My OPINION of RCCL Serenade of the Seas 10/30 - 11/6

[Cour10ay]

I started reading this thread because we just returned from the Connie and I wanted to make a comparison. We have cruised RCI ships numerous times, on different classes of ships, and have been thoroughly satisfied but our agent convinced us to try Celebrity this time.

BTW, we are 40s, no kids at home, and dual incomers living in Europe by choice and are used to 5 star hotels and restaurants because of where we live and where we travel, but have no problem staying in a Marriott or Hyatt or less.

Food on the Connie was NOT as good as the food was on our last 2003 RCI cruise or any of our other RCI cruises, for that matter. It was presented beautifully but lacked in both flavor and actual preparation. Also, it was served cool most of the time. One night, not lobster night, the dining room ran out of 3 main courses. The only place that had better tasting food than anything we had on RCI was the Aqua Spa cafe. Food there was excellent. The coffees in the Cova Cafe coffee bar all tasted the same no matter what you ordered - add a foamed milk here, a hot milk there, and then drizzle a few sprinkles of the same sort over all of them.

As for wine, we always had the table setting wine glass removed if it was inappropriate for the wine we chose on both Celebrity and RCI.

The ship's interior has a closed in feeling and we both looked at each other as we strolled room to room and said it reminded us of a Holiday Inn lobby. No, not a Ritz or Four Seasons, a Holiday Inn. That's fine for a night or 2 when you walk through or sit waiting for your taxi, but a week of that got very old, I can assure you. Oh, Motel 6 must have nicer carpet, I think. You have a nice public room with wood and brass and creamy to mauvish colors and then a LOUD carpet, either egg yolk yellow and electric blue lines and circles or a Barney purple with cartoon shaped planets all over it. Some of the art was lovely and interesting and just as you think it isn't SO bad if I don't look at the flooring, you'd come across a glass art case, beautifully lit and inside were artistically lit and arranged dead dandelion plants. Those lovelies were in each stairway.

Another thing, and perhaps it is only the Millenium Class design, but unless you are outside on the verandah, the promenade deck, or topside you have little to no view of the water. Most windows are standing height, and the others have the shades drawn when it rained or as soon as the sun set.

As for entertainment and onboard activities RCI wins hands down. During the day on the Connie the choices were (I am looking at my Dailies now) Board games with the Activities staff, Bridge, watch the flower arranging, spa ($100 for the week to use the saunas etc, extra for treatments and massages), casino, a golf simulator that was super expensive, one movie showing in the cinema, the usul shops, and some really horrid musicians. The half court basketball court was open all day as was the one ping pong table on the ship. I suppose it is that way on this ship as the clientelle was mostly older - in the late 60s to 80s age group. In the bottleneck areas of the ship it was an adventure to dodge the walkers and canes, and scooter things. That said, the passengers onboard were, for the most part, well behaved and very, very nice if not too active.

There are some very nice touches on the Constellation like cool towels when you return from port, champagne upon embarkation, gourmet bites passed around in the public rooms about 11:30PM each night, different rings on the phones so we didn't run in from the verandah to answer the phone only to realize it rang next door (we had that problem on RCI), bathrobes, umbrellas, etc., little nice touches like that were really very lovely.

The service was the same on both lines - friendly and eager to please without being pushy.

For us, we won't cruise Celebrity again for a long time. We had expected something super classy and were rudely awakened to learn that not only is RCI just as classy, classier in some cases (think carpet!!), but the food actually tasted decent every single time and there was plenty to keep us busy all day and night. There is really NOTHING to do if you like to do things besides play scrabble (I kid you not). I must make a point of mentioning that it may be more entertaining once Cirque de Soleil starts on Dec. 4th but for us we had a closed disco (in prep for the CdS), no music room, and gracious little to do but sit at the only bar that had decent music (a DJ) or sit on the verandah so we could see the water.

We're back to Royal Caribbean! :D
Courtenay

[baseballmom]

[quote name='Catnip'][font=Comic Sans MS][size=3]
There was another one I hesitate to mention that I must admit to drinking before a prom one year. I think it was called "Champale", or something like that. I think it was part Champagne and part ginger-ale. Does that ring a bell with anyone? I know it sounds totally disgusting now, but as I recall, it was pretty tasty back in '73!! :rolleyes:
[/size][/font][/QUOTE]
Catnip, I do indeed remember Champale -- and, even if it wasn't tasty, we all pretended it was, because it wouldn't have been cool to not appreciate such "high quality." I find it strangely disturbing that I can remember Champale, Boone's Farm, Ripple, etc. but on most days I can't even remember my own name -- oh well...pass me that box of white zin, please...

