ryndam

Cruise ship parking lot in Miami today. We Uber’d from hotel at 11am. Were onboard by 11:45a and lunched in waterside at noon. Seamless. Met Mark Farris on the pier and towed him onboard with us. He’s only on this cruise till we return to Miami in 2 weeks.

Screenshot from Miami port webcam.

Miami Beach this morning.

Arrived South Beach. Overcast, windy, 60’s temps. But we’re here. And the luggage made it. And MIA was not an overcrowded zoo (at least the inbound and luggage claim). Lines were very long for TSA departing passengers. To all traveling tomorrow, safe travels. See you onboard. Rob & Jim (To gmarch…I’m not going to hijack your thread, but if you’re okay with me supplementing your observations, I’d like to continue to post here, rather than start a new, concurrent thread. Up to you…it’s your initial post. Thanks!)

In HOU right now enroute to MIA. See y’all on Friday. 🛳️🛳️🚢🚢 Rob & Jim

Or, if you don’t need a locker, just bypass the spa desk and go directly to the changing room. There are bins of towels, water bottles and plenty of common area hooks to hang your street or gym clothes without the need to obtain a locker.

Symphony similar, but a bit smaller in size due to it being a smaller ship. Same separate facilities (but no window in the sauna).

Separate men's & women's changing rooms, showers, steam & saunas. No additional fees. Open 8am-9:30pm every day. The saunas on Serenity have a huge window facing the ocean.

For a quick history of this property...it opened in 1937 as the Park Central Hotel. My grandparents used to spend their winters at the Park Central in the 1960's. They would take the Florida Special from Penn Station in NYC to Miami while either my dad or my uncle would drive their car from NYC down to Miami Beach. (Grandma didn't like the 2-3 day car trip, but the overnight train trip was okay!) Sometime in the Spring they'd all do the trip in reverse back up to NYC. While rummaging through some old boxes of pics, I found some old B&W pics of that hotel from the 1960's. It was a pretty basic property by then, certainly not the luxury of the Fontainebleau or Eden Roc. The hotel went through several renovations and subsequent owners during past 50+ years. I hope you enjoy the history of the property and your stay next month! Rob

We sailed from Terminal E on 12/2/23. It's certainly a larger terminal, check-in counters, waiting area and luggage drop off area than Terminal J. It was heavily "Carnival Cruises" branded on the inside though... Rob

Bon voyage to another wonderful journey. 🙂🚢🛳️🌎 Rob & Jim

Well, some of those showmen are short...love autocorrect! I wouldn't remove fuel-smelling luggage, either! 😁🤣😆

Or a Bimini ferry. Lol

Yep. I just looked again. It is indeed now showing Terminal E for 1/18/24. And likely subject to change again in the next month! Rob Miami dock report 011824 REV.pdf

Agreed. 🙂🙃

If you're using Crystal's transfers from your hotel or airport, the driver will know where to go. If you've arranged your own transportation, just alert your driver that you are sailing on Crystal Serenity from Terminal J. We sailed from Miami on Serenity on 12/2/23 from Terminal E. There were 8 ships in port. Our driver had no difficulty navigating the roads to the terminal. Thank goodness Serenity only has 700 pax at max. Any port congestion will likely be inside the various terminals, especially for the 4000+ pax megaships. Serenity's terminal was a sea of calm within the bustle of the other terminals. Rob

You are mistaken, Keith. All three sailings are from Terminal J.

Terminal J

For those either arriving or sailing from the port of Miami on Serenity, attached are the port of Miami dock reports for Serenity's next three arrivals/departures from Miami. Serenity is currently showing to be berthed at Pier J for all three sailings. 12/23/24 6 ships in port (Serenity + NCL Joy, MSC Seascape, Independence OTS, Carnival Horizon, Valient Lady) 1/5/24 8 ships in port (Serenity + NCL Sun, NCL Sky, MSC Magnifica, Freedom OTS, Grandeur OTS, Carnival Conquest, Explora 1) 1/18/24 3 ships in port (Serenity + Celebrity Summit, Carnival Sunrise) Rob Miami dock report 122323.pdf Miami dock report 010524.pdf Miami dock report 011824.pdf

Likely after departing St. Thomas, USVI.

We've stayed at the Hilton Bentley South Beach. We've been very pleased with the property, the accommodations and it's location at the extreme southern end of South Beach, away from the Ocean Drive crowds. Enjoy! Rob

If you’re a fan of sorbets, we enjoyed them in Waterside, Tastes, and OO. Fresh, light and different every evening. Also the cheese selections in Waterside, with a glass of port, was the right ending for a few dinners. Food preferences are very personal. Glad that there were always options. Almost forgot, our waiter tempted us with a plateful of just-out-of-the-oven chocolate chip cookies in Waterside last night. We succumbed. Returned home to a 50 deg., 25 mph north wind Houston December. Ah, the Caribbean. 😄😄 Rob

Use Pan American Pier as the drop off address. Be aware that the luggage drop off is in front of the RCCL ship, not in front of Serenity. Also, the Uber drivers cannot pick up immediately in front of the terminal. You’ll have to meet your driver by the street in front of the parking lot. Very strong taxi union here. Rob

Do not be concerned about filling out luggage tags on the pier. There are many representatives there. They merely fill in your cabin number on the tag with a big, thick marker and you’re done. Literally takes seconds. Or maybe minutes, depending upon the quantity of luggage you’re checking. 😄😄😄 As long as you have your “airline required address tags” on your bags, you’re all set. Rob

Final comments. We left the ship at 8:45a this morning. Quick Uber ride to Condado Hilton, where we are camping out until we head to the airport later this afternoon. Lovely corner room, with views of the sea and the port. To those continuing on this week or 2 weeks back to Miami, continue the party. Seven days was just too short. Till next time! 😄😄😄 Rob