Middle Aged Drama Queen's Eastern Med Review: Serenade, Pics, Surprises & Fun!

[swwake]

I would love to hear about it, but why not post it in the port area where people looking for things to do in that area of the world can gain from your experience?

Good idea. I'll try to find some time to work on that this weekend.

[swwake]

Good idea. I'll try to find some time to work on that this weekend.

 

Here's a start: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1873612

[swwake]

Sheri - if you're interested, I have a travel blog where I am posting more about our flotilla. It includes our Athens stay, inspired by your Athens day on the cruise in this review.

 

Oh, the Places We'll Go!

 

I enjoy reading your blog daily as well. NYC sounds like a fabulous vacation!

[prekteacher]

Really enjoyed your trip report even though I just found it a year after your adventures. One day I would love to do a cruise like this. I am moving on to your Freedom review and am sure I will love it especially as its the only ship I've cruised on. Also looking forward to getting to the Allure review as my Klingons want to go on that ship. :). Continued happy travels to you and your family.

Barb

[rgkjersey]

Hi Sherri, My family (DH, DD1 (21) & DD2 (17) leave on this cruise from Barcelona on Tuesday. My DH has a "thing" about sickness - how did you manage to escape the dreaded norovirus? He is packing a veritable medicine chest just in case....Thanks!

[KansCocoa]

Hi Sherri, My family (DH, DD1 (21) & DD2 (17) leave on this cruise from Barcelona on Tuesday. My DH has a "thing" about sickness - how did you manage to escape the dreaded norovirus? He is packing a veritable medicine chest just in case....Thanks!

 

Welcome to Cruise Critic! Glad you found this review - before your own adventure!

 

As far as the norovirus, you'll be fine. The main thing is washing your hands. A lot. I also wouldn't use the handrails when we went up or down the stairs on the ship - I really tried to not touch any public places if I could help it! Using hand sanitizer gave me peace of mind, altho experts say that doesn't really help. And - taking probiotics. We took probiotics the entire time on our trip, to insure that our tummies had "good" bacteria to kill off any bad bacteria!

 

Good luck - and have fun! Relax and enjoy the adventure you're going to have!

[KansCocoa]

Sheri - if you're interested, I have a travel blog where I am posting more about our flotilla. It includes our Athens stay, inspired by your Athens day on the cruise in this review.

 

Oh, the Places We'll Go!

 

I enjoy reading your blog daily as well. NYC sounds like a fabulous vacation!

 

Your blog is fantastic - thanks for sharing! I'm glad you're enjoying my NYC adventure - it was a great trip! :)

[jagsfan]

I know it's a year old, but I'm enjoying reliving my own cruise. Great review.

[KPfromCT]

I've never had ANY desire to cruise Europe, but After reading your review I am looking at cruises for next summer. I absolutely loved your review and you have a beautiful family!!! :D

[swim13]

Sherri! I didn't realize you had a blog until I just saw this thread pop back up and I looked at your signature! So fun, glad I know you have more than just cruise reviews. Funny thing is, I am seeing more of NYC from your review than in my past 4 trips. I even only live a few hours away and have yet to see WTC, especially from the water!

 

By the way, I LOVE your reviews and you are one of the people who inspired me to write my own on my recent Allure trip! I gave you a dedication! =D Link in sig if you want to check it out, should be completely done tomorrow.

 

Anyways, hoping to read another one of your cruise reviews soon! Did I miss your Celebrity review?

[KansCocoa]

I know it's a year old, but I'm enjoying reliving my own cruise. Great review.

 

Yay - glad you're enjoying it! And thank you! It's funny - I re-read my own review every so often, and get to relive it, as well...that's the fun in reviewing a cruise; it becomes a diary of sorts...always fun! :)

 

 

I've never had ANY desire to cruise Europe, but After reading your review I am looking at cruises for next summer. I absolutely loved your review and you have a beautiful family!!! :D

 

 

That is AWESOME! I'm so glad my review has helped convince you to take the plunge and cruise Europe! I think you will have an amazing time - and be sure to come back here and write your own review so we can see for ourselves! ;) And thank you - my family is certainly crazy (like, I have NO idea where they get that from??!!), but I love 'em! Even the Klingons! ;)

[KansCocoa]

Sherri! I didn't realize you had a blog until I just saw this thread pop back up and I looked at your signature! So fun, glad I know you have more than just cruise reviews. Funny thing is, I am seeing more of NYC from your review than in my past 4 trips. I even only live a few hours away and have yet to see WTC, especially from the water!

