Serenade of the Seas picture heavy fun review–12 day Med cruise incl DIY port trips!

[windjamming]

Oh goody...the Breakaway is one of the ships I'm dying to sail on...PLEASE write a review of that trip. Will you be brave enough to walk that plank? I love how they focused on outdoor "sea view" stuff. Just like the Radiance class I imagine, just newer and bigger....very intruiging (no idea how to spell that, but you get the idea:)).

 

Hi Stef- it's so funny you mention the plank, as I was just looking at videos of the Ropes Course yesterday. Eeeek! I'll have to see how I feel when I get there, but I agree - it's definitely a cool concept. Will certainly report back!

 

Happy cruise planning!!

[KansCocoa]

I'm late to the party, because life got in the way, but I just wanted to say:

 

WHAT A FANTASTIC REVIEW!!!

 

Brought back so many fun memories of our own cruise on the Serenade back in 2012…LOVED THIS!!!!

[Kreuzfahrtneuling]

Hi Stef- it's so funny you mention the plank, as I was just looking at videos of the Ropes Course yesterday. Eeeek! I'll have to see how I feel when I get there, but I agree - it's definitely a cool concept. Will certainly report back!

 

Happy cruise planning!!

 

Lol! No worries--- don't do anything you don't want to:). When is your next cruise? Where to?

 

:pI LOVE the planning! :mad:But right now I'm sooo close to throwing my printer out the window.

 

Stef

[Kreuzfahrtneuling]

I'm late to the party, because life got in the way, but I just wanted to say:

 

WHAT A FANTASTIC REVIEW!!!

 

Brought back so many fun memories of our own cruise on the Serenade back in 2012…LOVED THIS!!!!

 

:)eeek!!!! Hail to the (Drama)Queen! :)

 

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!!

 

I wouldn't have written this review if it weren't for you. I was so blown away by your excellent Med review, I wanted to try something similar (slightly smaller) as well! I'm pretty happy the way it turned out...just next time I want to include food and menu stuff as well. Lol -- and since we'll be on the Allegrissimo package (all you can drink:rolleyes:) we'll probably have lots and lots of cocktails to review as well:D.

 

Have you ever cruised to the British Isles? Any insights from the travel goddess herself? If not -- heck, just come cruise with us:D!

 

Stef

[KansCocoa]

:)eeek!!!! Hail to the (Drama)Queen! :)

 

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!!

 

I wouldn't have written this review if it weren't for you. I was so blown away by your excellent Med review, I wanted to try something similar (slightly smaller) as well! I'm pretty happy the way it turned out...just next time I want to include food and menu stuff as well. Lol -- and since we'll be on the Allegrissimo package (all you can drink:rolleyes:) we'll probably have lots and lots of cocktails to review as well:D.

 

Have you ever cruised to the British Isles? Any insights from the travel goddess herself? If not -- heck, just come cruise with us:D!

 

Stef

 

Oh my goodness, you are TOO kind! What a wonderful thing to say - I am humbled, which, as my family will tell you, doesn't happen often. ;)

 

I have not cruised the British Isles - I should put that on my Bucket List! I think our next cruise will be an Alaskan one, but sadly, won't commence until 2015. Dear Daughter (Mickey) will be facing some surgery this summer, and so we will be temporarily 'grounded'.

 

I would LOVE to cruise with you and your beautiful family one day - you always have the right attitude and spirit, and you write an amazing review! Have fun on your next adventure - I can't wait to read about it, and drool over the photos - especially the cocktails. Hee hee.

[mycruise2000]

Hello, Reading for last 4 days and on Day-12 page 23. Thanks for the great review and appreciate taking time in doing the review. Enjoyed every bit of it.

 

Great job.

 

Thanks.

[Kreuzfahrtneuling]

Hello, Reading for last 4 days and on Day-12 page 23. Thanks for the great review and appreciate taking time in doing the review. Enjoyed every bit of it.

 

Great job.

 

Thanks.

