Note - This page contains multiple reviews.

Name: D. Stolz
Email: dstolz@vastar.com
Age: 33
Occupation: Computer Analyst
NumberOfCruises: 4
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Grandeur
SailingDate: 11/14/98
Itinerary: Eastern Caribbean
FoodDiningRoom: 96
CruiseDirector: 80
CabinComfort: 96
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 88
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck: 94
DiningRoomService: 98
CabinQuietness: 99
FoodMidnightBuffets: 90
CabinSteward: 88
ShoreExcVariety: 90
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue: 88
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 94
PrivateIsland: 99
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 90
TenderService: 90
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff: 94
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 90
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 95
CruiseActivities: 85
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram: 80
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 80
EmbarkDisembark: 88
DiscoNightclubs: 88
DeckSpace: 88
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 94
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 25 Nov 1998
Time: 15:33:45
Remote Name: 130.201.92.3
Remote User:

Comments

Review Date 11/25/97 Royal Caribbean International Grandeur of the Seas Sailing Date 11/14/98

Overall My wife and I are professionals in our early thirties. This is our fourth cruise, the previous being two runs on the Nordic Empress and one on
the Majesty of the Seas. This trip we brought along two other couples, of the four, only one has cruised before.

Embarkation We were met by a very energetic and friendly meet/greeter (Mosheeka, I think). I was worried at first, because she had us all stop just
past the gate area and begin going through the ticket package. I thought this was a much more suited activity for the bus trip. Well it turns out we were
to checkin at the airport itself. While this was a great idea, especially for folks on early flights, it was done on the opposite side of baggage claim. So
the line snaked through all the normal airport patrons gathering their luggage. Due to our early flight, we then had to wait about 40 minutes before the
busses arrived.

We were excited about skipping the usual line at the port terminal, but arrived to find a variety of busses unloading passengers all right at the front
door. We still waiting in line about 40 minutes in order to make it to the first picture taking moment and the cruise officially started. Folks after us had an
even longer wait in the Miami sun. In retrospect, it was determined the long line was mostly due to only one terminal being open. Our past cruises have
utilized two terminals segregated by dinner seating assignment. The other was under construction.

There was no escort to our room, only simple directions. We were on the ship with our tablemates confirmed and in the Windjammer for lunch by
12:45. All bags arrived in tact by 6:00.

I thought the muster drill went much more quickly than in the past. In usually seems to take forever.

Disembarkation The last breakfast ritual was quite smooth, our only seated breakfast of the week. The other two tables in our waiter's area did not
show. So we got to spend some final time with them. Several non-US passengers did the normal hiding routine and held the ship from clearance for
close to an hour.

We had an early (11:25) flight, so we were in the first group to leave. They had us use the cabin hallway on deck four to form a nice single file line to
exit. This prevented the typical centrum-bunch-up problems. We were stopped by customs to examine a receipt for some jewelry purchased. The
official was polite but thorough, and sent us on our way.

We that slight delay, the porter said we were too late to put our luggage on the truck and led us straight to the bus. This was somewhat disappointing,
to have to deal with airport curbside checkin. Upon arriving at the airport, many folks had 11:00 flights, and the officials would not allow them to check
bags within 30 minutes of flight time. I believe they were forced to send the bags UPS. We scooted to the side and checked our bags without any
trouble or long wait.

So even though we were first glad to see early flight times when we received our tickets, it turned out to not to save any time or effort in the long run.
We were not impressed by the $299 airfare, nor choosing American when our city is Continental's hub.

The Ship I had read terrific reports of how beautiful the ship was, and anticipated even a further shine after dry-dock last month. But overall, we were
not as in awe of the 'grandeur' of the ship. We felt the centrum area was much more breathtaking on the Majesty or even Nordic Empress. There was
however more artwork throughout the Grandeur than on the other ships.

And as far as shine, again we were disappointed in the lack of luster. Several others have remarked she needed some TLC. This was still the case.
Worn carpet, elevator rugs tattered, smudged brass and chrome. Not that she was a dirty ship; we just expect the ultimate polish from RCI. For a two
year-old, I thought it was pretty worn. Simple things like in the late afternoon - having all the towels and trash cleaned from the deck areas and every
single chair meticulously lined up to the next. This was not the case on Grandeur. Towels and discarded drink glasses lined the deck until after dinner
some nights.

We do love a wooden promenade deck. It was spacious and a quiet place to stroll with the waves.

The small lounges were well located and practical. The Palladium Theater was very nice. The balcony seating had a terrific view. Great lighting and
special effects. Sound was well balanced.

We had mixed feelings about the Solarium. This seems like a super idea for an Alaskan itinerary, to have some heated spas with the sun shining
through. But it was much too humid to enjoy in the Caribbean. All of the fountains were drained and turned off, I'm sure they would have added much
to the décor.

The massage rooms had unimaginable views aft of the ship, but were also located directly below the miniature golf holes.

The stage layout in the South Pacific lounge was abit offset and made traffic flow and general attention difficult.

The Viking Crown Lounge was great for dancing, but didn't seem as inviting for afternoon sitting, like on the Majesty.

Overall, we found the air conditioning insufficient in most areas, especially the dining room and casino.

The ship layout was nice and there were plenty of signs to help point you in the right direction.

