My wife & I recently returned from the 12/3 -- 12/10 cruise on the Serenade. After several cruses (7 for her & 5 for me) we know that if you don't have fun on a cruise then you are not really trying. This one was more than just fun.

The ship is a nice size--large enough to have decent amenities but small enough that you don't feel over crowded. We had a balcony cabin on deck 9. Comfortable, clean, decent sized, & plenty of storage. The food was good-not 5 star but we don't expect it to be. The service was outstanding in all areas. The stage shows were enjoyable-think low budget Las Vegas, not Broadway. We especially enjoyed Tony B the Piano Man in the Schooner Bar, but we found out the last night that his contract was up & he will be on another ship next time.

It was our first time to cruise the southern Caribbean & we found the ports to be a mixed bag. The first stop was Tortola. We had independently booked a sail to Jost Van Dyke with Tortola Charters. It wasn't until we were waiting for pick up that we found they had gone out of business several weeks earlier. The weather was gray & overcast anyway so we just spent the morning at Cane Garden Bay & returned to the ship when the heavens opened up after lunch. Read more