 

Hi mycruise2000,

 

You're welcome! It was so much fun to write, I'm suffering from review writing withdrawals:) right now. But it'll all start anew after the next cruise---even longer than this one, yay! Tanja got a new camera for x-mas, so I'm hoping on a ton of cool pictures (:Dif she learned to handle it until then:rolleyes: -- personally I prefer a camera, where all you have to do is push a button).

 

Stef

 

Stef

[trackies]

Rome (last part)

 

After realizing that we were actually standing on 2000 years of history….

 

(see the amazing original stone floor in the middle?)

 

…..we left the underground section. After passing through a small part of the public part (here we actually did need the audiohelp, since it was so crowded we couldn’t understand Francesca without it anymore), we headed up these stairs to get to a chained off section once again.

 

 

We finally had arrived on the third ring

 

 

The whole area – once again – deserted…We had room to breathe and move around freely…after Francesca told us lots and lots of interesting stuff once more

 

 

You had a breathtaking view of the Forum from here

 

 

And last but not least the best possible view of the whole interiour of the Collosseum.

 

 

After letting us enjoy our privacy up here for a couple of more minutes, Francesca brought us back to the second ring (the public area), collected the audio devices and said goodbye. We assured her we had the best possible time and we enjoyed it immensely! She even spoke some German! Tarik could have asked her all kinds of stuff --- but he was a bit too chicken….or simply overwhelmed by all the impressions (and translated information overdose).

 

We then had the option to take all the time we wanted to stroll around the public part…But we felt that one more piece of info about this place would surely make our heads burst! Not only the kid was a bit over the top. Don’t get me wrong – it was FANTASTIC!!!! But after this tour we needed some time to digest all the info and impressions. It was sufficient and we just didn’t feel like joining the herds on the public levels…We made our way to the exit (sigh, which basically gives you a good tour as well) and we were off to the Metro.

 

The way back to Civitavecchia was uneventful. The Metro worked out nicely and Termini wasn’t such a hastle anymore, because we knew where to find those moveable bands to our platform. The train to Civitavecchia was already there and we could grab a seat and chat about all that we had seen…this way the train ride flew by. Since we took an early train out of Rome – I believe it was the 14:28 train, we arrived at the port real early as well…no tourist hordes waiting for shuttlebusses yet at all….how very pleasant. We just entered an empty shuttle bus and a minute after that we were on our way to the ship …. YES! Rome can be done without stress. We were proud of ourselves. The ship was basically deserted again and we ate about a ton of food at the Park Café! We were starved!

 

Thought on Rome:

 

This was the second time Tanja and I went to Rome on a cruise ship. I really value all the historic stuff we saw this time and am glad we did it. I wouldn’t want to miss it. However this day would not compel me to return to Rome. Maybe it’s just us, but I didn’t get the “Rome” feeling in these ancient ruins. I missed the vibes from the actual “modern” city which is so intermingled with the ancient ruins and palaces in town. I don’t get that feeling either at the Forum or the Collosseum but I did feel it intensely on our walks through the city last year….not the coin in the Trevi fountain made me want to return (quite the opposite) but this unique Roman feeling….real hard to describe…I guess you’ll have to experience it for yourselves. I definitely want to return to Rome (as many times as possible). There will be more archaeological sites in the planning, but I’ll try to limit that and get some actual city stuff in there as well --- otherwise I’d feel that I missed Rome.

 

 

Stuff I learned in Rome this year:

 

Rome has many faces – today we only saw part of the ancient one.

 

Always book your Collosseum tickets online – and if possible book the third ring tour!

 

Simultaneous translating sucks if you’re hooked to the words of the tourguide.

 

Don’t say a train station sucks if you’re too stupid to find the moveable walkways.

 

 

Next up: the evening on the ship (Yes – we finally saw a show!)

