Never again on RCI - Serenade Mini Review

[woodz]

We love the Radiance, having been on her 3 times. She is beautiful and elegant. Loved the pool tables and since we have a pool and all the sunshine anyone could possibly want here in AZ I don't care about the pool size, railing or deck space. I love the card room, afternoon tea, sushi in the evening in the buffet, the soft lights in the buffet in the evening sneaking in a dessert before heading off to dinner in the dining room, the seaview cafe, oh I could go on and on. The solarium pool was great - no kids and we used the tables to play cards. Sorry you didn't like her. We have cruised HAL and it is very different. Going to the movies was the highlight of the day. It has a slower pace about it and we enjoyed it also.

[RED318is]

Overall, RCI had better turn it up a notch in ship design and food service....or they will find themselves in a "no-man's land" between lower end products like Carnival and better products such as Princess, HAL and Celebrity.

 

 

Isn't that exactly where RCCL wants to be? It is certainly what their price point would suggest.

[parrotthead]

I agree it is what you make of it...I think if the OP really wanted to give a review that it should have been done before so much time elasped...too late to make any impression on me. JMO.:)

As for me...:cool:

I will be on the Serenade this July..I have to say I can't wait to eat the 'tasteless slop' in the main dining room...swim in the 'small pools'... and enjoy the 'inferior cabins'...I'll be in Alaska and having a great time!!!!!:D :D

OP...have agreat time on HAL

[surfklutz]

I don't pay attention to reviews that offer no sense of balance. When all a preson can do is tell all the negatives then I ignore it. I hope that he is happier on HAL. Also to the OP, RCI is a mass market line and are not considered premium.

 

Are you kidding - I thought this was one of the most balanced reviews I have ever read. Doyou prefer one that is completely glowing without any useful information in it? Go back and read his review - he gave kudos where they belongs and constructive criticism when he felt there was a problem. Give the guy a break - it was a good review.

[surfklutz]

I agree with Gordon and Pbhunt. Really, it is not a balanced or interesting review. It is, also, a boring rant. Kind of makes me wonder why the OP bothered to post it. Yawn.

 

jc

 

So it seems unless it is a glowing, syrupy, peaches and cream review then it is a boring rant?

[CruiserTK]

And, nobody can argue with me that the Radiance class main pool is smaller and far more cramped than on other RCI ships or that the Solarium is poorly designed. End of story.

 

You make an assumption when you state that "nobody can argue with [you]". You are simply stating your opinion, and cannot assume that everyone agrees with you. I beg to differ with your perception of the Solarium design. Many people love the solariums of the Radiance class ships. I find them to be very peaceful and beautiful. They are far from being poorly designed. In fact, I believe that Cruise Critic rated them as one of the most beautiful solariums at sea.

[Cruising89143]

Are you kidding - I thought this was one of the most balanced reviews I have ever read. Doyou prefer one that is completely glowing without any useful information in it? Go back and read his review - he gave kudos where they belongs and constructive criticism when he felt there was a problem. Give the guy a break - it was a good review.

 

You have your opinion and I have mine. Happy cruising.

[sandbag7]

It was a good review; however I find the OP's upbeat assessment of the nightmarish art sales truly disturbing; if you get a Miro, rest assured it's an inferior piece; the auctioneers if questioned, will admit as much. The only people who buy and sell this "art" are other cruisers. Stay away from it!

[corstr]

If you have cruised HAL and RCI then I'd appreciate your objective comparison of the experience. If anyone here honestly thinks the Radiance class pool and solarium are superior to Vision class I would seriously question your judgment. Vision of the Seas was the best cruise I've been on to date. It was incredible. But to think Radiance is billed as a tremendous improvement is a joke.

 

RCI is good for what it is. Lots of bingo, plenty of lounges pushing drinks and photo hounds. Have your fun. I'm trying something different. If HAL is inferior I will come back to this board and eat crowe. If not, I will post the facts.

[rubrrick]

After 12 RCI cruises in the past 5 years, I can attest that the food is exactly the same fleetwide. Meaning, when they implemented the new lunch menus (instead of different lunch menus for each day of the week, they now have the same lunch menu in the dining room for every day, with a 'special' and 'made to order pasta in addition), then they implemented that fleetwide.

 

They occasionally make changes to the menu, but again, fleetwide.

 

So I know: First night, I'll be having the Tuscan Tomato Soup, the Spinach Salad with Pine Nuts, and the Chicken.

 

Travelgrrl.........The menus may be the same, but the food is not!!

One of our best cruises was on the Legend last May, with Neil Sharer as the executive chef. The food was fantastic. Neil was hired away to a premium hotel. RCCl lost a great chef.

 

We experienced another incredible meal on the Monarch just last week. I will dig up the name of the chef........he is doing a wonderful job, and I truly believe that RCCL is trying hard to upgrade the taste, because the food menu is already there.

 

Rick

[ilionite65]

You have posted your review, albeit a bit late, and it has been read. Some have agreed with you, some have disagreed, as is their option. You are now at the point of just repeating yourself and being insulting to those who don't see things your way, beating a dead horse. GO, enjoy HAL. BYE

[bettylou5]

Wow! I guess I'm glad to be a simpleminded, easily pleased person. I just sailed on one of the Radiance class ships and I thought it was great! But, it seems that gorgeous surroundings, friendly, attentive wait staff, a comfortable bed and the best stateroom attendant in the world just don't cut the mustard with some folks. Not to mention food that I certainly don't get to eat on a regular basis.

Oh well, color me happy! (Relaxed and tanned.....)

[sandbag7]

If an Indian sailed on HAL his name would probably be "Dancing with Walkers." The food IS better however. Did you really pay $3,000 pp? You could have sailed on a Seabourn or Silverseas for that!

