BPyser1

Pictures from the beautiful sail out of NYC.

Leaving Manhattan Cruise Terminal

Sailing towards the Financial District

Approaching the Statue of Liberty

The Statue of Liberty salutes the Serenade

Leaving New York City

Going under the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge

Next Stop... Bermuda!

Views of the Serenade's morning sail-in to New York City via webcam.

Going under the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge

Sailing past the Statue of Liberty (sorry for the grainy picture)

Docking at the Manhattan Cruise Terminal

Caught this view of the Serenade as it was leaving the IJmuiden locks sailing into the sunset.  Now the ship leaves continental Europe behind as it sails towards Iceland!

Welcome to Germany (Warnemunde / Rostock / Berlin), Serenade of the Seas! 

The Serenade just crossed under the Great Belt Bridge underway to Rostock (Berlin) tomorrow!  I wonder if anyone stayed up for the crossing... it really is a tight clearance!

Welcome to Tenerife, Serenade of the Seas!

The Serenade has made it to Victoria, Seychelles on the island of Mahe!  Enjoy your time back in the tropics everyone! 🙂  This was taken from a webcam as the ship docks in Victoria Bay.

Welcome to Nagasaki, Serenade of the Seas!  Here's the ship just about to dock at the Nagasaki Cruise Terminal from their webcam on Youtube.

Serenade in front of the Sydney Opera House as it goes in to dock!

Welcome to Sydney, Australia Serenade! 😄  I'll get another picture off the webcam once it docks at the terminal.  Here is the other webcam if you want to watch.  https://www.earthtv.com/en/webcam/sydney-opera-house/live-stream

If anybody abroad is interested in watching Serenade's sail-in / sail-out of Sydney Harbour, https://webcamsydney.com/ has got you covered.  They have prime viewing over the harbour and Opera House.  Serenade will be tendering from arrival until 2:00 pm (local time) since another ship is docked at the Overseas Passenger Terminal, so you won't be able to see them on the webcam.  But then from 3:00 pm (11 pm EST) until Midnight (8 AM EST tomorrow), they will be docked there, so that's the best time to watch.  I'll try to capture some images if I can, though of course those on the ship get the best view of all. 😆 

This is Serenade's tender / docking schedule for Sydney, which I mentioned above.

Welcome to Auckland, NZ Serenade of the Seas!  It's supposed to be raining the whole day, so make sure to take an umbrella or poncho 🙂  Wishing you all an enjoyable day in Aotearoa!

Welcome to Papeete, Tahiti, Serenade of the Seas.  Caught this shot of the ship pulling into the port off the Aremiti ferry webcam.  That island in the distance is Mo'orea, which Serenade visited yesterday.  It looks like a beautiful sunny day in tropical paradise, enjoy everyone!  🙂 

1 hour ago, rakes5 said:

We were also on that cruise. At the Top Tier Party, the CD said that they hadn't scheduled Aquanation for almost 2 months because they know the seas are rougher during these months. But the crew practices for the show, and that's why they performed a part of it for us. So it sounded like they plan on doing this again at some point.

Gotcha, thanks for the clarification.  Looks like I'll have to book another cruise on Symphony in the future to see it 🙂

I was on the January 25 sailing of Symphony.  There was a preview for Aquanation at the Top Tier Party, but that was the only time it was ever mentioned, they never showed it.  Now granted, one of the showings of Hero had to be rescheduled to another day due to wavy seas, so maybe that was it.

5 hours ago, bgoff60 said:

where is it listed in the cruise planner.  I am also on the Symphony (1-25-2020) and do not currently see it.  Everything else is showing but not that package... ???

It used to be showing until Cyber Monday, but then it disappeared.  I'm assuming they reached capacity on it after the $179 price.

I'm sailing on Symphony next month on 1/25.

The Unlimited Dining Package normal price was $215.  During their numerous sale periods, it dropped to $199, and then back to $215 when they were done.  For Black Friday and Cyber Monday they dropped to $179 and promptly got sold out.  Hope I can still get reservations when I get onboard.  We're early eaters, so I think we'll be fine 🙂

I'm on this cruise as well.  Fortunately, they were able to stabilize the man and he is now in critical, but stable condition  at a hospital in Honolulu, HI.  As for the cruise, the delay was enough for the captain to cancel Moorea.  Instead, we're having an extra sea day, getting to Bora Bora on Oct 8 from 8:00 am - 7:00 pm and Papeete, Tahiti on Oct 9 from 8:00 am - 11:59 pm before making our way to New Zealand.  Since all the French Polynesian ports are jumbled up now, hopefully those who booked private tours were able to get them rescheduled or refunded.  I wanted to visit Moorea as well (I've been there once before in 2011), it's such a beautiful island, but the health of the guests come first.  Ah well, I guess I'll be sailing this route again in the future 🙂

Hope you're having a nice cruise!  Here's the opposite view of Ovation live from the Hanalei Bay Resort.  If anyone else is interested in watching, you should be able to see it for a few hours as it sails along the Napali Coast.  https://hdontap.com/index.php/video/stream/hanalei-bay-resort

It's probably from the Fort Lauderdale Air and Sea Show (May 4-5).  Many boats sail in and out of Port Everglades to get a prime spot to view it, and will be causing congestion as they sail back when the show is over.  The main event is from 12:00 pm - 3:30 pm, and you may be able to see it from the ship after you board, it's a great show!

