This was our third cruise, but first with Serenade of the Seas. My wife and I along with her sister and her husband traveled together to celebrate our Silver Wedding Anniversary (9/22/79). Our other two cruises were aboard the Carnival Fantasy and Jubilee (1994 & 2003). Although Carnival was a very good cruise line, RCI just had a different flavor, or maybe it was because of our destination and most travelers were adults. There were very few children on this cruise. Carnival is a party cruise line sort of Las Vegas style, while RCI was more subdued and laid back. We enjoy both flavors.
The Serenade of the Seas was magnificent in beauty and an engineering marvel. The onboard TV had a special about the building of one of their ships where I learned about the engineering.
Our cruise aboard the Serenade was to Alaska. The shore excursions were only OK because the weather was beginning to get cold and it was rainy for the most part, but the beauty was indescribable. We had a cabin with a balcony and we were able to view the scenery if only for short periods because of the temperature. The weather turned ugly in the Gulf of Alaska and the ship did a lot of pitching and rowing. We loved it though and found it to be very relaxing especially at night in bed. It just sort of rocked us to sleep. Some were seasick though. I am an old Navy salt and had no problem with that.