McLovin

I wouldn't worry about it. If I had to guess I'd say most of the complaints are from people who are used to the newer, larger ships and the sheer amount of amenities offered. Not that they are better, but the larger ships naturally have more "stuff". The older ships are fine. I've sailed on Grandeur, Enchantment, and Explorer multiple times as well as Adventure and they all offer something unique based on ship size, home port, and the ships age. I believe only the smaller ships offer the shorter cruises you're looking for anyway. You'll both have a great time.

Agree with the others. My family of 3 usually get connecting interior or outside rooms on older ships and when the door is closed it's no more noisy than a regular room. I have also been underneath the pool deck and the chair legs scraping the deck can be REALLY loud. I've also been underneath the casino bar and we had the same problem with the barstool legs late at night. I booked Harmony on my last cruise and the NextCruise rep said soundproofing on the new ships is much better so we booked under the casino. Of course she was trying to sell us a cruise so I take it with a grain of salt.

One more thing you may want to consider... Once you board Grandeur nearly everyone will head to the Windjammer for lunch and it gets REALLY crowded. Do yourself a favor and head to the Park Cafe in the Solarium. They have great roast beef sandwiches, other sandwiches, soups and salads. It's quiet, you'll get a tasty meal and avoid most of the crowds.

You can ask but I tried that when I hit Diamond during a cruise and they are strict on the policy. The problem is as others point out the points don't register to your C&A account for up to 14 days after you get home, so the loyalty ambassador can't do anything for you. If you're a top tier member, and these days Diamond isn't, maaaaybe they could, but don't count on it. On the upside while you're on this cruise hit up the NextCruise desk and book your next one while on board. The Diamond Lounge happy hour alone is worth moving to that next level!

Agree with Rich T. Just came back from a 10-day out of Baltimore and it's so easy. First of all, get there early if possible. We were the 3rd car in line and they began letting us in the luggage drop off area around 10:00. Security was a breeze and by the time we got our Set Sail passes at 10:30 they had already started letting people on board. Like Rich said you drop luggage, pay for parking, then park first. Bring your bags to the front doors and wait there for the rest of your party. Simple as that. Have a great cruise!