The Room We had an outside room on deck three, starboard side, about ten rooms behind the forward elevator bank. Boy has RCI done a good
design job compared to its older fleet. A very spacious room, with plenty of storage areas. Very nice bathroom, although an electrical plug would have
been nice. The window had a good view, but became dirty mid-cruise and never got sprayed off.

Our steward, Mario, did a good job preparing the room twice a day. Although, we always seemed to be interfering with his schedule, not like on
previous cruises, where the steward is more elusive and elf-like. There were three specific things we didn't like. 1) He, and all the stewards on our
deck, parked their carts in the hallway, pretty much all day long. 2) He would constantly hand us papers and deliveries in the hallway. I appreciate the
personal service, but don't give me important tickets on my way to the pool. Place them in my room, and simply remind me they are there. 3) He never
seemed to honor the towel signals, you know, on the rack means we'll use it again. On the floor means give me a new one. We always got new ones.

Ports of Call As you have heard, Nassau is still being substituted for Coco-Cay. This was a disappointment for us. We had been to Nassau several
times, and picked the Eastern Caribbean for it two days at sea and two private islands. The Captain still referenced propulsion trouble as the reason
we could not reach the Bahamas in time for an early anchor at Coco-Cay. However, he only told us this at the C&A repeat customer cocktail. We never
received any official itinerary change, either in calling RCI before, at checkin, etc. Only when looking at the shore excursion offering, was it apparent
that Coco-Cay was out. Another cruise staff mentioned that Coco-Cay has lost much of its sand at the beaches during the hurricanes.

Labadee. For those who don't like this place, I truly don't understand why. We loved it, and will always return, given the chance. We did try the Amiga
Island snorkel tour this time and were pleased with the reef and the variety of fish/coral. Aren't those little corn-on-the-cobs great? Our best pictures
were taken here.

San Juan. I wasn't excited about this stop, but had a great time once involved. We did the almost mandatory Bacardi plant tour, neat operation, good
samples. The tour bus then gave us the option of stopping at one the forts above old town, or in town, or at the ship. We chose the fort, and had a
nice time. We only shopped for small souvenirs, then rested in the C&A Club. The club is a great idea, but it needs more phones. We saw only three
phones and a line for each.

St. Thomas/St. John. Our favorite. St. Thomas is good for shopping and St. John is the place to go for scenery and snorkeling. We took the Scenic St
John tour onboard the Leeland Sneed, a classic but slow oyster boat. The young crew was Fantastic. Very hard working, organized, and friendly. I
gave them the biggest tip I have ever given to a tour kinda thing.

Nassau. We were impressed by the cleanup in town. In 1995, the streets were under construction or worn. Panhandlers, drug pushers, and hair
braiders made walking very un-relaxing. Now in 1998, all new roads and sidewalks. No pushy street persons. I really enjoyed it. Toured the Atlantis
mega-resort on Paradise Island, while my wife had a great time at the dolphin-encounter park. You can hug, feed, and splash around with several
dolphins. Swimming with them in open water is an additional charge.

There was never any line or inefficiencies for going to/from the ports or the tours. I didn't hear of anyone not getting the excursion they wanted.

The Staff Overall the various staff were friendly and efficient. The casino dealers were abit more friendly than on other RCI ships. On deck, Jason and
Gidget were liked by all. Anthony appeared to be much more sincere and helpful than other shopping guides. I didn't pay much attention, but
overheard many folks suggest that the cruise director, Jeff, was abit phony and rehearsed.

The Captain was very visible during this cruise. And when we met, there was always a hello or other friendly acknowledgement.

Dining Most everyone agrees that any cruise ship for 2000 people will not compete with individually prepared dishes from master chefs back home. By
we thoroughly enjoy the food and give it great compliments.

Our waiter Mehmet, and assistant Jalel were the best we have had to date. Easy to communicate to, hard working, great memories for our individual
quirks, no tip or comment card pressure. We asked for several seconds and special substitutes - all accomplished with a smile. We love second seating
and love to take our time through dinner and linger about afterwards. They never rushed us away, and would often spend time talking about their lives
onboard and back at home. Mehmet even brought pictures of a recent trip back home, and no this wasn't to show how much his family needed the tip
- actually it looked as if he had a very nice life.

Jerry, the head waiter, was very visible, but only for brief small talk, which never seemed very personal. After sixteen years, you think he would have
created more to say than '…and I hope you all had a fine day…'. He was never around to crack the lobsters, and prepared the deserts several
tables away.

Carol gave us great bar service and made extra copies of the recipes for the nightly after-dinner shots.

The Windjammer, well it's the Windjammer (what is the recipe for that tasty red punch?). We did enjoy the availablity of pizza and hot dogs at the
Solarium pretty much 24 hours a day. These were great when running off schedule for some reason.

Entertainment/Shipboard Activities I personally didn't find the evening shows as fun as in the past. The two comedians were top notch, but the
remaining performances weren't my style. There was a trio that played the centrum and other areas. They played blues, bebop, and rock. Now that
was my kinda rhythm, they were great. The big band was also quite good.

The Shipshape program was quite popular, although I only admired it from a nearby lounge chair or the bed in my cabin…all the others in our group
enjoyed it.

The other stand bys, Bingo, ice carving, horse race, etc were all true to form.

No bridge or engine room tours, boo. Some reason about safety…a brief video of the facilities ran on one of the channels.

