Serenade's Alaskan cruise was spectacular. This was the first cruise my husband and I have taken without kids (both are grown now). We were originally planning a northbound cruise, but opted instead for the round trip out of Vancouver, BC. This turned out to be a great choice, as it gave us plenty of opportunities to see the beautiful landscapes of Alaskan shorelines. Embarkation was a breeze. We actually arrived in Vancouver early on the day of sailing, so we checked all of our luggage in with RCCL's airport transfer point, then jumped on the newly-opened Skytrain into downtown Vancouver for a bit of sight-seeing before boarding the ship. RCCL's port was a short taxi ride from downtown Vancouver, and once arriving there, it took only a few minutes to get through registration and onboard. We had booked our excursions online prior to the sailing date, so we had the afternoon free to explore the ship, get a workout in, and get to meet fellow passengers. We did manage to change from late to early dining, as "My Time" dining slots were all full.

The ship is magnificent. There were a few places that were under repair, but other than that, everything was in great shape! This was our second cruise with RCCL, the first being on the Navigator of the Seas, so we found the ship a bit smaller, but still plenty to do and easy to find your way around. The staff was terrific. The Cruise Director, Dennis, was so full of energy and vivacious, we really enjoyed him. The dining room staff was always on top of things (our waiter & asst. were Melroy & Melissa). Our cabin steward, Rommel, was the best! Unfortunately, his contract is up and he & his wife are heading home to the Philippines, but you may see them again next year!

We had heard that the prior sailings had been plagued by rain, but had beautiful weather all week. In fact, on the day we sailed Tracy Arm Fjord, the weather was so great that we were able to sail up a usually-closed arm and see both sides of Sawyer Glacier...an opportunity which the Captain said he had only been able to do only 3 times on the Serenade. It was magnificent! To see a ship this size navigate through that narrow fjord makes you marvel at the technology of cruise ships and the expertise of the crew! The glacier was an amazing site, as well as Icy Falls. Read more