Jump to content
Cruise Critic Community

Serenade - Hope we like it !!!!

Tarnished45
 Share

Recommended Posts

Tarnished45

Tarnished45

Posted
Posted

Just booked to cruise Serenade of the Seas over Christmas/New Year 2016.

 

We are 'bigger ship' people - Voyager & Freedom Class. The only smaller ship we've done is Disney Magic (about Serenade size I think ?????)

 

Has anyone who thought they were 'bigger ship' people gone down to the smaller class and loved it for any particular reasons ?:eek:

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Jimnbigd

Jimnbigd

Posted
Posted (edited)

Often the food is better on small ships -- less people to cook for. And I like the Quest Game better on smaller ships in the lounge, rather than the large ships in Studio B -- many more teams with few people on each team. Other prefer Studio B for the Quest.

Edited by Jimnbigd
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Paul65

Paul65

Posted
Posted
Just booked to cruise Serenade of the Seas over Christmas/New Year 2016.

 

We are 'bigger ship' people - Voyager & Freedom Class. The only smaller ship we've done is Disney Magic (about Serenade size I think ?????)

 

Has anyone who thought they were 'bigger ship' people gone down to the smaller class and loved it for any particular reasons ?:eek:

 

Yes. We sailed Serenade last year, on her final round-trip cruise out of New Orleans. We hadn't been on any of the monsters like Oasis class, but had cruised a couple different Voyager class ships. I thought the smaller size might be a problem and that we might miss the big Promenade in the middle, but not so much. We had a great cruise.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
SC_Floaters

SC_Floaters

Posted
Posted

Sue & I just completed the 2015/2015 Holiday's Cruise on the Serenade (Dec 23 - Jan 4) 12 Days.

 

I see the itinerary of the 2016/2016 Holidays Cruise on the Serenade (Dec 23 - Jan 2) 10 Days looks nice. Two days at sea on Christmas Eve/Day, then 5 nice ports of call, Then NYE and Day at sea.

 

You will have a great time.

 

Dennis & Sue

Link to comment
Share on other sites
travelwide

travelwide

Posted
Posted

We just got off of the 2015 Christmas/NYE cruise and had a great time. Everything was done up nicely and it was a very international guest list. There were only approx. 1,000 U.S. guests which made for an interesting cruise.

 

We have already booked the 2016 10 day cruise.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
printingchick Great Review Rare

printingchick

Posted
Posted
Just booked to cruise Serenade of the Seas over Christmas/New Year 2016.

 

We are 'bigger ship' people - Voyager & Freedom Class. The only smaller ship we've done is Disney Magic (about Serenade size I think ?????)

 

Has anyone who thought they were 'bigger ship' people gone down to the smaller class and loved it for any particular reasons ?:eek:

 

You are describing me, so I'm glad you asked!!! :D

 

In 2010, I was torn deciding between Adventure (Voyager Class) and Serenade (Radiance Class) for a planned southern Caribbean cruise out of San Juan. I'd been on Adventure previously and LOVED it. I also loved the cruise director, who was finishing out his final days on Adventure at that time. (Mike S.) But I really preferred the Serenade itinerary. I finally made the decision to choose itinerary over ship. In the long run, it's the itinerary that matters most to me.

 

I fully expected to be disappointed by the smaller ship. No Royal Promenade. No ice show. Smaller pool (not that I really SWIM in the pool.) Sigh.... But it was a port intensive itinerary, right? Maybe I wouldn't really miss those things.

 

I can now tell you, and anyone else willing to listen, that I am a SMALL ship person! I PREFERRED the Radiance Class. Why, you may ask? Oh...actually, you did ask.

 

  • Outside dining at the Windjammer. It may sound like a small thing, but for me, there is nothing like eating breakfast and sipping my morning coffee, watching the ship pull into today's port of call. LOVE IT!
  • Views. The bigger the ship, the more it draws your attention INSIDE the ship. On the smaller ships, the ocean is nearly ALWAYS visible. You never forget you're at sea, and not at a land-based resort. I LOVE THAT!
  • Events are more intimate. You don't WATCH the 70s dancers on the bridge over the Promenade, they're right there - you can JOIN the dancing! You don't WATCH the team captains playing the Quest from your seat at Studio B. You PARTICIPATE in small teams in the Safari Lounge. WAY MORE FUN!
  • The food and service is exceptional. Fewer passengers, better food, better service. People may argue, but that has been my experience.
  • Elevators. We usually book an ocean view cabin in "the basement" - meaning on Deck 2 or 3. It's cheaper and it's close to the MDR and the gangway. It is, however, far from the pool and Windjammer, so elevators are needed (or at least WANTED at our age, at least for the trip going UP). I didn't have particular issues on Voyager Class, but it was a NIGHTMARE on Freedom Class ships. Almost impossible to get an elevator. More passengers, more children, same number of lifts.
  • Fewer children. Most families opt for the larger ships because they think their kids will want the FlowRider, Ice Rink, H2O Zone, etc. (My kids actually prefer the smaller ships too, so ???) If you're traveling as adults, you'll likely have fewer kids on the small ships than you will on the larger ones.
  • The Solarium Pool. Speaking of adults, the Solarium Adult Only pool is GORGEOUS. The loungers are padded and the atmosphere so serene. LOVE IT!

