reallyitsmema

No worries! 🙂

They didn't remove any outlets from the cabins, they just added what is in the picture. Having no US plugs would make no sense.

I would get a converter

Yes, they are not USB-C plugs. We had both types of cables with us, so I used the older type by the bed and DH used the other type with the outlet at the vanity.

Yes, just European plugs. Just bring an adaptor. I actually only used the two USB plugs though.

I did not see any evidence of laundry facilities when I was on Serenade last week, but they could easily have been started already. We did have the new plugs and USB ports beside our bed. Mattress was new and bedframe was higher. Didn't like the new mattress, it is very firm and the two halves do not stay together at all. Our refrigerator had not been replaced yet. Linens are new, as were the towels.

We have not had issues at Cape Liberty either. Usually a very quick, organized process.

WOW! Quite a tribal counsel!

We ended up with about 50 kids. Little ones started earlier than normal. Not as many older kids this year. Very polite kids this year, which is nice to see.

Kids are out early! I have already had three groups.

We are not new cruisers and know how things work. We also know if everyone in our waiter's section arrives early and we arrive late, we will wait a long time to order while the waiter and assistant waiter get and deliver their first course. Coming a few minutes earlier was not a big deal. Communicating the change in dining time should have been communicated prior to us boarding though.

Just as well my car isn't in the garage anyway as it decided it wanted a longer vacation and is dead in the driveway. DH offered to come home to jumpstart it but he was going to have to miss a meeting to do it, so I called AAA. Estimated time for service was 1 hour 29 minutes. I am about to hit 3 hours but at least the guy is on the way, I am tracking his truck now.

The shuttles are pretty frequent. Depending on the terminal the ship is at, National is not a far walk either. They have weird days and hours though. We come into Port Canaveral on a port of call frequently and National is not typically open the day Anthem or Oasis come in. We use Avis instead.

Even earlier than that on Serenade last week.

We have never put a car in our garage. We have a one car garage that is about a foot off of a four to five foot high curved stone wall that borders our steep driveway. At the time we bought the house, we had two large vehicles that would have been a beast to get in and out of the garage with two other vehicles in the driveway, so we never tried. We keep our snow blowers, lawn mower, bikes, yard stuff, camping stuff etc in the garage.

Much cheaper to do two one way rentals than to rent and leave a car at the port the whole cruise. No one way fee for car rentals in Florida.

Do you have a US booking? I think it is at least UK bookings that still require prepaid gratuities for MTD.

Prepaying gratuities used to be a requirement for booking MTD, not a benefit. Anyone can prepay gratuities if they want to, no matter their dining choice.

No, you pick your dining time when you book your cruise. If what you want isn't available, you can go on the waitlist if there is room on the list.

It could have been they were forced to choose MTD and wanted early seating. We booked right before final and only MTD was available. I accepted that but then called back a week later and waitlisted for early seating. We cleared the waitlist quickly but others on the rollcall never did and were stuck in MTD. We also had a few on the rollcall have their choice changed and found out once they boarded as others have experienced. The cruise line really needs to stop messing with MTD and go back to how it was in the past. We had decided we wanted to try the MDR this cruise as we hadn't tried the new menus yet since we had been sailing in larger ships with Coastal Kitchen. Now that we have tried the menus, we will pick and choose from the ones we liked and then do specialty or Windjammer.

We just got off Serenade and had early seating. We initially had booked MTD but changed to main dining after hearing all the issues with MTD. When we booked, early seating was at 5:30, when we boarded, sea pass card said it was at 5:15. When we went to dinner the first night, there was a huge line into the elevator lobby but with some people bypassing the line and going into the dining room. Having already checked out our table, we decided to bypass the line, which was the right choice as we found out the majority of it was MTD people. Dining room was already half full and it wasn't even 5:15. Waiter told us to come closer to 5 as that works better. Starting around 5:30, other diners started to be seated at the empty tables as they filled in the dining room with MTD people from the line. As the week progressed, they MTD crowd came in earlier and earlier. People were getting beepers and were hanging out in the Centrum until a table was ready for them. We never saw the huge line after the first night but when we came out of dinner around 6, there were always people sitting in the Centrum with beepers, waiting for tables in the MDR. We were talking to one couple and their beeper went off. She commented how quick it was and that they hadn't waited long all week. We prefer MTD as we always made a 6pm reservation when we ate in the MDR, Not sure I like the beeper option that Serenade was doing but it was working for people who wanted earlier tables.

Pretty sunrise getting back into Boston this morning. Followed into port by Seven Seas Mariner. Easy getting off ship as we didn’t have to go through customs since we already did in Bar Harbor. Left cabin just after 8, at curb at 8:23 and first laundry in before 9. 🙂

I would highly recommend doing the mail run ferry with Casco Bay Ferries if you’re looking for something different to do in Portland. We had perfect weather and flat calm seas going out and a little choppy coming back. We went to six harbor islands, some on the way out and way back too. We were at most stops for less than five minutes. One was longer due to the number of people getting off. It is $17pp round trip. Tickets only collected on way out and includes a return whenever you are headed back. Most of the islands were just private residences, though one had a hotel and golf course. Dogs welcome and many people were bringing supplies to their homes in various carts and wagons. One person was even bringing a Tiffany style hanging lamp shade that he was carrying. If there are more than ten people, the captain narrates. Heard lots of history of the islands.

We love this area. We are now waiting for the 10AM mail boat that goes to five of the harbor islands. It is a working mail ferry that also takes up to 400 passengers. Figured it is a cheap harbor cruise.

We are on Serenade out of Boston on a NE/Canada cruise. They do a short fall schedule from Boston every year. We are in 9260, which is a center aft facing balcony. We typically book corners but there were none available. Love the big balconies on the aft.