Conclusion Well, another cruise in the books. We will always be RCI fans. But it is apparent that we are tiring of the same 'ol song and dance. It was
great the first three cruises, you knew what to expect. But I found myself lip-synching some of the jokes and speeches after a while. The cruise
director used the same lines as the previous three. The bartenders selling the same 'island special'. The same wacky Mr Bingo. The same Hot, Hot, Hot
music. The same outfits and singing waiters at dinner. The same 'if I were not upon the sea' song. Etc.

RCI - spice it up some with the new Eagle-class ships. Hire some new writers and theme designers. Now don't go Carnival on me, you know with the
party-centric immature story line. But freshen the material up abit.

This review, like many others, seems to point out the negative aspects. While there were some, our group let them all roll by like the waves. This made
for a very special week, one that we are all grateful for. But like any addicting element, it takes more and more of the same great fix to satisfy our
demands. RCI, please take notice. You have built a loyal, but demanding client base.

Name: Evy Ranch
Email: evy_jer@bellsouth.net
Age: 28
Occupation: sales rep
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Grandeur
SailingDate: 6/6/98
Itinerary: Eastern Caribbean
FoodDiningRoom: 90
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService: 80
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck: 90
DiningRoomService: 100
CabinQuietness: 85
FoodMidnightBuffets: 85
CabinSteward: 100
ShoreExcVariety: 90
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService: 100
ShoreExcValue: 85
GoodForHoneymoon: 90
CasinoStaff: 100
PrivateIsland: 90
GoodForFamilies: 100
LoungeService: 100
TenderService: 100
GoodForSeniors: 85
BeautySalonStaff: 90
EntertainmentLounges: 100
WheelchairAccess: 90
ExerciseFacilities: 90
EntertShowLounge: 100
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon: 90
EntertainmentPoolside: 100
CruiseActivities: 100
Casino: 100
AirSeaProgram: 85
MedicalFacilities: 90
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 100
DiscoNightclubs: 100
DeckSpace: 100
Stabilization: 90
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 100
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 22 Jun 1998
Time: 21:03:08
Remote Name: 209.214.83.63
Remote User:

Comments

My husband and I chose took our first cruise on the Grandeur of the Seas and absolutely loved it! I've read many reviews from first time cruisers who
booked right after they got home. I didn't think cruising could be that good; well, it was! The following is my impression of our RCI cruise.

EMBARKATION: This was a breeze. There was a long line by the time we got to the port at noon, but the line moved fairly quickly and we were in our
cabin by 12:20. If you want to go swimming or change clothes once on the ship, take an extra change of clothes or your bathing suit on a carry-on bag
(or any other essentials) since you won't get your luggage until 3 or 4 o'clock.

THE SHIP: Gorgeous, what else can I say. As we entered the ship, it was hard to believe that it was in fact a ship. The wonderful thing about the Grandeur
is even at near capacity (over 2000), there were always plenty of areas that were secluded. In fact, there were some areas of the ship that we never
had time to see. Our cabin was 4028, which is a large ocean-view stateroom. The only complaint is that it was an adjoining room. So, because of the door
between our room and the one next door, we could hear what our neighbors were saying most of the time. Luckily the people in the other room were
tame. I would not recommend an adjoining room unless you need one. One thing I never read about the ship is that the water used in both swimming
pools is salt water. At first I thought that it was nasty, but in a few minutes, I discovered how fun it was to swim due to the extra buoyancy. As far as
getting chairs by the pool, this is entirely possible if you are at the pool by 9:30 am. However, after 11am, chairs by the pool are rare. However, if you
don't mind going to the deck above the pool, there won't be a problem. Also, beware of charging many of the special drinks sold by the pool for $5.95
each. If you must have a drink, you're better of with the daily drink special for $2.95. Even the expensive drinks are yummy, they do add up. One nice
thing was that the bar staff never pressured anyone to buy a drink, they merely walked around with these drinks for sale. I was never once approached
by a member of the poolside bar staff unless I summoned them to my chair.

FOOD: Do not go on a cruise and expect fine dining. However, if you are satisfied by food like you find at TGI Friday's, you'll be plenty satisfied. We ate
dinner in the dining room every evening and had a wonderful meal each time. Our waiter, Norbert from Hungary, and asst. waiter, Alper from Turkey,
were absolutely wonderful. I have always heard of waiters begging for excellent ratings on the last night. Neither Norbert nor Alper even mentioned tips
or ratings. One of our table's favorite events every evening was when Ram, the shot guy from India, came to sell his shots. As for the Windjammer, I was
happy because there was always fresh pineapple to be had (ah!). As for the rest of the food, it was OK. Neither my husband nor I went hungry.

LABADEE: We felt like we could live at Labadee. If you can, don't stop at the first beach, keep walking until you reach the third beach. This beach offers
beautiful views of the surrounding land as well as less crowds. We were there from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm and still could have stayed longer. However, if
you are looking for great snorkeling at Labadee, don't. Apparently most there is an over-fishing problem due to the large population of Haiti. Know this
ahead of time since lots of people felt they wasted money paying for the snorkeling excursion on the island of Labadee. As for the local market, yes, the
locals were very pushy. However, this did not bother me since I realize it is simply a cultural difference. My husband loves to shop and he got a great
painting for $15 and his Timex watch. I do recommend that if you like any of the painting, wood or metal work, purchase it in Labadee. We saw the same
merchandise in San Juan for three to four times as expensive.

