RCCL - Serenade of the Seas T/A 11/27/13

[cruise pup]

Hi, Scooter from NYC. Anyone else going?

[tnt10]

Hi!

TnT from CA going as well. Appears there are several on this TA, (as usual), as evidenced by the few listed on the RCCL Meet and Mingle boards.

Should prove to be a fun trip.

[cruise pup]

Welcome! Hope to meet you on board.

[energyuk]

Hey,

I'm also booked on this now, from the UK.

[cruise pup]

Hey,

I'm also booked on this now, from the UK.

Great! I see you live in London. I lived there for a while when I was a student and also my former company has offices there. Still go back whenever possible.

[cruise pup]

Cancelled the cruise. Got a great deal on a QM2 cruise in October I couldn't resist. Have fun, guys!

[tnt10]

Sorry to see you go , Cruise Pup!

Have a great cruise on Cumard!!

 

Anyone else on the Serenade?

 

tnt

[MiamiLatins]

Two of us booked! see you onboard:cool:

[MiamiLatins]

Create a Facebook page for LGBT Royal Caribbean fans -search for group name - Royal Caribbean Gay Cruisers (LGBT)

 

:eek:

[goodclicks]

Booked today too. I'm looking for suggestions on where to stay and what to see in New Orleans. If anyone has any suggestions they will be gratefully accepted.

[goodclicks]

This thread is really quiet. If I didn't already know of so many on board I'd have been worried this was going to be a quiet cruise!

[Kurmainzer]

Hi guys, we will be on the cruise too

[goodclicks]

Welcome, guys. This thread is a little quiet however I KNOW that the cruise, and especially the Champagne Bar, won't be!

[lloydgregory]

Hi Guys,

Very Embarassed, forgot how to get onto the gay roll calls and thought that cruise critic had scrapped them. We are Steve and Dave and have been on the main roll call for some time but relieved to see that this one exists also. Craig we stayed in New Orleans last year and really enjoyed it. I do not know if it is your thing but there is a good gay venue called the Country club that if you are in New Orleans on a Sunday does a great Sunday brunch with unlimited Mimosas and entertainment. It has a pool and hot tubs also. We went and the atmosphere was very friendly and good for a chill out session. I can look up more info if you want. Look forward to meeting everyone at the Champagne bar!!!

We stayed at the Springhill suites just a couple of blocks from the terminal building easily walkable and ten to fifteen minutes pleasant stroll into the french quarter. Lovely rooms and well priced if you can get availability. A group of us stayed there and everyone was really pleased, quite a feat when there are fifteen in your party!!!!

Edited October 16, 2013 by lloydgregory

[goodclicks]

I think Serenade had her Champagne Bar replaced by Vintages in the refurb... maybe it'll be the replacement venue?

 

Hi Steve and Dave. Thanks for the New Orleans tips. I'm flying home Sunday morning so sadly will miss the Country Club Sunday Brunch. It sounded like a nice, relaxed way to pass the day. Might try Saturday the afternoon instead if I've seen what I want to of NO by then. I think I may have mucked up with the hotel - not knowing the scale of the city I chose the Four Points Sheraton French Quarter to be central, but now, reading a little more I see it's right on Bourbon Street and directly above rowdy nightlife - now I hope to be out and about a bit later myself - but I do want some sleep! I've been advised Maurigny is the better area to stay in - but I'm not sure I want a more isolated B&B when i'm there myself.

 

Is anyone else staying at the Axel in Barcelona beforehand?

 

Does anyone have any plans for the ports? I'm hoping to see Seville from Cadiz, so could be looking to tag along on a private tour if anyone has anything organised. Tenerife is a beautiful island so a tour there would be nice to refresh my childhood memories of it. Suggestions are welcome for the Bahamas too.

 

More than anything I'm just looking forward to the company and the relaxation and some sunbathing once we head a bit further south.

[tnt10]

Goodclicks,

 

We are booked at the Four Points Sheraton French Quarter also-wanted to experience the rowdiness of Bourbon street, (for one night anyway!). Have a Bourbon St balcony booked..... we shall see if that is a mistake.

We are staying at the Claris in BCN, close to some of our fav restaurants and the area is close enough, but well removed from the Ramblas hub-bub.

tnt

[goodclicks]

I have a run-of-house (gty) room at the 4 Points. I'm hoping it's a courtyard room and then I'll have the benefit of the central location but hopefully with enough quiet to be able to sleep. I'm a country boy and used to complete silence, so it may be necessary!

