Just back from the Serenade of the Seas!

[ohhbother]

Hi all.

I just got home from our cruise aboard RCCL's Serenade of the Seas. The trip was absolutely wonderful and exceeded my expectations in every way.

We were especially happy because we were supposed to be on the Island Princess this week but had to move our trip at the last minute because of medical reasons. So we avoided all the virus stuff -- although our ship broke out the hand sanitizer after we were in port with the Island Princess in Skagway.

Here are a few highlights. The weather was wonderful. It barely rained at all -- just some light drizzle at Hubbard Glacier and a brief drizzle as we were leaving Ketchikan. It was 70 and sunny in Juneau.

For excursions, we did the White Pass train, Ketchikan by horse-drawn trolley, the Eagle Preserve by Jet Boat and whale watching with Capt. Larry. Hands down, the eagle preserve trip was the best. We saw tons of eagles and a moose, and the scenery was incredible.

I was not overly impressed with Capt. Larry's outfit. We ended up on the Orca Express, which had engine problems about halfway through our trip. We then all got very sleepy, and the carbon monoxide detector started going crazy. This was not a good experience, trapped on a small boat filled with dangerous fumes a long way from land. The engine problem was finally resolved to the point that we got back to land, but we only saw two whales -- and not for very long. No one apologized or offered us any sort of refund. Plus, the "tour guide" was about 18 and knew less about whales than I do. All in all -- a big disappointment.

This was our first time cruising with RCCL. We found the ship to be very nice and the food OK to good. Our balcony stateroom was very nice, and I can't imagine doing an Alaska cruise without a balcony. The scenery changes so quickly that you need a constant window to the world.

Our only other cruise experiences have been with Disney (six times), and we found the staff/service to be much better on Disney. In particular, Disney does a better job of getting you hooked up with your excursions in port. On RCCL, it was every man for himself. This led to a lot of confused people wandering around.

With all that said, though, the trip was outstanding. The scenery is truly unbelievable. Misty Fjords, in particular, was mind-blowing. The stillness of such a vast place was amazing. When we saw two brown bears in a meadow, it was almost sensory overload.

We'll definitely go back to Alaska soon. I'll be glad to answer any questions anyone may have.

Amy

[alpal1993]

Thanks Amy I so like to hear positives vs negativity.We are leaving in 12 days for land tour and cruise on The Beautiful Summit.Can't wait.

[enyaw]

Amy:

Thanks for the information! I'll be on the Radiance of the Seas in just a few weeks! I do have a few questions, though.

1. Did you pack any shorts...or tons of sweaters and pants? I'm not quite sure what to do...everyone says dress in layers...but the airlines have a 50lb. weight restriction!

2. How many "younger" people on board? Was the nightclub hopping...or was it a much older crowd?

3. Did anyone use the outdoor pool...was it even full of water? Just a curious question!

4. Is it possible to still have fun...not do an "excursion" and still walk around town in the ports of call...or will I be pretty bored real quickly?!

Thanks for answering my questions!

Nordic Empress---5/90, 6/91
Majesty of the Seas---4/92
Sovereign of the Seas---12/93
Nordic Empress---4/94,12/94, 5/95,
Sovereign of the Seas---8/98
Monarch of the Seas---9/02
Majesty of the Seas---1/03
Vision of the Seas----4/03
Voyager of the Seas---9/03
Monarch of the Seas--12/03
Dawn Princess--------5/04

[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=e9967a&cdt=2004;6;18;18;00;00&timezone=GMT-0800[/img] Until the Pride of Aloha


[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=008000&cdt=2004;6;26;17;00;00&timezone=GMT-0800[/img] Until the Radiance in Alaska


[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=006400&cdt=2004;9;26;17;00;00&timezone=GMT-0500[/img] Until the Explorer.....

[waitingfornextcruise]

Thanks for your notes. I have just a few questions as we will be on the Serenade on July 18th.

Which nights were formal nights?

Did you try either of the specialty restaurants?

Where was your cabin?

How was the entertainment?

What would you suggest instead of Captain Larry? We have reservations with them also.

I'm sure I'll think of more questions if you don't mind.

Thanks

[ohhbother]

Hi everyone.

I'll try to answer your questions.