SAN JUAN: Yes, San Juan is not as exciting as the other ports, but it was interesting to say that I have been there. We took the ferry and a taxi to the
Bacardi factory (total cost: $3.50 pp). Please do not pay for the excursion for this tour. You end up spending much more money and the tour is not that
interesting. Besides, it is so easy to find on your own. Otherwise, shopping here is not good, unless you're looking for rum.

ST. THOMAS: If you want to shop for gold, watches or stones, do it in St. Thomas. Be sure to bargain, it may take threatening to go elsewhere three
times, but you will get a good deal. But, you must go downtown, do not shop near the port. Anyway, we shopped and then found a tour guide to take us
around the island. He charge $15 pp and the tour lasted 2 hours. It looked to be the same tour the ship offers. If you'd rather do it yourself or with
another couple or two, ask for Hershel on Main Street. He has a nice van and knows the island inside out. We really enjoyed his tour. Otherwise, we
heard that St. John is paradise if you want to do a beach day.

COCOCAY: I, surprisingly, did not like Cococay as much as Labadee. There were more bugs, less shade, and a lot of broken chairs. Also, most of Cococay
has very shallow waters. So if you want to swim in water deeper than two feet, you'll have to stay at the first beach, which got very crowded. If you want
to get a place in the shade, go very early or late. Also, try not to think that the next day the vacation is over!

This was the first vacation where I was depressed about going home. I got used to Carlos (our excellent room steward) taking care of us. I will give one
example of the great service that we received. One night on our way to dinner, we crossed over to opposite hallway from our room to get to the dining
room. As we passed a cleaning cart, my husband grabbed some chocolates (the ones that they put on your pillow at night) from the cart. I yelled at him
to stop not take the chocolates. When we got to our room later that night, there were about 30 of the little chocolates on our table. We could not believe
that they did that. Everything on the cruise was great! RCI really knows how to give service and quality. We can't wait to book our next cruise!

Name: Tom Kanitra
Email: TKANITRA@worldnet.att.net
Age: 47
Occupation: Assoc. Director, Engineering
NumberOfCruises: 6
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Grandeur
SailingDate: August 22, 1998
Itinerary: Labadee, San Juan, St. Thomas, CocoCay
FoodDiningRoom: 70
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 100
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 95
CabinAmenities: 100
FoodLidoDeck: 90
DiningRoomService: 98
CabinQuietness: 100
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety:
FoodVariety: 85
DeckService:
ShoreExcValue:
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland: 80
GoodForFamilies: 95
LoungeService:
TenderService: 85
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 100
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 90
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 90
CruiseActivities: 80
Casino:
AirSeaProgram: 60
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 80
EmbarkDisembark: 95
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 99
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 99
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 02 Sep 1998
Time: 21:10:56
Remote Name: 12.78.106.84
Remote User:

Comments

Our Summer 1998 cruise on the Grandeur of the Seas was our sixth cruise, and third cruise with Royal Caribbean. We have also been on the Celebrity
Century, Royal Majesty, Nordic Empress (twice) and Norwegian Cruise Line's Leeward. Our itinerary was the 7-night Eastern Caribbean, with stops at
Labadee (Haiti), San Juan, St. Thomas (we went to St. John) and CocoCay (private island in the Bahamas). We were a party of four with our two children,
ages 11 and 8 traveling with us.

The Grandeur of the Seas is an absolutely gorgeous ship, only two years old, but sadly, already in need of a little TLC. It's a mega-ship, about 74,000
tons. It is also one of the longest cruise ships in the world, at 917 ft. On our sailing, all cabins were full, at least according to the sign at the purser's desk.

Prior to departure, a potentially major complication arose: Hurricane Bonnie. For three days prior to departure we tracked the hurricane heading to the
Eastern Caribbean on the Internet. Fortunately everything worked out without any complications due to Bonnie. In fact, at one point our Captain said that
we never got any closer than 250 miles to the hurricane.

Also, prior to departure, we had made arrangements with Ken, a fellow rec.travel.cruises (r.t.c.) contributor to meet in the Viking Crown Lounge on the
first day at sea (Sunday afternoon). We also posted a note on r.t.c. inviting any other Internet readers to join us. We arranged to wear our NY Mets caps
for easy identification.

Our flights were a real hassle. Instead of the usual nonstop flight from Newark to Miami, we had flights on Delta that went through Atlanta. This was a real
pain when traveling with young kids. We called RCCL when we got our tickets and noticed the Atlanta stopover. They replied that they had changed from
Continental to Delta, and all Delta flights from Newark to Miami go through Atlanta. They said we could have had a nonstop if we requested it, but that it
would cost $30 more per person. Many of the people on the plane were either on our Saturday cruise or on the Sunday Majesty of the Seas departure.
The major discussion on the plane was the hurricane and whether we would change itineraries. I was really 90% certain we would. In fact, the man sitting
next me on the plane did have an itinerary change a few years earlier on Sovereign of the Seas due to a hurricane. We didn't get to Miami until nearly
3:30 or so in the afternoon. Too late for afternoon buffet lunch on the ship, which for us was always the ‘so called' starting point of our vacation.

Embarkation was very easy. Maybe that was because we arrived in Miami so late. There were no lines, because almost everyone was already on the ship.

