Serenade of the Seas January 3, 2015 **FAMILY EDITION ~ PHOTO REVIEW**

[lemonade-sails]

Compass Day 6 (Never did find Day 5 - sorry :()

 

 

 

 

 

 

[lemonade-sails]

Compass Day 7

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Departure Day Information

 

 

 

 

 

 

Up Next: What I have of Adventure Ocean Planners

 

[lemonade-sails]

Adventure Ocean Compasses:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Up Next: Teen Planner

Edited January 14, 2015 by lemonade-sails

[lemonade-sails]

 

Teen Planner

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Up Next: Royal Babies and Tots Info

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Royal Babies and Tots

 

 

 

 

 

 

[lemonade-sails]

I'm enjoying your review and style very much. Can't wait for more.

 

Connie

 

Thanks for commenting! I'll try and get day three started today.

 

 

 

Love your review and thanks for the Compasses. We will be doing this cruise in a few weeks and I can't wait!

 

Hi! I hope you have a great cruise!!

[lemonade-sails]

Appreciate your review...

 

We're so nervous to be cruising with our 10-month old.

 

I know you didn't use Adventure Ocean, but any chance you tried out the nursery?

 

I'm doubting, but I thought i'd ask.

 

We're afraid to keep our youngest "off schedule" so we think we'll be in the room most nights while she sleeps.

 

Although I like the idea of one parents taking the youngest out at night, while other stays with the baby.

 

Our oldest is only 6 but she can hang past her bedtime and not flip.

 

RCCL FAN,

We were nervous to cruise with our 10 month old too. Hopefully the rest of my posts will put you at ease. We did not use the nursery program at all. During the day, the baby just came with us wherever we went. Including to the show one night before dinner - although we did sit in the last row and I did have to take her out into the lobby because she didn't want to sit still. She's walking already and the show did not interest her.

 

She hung out on deck, climbed all over the mini golf course and danced near the centrum. My DH would take the older ones out exploring or to a show after the little ones were in bed and I stayed in the room. It was only for an hour or so and I enjoyed the quiet time to journal. Just go in knowing that it will be a different experience than you've had in the past and you won't be disappointed - you'll adjust and enjoy a different way to cruise.

[rm1247]

Great review! We are sailing on Serenade in a few weeks on the same itinerary.

 

We love sailing with our kids (although this trip they are staying home). If you plan another trip check out the FO rooms (family oceanview) offered on this class and several others. They sleep 6 in a room and if you can catch the same sale, passengers 3-6 are free! There are two FOs in the front, side by side, but you'd have to book early to get both. Awesome rooms, we did a TA on Brilliance in one with our 4 kiddos and loved it.

 

Any chance you know the menu names for each night (Saffron, etc.)? It would help me to pick which night to use our specialty dining.

 

Thanks for posting the compasses!

[lemonade-sails]

 

DAY 3 AT SEA

 

Today dawned early. We were up at 7. I made quick phone calls to the other two cabins to make sure everyone was up and ready to head to breakfast at 8am. We got ready quickly and met up with our group in the centrum area by the stairs. We took the elevator down as I had the baby in the stroller this morning.

 

We headed to the dining room on deck 4 for breakfast. We were sat at a table for 12 and they brought us a high chair. I parked the stroller next to the serving station - but this is when I realized that bringing the stroller to the dining room was not a good idea. There really was no good place to leave it. So, this was the last time I brought the stroller here.

 

I had the classic breakfast and DH had the quiche. Some in our group ordered the pancakes of the day - raisin. We had muffins and fruit loops, orange juice and apple juice.

 

 

The service was great and the staff was very friendly.

 

After breakfast we headed to GS and the Shore Excursions desk. DH planned to use most of our OBC on a shore trip for him and the oldest three kids.

 

There wasn’t a line at this time in the morning but it still took a little while to get everything squared away. Meanwhile, the little kids and I sat on the fancy couches in the centrum and danced on the pretty floor.

 

Next we went outside on deck 5 to head to the helicopter pad. This was one of my daughter’s favorite places on the ship.

 

 

 

 

However, it was so windy up there that it took the baby’s breath away so she and I stayed down on deck 5 and waited for the rest to return. I just love deck 5 - the lowest outside deck. I could sit out there for hours.

 

 

 

Up Next: In search of water

 

Edited January 14, 2015 by lemonade-sails

[lemonade-sails]

Great review! We are sailing on Serenade in a few weeks on the same itinerary.

 

We love sailing with our kids (although this trip they are staying home). If you plan another trip check out the FO rooms (family oceanview) offered on this class and several others. They sleep 6 in a room and if you can catch the same sale, passengers 3-6 are free! There are two FOs in the front, side by side, but you'd have to book early to get both. Awesome rooms, we did a TA on Brilliance in one with our 4 kiddos and loved it.

