Back to RCL after 9 years and have some questions

[BethersD]

We've just booked the Serenade for 7 days next July on an Inside Passage Itinerary and are very excited. DH and I cruised on her sister ship the Jewel in 2011, but this will be the first time our kids (they'll be 11 & 8 ) and my Mom have cruised on RCL (our kids are seasoned Carnival cruisers) and our first time to Alaska. 

 

Though our cruise is 349 days away, I have a couple questions to start as I would imagine things have changed in 9 years.

 

1. Are our room keys delivered to the room or do we receive them at check in? Carnival has streamlined their embarkation process, as their sign and sail cards are left in your cabin mailbox once the staterooms are available. We were bigs fans of this new check in process as we were on the ship in 15 minutes from the time we arrived at the terminal in Miami when we cruised in March.

 

2. Has anyone had experience with Adventure Ocean? Our boys loved Camp Ocean on Carnival, and hated the kids club on MSC... MSC was more video games and an MSC branded tv production, whereas as Carnival had activities, experiments, games, etc.

 

3. Formal (elegant) Nights? Are they still a thing? Carnival has them and DH manages without a jacket and tie, but since we're going to Alaska, I'm wondering if it's less formal and kind of hoping since our warmer gear will probably take up more room than our Caribbean gear.

 

I think that's it for now, though since our cruise is so far away I'm sure I'll come up with more questions in the interim 🙂

 

Thanks.

 

 

 

 

 

[Clarea]

Royal still has formal nights on some ships as of right now, but who knows what it will be next July.

[SuiteLady]

Your room keys are in your room mailbox, also! 

Formal nights still happen, but has relaxed greatly!!  Some still dress to the 9's, and my last cruise I actually saw jeans on formal night!  Most were dressed nice, however very few tuxes, suits- rather collared polo shirts or dress shirts without ties. 

[vickiw0318]

Your husband should be fine on formal nights.  My personal guideline (since the days of limits on luggage on airlines) is to dress respectfully so as not detract from anyone else's formal experience, but not to pack cocktail type outfits that I used to take.

[blackshirt]

55 minutes ago, SuiteLady said:

Your room keys are in your room mailbox, also! 

 

That’s not all ships yet. I don’t believe Serenade is doing that yet.

[Clarea]

4 minutes ago, blackshirt said:

That’s not all ships yet. I don’t believe Serenade is doing that yet.

 

Might also depend on the port.

[BethersD]

20 minutes ago, blackshirt said:

That’s not all ships yet. I don’t believe Serenade is doing that yet.

 

1 hour ago, SuiteLady said:

Your room keys are in your room mailbox, also! 

Formal nights still happen, but has relaxed greatly!!  Some still dress to the 9's, and my last cruise I actually saw jeans on formal night!  Most were dressed nice, however very few tuxes, suits- rather collared polo shirts or dress shirts without ties. 

 

Hopefully in a year the Serenade will be doing it. We were skeptical of it when we read it about it for our last Carnival cruise, but it makes check in at the terminal so much easier!

 

Good to know if my DH doesn't want to take a suit for formal nights, he doesn't have too, and will be fine with pants and a dress shirt.