It was at embarkation that we had our big surprise. We gave the check-in person our name and cabin number-7042, a Cat D cabin with a verandah. Yes!
We were getting a verandah! Great! But, when she looked up our cabin number on her sheet, she looked up puzzled. My wife got a little nervous. Then
she continued looking and suddenly, looking relieved, she smiled and said that we'd been upgraded. So she gave us our cabin number - 8508. Well, our
son travels with his brochures. So we looked for our new cabin on the next deck up in the brochure. The Cat D cabins are purple. The Cat C cabins are
olive green. But there was no 8508 in the olive green Cat C cabins. That's when we noticed that 8508 was a SUITE! Was something wrong? No. We were
upgraded to a suite.

After our obligatory embarkation photo, we proceeded to board the vessel. Even though just four months earlier we were escorted to our cabin by a
white gloved attendant on the Nordic Empress, here we were just sent off on our own to find our cabin.

Our first impression of the ship was how beautiful it was. The design of the ship is magnificent. Especially the Centrum. It really is a beautiful ship, both
inside and outside. But as we made our way to our cabin, we noticed that the carpeting was dirty. Couldn't they just clean the carpeting? I guess not.
Some TLC is needed.

But we found our cabin. It was just great! And with a real bathroom, with a full size tub! And tons of closet space. And a big sitting area. And a huge
verandah. It just doesn't get any better. [Actually it does, because our cabin steward also took care of the Royal Suite, and let us in one day - it has a
white baby grand piano.] But we were in Heaven. I think that the bathroom alone was almost as large as the cabin we had 2 years earlier on the Nordic
Empress.

Our cabin steward, Bernard, from Costa Rica, kept our cabin in perfect condition. His timing was superb. Our cabin would always be made up while we
were out.

The verandah was an absolute delight. Breakfast muffins, croissants, donuts and orange juice on the Verandah. And afternoon pastries outside. It that
great or what? But a little side note, the handle on our verandah door was loose. I even tightened it myself. Got my finger greasy doing it. Just the
engineer in me. Again, just a little more TLC needed.

After we checked everything in our cabin, including the light switch that looked like a ‘graphic equalizer' from a stereo system (with about 12 sliding
switches each dimming a different section of the cabin) we went out to explore the ship. This ship is just plain, absolutely, positively gorgeous. We
checked out the pool deck, the Solarium Pool, which was probably our favorite place on the ship, the casino, the shops, and the photo gallery.

The profile of the ship is a bit unusual, with 3 major visual points on top of the ship. Most ships have 2, with the antenna mast in the front and the funnel in
the back. The Grandeur adds the Viking Crown Lounge in the center of the ship. But this works out great for the Solarium Pool behind the Viking Crown
Lounge. And having the Solarium Pool divides the pool crowd up, very effectively reducing the crowding at each pool. Much of the outside of the ship is
teak decking, but there are some areas with synthetic covering, and some of the covering is already wearing out. Again, a little TLC needed. The teak is
still in great shape and looks much better than the synthetic covering. By the way, the tile flooring in the Solarium is VERY slippery, especially with
sneakers. If you go there be extremely careful.

The layout of the ship is very good. Even though our cabin was far forward, it provided easy access to the Windjammer Cafe, with was only 1 deck above.
And it was a short walk to the Centrum Lobby, where on the 5th. floor we could enter the Great Gatsby Restaurant. The restaurant is on decks 4 and 5.

Later, the first evening, we discovered the downside to being upgraded at the pier. Trying to get your luggage. It seems that a new luggage handling
method is being implemented to minimize the damage to luggage that occurred with the old method. The new method has luggage being loaded into
these big bins. But it takes longer. And by dinner, still no luggage at our cabin. So it's off to dinner in shorts and T-shirts. Guess what? So were most of
the other people. More on food later. But after dinner, still no luggage. So we go to the purser's office at around 9:00 at night. They started making a few
phone calls. We weren't worried because while looking out our balcony earlier, we saw our luggage being loaded on the ship. But we still didn't have it.
Well, on a hunch, we went to the cabin we originally booked. Some of our bags were there. Not all of it, but some of it. Yes, we're on a roll. And it was
amusing, because the lady who was upgraded into our original cabin was cursing that her luggage was also nowhere to be seen. She was complaining
about her upgrade, saying this cabin was no bigger than her other cabin, and she didn't care about the verandah. All she wanted were her jammies! Oh
well, you can't please everyone. But we did get to see the cabin we would have had. It too was gorgeous. We would have been very happy there even
without the upgrade.

Sometime, either before or after dinner on the first evening, I'm not exactly sure when, the captain announced to us that because Hurricane Bonnie
appeared to be taking a northeast heading, we would go with our planned itinerary.

The food on the Grandeur of the Seas was either very good or very bad. Our son especially liked the French Fries which he had every day for lunch (if we
were on the ship) and for dinner. We also got our kids coke stamps for free sodas (Coke, Diet Coke, and Sprite only), cans excluded.