 

By the way, I LOVE your reviews and you are one of the people who inspired me to write my own on my recent Allure trip! I gave you a dedication! =D Link in sig if you want to check it out, should be completely done tomorrow.

 

Anyways, hoping to read another one of your cruise reviews soon! Did I miss your Celebrity review?

 

Hi, Mike! Yay - I'm so glad you found my day-to-day blog, which definitely has a lot of our travel adventure stories! I'm also glad you're enjoying our NYC adventures - and that I can even bring up new stuff for a New Yorker!!! You've probably figured out that I try to get beyond a "tourist" level when we travel - and dig deeper into the food and culture of an area....hope it helps future travelers, anyway! On Facebook, I've given lots of new friends some new ideas when they travel to NYC in the future...including the Perfect Cupcake stop. ;)

 

LOVE your review! I've left a comment - your photos are AMAZING! I am humbled. I wish I could take photos like that. And your dedication? Gave me chills. Thank you SOOO much!

 

And no - you haven't missed the Celebrity review. It's coming - albeit late. I want to finish our NYC adventures on the blog - and will then write the Top Chef review. :)

[snoopygirl79]

Hi Sherri,

 

This review was FAB!! We did the same cruise in June with my parents and 4 year old twin girls and had a wonderful time!! My girls loved walking past the Royal Suite door as it was on the same deck we were on and kept wanting to go in it!! But now I can say I've seen inside thanks to your review!! It was lovely to relive our trip through your review!! However, we saw a bit more of the kids club and kids swimming pool than you did!!

 

We're planning on going on a Caribbean cruise in the summer of 2015 after a trip to Disney World hopefully and I'm thinking of trying a BIG ship after reading your review!! We did the Independence of the Seas last year and think that's a similar ship to the Freedom of the Seas and we did like it but now tempted to go bigger after your great review!!

 

Thanks for your fab reviews!!

 

SG x

[rt61]

Sherri,

 

I'm late to the party, but I just want to thank you for this wonderfully written review, which I have been reading avidly for the last few days :)

 

Lee

[KansCocoa]

Welcome, United Kingdom readers! And welcome to Cruise Critic!

 

Hi Sherri,

 

This review was FAB!! We did the same cruise in June with my parents and 4 year old twin girls and had a wonderful time!! My girls loved walking past the Royal Suite door as it was on the same deck we were on and kept wanting to go in it!! But now I can say I've seen inside thanks to your review!! It was lovely to relive our trip through your review!! However, we saw a bit more of the kids club and kids swimming pool than you did!!

 

We're planning on going on a Caribbean cruise in the summer of 2015 after a trip to Disney World hopefully and I'm thinking of trying a BIG ship after reading your review!! We did the Independence of the Seas last year and think that's a similar ship to the Freedom of the Seas and we did like it but now tempted to go bigger after your great review!!

 

Thanks for your fab reviews!!

 

SG x

 

Hee - I'm glad you got to see the Royal Suite - if only through the pics! I've been spoiled for life - that will never happen again, but it was amazing while it lasted! :)

 

I think you will love the Oasis or Allure - especially with kids. I was worried about it being "too big" - but it's pretty amazing how they designed the ship so that you don't feel lost or overwhelmed. Good luck with whatever you decide to choose! And thanks for posting - I LOVE comments! :)

 

 

 

Sherri,

 

I'm late to the party, but I just want to thank you for this wonderfully written review, which I have been reading avidly for the last few days :)

 

Lee

 

Hey - my parties are legendary for how long they last, so no worries! Thanks for reading - and posting! I appreciate it! :)

[gabook]

Regarding price drops. Check often. They can change from day to day. When I booked last year for my upcoming med. cruise I booked the cheapest inside at $1,999 per person. This past spring there were two price drops within one week. I am now in a balcony for $1,049 per person. A big change from my original booking.

Where do you check for price drops? Sorry to be so dumb to ask, but does RCI give you a better price if you're already reserved?

[lisabucsfan1]

Where do you check for price drops? Sorry to be so dumb to ask, but does RCI give you a better price if you're already reserved?

 

RCI will allow you to rebook with the lower fare, but they won't do it automatically for you... You have to be the one to check the fares and then when you see it drop, call them. I'm not sure how other travel agencies work, but I myself am booked through Costco Travel, and they too will do a rebooking, but with a $25 fee.

[lanceholt]

I don't understand how you almost got arrested if security, never mind the police, never came.

 

This is supposed to be a joke, she made it all up. Certainly not a trip review, more of a comedy routine.

[pjn]

Hi sherri!