1. Packing. We didn't take any shorts and didn't need them. We also didn't need the sweaters we took. We were most comfortable in T-shirts, sweatshirts, windbreakers, jeans, etc. I only took two T-shirts and wished I had taken more. We did use our heavy coats and gloves at Hubbard Glacier and on the eagle preserve trip. Otherwise, it was just a light jacket or shirt sleeves.

2. Age Mix. There were very few children, lots of people in their 40s and 50s and lots of older folks. My husband and I are in our early 30s and were among the younger people on ship. We didn't ever go to the Vortex disco, but the Safari Club always had a good crowd.

3) Outdoor Pool. A few people did brave the outdoor pool, which was heated. But the pool in the Solarium was just heavenly. No matter the outdoor temperature, it was always sunny and warm in there. And it was never crowded.

4) Excursions. We did at least one excursion in each port. I don't think it's necessary to do a ship-based excursion, but I highly recommend getting beyond the immediate "town" area. The prettiest area we saw was when we took a ferry from Skagway over to Haines. I could have spent all day there.

5) Formal Nights. Formal nights were Monday and Thursday. One note here -- my husband and I love to "play dress up" while cruising, so we went all out (tux, gown, etc.). We were in the minority. Dress on the Serenade was by far more casual than it was on the Disney ships. On many nights, there people in jeans and T-shirts. I don't like this, but I guess I'm in the minority.

6) Specialty Restaurants. We didn't try either one, but they both looked great. We just couldn't justify $40 when the food in the dining room was very, very good.

7) Our cabin was 9006, forward on the port side. This was a great location because it had easy access to the forward elevators, which aren't used as much. Also, we could run up the stairs to Windjammer buffet, the pool, etc.

8) Entertainment. We didn't participate in a lot -- we spent almost all our time staring at the scenery. With that said, the live music in the atrium each evening was really nice. And we loved the miniature golf course on Deck 13.

9) Whale Watching. As I said, we had a bad experience with Capt. Larry. From lots of posts on these boards, I think we're probably in the minority. I'd say stick with it and give them a chance. Odds are, they won't have two carbon monoxide incidents this close together! And we did get to see whales -- just not as many as the people on the Awesome Orca. It seemed like Capt. Larry and his boat found all the whales and then our little boat (Orca Express) would chug along and try to catch up. So we caught the tail end of most things.

As I said, we had a wonderful trip. We took more than 800 photos, but they can't begin to capture the beauty of the places we saw. For me, this was a spiritual trip in many ways. When you see such amazing things, you know there is something more than the randomness of the universe at work out there.

Amy

[Flintstone]

One question re Captn Larry...when you booked, did you know you would be on the smaller boat? I personally wouldn't be very happy if I booked months in advance and then wound up on the "Express". I will definately "rethink" my plans if this is the case.

9/2000 Carnival Tropicale
12/2001 NCL Norway
9/2002 NCL Norway
10/2003 Disney Wonder
2005...Alaska

[yogi]

Thanks for the info. We are on the Serenade June 20th. I was having a hard time deciding what to bring. Sounds like you spent a lot of time on your balcony. We plan to also but was it very crowded on deck when you chose to go there? Are there certain things that are best seen from the deck? We are also booked with Capt.Larry....hope we have a better experience.
Did you arrive in Vancouver early? If so what did you do? What time were you allowed to board?
Thanks for any answers you can offer. Yogi

[enyaw]

Thanks for your tips...especially for the packing ones! I'm glad you enjoyed your trip. Thanks again.

Nordic Empress---5/90, 6/91
Majesty of the Seas---4/92
Sovereign of the Seas---12/93
Nordic Empress---4/94,12/94, 5/95,
Sovereign of the Seas---8/98
Monarch of the Seas---9/02
Majesty of the Seas---1/03
Vision of the Seas----4/03
Voyager of the Seas---9/03
Monarch of the Seas--12/03
Dawn Princess--------5/04

[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=e9967a&cdt=2004;6;18;18;00;00&timezone=GMT-0800[/img] Until the Pride of Aloha


[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=008000&cdt=2004;6;26;17;00;00&timezone=GMT-0800[/img] Until the Radiance in Alaska


[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=006400&cdt=2004;9;26;17;00;00&timezone=GMT-0500[/img] Until the Explorer.....