Breakfast in the Windjammer Cafe was very good. And they do have fresh-made omelettes which were really great. And I really loved the chocolate
croissants. I only have 2 complaints about the Windjammer Cafe. One is my ongoing complaint with every line except Celebrity. No one from the staff helps
the kids with their trays when they finished getting their food. Only Celebrity has staff members that will go out of their way to help young children with
their trays - we were impressed, so that is our benchmark. So we had to get the kid's food first, then go back and get ours. The second complaint actually
involves a nice improvement. Instead of a long buffet line, there are separate tables with the food items, really minimizing the length of lines. But the hot
food table had no place to put the trays. Really, a minor complaint, but an inconvenience especially for the kid's trays. You kind of had to hold the tray
with one hand, which the kids couldn't do. But aside from that, the multiple table idea worked much better than a straight line. There was never any long
wait in line. The Windjammer was very well laid out and very pleasant for breakfast and lunch every day.

Lunch in the Windjammer was also really good. In addition to a hot carvery item (the corned beef one afternoon was really great) and all the regular
cruise buffet lunch items. They have burgers and fries, sub sandwiches, and a taco bar. Great for the kids. The desserts. Most were OK. But neither RCCL
nor Celebrity have desserts as good as Norwegian <IMHO>.

At dinner we sat at a table for 8. There was another family of 4. But, they had two daughters, as opposed to our son and daughter. One of the girls was
5, the other was a toddler. The Great Gatsby Dining room is magnificent. It has two stories, again as previously noted on decks 4 and 5. The upper level is
designed as two balconies on each side of the ship, overlooking the lower level in the center. Service in the Great Gatsby dining room was superb. On the
first night, it was a bit out of sequence. The maitre ‘d took our kid's orders. And they brought the kids' meals out too early. But on the remaining nights,
we stopped that, and they had their courses with ours. This worked out much better. Our waiter, Atakan from Turkey and assistant waiter Mehai, from
Bosnia were excellent. Food in the dining room. Well. It was either very good or very bad. Nothing in between. The steaks were great. So were the chilled
soups, which are a favorite of mine in the hot Caribbean. Most of them taste like milkshakes. On the other hand, the shrimp and lobster were horrible. I
ate some shrimp scampi and felt sick to my stomach for two days. And the lobster was mushy, not firm, so I didn't eat any of it. Fortunately I had ordered
steak that evening, and was only brought the lobster as an addition. I spoke to the maitre ‘d about the shrimp and lobster. He seemed sincerely
concerned. Hopefully the problem will be fixed. Overall, top marks for the dining room and the service. Fair marks for the food.

Our first day on the ship was also our first day at sea. The kids went swimming in the Solarium Pool and we continued exploring the ship. In the afternoon
I met fellow r.t.c. contributor Ken in the Viking Crown Lounge. We chatted for a while until we had to get ready for dinner that night. We also traded stories
a few other times on the ship. Our first full day was also the night of the Captain's Cocktail Party, and our first formal night. So we dressed in our best
formal outfits, including my new red bow tie (a little James Bond 007 music please), and off we went. At the Cocktail party our 8 year old daughter got a
thrill when the singer came over and sang to her for a few moments. Later that night we also posed for the mandatory formal night photos.

Our ports of call were Labadee, Haiti; San Juan; St. Thomas and CocoCay. We also had two days at sea. Our mission was to snorkel at each port, except
San Juan.

Thinking back now, I wish we would have changed itineraries because of the Hurricane, at least our first port of call which was Labadee, Royal
Caribbean's private peninsula off the north coast of Haiti. We had high expectations for Labadee, based on great reviews we have read. We brought our
own snorkeling gear for the cruise. We even have prescription lenses in our masks. Well, the water was so cloudy (or dirty?) that you couldn't see 6
inches in front of your mask. And there was seaweed all over the surface of the water. Someone even mentioned that Haiti dumps all kinds of stuff in the
water, maybe even sewage. I hope not, but the water was terrible. We hated Labadee. It has now moved into first place on our ‘worst ports' list. We will
probably never consider an itinerary with Labadee again, unless there was an itinerary with 4 other great ports, in which case we would treat Labadee
as a day at sea, and not get off the ship. There was some discussion that maybe Hurricane Bonnie was responsible for the bad water. But the water in
St. John and CocoCay was crystal clear so there goes that theory.

San Juan, Puerto Rico was our second port of call. San Juan is a great city, but I don't know of a good place near San Juan to snorkel, and besides, we've
vacationed in San Juan a number of times before. We had already been to El Morro and San Christabel (the two forts), to El Yunque the tropical rain
forest, and to the Bacardi distillery, plus we've walked much of Old San Juan before. So we pretty much just stayed on the ship and used the Solarium
Pool. We did get off for about 20 minutes and got Italian Ices. We even saw Ken, our fellow r.t.c'r again during our short walk, and returned to the ship
with him. Interestingly, the Big Red Boat was docked with us in San Juan. I suspect that it changed from its Bahamas itinerary because of Bonnie.

St. Thomas was our third port. And we were the only ship in St. Thomas that day. Since we had snorkeled in St. Thomas before, on our second Nordic
Empress cruise, we decided to go to St. John which was FANTASTIC! We took a taxi to Red Hood, on the eastern end of the St. Thomas. Our driver was a
cruise ship expert, and collector of articles from different cruise magazines. He had them all in his van. He later told us that he was moonlighting as a cab
driver, and that his regular job was a harbor pilot in St. Thomas. From Red Hook, we took a boat to St. John, and once on St. John, we took a taxi to Trunk
Bay. The water was crystal clear. The water may have been the nicest we've ever seen. There is even an underwater trail to follow as you snorkel. And
the beach was beautiful. A photographer's dream. It was a solid 10 on a 1-10 scale. We loved St. John, and plan on going back next Easter (Celebrity
Galaxy).

