Home from the Serenade

[SeaTeach]

Terre, thanks for the pictures. Waiting for more.

[BroncosFan2010]

I can't wait for more pictures!!

[Terre]

I may not get to work on them tonight, but will on Thursday. Sorry.

[CruisinRoxy]

Thanks Terre, for the pictures. Looking forward to more. This is the ship and cruise we are considering for summer 2011. Would you do it again and did you like this itinerary? I assume you were on the Aruba/Curacao, based on the locator map in one of your pictures. How did this compare with your Celebrity or Carnival Cruises?

[Terre]

Thanks Terre, for the pictures. Looking forward to more. This is the ship and cruise we are considering for summer 2011. Would you do it again and did you like this itinerary? I assume you were on the Aruba/Curacao, based on the locator map in one of your pictures. How did this compare with your Celebrity or Carnival Cruises?

Roxy, we did have the Aruba, Curacao, St. Thomas, Dominica itinerary. I would do this itinerary again if there was any other port to go out of. We've gone out of SJU three times now and I'm really tired of that port.

 

Compared to Celebrity and Carnival, it was on par with Carnival -- food, entertainment and activities were as good as Carnival. Compared with Celebrity, well above on food quality, entertainment and activities.

 

I'll be uploading more pictures tonight and tomorrow.

[BroncosFan2010]

I may not get to work on them tonight, but will on Thursday. Sorry.

 

No problem! Take your time! We will be here when you get everything posted. :)

[takevtr1]

Terre,

VERY VERY Nice Pictures.

 

Sailing her on Aug. 1. First time on RCI. Many times on Carnival.

 

Can't wait to see what the differences are.

 

Do they offer a midnight buffet??

 

Awaiting your written review.

 

Mitch....

[Terre]

Okay, have a few more pics uploaded with more to add. Here's the album with latest additions:

 

Mitch,

 

They do not really offer a midnight buffet. On one formal night they had a buffet by the pool, but we waited in line for about 45 minutes and it was nothing special. Comparing our experiences with RCI and Carnival, the food quality, service and entertainment (especially around the ship) were very comparable. In fact, the food was better than we expected because we haven't found anyone with food as good as Carnival, but the Serendade's was. I would say they are (at least the Serenade) as comparable on everything as Carnival.

 

I will post a review in a separate thread today.

[Terre]

Here's the link to my review: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=24766981#post24766981

 

It is quite long so skip over the parts you don't care about. Hope it tells you what you want to know! You really will love this ship.

[BroncosFan2010]

Here's the link to my review: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=24766981#post24766981

 

It is quite long so skip over the parts you don't care about. Hope it tells you what you want to know! You really will love this ship.

 

Thanks! Going to check it out now!

[tjdj]

Thanks for the review and pictures!!! We're very anxious to start our trip tomorrow and to get on the Serenade on Sunday!

[KITKAT0229]

Thanks for the review and pictures!!! We're very anxious to start our trip tomorrow and to get on the Serenade on Sunday!

 

Have a great trip! 87 days to go for us :-p

[DramaBB82]

Thanks for the review and pictures!!! We're very anxious to start our trip tomorrow and to get on the Serenade on Sunday!

 

Hey, if Omar Mercado is still on the Activities/CD Team, tell him Amanda says hello. We'll see if he remembers me! He's great, you'll have SO much fun.

[BobbyD]

We are sailing this Sunday on the Serenade! Can't wait. I will attempt a review (my first) when I get back. Not bringing my laptop (one less thing to deal with) so I will have to take some notes!

[BroncosFan2010]

We are sailing this Sunday on the Serenade! Can't wait. I will attempt a review (my first) when I get back. Not bringing my laptop (one less thing to deal with) so I will have to take some notes!

 

I never bring my laptop, as I would rather enjoy my cruise than be online. I can be online at home all the time! Can't wait to read more Serenade reviews.

[FLOATMYBOAT01]

I'm cruising Serenade Sept. 5th. What date have you chosen?

Dennis

[Terre]

Have fun, everyone. I'll be looking for your reviews...I like to see how everyone's experiences compare. I'm hoping to get the rest of my pics uploaded today...will let you know when they're all there.

 

Have a great cruise for those of you leaving Sunday!:D

[KITKAT0229]

I'm cruising Serenade Sept. 5th. What date have you chosen?

Dennis

 

We're sailing that same week too! Come join our roll call: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1064649&highlight=

[hollon]

Could you send pictures of the ship w/ glass showing (if that's possible w/o a glare on the picture) I keep wondering if I'll like the ship because it's much smaller than the others - what is your take on this and especially the islands - never done a southern route, but want to - were you impressed - what island did you go to? Thanks - can't wait for review :)

[Terre]

Hollon,

 

Here's a shot from the elevator. The glass was all around like this so you can always see out to the water or ports. Hope this helps; it's hard to take pictures of glass without glare or reflection. Click on the picture to enlarge it and you can see how the glass goes all around. All of the elevators are glass and are on the outside wall so you can see through the windows to the ocean.

