Our Serenade Cruise, March 15-22, 2014 out of NOLA!

[KeywestK]

Not a full blown photo review, just my thoughts on our Serenade cruise out of NOLA, March 15-22, 2014. How did this trip come about? DH mentioned to me last year that he wanted to go to NOLA (long on our list of must-see cities,) and I said that would be great as long as we add a cruise, and thus a trip is born. We arrived one day pre-cruise and stayed at the Hilton Riverfront, which I booked on Last Minute Travel. We spent the day sightseeing around NOLA using the trolley, which has a stop right at the hotel. Just as a side note, we also spent 4 days/nights post-cruise in NOLA at the Hotel Provincial in the French Quarter. NOLA is a city not to be missed, and we covered probably as much as anyone could see and do in the time we were there.

 

EMBARKATION: On Saturday morning, we walked the 2 blocks to the Julia Street Cruise Terminal, and boarded Serenade. We got to the terminal early, at 10:20, and were on the ship before 11 a.m. It was one of the fastest and easiest embarkations we’ve ever experienced.

 

THE SHIP: Beautiful, just beautiful! We are big fans of the Radiance-class ships, and Serenade was the only one we hadn’t sailed on previously, so we were excited to see her. The ship was as beautiful as I remembered her sister ships to be. The one thing that I missed, however, was the soaring centrum sculpture that was the hallmark of all the ships in that class. Due to the aerial shows, they had to be removed. The ship is in beautiful shape. There is plenty of seating in and around the Centrum, on multiple levels. We were in cabin 7092, Category E2, which is located right off the Centrum. We never had an issue with noise from the Centrum. The balcony for that cabin is larger than the typical balconies. It is pie-shaped, and there were 2 loungers, 2 regular chairs, and a small table. It was a little tight with the second lounger, but we enjoyed having it. This ship’s staff and crew are outstanding, and that was evident everywhere.

 

FOOD & DINING: We had MTD, and I pre-reserved our seating time for 6:45 each evening. Unfortunately, for the second cruise in a row, the powers that be decided to change it. The reason I was annoyed by this was because the exact same thing happened to us on our Grandeur cruise last year and I deliberately emailed the Dining department before this cruise and requested that our reservations not be changed. And they were. So much for pre-reserving times. Following a pleasant conversation with a staff member at the MTD desk, we worked out our new times, and the problem was resolved.

 

MTD now takes over the entire 5th Deck dining room. On one or two nights there were extra tables squeezed in, which made for some tight quarters, but most nights were fine. We enjoyed the menu offerings, and most meals were very good. We went to Chop’s one night, and that was, without exception, the BEST Chop’s experience we ever had. We did most lunches in the Windjammer, and also Park Café.

 

The Diamond Lounge was wonderful, and the Concierge, Rami, does an excellent job making his guests feel welcome. We went to that lounge for breakfast most mornings, where there was a buffet of fruits, yogurts, cheeses, lox, and all kinds of breads and pastries. And my husband’s favorite, the cappuccino machine. In the evening, we enjoyed the cocktails along with the hot and cold hor d’oeuvres.

 

PORTS: Jamaica—we walked around the terminal area for an hour and went back onto the ship to enjoy the pool while it was relatively empty. Grand Cayman—we took a taxi to Royal Palms Beach, where we spent several hours. There was a very small entrance fee, and a small charge for chairs/umbrellas. Cozumel—we took a taxi to Paradise Beach, which was my favorite day of the cruise. The beach is gorgeous, and we had a fabulous day. This was, without a doubt, the best deal of the cruise. There was a small entrance fee, and that included the chair and umbrella. Both beaches do request that you make a purchase at their bar/restaurant. Taxis were plentiful at both beaches, and we had no trouble getting back to the ship.

 

ENTERTAINMENT: CD John Blair and his wife Katrina did a fabulous job all week long. These folks are everywhere, and they interact and mingle with the guests all day long. I had to wonder if they ever get time off. They work hard, yet make it look effortless. John is a talented performer in his own right, and he did a one-man show on the last sea day in the afternoon. It was terrific. The headline show, Savannah Jack, was outstanding. They were, without exception, one of the best shows I’ve ever seen anywhere. While they are known as a Country group, their show covered many genres of music.

