We keep coming back to Grandeur of the Seas. She consistently provides great value for our vacation dollar.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
We're Diamond Plus with Royal, so we have enhanced boarding privileges, but it's really not necessary at the Baltimore cruise terminal. Boarding is efficient, and Royal staff is excellent in moving people through the que so they can board the ship.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
We found the Windjammer (buffet style) very nice for breakfast and lunch. We much prefer the Main Dining Room (MDR) at dinner. Why do Golden Corral, when you can dine finely, while casually and be served by an impeccable wait staff. We also had an opportunity to dine at Chops and Giovanni's and both of those experiences were excellent as well.
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
John (CD) and Katrina (Activities Mgr) Blair, a husband and wife team were aboard on our sailing. They are extremely entertaining, and make sure there is always activities and shows to attend. There is a rock climbing wall, a main pool (all welcome) and solarium ( 16+ years of age to come in there). The casino is available. A big screen is featured on the main pool deck.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
Quest, the adult scavenger hunt in the South Pacific Lounge was extremely entertaining. The comedians they booked were outstanding. I won't call them out by name, because they are not the same from cruise to cruise, but ours were a lot of fun. There's a comedic duo, that I'll warn you, if you have them, you do NOT want to be late. Late comers provided the rest of the theatre with a mountain of clean fun. The ship's singers and dancers are quite talented, as well
Children's Programs
Did not experience this. We're empty nesters.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Lafane, our MDR waiter and Mennie, our stateroom attendant were wonderful ladies that provided impeccable, efficient service as well as a friendly, engaging manner.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
The ship is older, and small by Royal Caribbean standards. We prefer a bit more intimate, and Grandeur is that. If you like a gazillion things to do, I would suggest the Freedom, Quantum or Oasis class ships, particularly if you have teens that need a lot to occupy them. Grandeur is a more relaxing cruise venue. She is elegant, and extremely well maintained. This was our 6th cruise aboard her, and we thoroughly enjoyed this majestic lady.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
We had a Junior suite. Larger than a balcony room, but not as spacious as a Grand Suite, it still provides you with a more than adequate space for double occupancy, has it's own balcony, and the bathroom has a tub/shower rather than the capsule showers you find in most cabins. I strongly recommend them.
Ship tip
Use the Main Dining Room, and get to know some other guests while enjoying sit down, serviced dining. Your wait staff will treat you as royalty, and most likely, you'll meet some wonderful people if you go to one of the standard sittings. If you prefer, you can be by yourselves here, if you want to as well, just select my time dining when you book your cruise.
No excursion. This is a diving locale. A lot of diving shops by the waterfront, but shopping is a bit limited. There's some history in easy walking. A 400+ year old dutch port. Worth the $5.00 cost of admission to get a little history. This is a US port, very safe and relaxing, but limited selection of things to do.
Best to do excursions in this port. The island is just a little advanced from third world status. Although safe to walk around, you may find it's relative primitiveness a little disconcerting at first. I'm a retired Naval Officer, and have been in some very impoverished places. Antigua is a poor, but working island. The locales are friendly, but I would suggest staying on main streets, or near the port area if you're not on an excursion. We took a beach excursion here. It was fine, but the facility was a little "long in the tooth" and you'll have a crowded van/bus ride there.
We took a catamaran trip to see the Piton's (impressive twin peaks that are quite spectacular when seen from the sea). The catamaran stopped at a small beach for a little while for a swim, the seaside views while moving were beautiful, and the boat's crew provided plenty of rum drinks for entertainment. There's potential to get wet from spray, but we had a really good time.
We've been here several times. On this trip, we took the scenic train ride excursion which took us on the old rail line that used to service the sugar cane trade. It was a beautiful, scenic ride. On past visits, we went to Clay Villa Plantation, a magnificently preserved site with the original home still standing, and the current owners take you through the home and grounds on a guided tour. It's truly spectacular if you get the opportunity.
Shopping port for us. Some of the best jewelry stores in the entire Caribbean. This was my wife's favorite stop. She got a couple of beautiful pieces from Balerina Jewelers on Front Street. Ask for Ravi. He took great care of us. The prices are reasonable and the items are beautiful.
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