How does Royal Caribbean's Navigator of the Seas compare Serenade of the Seas?

[Rubeng724]

Hello! We recently sailed on the Navigator of the Seas and we loved it! We got an excellent deal for a family of 8 this December (12/15/13) and we definitely want to go on another one again! The problem is that if we want to go again next December, we would have to visit the same ports as we did this year (Roatan,Honduras; Belize City,Belize; & Cozumel,Mexico). Because of this, I searched and found an even lower rate for a cruise that departs from New Orleans on the Serenade of the Seas. It's seven nights and it visits Key West, Cococay, & Nassau. The only problem that I found was that the ship is much smaller than the Navigator of the Seas, so I'm afraid we won't enjoy our cruise much as we did on the Navigator.

 

So... On which one should I go? Is the Serenade of the Seas bad compared to the Navigator of the Seas?

 

Thanks!

 

*** Sorry! The title should be... "How does Royal Caribbean's Navigator of the Seas compare to the Serenade of the Seas?"

Edited December 26, 2013 by Rubeng724
Sorry! The title should be... "How does Royal Caribbean's Navigator of the Seas compare to the Serenade of the Seas?"

[big al]

Hello! We recently sailed on the Navigator of the Seas and we loved it! We got an excellent deal for a family of 8 this December (12/15/13) and we definitely want to go on another one again! The problem is that if we want to go again next December, we would have to visit the same ports as we did this year (Roatan,Honduras; Belize City,Belize; & Cozumel,Mexico). Because of this, I searched and found an even lower rate for a cruise that departs from New Orleans on the Serenade of the Seas. It's seven nights and it visits Key West, Cococay, & Nassau. The only problem that I found was that the ship is much smaller than the Navigator of the Seas, so I'm afraid we won't enjoy our cruise much as we did on the Navigator.

 

So... On which one should I go? Is the Serenade of the Seas bad compared to the Navigator of the Seas?

 

Thanks!

 

*** Sorry! The title should be... "How does Royal Caribbean's Navigator of the Seas compare to the Serenade of the Seas?"

 

I have cruised the Navigator twice, Serenade once..you are correct, the NOS at 140,000 tons is much bigger than the Serenade at 91,000 tons..Radiance class ships ( Serenade) have alot of glass and are very cozy..very beautiful ships...BUT..they do not have many of the perqs the Voyager class ships have like the Royal Promenade ( deck 5) with all the shops, bars, etc..We LOVE the Royal Promenade..also, the ice-skating rink ( called Studio B) has terrific shows done by former professional skaters from Canada, Russia, Britain, and America- don't miss if you go...everything on the NOS is bigger..the 3 tiered dining room, the cabins are all bigger...if you are concerned about being bored or like activities, I would do the NOS..I 'm not crazy about doing Key West, Coco Cay & Nassau-not nearly as exciting as the NOS ports of call...plus, you can always do different excursions/ activities at the same ports you went to last year..we've been on 29 cruises, and we never get tired of St. Maarten ( 7x), St.Thomas ( 7x) or Cozumel ( 8x)...if you prefer smaller ships, less crowds, and have never been to those 3 ports, try the Serenade..if you would like ideas on what to do in Belize or Cozumel, let me know...been to both alot...also read reviews on all ports of call before you decide...

 

Big Al

[Keith1010]

Welcome to Crise Critic.

 

You will get a lot more input if you post this on the RCI Board.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=83

 

Keith

[KirkNC]

Welcome to Cruise Critic!

[cb at sea]

While a Radiance class ship is smaller, it's still a pretty damn big ship! No worries about the size!

 

I didn't use the Royal Promenade on the Voyager class ships very much, but I did enjoy the open adult Solarium. On Radiance Class ships, the Solarium is enclosed (well, it has a "retractable" roof that they never open!), so you can't tan in there. But, I loved the outdoor seating in the WJ....I wish Voyager class had that option!

 

Overall, I prefer the Voyager class because of the Solarium, but if that's not a priority, you will enjoy Seranade!

[Rubeng724]

Thanks Everyone!

 

I guess I'm going to stick to the Serenade of the Seas. I wasn't a big fan of the Royal Promenade, so I guess a ship without it won't be a problem. I also want to try new ports and save the $.

 

Thanks Again! :)