[ohhbother]

More answers --

We did book Capt. Larry's trip months in advance but didn't know we were on the smaller boat until we got there. Our excursion was at 9, and we got there at 8:55 due to some confusion on our part. I think getting there "late" may have put us on the smaller boat. I'd say get there early and clearly ask for the Awesome Orca and Capt. Larry. It was pretty clear to all of us that he was the one who knew what he was doing, and our boat was just playing catch-up.

On the ship, we did spend a tremendous amount of time on the balcony. But the decks weren't ever really crowded. The most crowds were at Hubbard Glacier. We went to Deck 13 for Hubbard Glacier and Deck 5 at the very front of the ship for Misty Fjords. I think it's important to be on deck for both of these because you need to be able to get a 360-degree perspective to truly appreciate the beauty.

We flew into Seattle Saturday and drove to Vancouver Sunday morning. We got to the pier around 11:30 or so and were able to get on the ship in less than an hour. I did notice HUGE crowds started arriving right after we did. So I'd say get there early and beat the rush. A side note here -- the check-in experience was not "magical" the way it is with Disney. The building is very industrial, and there's very much of a "herding cattle" feeling to the whole thing.

Hope all this helps, and I hope all of you enjoy your upcoming trips. I can't wait to go back!

Amy

[Capt. Larry]

I do not normally have time to post notices on the board this time of year but I feel there are comments showing here that need some response.

Normally everyone who is prebooked with me will go with me, unless the ship, weather or mechanics cause us to make alternate arrangements. We always advise people of when I am full and space is available on the express. You know when you pre-book if you are on the Awesome Orca with me or if you choose to be on the Orca Express. We did have a family on the Express who booked from a broker on the dock. They thought they would be with me but no broker can offer that promise. Dock sales are based on availability.

For clarification the Orca Express did not have engine problems. Both the Express and the Awesome Orca are powered by Jets not propellers. Occasionally the jet intakes get clogged with sea weed and it takes a little bit of time and experience to clear the intake. Capt. Jack cleared the jets and the boat was again under full power (just for the record the Orca Express is faster than the Awesome Orca).

We have the most sensitive corbon monoxide sensors on the boats that we are available. This is for the protection of our guests. The sensors will go off at much lower levels than will affect any individual. I have no idea why you got sleepy but I am quite certain it was not due to carbon monoxide. This was never mentioned to us.

I do not understand "trapped on a small boat." People are often "trapped" in small boats, "trapped" on airplanes and "trapped" in small cars.

Captain Jack, is a retired captain with the US Coast Guard. He is a prize and we are fortunate to have him as an intregal part of our company. He continuously receives wonderful comments.

Guests on both boats were shown the same number of whales on that trip. The last whale seen was a mom and her baby. The baby was quite surface active and separated a bit from mom but they were both there. Because the baby was so active, I called Jack and had him come there. It is often better to separate and find the best available "show" for you. The Humpback Whale is an endangered species. We never know how many are going to be in a specific area, nor what their activity level is going to be. We are observing these magnificent creatures in there own environment, not Sea World.

I have no idea of your extent of knowledge about whales. You may indeed know more than Kelley does. She is not a teenager. She is 25, happily married, and has a six year old daughter. She was born and raised here in Alaska. While she does not have my knowledge and experience she does know a lot about the whales and is extremely knowledgable about the area and environment in which we live.

I am sorry that you were dissapointed. We try to provide the best possible tour and whale sightings. It is difficult to meet everyone's expectations. We are trying to observe an endangered species in its own natural environment. Many of our guests get only one chance to visit Alaska and observe these animals. We hope to provide each one a memorable experience.

Capt. Larry

[ohhbother]

Hi all.

I don't want to get into a "he said-she said" with Capt. Larry, but I do want to clarify a couple of points.

1) We did not book at the dock. We did book in advance.

2) While my terminology between "engine" and "jet" may not have been correct, there was a definite problem on the Orca Express. As SOON as we got back to the dock, a mechanic came on board. Our van driver even told us, "See -- that's the advantage of having our own mechanic. We can get that fixed right away and get the next group out." She went on to say, "So you had the carbon monoxide detector go off on you, huh?" and laughed. No one ever explained what happened, apologized for it or told us anything. What DID happen was when that carbon monoxide detector started going crazy, our guide and captain both got visibly anxious and told us all to open our windows NOW. I'm a healthcare professional, and I know the very real dangers of carbon monoxide. It was frightening to everyone on board -- especially in light of the fact that the "jet" clearly wasn't working, the cabin was filled with the smell of gasoline and the shoreline seemed a very long way away. And my family wasn't the only one concerned. Several of the other 13 passengers made comments, expressed concern to each other, etc.

