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Overpriced, No Luxury Trip by
jackie c from Newtown, Ct Sailing date: Apr 2010Pros: The staff on the Grandeur of the Seas was excellent! Actually encouraged any that i was able to develop a relationship with to get off that boat and get on a better/newer boat Cons: Pool...Not heated, entirely too small, no lounge chairs available, same music over and over. rooms... gross, old/dirty/filthy sheets, curtains, rugs, shower curtains. tiles broken in Bthrm...pull out bed awful! excursions wayyyyy overpriced. $35 pp to go to a rocky, coral filled beach for 3 hrs the ship needs to retire. it is outdated and gross. there is no sense of the ship 'maintenance'. as we were getting off the next vacationers were getting on within an hour (no wonder the Bthrm and closets had 'reminents'. we were charged for soda, water and upgraded meals for dinner menu. there is a 'ben and jerrys' on the boat for a price. the pool was so small for the 2000+ people. it looked like sardines in a can...never went near the pool. the lounge chairs were hard to get. learned to wait until 1 o'clock (after people got fried and/or left for lunch). the same cd was played at the pool over and over. rooms were gross and small. i guess the 'small' should be expected but we did pay for a great upgrade...deck was sizable...but the plexiglass rail was filthy...rust stains typical site on deck and off the ship as you look at it. pull out sofa was so uncomfortable...i slept very little on the 5 nite vacation. the sheets and blankets were gross...the fitted sheet to the bottom of the sofa mattress kept coming off during my nites 'sleep', so i was confronted with this gross stained mattress. didn't bring a blowdrier...used the rooms...it was 'like' 25 years old with dust and cracks/ i had to keep hitting 'recharge' to get it going again (finally asked rm service to bring a replacement on the last day because it 'died...never did receive it). no iron/board, no laundry room to iron...yesss, of course, a charge is applied for someone else to iron my clothes (did not use...stopped caring what i looked like within 3 hours of being on the ship). the excursions were a production...around 2.5 hours to get on/off ship to excursions...which were highly priced. to save money i took my son to the beach in grand cayman...did not pay for lunch. was at the rocky beach for 3 hours for $60. the sand was hard and shoes needed to be worn in the water. they could have picked a better beach....my husband and other son went to 'swim with stingrays'...the cost $85 pp...they enjoyed it...i still can't get over the additional costs on this cruise. as we returned from one excursion we saw 'carnival' inspiration and 'freedom'....looked like gorgeous ships, both had huge water slides...one had an enormous screen t.v. by the poolside that we could clearly see from being on board our boat. i walk away feeling entirley ripped off. going to 'atlantis' in the bahamas would have been cheaper (checked the numbers) and a clean,updated luxury vacation would have been had. not so sure i will ever cruise again, if so i would look far more into the age of the boat and its immenities...as i said, this ship needs to retire. Ship Quality
Dining/Foodfood was average. the buffet was good. i love salmon, any time ordered or taken from buffet it was hard, dry and plain over cooked. Stateroom Qualitysmall, gross,no room to change or get up without disturbing the other 3 people in the room. when the pull out couch was open there was no access to the deck for half the room (drawers). stains on curtains, the curtains to our deck were actually falling off and a hassle to open to have sun lite or go outside. the shower curtain was pukish...it had mold mildew and rust stains.i Ship Staff Qualityour dinner staff was phenomenal...they were the best part of the trip. they were the only thing that made me feel as though i was on vacation, and they gave you the sense of true class and attention...our waitress Marina was outstanding. so friendly, kind and outrageously willing to go above and beyond. she cut our kids food (if needed). bartenders were also outstanding! i feel sorry for these people...they could do much better for themselves on a newer ship....not only in the way of tips but also for their own living conditions. Entertainment & Activities
 4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
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  Expected More... by
Betsye M from Sebring, FL Sailing date: Aug 2010Pros: Dining and Stateroom staff were wonderful! Cons: Lack of For the age of the ship, Grandeur of the Seas, it was in very good condition. It was very clean in all public areas as well as our stateroom. The food in the dining room was good most of the time and our waiter... well lets just say I'd have loved to bring him home with me. He was wonderufl (Gabriel) - Never missed a step! The lunch Salad Bar in the Dining Room was awesome. The food in the Windjammer (buffet) was very good, as well, but the layout realy should be approachable from all side - as the lines were way too long during lunch. The Solarium (Adult area) was very nice although the pools in both areas were quite small and way over crowded.... And the there were too many "saved" chairs - The rule was not enforced. Our stateroom was very nice and clean and was a good size (large oceanview) with lots of stroage area. Our room attendant was wonderful as well. As for ship activites.... There was a Lack of "real" activities other than seminars for you to spend more money using the ship servies: ie - Casino, Shops, and Spa. Although the Adult nightly entertainment was very good. We were celebrating our 20th Anniversary and although this may sound like a lot of cons - we had a wwonderful time and met some great people. Ship Quality
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Entertainment & ActivitiesEntertainment was good, but Activites were Poor. 
