and there is a line because you have to wait for them to take pictures).

Gift Shops: The duty free liquor provides exceptional deals but the merchandise overall isn't anything to write home about!

Overall: Obviously, I could probably go on forever and ever about my Grandeur experience but I will let you off the hook this time:) It is a wonderful
ship and I recommend to live it up because the 7 days goes by faster than you think. Royal Caribbean provided an exceptional cruising experience
and I recommend sailing with them highly. Feel free to email me with any questions or comments you may have! Go Heels!

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