April 26, 2019 Serenade TA - Is it LIVE, or is it Memorex🤔

[John&LaLa]

1 hour ago, mo&fran said:

Wow. Last year on May 4 we were on a Tampa  to Amsterdam on Brilliance.

And the lovebugs were out in force on the drive across. The car was a mess.  We have kids living in Ruskin, so we left the car at their  house.

 

We pretty much missed them last year

[John&LaLa]

One more little piece of background.

 

The idea to do this was hatched a few weeks ago in another thread. And I was lamenting that I had recently pitched my compasses if a frenzy of COVID 19 cleaning/purging. But lucky for us, a fellow member said they could provide them. 👍

 

So here's a big shutout to @L454S for without them, I would be lost on how to put this together.

 

What I'm trying to say is blame them for the journey we are about to partake on.

 

And FWIW, it's my plan to post this in real time, so it should take 17 or so days to complete. 

It may stall at the end because we are closing on our new home on May 11th (Dy 16) and I'll be out of pocket a couple days

 

It's not like we have anything else going on.

[John&LaLa]

Bags are packed, lets head out on the 2+ hour drive to Ft Lauderdale

 

I chose Budget for our one way rental, they usually have good rates. Being in FL, the one way rental fees are cheaper than parking if you leave your car for more than a week.  Easy drive down, left Laura and Pat with the luggage at Terminal 18, then proceeded to drop the car off. As Pinnacles, we are allowed to use the Suites check in line. I guess Key could as well

 

BTW, I chose the wrong drop off location and they didn't have a shuttle. 😠

Lucky for me, the attendant offered to drop me off at T18 for $20. In hindsight, it was probably lucky for him. 😉

 

Back at T18 Laura and Pat had checked in and told me to meet them in the Jammer.

 

No real lines over in the suite section, used the iPad method to check in anyway.

I wonder how well that worked with Patrick🤔

 

Since I was alone, I skipped the photo op. 

 

Off to the ship

 

Found the family in the outdoor area of the Jammer. Laura had gotten me some beef and green beans.

It was fine, but it's no Coastal Kitchen

 

While enjoying lunch I heard the tale of their check in experience.  Apparently the lady with iPad was tickled with Pat's Set Sail picture, but she had to take a replacement one. I'm guessing I 'forgot' to tell them about the photo I used. I wished I was there with them.

[pstone1]

We were also on the Serenade TA, so looking forward to a fun trip down Memory Lane!  Thanks John!

[John&LaLa]

Cabins were ready at 1pm, so we left the Jammer and split up to check out our homes for the next two plus weeks

Pat and I headed to Deck 9, Cabin 9058

 

No luggage, but I needed to get the yarn out of my carry on, and deliver to Laura

 

We did have the large sofa

 

Pat decided he liked the Conundrum

 

 

Pat headed straight to the balcony

 

Let's go check out Laura's aft balcony

[John&LaLa]

Laura was on deck 9, Cabin 8170

Originally I was in 8639, It would have been a good location, but I wanted a balcony if I was going to have a roomie

It was always a pain heading down there to meet up before events

 

Definitely had a nice balcony

 

She had the small sofa, though

Technically we both had a Spacious OV Balcony. 

Hers had a spacious balcony. and ours had a spacious cabin

 

Looked over some paperwork while Laura put some of her things away

 

 

[John&LaLa]

More paperwork

 

Our Pinnacle letter explained the enhanced lounge offerings

 

 

They set up the Safari Club on Deck 6 as an overflow, and it was one of the nicest I've ever seen

The entire lounge was the overflow Zanzibar, Safari, and Congo

 

Apps were at the entrance, as well as a few pre made drinks. Wine, champagne, etc..

They also had a fairly decent breakfast buffet there every morning, and two espresso machines at Zanzibar

 

Since Pat could not go to the Loyalty Lounges, we hung out in the VCL the first night

 

 

Beringers for Laura, Long Island for Pat, and Cape Codders for me. 

 

This was pretty much the only night up here, we ended up hanging in Schooner the rest of the trip

 

 

[John&LaLa]

Day 1 Cruise Compass

 

 

 

 

I'll try and follow this format for the rest of the trip

 

You know, I never asked Pat if the Reagan had something like a Compass published every day.

I'll try and find out this week

[kastke]

We were also on this TA.  Since you’re doing the review in real time, it will coincide with pictures popping up on my phone in memories. Thank you! This will be fun to follow along! 

[John&LaLa]

2 minutes ago, kastke said:

We were also on this TA.  Since you’re doing the review in real time, it will coincide with pictures popping up on my phone in memories. Thank you! This will be fun to follow along! 