 

I too am benefiting from your Med. blog. I can't imagine where you get the time to plan so thoroughly and then do such a fabulous job of documenting it!

I am doing a PK tour in Athens and have a few questions. I booked a minivan for 12 and filled it from our roll call. Did you pay in euros or USD? Potoula noted USD are preferred. When did you collect the money from your fellow passengers? Did each person tip the driver and/or guide separately? Did each person pay their own way into the Acropolis and museum? I know the price is not included.

 

I only booked the private guide for the Acropolis and the museum although ours is a full day tour with driver. From your experience, do you think this will be fine. Some on my tour noted they wanted some time on their own.

 

Also, do you think it wise to meet our tour group on the ship and then leave together rather than hoping everyone shows up at the pier? There are only 12 of us.

 

Thank you. I really will appreciate your answers. Hope you are well

 

Nancy

[KansCocoa]

Hi sherri!

 

I too am benefiting from your Med. blog. I can't imagine where you get the time to plan so thoroughly and then do such a fabulous job of documenting it!

I am doing a PK tour in Athens and have a few questions. I booked a minivan for 12 and filled it from our roll call.

 

1. Did you pay in euros or USD? Potoula noted USD are preferred.

 

2. When did you collect the money from your fellow passengers?

 

3. Did each person tip the driver and/or guide separately?

 

4. Did each person pay their own way into the Acropolis and museum? I know the price is not included.

 

5. I only booked the private guide for the Acropolis and the museum although ours is a full day tour with driver. From your experience, do you think this will be fine? Some on my tour noted they wanted some time on their own.

 

6. Also, do you think it wise to meet our tour group on the ship and then leave together rather than hoping everyone shows up at the pier? There are only 12 of us.

 

Thank you. I really will appreciate your answers. Hope you are well

 

Nancy

 

Hi, Nancy! I'll see if I can answer your questions:

 

1. We paid in USD.

 

2. Everyone sent me a check before the cruise, via my address I provided them in an email. I then collected the money and put it in an envelope for the driver.

 

3. Each couple/person tipped the driver on their own after the tour.

 

4. At the time of our tour, our tour did include the cost of the Acropolis & museum, so our guide got our tickets for us.

 

5. I think you'll be fine. Our guide accompanied us the whole day, altho she would "send us off on our own" every so often. For example, she directed us to a restaurant, but we had time after lunch that we could all go shopping for a bit before we met back up for the rest of the tour. She was on the van with the driver the entire time.

 

6. We met on the ship, at a central meeting point, and then walked off together. I think that's the best option, rather than trying to meet off the pier. Outside, on the pier, it can be VERY hectic, with other tour operators, taxis, etc, all vying to get passengers' attention. It will be less chaotic & confusing to meet on the ship - i.e., by Guest Services or something - than trying to meet on the pier.

 

Hope that all helps! Have a great time!

 

And yes, I'm doing better - but still experiencing some complications from my sinus surgery. Long story - but my blog has been chronicling it. Gah.

 

Sherri

Edited September 2, 2013 by KansCocoa

[pjn]

Hi Sherri,

 

Thank you so much for your quick reply and for answering all my questions. You are so helpful!!

 

I also enjoy your NYC blog. I have been going there for 20 years to visit my sons who live in NYC. I must admit, I have not done nearly as much as you did in your one vacation there. I will now be incorporating your tours in my visits there : ))

 

Nancy

[bokolo]

Loved Loved Loved your review!! Thank you so much for your sharing your trip and your wonderful family with us! Sounds like an absolutely amazing adventure...one I would love to take with my family some day:)

[retiring soon]

HI all!

 

Sorry to interrupt but Sherri did you ever write a review of your chef cruise? I've been following your blog & didn't notice it there.

 

Heading out on Allure in November so will be reading your solo adventure again as I'm going solo too.

 

~ Jo ~ :)

[Kreuzfahrtneuling]

Come on Sherri,

 

We're all waiting for the Chef Cruise review!

 

Please, please, pretty please?

 

oh and I'm almost finished with our Serenade review as well, you're more than welcome to check it out! ...maybe as a distraction while you busily write the Chef cruise review:D?

 

Hope your health is getting back to normal! Rough times for you there for quite a while!

 

Stef

[toosday]

:Where did you go on this cruise I missed a thread. I have been looking for pictures of this suite forever. We are taking the Serenade in oct 14 from Rome and have been wondering what it really looked like thanks so much!!

 

Looking from the main living area into the bedroom...

 

 

The bedroom....

 

 

Another view of the bedroom....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The vanity area...kinda' tucked back away from everything, it was my little hidey-hole...