 

FINAL THOUGHTS: When we booked this cruise, it did not occur to us that we were booking the Spring Break cruise. But we did. So what did we think about cruising with so many families traveling with kids of all ages? And what did we think about all of the college spring-breakers on our sailing? We loved it! We hardly ever saw the younger children, as they were probably involved in the kid programming on the ship. And the college kids were well behaved, and in fact, we met and befriended many of them. They brought to the ship a dynamic and fun energy, and we loved it.

 

After taking so many cruises (though many of you reading this have far exceeded our number of cruises,) I was starting to feel like, hummm, cruising—same old, same old. Well, I’m here to tell you that this cruise will go down as the one that made me fall in love with cruising again.

Edited March 28, 2014 by KeywestK

[TigerCruzin]

Thanks for the review. DH and I will be on Serenade in 2016. The itinerary is different, but I enjoy reading anything I can about this ship.

[granmaj]

Thank you for your review. My DH & I plan on going in March 2015. You make it sound great. I can't wait!!!:D

[Beachin2]

Thanks for the nice review. We got off the day you got on :( but agree that the ship is in fine shape.

 

We had read how horrible NOLA was as a cruise terminal in the past but also found it to be an absolute breeze on both ends.

 

Our MTD reservations (along, we heard, with many others) was also changed without notice to fit in better with their plans. Apparently, on the Serenade the "My" in MTD refers to the staff - not to the guest.

 

The MTD Manager really has no clue......deer in the headlights.

[SRV FAN]

Thanks for the review. DH and I will be on Serenade in 2016. The itinerary is different, but I enjoy reading anything I can about this ship.

 

Ahhh! I see we'll be sailing on the same cruise in 2016! We are doing a B2B Feb 26th & Mar 7th on the Serenade! We have a corner aft cabin for both.

 

We sail on the Serenade out of NOLA Jan 2015 too!

 

Excited to read GOOD reviews of her!

 

See ya in 2016! :D

[KeywestK]

Ahhh! I see we'll be sailing on the same cruise in 2016! We are doing a B2B Feb 26th & Mar 7th on the Serenade! We have a corner aft cabin for both.

 

We sail on the Serenade out of NOLA Jan 2015 too!

 

Excited to read GOOD reviews of her!

 

See ya in 2016! :D

 

For you guys all planning to sail on Serenade out of NOLA next year, I do recommend you try to spend a few days in NOLA, if you've never been there. It is one fun city to visit, and there is so much to see and do! We had a total of 5 days there, and still didn't see everything--but we came darn close;):D

[KeywestK]

Thanks for the nice review. We got off the day you got on :( but agree that the ship is in fine shape.

 

We had read how horrible NOLA was as a cruise terminal in the past but also found it to be an absolute breeze on both ends.

 

Our MTD reservations (along, we heard, with many others) was also changed without notice to fit in better with their plans. Apparently, on the Serenade the "My" in MTD refers to the staff - not to the guest.

The MTD Manager really has no clue......deer in the headlights.

 

It was disappointing to have to deal with these issues, especially since I specifically requested for them not to change anything. That said, the person who worked with me on the ship was very helpful and made sure we were happy with our new reservations.

[SRV FAN]

For you guys all planning to sail on Serenade out of NOLA next year, I do recommend you try to spend a few days in NOLA, if you've never been there. It is one fun city to visit, and there is so much to see and do! We had a total of 5 days there, and still didn't see everything--but we came darn close;):D

 

 

Been there before.... Way before Katrina. We're going in three days early & MAY stay a few on return. Can't wait!

 

 

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[Langley Cruisers]

EMBARKATION: It was one of the fastest and easiest embarkations we’ve ever experienced.

 

The Diamond Lounge was wonderful, and the Concierge, Rami, does an excellent job making his guests feel welcome.

 

Agreed and agreed!!

 

Well, I’m here to tell you that this cruise will go down as the one that made me fall in love with cruising again.

 

Yea! Glad you enjoyed. We loved our B2B on Serenade just a few weeks prior to you.

 

.

[Darkwolfe]

Glad you guys had a better embarkation than we did. We caught the one where Serenade had some azipod trouble and literally docked at nearly 11am. In fact we were in the terminal watching her come in.

 

Still, they hustled to clear the ship and we were aboard just before one. There were a few cluster moments, but nothing anyone could really be blamed for.

 

We roamed the Quarter on foot and via the streetcars the day before. Put a few miles on our feet with the Haunted History tour as well. Made for a very fun day.

[Linnearose]

Thank you for posting this! I try to read as much about Serenade of the Seas as we're doing the same itinerary in two weeks time. Can't wait! It's our first cruise and we will stay in Nola for a couple of weeks as well (we will do a bit of driving around). Seems like a really nice city.

