Grandeur of the Seas Question

[Chmusar]

As my transatlantic was cancelled I am looking at the 14 day Caribbean cruise on the Grandeur after looking at some reviews in ref to age of the ship and food quality I am wavering.

So all comments would be good to make up my mind , also as all balconies are sold out has anyone stayed in standard oceanview cabin.

I have been on Quantum and Oasis class ships which I enjoyed but also been on Jewel of the Seas which I really liked.

Cheers

[HeWhoWaits]

Grandeur is, indeed, an older ship. But it is far from dilapidated (as some online reviews would lead one to believe). As an older ship, the "bells and whistles" of the bigger ships are missing but for many of us that's a positive rather than a negative.

Food quality is not an issue. The only drawback to some (not in my case) is the less extensive specialty dining.

[Curt From Canada]

This is a re-post ... so regulars can pass it by.

Grandeur is one of our favourite ships.  It's connection with the sea is a highlight.  The restaurants can not compare with the larger ships, but we sail for different reasons:

Frequently, you will hear experienced cruisers talk about the different reasons for cruising.  Sometimes the discussions separate into three camps: “stay on the ship” versus “visit ports” versus “be at sea”. Obviously, there is no “right” answer, but it is very interesting to hear the preferences of others.  I think when a cruise line offers “choices”, so that you can meet your needs, they deserve your “attention”.  One of the reasons my soulmate & I cruise so often on Royal Caribbean, is the wide variety of experiences on board their ships.  I am certain that there are other cruise lines that offer the same variety.  Still, one tends to stick with the known versus the unknown.  Below are different ways to approach cruising: 

1).  The Ship is the Destination:  How can anyone disagree that the ships are so special that passengers want to maximize their time on the ship?  The large ships offer so much that visiting no ports would probably be fine for some.  On our last trip, Harmony of the Seas was so busy there was little time for afternoon naps (we think this is necessary if you dance all night).  Even their medium sized ships are packed with on board options.  So many ships (Oasis, Quantum, Freedom Classes) have so many things to do; we frequently are stuck trying to determine what we will not do (because there is more than one event at the same time).

2).  Travel is the Main Goal:  We have spent a lot of time in Europe with self-directed land vacations.  It is a different experience and has its advantages.  One thing that is an absolute pain is packing, unpacking and travel between destinations.  When we are in “Travel Mode” it is such a treat to unpack and pack once and wake up with a new experience almost every day.  These are not necessarily restful vacations, but they are stimulating and are normally filled with many special memories.  Although these can be had on the large ships, we find that small and medium ships are better to meet this objective.  

3). Stay Connected to the Sea:  After all, this is a cruise ship.  Some ships have a strong and obvious connection with the sea.  Everywhere you go you can see the sea.  When we travel, it is never so obvious than when we are on the water … we are not in our home, we are venturing out, we are exploring.  Small and medium sized ships maintain this connection easily.  The larger ships get the more difficult it is.  We have been on Grandeur three times in the last 2 years.  Lady G does not have all the “bells & whistles”, but she has sea views everywhere.  In support of Goal 2), she taken us to many places we have never been before. She also has been the catalyst, for our main reason for cruising …

4).  Make Your Own Fun:  We did not start with this strategy, but it is becoming our primary one.  Sometimes, day to day routines can foster a complacency that turns into a “rut”.  Travel is one way to shake this up, but we think the concept is a little simpler.  By using new experiences (ship or port or sea), we “connect” better on cruise ships.  Relationship building is about shared experiences, and we find that we converse more, laugh more, dance more (and drink more too) on the ship.  As much as possible we try to travel with friends.  The more friends, the more opportunities to build deeper relationships.  It does not matter if the ship is big or small, if the number of days are few or many, or if we are in port or at sea … we make our own fun.

For 1) … we enjoy: Allure, Harmony & Anthem.

For 2) … we enjoy: Radiance, Grandeur, Adventure, Explorer & Anthem.

For 3) … we enjoy: Grandeur, Radiance & Anthem.

For 4) … we enjoy: All the above.

Regardless of how you cruise … Have a Blast.

Curt from Canada

[WAAAYTOOO]

As an older ship, the inside and OV rooms are on the small side....but not so much that it would keep me from booking.  Just go in with this knowledge.  I agree with @HeWhoWaitsthat the lack of specialty dining is definitely a negative, but if you are planning on sticking to the complimentary food options, I have found, over the years, that Grandeur MDR and WJ are as good, if not better, than most.  We have booked the 20 Feb 14 night and are really looking forward to the unique itin.  The layout is a bit different (as are all of the Vision class ships).  The Windjammer is up front and the Solarium is aft.  It takes a bit of getting used to for those who are used to the reverse.  My biggest objection to the Vision class ships is the placement of the big suites.  They are [most] jammed up on the front of the ship directly below the WJ.  If you aren't looking for a suite then it's not an issue.  We were lucky enough to get one of the 2 BR GS that are on the fantail (deck 8 and I will enjoy that location much more than the forward suites.