Sailed on the Serenade from San Juan of 1-13-07 for a 10th wedding Anniversary. This is our 7th cruise. I would like to write this review from an advice stand point rather than the experience! However to give you a little technicals. We departed on an early flight of which I used FF miles. I purposely routed us thru Miami, and I closely reviewed the schedules and noted multiple flights from MIA to SJU. I figured if we were delayed missed our flight, and yes our luggage didn't make it on the flight we were on. We waited for the next flight about 1 hour and boom the plan worked well! My advice if you can't go direct from your city to SJU go thru MIA. Your odds of getting to the ship before sailing are exponentially improved just because of the number of flights from most major lines especially American. In most cases I always get a cab as I don't like being bused to the ship. However in this case the cab and the bus for two round trip is very close. If you are traveling with more than two, the cab is your way to go. However, cab takers beware! Bus takers, when you claim your luggage, a RC rep is there in baggage claim to take the bags, they are obviously security checked by the airline so your bags are put directly onto the truck and delivered to the ship. When we arrived at the pier, people from cabs were in massive lines again waiting for bag security. Boomer!
Again by being transferred, with two, the price and ease is worth the bus trip. I actually timed it as I was very worried about my return trip as we had an 11:50 AA return flight home. From the airport by bus to the pier was 17 minutes flat. Also, unless you live in a very distant city, I met all sorts of people from Los Angeles, Canada, and the Midwest who too flew in on Saturday. People who came in early, and paid the high hotel cost for a midstandard hotel which is evident by the drive to the pier was very disappointed. By all means, check in with RC online, if you don't know how, get your kids or grandkids to do it for you. After a quick passport look and a couple signatures, your headed up the gangway! Also if you have traveled with RC before get a Crown and Anchor number before you leave. Check in is even better for repeaters, and you will get a special meeting with the Cap. George (Sorry, I can't spell or say his last name) Plus, the cruise will send all sorts of goodies to your room. ie: Photo albums, photo cards, and coupon booklets, So stop reading and do it now!!!! A quick note about the disembark. RC. lets you off by your flight number. For example, your flight leaves SJU at 11am you are first to get off, your flight leaves at 12-1 your second and so on! Very efficient. I could have actually caught a 9AM if I had known.
NOW TO THE PORTS: I have never seen so much POVERTY and Beauty mixed in my life. We booked all of our excursions on RC internet site. I did some homework while there. As for the excursions we did. Yes they were a little cheaper by booking alone but when you consider RC delivers the ticket to your room, all transport is included, I actually cost you about 10 buck per ticket extra for RC to do your tickets. ALSO: As I have learned. you are always safe with excursions which include:::: Catamaran tours, kayaking, Snorkeling and Snuba or beach activities. OTHERWISE> buyer beware! the poverty and people trying to get you to give money is rampant! We did all of these on early morning, and I was worried about the weather, IT WILL RAIN. but It only last a quick 10 minutes, plus you can see it coming and ending before your eyes. Too its so warm, it doesn't matter! We did one Rain Forest Hike the the Mineral Falls in St Lucia. Although very good. RC failed to tell you of the 7 hours 4 was on a bus taking you to and from the site. By all means, book the cat tours in Barbados with the turtles, Its just like seeing "crush" from "Finding NEMO" What an experience. If your going to St Maarten to see the nude sites. Don't get your hopes up! I have never seen such gravitational destruction on human bodies in my life! The beaches are great and Pineal Island is beautiful.