Serenade of the Seas Reveiw (June 9-16)

[pcbeck]

First of all, this was our first cruise to Alaska for my wife and I and we decided to cruise out of Vancouver. Neither of us had been to Canada before so we arrived two days prior to boarding the ship in order to sightsee.

 

Pre-cruise- We stayed at the Marriott Pinnacle which was perfect in its relation to the downtown area. The hotel was extremely nice with service that exceeded our expectations. Since I used Marriott Reward points I don’t know what the rack price would have been but it was living in luxury for a few days at “no cost” for us. We ended up using the Vancouver Trolley (hop on/hop off) to get around and had no problem maneuvering around the city using this form of transportation. A two day pass ran around $36 a piece. We ended up eating dinner at Moxie’s, which was very reasonable and had great food, and Joe Forte’s Seafood and Chop House, which was pretty pricey but very good. Both restaurants are the type of place that I would go to again. Moxie’s was something we saw while walking by at dinner time and walked in around 5 and were immediately seated. For Joe Forte’s we had reservations and had we not had a reservation we would have waited for more than an hour. The Vancouver Aquarium was awesome as was the rest of Stanley Park. Granville Island was OK but geared heavily toward the tourist and/or the persons who frequent the marketplaces for fresh fruit/seafood/vegetables.

 

Info- We enjoyed a D1 aft balcony on Deck 10 and was very happy with the location. It was a bit of a walk to mid-ship to get to the staircase but the tranquility and lack of traffic to that part of the ship was nice. The only noises we heard came from the Windjammer directly above (a table/chair sliding across the deck) which was very minimal, and the loading of suitcases the last night. The aft view and the lack of wind made stays on the balcony quite enjoyable. Service from the steward was completely acceptable with the robes and coupon books for being Crown and Anchor Society members already in the room upon arrival. We did bring a collapsible cooler that the steward kept filled with ice for our sodas we brought on board in a box. We boarded the ship at 11:30 with embarkation taking all of 30 minutes from start to finish. Ballantyne Pier is where Royal Caribbean ships dock and was a $15 taxi ride from our hotel. We had one day of rough seas just after leaving Vancouver when we woke up on Day 2 and my wife got seasick. Once we got some seasickness medicine down her (courtesy of Guest Services on Deck 4) she was fine but a lot of people had a rough morning.

[pcbeck]

Sitka- A quaint, small town with a heavy Russian influence. We opted to do whale watching with Davey Lubin on the Esther G. See the website http://www.puffinsandwhales.com for details on what he offers in the way of various trips. We took his four hour tour which gave us plenty of time to whale watch and transit various portions of Sitka Sound. Yes, we did see lots of whales, puffins, sea lions, and eagles too numerous to count. Davey is extremely knowledgeable and makes everyone feel very welcome aboard his boat that is well-maintained and equipped with the latest navigational aids. The four hours flew by and it was the highlight of our trip. Our four hour tour ran us $155 a piece and was well worth it. Although he can take six passengers we only had four people and couldn’t have picked a better tour. My wife was initially skeptical about going out on a small boat but was ecstatic about the trip by the time we returned. It did rain ever so slightly but there was no wind so the water was very calm. Davey had extra sets of binos for those inclined to view things from afar. Ensure you use the bathroom prior to leaving the harbor as his boat only has a port-a-potty housed in the open on the back of his boat. After the tour we walked around the town and had a great sandwich at Victoria’s. I understand they have great soup here as well, but by the time we got there they were already out of all of the soups.

 

Hubbard Glacier- Overcast that day but you could see the glacier at a substantial distance. Due to ice flows we were not able to get up to the face of the glacier and witness any calving but we did get to see some pretty good size pieces of ice floating around in the water. This is the one time on the trip when I put on my hooded sweatshirt because it was cold.

 

Skagway- We opted for the 7 /12 hour White Pass Rail and Yukon Bus Excursion offered through Chilkoot Charters & Tours. Once again we hit a homerun with this excursion. The train ride was very relaxing with breathtaking views and some informative narration along the way for approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes. Once we arrived in Fraser, we hopped off the train and got on our people mover van with 10 other people for a 5 hour tour of the Yukon and the Chilkoot guide. Stops included Emerald Lake, Carcross, and Caribou Crossing (where we got a great Bar-B-Q chicken lunch and the dog sled camp visit). Also, our driver was committed to stopping anywhere we asked in order to look around or take pictures. Once the tour was complete our driver would either drop you off in town or take you back to the pier. After the tour we walked around town and went to the Red Onion Saloon and took the tour of the museum upstairs that at one time housed the brothel. For $5 it was a nice tour and very interesting. By the way, on the bus tour we saw a huge bear on the side of the road eating dandelions.