 

 

I'm sure there are other things I'm forgetting, but Radiance Class is far and away my favorite. I think you'll LOVE it!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
existentialtraveler

existentialtraveler

Posted
Posted
You are describing me, so I'm glad you asked!!! :D

 

In 2010, I was torn deciding between Adventure (Voyager Class) and Serenade (Radiance Class) for a planned southern Caribbean cruise out of San Juan. I'd been on Adventure previously and LOVED it. I also loved the cruise director, who was finishing out his final days on Adventure at that time. (Mike S.) But I really preferred the Serenade itinerary. I finally made the decision to choose itinerary over ship. In the long run, it's the itinerary that matters most to me.

 

I fully expected to be disappointed by the smaller ship. No Royal Promenade. No ice show. Smaller pool (not that I really SWIM in the pool.) Sigh.... But it was a port intensive itinerary, right? Maybe I wouldn't really miss those things.

 

I can now tell you, and anyone else willing to listen, that I am a SMALL ship person! I PREFERRED the Radiance Class. Why, you may ask? Oh...actually, you did ask.

 

  • Outside dining at the Windjammer. It may sound like a small thing, but for me, there is nothing like eating breakfast and sipping my morning coffee, watching the ship pull into today's port of call. LOVE IT!
  • Views. The bigger the ship, the more it draws your attention INSIDE the ship. On the smaller ships, the ocean is nearly ALWAYS visible. You never forget you're at sea, and not at a land-based resort. I LOVE THAT!
  • Events are more intimate. You don't WATCH the 70s dancers on the bridge over the Promenade, they're right there - you can JOIN the dancing! You don't WATCH the team captains playing the Quest from your seat at Studio B. You PARTICIPATE in small teams in the Safari Lounge. WAY MORE FUN!
  • The food and service is exceptional. Fewer passengers, better food, better service. People may argue, but that has been my experience.
  • Elevators. We usually book an ocean view cabin in "the basement" - meaning on Deck 2 or 3. It's cheaper and it's close to the MDR and the gangway. It is, however, far from the pool and Windjammer, so elevators are needed (or at least WANTED at our age, at least for the trip going UP). I didn't have particular issues on Voyager Class, but it was a NIGHTMARE on Freedom Class ships. Almost impossible to get an elevator. More passengers, more children, same number of lifts.
  • Fewer children. Most families opt for the larger ships because they think their kids will want the FlowRider, Ice Rink, H2O Zone, etc. (My kids actually prefer the smaller ships too, so ???) If you're traveling as adults, you'll likely have fewer kids on the small ships than you will on the larger ones.
  • The Solarium Pool. Speaking of adults, the Solarium Adult Only pool is GORGEOUS. The loungers are padded and the atmosphere so serene. LOVE IT!

 

 

I'm sure there are other things I'm forgetting, but Radiance Class is far and away my favorite. I think you'll LOVE it!

 

Wow..these are pretty much all the reasons I prefer the "smaller" ships and avoid the mega ships...especially the open feel and the views of the ocean...that's what we cruise for!! I am on the Serenade in 8 days...

Link to comment
Share on other sites
kathy59

kathy59

Posted
Posted

Hello!

 

We have sailed on the Oasis class ships and on Jewel of the Seas. We loved the Promanade on Oasis and Allure and enjoyed all there is to see and do on these ships. On the other hand, we loved the Jewel of the Seas because of its beautiful wood decor, lots of windows/sea views and especially loved the jungle themed Solarium. We are really looking forward to sailing on the Serenade in April for a 11 day southern Caribbean cruise. We would love to hear about sight seeing excursions that everyone has taken in Aruba, Bonair, Barbados, St. Lucia, Antigua and Grenada.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
edp-70

edp-70

Posted
Posted
Just booked to cruise Serenade of the Seas over Christmas/New Year 2016.

 

I've been trying to book the same cruise today. We always book oceanview, and apparently every oceanview for 2 is sold out? What kind of stateroom did you book? Did you book through RCCL directly?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Clarea

Clarea

Posted
Posted
We will be going in February for 11 days southern caribbean, on the FOS now. Does anyone know if the adult pool is salt water? Is there a concierge lounge or just diamond lounge and specialty restaurants.

Freedom has both a CL and DL. Pools are freshwater.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Clarea

Clarea

Posted
Posted
Sorry Clarea you must have skipped over the coma. Does the Serenade have those items. I'm on the FOS now.

Serenade has both a CL and DL. I suspect the pools are saltwater, but not 100% sure.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
jdmerck

jdmerck

Posted
Posted

This ship is beautiful, just got off the holiday cruise on the Serenade Dec 23-Jan 4th had a wonderful time, BUT if you don't get your deck chair by 8am you wont get one.... hope the teenagers are not like this batch, they were horrible... it was fairly decorated was hoping for a nice big tree for a nice pic but it was in the dining room... New Years was crazy all squished in the Centrum, my room steward was super awesome, once side of the Windjammer in the morning the wait staff were straight faced and un friendly, over all great ship too many rude passengers...JMO

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing
  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • ANNOUNCEMENT: Set Sail on Sun Princess®
      • Hurricane Zone 2024
      • Cruise Insurance Q&A w/ Steve Dasseos of Tripinsurancestore.com June 2024
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Cruise Critic News & Features
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...