3 Women & A Daddy... Ditching the mega ships, for RCI's simpler side, with the kids!

Three Women & a Daddy… Ditching the mega ships, for a simpler side of the RCI family

Introduction:

I have proudly proclaimed Oasis/Allure as my favorite ship… but after more than a dozen cruises with Royal Caribbean since I was a little boy never had I sailed a Radiance - class ship.

Lets face it… One you experienced the promenade, the Flowrider, the ice skating rinks…. you can’t be wowed by self leveling pool tables, can you???

My darling wife pushed hard for Serenade. We used to live in New Orleans, now in Memphis. The Mississippi River has been in our lives for several years. She wanted to sail down her, see the mouth of the river, and for the first time ever actually drive, not fly to the port.

So, we booked Serenade of the Seas’ during my daughter’s spring break week, drove to New Orleans, and hopped aboard an older ship that’s new to us.

Everything about this trip vowed to be different.

We normally sail Freedom or Oasis class, we normally sail with a group of family & friends, we normally sail out of Florida, and we normally hit up all the activities and get the most out of the ship.

This time, we went alone. My wife, my 6-year old daughter, and our 1-year old daughter.

Don’t bring the baby, so many people advised.

But how bad could it be? She’s family.. We’re a cruising family.. So we brought her along for to get her sea legs.

Off We Go:

It’s a 5-6 hour drive to New Orleans from our home. Of course with the baby, the kindergartener, and my health conscious wife who believes in eating several small meals and drinking lots of water throughout the day, we stopped a lot.

Hit a few storms headed down, my junior co-pilot and I looked at the storms brewing down the road, while I passengers enjoyed one of the magnolia state’s fine rest stops.

We braved the storms, got in, had dinner with family, and hit the hotel before getting dropped off at the port the next morning.

Arrival:

My wife was disappointed. She loves driving up and seeing our ship, the sheer size of her, the anticipation realized. Well that’s hard in New Orleans, because the ships dock behind a riverfront shopping mall. We pulled up and saw building. Not the massive ship.

They have a parking system — nose first on an angle, done deviate, you will get fussed at, like I was.

Getting onboard was relatively painless, a few hiccups. The general boarding security line was very tiny compared to the crown and anchor line. Many repeat cruisers I guess. The general boarding folks were walking right up while we waited. I tried to move over, but I was stopped and asked to wait patiently in my assigned line…. Um Ok.

Got signed in — agent totally misunderstood a joke. She asked if I wanted the kids to have charging privileges on their Seapass. I said no, and while you’re at it I don’t want my to either. Everyone laughed. I thought it was a clear joke, well she got onboard and had none! Whoops.

Oh well… Finally we hear the bong… we’re aboard.

Wonderful family pics.

We have been on the Jewel and Radiance ships and this fall will be on the Serenade.

Following the Live Quantum review have to saying it is such a nice ship.

I find the best in all ships for I love cruising so much. The Radiance class ships are beautiful with all the glass. Having been on the Allure have to say sometimes going smaller is nice too.

We are taking DD her DH and four grandkids on the Freedom in June. This will be the first cruise with kids. Of course their parents will be there but I have a feeling they will be so busy being 9-15 yrs old.

Thanks for the review.

Laura

Really looking forward to reading this .... very few reviews of this ship .. or cruises from New Orleans for that matter ...

Great pics and a great start!

(and LOL re: ur "joke" @check-in ... that was funny!)

Thanks.

Serenade was a wonderful ship, AMAZING crew

and sorry I was typing too fast on the joke.

They asked if I wanted the kids to have charging privileges, and I said, "No, I also don't want my wife to have them either"

I was laughing so I thought it was clearly a joke, but apparently not as the Mrs. couldn't buy anything.

lol

Great start! We loved Serenade.....I can't wait to get back on her in March 2016.

Great start! We loved Serenade.....I can't wait to get back on her in March 2016.

You must be in cabin 1100 on your next cruise. We were in 1602 and LOVED IT!