[pcbeck]

Juneau- I ended up taking the helicopter tour of the glacier through Temsco and was completely in awe of the magnitude of the glacier. Temsco is a professionally- run organization that knows how to ferry people to/from the glacier and provide a most informative tour of the glacier once there. I was picked up on time at the dock, given a safety brief, outfitted with glacier boots, took the tour, and dropped off downtown afterwards over the course of about 2 hours. Don’t be misled by the warm temperature in town and not dress appropriately for the glacier. The day we went the temperature in town was 64 but at the glacier 39 degrees. Also, you have to drink the glacier water because you will never taste anything so refreshing. My wife opted for the massage on board the ship that day and had a grand time. We later met in town for lunch at the Red Dog Saloon and bought the last of our souvenirs.

 

Debarkation- Easiest it has ever been. We were off of the ship by 8 and at the airport by 9:15 courtesy of the Vancouver Shuttle. This people mover cost $12 a piece and picked us up right next to the ship. Whenever we got to the airport and I saw all of the people lined up to pick up their luggage for those who used the cruise ship transfers, I was glad we went the way we did. Airport lines for ticketing/security/customs/immigration were quite long; however, they moved quickly and took us about an hour or so.

 

Personal Observations- Every staff member bent over backwards to ensure our needs/expectations were being met. Not once did we run into anyone that didn’t appear to enjoy their job. The cleanliness of the ship was noteworthy and the wear and tear of the ship was very minimal. Food was superb. Not once did either my wife or I encounter food that wasn’t properly prepared or tasty. In fact, we would characterize it as quite good. We ate several breakfasts in the dining room and enjoyed meeting new people, used the room service breakfast on several occasions (timely and hot), and ate in the Windjammer the other mornings. Lunches were spent in the Windjammer on most days but on the one warm/sunny day we opted for the Seaview Café and had a great Reuben sandwich and onion rings that we were able to indulge in the outdoor seating. All of the evening meals were consumed in the dining room with exceptional service. Were people following the dress guidelines? For the most part, yes. However, there were people who came in jeans or without a suit/tux on formal nights. Did it bother me? No, and when they sat down you couldn’t tell what type of pants they had on so for those bothered by this so-called lack of decorum/couth, I say “lighten up.” The new bedding is very comfortable with ample pillows and sheets that called for sound sleeping. I was not prepared for the extended daylight hours (18-19 hours a day) that took some getting used to because at 4:00 AM it was pretty bright outside. The passengers we encountered were all polite and out to have a good time, but Alaskan cruises seem to attract a more sedate crowd. There were a few small children and teenagers on board but by and large the majority of passengers fit into the 40-65 age group. Also, there were 45 different nationalities represented making Americans a minority which differs drastically from the Caribbean cruises. So, there you have it, a trip of a lifetime with no complaints and only positive experiences. Royal Caribbean will continue to be my cruise line of choice!

[kingsgirl]

Thanks for posting. Glad to hear you had a great trip! We also used Chilkoot and was enjoyed Larry very much - did you have him as well for the bus part of the trip?

 

How long did you stay at Hubbard?

 

Great review.

[pcbeck]

We had a guy named Sean from TX that gave us the tour.

[Sue L]

Can you tell me more about the Vancouver shuttle? Where/how do I reserve? Any clue on the cost of a taxi instead. We will be a family of four adults.

[cruizecat]

Thanks for posting this. We are doing the exact same cruise as you on August 11, 2007. We are anxiously counting down the days.

[maggieq]

Great review. I can't wait to do this cruise. I would rather go from Seattle as the Serenade used to.....we have few airlines that go to Vancouver direct (i hate connections).

 

Wondering how smooth the sailing was, weather on days at sea, entertainment on board and average age of cruise passengers??? Think I have enough questions!!!

 

Thanks.

[Sue L]

Great review. I can't wait to do this cruise. I would rather go from Seattle as the Serenade used to.....we have few airlines that go to Vancouver direct (i hate connections).

 

Wondering how smooth the sailing was, weather on days at sea, entertainment on board and average age of cruise passengers??? Think I have enough questions!!!

 

Thanks.

 

 

Check out Cathay Pacific airline out of JFK, I am paying 300$ pp roundtrip direct into Vancouver.

[pcbeck]

Here is the website address to the Vancouver shuttle: http://www.vancouvershuttle.ca

 

A cab to/from the airport to dowtown/pier area will run you around $30-35 each way.

