I stand by what *I* said. "Features" vary by ship (pay per meal restaurants, ice skating, putt putt, etc), but from the Voyager of the Seas to the now departed Sovereign of the Seas, the food and service are pretty consistent. Down to the exact same menus!

Nothing awe inspiring, but no brown water either.

If Carnival sticks a fork in the Holiday (sooner the better), this conversation would be pretty much moot.

Even though share prices are down, Royal Caribbean has a lot of cash on hand; I am not worried at all about their financial prospects. I can see many other travel companies going away before RCI.

On the bright side, if you own 100 shares of RCI stock, you are entitled to on board credit; this might be a great time to buy. ;)

Stand, lean, or sit as *you* wish, but I still suggest potential customers do some research before choosing a cruise line, an itinerary, or a ship.
It's great you're so impressed with the consistency of RCCL, unlike this cruiser: :p

The Grandeur of the Seas offers spectacular savings over the latest Royal Caribbean ships, up to 40% less, a great attraction for blue-collar laborers and those who cannot afford the pricier cruise lines.

The Grandeur of the Seas is an even better bargain because it's located at Norfolk, Virginia, making it a one-day pickup truck drive from West Virginia. Upon arrival at the parking lots, we were greeted by a phalanx of fat women sporting shiny gold teeth, barking orders at us like Marine drill sergeants.

Riding on these low-cost cruises is a great way to re-connect with the bottom 10% of your high school graduating class, and these cruises are perfect if you want to get away and let your hair down.

Dining is very casual on the Grandeur of the Seas. At lunch one day, Janet and I were treated to a woman picking a at her bloody scab from her brand new shoulder tattoo while her kids ran from table to table. Thankfully, the dining tables are round so that passengers who chew with their mouths open were not able to toss food particles all the way across the tables, and they landed harmlessly in the bread baskets.

As frequent Royal Caribbean customers, we were surprised at the noticeable decline in staff quality, with cabin stewards who could not even speak rudimentary English. Janet asked for an extra pillow, and our steward disappeared for several minutes (ostensibly to ask what the word "pillow" meant), and returned, telling us to call a number. She called and requested an extra pillow, was promised one, but it was never delivered.

After observing the staff in action, we strongly suspect that the Grandeur of the Seas is on-the-job training for the larger Royal Caribbean ships...

Read the rest of the review here. It's a hoot, albeit a little cruel.

I've been on the Grandeur, in 2004 or 2005. It was fine. Also been on the Voyageur, the Sovereign, the Majesty, the Enchantment, the Navigator, the Radiance, and the Adventure.

So, unlike googling reviews, I can speak from experience. The food, service, and basic amenities across the RCCL fleet, from the old ships (Sovereign, Majesty) to their newer ships (Adventure, Navigator) are pretty consistent. Consistent for the last 7-8 years. In some cases too consistent (same meals/menus over the last couple of years).

There isn't a single ship in the RCCL fleet i wouldn't hesitate to book. Unlike Carnival and their ancient, POS Holiday class ships.

Back on topic: I still think Carnival did not do the right thing with their treatment of their guests on the broken down Holiday.

Agreed re Carnival. :td:

I remain a strong advocate of researching thoroughly before selecting a cruise line, ship, and itin, and that most certainly includes short bargain-type cruises out of "secondary" ports. There's a wealth of information out there, and we read a large variety of anecdotal reviews when available, whether of cruise lines, hotels, or restaurants in sources as FT, Cruise Critic, and Trip Advisor to get a sense of what we might expect.

You're obviously something of an RCCL fan and I have no experience with them whatsoever, so I'd factor your positive review in if considering that line. Again, my suggestion is to do one's own due diligence.

Cheers,
Fredd