My (late) Serenade Review-August 29, 2010

[socorny]

Saw that you also took advantage of the fitness room. How would you rate the equipment, cleanness and availabilty to use each pieces of equipment?

[Host Faith]

Saw that you also took advantage of the fitness room. How would you rate the equipment, cleanness and availabilty to use each pieces of equipment?

 

 

The fitness center was great. I got there pretty early (about 7 AM), so never had trouble using the equipment when I wanted to. Everything was very clean, there were wipes available on both sides of the room, and clean towels available. It was great working out with such a beautiful view.

[Host Faith]

Thanks Chrystal (BTW, my nephew's GF is also named Crystal)

 

I think I have plenty of time to do the research. How far in advance do you have to book your tours? I'll have to start taking notes & checking out the Ports of Call boards.

 

 

You have plenty of time. I'm a pretty type-A person, so I book as soon as we decide a specific tour is exactly what we want to do. Sometimes that's 6 months or more in advance. The latest I've ever booked is 2 months in advance. For example, we're having a family reunion on the Carnival Glory next June, sailing from NYC to Canada. Since we only have one stop on the 4-night trip, I've already booked our family excursion. I just like being sure we can get our first choice :D.

[msakmom]

Faith, I so enjoyed your review. Makes me anxious to sail on her in March. The Serenade has become my favorite ship also. DH and I sailed on her back in 2009. The itinerary you were on is our favorite. Barbados is our absolute favorite beach island. We go to Accra Beach, but after reading your review, we may have to try where you went.

[luckybonesatsea]

Hello Chrystal, My family is sailing on Serenade in May. Reading your post and pics ...well one word outstanding! Showing photos of rooms board ship,food, hotel, and bathrooms answers many question. We also enjoy food in our family. :D Your review had me board ship with you.Time for you to write a travel book! How about "Cruising with Crystal"

[Ender Zed]

Thank you Faith. My family and I are about to sail and I can't tell you how much this review has and is helping me. Thanks again and keep cruising.

[Host Faith]

Hello Chrystal, My family is sailing on Serenade in May. Reading your post and pics ...well one word outstanding! Showing photos of rooms board ship,food, hotel, and bathrooms answers many question. We also enjoy food in our family. :D Your review had me board ship with you.Time for you to write a travel book! How about "Cruising with Crystal"

 

 

Thank you so much, I'm glad the review is helpful. And I love that book title! I'll be in touch if I use it, lol! :)

[Cruising Forever!]

Faith413,

Thank you so much for the outstanding photo review! As a cruise review writer myself, I thoroughly enjoyed it! My wife and I are doing the Serenade next May on the St Thomas trip.... It was supposed to be a back to back, but we had to cut one week.:(

If it's the same week, maybe we'll see you aboard? :D

Thanks again,

Paul

[Host Faith]

Faith413' date='

Thank you so much for the outstanding photo review! As a cruise review writer myself, I thoroughly enjoyed it! My wife and I are doing the Serenade next May on the St Thomas trip.... It was supposed to be a back to back, but we had to cut one week.:(

If it's the same week, maybe we'll see you aboard? :D

Thanks again,

Paul[/quote']

 

Hi Paul,

 

We're looking at the May 15th sailing, so if our plans don't change, maybe we'll see you onboard? Either way have a great cruise!:)

[niecyd]

loving your review. You can really feel the fun and excitement that you experienced on the whole cruise adventure.

 

Dw and i loved our trip on serenade in january 2010.

 

I keep telling everyone that new jersey people are the best. You provide more proof of that.

 

yes!!!!!!:d

Edited November 2, 2010 by niecyd

[niecyd]

Faith413 - What part of Jersey you're from? I really enjoyed reading your review. I can't wait for Serenade. Beautiful pictures.

[Host Faith]

Faith413 - What part of Jersey you're from? I really enjoyed reading your review. I can't wait for Serenade. Beautiful pictures.

 

Hi niecyd! We both grew up in Lumberton, however now are in the Princeton area.

[niecyd]

Hi niecyd! We both grew up in Lumberton, however now are in the Princeton area.

 

Oh wow...small world. I'm 10 mins from you. I grew up in Trenton, my husband grew up Yardville/Hamilton area. We now live in Ewing Twp. near College of New Jersey. I hope we can keep in touch via CC or my email mrsdld@hotmail.com. By the way, your mother look fabulous!!!!!!:)

[Host Faith]

Oh wow...small world. I'm 10 mins from you. I grew up in Trenton, my husband grew up Yardville/Hamilton area. We now live in Ewing Twp. near College of New Jersey. I hope we can keep in touch via CC or my email mrsdld@hotmail.com. By the way, your mother look fabulous!!!!!!:)

 

This is really a small world! Thank you for the compliment about Mom, she'll be so happy to hear it :D

[niecyd]

This is really a small world! Thank you for the compliment about Mom, she'll be so happy to hear it :D

 

I click on your travel album. I love your pictures. I also saw that Elder McLendon is your Uncle. I loved watching him every Sunday on Sunday's Best Gospel Show. His voice is awesome. He can really sing for his age.....that's called anointed!!!!!

[Host Faith]

I click on your travel album. I love your pictures. I also saw that Elder McLendon is your Uncle. I loved watching him every Sunday on Sunday's Best Gospel Show. His voice is awesome. He can really sing for his age.....that's called anointed!!!!!