 

Any chance you know the menu names for each night (Saffron, etc.)? It would help me to pick which night to use our specialty dining.

 

Thanks for posting the compasses!

 

Hi, thanks for commenting! I do know about the FO rooms, but we booked too late for them. Also, I was concerned about the movement and wanted something mid ship for the kids.

 

I'm pretty sure the second night (first formal night) was the Saffron menu. I did not take photos of the menus at all, but could try and google them based on what I think I remember eating, LOL! Dinner was a whirlwind for me with the little kids. :)

[lemonade-sails]

Day 3 ~~ Continued

 

 

Next we headed up to deck 11 and to the Park Cafe in search of some water or lemonade to drink. The cafe was closed at this time and the drink machines were not open either. We were told the only place to grab a drink would be the WJ so we headed over there.

 

This is one thing we missed after sailing Navigator. We found a water station outside of the Promenade Cafe on Navigator that we visited frequently. We found we wished there was water available with Latte-tudes on deck 5 on Serenade. It would be convenient to grab a drink there on the way up or down. The only easy place to get a free glass of water (outside of visiting one of the bars) was on deck 11 at the Windjammer or Park Cafe when open.

 

So, we headed for the WJ area by the ping pong tables - just near the elevators on deck 11.

 

 

This is a really nice area to hang out with a drink station and some nice tables and comfortable chairs. We often saw people playing cards here and relaxing.

 

The kids played some ping pong and we sat in the loungers overlooking the water and catching the rainbows in the sea spray below.

 

 

Pretty soon a sale sprang up on the pool deck so we checked out the 50% off shirts and jackets, but nothing interested us. Also at this time a line dance class was happening so I jumped in at the end. It was fun even though I had no idea what I was doing.

 

We decided to head “up top” for rock climbing.

 

 

 

Unfortunately, due to the winds, the rock wall was closed so we settled for some minigolf.

 

 

 

 

 

The view from up here at the aft of the ship is spectacular.

 

 

 

 

 

[lemonade-sails]

 

Day 3 ~~ Continued

 

I grabbed a lounger as much out of the wind as I could and wrote in my journal while the baby slept in my arms.

 

The kids really had a blast at the mini golf. Even though my little ones didn’t have quite the best skillz.

 

 

 

At least he’s determined, lol!

 

My oldest and youngest sons.

 

 

 

 

Pretty soon it was time to head inside. We wanted to check out the Viking Crown Lounge.

 

We found the lounge nearly empty. It was the perfect place for the kids to relax and the baby to run around. It was a bonus as the Walk for Wishes was just starting so we got our first look at the captain and they made their way around the deck.

 

Immediately after the walk was the International Belly Flop Competition so we stayed for the show. We had the best seats in the house. We were all cheering whole-heatedly for Robert on Team Newlywed, but he lost in the end. Poor Robert.

 

We returned to the room to refresh and make lunch plans.

 

 

Up Next: We take a phone poll . . .

 

 

Edited January 14, 2015 by lemonade-sails

[usckatieh]

Random question but what ages was the waterslide geared towards? They have a similar one on the Jewel and I'm wondering if my 8 & 5 year olds will like it.

 

I'm very much enjoying your family focused review! Thanks for taking the time!

Edited January 14, 2015 by usckatieh

[toosaxykk]

Thank you SO much for posting this detailed review. My husband and I LOVE cruising and have talked about bringing our 5 &2 year old along but have never braved it! You truly are BRAVE! I am really enjoying the review and the pictures especially! We sail on the Serenade on March 7 on an inside on deck 8! So glad you are posting these! Thank you so much!

[CruzieSue]

Really enjoying your review!!! We will be sailing on Serenade in March, our second cruise leaving from New Orleans, and so looking forward to it. :D

[lemonade-sails]

Random question but what ages was the waterslide geared towards? They have a similar one on the Jewel and I'm wondering if my 8 & 5 year olds will like it.

 

I'm very much enjoying your family focused review! Thanks for taking the time!

 

The water slide has more of a height requirement. I believe anyone under a certain height had to ride with a parent. I want to say it was 46" but I may be remembering that wrong. My 5 year old was just tall enough to go alone and my 3 year old went down with DH and I. The slide is pretty tame - read slow - and sometimes the kids had to use their hands to get themselves going again. But, we all had a blast on it - even me!

 

 

 

Thank you SO much for posting this detailed review. My husband and I LOVE cruising and have talked about bringing our 5 &2 year old along but have never braved it! You truly are BRAVE! I am really enjoying the review and the pictures especially! We sail on the Serenade on March 7 on an inside on deck 8! So glad you are posting these! Thank you so much!