[Catnip]

Baseballmom,
I'm glad you remember it too, or I was going to be mighty embarrassed!! :o
I don't even remember how long it was on the market! I remember the night I had it for the first time--the guy I was going to the prom with and I went "parking"--(ok, you all know what I mean!!) and he brought out the Champale. Too funny!!!!!!
And you are right, funny how I can remember all this stuff from the early 70's, but really don't remember what I got for X-Mas last year!!

Beth,
I had forgotten about the "Sloe Gin Fizzes"! Those actually came a little later, when I was in college. And what is Moody Blue? I know and love the rock band "The Moody Blues", but never heard of Moody Blue.

[Riviera Deck Randy]

[quote name='MszKitty']I have never heard of Mad Dog 20/20. What is it exactly?[/QUOTE]
MD 20/20 is some very very cheap wine like $2.00 a bottle. Its what kids used to spend the allowence on when I was a kid. back then it only came in one flavor now it comes in like 5. How thoughful of them to finely add variety.

[PTarbay]

[QUOTE]There was another one I hesitate to mention that I must admit to drinking before a prom one year. I think it was called "Champale", or something like that. I think it was part Champagne and part ginger-ale. Does that ring a bell with anyone? I know it sounds totally disgusting now, but as I recall, it was pretty tasty back in '73!! [/QUOTE]

There's another one I forgot about LOL.I remember thinking we were so classy when we switched from the Boone's Farm and Mad Dod to Champale.You would thought it was a bottle of Dom.

[wallie5446]

[b]Finally this thread has found some real meaning !:rolleyes: [/b]

[shelbylook]

When I was 17 (the drinking age in MI was 18 then) I found out that Sloe Gin doesn't mix very well w/Hawaiian Punch!! To this day I can't face either.

Cathy

[brn2crz]

Ok...just to prove we are not the only goofballs.

I came across this looking for recipes..lol

[url]http://www.roadfood.com/Forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=5276[/url]

[mammallama]

Boones Farm and Velveeta...Mmmmm, now that's gore-may. [img]http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/10/10_7_6.gif[/img]

[Catnip]

brn2crz,
That's hysterical that others are reminiscing (sp?), just as we are here on CC. And we all seem to remember the same stuff!! Oops, are we all showing our ages? :p

[MszKitty]

Sloe gin fizz!...another favorite. How bout this?...Harvey Wallbanger. We once had a party and made up a batch of Harvey Wallbangers in a 5 galleon water jug and put it on the Sparkletts Dispenser.:cool:

[stretch]

[i][font=Comic Sans MS][size=4][color=darkred]What ever happened to those weekend Hunch Punch parties????[/color][/size][/font][/i]

[i][font=Comic Sans MS][size=4][color=#8b0000]Grain in a bathtub with fruit, what fun![/color][/size][/font][/i]
[i][font=Comic Sans MS][size=4][color=#8b0000]Stretch[/color][/size][/font][/i]

[brn2crz]

Wow...Stretch ya'll were up-town...

We used garbage cans!!

"trash can punch"

used to soak watermelons in Everclear.....

[wallie5446]

[b]And didnt care what kinda 'cup' it was served in !:eek: [/b]

[Heidict]

Let me start off by saying that I'm not a loyal RCI groupie. As a matter of fact I have never cruised before in my life. Now my husband and I are going on the AOS in a few weeks but this in no way makes me a loyal RCI person. After all, I may go and have a horrible time (all though I doubt that). I am not expecting the food to be out of this world. That was not our main concern when choosing a cruise. But I will deal with what is offered. I can eat at McDonalds or a 5 star restaurant and enjoy myself no matter what. You can find something good anywhere.

When I first read the OP, I was initially offended. Especially about the wine glass thing. It sounded to me that she was very stuck up and was making a big deal out of a wine glass. I don't care for wine and therefore have no education on the selecting or drinking of wine. But after reading Gary's post, in which he educated us on wines and glasses, I can now understand where she was coming from. The dining room is geared toward being a fine dining experience (at least by RCI). One would think that they would happily provide the correct wine glasses with the wine in order to not only please and accomadate their guests, but also to complete the dining experience.

Now, that being said, from the sound of the OP the food certainley didn't live up to a fine dining experience. I am not just hearing this from the OP either, but from many cruisers on recent RCI cruises. The OP originally compared the food on the ship to various restaurants. What is wrong with that? It was an easy and famalier way for the reader to understand the quality of food she was speaking of. By using common restaurants that are not only found in almost all the states but I bet that alot of the readers of this thread have eaten at a majoritity of them.

