Serenade of the Seas Review
4.5 / 5.0
drjimlewis
6-10 Cruises • Age 80s
Rating by category
Cabin
Value for Money
Embarkation
Dining
Public Rooms
Service
Additional details
Sail Date: Aug 2016
Cabin: Superior Ocean View Stateroom with Balcony
We chose this cruise because we have done the Mediterranian and Caribbean and wanted something different. We actually did back-to-back cruises to the Norwegian fjords and the Baltic (see separate review).
August is not the best time of year to go to Norway, but it was our vacation window, and even though it was chilly, rainy, and windy, we still enjoyed it. The two best stops for us were Bergen and Gieranger. It poured rain while we were in Bergen but it was still fun to walk around the town and eat at the seafood market.
Gieranger was our favorite stop, and the weather cooperated that day. We took and excursion to a goat farm where we saw how they make that brown Norwegian cheese. The road across the mountain was a bit nerve-wracking for a fellow with vertigo (me), but it was well worth seeing the countryside, the waterfalls, swollen streams, and the mountain tops with newly falling snow. (Yes, it snowed that day in the high elevations.)
Cabin Review
Superior Ocean View Stateroom with Balcony
Cabin D2
We have sailed with Norwegian and Royal Caribbean in ocean view staterooms, and this cabin was very comfortable. It had the typical layout--king bed, sofa, desk with chair, shower, and storage closet.
My only complaint is that unlike Norwegian, RC does not provide a coffee maker in any but the most expensive staterooms, and I really need coffee first thing. Our solution was to carry a small electric pot that makes two cups of hot water, plus Folger singles which are very acceptable to me. They also did not deliver wine to our room, but we ordered by the glass or bottle in the restaurants.
Port Reviews
Copenhagen
Very easy to access the ship in the Copenhagen port. We did a hop-on-hop off bus tour of Copenhagen, had lunch outdoors downtown, and very much enjoyed seeing the city. Do be careful, there are several bus companies that provide the same service, and you have to get on the right line.
Alesund
It was okay, but it was raining, no place to stand for shelter, buses were full and we had to wait for a second bus. No big deal. Rode to top of a mountain and had a very nice view of the harbor.
Geiranger
Excellent tour--our favorite. Goat farm was charming, view of the Norwegian alps was excellent, and the bus ride was comfortable. Sampling the local cheese was fun.
2 Helpful Votes
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