Let me Serenade You - the 12/11-18 Review with Too Many Pictures

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Stopping at Grand Anse Beach:

 

 

 

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As I had read previously, as soon as we left the catamaran and went on the beach, the vendors descended upon us, but it really wasn't too bad. Can't begrudge people trying to make a living, and they really weren't too pushy.

 

 

 

 

 

One of the guides flirting with DD:

 

 

After about an hour at the beach, we headed back to the ship:

 

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[brianabrad]

Another great photo filled posting!

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We just spent a relaxing afternoon on the ship and enjoyed the second formal night dinner in the MDR.

 

We thought the food in the MDR was very good most nights. We could always find something we enjoyed, and our servers were excellent. Some favorites of ours are the caesar salad, most of the soups, the filet of beef, and the scallop risotto. Our table mates were all Diamond members, so they were great fonts of knowledge about cruising in general and RC in particular.

 

We were really looking forward to the production show this night, as we had tremendously enjoyed the first one earlier in the week. But it was a bit of disappointment, just not nearly as well written, in our opinion. Kinda trying too hard to be trendy or something. Some pics from the show:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Coming up, our only sea day. Relaxation!

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I do love me a good sea day.

 

No surprise that I spent some time walking around leisurely taking pics...

 

 

 

 

more stairway art:

 

 

 

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This is probably common knowledge, but my DD had to point out to me that there were elevator buttons on the platform of the deck map:

 

 

 

 

 

Cafe Lattetudes:

 

 

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Best. View. Ever.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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It was pretty breezy today, but the helipad was still open. The "path":

 

 

 

 

 

 

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We went to the "View from the Top" Q&A session with Captain Michel Claveau, Hotel Director Sanjay Kumar, and Chief Engineer Ivica Rajevac. It was very good. No earth-shattering revelations or anything, but interesting. We found Captain Michel to be very charismatic and approachable. His afternoon announcements always included a bit of trivia as well as a "fortune cookie" saying.

 

As they passed the mike around the crowd for questions, no one asked anything confrontational or accusatory, but one woman did provide some entertainment. She was like the second graders I teach sometimes, who, when you ask if they have any questions, start with, "Well, this one time..." She started with, "When I was on the Adventure of the Seas in 2002, I looked out at the whitecaps and saw thousands of rainbows. I asked the officers what they were, and they investigated...." The story went on and on and on, and she ended with asking the captain, "Were you on the Adventure then? And were you one of the divers?" Just loony. I must give Captain Michel credit, he handled it very diplomatically.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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There were not many kids aboard, since it was not quite holiday break, but those who were there seemed to love the kids' pool area:

 

 

My DH, as usual, whupped me at miniature golf:

 

 

 

 

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I had signed up for a future cruise appointment with the LA in the afternoon, even though I only planned to make a "decide later" reservation. We know we will cruise again, we are just not sure where or when. Alaska, maybe?

 

The C&A lounge on Deck 12, with the "window" looking down on the Centrum:

 

 

 

 

DD taking advantage of sea day relaxation time:

 

 

What would a cruise be without the belly-flop contest?

 

 

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To me, the solarium is one of the most beautiful spots on the ship:

 

 

 

 

 

Love the warm, freshwater showers:

 

 

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I had bought an RC cookbook from our waiter the night before, so we were permitted to take a galley tour in the afternoon. No photos during the tour (I thought I'd get the shakes or something, but I survived...), but as we waited in the MDR for the chef to come get us, I couldn't help myself:

 

 

 

 

 

 

The tour was fascinating, by the way.

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There was always live dance music in the Centrum before dinner each night, and always people taking advantage of that, young and old:

 

 

 

 

 

Assistant waiter, Lorenzo, always with a smile:

 

 

a girl and her dad:

 

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Farewell show was very standard, although Mercedes had a couple new (to us) items on her top 10 questions...

 

 

 

 

 

Did I mention DD really liked Mercedes?

 

 

 

Farewell show over, time to pack, set out the suitcases in the hall, order some chocolate chip cookies and milk from room service, and enjoy the rocking of the ship on our last night aboard. sigh.

[Darkwolfe]

Great review. Amusingly I booked the cruise I'm about to board from the LA desk two years ago.

[Tropical Traveler]

Kudos and many thanks for taking the time and effort to present your most excellent photo review to us.

My favorite ship, we'll be sailing the Serenade for the second time in mid April on the same itinerary as you did with the one exception being St. Lucia instead of Dominica.

Its good to see previews of coming attractions. :cool:

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Our flight to Dayton was not until 5:45, so we took our time departing the ship in the morning, and I had set up a tour of Old San Juan through ToursbyLocals.

 

We had one last breakfast in the WJ, with a strong feeling of deja vu as the Celebrity Summit was once again docked beside us.

 

 

 

 

This seems like a weird picture to take, but we determined that the very middle of this photo is directly above our cabin. We never heard a noise from above, so either we were lucky, or being below the WJ is not really a problem:

 

 

Funny story...our departure time was 9:15 in the Schooner Bar, so after breakfast we hung out in the cabin. DH went out to read on the balcony, at least until the window washer decided to do his thing!

 

 

And I am sad to report that Henry is being replaced by someone with no discernible personality:

 

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I finally got a photo of our wonderful steward Manuel. It was such an amazing coincidence to have him two cruises in a row, on different ships from different ports. It was so nice to have his warm smile greeting us each day.

 

 

We were only in the Schooner Bar for a few minutes before being directed off the ship.

 

 

 

 

Luggage pickup was VERY organized, with all cases neatly lined up under the respective luggage tag numbers.

 

The lines for customs were long but moved relatively quickly, and we were out looking for our tour guide within about 20 minutes of stepping off the ship.

 

We found Jose relatively quickly (thank you for AT&T cell service in PR), and he did a great job showing us San Juan, teaching us some of the history along the way.

 

He dropped us off at the airport about 3:30, and in spite of a long line at security, we had time to chill at the gate. We were home in the Ohio cold about midnight, with that surreal feel that a wonderful escape from reality engenders. Sigh again.

 

Some of the MANY photos I took of the beautiful city:

 

 

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