1 hour ago, Jimbo said:

How come when I signed up, only shows me as Sapphire when I'm a Diamond Plus Crown andAnchor

If you just signed up for MLife, you are a Sapphire.  You'll have to call them or email them and give them your Crown & Anchor number and MLife account number, and they'll match it for you.

If you're already signed up, the status gets dropped at the end of September every year.  You have to call/email them again to get it renewed again until the next year.  This happens every year.

1 hour ago, vistapat said:

Thanks for bringing this to our attention.  I have two questions about the program.  Do you know if the $100 dollar dining credit has to be used immediately after it's issued, or if not, is there an expiration date on it?  And, do you know if the certificate is usable at any Total Rewards property, or only in Las Vegas?  We're asking because we're MLife Gold and are thinking of going to a Harrah's casino here in Southern California to apply for the Total Rewards Diamond status.  But we're not going to Las Vegas for a few months.  We'd like to get the dining credit here, and then use it later in Las Vegas.  Any idea if this is doable?

 

Thanks,

 

Pat

You usually get a year to use your dining credit, so if you get it, it shouldn't expire until Jan 2020.  It is good at any Caesar's (Total Rewards) restaurant around the nation that they actually own.  It can't be a private restaurant not owned by them.  But when you're at Harrah's, they'll tell you what restaurants you'll be able to use it at.  As for your other question, assuming it's just the two of you, you'll both get a $100 dinner voucher, $200 total.  You can use one $100 credit at the Harrah's casino and then the other one when you get to Vegas.  You can't use the $100 credit partially though.  So, say if you're dinner is $80, after you use the $100 dinner voucher, you won't get $20 back to use again.

5 hours ago, LeeW said:

What on Earth do you get for a $100 Diamond Celebration Dinner at Starbucks?

A round of mocha lattes for everyone there if you're feeling charitable, lol!

4 hours ago, Atlantix2000 said:

Can you really chain your loyalty programs like this?  In other words, if I get MLife status through RCI, would Hyatt actually recognize that status or would they say we can't honor that because it's a complimentary status not an earned status?  I'm thinking the latter is more likely unless Hyatt also has a relationship with RCI.

It doesn't matter if it's complimentary or earned, as long as you are a particular level in MLife, Hyatt will match you to their equivalent level.  It's done on a yearly basis, just as it is with RCL / MLife, so you have to keep renewing it.

Those are pretty much the places you have to choose from late night.  The Windjammer closes at 9:00 pm.  However,  the Cafe Promenade is open until 3 am and serves all kinds of sandwiches, cookies, and also pizza.  Here's an Adventure Cruise Compass from October 2018 and has the opening/closing times for all the dining establishments.

https://www.*****.com/cruise-compasses/adventure-of-the-seas/sat-2018-10-27-0000

I'm sure most here know this, but if you didn't already know, you can get two additional complimentary status matches from your MLife membership earned from RCL if you're MLife Gold or Higher (Crown & Anchor Emerald or higher).

1. Hyatt Hotels - World of Hyatt - https://www.mgmresorts.com/en/mlife-rewards-program/preferred-partners/hyatt-hotels.html

If you have MLife Gold or Platinum status, that gives you automatic World of Hyatt Explorist status (the second highest level).  With this status, you get four Club lounge passes, complimentary upgrades, premium internet, etc.  Of course, you'll have to renew this every year, after renewing your MLife status, when it expires.

2. Caesar's Hotels - Total Rewards - https://www.caesars.com/total-rewards/promotions/diamond-tier-upgrade

Again, with your MLife Gold or Platinum status, you can match that to Diamond status by visiting any loyalty desk at a Caesar's hotel.  The biggest perk out of this is a complimentary $100 dinner certificate to any Caesar's owned restaurant.  That reward is combinable.  So, if you bring your family and friends along and you are all able to match, that's $100 for each of you.  You do have to use the $100 all at once though.  I've attached a photo below of the places where you can use your dinner reward in Las Vegas, which is where you'll likely be using it.

Of course, you'll get the other benefits with it like complimentary upgrades and skip the line passes, but that celebration dinner sure is a nice perk.  I used mine last year for a delicious dinner at the Bacchanal Buffet in Caesar's Palace.  That also includes a skip the line pass, since you're Diamond!  Of course, they won't let you match again the next year.  So if you've done this already before, you won't be able to do it again for 2019.  If this is your first time, then enjoy your Total Rewards Diamond Status until Jan 31, 2020.

Although the site says that it may take up to 30 days for that match to happen, I was able to get it done instantly at their loyalty desk and was able to use my dinner reward right away after matching.

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It's nice to see all the amazing perks you can get out of being a Royal Caribbean Crown & Anchor Member including high status in the MLife, Hyatt, and Total Rewards programs, including that nice $100+ dinner (depending on how many are with you)!