Radiance or Serenade? Help

[nfused2cruze]

I like the Serenade's itinerary (Southern) - yet leaving from PR can be costlier.

Yet, the Radiance (Eastern) is easier to navigate since it departs from Ft. Lauderdale.

 

Would you choose convenience over itinerary?

Help me.

[nanfromatlanta]

It is a tossup. We have done both Southern & Eastern and loved both. If price is a factor, remember that fiights to San Juan can be costly vs. flights to Ft. Lauderdale.

 

Either way, you will enjoy both ships. The Radiance class ships are our favorite.

[nfused2cruze]

It is a tossup. We have done both Southern & Eastern and loved both. If price is a factor, remember that fiights to San Juan can be costly vs. flights to Ft. Lauderdale.

 

Either way, you will enjoy both ships. The Radiance class ships are our favorite.

Thanks nanfromatlanta. Did you find that the San Juan experience was more of a hassle? Not the city, just meaning the airport to and from the ship and trying to locate a hotel...etc.

[Ocean Boy]

Having done both the Eastern and Southern routes I would just say that the Southern route on Serenade was well worth the extra time and money to get to San Juan. Thay isn't to say that the Eastern route isn't great. I really liked it. But there is really something special about Serenade's southern route that I would say at least experience it once.

[nanfromatlanta]

The trip to and from San Juan was no more of a hassle that traveling to and from any other airport. We flew down a day early and stayed at the Marriott Stellaris Resort & Casino. We were very pleased with the accommodations. Taxi's to and from the airport and the cruise terminal were plentiful and very reasonable price wise. We never buy the transfers offered by the cruise line. You will end up waiting forever for the bus to fill up before leaving.

 

We now live in Atlanta, which has one of the bussiest airports in the US. The crowds at San Juan airport were nothing compared to here. So, don't let anything you may have heard deter you from the Southern itinerary.

[LAKaye]

I like the Serenade's itinerary (Southern) - yet leaving from PR can be costlier.

Yet, the Radiance (Eastern) is easier to navigate since it departs from Ft. Lauderdale.

 

Would you choose convenience over itinerary?

Help me.

 

Nfused~~

 

No one is talking about the difference in length of the cruise.....am I looking at the wrong things here? I am seeing that Serenade does a 7-night cruise out of San Juan, and I am looking at Radiance and seeing 6 or 8 night itineraries out of Ft. Lauderdale.

 

I agree that the southern itinerary on Serenade is inviting, but an 8-night cruise can tip the scale for me over a 7-nighter.

 

Please double check what I am seeing in my 2006-2007 brochure and online. We did indeed go on the Radiance in March of this year on a 7-nighter, but I believe that future itineraries are 6 and 8.

 

Leslie

[wrp96]

For me the Southern itinerary on Serenade can't be beat, and is worth any perceived hassles or extra costs. When you compare the 5 ports that are on each itinerary (Radiance Eastern vs. Serenade Southern), Serenade has it beat hands down with St. Lucia and Barbados instead of Nassau and San Juan (which Serenade picks up as well since it starts from there). Plus you have the added bonus on Serenade that it usually has very few other ships in port with it, while Radiance coming from South Florida will probably be accompanied by a ton of other ships in each port.

 

We went a day early and stayed a day late in San Juan, and it was like adding 2 days to our cruise since we had the time to really explore San Juan at a relaxing pace.

[trishalee]

We also looked at the Southern route on the Serenade - very closely. We ended up booking the Brilliance (still our favorite class) out of Miami on the Southern route. What we saved on airfare to PR we applied to the higher fare for our 11 night ultimate Panama Canal. Just a suggestion that you might want to look into.:D

[nfused2cruze]

This is definitely not a ship thing.

 

Leslie - Days really don't make a difference to me, it was more getting in and out PR, pricing, etc. Yet you make an excellent point. The cost is made up in the day.

 

wrp96 - Wow. The awesome itinerary is the thing!

 

trishalee - I've got to look into that.

 

Thanks everyone for your response. It helps - BTW I'm still booked on the Serenade.

[wrp96]

We also looked at the Southern route on the Serenade - very closely. We ended up booking the Brilliance (still our favorite class) out of Miami on the Southern route. What we saved on airfare to PR we applied to the higher fare for our 11 night ultimate Panama Canal. Just a suggestion that you might want to look into.:D

 

I've done the 10-night one as well - in fact I did it the week before my Serenade Southern cruise. I highly recommend EITHER!

[logan1_2000]

There are no bad choices to be made. We loved the Radiance this past winter, and will be back on-board for Thanksgiving. And for some southern-exposure, we have booked the Adventure for '08 (want to experience the Voyager class; since for now Freedom class is slated just for Miami, and we do not like the experience in Miami, we'll pass, for now).

 

The 8 day itinerary on Radiance is seductive. The Serenade's itinerary is, too. And in response to the ATL airport commentary, very true, the hassle factor here is far worse than what we experienced in San Juan on our first ever cruise--it was really not a problem in any way, though we were flying in day of departure so we did not have to do the overnight hotel or multiple cabs. We will do that in '08 and have no hesitation. FLL is fantastically easy as the ships are visible from the airport and the property of the airport practically touches the port property.

 

Do one now, and one later?:D

[Sheffie]

We booked our flights to San Juan the first day they were available ($335!), and the were $100 cheaper than the ones we booked last summer to San Juan. We fly in a day early and it makes the cruise seem so much longer and so much more relaxing.

 

We have done the Eastern and the Southern itineraries, and I much prefer the Southern. You get the best of the Eastern PLUS St. Lucia, Antigua, and Barbados.

 

We loved the Serenade and her itinerary so much that we booked the same cruise for next year!

[lv2bcruzin]

+1

 

The southern itinerary is the best of both worlds, eastern & southern. The southern islands are my favorite. I've left from San Juan a few times and the cost hasn't been much different if were to leave from Florida. PR is a great place to start. Get there a day early, and in you don't want to stay a day when you get back just book a later flight out.

 

There are definitely pros and cons to both of your choices. For me the southern has more to offer and worth the extra $$$.

[nfused2cruze]

FLL is fantastically easy as the ships are visible from the airport and the property of the airport practically touches the port property. Do one now, and one later?:D

 

Thank you all - of course the above quote is what tempted me in the first place but I'll stick with Serenade.

lv2bcruzin - it looks as if you'll be going soon. Hope you really enjoy. Tell us all about it!