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Cozumel, MexicoThe market area. Lots of haggling to be done and some great authentic food can be found there. The market area doesn't look like much, but it was a fun time. Also the liquor stores and some bars offer abundant Tequila tasting.
George Town, Grand CaymanThe island is beautiful but a bit pricey. Our dollar is worth less there and food is quite expensive... 1 beer, 1 cocktail, 2 appetizers = $43 before tip.
Don't Miss: We did the Shipwreck Snuba Excursion and it was absolutely awesome. The staff at Snuba Cayman was great and it felt like we were on a "private" excursion. 1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Faded Beauty by
Geraldine J. from Southfield, MI Sailing date: Jul 2010Pros: excellent service Cons: ship a little shabby and in dire need of a facelift for the staterooms This was a fun short cruise. Many options were available for entertainment. The service and quality of food was above average in the dining venues. Major complaint is that the ship is old and a bit shabby, staterooms really need some updating. Ship QualityWhile the public ares and staterooms were clean and pleasant but outdated Dining/FoodThe food was good in both the casual and formal dining areas. However, the kitchen seemed to be slow in getting meals prepared in a timely fashion. Dinner in the formal rooms was a two hour affair, often with a wait of up to an hour for main courses to appear. The service provided by the waitstaff was excellent, however Stateroom QualityThe staterooms were very small and outdated, the furniture appeared obviously worn. Television had a 13 inch screen. The bathroom was tiny with mold on the shower curtains and stains and discoloration on the walls and floor. Ship Staff QualityThe staff for the most part was very friendly courteous and gracious. The service was truly excellent Entertainment & ActivitiesMany activities were scheduled daily, and most were well organized and presented. The entertainment staff was very good.
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Cozumel, MexicoSnorkeling in the warm, crystal clear blue waters was a treat not to be missed
George Town, Grand CaymanThe seven mile beach was lovely.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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A good cruise by
Laurie C from Delray Beach, FL Sailing date: May 2010Pros: Dining Room Staff & Our Balcony Cons: Charges for all the extras The ship was clean and offered many activities. The staff was excellent and very accomodating. Ship Quality
Dining/FoodQuality of food was good. Would have liked more options for dining. Really believe that coffee should be available at a public area for each deck in the mornings. And to charge for soda is ridicluous. Stateroom QualityWe were very comfortable in our room. It was neat and clean Ship Staff QualityEveryone was wonderful Entertainment & ActivitiesNot enough variety or activities was offered on board. Don't believe any fitness classes should have been an extra charge.
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Cozumel, MexicoWe visited the Tulum Ruins, if anyone is interested in history, I would recommend. Tour guide was knowledgeable.
Key West, FloridaPass on the Ghost and Legends tour, waste of time & money. Guide was nice but didn't have enough content.
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful.
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Searching for sunshine! by
Gramma and Grampa from Ruskin, FL Sailing date: Mar 2010Pros: We started our search for sunshine at nearby Port Tampa. This was great for us since we live only 40 minutes away and didn't have the hassle of airports and buses. Cons: Our least favorite thing was losing our way too often. However, that way we saw new places! We didn't find as much sunshine as we wanted, but the ship/captain/crew can't contral the weather. As a vetern cruiser, I personnally was pleased at the warm welcoming attitude of the all the staff. The Grandeur is one of the "great old dames" of the sea and has held up well. Undoubtably due to the diligance of the maintainance team.
This was fun way to spend a short while away from home and forget any worries for awhile. Ship Quality
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2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Grandeur of the Seas - Jan 2010 by
A Traveler from Dallas, TX Sailing date: Jan 2010Pros: Food Cons: Smell of sewage in the hallway Going out of Tampa FL, crowd was geriatric. Ship clean, but showing it's age.
Food exceptional. Sewer smell in hallway, not so much.
Comedian booked for entertainment was great, and exceeded expectations.
If you are looking for a small ship, with excellent food and a quiet and older clientele, this is the one for you. All I wanted to do was relax and get to some warmer weather.
