Serenade of the Seas Review
Southern Caribbean - December 11, 2010
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First let me say that I can't say enough good things about the staff on our ship. They are top notch and work extremely hard. The food was abundant and had a wide range for any one's taste. We did not do any of the specialty restaurants as we found it unnecessary. We purchased a bottle of wine on the second or third day, which they corked for us and we enjoyed it the rest of the trip. When you are that relaxed a half of glass before dinner is really all you need. If you are passengers that want to eat with a large group but also pick "my time dining"; I would like to warn you that you may end up eating alone. It is difficult for them to find others with the same desire at various times throughout the dinner hours. However, our head waiter understood our desire to dine with new people and actually found us another couple to dine with the last few days of the cruise. It's nice to have great conversation and listen to how others spent their day. If you want to eat with others but still want "my time dining"; let the head waiter know the first day so he can work his magic. If you do pick a seating time, I would recommend the late sitting since you will likely be full from breakfast and lunch in addition to giving yourself time to unwind from a day of fun. We thought the late seating may be too late but it worked out well for us give or take 15 minutes. I've not been on a vacation since I was a child where you could relax instantly and begin letting go of the normal grind of life. Thank goodness for the marble signs of each day of the week in the floors of the elevators. It helps keep you grounded and not have a shop as they days pass so quickly. As they also say... time flies when you're having fun!This itinerary was just beautiful and each port was unique with a charm of its own.We stopped at a port everyday and enjoyed a morning excursion so we could reap the benefits of the ship as well.We visited the following ports:Charlotte Amalie (St. Thomas)St. CroixAntiguaDominicaGrenadaSan Juan, Puerto RicoI would definitely recommend Royal Caribbean and the Southern Caribbean itinerary departing from San Juan, Puerto Rico.I did not include the photos from San Juan in this review. I found myself fascinated with the Catholic Cathedral and El Morro Fort so I took over 400 photos of just Old San Juan. In addition to the Cathedral having a majestic and historic feel, it was around Christmas so it was decorated around every corner. The Serenade of the Seas is a beautiful ship and I regret not taking more photos of it's interior. However, I did took close to 2000 photos throughout the cruise. I have managed narrow the photos down to 370.If there is anyone that enjoys taking photos of beautiful places, then the Caribbean itineraries are for you. Enjoy: http://www.keepandshare.com/photo/36...ber-11-18-2010Best Regards,RAG124
Cabin Review
Large Ocean View Stateroom
We had a Large Ocean view cabin. It was more spacious than I expected. The design for storage was impressive. We dressed up for dinner every night and took two bags each plus carry on. We unpacked and had our smaller items in quart size backs which we stacked in the draws. We felt we could organize ourselves well. There is a safe in each cabin that came in handy for passports, jewelry, etc. The closet was designed well so we had placed to hang clothes and place folded items on shelves. The bathroom was little small but once you got used to it, it was fine. There was a retractable clothes line built into the shower to hang swim suites, etc. I would recommend taking clothes pins, they come in handy. The bed was comfortable and the linen was always clean and in good shape. Extra pillows were stored behind the head of the bed at the window; a very nice touch to get them out of the way but convenient to retrieve. The television set up was perfect as it was on a sliding bracket that moved out and turned from side to side. The small round table was perfectly sized so you could move around easily and still use it when sitting on the love seat or sofa. We were on deck four, mid ship so it was convenient to everything and had very little motion of the ship. The port hole was a little dirty so it was sometimes difficult to see outside when the sun was setting or rising. I would also like to see a layout when you can lay down and face the window. The way the room was laid out, your head was at the window. We still sat on the bed and enjoyed the sun coming up as we pulled into a new port.