Serenade Multi Glacier May 1 - 8, 2022 RECAP

[Biker19]

4 minutes ago, Mrs.Dukes said:

Biker19, I was referring to the cruise on Quantum that he said he was on now.

Sorry, that was no obvious - just clarifying.

[twangster]

51 minutes ago, barbienj said:

Thank you for the wonderful post and photos. I am on the Serenade in August. We are taking the bus from Seattle to Vancouver so I appreciate you sharing your experience.

 

So I'll ask the question. Were there any/many covid cases/quarantining on board that you know of? My biggest fear is being stuck in a small room and not being able to enjoy my aft balcony...  Was the ship at capacity?

None that I know of.  

[watertraveler]

Twangster ~  Thank you so much for you detailed report. One question - we are on the 6/19 sailing and I noticed that you went to Ketchikan. Our itinerary includes Haines.  Was there a change or was that included from the beginning?

[Jimbo]

9 hours ago, ONECRUISER said:

Kool, this is my B5B Cabin this Fall. Love my Corner/Afts!

You have that cabin for 5 straight sailings?

[luvcruzing]

On 5/9/2022 at 2:58 PM, Kellie in Texas said:

I have questions about the ArriveCAN app.  As I understand it, you can't start filling out the information on a computer and then finish on the app on your phone, is that correct?  

I don’t know, but I know that you can start filling out the information on your phone and finish on your computer.  I was having trouble completing the info on the app (it wouldn’t let me check the little box next to my name - it was ghosted out), so I called the Help number, and the person told me that it might be the app and to do it on my computer.  The next day when I logged into my computer and put in my password for ArriveCAN, all my information that I had entered the day before was there. Maybe you could do a test run.  

[ONECRUISER]

2 hours ago, Jimbo said:

You have that cabin for 5 straight sailings?

Yes I am!

[Jimbo]

27 minutes ago, ONECRUISER said:

Yes I am!

You must have an insider at Royal that helped you book those cabins before they became available to the public to get all 5 sailings in a row. You would have thought you would have lost 2 out of the 5 just booking the cruises.

 

BTW: you surely  are going to get your exercise for those 5.

Edited May 11, 2022 by Jimbo

[ONECRUISER]

1 minute ago, Jimbo said:

You must have an insider at Royal that helped you book those cabins before they became available to the public to get all 5 sailings in a row. You would have thought you would have lost 2 out of the 5 just booking the cruises.

Booked Fast online, usually watching, waiting sleepless nites and within first minutes Dates Released. Done this for 13yrs now and really get lucky when they post in middle night, not as many others doing same. Also was easier few yrs ago when could Hold multiple Cabin's w/o $$$ down. Until this yr it's been 20+ since did Cruise shorter then 10nites and as a B2B or longer. When have missed out on my usual Cabin, about 1/3 time, settled with Cabin 8168. 

[Jimbo]

8 hours ago, ONECRUISER said:

Booked Fast online, usually watching, waiting sleepless nites and within first minutes Dates Released. Done this for 13yrs now and really get lucky when they post in middle night, not as many others doing same. Also was easier few yrs ago when could Hold multiple Cabin's w/o $$$ down. Until this yr it's been 20+ since did Cruise shorter then 10nites and as a B2B or longer. When have missed out on my usual Cabin, about 1/3 time, settled with Cabin 8168. 

About a year or 2 ago, the travel agent I book through made their web site so you can put holds on cabins without any money down. Works great, the hold are for 10 days too, so plenty of time to get a hold of my agent when either booking a cabin we like or making cabin /category changes if need be.

[Hummingbird33]

19 hours ago, watertraveler said:

Twangster ~  Thank you so much for you detailed report. One question - we are on the 6/19 sailing and I noticed that you went to Ketchikan. Our itinerary includes Haines.  Was there a change or was that included from the beginning?

 

I'm also on the 6/19 sailing.  Serenade has quite a few varied itineraries this summer with different ports and glaciers.  I had a hard time choosing but landed on 6/19 that goes to Tracy Arm and Endicott Arm.

[twangster]

19 hours ago, watertraveler said:

Twangster ~  Thank you so much for you detailed report. One question - we are on the 6/19 sailing and I noticed that you went to Ketchikan. Our itinerary includes Haines.  Was there a change or was that included from the beginning?

 

There are a lot of cruise lines each with multiple ships so they are all competing for the same ports.  It's not unusual for some ships to have some variety in the itineraries they offer.

[ONECRUISER]

3 hours ago, Jimbo said:

About a year or 2 ago, the travel agent I book through made their web site so you can put holds on cabins without any money down. Works great, the hold are for 10 days too, so plenty of time to get a hold of my agent when either booking a cabin we like or making cabin /category changes if need be.

Yeah even when I couldnt hold one Prime Cabins miss when at min could put Deposit down and was 100% refundable. This also made easier lining up my B4Bs, hate to change Cabin's. Havent used TA in 25+yrs, for 5+ had same Royal PVP  and when able Hold Cabins on Royal Site after hours I'd grab better Cabin then email the PVP to change existing Booking from original Cabin. He was handy for many price reductions just email him. One Cruise few yrs ago had 9 reductions alone, just quik email beats all calls have to make to Royal now.

Edited May 11, 2022 by ONECRUISER

[ONECRUISER]

7 hours ago, twangster said:

 

There are a lot of cruise lines each with multiple ships so they are all competing for the same ports.  It's not unusual for some ships to have some variety in the itineraries they offer.

In the past happened to me in Caribbean when Royal Ship I was on would get Bumped, this as we were already heading to that Island. Decades ago some Caribbean Ports were first come first serve, those Ships arriving late had Tender in, though most Ports I went to in 80-90's had no Piers anyway. At time most Royal Ships also carried own Tenders inc on my first time on then new Voyager and Explorer. Along with obvious Labadee, Coco Cay and Grand Cayman we also used them for St Thomas and St Maarten with stops in PR and Nassau only ones we didnt need these Tenders...

[latebuyer]

Thanks for taking the time to post your photos. I didn’t know if i’d want to go to tracy arm but it looks lovely. I’ve been to alaska in the fall but is the spring snowier? It would be nice to see a different view.

[TPCRUISER2]

Twangster: Thanks again for a wonderful review! And sharing your Awesome photos!

[erinsmom03]

@twangster Thank you so much for your excellent review! As always, your pictures and videos are incredible!

 

We will be doing this exact same itinerary with a group of 9 spread across 4 cabins. One cabin has 2 large windows at the front of the ship, and the other 3 are across deck 9 aft. I have the same cabin you were in, 9256. I am really looking forward to that aft view! Thanks for getting us a new tv, too 😉.

 

We are actually flying in to Seattle and plan to take the Amtrak bus/train back and forth to Vancouver. After reading your review, I am glad we decided to go this route. Thanks for the glimpse of taking the bus back to Vancouver. 

 

Two questions for you... how did you book your Blackbird Hovercraft excursion? Was it through the ship, or independently? Also, was entertainment and venue offerings at 100% on Serenade?

 

Thanks again for your wonderful review!