 

Hello Stef, I don't know if you are still monitoring this board. thanks very much for your wonderful review - full of helpful information. We are going to be in Rome twice on the Serenade of the Seas (yay). We will follow your recommendation and buy a third ring tour of the Coliseum and will visit the forum as well. Do you think it would be too much to fit in the Vatican as well on one day? I'd love to get your opinion. Thanks and have a great cruise this summer, Liz

[Kreuzfahrtneuling]

Hello Stef, I don't know if you are still monitoring this board. thanks very much for your wonderful review - full of helpful information. We are going to be in Rome twice on the Serenade of the Seas (yay). We will follow your recommendation and buy a third ring tour of the Coliseum and will visit the forum as well. Do you think it would be too much to fit in the Vatican as well on one day? I'd love to get your opinion. Thanks and have a great cruise this summer, Liz

 

Hi Liz,

 

Well, we were in Rome twice as well...once on the Serenade -- which you have read about in this review and once on the Adventure a year before. On that trip we went to go see the Vatican and some other parts of Rome. Check it out in my Adventure review. For me personally -- the collosseum, forum AND the Vatican would surely be WAY to much to do in one day (and still enjoy it). Gosh, when I remember how we rushed through the Vatican Museum just to get to the Sistine chapel -- horrific--there were soooo many cool things to see and admire, it was a real shame!

 

Now after having seen both, I'd have to say the Vatican museum is a place so astonishing with uncountable wonders that I'd love to return and spend (at least) a full day there. I LOVED the actual city of Rome as it lives and breathes today as well. And yet there are sooo many things we haven't seen yet. I believe you can LIVE in Rome for 10 years and still find new stuff. It truly is amazing. As for the Collosseum and the Forum...it was definitely something worth seeing, but I do not feel the urgent need to return. Don't get me wrong...they were extremely mindblowing as well, just not something that I think would be as wonderful the second time around.

 

I hope you'll have the best time when you're in Rome! God, I love that city! Have fun and just soak everything up:)! Oh yeah, and write a review!

 

Stef

[Chicagocrooza]

Stef,

 

I am so glad I found your review, what a wonderful pictorial work you had out together for the beautiful Serenade of the Seas. I did some search using "Serenade" in the Royal board but did not see your review, sometime the search function just does not do its job or perhaps I did something wrong ??

 

Anyway, we are going to be sailing on the Serenade Late March out of New Orleans. I must admit I glanced quickly thru most of your ports reviews (but you had tons of great pictures on all of your stops) and mostly concentrated on your ship photos and reviews. There were a lot of tips and notices I made from your review. I, too loved the Park café when I was on the Allure (which was located in the outdoor Central Park) and those wonderful roast beef sandwich. Is the park café inside the Solarium or just outside of it? We are traveling with a 3 and 6 years old and do not want to intrude the adult only area.

 

Again, thanks for sharing the pics and detail review.

[Kreuzfahrtneuling]

Stef,

 

Is the park café inside the Solarium or just outside of it? We are traveling with a 3 and 6 years old and do not want to intrude the adult only area.

 

Again, thanks for sharing the pics and detail review.

 

Hi Chacagocrooza,

 

:)thanks! Not to worry, you can plunder the park cafe with your kids anytime (or your kids by themselves for that matter). It is in the "adult only" area ...but there were kids there all the time...just not in the pool and the jacuzzi. No problem at all. I think there wasn't one time were there were no kids either at the cafe or the drink station right next to it. But they do get kicked out of the pool if they try to conquer that one during the day time:o. Have a great cruise!

 

Stef

[Chicagocrooza]

Stef. Thanks for the quick reply. This will be great. That Parma Brie combo you took a picture sure look very lovely. This would be a great snack and a beer around 5,6 pm. We love to take the kids to the pool around that time since the pool would not be as busy and they would be up from their afternoon nap.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Kreuzfahrtneuling]

Hey everybody,

 

:)The planning for our new cruise is coming along nicely. The binder is growing daily. I find myself chuckling at all the fun stuff we'll be exploring...lol and I also hope it will get us a gazillion pictures and stories to share with all of you guys for the new review afterwards.

 

I miss writing. I find myself writing responses to newspaper articles these days..not the same though -- seriously lacking cruise review writing. Well, but I can not only plan the cruise, can I? Let's just plan some of the review stuff as well...this is the place, where you can make requests. Is there anything in particular, that you'd like me to have a look at while on the cruise or at the ports? Don't be shy! No worries, I'll tell you straight ahead if I think something is undoable. I would for instance want to include food and drink pictures next time...anybody interested in menus? I recall someone asked me for them in this review. Lol -- and how about a detailed weather report? Scotland and Ireland in August can be quite an adventure in that regard I believe. Whohoo--- as I write these lines I get all hyped up once more. We're going on a cruise!!!!!