This trip was perfect for that. Ship Quality
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1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Good 1st cruise experience by
Alexander D from Detroit, MI Sailing date: Jan 2010Pros: Entertainment onboard, some food items Cons: Expensive add ons, Costa Maya and Cozumel geared toward tourists, expensive For the 1st cruise, this was a good experience. Great if you're outgoing person and like to meet people, play various trivia games, and attend shows. Ship went from Tampa to Costa Maya, then Cozumel, and back to Tampa. There was quite a bit of shaking leaving Tampa and my spouse got sea sick and had to resort to pills which in turn made her very drowsy. She spent most of her time in a cabin and will definitely not cruise again. I, on the other hand, enjoyed the cruise. There were lots of things to do on board the ship. Food is included in the price but drinks or any other extra items will cost a lot. Excursions are very expensive. Some people bought excursions online before boarding the ship and saved almost half. Be prepared to spend additional $500 on average while on the ship. This doesn't include purchases made in ports and to tell you the truth I was shocked at the prices in Costa Maya and Cozumel. These towns are geared for tourists so the prices are equivalent to those you'd find in the United States. Be wary of the exchange rates as well. Ship QualityIt was obvious the ship is not new and had lots of voyages. Most areas were clean but there was often smell in the bathrooms coming from toilet, in my cabin as well. Carpeting needs updating. Overall layout was good. Dining/FoodDepending who you are, the food selection and quality can be great or not so much. For me, it was fine. Some Italian dishes weren't that good but all in all food was very good. However, you won't find freshly squeezed juices or smoothies, salad varieties, or exotic fresh fruits which seems ironic since this is a Caribbean Cruise and one might think to have plenty of such selection. My spouse was really struggling as she is into fresh, raw, and healthy foods. Another reason she won't go on the cruise again. Stateroom QualityStaff did a very good job keeping the stateroom clean and inviting. Ship Staff QualityStaff was very friendly Entertainment & ActivitiesI was never bored. Always something to do whether play trivia, listen to music, go to shows, hang out in the pool and hot tub, dancing, or just relaxing in spa. Children's ProgramsDon't have children, can't comment but the ship had a room for children as well as game room. 2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Spring Break Cruise by
Lisa K. from Southern Indiana Sailing date: Mar 2009Pros: Check in process Cons: Electronic Bingo We just returned from our cruise on Grandeur of the Seas and we had a nice time. Our biggest complaint had to be all the college students and their excessive drinking and unruly behavior. I understand the cruiseline could only do so much but they really did nothing to tame them down. For example, they allowed the very drunk students in the dining room with swimsuits and cut off jeans and t-shirts. We felt that was something they could have controlled. We had teenagers on this cruise and they received a real education. Two of our girls were in the kids program for 12-14 year olds and were very disappointed in it. They tried it for 2 days and then gave up. It seems that what was scheduled to do never happened and the kids just sat around. The service in most areas was good and our cabin attendant was excellent along with the dining room staff. We have been on 20+ cruises and this was not ranked up there in the top 5 but it was not in the bottom either. We had a group of 21 and I think that was what made this cruise fun not anything Royal Caribbean did. Ship Quality
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Ship Staff QualityThe only staff that was rude was some of the bar staff. We had trouble with the staff in one of the lounges during trivia. They were very rude. Entertainment & Activities
Children's ProgramsSee above
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Costa Maya (Mahahual), MexicoWe went scuba diving and had a great time. Most of the others either stayed on the ship or just hung around the beach and pool area by pier. We would not care to go there again (although, there is some construction going on so maybe there will be improvements).
Cozumel, MexicoPart of us went diving and that was great. Part of us went on a dolphin push pull and swim which was excellent. We had done this in Costa Maya a few years ago and this one was 200 % better!
4 out of 5 people found this review helpful.
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Great Cruise for the price! by
Ryan M. from Indianapolis, IN Sailing date: Feb 2009Pros: Food was great! Price was awesome. Cons: service was a little lacking but that is expected from an older boat and the low price. You have to remember that the ship is about 12 years old so you don't have all the fancey things that the new ships have. But the crew was great! Bar serive and food service was ok. Only the stateroom attendant was lacking. We went to two ports. Cozumel was awesome but we also went to Costa Maya and we won't go back there. That place had nothing really to do. Ship Quality
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Costa Maya (Mahahual), Mexiconothing to do there.
Cozumel, Mexicogreat shopping
Don't Miss: the Zip line tour and snorkeling was awesome. 3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
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Good Cruise by
Larry L. from Brooksville, FL Sailing date: Jan 2009Pros: Very fast check in and Customs check out. This was a good cruise, although, the food choices have been narrowed; I suspect as a cost cutting measure. Overall, it was worth the price. Ship QualityThe ship and cabin were always clean. The support staff did a great job keeping us happy Dining/FoodThe food choices in the Windjammer have become somewhat commonplace; not the more exotic foods we experianced on our former cruise. It seems Royal Caribbian is cutting costs in the food department. Stateroom Quality
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6 out of 10 people found this review helpful.
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