What great pics of the family -- and so glad you chose one (can't we have more than one?) of my favorite ships -- the beautiful Serenade.

I love the radiance-class; have sailed the Jewel and the Serenade twice and will sail the Jewel for a 3rd time next month.

Never thought I'd love anything bigger, but do love the Oasis and the Liberty - but this class just fits better.

Look forward to more of your report.

Your daughters are adorable!

Looking forward o hearing how you enjoyed the cruise.

I am enjoying the review. Please post details on how it was sailing with a one year old. Did you bring a car seat with you for the excursions?

Three Women & a Daddy… Ditching the mega ships, for a simpler side of the RCI family

 

 

Introduction:

 

 

I have proudly proclaimed Oasis/Allure as my favorite ship… but after more than a dozen cruises with Royal Caribbean since I was a little boy never had I sailed a Radiance - class ship.

 

Lets face it… One you experienced the promenade, the Flowrider, the ice skating rinks…. you can’t be wowed by self leveling pool tables, can you???

 

 

My darling wife pushed hard for Serenade. We used to live in New Orleans, now in Memphis. The Mississippi River has been in our lives for several years. She wanted to sail down her, see the mouth of the river, and for the first time ever actually drive, not fly to the port.

 

So, we booked Serenade of the Seas’ during my daughter’s spring break week, drove to New Orleans, and hopped aboard an older ship that’s new to us.

 

 

Everything about this trip vowed to be different.

 

We normally sail Freedom or Oasis class, we normally sail with a group of family & friends, we normally sail out of Florida, and we normally hit up all the activities and get the most out of the ship.

 

 

This time, we went alone. My wife, my 6-year old daughter, and our 1-year old daughter.

 

 

 

 

Don’t bring the baby, so many people advised.

 

But how bad could it be? She’s family.. We’re a cruising family.. So we brought her along for to get her sea legs.

 

 

 

Off We Go:

 

 

 

It’s a 5-6 hour drive to New Orleans from our home. Of course with the baby, the kindergartener, and my health conscious wife who believes in eating several small meals and drinking lots of water throughout the day, we stopped a lot.

 

 

 

Hit a few storms headed down, my junior co-pilot and I looked at the storms brewing down the road, while I passengers enjoyed one of the magnolia state’s fine rest stops.

 

We braved the storms, got in, had dinner with family, and hit the hotel before getting dropped off at the port the next morning.

 

 

 

Arrival:

 

 

My wife was disappointed. She loves driving up and seeing our ship, the sheer size of her, the anticipation realized. Well that’s hard in New Orleans, because the ships dock behind a riverfront shopping mall. We pulled up and saw building. Not the massive ship.

 

They have a parking system — nose first on an angle, done deviate, you will get fussed at, like I was.

 

Getting onboard was relatively painless, a few hiccups. The general boarding security line was very tiny compared to the crown and anchor line. Many repeat cruisers I guess. The general boarding folks were walking right up while we waited. I tried to move over, but I was stopped and asked to wait patiently in my assigned line…. Um Ok.

 

Got signed in — agent totally misunderstood a joke. She asked if I wanted the kids to have charging privileges on their Seapass. I said no, and while you’re at it I don’t want my to either. Everyone laughed. I thought it was a clear joke, well she got onboard and had none! Whoops.

 

Oh well… Finally we hear the bong… we’re aboard.

 

 

That bong is the best sound you will hear as you board for the 1st time, and it will bring you to a sad/bad mood as you take your final departure walk!

Nice start and Brilliance is my favorite and I just finished a cruise on Liberty and no desire to go bigger! Thankful I didn't have an aft cabin on Liberty!

Can't wait to hear your thoughts and see the trip!