 

Since Tarik finally reached puberty -- helloooo moodswings --it'll probably be a completely different type of family vacation anyway. Different -- not as in bad I hope---just different. I'm a happy camper as long as no lost sons are involved...let's see ... where could be the least favorable spot...maybe the troubles area in Belfast...he could even wear a shirt with the Irish flag on it right in the middle of a loyalist enclave to make it even more exciting. No worries...we'll take such good care he won't be able to stray while on land...and he'll be equipped with a loaded, switched on cell phone at all times!

 

Well, patiently awaiting requests regarding the upcoming cruise review!

Thanks for listening to my whining of beeing review-less:p.

 

Stef

 

Stef

[lorrdean]

Hi Stef,

I would bring your wellies, you will need them in Scotland lol :D

[Kreuzfahrtneuling]

Hi Stef,

I would bring your wellies, you will need them in Scotland lol :D

 

Hi lorrdean,

 

:)how's married life treating you? still butterflies in the stomach, or back to normal again? Tanja and I just celebrated our 15 year anniversary...of getting hooked up...marriagewise we're still at 9 years.

 

Lol -- my wellies smell so much of manure, since I wear them around our critters all day. They would probably throw me off the ship if I brought those! But I heard you can buy the world's best wellies in Great Britain...so there's a souvenir not everybody brings back home:o. I love it! Thanks for the tip:D!

 

I hope the flooding isn't too bad where you live. We saw horrible pictures on the news for quite a while, but I thought it concerns mainly England.

 

My wishes for better weather also go out to all the Americans who suffer such a fierce winter this year. Hang in there!

 

Here we have the funnest, mildest winter ever! Right now the sun is shining and it's 10 °C ABOVE Zero. Incredible for February!!!! Hope it stays that way.

 

Stef

[lorrdean]

Hi Stef,

married life is just ding dong :D thank you for remembering, we have been together 18yrs this year :eek: but we decided to make it official ;)

 

 

we have had lots of rain and wind, but lucky for us, not as bad as those in southern england, that is just truly terrible. lets hope by the time your cruise comes round, the sun will be shining.....it does happen sometimes !!!!

 

sandra x

[wnycruisefam66]

Hello Stef!

 

I had read your great review a few months ago, but am now referring back to it as our Med cruise is getting closer (June!). I wanted to ask your thoughts on Venice. We'll have 3 days prior to the cruise & on the last day I would like to tour St. Mark's Basilica and thinking of the Doge's Palace tour your family took. I will also have a 13yr. old boy & 2 older teens. Would you & Tarik recommend this tour for kids? Also, we would be planning to be among the first to be able to enter St. Mark's & would have about an hour and a half to tour it before the Doge's Palace tour. In your opinion, is that enough time?

 

On another note, I would love to read your England/Scotland cruise review. It's something we hope to do in a few years. I love to read reviews from a family/kid standpoint - they give me great ideas! Thanks!

 

Tina

[lorrdean]

Stef found this it might be helpful to you

 

http://www.tomsportguides.com/Greenock_Scotland-08-28-2012.pdf

[Kreuzfahrtneuling]

Hello Stef!

 

I had read your great review a few months ago, but am now referring back to it as our Med cruise is getting closer (June!). I wanted to ask your thoughts on Venice. We'll have 3 days prior to the cruise & on the last day I would like to tour St. Mark's Basilica and thinking of the Doge's Palace tour your family took. I will also have a 13yr. old boy & 2 older teens. Would you & Tarik recommend this tour for kids? Also, we would be planning to be among the first to be able to enter St. Mark's & would have about an hour and a half to tour it before the Doge's Palace tour. In your opinion, is that enough time?

 

On another note, I would love to read your England/Scotland cruise review. It's something we hope to do in a few years. I love to read reviews from a family/kid standpoint - they give me great ideas! Thanks!