 

Have you heard of the Axel in Barcelona? It always surprises me how many gay guys haven't when it's the original and one of the largest gay hotels in the world. Maybe I should say "Hetero friendly" as their tagline reads. There were some delightfully confused old American pensioners checking in alongside me the last time I was there. hehe.

[lloydgregory]

Hi Craig ,

We are hoping to do our own thing in Tenerife and catch the tram from the port to the old capital inland, forgot the name of it now. Having said that we have planned to do this the last two times we have been in Tenerife and never yet succeeded. In Cadiz we are going to do the self guided walking tours of the city which are supposed to have painted lines on the pavement or some such thing so even we cannot get lost, you bet. We had a weeks holiday in Seville and it is stunning but we have not seen Cadiz so looking forward to that. We were on Serenade for her first cruise after the refit and she is stunning. They do have Vintages now instead of the Champagne bar but it is a lovely venue.

[goodclicks]

I love trams. I'll have to look into that trip. I much prefer shooting off and exploring myself. I had thought about a trip up Mount Teide again but apparently now you need to get permission for the town hall to go to the top. Time is probably too tight to do it all in a day. A trip up there provided fantastic child good memories so it would have been nice to revisit 28 years on.

 

Cadiz old town is pretty but not very big from memory. The old town is very walkable from the port. It's windy!

 

I love Celebrity's Millennium class and RCCL's Jewel class more than the larger ships. I love how they face outward to the sea, feel connected to it, rather than the Voyager's inward looking design. I'll spend hours happily staring at the ocean on your crossing, I'm sure.

 

I believe in the refit they've taken away the Sea View Cafe however. That was a favourite spot for lunch for me. It'll be interesting to see what other changes the refit has brought.

[lloydgregory]

I love trams. I'll have to look into that trip. I much prefer shooting off and exploring myself. I had thought about a trip up Mount Teide again but apparently now you need to get permission for the town hall to go to the top. Time is probably too tight to do it all in a day. A trip up there provided fantastic child good memories so it would have been nice to revisit 28 years on.

 

Cadiz old town is pretty but not very big from memory. The old town is very walkable from the port. It's windy!

 

I love Celebrity's Millennium class and RCCL's Jewel class more than the larger ships. I love how they face outward to the sea, feel connected to it, rather than the Voyager's inward looking design. I'll spend hours happily staring at the ocean on your crossing, I'm sure.

 

I believe in the refit they've taken away the Sea View Cafe however. That was a favourite spot for lunch for me. It'll be interesting to see what other changes the refit has brought.

The seaview cafe is now the Japanese restaurant, overall we did like all the new changes. The Park cafe in the Solarium is great with a good salad bar as well as paninis etc. all be it at the expense of some loungers which were always in short supply at the best of times in the Solarium. We are really looking forward to the new acrobatic shows in the centrum. When we were on they had not finished installing this on the first cruise after refit.

Like you we love the radiance class ships with so much glass and I think a more refined decor than voyager class ships.

[goodclicks]

It's gone quiet. Is everyone cruising already? Who all here is also on the Facebook page?

 

Can anyone tell me what the must-see sights are in NO? Is there something that has to be done or is it more about just being there and soaking up the unique atmosphere of the city?

[goodclicks]

LloydGregory: if you take the tram to the old capital would you object if I tagged along too? It sounds like something I'd like to do and it's not a part of Tenerife that I've seen yet, I think. Don't worry - you don't need to answer now. I'm sure we'll meet along with the other FODs. ;-)

[AtlantaCruiser72]

Howdy y'all, my good friend Mark and I will be on this cruise as well. Booked ages ago, but haven't gotten involved in roll calls at all. Hoping we have a nice evening LGBT gathering and to make some new friends. Not planning on joining any of the Cruise Critic activities this cruise, just really wanna keep it low key and meet a few nice new folks.

 

Scott and Mark

[hotdog647]

Doug from FL here. Booked as solo cruiser this morning, and plan to fly into BCN next Monday afternoon. It's a short time. Many details to handle quickly.

[MiamiLatins]

Doug from FL here. Booked as solo cruiser this morning, and plan to fly into BCN next Monday afternoon. It's a short time. Many details to handle quickly.

 

Hey Doug

 

Met you on the Oasis...with Jackie Moore. I guess she convinced you to book this one as well? LOL See you onboard!:)