Serenade of the Seas-need info please!

[RCLforever]

Hi fellow cruisers,

 

My friends are leaving 3/04 on the Serenade for their long-awaited honeymoon. (they were married in July) She has not cruised before and my DH and I have been trying to give her tidbits of info etc. They are booked on first seating she said... any helpful knowledge about the bars, pools, etc. please let us know!!

 

kathy

[skiiergirl]

Kathy....It is a great ship and a great itinerary. Seaview Cafe has great chips/salsa, burgers, etc. if they want a snack that isn't buffet. The solarium is a great spot for some quiet time and is really romantic about sundown. Bummer about having first seating though. I would see if I couldn't get that changed so that they have more relaxation time between island and dinner time. We aren't really "bar" people but we love going up to the Viking Crown/Hollywood Odyssey etc. to have a drink and look out. We also like the bar in the solarium. For the shows the balcony down "the wings" has great seats and against the rail there is "leg room" for the long-legged crowd. While you have to pay for the coffee at the specialty coffee shop the cookies and pastries are free and usually yummy!

 

Hope this helps a little.

[Irish90Cruiser]

We were on the 2/11 sailing of the Serenade and it was our first cruise as well. We had our three kids with us though, so I'm guessing for honeymooners they would want to go where we did not hang out!:p

 

The Solarium pool is very nice and was always very peaceful when we walked through.

 

We had early dinner seating and would drop the kids off in the kids club afterwards and head up to the Schooner Bar which was really nice. There is a piano bar there and then all the way at the back of the ship (past the pool tables) is the Safari Club bar which was also really nice with a great view of the ship's wake. Portofino's (highly recommended - our dinner was fabulous) and Chops are also in the same area. I don't know if your friends are looking for quiet, secluded spots or more crowded places with a lot going on. When we were in the Schooner Bar at night between 8 and 10, it was pretty empty. It may get more crowded later when the second dinner seating is done.

 

We also went to the Vortex dance club one night from about 10:30 to midnight. It was practically empty when we got there but more people kept arriving. Even when we left though, it wasn't more than half full.

 

If they are looking for a nice beach on Antigua, we went to Long Bay Beach and it was absolutely amazing. Powdery white sand, crystal clear water, and a bar with drinks and snacks only steps away. The taxi fare was $8 per person each way.

 

I hope they have a wonderful trip!

[RCLforever]

All great info!! looking forward to passing it on! How far ahead did you have to make a reservation at PortoFino's? I think we dined on the Adventure of the Seas at Portofino's and yes it was delicious there too! What did you have for a choice of entrees?

[Irish90Cruiser]

You can't make a reservation until you board the ship. We didn't board until around 5:00 in the afternoon and wanted to go Tuesday night but they were full. Tuesday was Valentine's so we figured it would have been hard to get a reservation anyway. We were able to get a reservation for Sunday night with no problem. Here's the menu -

 

Antipasti - Prawn risotto, beef carpaccio, Goat cheese soufle, insalada caprese (we didn't try any of these)

 

Soup - Cream of asparagus, chilled tomato and pepper, soup of the day was minestrone (we had the minestrone and it was delicious)

 

Salad - caesar, insalata di pere e gorgonzola

 

Pasta - penne with wine ripened plum tomatoes and prosciutto (delicious), pappardelle with roasted mushrooms in mascarpone cream sauce (did not try), spaghettini with chunks of lobster (hubby said it was great)

 

Entrees - sauteed tiger shrimp, grilled filet mignon (fabulous), fillet of halibut, veal medallion and prosciutto (hubby loved it), chicken parmigiana, tuna steak

 

Dessert - (first they bring you a tray of goodies including choc. covered strawberries and a couple of other treats) White chocolate truffle cake, tiramisu (hubby wouldn't share and it comes with a shot of kahlua, bailey's and whipped cream), buttermilk panna cota, flourless gianduia chocolate cake (absolutely sinful and I ate every bite:rolleyes: ), roasted hazelnut meringue

[NYCrews]

Just a quick note on Chops and Portofino: We were on Serenade last week, and they just changed the menus in both of those restaurants in the middle of the week. The changes weren't dramatic, but they added a few new things and took out some others. I am a major steak fan, and have been to Chops on several ships, but I have to say that our meal at Portofino's was amazing - even better than Chops.

[RCLforever]

Thanks to all who responded. Gail and Mark are just about ready to go on Saturday.. esp since we are getting SNOW today! I KNOW they will miss the cold and shoveling.....or not!

[MargaritaPlease]

We too were on Serenade last week. See this.

 

Best tips I'd offer...

• Spend afternoon bingo games way in the back of the Safari Club. You can watch the wake and sun while playing and you still have just as good a chance of winning as those down front.
  
• Be sure to spend a little time way out front on the helicopter pad. It's spectacular out there and you won't happen upon it unless you try. Great spot for viewing the Pitons!
  
• As is apparently the case on ALL Royal Caribbean ships - wait until the last day to shop for logo-wear. The selection expands and the prices contract.
  
• Watch port departures from the SeaView Cafe. You can get a nice plate of nacho or onion rings, drinks from the bar, and a seat overlooking the rear of the ship. Nice.
  
• A night at Portofino's would be worth it for honeymooners. It's a bit more refined than Chops' open grill concept.
  
• The bar in the main lobby at the base of the elevators is a fun spot. Good bartender, good people watching, not too noisy. Check it out.

Have fun!

[caper32]

John,

What night would you suggest for Portofinos? Should we make a reservation right away?

Thanks,

Kathy