 

We have sailed on larger ships, too, but I didn't feel that the Serenade was too small. Actually, I liked the size and layout of it. The only thing I really didn't like was the layout of the shops. They were along both sides of a small passageway with a jewlery counter in the middle. It was very congested and hard to walk through when everyone was there.

 

We have done Southern routes before and this one went out of San Juan to Curacao, Dominica, Aruba, and St. Thomas.

 

We had been to all these ports except Curacao and were looking forward to it. That was the day they had torrential rains after a two-year drought! You can see some rain drops on the bus window in my photos there. It is a beautiful island. Dominica is not one of my favorites, but you should at least take a tour or an excursion while there the first time. Aruba is very beautiful and is a desert. St. Thomas has always been my favorite. It's beautiful and the water is georgeous.

 

You would enjoy the Southern itinerary. I think the islands in the Southern Caribbean are much prettier and the water has more depth to the color than the Eastern or Western routes.

 

Hope this helps with your questions. I have posted a review which is long, but hopefully answers questions most people want to know. Here's the link to that: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showt...1#post24766981

[DramaBB82]

...The only thing I really didn't like was the layout of the shops. They were along both sides of a small passageway with a jewlery counter in the middle. It was very congested and hard to walk through when everyone was there.

 

We have done Southern routes before and this one went out of San Juan to Curacao, Dominica, Aruba, and St. Thomas.

 

We had been to all these ports except Curacao and were looking forward to it. That was the day they had torrential rains after a two-year drought! You can see some rain drops on the bus window in my photos there. It is a beautiful island. Dominica is not one of my favorites, but you should at least take a tour or an excursion while there the first time. Aruba is very beautiful and is a desert. St. Thomas has always been my favorite. It's beautiful and the water is georgeous.

 

It was bad when the shows would let out, because that was when most people were shopping (the only free time was before dinner), and then all the shows people would come out and walk through and it was maddening. Luckily after about 10 minutes it got better.

 

As for the ports, I did not like Curacao at all. It was very poverty-stricken and made me sad, although the tour I was on (Beauties of Curacao) took us to some beautiful natural sites on the OTHER side of the island.

Aruba was my favorite, but I thought Dominica was breathtaking because we went on the rainforest tour and there were hummingbirds EVERYWHERE.

St. Thomas didn't impress me. The port area was great for sailboat pictures, but the town was just shopping. Or maybe I was just depressed because it was the last day of the trip....

[Terre]

Drama,

Everyone has a different opinion of the islands, that's why I tell people to go and do their own thing and form their own opinion. Actually Dominica is poverty-stricken, too. After a while they all look the same. We've always done snorkeling excursions in St. Thomas and see it from the water. It is really pretty.

 

Okay, here's a link to my completed album. Warning: it's around 200 photos. I have a hard time deciding what not to use!

[DramaBB82]

Drama,

Everyone has a different opinion of the islands, that's why I tell people to go and do their own thing and form their own opinion. Actually Dominica is poverty-stricken, too. After a while they all look the same. We've always done snorkeling excursions in St. Thomas and see it from the water. It is really pretty.

 

Okay, here's a link to my completed album. Warning: it's around 200 photos. I have a hard time deciding what not to use!

 

Yea, I know, that's why I put in my story too because I was on that same cruise and thought it would be better-rounded to add other points of view. Dominica WAS quite poverty-stricken as well, but I don't think I noticed it as much because there seemed to be more natural areas than "city" areas; whereas on Curacao I feel like all we saw were civilized areas dotted with a few picturesque photo spots.

[JenAndDan]

Yea, I know, that's why I put in my story too because I was on that same cruise and thought it would be better-rounded to add other points of view. Dominica WAS quite poverty-stricken as well, but I don't think I noticed it as much because there seemed to be more natural areas than "city" areas; whereas on Curacao I feel like all we saw were civilized areas dotted with a few picturesque photo spots.

 

 

I did a canoe trip around the coastline of curacao once and it was breathtaking. If you're ever in the port again, try to see it from another angle!

[takevtr1]

Okay, have a few more pics uploaded with more to add. Here's the album with latest additions:

 

Mitch,

 

They do not really offer a midnight buffet. On one formal night they had a buffet by the pool, but we waited in line for about 45 minutes and it was nothing special. Comparing our experiences with RCI and Carnival, the food quality, service and entertainment (especially around the ship) were very comparable. In fact, the food was better than we expected because we haven't found anyone with food as good as Carnival, but the Serendade's was. I would say they are (at least the Serenade) as comparable on everything as Carnival.

 

I will post a review in a separate thread today.

 

Terre,

Thanks for the info.

I am gonna miss that 12am buffet. Carnivla does a realy nice job on that. Love all the desserts.......

 

50 days to go....

Mitch...