Returned last week on the Serenade

[Cleocruiser]

We returned last weekend from RCCL Serenade. We had a group of 16--8adts and 8 kids. Everyone had a wonderful time and great weather. I posted a full report under "reviews---Serenade" It will answer alot of questions or I would be happy to answer any others. I researched alot and got most of my info from cruise critic. So, ask away!

[VikkiGarcia]

Thanks for taking the time to write a review. Could you post a link to it here? I can not seem to find it....... Thanks!!

[Sue L]

Here is the link

 

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=30302

 

Great review!!

 

 

Also, how long was the dogsled part of the helicopter tour. We currently have just a helicopter glacier landing booked (no dogsled) as I had heard the dogsled part was very short and considering the price difference I have been having a hard time deciding. My son 19 would love the dogsledding, is it worth the extra 200$ per person? I am not being cheap just trying to justify spending an additional 800$.

[Quilting_Cruiser]

We returned last weekend from RCCL Serenade. We had a group of 16--8adts and 8 kids. Everyone had a wonderful time and great weather. I posted a full report under "reviews---Serenade" It will answer alot of questions or I would be happy to answer any others. I researched alot and got most of my info from cruise critic. So, ask away!

 

Enjoyed reading your review. Thanks for posting!

 

We're renting a car in Skagway for the drive to Emerald Lake. It's our shortest port day--leaving at 4:30. It's a Sunday and Avis doesn't open until 9:00 a.m. Did it work well to wait until the return drive to make the stops? We're you having to cross lanes of traffic to do that or were the stops on your side of the road? I'm thinking with the short time we have to make the drive, that making stops for photos on the way back would probably be the best idea for us.

 

Will you be posting photos? We're also booked with Captain Davey and I just can't see enough photos! I hope we have the same luck with whales you did! I'll bet your kids really enjoyed that! :)

 

Thanks in advance!

Jayne

[Cleocruiser]

We loved the dogsledding. We estimate that we were there about an hour on the glacier. You get off the helicopter and we weren't allowed to touch the dogs until we were done because they were in work mode. We took turns riding and standing and they stopped a few times for photos and questions and information. You basically go in a large circle. We love dogs and we are from FL, so the kids went crazy playing in the snow during the stops and petting the dogs after the ride. We thought it was worth the extra money because it was a once in a lifetime chance for us. My understanding is that if they can't get to the dog camp, they will try to make at least a glacier landing somewhere else.

 

The drive to Skagway was very nice and YES you will have to cross over the road sometimes for photos on the way back. It is very easy and little traffic, so we had no trouble crossing over. We drove all the way, went horseback riding, stopped at caribou crossing and carcross, and made many stops on the way back. We had plenty of time. I think we had the car back by 5:00 or before. We took our time and ran into the rest of our family on a ships tour along the way. It took awhile for pictures with 14 of us.

[Italy52]

Thanks for posting your review, appreciate you sharing your trip with us.

 

Question for you: when you disembarked in Vancouver, did you have a long wait for a taxi at the pier?

 

Also, we will be going to the Marriott Pinnacle when our cruise is over. Do you remember how much the taxi ride cost?

 

Thanks in advance for your response.

[Cleocruiser]

Captain Davey was the best. I don't have my photos ready yet. He was very good with the kids and will go where ever you want acoording to your interests. We brought our own binoculars, but he has a few pair to share are they were much better. The hard part is holding steady while taking pictures with the boat movement.

[Cleocruiser]

Italy52,

We got off the ship with color tag purple #1 at 7:50 am. We had less than a five minute wait for a van taxi since there were four of us. We did use a porter who got us through the luggage area and waited with us until the taxi arrived. It would have been less time than that if we could have fit into a car. There were at least 7 cabs lined up just waiting for people at that time of the morning. When we filled out our forms on the ship as to when we were disembark, we stated that we had independent plans and would like to get of as early as possible---and it worked.

The cab fare was about 13-14 dollars. We paid in USD and gave him a tip too. We pre-checked into the hotel by 8:30. They held our bags and we walked around the seawall and Stanley park for awhile.

[Italy52]

Thanks a lot for the information, appreciate it very much.

[Quilting_Cruiser]

Captain Davey was the best. I don't have my photos ready yet. He was very good with the kids and will go where ever you want acoording to your interests. We brought our own binoculars, but he has a few pair to share are they were much better. The hard part is holding steady while taking pictures with the boat movement.

 

Thanks! Let us know if you post some photos. :D

 

The drive to Skagway was very nice and YES you will have to cross over the road sometimes for photos on the way back. It is very easy and little traffic, so we had no trouble crossing over. We drove all the way, went horseback riding, stopped at caribou crossing and carcross, and made many stops on the way back. We had plenty of time. I think we had the car back by 5:00 or before. We took our time and ran into the rest of our family on a ships tour along the way. It took awhile for pictures with 14 of us.