3) We did see whales. I don't dispute that. We didn't see them as long or as clearly as the folks on the other boat. That's also not in dispute. You may have noticed I did not ask for my money back, and I clearly said I believe we were in the minority in having a bad experience. I urged someone above who asked my opinion to keep their reservation with Capt. Larry. I don't think I've been unfair, but I do have a right to share with folks here about our experience. Internet word of mouth works both ways -- rightly so. I'm an avid birder, so I know very well the uncertainties of wildlife watching. On another excursion, we saw the "tail end" of a moose and a few eagles. Would I have liked to have seen more on that trip -- absolutely. Do I consider it a failure -- absolutely not. In fact, it was THE highlight of our trip because the people and the experience were great. I'm not some naive person who thought the whales of Alaska were going to be Shamu revisited. I understand the realities of wildlife. My complaint stems from a bad experience on the boat.

4) Finally, as for our guide, I can only relate the experience we had. Perhaps she was flustered by the "jet" problem and the carbon monoxide detector incident. Whatever the reason, she seemed unsure of herself and was constantly whispering to Capt. Jack to verify the whale information she then repeated to us on the microphone.

Let me say again -- I do believe we were probably in the minority in that we had a bad experience. If someone would have explained what was going on and apologized, all would have been fine.

As I've said in my previous posts, we had a FANTASTIC time in Alaska. This was one small disappointment in a week of wonder.

Amy

[waitingfornextcruise]

Ohhbother, Keep the information about your trip coming. I just cannot get enough.

[BobJanice]

Perhaps Captain Larry should have been concerned with carbon monoxide issue and less with being so defensive with what happened. I will not go on His excursion now that he shows everyone on this board that he going to make excuses rather than appologise for what did happen! I am sure that there were 13 frightened passengers on board!

Infinity 7/04/2004
Galaxy 10/04

[famcruiser]

Thanks, Ohhbother! We sail on the Serenade on July 25th and can't wait! I loved reading about your experiences. What did you think about the ship itself? We sailed on the Mariner in January and loved being on a new ship, everthing still new looking and so clean. What was really good to eat in the dining room? The meals (and not having to cook or clean up) are one of the highlights af cruising for us. Again, thanks for the info. And, I'm glad you enjoyed your trip.
Carole

[yogi]

Thanks so much for all the information Ohhbother!!! I too love hearing any info that anyone has to offer. Hope I can offer some when I return.

[PH8]

Hi Amy~~ we were on the same cruise as you...too bad,you booked late or else you might have hooked up with the great bunch of people from the Meet and Mingle board.......

I agree that Alaska was super.........it was so beautiful......I would go back in a heartbeat....

Our excursions(booked NOT thru the cruiseline)were:
Skagway---TEMSCO glacier and dogsledding...BEST,BEST trip all week!!!Not that the others were bad.its just I am such a dog lover........

Juneau---MGT tours(city,Mendenhall and salmon bake).great deal for only $42.......

Ketchikan--Misty Fjords floatplane with Island Wings........very professional operation,but unfortunatley I dont think float planing is for me........I felt the motion.not a good feeling,but it had nothing to do with Michelle,the pilot.........she was super....

I would recommend any of these tours highly!!And of course,a trip to Alaska,at least once in everyones lifetime!!

[Capt. Larry]

Amy

I certainly was not trying to be offensive in the posting of my response nor was I making any excuses. I was trying to explain the situation and the handling of this situation.

I ,also, am well aware of the dangers on corbon monoxide. I have trained and instructed my captains and crew members of specific and immediate corrective actions to take to prevent any one being affected. The sensors I have installed are very sensitive, but I do require immediate response from the crew. Carbon Monoxoide sensors are not required by the US Coast Guard but I insisted they we have them installed on all of our boats. The crew may have been overly anxious about the situation but I prefer that over being casual in their response. We have regular safety and operatioal meetings and
I will discuss this further with all crew members. An explanation about what was happening should have been presented. Then every one would have known what the problem was and how it was being corrected.

