Grandeur of the Seas Cruises

Life aboard Grandeur of the Seas
Grandeur of the Seas is smaller and older than her fellow RC ships, but has a loyal following of repeat cruisers – attracted by the size, itineraries, and friendly crew. Grandeur is based year-round in Baltimore, Maryland. Cruises range from 5 to 12 nights. The Bermuda cruise docks for two or three nights at King’s Wharf, renowned for its history and water sports. The Bahamas cruise mixes water sports and history between Coco Cay (Royal Caribbean’s company resort) and Nassau. Longer cruises head for islands in the Eastern Caribbean. Twelve-night cruises call at the Leeward Islands in the Southern Caribbean. During September and October a few 9-night cruises visit the beautiful New England States and the Maritime Provinces of Canada. Grandeur of the Seas entered service in 1996, was renovated in 2017, and at 78,340 GT carries 2000 passengers. Carnival Pride also homeports in Baltimore.

Grandeur of the Seas features about 8000 m2 of glass, her soaring seven-deck atrium, sculptures and artwork, and RCI’s signature Viking Crown Lounge atop the ship offering 180 degree views of the seascape. The ship is family-friendly, with large facilities for children and teens. It caters for large conferences, Wi-Fi ship wide, wheelchair access, and also couples wishing to tie the knot in the wedding chapel. Though large, the ship offers a good passenger space ratio. Décor throughout is warm and attractive and there are plenty of public rooms, bars and lounges. Though carrying over 2000 guests, dining, entertainment and activity centres are spread throughout the ship. You pay for many extras including gratuities, and need to plan where to eat and what to purchase, so order packages online before your cruise.

Accommodation
Staterooms come in four main categories and 11 price points, with variations based on guests’ needs: Suite/Deluxe Staterooms, Balcony Staterooms, Outside Staterooms and Interior Staterooms. When selecting accommodation consider the view, the level of privacy, and location near to or far from activity areas. All staterooms come with private bathroom, vanity area, hair dryer, interactive TV and phone. Many cabins are family-friendly with up to four additional bunk beds, and interconnecting rooms. There are no single cabins, and many are wheelchair-accessible. In-cabin service and dining is available 24-hours.

Travel in style with a selection of five categories of Suites, which are especially good for families needing more space, and may include complimentary concierge service. Suites come with priority check-in, most have multiple rooms and balconies, and depending on the suite you may have whirlpool tub, baby grand piano and an entertainment area, and accommodate up to eight guests. The stateroom’s TV enables guests to request room service, to book show tickets, shore excursions, movies and specialty dining, and keep track of their onboard account. Smoking is not permitted inside any stateroom and any stateroom balcony. Cigarette, cigar, e-cigarette and pipe smoking is permitted in designated outdoor areas.

Food and Dining
For the Main Dining Room, spread over two levels, select from three dining choices before cruising: fixed seating at the same table nightly, at either early or late sitting; open-seated My Time Dining (with pre-paid gratuities) at a flexible time; and early sitting My Family Time Dining that allows children aged 3 to 11 years to leave for their Adventure Ocean kids club. Menus feature healthy, vegetarian and kosher options. Special dietary needs can be catered for by giving advanced notice. Menus change daily throughout the cruise. Evening dress is casual or smart casual. Expect one to three formal evenings in the Main Dining Room during your cruise.

Other complimentary eating options include buffet-style Windjammers Café open around the clock, Solarium Café, and 24-hour room service. Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream is the place to go for ice-cream and frozen drinks. Café Latté-tudes serves specialty coffees and sweets. In all, the ship has 8 bars, clubs and lounges. There are package deals for wine, juice, sodas and bottled water.

Entertainment
A signature feature of RCI vessels is a Broadway-style production in the Main Theatre. A second venue hosts cabaret shows and late-night adult entertainment. Try your hand at gaming in Casino Royale. Live music features around the pool, in the main dining room, and in many lounges, bars and specialty venues. There are always parties and parades to join. If you want a quiet cruise, try another ship. Alternatively, just stroll around and shop duty-free, or for a quiet time retire to the Library/Card Room or Internet Café.

On-shore excursions and explorations can be pre-booked or arranged on board. Choose from a range of classes and seminars to bring out your creativity and expand your knowledge. The Vitality Spa and Fitness Center is fully equipped and runs a variety of beauty services and fitness classes. Activities include use of the outdoor sports deck and four whirlpools. The Solarium is exclusively for adults. Teens have their own lounge areas and disco, a video games arcade, and the Adventure Ocean youth programmes that cater for all ages. And every RCI ship has a rock-climbing wall.

Explore the decks

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