Just a few more days before we fly to Baltimore and board the Grandeur. I just realized today that the ship won't have any debarking passengers. The current cruise for the Grandeur ends at Norfolk on Thursday and the ship deadheads to Baltimore overnight. That is good for several reasons: the cabins should be ready as soon as we board, less congestion at the port, and most importantly the crew should be refreshed after having a day without passengers.

And how proud I am to see the apple doesn't fall far from the tree! I was talking to my son a little while ago and mentioned that the ship will be similar to the Rhapsody, which we cruised on last summer in Alaska. His reply was "yup, they are the same class".

Makes a Dad proud, dosen't it Dave!

Have a wonderful cruise; New England and Canada is an itinerary I haven't had the pleasure of trying yet. I look forward to your impressions.

Rick

I haven't written many reviews in the past few years - instead opting to do daily reports from the ship. Not this time. I am going to make a concerted effort to minimize my computer time while aboard and wait until I get home before I write.

Once again it will be refreshing to be on a ship where there are no extra-fee restaurants, and where there are places I can stand on the centerline and see water on both sides just by turning my head.

Dave, you taught him well.

The C/NE cruises are so port-intensive that there isn't too much down time. I'd advise taking notes, yet much of the cruise is going to involve balancing the sightseeing (both onshore and from the ship) with that down time. I'd much rather be on deck than in a computer center.

I really think you're going to enjoy this cruise, Dave. You've also selected a good ship on which to travel this itinerary.

quote:

and where there are places I can stand on the centerline and see water on both sides just by turning my head.

Boy, that says so much!

I have this neat little recorder I bought several years ago at Havensight. It is about the size of a half deck of playing cards. I used to carry it around and make observations during cruises, but haven't used it in years. It still works and I think I'll use it to keep my notes again. Sometimes returning to the old ways is a good thing to do.

That's a great idea!

Dave, It's getting close now!

Best wishes for a wonderful cruise! I look forward to your review of the ship and itinerary.

Dwayne

Dave
Have great time. Take lots of pictures. I'll be thinking of you.
Marsha

Just a bit of trivia: I attended an open house at the Baltimore cruise port last month, and a question was asked about when the casino was allowed to open on cruises out of Baltimore(it's about an 8-hours cruise before you clear the Chesapeake Bay).

It was explained that the rule states that you have to be "at sea" before the casino is allowed to operate. However when sailing out of Baltimore, there's a provision that states if you "intend" to go to sea, you can declare when "at sea" occurs.

The cruise lines have therefore "declared" that the moment the "at sea" condition occurs is when the ship passes under the Key Bridge (aka The Francis Scott Key Bridge) which is about two miles from the pier!

Have a great trip, Dave. Can't wait to read your notes and observations.

Dave, enjoy our beautiful New England coastline all the way to Canada ! Hopefully this dreary, cool weather will change for you..

Peterl

One nice thing about the Grandeur - it's Solarium pool can be fully enclosed, unlike the newer classes.

Have a good cruise. I enjoyed the Grandeur in February. Hope the weather is good for you.

It's great to hear that Jacob is following in his dad's footsteps I hope your cruise is fantastic. Bon Voyage

Yes Dave, our Cruise Fanatic left the Grandeur for me in beautiful shape. The Solarium was perfect, My Mom loves that part of the ship, wait'll she sees the Radiance Jungle theme. You picked a great time of year to enjoy the northeast, we are sending you a warmfront from Michigan. Happy Cruising !

Dave - Don't forget the Moosehead Ale I left behind at O'Leary's on Princess St. in St. John for you to finish - You will have the sacred duty of completing the sacking the town! It is only around the corner and two short blocks back to the Grandeur.

The Grandeur is a great ship and in great shape!

Have a relaxing and safe cruise - you are heading up to a pristine area of our planet - one of UNESCO's Biosphere Reserves-and an area of unique beauty - Enjoy!!

Bon Voyage!!!

BillyBuzzy

I like quiet places. These days I am like Sergeant King from No Time For Sergeants....."I like quiet, do you understand?"

I can't drink much beer these days because of my gout problem, but I do plan to have one or two in each Canadian port. I expect those beers will taste better than what they send to the U.S.

Have fun on your cruise Dave! My sister went to undergrad school in Boston (BU, to be specific), so I've spent quite a bit of time up there.

As far as what to do in Boston if you need suggestions, it's hard to say since you're on a cruise and have limited time, but I would definitely recommend trying to get to Faneuil (?) Hall. It's a good place for shopping in my opinion.

Also, if the Red Sox are on the road, then I would try to see if you can get a tour of Fenway Park. Tickets are sold at the main Red Sox store right by Fenway.

Enjoy your cruise! I can't wait until my cruise to Grand Cayman and Cozumel in late September.

Bon Voyage Dave! We've been on the Grandeur twice and love her. In fact, a beautiful picture of her that we took on our cruise is on my desktop. I'll think of you sailing on the Grandeur each time I use my computer!

Nadine

This will be our second time on Grandeur. The first was many years ago - 1997 when the ship was still new.

We flew up to Baltimore today (remember people - always get to the port a day early if possible). I'm sitting in the Embassy Suites maximizing my use of the $9.95 internet fee. Have you ever wondered why cheaper motels offer free internet, yet the higher end hotels charge for it?

I originally had planned to not bring a laptop but suddenly changed my mind this morning. I have reasons which developed yesterday. I'll provide more detail once things are finalized, but for now I have to have e-mail access.

Okay, I'll spill the beans. I already did on Facebook anyway. I am going to attend the official debut of the Celebrity Equinox in Southampton, England, next month. I'll be an invited media guest working for our sister site CruiseMates. I am quite excited, but a bit apprehensive. My first real gig as a cruise journalist.

Anyway, we are working out the details for my flights, hotels, and the preview cruise on the ship. Thus my plans for a no-computer cruise this time have gone awry.