 

Tina

 

Hi Tina,

 

1 1/2 hours for St. Marks is more than enough in my opinion. If I were ever to go visit again (especially if you don't have to be back on the ship at a certain time), I'd go for late afternoon, when the tourists start to leave. We were one of the firsts to enter in the morning...and for that we had to wait over an hour in line...No fun especially not with three teens.

 

I'd definitely recommend the secret itineraries tour for a 13 yr old and the two older ones...especially if they are native english speakers. I'll ask Tarik about his official statement when he's back from school. But even though he didn't understand a word and had to trust my translations, he seemed to me to have a blast!

 

Have a wonderful cruise!

 

Stef

[Kreuzfahrtneuling]

Stef found this it might be helpful to you

 

http://www.tomsportguides.com/Greenock_Scotland-08-28-2012.pdf

 

Thanks! I LOVE Tom's portguides...just finished printing out the new one for Dublin:).

 

For Greenock we're pretty fixed on doing the Ben A'an hike....but still haven't achieved to get a rental car. At least the Tontine hotel has replied to my email giving me a phone number, where I could call to try.....Gulp...I'm still scared of that...but I guess there's no use waiting much longer....I'll try to call Scotland this week....ahhhhh!

 

Stef

[Kreuzfahrtneuling]

:DI DID it!

 

I called Scotland...and it wasn't half as bad as I thought it would be!

 

:o Well -- first I called Avis and got connected to a callcenter guy with the heaviest accent and I thought I was about to die...but after he got the fact that I wasn't really understanding a word he was saying it started to improve...just to find out no more Avis in Greenock:(...sigh, but I was on a roll. Let's try all other Glasgow airport locations. Next was greenmotion, because I read on Trip Advisor that they provide service to and from Greenock. Well, via email I found out their Glasgow station is closed:(. Now on to Enterprise. First I got a guy from their call center (sooo nice!) who chatted with me about our upcoming cruise and his last cruise to Norway while he was trying to make Greenock possible for us. And he found a way! We'll be picked up at the cruise terminal and will be driven to the office at Paisley. There we'll get our car. In the afternoon we are to drop it off there again and will be brought back to the port. Perfect!!!!!!

 

The nice guy on the phone also gave me the phone number of the location in Paisley and told me how to get in contact with the people there to find out more details. So I called Scotland one more time (this time already grinning from ear to ear) and this time got to talk to a female Scot. She was completely charming as well -- and now I am as happy as can be. She told me that she did the Ben A'an hike twice already and it's one of her favorites...as long as the weather is somewhat okay:rolleyes:. I love the Scots already!

 

Scotland planning officially and completely DONE! I can't wait for the cruise to begin:)!

[wnycruisefam66]

Hi Stef: thanks for the response on the Secret Itineraries tour. Also for your thoughts on St. Mark's. I now may try to do St. Mark's in the later afternoon on our 1st or 2nd day in Venice. Then just the Secret It. tour on our last day. We can have a leisurely morning, do the Tour, then head to the ship.

 

Glad to hear your Scotland plan's are working out. Please post a link here when you do your trip report.

 

Tina

[lorrdean]

:DI DID it!

 

I called Scotland...and it wasn't half as bad as I thought it would be!

 

 

 

Scotland planning officially and completely DONE! I can't wait for the cruise to begin:)!

 

see told you it would be fine :D

[Kreuzfahrtneuling]

Please post a link here when you do your trip report.

 

Tina

 

Hi Tina,

 

Sure I will:). Up to the cruise I'll use this thread . Then a little pause during the cruise (no Internet for 12 days:eek:) and afterwards I'll go on with the new Magnifica thread. I would be thrilled to see some "old" screennames on that one as well:p.

 

Oh, by the way -- Tarik said the secret itineraries tour was "cool" and he definitely recommends it for 13 year olds :-) ( I think he was stoked to be asked his opinion)

 

Stef

Edited February 28, 2014 by Kreuzfahrtneuling
typo

[Kreuzfahrtneuling]

see told you it would be fine :D

 

LOL --yes you did.... but I was a big chicken anyway:p. I had so much fun running around all day long telling everybody (no matter if they cared to know) that I just chatted with Scotland on the phone. I just had a blast! Aaargh .. 166 more days until the cruise.

 

Stef