Our last port was CocoCay. It was our second time there. The first time, on our first Nordic Empress, our visit was cut short by rough seas. The captain
wanted us back on the ship, so we missed lunch on the beach that time. But this time everything was absolutely GREAT! The water was crystal clear. We
saw lots of beautiful fish, different types of coral, and a few large conches (with beautiful pink colored shells). We even saw a Spotted Ray. And some
people who went to the deep water area actually saw a large nurse shark. Our day on CocoCay was absolutely wonderful. We would go back in an
instant.

We did experience some rough seas around the San Juan/St. Thomas area. We took Bonine and had no problem at all. We do know of 2 people on the
cruise who had to have injections of medication to cure seasickness. At $75 per shot. But the Bonine worked great for us.

The ship had a number of really great spots. In addition to the Solarium Pool, which was our favorite hang out, we also liked the Crown & Anchor Lounge
up on our deck. It had two large ship models, one of the Grandeur and one of the Song of America. Each was about 3-4 feet long. And very well detailed.
You could even see where the side thrusters are located. Side thrusters are the propellers which go sideways through the ship in the bow and stern, and
allow the ship to be moved sideways in the water - for docking. We saw many people taking pictures of the models. There was also a large screen TV in
the C&A Lounge that showed the itinerary and the location of the ship in maps of increasing detail as the images changed. [Like they do on some
international plane flights.] The screen also showed things like distance traveled, speed, wind direction, wind speed, wave height, etc. There is also a very
nice library on the ship. We checked out some books on the Caribbean when we went there.

Another great spot was the centrum lobby. There is a white baby grand piano, and every evening a singer, pianist and drummer entertain the
passengers. Often there were hundreds of people on all the different levels leaning over the rails listening to the music. There were special moments on
several evenings when the crowd really got into the music.

The ship had a kid's program. Since it was a summer sailing, there were many kids of all ages on board. Our daughter went to a few evening sessions,
but the group seemed a bit out of control. Mostly it seemed that the kids ran around wild. We thought more highly of the kid's programs on the Nordic
Empress and Celebrity Century.

We don't typically go to a lot of the shows that are put on. However we did catch parts of some of the shows. There was a Beatlemania concert one
evening. Someone mentioned that they were the original cast from Beatlemania on Broadway. They were excellent. I listened to a few numbers before
moving on to do my daily promenade walk in the evening. The special guest performers on our cruise were the Platters. I also listened to some of their
songs one evening, before going back to our cabin and sending my wife to hear a few songs while I stayed with the kids as the fell asleep.

At the Repeater's Cocktail Party, the captain had a question and answer session which we found interesting. He talked a bit about the new Eagle class
ships. He also talked about the new G.P.S. (Global Positioning Satellite) systems, which he indicated the Grandeur had, that allows a ship to remain in port
without anchoring. By the way, the captain was very visible throughout the cruise. During the Captain's Cocktail Party, our son was feeling a little seasick.
Every time we saw the captain afterward he asked how our son was feeling. We appreciated his interest. Of course with his curly red hair, our son is very
easy to remember.

Disembarkation went smoothly. We were off the ship by approximately 10:15 a.m. We checked in our luggage at the dock and went by bus to the airport.
When we got to the airport, we were exhausted. We decided that we needed a vacation to recover from our cruise. When we checked in, we found that
we did not have any seats together on the plane. That was a problem, traveling with an 11 year old and an 8 year old. Fortunately, some people didn't
show up and we were able to get two pairs of seats together. We got home around 7:30, instead of the usual 3:30 with a nonstop flight, and were
excitedly greeted by Penny, our Golden Retriever, who Grandma had picked up from the kennel earlier in the afternoon. Normally we would be ready to
book our next cruise as soon as we get home, but sadly we couldn't . . . we already had the next 3 booked before we left.

Improvements we would like to see on the Grandeur are some TLC as previously noted. The carpets need a good cleaning or replacing in a number of
areas. Or they should pick a color that doesn't show dirt as quickly. But it presents a bad image the way it looks now. The ship is so beautiful, it deserves
better. Also, there was cigar smoking every night in the Crown & Anchor lounge, on Deck 8, which was our deck. The problem is that the lounge is out in
the open. So every night, the hallway to our cabin, and all the other suites, smelled horribly. At least we were lucky the smell didn't get inside our cabin.
They need to move the cigar smoking to some place where the smell is confined. To a place where only those who want to smell it have to. Like the way
they have the Michael's Clubs set up on Celebrity ships. We'd also like to see nonstop flights, instead of those with stops in Atlanta, but that is in issue with
Royal Caribbean, not the Grandeur of the Seas in particular.

On a small note, I would like to see the daily trivia quiz made into a competition for a small prize, as it is on the Celebrity Century and the former Royal
Majesty. Without the competition, we didn't even bother with the quiz on the Grandeur, even though we really looked forward to the daily challenge on
previous cruises. I had this same small complaint on the Nordic Empress this past Easter.

Overall, our cruise was a wonderful vacation. We had some great food (and some not so great), great service, a beautiful ship and some great
snorkeling (and some not so great). But overall we had a fantastic time. We would definitely do this ship or any of her sister ships again, but would not do
the itinerary again. But we would love to revisit both St. John and CocoCay on other future itineraries. The beautiful ship and snorkeling in these two ports
were the highlights of the vacation for us.