No, the food was not up to the standards that she and her husband enjoy on a regular basis. But RCI is not known for a 5 star dining experience. But from the sound of it she enjoyed her cruise and had a wonderful time with her husband and this was the intention of her cruise in the first place.

[stretch]

[quote name='brn2crz']Wow...Stretch ya'll were up-town...

We used garbage cans!!

"trash can punch"

used to soak watermelons in Everclear.....[/QUOTE]

[i][font=Comic Sans MS][size=4][color=darkred]Bathtubs were easier to clean, besides it was right near the "depository". And Golden Grain was the poison of choice.[/color][/size][/font][/i]
[i][font=Comic Sans MS][size=4][color=#8b0000]Stretch[/color][/size][/font][/i]

[Catnip]

The Hunch Punch parties remind me of the frat parties with the boys from Georgia Tech........ boy, those were the days! :eek: :eek:

[brn2crz]

Oh Gawd Stretch.....Our trashcans were NEW .. :D


Yeah, I can remember some PI KAPPA ALPHA PINK PASSION PARTIES!

[stretch]

[quote name='brn2crz']Oh Gawd Stretch.....Our trashcans were NEW .. :D


Yeah, I can remember some PI KAPPA ALPHA PINK PASSION PARTIES![/QUOTE]
[i][font=Comic Sans MS][size=4][color=darkred]The big problem with using trash cans is you had to line them with plastic, like a trash bag. But the Purple J. would always eat it up, where as the bath tub only changed color. :D [/color][/size][/font][/i]
[i][font=Comic Sans MS][size=4][color=#8b0000]Stretch[/color][/size][/font][/i]

[LoriLinay]

I remember back in 75...LOL...being over at my "older friends" apartment. I think she was 17 and just out of high school. We were making tequilla sunrises and I spilt grenadine all over my shirt.

And just for the record, NOTHING takes sloe gin off of a tan wool coat.

Gosh...I'm noticing a spilling trend in my youth..

In college, right after the whole Jim Jones/Guayana incident, we'd have big "Guayana punch parties". And of course it was in NEW and CLEAN trash cans. You'd just show up and pour whatever you had in the can. Sick, sick, SICK!!!

[Elizanessie]

Oh my gawd.....to think I will be cruising with some of you next year....darn it I had better get into practise drinking strange alcoholic potions out of strange containers.....I would hate to be left out the loop...oh by the way did any of you read the thread with the new menus.....STEAK Steak Steak yippee.....could someone teach them how to cook it please by next Oct.

Liz

[kelmac]

Even though many people have trouble with your "frame of reference" and tone of this review, I agree with you on your findings. Royal Caribbean has wonderful ships that generate large amounts of low quality food. I'm a Platinum Crown & Anchor member, and a stock holder, and I have quit sailing Royal Caribbean until they fix the food. I have four up coming cruises, two on Celebrity, and two on HAL, and hope to return to RCI someday soon!

[wallie5446]

[b][i]It looks like we are all in agreement that RCI does not have the 'Proper' container from whence to serve a beverage properly:rolleyes: .[/i][/b]

[xpcdoojk]

[quote name='kelmac']Even though many people have trouble with your "frame of reference" and tone of this review, I agree with you on your findings. Royal Caribbean has wonderful ships that generate large amounts of low quality food. I'm a Platinum Crown & Anchor member, and a stock holder, and I have quit sailing Royal Caribbean until they fix the food. I have four up coming cruises, two on Celebrity, and two on HAL, and hope to return to RCI someday soon![/QUOTE]
Thanks for sharing.:rolleyes: :p

That is a heck of a way to increase the value of your holdings.:D A color is coming to my mind again!:D

Yes, Wallie, RCI does not offer us proper sized trashcans for what we used to call strip and go naked punch. Yum, yum, I remember one memorable party at a friends parents pool and clubhouse. O boy.

jc

[wallie5446]

[quote name='xpcdoojk']
Yes, Wallie, RCI does not offer us proper sized trashcans for what we used to call strip and go naked punch. Yum, yum, I remember one memorable party at a friends parents pool and clubhouse. O boy.

jc[/QUOTE]
At least the new ones have the spil proof lid !

[url="http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/category.asp?catalog%5Fname=USPlastic&category%5Fname=21337&Page=1"][img]http://www.usplastic.com/images/products/trashcontainers/7291p.jpg[/img][/url]