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Grandeur to Bermuda August 13-18


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My wife and I cruised to Bermuda with our two oldest granddaughters (almost 17 and 14) on the Grandeur last week. We normally cruise out of Florida in the winter but planned this cruise for when the girls would be on summer vacation. The Baltimore cruise terminal is incredibly easy to get to, and out of, as the exit (#55) is immediately south of the Baltimore Tunnel on I-95 and the parking entrance is literally just a few feet from the exit. We parked the car and were through embarkation and in the Windjammer within 45 minutes. Rooms were ready exactly at 1PM and the bags were there when were allowed into our rooms. Even though the two reservations had to have one adult and one child in each stateroom (since the girls are under 18), the attendant had one room made up with a king size bed and the other with separate twin beds. The rooms were connecting and  adequate  for two; some rooms on our deck had fold down beds so a family of four could share one cabin but I looked in one while it was being made up one morning and it was very crowded and looked uncomfortable (tight and one small bathroom for four people. The beds and mattresses were quite comfortable. The cabin started out a little stuffy (there was an “excessive heat warning†in Baltimore that day), but with the A/C cranked to the max, all was fine by dinner.

 

We ate breakfast and lunch in the Windjammer, the food was good buffet but the venue may be a little small for the capacity. One morning the Captain made an announcement around 8 AM over the loudspeaker explaining why we had stopped to recon a floating barge adrift and notify the USCG. This woke everybody up at pretty much the same time so everybody went to breakfast at once and a mob scene ensued. At a few other times it seemed crowded also but not to that extent. We have previously sailed on Grandeur’s sister ship, Vision, and don’t recall experiencing that feeling. The waitstaff was attentive, checking on refills and clearing as well as helping people find available tables.

 

Our dinners were MyTime scheduled in the MDR and were a highlight of the trip. The waitstaff couldn’t do enough for us and our granddaughters. The food was very good and extra entrees/appetizers/drinks/desserts were there promptly, often without our asking! In fact, throughout the ship, the entire crew was the most pleasant and accommodating of all the RCL ships on which we have sailed.

We only attended one show, a Broadway song and dance review, and it was very entertaining. We have never before cruised with children/teens before but we were quite pleased with the Teen Club activities and so were the girls, who enjoyed them every night. They also really enjoyed the pool and the rock climbing wall. The entertainment in the R-Bar, The Real Time Band (cover dance band) and the Harmony Duo (piano and violin) were excellent.

 

If there were negatives (and there always are!), one we knew going in, it is that two half days is not enough time to spend in Bermuda. My wife and I have vacationed there six or seven times over the years, so there is little we haven’t seen but for those without that experience, it is unfortunately a short overnight stay. RCL used to also run a seven day cruise to Bermuda out of Baltimore but that ceased last year. Too bad, really.

 

Occasionally, the A/C in the elevators wouldn’t be fully functional but that was sporadic.

 

All in all, a great trip!

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thank you so much for posting this review eaglesfan - so glad you all had fun - and that you loved the staff on the Grandeur
It makes such a big difference on any trip if you have great service and I totally agree that I wish they
would sail the 7 nights to Bermuda but the 5 and 9 night concept just seems to work for them lately

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Thank you for this review - it's pushed me from "if" we go to Bermuda, to "when" we go there.  I love the smaller ships, and Baltimore is a great port (within a days drive for me!), so this cinched it for me.  Off to the RCI site to check pricing...

 

I just got another alert of a price drop for the September 24th sailing --- if you're up for the short notice.

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I just got another alert of a price drop for the September 24th sailing --- if you're up for the short notice.

 

Unfortunately I can't cruise this fall due to work related activities and my reservation on Adventure, but dang, that's some sweet pricing!

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ConeyRaven, hopefully the weather holds out for both of us. I'm a bit concerned with sailing this time of year!

 

I agree --- I've been watching the Weather Channel like a hawk ---- I just ran into someone about an hour ago, here locally, that will be on the October 8th cruise.... they're doing the same thing ....

 

Oh well, no matter what happens, IT'S A CRUISE!!!  So long as the alcohol keeps flowing, it's all good.

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Hurricane season is kind of a crap shoot.  Having lived in Fla. for 10 yrs at one time one never knows what mother nature is going to do.  The tropical storms do so many things  that we never cared or worried about them that much and made cruise plans all the time.  If something develops they will  change the itinerary.  We have been on a few cruises where we could not tender due to high winds or fog or high waves. you just never know and so I say just enjoy the cruise.   

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I'm more worried about weather messing with my flight in to port than I am about cruising around a hurricane. Royal works hard to keep its crew and passengers safe, and even right now lots of itinerary changes due to the current storm.

 

Nothing to be worried about. :)

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