 

Weather was mostly cloudy with some light rain. Temperature was around 45-50 at night and in the upper 50's to low 60's in the daytime. In Juneau the weather turned very nice with clear skies.

 

Sea state went from 10-12 foot seas on Days 1and 2 down to calm waters on the trip back.

 

Entertainment was two nights of ship's company doing the Broadway-style shows, the Osmonds, a juggler whom was quite good, an impressionist who mimicked singers that was pretty good, a comedian, and a couple who did Spanish dancing and tricks using bolas with hard balls on the end. We also went to the Love & Marriage Show that was very entertaining and the Quest.

 

Formal nights were on Sunday and Thursday.

[Albert Ross]

..Entertainment was two nights of ship's company doing the Broadway-style shows, the Osmonds, a juggler whom was quite good, .....

Did you seriously say The Osmonds?!

[pcbeck]

We didn't know the Osmonds were going to be there but it was Wayne, Jay, and Merrill Osmond and this was a great show. All of the older ladies that grew up on them were in hog heaven....

[wolfcathorse]

pcbeck - who was the captain? There's a question as to who the master would be 6-9-07.

[Albert Ross]

We didn't know the Osmonds were going to be there but it was Wayne, Jay, and Merrill Osmond and this was a great show. All of the older ladies that grew up on them were in hog heaven....

Now I'm not sure I'd put myself as an 'older lady' but I'd be right there in Hog Heaven at seeing Jay......:o

[EggDropErin]

Thank you for the great review! One of these days I'm going to convince myself to go to Alaska.

[sailor moon]

We were on this cruise too and had a wonderful time. It was our first hump cabin (G/S 1554) which allowed us to see forward and aft. We took the Amtrak train from Seattle to Vancouver the morning of the cruise and absolutely would do it again. It was so scenic and relaxing. We took the RCCL transfer bus from Vancouver back to Seattle. We did a ship tour in Sitka - Native Cultural, Historic and Raptor Experience which was a bit to sedate/boring for us (friends with us wanted a "tame" tour). In Skagway we took the ship Skagway Extravaganza which was also a bit too low key for us although the WhitePass train ride was fun and we did get to see a bear! In Juneau we did the whale watch tour with Captain Larry which was outstanding. We took his tour 2 years ago and wanted to do it again. I wish the ship spent more time in Juneau (8 hours only) and less time in Skagway (13 1/2). We went with friends of our that had never been and they were over whelmed with the scenery and sites. Alaska always impresses!

[pcbeck]

I believe the captain's name was Stig Nelson

[CruiseQueenie]

Good Evening:

Thanks for the great review - I can't wait until we leave for ours in a little over a month. First time to Alaska, I am use to the Caribbean, this will be a new experience for me. Your review is making me very anxious to go now.

Thanks!!!;)

[My2Kitties]

We leave for Alaska 8/10 and would love to see pictures of the White Pass RR train ride...trying to decide which of the tours to do...

[Sue L]

We leave for Alaska 8/10 and would love to see pictures of the White Pass RR train ride...trying to decide which of the tours to do...

 

 

Hey,

 

 

I didn't realize you were going to Alaska in August, we are too! We are on the 8/4 Serenade.

[billylen]

...for the review. I'm jealous! I sailed her (solo) a couple of years ago. To date this is my favorite destination and my favorite ship. Glad to hear that all is well on the Serenade!

[Tinknock50]

Enjoyed your review! Glad you enjoyed Alaska as much as I do everytime I go there....and I have been there many times.

 

Can you give me a complete list of room service breakfast?

I use it a lot and would be very interested in what is available.

Happy to hear it arrived hot.

[Tinknock50]

...for the review. I'm jealous! I sailed her (solo) a couple of years ago. To date this is my favorite destination and my favorite ship. Glad to hear that all is well on the Serenade!

 

Hey Bill,

Why don't you join us on the Serenade September 22nd 13 day cruise?

Rates keep dropping on this cruise and you should be able to get a decent solo rate. Or if you can cruise with someone they are now offering $999 outside guarantees!

[billylen]

I am cruising on the Rhapsody mid August. Doggonit! I have never been on a 13 day cruise...especially on the Seranade!

 

(hmmmm...maybe I can do two)

 

Naaaaa. but it sure causes one to think ;)

[Tinknock50]

I am cruising on the Rhapsody mid August. Doggonit! I have never been on a 13 day cruise...especially on the Seranade!

 

(hmmmm...maybe I can do two)

 

Naaaaa. but it sure causes one to think ;)

 

Aw c'mon....do it!:D :D