 

That was kind of the idea. Welcome back

[jmh2006]

Absolutely love Serenade.  We did a 14 night Southern Carribean Christmas and New Years Eve cruise on her in 2017!  Supposed to do 12 night Baltic Sea this August on sister ship Brilliance but not expecting to now 😟.  Outdoor Windjammer seating and Schooner are the best!  Thanks for the review as always!

[perfect match]

Thanks, John! It will be fun to have an actual review to follow. 😎

[John&LaLa]

47 minutes ago, jmh2006 said:

Absolutely love Serenade.  We did a 14 night Southern Carribean Christmas and New Years Eve cruise on her in 2017!  Supposed to do 12 night Baltic Sea this August on sister ship Brilliance but not expecting to now 😟.  Outdoor Windjammer seating and Schooner are the best!  Thanks for the review as always!

 

She was our retirement cruise in April 2017.  11/10 combo, I missed the first leg due to surgery, but made the 10 night leg.

We had the RS and had a ball

In 2018 we sailed her for a one week Baltics right before the Boston TA. We were scheduled on that as well, but cancelled at final.

 

Fun little ship, usually unique itineraries.

[John&LaLa]

Dinner Night 1

Early Seating, Table for 6, Deck 4, Table 314

Great location, Port side of the Captains Table

 

Unfortunately, we never jelled with our table mates, so we ended upstairs quite a bit, but ended up in several different sections of MTD

Pinnacle Perk😉

Apparently we had filet and lamb chops on the first night

 

I must have been hungry and forgot to take a picture prior to digging in.

I'm afraid this is going to be a theme

Not a lot of good food pics, sorry.

 

Really not sure what this is, but it looks like Laura had it

 

That's it for Day 1

See you tomorrow.

 

Edited April 27, 2020 by John&LaLa

[L454S]

Thanks for doing this John, this was one of the best trips we have been on. We were your neighbors just above in 9260.

[Ocean Boy]

9 hours ago, jmh2006 said:

Absolutely love Serenade.  We did a 14 night Southern Carribean Christmas and New Years Eve cruise on her in 2017!  Supposed to do 12 night Baltic Sea this August on sister ship Brilliance but not expecting to now 😟.  Outdoor Windjammer seating and Schooner are the best!  Thanks for the review as always!

I agree about the outdoor Windjammer seating. However, maybe it was just the weather we caught, but it was so hot in the southern Caribbean we often ended up moving inside to the air conditioning. The Schooner bar is beautiful.

[bobmacliberty]

Really happy that you're posting this in "real time".  Gives us something to look forward to for a couple of weeks.

[bobmacliberty]

5 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

The Schooner bar is beautiful.

 

Seemed to be a lot of wasted space at the entrance to the Schooner Bar.  Surprised that they haven't turned that area into a couple of cabins. 😁

[Sunshine3601]

We have been on Serenade for several cruises and love her sister ship Jewel as well.  We were on serenade this past january and january 2019 for 24 night b2b each time.  We love waitress Grace and her husband Diego from Brazil.  This past winter she moved from mdr to Giovannis and he works in Chops.  Did you have the pleasure of having either of them serve you?  

[John&LaLa]

3 hours ago, L454S said:

Thanks for doing this John, this was one of the best trips we have been on. We were your neighbors just above in 9260.

 

 

You were just a few doors from @Beachammo I'm guessing

Edited April 27, 2020 by John&LaLa

[John&LaLa]

59 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

I agree about the outdoor Windjammer seating. However, maybe it was just the weather we caught, but it was so hot in the southern Caribbean we often ended up moving inside to the air conditioning. The Schooner bar is beautiful.

 

Downside to Schooner is the overall length, and the extremely active passageway going through the middle.

 

Those two factors can impact Trivia.

But that's fairly minor, it has a very nice view

[John&LaLa]

56 minutes ago, bobmacliberty said:

 

Seemed to be a lot of wasted space at the entrance to the Schooner Bar.  Surprised that they haven't turned that area into a couple of cabins. 😁

 

They did a lot of indoor versions of pool games there in the afternoons.  Also a great photo op

[John&LaLa]

47 minutes ago, Sunshine3601 said:

We have been on Serenade for several cruises and love her sister ship Jewel as well.  We were on serenade this past january and january 2019 for 24 night b2b each time.  We love waitress Grace and her husband Diego from Brazil.  This past winter she moved from mdr to Giovannis and he works in Chops.  Did you have the pleasure of having either of them serve you?  

 

Not sure, but I just realized something. 

 

We had dinner in Giovanni's last night.😎

 

Thanks for helping me remember 

[L454S]

42 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

 

You were just a few doors from @Beachammo I'm guessing

Yup, had a tour with them also in Etretat, France from Le Harve. Enjoyed their company.

[Beachammo]

1 hour ago, John&LaLa said:

 

You were just a few doors from @Beachammo I'm guessing

 

Just a couple of doors down on the corner 9256. It was a fantastic cruise.