Grandeur of the Seas Review

Built in 1996, Grandeur of the Seas is part of Royal Caribbean's Vision class of ships, although its sole identical twin, Splendor of the Seas, left the fleet in 2016. (While rumors frequently persist that Grandeur, too, will be sold, sailings are on the books through 2019 and the line has a contract with the Port of Baltimore into 2020.) The ship last received a major refurbishment in 2012, when specialty restaurants were added; dry docks since then have concentrated solely on maintenance and soft furnishings such as carpets.

The ship's age is most noticeable in the cabins, where the blonde wood, low beds and scuffed furniture can give the space a dorm-room demeanor. The retro feel of the ship works to its advantage in other ways: Balconies are larger than what you'd find on new-builds, as are elevators and hallways (the latter are particularly important on Grandeur's longer itineraries, which draw older passengers).

And, what some people might see as drawbacks -- no water slides or FlowRider, a handful of restaurants -- Lady G fans see as a plus. Repeatedly on our 12-night Eastern Caribbean cruise, we heard passengers raving about the ship's manageable size and homey atmosphere. Most people who cruise frequently on Grandeur have no interest in Royal Caribbean's brand-new ships -- and the higher prices that come with them.

They're happy enough with what Grandeur has, including Chops Grille steakhouse, Izumi and Giovanni's Table; an outdoor movie screen; and the glorious Centrum, a lovely six-story atrium that serves as the ship's hub. It's impossible to walk through it without checking out what's happening on the dance floor below or wanting to sit in one of the area's comfy chairs and sofas. As with any Royal Caribbean ship, Grandeur has a full line-up of programming and a Solarium, where the adults-only rule actually seemed to be enforced. (We also appreciated that at the pool deck, whirlpools were clearly designed for kids or adults.)

Another factor that brings passengers back is the experienced and friendly crew, some of whom have been on the ship since it launched more than 20 years ago. From the bar staff that remember favorite drinks to a captain who leads nautical trivia, the crew is very interactive with passengers; we frequently saw the cruise director hanging out with ship regulars. We also observed a lot of patience with a demographic that faced some mobility challenges; of the 1,989 people on our sailing, 225 were over 75. One woman who boarded the ship in mid-November wasn't planning to leave until mid-April!