We live in Sweden so just going to the States is big for us:) Can't even imagine how the cruise life is going to be...!

I'm glad to read that you didn't find it "annoying" being on a spring break cruise...that's one of the thing's I've been worrying about.

[ASeaPrincess1]

Love reading the reviews of Serenade.

We are leaving in two weeks for a B2B.......Western Caribbean and Bahamas.

I am so excited to sail on a Radiance Class ship. I have been on Mariner, Vision and Monarch, so this will be a new experience.

Thanks for your review. :)

[ASeaPrincess1]

Thank you for posting this! I try to read as much about Serenade of the Seas as we're doing the same itinerary in two weeks time. Can't wait! It's our first cruise and we will stay in Nola for a couple of weeks as well (we will do a bit of driving around). Seems like a really nice city.

We live in Sweden so just going to the States is big for us:) Can't even imagine how the cruise life is going to be...!

I'm glad to read that you didn't find it "annoying" being on a spring break cruise...that's one of the thing's I've been worrying about.

 

If you are leaving April 12, come join our Roll Call.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1643506

 

Have you registered for the Meet & Mingle?

[KeywestK]

Glad you guys had a better embarkation than we did. We caught the one where Serenade had some azipod trouble and literally docked at nearly 11am. In fact we were in the terminal watching her come in.

 

Still, they hustled to clear the ship and we were aboard just before one. There were a few cluster moments, but nothing anyone could really be blamed for.

 

We roamed the Quarter on foot and via the streetcars the day before. Put a few miles on our feet with the Haunted History tour as well. Made for a very fun day.

 

Yes, I remember reading your review and the issues with the delayed arrival back into NOLA on your boarding day. In spite of those delays, it sounded like they did everything possible to get your sailing under way as quickly as possible.

 

I don't remember if you told me if you had previously been to NOLA, but if you haven't been there prior to your cruise last month, I do hope that you and Jolene will take a trip there some day to take in all the sights. It took us every bit of the 5 days we were there just to sample all the food!!! My favorites? Charbroiled oysters at Acme Oyster House and our lunch at Commander's Palace. OMGosh, both were amazing . Especially the 25 cent martinis at CP at lunch;):D

[KeywestK]

Thank you for posting this! I try to read as much about Serenade of the Seas as we're doing the same itinerary in two weeks time. Can't wait! It's our first cruise and we will stay in Nola for a couple of weeks as well (we will do a bit of driving around). Seems like a really nice city.

We live in Sweden so just going to the States is big for us:) Can't even imagine how the cruise life is going to be...!

I'm glad to read that you didn't find it "annoying" being on a spring break cruise...that's one of the thing's I've been worrying about.

 

Wow, that will be a fantastic trip for you!! I'm sure you will have a wonderful experience for your first cruise (you picked the perfect ship!) AND your time in NOLA as well!! If you want/need any recommendations, please don't hesitate to ask me.

 

Love reading the reviews of Serenade.

We are leaving in two weeks for a B2B.......Western Caribbean and Bahamas.

I am so excited to sail on a Radiance Class ship. I have been on Mariner, Vision and Monarch, so this will be a new experience.

Thanks for your review. :)

 

Ohhhhhh, you are in for a treat!! I am an unabashed Radiance-class ship fan. They have always been my favorite. I call them my "goldilocks ships." Not to small, not to large--just the right size. And they are beautiful. Probably the most beautiful in the fleet. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask!

[laseiber]

My DH and I were on the Serenade the end of Jan 2014 and for me it was one of the best cruises we have ever been on. We are diamond +. The ship is lovely, the only things we had problems with was lack of seating for the Centrum shows unless you got there at least 1/2 hour before show time, and the smoke in the casino, I even tried early in the day, but it was too bad for me, and the overflow of it coming out on deck 5 was evident while trying to sit outside watching the shows in the Centrum. We eat in MDR early seating table for 8, where there were only 4 at each night, and we tried all the speciality restaurants except the Chefs Table. Would go out of NOLA and on the Serenade again in a heart beat. Anyone planning on either going out of NOLA or sailing on the Serenade you will not be dissapointed. Thanks for your review, I liked your ideas for future shore excursions when you don't want to do the ships offerings.

[Langley Cruisers]

...and the smoke in the casino, I even tried early in the day, but it was too bad for me, and the overflow of it coming out on deck 5 was evident while trying to sit outside watching the shows in the Centrum..