Can't wait till our next cruise. Start the count-down calendar.

Name: Barbara Hutchinson
Email: barbarah33@yahoo.com
Age: 29
Occupation: Operations Coordinator
NumberOfCruises: 12
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Grandeur
SailingDate: February 27, 1999
Itinerary: Eastern Caribbean
FoodDiningRoom: 90
CruiseDirector: 85
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService: 82
CruiseStaff: 92
CabinAmenities: 93
FoodLidoDeck: 79
DiningRoomService: 99
CabinQuietness: 87
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 94
ShoreExcVariety:
FoodVariety: 88
DeckService: 92
ShoreExcValue:
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 92
PrivateIsland: 96
GoodForFamilies: 94
LoungeService: 96
TenderService: 89
GoodForSeniors: 93
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 86
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 92
EntertShowLounge:
OverallPortsofCall: 95
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 91
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 90
EmbarkDisembark: 94
DiscoNightclubs: 92
DeckSpace: 97
Stabilization: 97
ShopsOnBoard: 93
SpaceRatio: 95
OverallCruiseValue: 93
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 09 Mar 1999
Time: 11:01:13
Remote Name: mail.leerink.com
Remote User:

Comments

I just returned 3 days ago from a wonderful cruise aboard the Grandeur. I was a bit hesitant before I left as it had
been several years since I had last sailed on RCL and I was afraid I would be disappointed and they would not
measure up to what I could remember and therefore expected. I should never have worried: nothing had changed
for the worse; I only noted improvements.

The Grandeur is a magnificent ship with lots of space both inside and on deck to relax. If you want to be in a
lounge with other passengers there are certainly plenty of them and if you prefer to just find your only little nook
and read a book or play cards you won't have to look very long to find something quiet. I do agree with other
reviews that noted she could use new carpeting as it is very worn in places but that is the only real complaint I have
with the upkeep of this ship. All of her glass and brass was certainly polished daily and the wood was always
fingerprint free and shimmering. I always saw many people around the ship both night and day cleaning and
dusting etc.

The staff on this ship is one of the friendliest I have ever met. From the bartenders to the men polishing brass at
3am, everyone was always smiling and wishing you a good morning or good evening. I found the cruise director to
be the exact same as any other cruise director: same jokes, lines, duties etc. He didn't stand out in my mind at all
except for one occassion. On formal nights he can be found on the ship in a full kilt!!! It suits him beatifully and I
really enjoyed it as opposed to everyother male in his tux. but that is really the only thing that stood out to me at all
or made him different. Every bartender or bar server was extremely friendly and after the first day or two they
would address you by name and even remember what you liked to drink. On Carnival nobody has ever bothered to
take the time to memorize my drink preference, let alone so early in a cruise.

The food on RCL isn't as good as that on Celebrity but it is good. I am a picky eater so I was happy to find chicken
breast or steak available every night. I did try many of the other things on the menu and with the exception of the
polenta and veggie tempura I found everything to be enjoyable. My waiter's name was LeAnne, after 11 previous
cruises I was impressed to find a woman in the dining room, let alone as a waiter. She did a wonderful job and
started by introducing herself on the first night and then went around the table to make sure the proper people
were there. After that one little quick introduction she never again addressed me without referring to me as Ms.
Hutchinson. How professional and personal--something every cruise line should make a point of requiring from
their dining room staff.

One night I ordered the cornish game hen and as a joke asked LeAnne if she would debone it for me--she had
removed the bones from someone else's dinner the nigh before so I was just trying to give her a hard time. Well
wasn't I shocked when she brought it out and showed it to me then she removed it, and within 2 minutes she
returned it to me without a bone to be found!!! (It would have taken me at least 12 minutes to do the same thing.) I
was so impressed. They have great soups on RCL and if the entree pasta sounds good to you, just ask for a side
of pasta. Our table discovered this on the second night and had to order at least one side of pasta every night
there after.

I had read other reviews offering the advice of leaving dinner on the first night to pick up tender tickets for both
Labadee and CocoCay. This is a good piece of advice. We chose tickets #2 for both islands and got to them nice
and early. On Labadee they ran out of floats to rent by tender #7 so if you may want one you need to either sign
up in advance or get these early ticket #'s. I had also read that they had been going to Nassau instead of
CocaCay. We were told on day one we would be going to Nassau but they announced that night that we would
indeed be visiting CocoCay. I really enjoyed the relaxing beach day on both islands, although they are very
different from one another. Labadee is mountainous and tropical looking where CocoCay is flat and sandier. I think
anyone who enjoys the beach will be happy on either island.

In San Juan we were the third ship to pull in that day. I got off to go to a few of my favorite places and meet some
people for lunch. When I returned to the ship 3 hours later Carnival's Destiny was right next to us. She is a huge
ship but later on in the night go up on deck when the lights are on and look in on some of her public rooms with the
neon in them. You will appreciate the Granduer and it's classy look even more after comparing the two.

I was so pleased with the Grandeur that I am counting the days until September when I will board the Legend of the
Seas for a 12 day Mediterranean cruise. If anyone reading this has cruised the Med. or on the Legend I would
appreciate their letting me know as I have a few questions. If anyone has any specific questions regarding this
review or another cruise line I have been on: Carnival, Celebrity or Princess, feel free to email me.

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