We flew in the day before. Used Island Breeze transportation from Hobby to Galveston. Stayed at the Hilton Resort Galveston Island. Close to a Smith's so we could get forgotten items or pick up anything we did not want to pack (sunscreens, snacks, wine). Within walking distance to several restaurants. Overall we had a great time.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Embarkation was easy! Make sure you have ALL your required documents available. Staff was front and center to point you to where you need to go. Took about 15 minutes from drop off to boarding the ship.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
4 out of 5
This a tricky one. The bars were always busy but the staff worked very hard to make sure everyone was served. Favorite bar was Schooner Bar. The evening piano guy was excellent. Dining room food was good. Found something every evening. Expecially enjoyed the seafood options. Ate at Giovanni's one evening (specialty dining). Highly recommend this venue. We did late seating so we had the same wait staff and same table every night, which we love. No lines to wait in.
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
We were onboard to relax so we really did not use all the activities. But noticing the other guests everyone seemed to be having a great time.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
The Tango Show was wonderful. Overall entertainment is what you would expect on a shorter intinerary, smaller ship. We thought the music was too loud. But we did enjoy the group that played nightly in the atrium and the gentleman at the piano in the Schooner Bar.
Children's Programs
No children with us
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Cabin attendant was excellent! Didn't miss a beat on cleaning and providing fresh towels (and cute towel animals). He did seem overworked. The wait staff in the dining room was excellent. The great thing about having assigned dining is having the same staff every night. They get to know you and have everything ready for you when you arrive. The rest of staff we encountered was friendly and obviously so happy to be back!
Ship Quality
4 out of 5
First, the ship was very clean! No problem there. The downside would be that this is an older ship, she definately needs some TLC but there wasn't anything that spoilied our cruise.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
Perfect for two people. Plenty of storage. Downside is they still have shower curtains so there are always issues with them.
Ship tip
How you enjoy your cruise is up to you. If you go looking for something to complain about of course you'll find it. Have an open mind, overlook the minor stuff and just have a great time! You are on a cruise!
Grandeur of the Seas was my first cruise ship and also my favorite. I was a little disappointed when they moved her from Baltimore but Enchantment of the Seas is her sister. I highly recommend her 4 your first cruise. Today really spoil to me I was hooked and went back 2 months later.
I can't see how to respond directly to the two questions I see so ...
When you book your cruise you have the options to choose My Time Dining or Assigned Seating. From what we saw on Grandeur the lines for MTD were always long. It's like showing up to your favorite popular restaurant at home and having to wait to get a table. We always choose late seating. We simply go to the dining room and walk right in to our table, same one every night. You can probably call customer service to get your reservations. The second question was documentation. I always suggest a passport but if you are using your birth certificate and ID it's okay too. Covid test results showing negative. Make sure you use an RCCL approved test. We saw some people who did not use the approved tests and had to re-test at the pier at their expense! And have your RCCL boarding pass and your vaccine card. They will ask for the Covid test thing twice at the pier. But with all that ready you won't have any issues getting onboard.
I can't see how to respond directly to the two questions I see so ...
When you book your cruise you have the options to choose My Time Dining or Assigned Seating. From what we saw on Grandeur the lines for MTD were always long. It's like showing up to your favorite popular restaurant at home and having to wait to get a table. We always choose late seating. We simply go to the dining room and walk right in to our table, same one every night. You can probably call customer service to get your reservations. The second question was documentation. I always suggest a passport but if you are using your birth certificate and ID it's okay too. Covid test results showing negative. Make sure you use an RCCL approved test. We saw some people who did not use the approved tests and had to re-test at the pier at their expense! And have your RCCL boarding pass and your vaccine card. They will ask for the Covid test thing twice at the pier. But with all that ready you won't have any issues getting onboard.
IM positive we have all the documents - but could you remind me again? For my own comfort. I don’t have a passport but I do have the certified birth certificate & license…..Covid test is scheduled for the Wednesday before we leave ( we take off on a Friday) vaccine cards, what else????😳
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