[sandbag7]

If you must rave about a comfortable bed while on a cruise, please go out and buy a new bed for yourself before your next cruise. Being comfortable once a year is not a bargain.

[AAAAmerican]

First hope youall had a great American PI Day yesterday: 03.14

 

Holland American once you try it on A VISTA Class ship you may be very very satisfied.

 

Even now where Cruising started in America band it was by Holland American too is now back to NYC .

 

The New Noordam (IV) left on its Virgin Voyage 02/22/2006 President General Geaorge Washingtons Birthday.

 

One word describes it.

 

Phenominal.:eek:

 

We are going back on it the 25th coming up too.

 

Try it and see then you can say and see.:D

 

 

 

Regards.

 

AAAAmerican.Com :cool:

 

 

If you have cruised HAL and RCI then I'd appreciate your objective comparison of the experience. If anyone here honestly thinks the Radiance class pool and solarium are superior to Vision class I would seriously question your judgment. Vision of the Seas was the best cruise I've been on to date. It was incredible. But to think Radiance is billed as a tremendous improvement is a joke.

 

RCI is good for what it is. Lots of bingo, plenty of lounges pushing drinks and photo hounds. Have your fun. I'm trying something different. If HAL is inferior I will come back to this board and eat crowe. If not, I will post the facts.

[AAAAmerican]

First hope youall had a great American PI Day yesterday: 03.14

 

Holland American once you try it on A VISTA Class ship you may be very very satisfied.

 

Even now where Cruising started in America band it was by Holland American too is now back to NYC .

 

The New Noordam (IV) left NYC the Hudson River on its Virgin Voyage 02/22/2006 President General George Washingtons Birthday.

 

One word describes it.

 

Phenominal.:eek:

 

We are going back on it the 25th coming up too.

 

Try it and see then you can say and see.:D

 

 

 

Regards.

 

AAAAmerican.Com :cool:

 

 

If you have cruised HAL and RCI then I'd appreciate your objective comparison of the experience. If anyone here honestly thinks the Radiance class pool and solarium are superior to Vision class I would seriously question your judgment. Vision of the Seas was the best cruise I've been on to date. It was incredible. But to think Radiance is billed as a tremendous improvement is a joke.

 

RCI is good for what it is. Lots of bingo, plenty of lounges pushing drinks and photo hounds. Have your fun. I'm trying something different. If HAL is inferior I will come back to this board and eat crowe. If not, I will post the facts.

[Coralc]

OP might have paid that for a JS. We are paying about 1400 p/p for an E-1 and 11 nights.:D

[VikingRob]

If any one bought a cruise on RCI as a Premium cruising experience, they did not do their homework. RCI should be compared to Princess (with perhaps RCI having a bit more family demographics). Celebrity & HAL are more comparable together for the next level up. RCI does just fine for what it is, a mainstream family line.

[TahoeBob]

and could have eaten better out of frozen dinner trays at home.

swansons, hungry man, stoffers....

any one who compairs Cruise line food to the above is a little off

[sandbag7]

swansons, hungry man, stoffers....

any one who compairs Cruise line food to the above is a little off

 

I dunno TB, Trade Joes makes some purty good frozen dinners. Try the Chicken Biryani.

[bettylou5]

If you must rave about a comfortable bed while on a cruise, please go out and buy a new bed for yourself before your next cruise. Being comfortable once a year is not a bargain.

 

I think you must be speaking to me, yes? Mentioning a comfy bed, along with all of the other great things that made our Radiance class ship a wonderful experience was just that...a mention. However I could rave about a lot of things that I felt blessed to be able to experience on our trip. At home we have one of those silly old sleep number beds...the adjustable type that Paul Harvey likes to talk about. It's wonderful too.

Perhaps I feel that some folks don't see anything as a blessing that they are privileged to enjoy. In fact, it seems that some are only really happy making sure that everyone around them knows how unhappy they are...with everything. :cool:

[sandbag7]

Just remember what Paul Harvey said: "Brats, Cheese and Beer don't make a Life".

[breal6]

Sorry but if you really read the op's review you would know he's full of hoooey. there is NO ice skating rink or mall on the serenade. they are on the voyager class ships.

 

As for me i personally love the solarium on the Radiance class ships, and dislike the gymnasium like noise of the solarium on the vision class. All those plants serve a purpose.

[The Big Booper]

The OP has forgotten that a significant portion of the population has been traumatized about overexposure to the sunlight, skin cancer and all that. So the the Radiance type Solariums with the trees blocking the direct sunlight and also absorbing the harsh reverbs of the noises bouncing off the paving stones, walls and glass ceiling make for a blissful, quiet experience. With the recorded crickets, birds, etc. in the background.

 

Most professional reviews of the HAL Vista ships have stated that HAL tries to please it's traditional older crowd and attract new younger cruisers and that the clash of the two approaches makes for a stylistic hodge-podge. Even Cruise Travel Magazine, which usually loves every ship it reviews, had a complaint about this point. Joe Farcus Vegas-s-s-y extravaganzas don't mix with traditional HAL old time elegance in the same vessel (which is different than Celebrity's too-precious ultra modernism.)

[Mlkkc]

Ahh give the OP a break just an opinion about RCCL instead of Carnival,don't let this kinda talk destroy any vacations.I have enjoyed both RCCL and Carnival and really don't know what class Granduer is in but loved her and plan on enjoying my cruise this fall on Serenade.See my philosophy is to go with a good healthy attitude and not to let anyone rain on my parade because I'll hang the sign out my I'm on vacation.Disturb at your own risk!I guess that why these boards are named cruise critic's.