 

Agree with you on this issue. They really should do something. The smoke was terrible on our recent cruise as well. I felt nauseated and had a raspy cough and by the last day, I couldn't go near the Centrum because of the smoke from the casino. I mentioned this on the electronic comment card; I think it's important enough and has gotten bad enough that Head Office needs to look into this.

[ASeaPrincess1]

Ohhhhhh, you are in for a treat!! I am an unabashed Radiance-class ship fan. They have always been my favorite. I call them my "goldilocks ships." Not to small, not to large--just the right size. And they are beautiful. Probably the most beautiful in the fleet. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask!

 

Thank you. We have a group of us going, and for 2 couples, this will be their cruise with Royal Caribbean.

I am loving all the positive comments.

Now, to go finish packing!!! :D

[KeywestK]

My DH and I were on the Serenade the end of Jan 2014 and for me it was one of the best cruises we have ever been on. We are diamond +. The ship is lovely, the only things we had problems with was lack of seating for the Centrum shows unless you got there at least 1/2 hour before show time, and the smoke in the casino, I even tried early in the day, but it was too bad for me, and the overflow of it coming out on deck 5 was evident while trying to sit outside watching the shows in the Centrum. We eat in MDR early seating table for 8, where there were only 4 at each night, and we tried all the speciality restaurants except the Chefs Table. Would go out of NOLA and on the Serenade again in a heart beat. Anyone planning on either going out of NOLA or sailing on the Serenade you will not be dissapointed. Thanks for your review, I liked your ideas for future shore excursions when you don't want to do the ships offerings.

 

When we were on Grandeur last summer, I felt there was too little seating in the Centrum, and wondered how Serenade's Centrum seating would be. I thought it was fairly adequate, with much more seating than we experienced on Grandeur. I liked how all the little clusters of chairs were arranged, and there were many seats that actually held more than one person. There was also lots of seating on the upper levels overlooking the Centrum. Given the design of the ship, the seating wasn't too much of a problem. This is clearly an example of how the larger ships' Royal Promenades would more comfortably manage large numbers of people, but, if you think about it, there is actually less seating on the RP's, but more physical space to stand. All that said, there are plusses and minuses to all designs:)

[impatientlywaiting]

We cruised out of NOLA this past Christmas. It was the best embarkation and debarkation we've ever had. We also love the "smaller" ships although we've never been on the "bigger" ships (I don't think we'd enjoy being on a ship with so many people). The funny thing about Serenade is the Windjammer being in the back of the ship. I was totally turned around for the first half of the week! :D

[KeywestK]

We cruised out of NOLA this past Christmas. It was the best embarkation and debarkation we've ever had. We also love the "smaller" ships although we've never been on the "bigger" ships (I don't think we'd enjoy being on a ship with so many people). The funny thing about Serenade is the Windjammer being in the back of the ship. I was totally turned around for the first half of the week! :D

 

I think NOLA, in general, is getting very high marks for how easy it regarding embarkation and debarkation. Baltimore was just as easy. After having quite a few difficult embarkations and debarkations, mostly in FLL, it really shows how the smaller and more well-managed terminals handle it all. IMO, I think the smaller homeports are the hidden gems of the cruise industry;):)

[Linnearose]

If you are leaving April 12, come join our Roll Call.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1643506

 

Have you registered for the Meet & Mingle?

 

 

No, haven't signed up for Meet & Mingle...to be honest I don't really know what it is, but I will check it out!

 

Thank you!

[crisndeefromde]

I so so so enjoyed this cruise...we think this was one of our best ever. We missed the meet and mingle as we were involved in doing other activities. It is hard to explain the vibe that was on this ship. John Blair and his wife Katrina...wow...I have favorite cruise directors....but this couple just had a different spin on each day and how they interacted with all of the guests from the first day. It was just amazing. The entertainment was excellent. As the poster noted Rami was excellent in the Diamond Lounge and we so enjoyed it more than the concierge lounge.

 

We booked another on the Serenade.

[teachergal29]

Thank you so much for posting this review. So happy that you had a wonderful experience overall. We will be sailing two weeks(4/12) from today doing a b2b with ASeaPrincess.:)

[KeywestK]

You are very welcome! I have no doubt that all of you who will be sailing on Serenade will have a wonderful experience. And I hope you all get to take advantage of what NOLA has to offer!