I sincerely want everyones experience with us to be the the highlight of their trip to Alaska. I am sorry that this added stress occured during our trip and appreciate your consideration.

Capt. Larry

[Melissa_A]

Amy, can you provide more information on the ferry from Skagway to Haines?


<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by ohhbother:
Hi everyone.

4) Excursions. We did at least one excursion in each port. I don't think it's necessary to do a ship-based excursion, but I highly recommend getting beyond the immediate "town" area. The prettiest area we saw was when we took a ferry from Skagway over to Haines. I could have spent all day there.

Amy<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

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...until Alaska, Radiance Of The Seas

[ohhbother]

More answers to your questions:

1) The ship itself. We were very impressed with the Serenade of the Seas. It's big -- no doubt! The decor reminded me of an upscale Vegas resort -- very modern, lots of glass and glitz. The traffic flow of the ship is quite good, and there are lots of little places to hang out that never get crowded. The Vortex disco on Deck 13 is an exceptional place to spend days at sea watching for wildlife. It's warm and has floor-to-ceiling windows and comfortable chairs. The Crown and Anchor Lounge on Deck 12 is awesome but not for people afraid of heights. It's suspended above the huge open atrium below. We enjoyed the Safari Club because it's dark and comfortable and a great place just to spend some time. I liked the shops but would have liked a little more selection. The Tropical Theatre is very nice -- loved the balcony seats. The casino seemed fine, the movie theater is SMALL, and the library had a pretty decent selection of books. Our stateroom was slightly smaller than those we've had on Disney, but the balcony seemed larger and the bathroom was much more functional space-wise. The room had plenty of storage space. I know it's silly, but I really like the ocean-view elevators. One evening, we spotted three humpback whales as we were taking the elevator back to our stateroom!

2) The food. We really enjoyed the food. The quality and selection in the Windjammer Buffet was very good for all three meals. I'm a pasta nut, so I liked getting pasta for lunch every day. My husband loved the hamburgers and hot dogs at the Sea View Cafe, and everyone in our party enjoyed dinner in Reflections each night. Some of our entrees included prime rib, beef tenderloin, pork chop, turkey and dressing, lobster tail and shrimp, rack of lamb, chicken marsala, etc. The chocolate lava cake, the Grand Marnier souffle and the "low-fat" strawberry shortcake were the best desserts we had. We went to the midnight chocolate buffet, and it was visually impressive but the food was just OK. Ice cream with hot fudge was the best thing there (along with chocolate-dipped strawberries). One thing we found out very late in the cruise -- Latte-tudes, the specialty coffee shop, charges for the drinks but not for the decadent desserts. Wish we had known this earlier in the week -- we'd have eaten more!

3) Ferry from Skagway to Haines. The boat was called the Fairweather Express 2, and the ride was about 35 minutes. We saw a humpback whale and eagles during the trip to Haines. We took this ferry as part of our "eagle preserve by jet boat" excursion in Haines, but I got the impresssion this or other ferries are available independently as well. I'll say again that Skagway and Haines were my favorite places. Juneau was big, and Ketchikan was commercial. Skagway and Haines were cute and tiny, and the people we met there were super nice.

Let me know if you have more questions. I enjoy remembering all the details!

Amy

[cujosmom]

At the Latte-tude, do you have to order coffee to be able to partake in the desserts? We are not coffee people, but love delicious desserts. (LOL)

Until we set sail to Alaska on the Serenade of The Seas
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[ohhbother]

Cujosmom, I don't think you have to order a beverage. We did, but it didn't seem like you would have to.

In fact, we only got one piece of lemon cake to share, and the lady kept trying to get us to take two!

Amy

[cujosmom]

Thanks for your reply....ummmmmmmm lemon cake!!

Until we set sail to Alaska on the Serenade of The Seas
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[famcruiser]

Thanks a bunch, Ohhbother! The more I read, the more excited I get. We go in about 6 weeks. I hope it sails by quickly!
Carole

[waitingfornextcruise]

famcruiser- What date do you go? It sounds like you will be just before or just after us.

[famcruiser]

Hey, waitingfornextcruise,
We are sailing on Serenade of the Seas on July 25th. When are you going?
Carole