 

Thank you so much! Yes, we're very proud of him :)

[waterbugohio]

Just putting this wonderful review back on the first page for the person thinking about the Serenade. Faith you did a great job on this and love the photos. Can't wait to be on the Serenade in 9 DAYS

[The Flying Pirate]

Great review! Thanks for sharing, it is nice when people actually take time to write a complete review.

[Host Faith]

Just putting this wonderful review back on the first page for the person thinking about the Serenade. Faith you did a great job on this and love the photos. Can't wait to be on the Serenade in 9 DAYS

 

 

Awww, thank you so much! Have fun on your cruise!

 

Great review! Thanks for sharing, it is nice when people actually take time to write a complete review.

 

 

Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed the review....wish I had a cruise coming up sooner so I could write another :D

[leonadeb]

Loved your review...going on this ship in March and I got more excited about it after reading this lovely post.:)

[NC-CRUISERS]

Very informative and fun review to read. We are sailing Serenade in April. Thanks for sharing ! :)

[Wingtips56]

Faith413

I have to add my thanks for your review as well. Very well written. Now I'm looking much more forward to my cruise on Serenade in March. And I'm very glad you mentioned the disembarkation and trip to the airport. We had to book a flight at 11:00, which is earlier than I'm comfortable with, but couldn't be helped. Did you just hail the next cab or had you made advance arrangements?

 

RE: St. Lucia. Did the ship dock or anchor out? We were there in 1997 on the old, now long-gone small Carnival "Tropicale", which did tie up at Castries. But all the other ships were too big then so they were tender operations, which I'm not fond of, especially in the first-off morning rush for early shore excursions. We just tendered at Kona, Hawaii last week, sleeping in and just going ashore on our own for lunch, well after the morning crush.

 

Finally, what is the "hump" I read about on ships in this class? Is that the section that pops out midships? Are the balconies better there (as in, should I try to change my room which is back opposite the aft stairway)?

 

Thanks!

Steven

[Host Faith]

Faith413

I have to add my thanks for your review as well. Very well written. Now I'm looking much more forward to my cruise on Serenade in March. And I'm very glad you mentioned the disembarkation and trip to the airport. We had to book a flight at 11:00, which is earlier than I'm comfortable with, but couldn't be helped. Did you just hail the next cab or had you made advance arrangements?

 

RE: St. Lucia. Did the ship dock or anchor out? We were there in 1997 on the old, now long-gone small Carnival "Tropicale", which did tie up at Castries. But all the other ships were too big then so they were tender operations, which I'm not fond of, especially in the first-off morning rush for early shore excursions. We just tendered at Kona, Hawaii last week, sleeping in and just going ashore on our own for lunch, well after the morning crush.

 

Finally, what is the "hump" I read about on ships in this class? Is that the section that pops out midships? Are the balconies better there (as in, should I try to change my room which is back opposite the aft stairway)?

 

Thanks!

Steven

 

Thank you for your comments, I'm glad the review was helpful. I don't think you should have much trouble getting to the airport on time as long as the ship arrives in San Juan on schedule. There are plenty of taxis available at the pier. You will probably find that a taxi coordinator will ask you if you need one as soon as you exit the cruise facility. That's what has happened to us both times we disembarked at the Pan American pier. Perhaps you can go to the guest relations desk and ask to be disembarked as early as possible, for your peace of mind. Either way, you will not have any trouble finding a taxi as soon as you leave.

 

The ship docked in St. Lucia. We were able to exit the ship very quickly after docking. You walk off the ship directly into the cruise terminal area. I think my group had to meet Spencer Ambrose at the cruise terminal in St. Lucia as close to 8 AM as possible, and we were able to leave the ship and meet him at about 8:05.

 

As far as the "hump" if you look at the deck plans, you will notice that there's a bulge in the center of RCCL ships. You'll hear a lot about hump cabins here on the RCCL boards. Some people like the aft balconies, some prefer the hump balconies. We like the hump balconies because of the convenience of being close to the elevators and stairs, as well as the better view you get from your balcony. Some of the hump balconies on the Serenade are larger than the rest, as you can see on the deck plans. We try to snag one of those if at all possible.

 

Happy sailing! :)

[Host Faith]

Hi All! I've been looking through my photos (wistfully) and I found a couple more that I wanted to share:

 

Typical street in Old San Juan:

 

 

San Cristobal Fort:

 

 

 

Another angle of the Solarium:

 

 

Deck 4 Centrum- so elegant:

 

 

 

Pretty carved fruit in the Windjammer:

 

View of Sandals Antigua:

[chrisand]

This was a great review! Very informative. Thanks for all the work you put into this. Your review of Creole Cruises in Antigua has helped me finally decide my excursion for our cruise in January. Thank you for that!

 

We took the Serenade through the Panama Canal on our very first cruise now I'm hooked on cruising. And now you've got me thinking that we should sail the Serenade again.

 

For your trip to St Thomas I would also recommend taking the trip over to St John's and going to Trunk Bay. It was a great beach and decent snorkeling. We had a great time there. Magen's Bay is also a nice beach if you just want to be a beach bum...and it is a pretty quick trip from either dock to help optimize your day.

 

Thanks again for the great work!