 

Glad you're enjoying the review. I encourage you to take your kids. It's so much fun sharing it with them. Have a great trip!

[lemonade-sails]

Really enjoying your review!!! We will be sailing on Serenade in March, our second cruise leaving from New Orleans, and so looking forward to it. :D

 

 

I know you'll have a great time! Sailing from New Orleans is special - wish that RCCL wasn't leaving after this Spring. Maybe they will be back someday.

[lemonade-sails]

Day 3 ~~ Continued

 

 

We got a lot of use out of the telephones this week. My 9 year old son especially liked calling to ask me things. Because we were divided up between three cabins, sometimes the easiest way to communicate was by phone. So, DH decided to take a quick phone poll about where to have lunch. Windjammer or Dining Room.

 

The results were 7 to 3 for the Dining Room. The baby was too young to vote and someone was in the bathroom at the time of the poll.

 

We gathered together out by the stairwell and centrum - the hallways were too crowded to congregate, and headed to the dining room on deck 4 for lunch.

 

All of the wait staff was glad to see us and tried their best to get the baby to smile, but she wasn’t giving out any smiles that afternoon.

 

We were seated in the back of the dining room by the window.

 

 

 

 

The kids ordered cheeseburgers.

 

 

 

And DH and I had the steak sandwich.

 

 

It was huge - and delicious.

 

My son found some corn on the buffet for the baby.

 

 

And she was happy about that.

 

 

Here you can see how I used the stickers to entertain her during lunch and dinners in the dining room.

 

 

I needed fewer distractions for our meals in the Windjammer because we usually ate on the back open deck and she liked the wind and noise of the wake as well as the activity of everyone coming and going. Plus meals in the WJ are considerably quicker.

 

Our dessert at lunch:

 

 

“Do we eat the leaf, mom?” LOL!

 

And, no, you cannot save the chocolate spear for later!!

 

Up Next: The rest of Day 3

 

 

Edited January 14, 2015 by lemonade-sails

[lemonade-sails]

Day 3 ~~ Continued

 

After lunch we took a short walk to find the movie cinema. There was a moving playing but we didn’t want to waste our time inside. We hoped maybe a better movie would come on later in the week, but it wouldn’t happen.

 

Back to the cabin for nap time. The little kids took a good nap today and didn’t wake up until 5pm. Which would be really strange at home, but on the ship our dinner was later and they were staying up later so it worked.

 

We got out and went up to Park Cafe for some hot chocolate. I know it’s just packets of mix but it’s a treat for me and the kids. We walked around deck 12 and caught the sunset together before heading down to get ready for dinner.

 

Tonight was a casual night in the dining room.

 

We went down to deck 5 to wait in the reservations line of the MTD area. When we arrived the Maitre'D showed up to tell us that we would have table 598 at 7:15pm all week and we could bypass the line at the door.

 

We were very happy to hear that. Even though it wasn’t the 6:30 we had wanted, we were pleased to know we’d have the same table and wait staff and that we could skip the line.

 

We were seated and fruit was brought around for the kids and lemonade for everyone except Grandpa who had chocolate milk.

 

It was nice being welcomed back by our wait staff. The kids loved all the attention they got at dinner time.

 

I believe the menu tonight was Pimiento.

 

Most of the family ordered the lasagna. I have a killer lasagna recipe that I make at home so I have this thing where I cannot order lasagna in a restaurant because I’m sure to be disappointed. So, I ordered the Garlic Tiger Shrimp and it was very good.

 

DH confirmed my fears and told me that my lasagna was better. Just what I thought, lol!

 

I had the sampler for dessert and DH had the creme brulee.

 

“I can be creme brulee!” I always think of that movie when anyone orders the creme brulee.

 

Anyway, we went back to the room to change out of our dinner clothes and then returned to the comfortable tables outside of WJ to have more hot chocolate and discuss tomorrow’s plans over the Compass.

 

By this time in the trip my calf muscles were sore from all of the stairs we were climbing.

 

We decided to get up early for breakfast in the WJ to watch us coming into Falmouth.

 

We got back to the room at 11pm and put the kids to bed. We stayed up a bit later to talk and write in the journal.

 

 

Next Up: Day 4 and our First Port

 

[NightOne]

I have a killer lasagna recipe that I make at home

 

You know ... :)

Edited January 14, 2015 by NightOne

[lemonade-sails]

 

You know ... :)

 

:confused: I don't know! :o

[misha1]

recipe please!

[imjoyful2]

Hey friend, glad to be reading about your trip!! I was thinking of you & your family while you were gone & hoping the trip went well. :) I'm enjoying following along! Blessings!

[lemonade-sails]

recipe please!

 

I could share the recipe but then, well you know the rest . . . :p