Beautiful family. :)

Loving your review and photos! Can't wait to hear more!! :)

Excited to follow your review with kiddos...were doing a vision class with two kiddos next year

Ship:

So first time on this class ship, and haven’t been on a ship without a promenade in years. I hit the lobby and it was as I expected…. some brass and light colors, a little small, compared to the promenade, but ok. As we walked the ship I was really impressed at how new everything looked and felt. As I strolled the ship, I felt like I was on a new build. Sure there was no huge promenade, but everything felt familiar and like we were home again.

I didn’t have that wow moment of walking up and down the ship taking photos of everything, but I never once felt disappointed, or under impressed. The ship was definitely smaller, but familiar all at the same time.

Sailaway was fun. I was born and raised in New Orleans. I loved sailing away seeing everything I grew up with sailing by, was pretty fun.

My wife and the baby were napping in the room during sail away so the big girl and I went to the pool bar where she wanted something “cherry flavored to drink”. No cherry mix, so we went with a strawberry daiquiri with a million cherries on top.

Well, that’s it. She was hooked, and wanted one everyday for the rest of the week. She’s never drinks soda or juice. We’re a water and watered down sugar free juice family. So this was a huge treat for her.

I got your joke even with the missing word:D Looking forward to your review. Great writing style.

Our Aft Oasis on the Serenade:

We listened to all of you and booked aft cabin 1602 on Serenade. Holy cow, what a huge balcony. Now, space is everything. But we’ve never in all our cruises spent long periods of time on our balcony. Same held true this time around.

But I want this room from now on simply for one thing…. the view. The large balcony meant floor to ceiling windows, and the wide balcony meant an expansive view of the wake of the ship. I only sail in JS, and I’ve had balconies before, the coveted corner balconies on Mariner, the one with the pole on Freedom, but never was anything as beautiful as this.

The cabin itself was in good shape. loved the decor on this ship, a little darker and more upscale. The amount of space was perfect for the four of us and all our junk.

Luckily suitcases were already outside our doors as we arrive, and we got busy unloading half our house into the cabin.

Fridge got super cold, which was awesome and great for storing all the soy milk we brought on board.

We didn’t have a foam egg crate on our bed, but I forgot to ask, I really could have used one.

We all slept everywhere during the week.

The baby was not having the pack - n -play night one. She hated it. So I lay on the pull out couch with her in the pack n play right next to me. She was up every 40 minutes or so. My wife and 6-year old were sound asleep in the bed.

It was a long night, but I got to see Carnival Dream and the Norwegian Dream heading up the river as we slipped down the river.

The bathtub stopper didn’t work. Maintenance tried to fix with no avail. but we didn’t sweat the small stuff. Just kept water flowing in as it went out so we could bathe the girls.

Drains though wound up being a big problem as the cruise went on. Not the one in out bathroom, and not what you might think….

oh my gosh..your family is adorable! Thanks for the pics & review. There really aren't enough Serenade reviews....

Serenade has been my favorite for years..did princess regal in jan...now she is #2...your family is beautiful!

Great start! Beautiful family!

Looking forward to your review. the Radiance class are my favorite ships.

Thank you all for the compliments on my family.

Serenade really is a little secret RCI's been keep from us.

Amazing crew, well kept ship, and sheer beauty.

Adorable! And that balcony is huge! Enjoying your review.

Thank you all for the compliments on my family.

 

Serenade really is a little secret RCI's been keep from us.

 

Amazing crew, well kept ship, and sheer beauty.

I feel the same way about Brilliance! I can't wait for next March b2b crn aft d2 and then elevator side of hump! Vision crn aft 8088 is sporting the best of Vision class, and I truly believe best in fleet balcony for the money.

Excellent review and very nice family!

Love this class of ship for family fun. I'm guessing given the size of your girls that you had to ride the water slide a few times?

I was delighted to find this year my 6yr old was just over the height to ride alone for the first time.

Cshgrand, I did the slide with my daughter... she was too tiny on her own. She is a picky eater and a little twig. Of course her father could use his stomach stapled.... so as I went down the slide with her I got stuck. I tried everything to go faster. No luck we kept getting stuck.

But hey, you do what you do to make your girls happy!