 

Thanks for info.

 

Cheers!

Jayne

[bjksgk]

Cleocruiser - I'm so jealous! We were on the June 2nd sailing and we had a wonderful trip as well, however our morning dogsled trip was cancelled due to weather :mad: and we didn't have enough time in port to reschedule. As you said, though, the compnaies are very accommodating since the dogsledding gets cancelled alot. Temsco was wonderful, and they were able to get us set up on a glacier landing tour instead so it wasn't a total loss. We also didn't get close to Hubbard at all due to ice, and we were only there for about an hour, so I'd love to see some of your pictures if you get a chance to post some pretty please??????

[Krazy Kruizers]

I will check out your review in a few minutes. Thanks for letting us know about it.

[tola]

Actually we went at same day to Habbud glacier with Mercury and saw Serenade getting so close to the glacier. But Mercury is stopped pretty far away from glacier.:mad: :mad: :mad:

[Dlinkous]

Thanks for the review! We are doing the same cruise next June, so I'm thrilled with your experience.

 

At Hubbard glacier, did they turn the ship from side to side to give everyone ample viewing from their balconies?

 

We are trying to see if we can make an 11:50 flight home after the cruise disembarks - what are your thoughts about this being do-able?

[MAMATAMA]

were doing the cruise tour aug 15 any adice on excursions and what to pack, fisrt ime to alaska so any info helpfull... thanks

[ecpc1302]

We returned last weekend from RCCL Serenade. We had a group of 16--8adts and 8 kids. Everyone had a wonderful time and great weather. I posted a full report under "reviews---Serenade" It will answer alot of questions or I would be happy to answer any others. I researched alot and got most of my info from cruise critic. So, ask away!

 

I enjoyed reading your review. We are sailing on the Radiance on 7-20. I see that you ate in Chops & Portofino's. We would like to eat in one of the specialty restaurants on DH's birthday, but we notice children must be 13. We will have 3 grandchildren ages: 12,13 & 15. Did you have a problem getting into the restaurants with your children? Did you have to go at 6 p.m.? We were hoping for a 7 ish dinner that night. We are in port until 8 p.m. TIA.

Elsie:cool:

[Cleocruiser]

Dlinkous,

An 11:50 flight should work out fine as RCCL told us that any flight after 11:00am. Please remember that flight times change alot. OUrs changed about 8 times. Keep watching!

 

Mamatama,

We were 1st time alaska cruisers as well. Its very true---layers, layers, layers. I wore a t-shirt everday and would have a sweatshirt on hand as well as a lined raincoat. We were glad to have our gloves and earmuffs for the glacier day or any glacier excursion. We were shocked as to how casual alska cruises really are. The servers in the ding room kept telling us to come as we are--jeans and all. We felt a little funny, but we did come in jeans on a few days and we were NOT the minority at all. We did dress on formal nights.

 

ecpc1302,

The alternative restaurants were wonderful, but we did not take our children. We made reservations as soom as we boarded for 7:00 and 7:30. The kids (even the younger ones) were invited to go to the normal dining room by the servers. The older kids even brought some new found friends to our empty table. The waiters were fine with it. They had a ball eating together--after, they would go up to the windjammer for ice cream.

[MAMATAMA]

cleocruiser

THANKS SO MUCH, WE ARE USED TO TRAVELING ON NCL, ALL CASUAL, THIS WILL BE A BIG DIFFERENCE...FOR FORMALITY.

[cruzy-sue]

Hi I just read your review and sounds like a wonderful trip!

 

I have a question about your trip to Whistler. Can you give me an idea about time-wise - how long was the drive, did youthink it was worth spending the day? Did you feel you missed out on anything in Vancouver by doing that trip?

 

What did you do in Whistler once you got there??

 

Thanks. - Is Banff closer than Whistler?

[Cleocruiser]

cruzy-sue,

It took about 2 to 2 1/4 hours to drive up there on a week day due to construction. It was an incredibly gorgeous drive! My advise would be to go early as the biggest disappointment was that alot of things closed early up there. I don't know if it was the time of year. I went on June 21st. We had 11:30 zip lining reservations. I highly reccommend it. Check out www.ziptrek.com We wanted to go up the mountain on the ski lift, but by the time we were done with zipping, it was closed for the day--at 2:30? We thought we would check into ATV's, but they were closed for the day too.

We thought it was a worthwhile trip and we didn'r feel that we lost out on anything in Vancouver. We rented a car and found Lynn Canyon--(free) and Granville Island (so-so), and Grouse Mountain--we liked it the best. The lumberjack show is sooo funny.

[cruzy-sue]

Thank you so much for the info... I did check out ziptrek - looks painful.

[ecpc1302]

Thank you Cleocruiser. We didn't have a particular urge to go to an alternative restaurant, it was just we wanted something special for DH's birthday and to maximize our port day in Juneau by eating dinner later.

 

Elsie:cool: