"Live" from Serenade of the Seas - December 1st

[silver03]

Wonderful review, once again! I skipped over part of it, though. I didn't want to read too much about the Cosol tour because will be doing it in a few days. I'd like to leave a few surprises. :)

 

We'll be on a flight to San Juan tomorrow, so I will have to read the rest of your thread when we get back and post our own review. Enjoy the rest of your journey!

[Bargeo]

Enjoying your review. We are on Empress next month and will visit the islands you are reviewing, plus a few more. Have reservations with Cosol, and happy to hear that it is so good. We did the Eli's eco tour last year, and agree it is wonderful. We have decided to try Renaissance island this year on Aruba. Excellent job of making the reader feel they are traveling with you. Keep up the good work!!!!

[NancyB84]

I am enjoying your review. Serenade was, by far, our favorite cruise so far. Thanks for taking the time to post. It is a pleasure to read.

[EmJakeBubbie]

I just found this thread - we fly into SJU Saturday for the SERENADE, 7 nts. Raul is the Concierge? what happened to Martiza? anything I should anticipate other than simply a wonderful cruise experience? thanks, in advance. anyone know what the taxi is running from the airport to SERENADE?

[BuyReallyLow]

Hey BuyReallyLow--- If at all possible could you get a message to Staff Captain Michael Tamney for us. Let him Know Randy & Lori from the Panama Canal cruise said hello and to check his e-mail and his e-mail spam folder also. He is a very nice gentleman from the US and we wanted to let him know we would be back onboard Serenade in October to Hawaii.

 

You can drop a note off at Guest Relations and he will get it.

 

Thanks!!!!!:cool: :cool: :cool: We appreciate the assist.

 

Did it today. No problem.

[BuyReallyLow]

I just found this thread - we fly into SJU Saturday for the SERENADE' date=' 7 nts. Raul is the Concierge? what happened to Martiza? anything I should anticipate other than simply a wonderful cruise experience? thanks, in advance. anyone know what the taxi is running from the airport to SERENADE?[/quote']

 

Maritza is back on for you - Rahul was filling in for the past 6 weeks (Maritza's time between contracts). Rahul was very good - but Martiza is highly recommended. Regarding your cruise - I have always believed that you make your own experience. I think it would be virtually impossible for someone to make my experience less than wonderful. SomeTHING can get in the way, but you still make your own weather. I'm sure you will have a wonderful time.

 

I will write a final summary post upon my return on Sunday. Today we will post some basic thoughts on the ship itself - tomorrow will be on the people, then Sunday is a wrap-up.

 

My recollection of the cab fare to the airport was a set rate of just over $20, plus $2 per bag. But I don't have that in front of me so you'll have to double check. It is a set rate, so you don't have to worry about the negotiation.

 

Be well and have fun!!

 

BRL

[BuyReallyLow]

Glad your are having fun on you trip. I was wandering if their was Texas Holdem Poker on the ship and was their anybody playing.

 

Yes it is being played - not the most popular game on the ship (maybe the different nationalities make for a smaller field?). My friend played in the finals today and lost in the first round.

[BuyReallyLow]

“The beauty of the Way is that there is no “way”.

-Loy Ching-Yuen, The Book of the Heart

The secret, of course, is that there is no secret. No one way, just your way.

How else can I tell you this?

In 1819, a blind soldier, James Holman, was invalided out of the British Navy. He promptly set out to see the world. He traveled alone, except for one brief stint with a deaf man. He spoke none of the languages he encountered, and moved about by public transit. Upon return, he published several travel books in which he wrote that he rarely felt he missed anything because of his blindness. Noticing his condition, people were always inviting him to “squeeze things” as a way of perceiving them.

“And this is what the contemporary travel writer may have to do,” wrote Anatole Broyard in his essay on Holman. “He may have to squeeze place until they yield something, anything.”

Our first visit to Barbados did not yield much to remember. But then again, we did not “squeeze the place”. At that time we traveled with a larger group, so our adventure on Barbados was to take in a “rum runner” trip aboard a Pirate Ship. Not that we remember much of the excursion – the rum punch did run freely, and surrounded by good friends a great time was had by all. This time, we promised ourselves to do more “squeezing”, giving Barbados a chance to show us more than the our first “fuzzy” impressions.

From a vast height the islands of the Lesser Antilles looked the same 500 years ago as they do now; a delicate chain of islands binding the ponderous bulks of the Greater Antilles to the southern continent. To the east, the froth-capped midnight blue of the equatorial Atlantic, a nursery for generations of tropical storms. To west, the placid sapphrine waters of the Caribbean Sea.

One island in this chain stands apart from the others, slightly out of line as if asserting its individuality. And as we come nearer we see that among the islands on our visit it is unique, not coarse and spiked like the shell of a conch, as the others thus far have been, but smoothly rounded with softly undulating hills that echo the gentle swells of the Caribbean. This is an island born of the sea – for the island is an enormous and ancient coral reef, lifted above the surface of the ocean by the tectonic forces that gave birth to its fiery neighbors.

“Squeeze the feeling,” as Van Morrison moans. Touch the place or risk not being touched, touch the world with the hands of the wandering traveler. Squeeze places as deliberately as photographer Jim Brandenburg, who spent ninety days in the northern woods of Minnesota, shooting only one image a day. Squeeze them gently, as that indefatigable traveler Rose Macaulay reflected on the ruins of Athens, “This broken beauty is all we have of that ancient magnificence, we cherish it like the extant fragments of some lost and noble poem.”

Our plan was to find a wisened guide, an individual to show us the highlights of this beautiful island and hopefully enlighten some of its secrets. In other words – a taxi cab driver. This is one of our favorite methods of getting to know a place. It is not easy – you just don’t go ask for one. It’s often better to stand back and look for the wise driver, someone who you sense will let you sit up front with him/her, and someone who (1) has a pride (fierce) and love of the place he/she inhabits. And (2)someone who is happy with who he/she is and what they do.

What does any of this mean for a traveler seeking the unknown place of renewal? Just this: There is in pilgrimage, as there is in architecture and psychology and poetry, a secret room. Donald Hall tells of friends who bought an old farmhouse in the countryside. It was a “warren of small rooms,” and once they settled in and began to furnish their new home they realized that the lay of the house made little sense. “Peeling off some wallpaper, they found a door that they pried open to reveal a tiny room, sealed off and hidden, goodness knows why: They found no corpses nor stolen goods.” For Hall, the mystery of poetry to evoke feelings finds its analogy here, in its ability to be sealed away from explanation, this is the place where “the unsayable gathers.”

We left the ship with the idea of finding a sage guide. After making our phone call home, we left the terminal to find this sage guide. For the first time in our cruising lives, we were NOT successful. No one struck our nerve. No one made a strong impression. It is often difficult to slow down and listen. We jump so hard and so fast in order to “experience” something, that we are often left with an incomplete experience. Today, we were successful in listening and NOT finding. We will hope on our next visit to “squeeze” Barbados. Today we instead found ourselves with a much needed quiet day onboard the Serenade of the Seas.

So instead, let’s spend this entry outlining the key elements of the ship. The pictures we take will reinforce this. Tomorrow during the sea day we will cover the most important of the ship experience – its people and the activities.

Words do not do justice to this ship. It has new discoveries around each and every corner. Be sure to view the pictures I have posted on our family travel website www.prosapiaeo.net. But as a short overview:

Deck 13 – Hollywood Odyssey/ Cigar Bar / Vortex Night Club, Rock Climbing Wall, Fairways of Serenade Golf

Deck 12 – Loyalty Ambassador/ Future Cruise Consultant, ShipShape Center, Sports Court, Country Club, upper level overlooking pool, Adventure Ocean Kids Pool.

Deck 11 – Pool Deck, Serenade Day Spa & Salon, Solarium, Windjammer

Deck 10 – Concierge Lounge

Deck 9 – Library

Deck 8 – Business Center

Deck 7 - Internet Cafe

Deck 6 – Casino Royale, Safari Club, Serengeti Card Room, Schooner Bar, Casino Bar, Upper level of Tropical Theatre, Champagne Bar, Pit Stop Sports Bar

Deck 5 – Photo Gallery, Art Gallery, Port & Shopping Guide, Internet Café, Shops on Board, Café Latte-tudes, Lower Level of Tropical Theatre, Upper level of Reflections Dining Room

Deck 4 – Explorations! Desk, Guest Relations, Royal Caribbean Online, Lobby Bar, Lower Level of Reflections Dining Room.

Deck 3 – Cabins

Deck 2 – Medical, Departure.

Each deck has its own story to tell. You will find yourself on decks 11,12,13, 6 & 7 most often. Did you know each floor has a theme when it comes to its Art? See our pictures for more details, or just spend a couple of hours wandering the halls looking at the amazing art and sculpture.

And so it is on the traveler’s path. Everywhere you go, there is a secret room. To discover it, you must knock on walls, as the detective does in mystery houses, and listen for the echo that portends the secret passage. You must pull books off shelves to see if the library shelf swings open to reveal the hidden rooms.

I’ll say it again: Everywhere has a secret room. You must find you own, in a small chapel, a tiny café, a quiet park, the home of a new friend, the pew where the morning light strikes the rose window just so, or in the quiet corner of the Solarium.

As a travlerer you must find it or you will never understand the hidden reasons why you really left home.

Traveler, pass by that which you cannot love.

The Five Excellent Practices of Travelers.

(Inspired by a fifth-century conversation between Zi Zhang and Confucius about the practices of wise rulers in The Analects, here are five excellent practices for travelers on journeys.)

Practice the arts of attention and listening.

Practice renewing yourself every day.

Practice meandering toward the center of every place.

Practice the ritual of reading excellent books of discovery.

Practice gratitude and praise-singing.

[MIcruiser99]

Did you look for your guide in the cruise ship area? I have read reviews that these taxi drivers will demand high rates while taxi drivers that are outside of the cruise terminal are nicer and more reasonably priced.

 

This is one island that I am still trying to decide what we should do. I hear good things then read a bad review.

 

Looking forward to seeing more of your pictures. They are beautiful and wish that our trip was not so far in the future. Thanks for taking the time to review each island and the ship and post your pictures!

[DJ1VIKES]

We will be doing the April 5th sailing. A couple of questions, How long of a cab ride is it from the San Juan airport to the ship? When leaving San Juan, we have a 7:30 flight, any suggestions on what to do until I have to be at the airport? Thank you in advance. Dave

[cyscopup]

Did it today. No problem.

 

Thanks, we have really your review. Maybe we will try it on our Hawaii trip in October.:cool:

[wrp96]

We will be doing the April 5th sailing. A couple of questions, How long of a cab ride is it from the San Juan airport to the ship? When leaving San Juan, we have a 7:30 flight, any suggestions on what to do until I have to be at the airport? Thank you in advance. Dave

 

 

The ride to the airport takes around 30 minutes. With a 7:30 flight, I would look and see if you could get a day room at a hotel for the day.

 

OR, you could tour around OSJ.

 

As to what to do with the luggage, you have two options:

 

1. Onboard luggage valet program - this is offered by RCCL for $20 per person. You sign up during the cruise, and on the last day the cruiseline prints off your boarding passes and luggage tags. You get off the ship, go through immigration, retrieve your bags, drag them past customs, and then you drop them off at a drop-in point right outside the terminal and don't see them again until you get back to your home airport. Not all airlines participate though. Then when you get ready to go to the airport, all you have to do is head straight to security and you get to bypass checkin.

 

2. Store your luggage. There are a few luggage storage options in OSJ. Barrachina's is a restaurant where you can store your luggage for no charge. It's right in the middle of OSJ so convenient to everything.

[BuyReallyLow]

Will post more information tomorrow. We just got back to the house - 14 inches of snow on the ground, and a high temperature of 7 degrees!! Talk about a shock!! My plan is:

 

Tomorrow: The Staff and Activities

Monday: Final Thoughts

 

The Internet speed on the ship really affected my ability to load pictures onto the website, so I hope to have that completed tomorrow as well.

 

In the meanwhile, I'm heading to bed!!:p

 

BRL

[tn1728]

BRL,

 

Thanks for your wonderful postings, we are boarding the Seranade in one week, and have really enjoyed reading about your cruise.

[Radio]

WoW ! A very nice Trip report !

 

This was truly impressive. Great Job !

 

Radio

;) ;)

[BuyReallyLow]

WoW ! A very nice Trip report !

 

This was truly impressive. Great Job !

 

Radio

;) ;)

 

 

thanks Radio... coming from you, that means alot!

 

BRL

[CruiserTK]

I just finished viewing your pictures of the ship, and was reminded how truly beautiful and elegant Serenade of the Seas is. We sailed on her sister ship, the Radiance, and have sailed the Voyager class as well. Both classes have their strengths. I hope that RCI does not totally abandon building new ships along the lines of the beautiful Radiance class in the future, even though I realize they cancelled the final two in the class, simply in hopes of building only the biggest ships on the sea. That would really be a shame.

[Darkwolfe]

BRL, that's one of the best running reviews I've seen in quite some time. It certainly beat my piddly little live thread from Enchantment back in October! But that is good as I can learn. ;)

 

It's great to hear about a positive cruise. Very positive from everything you have said so far. The one exception being your flight to San Juan. That does however, even more firmly support the "day before" rule of thumb.

 

My wife and I and another couple are traveling together on the same cruise in a bit over a year. We can't wait.

 

Happy travels!

[BuyReallyLow]

Serenade of the Seas – the People and the Activities

Royal Caribbean has done a fantastic job creating ships that are destinations unto themselves. Many of us choose our trips for the itineraries – the various ports-of-call create memories that last a lifetime. But for us, the most important single item that makes or breaks a journey is the PEOPLE you meet – especially those few who are responsible to taking care of you. Day in and Day out, these few have the single greatest impact on your trip. So we thought we would spend a few minutes drawing attention to these people – as our way of saying “Thank You” for helping us make memories. We are going to put these in order of how much direct impact they have on you. This list may not be in the same order that you might place them, and of course you may have a different opinion of the importance of each. These individuals normally sign a contract for six months – working 7 days a week. Between contracts, they take a six week break. When you ask how long they have been on board, they will often speak of how many “contracts” they have worked.

1) Your Room Attendant

Our Room Attendant aboard Serenade was Maria. We believe she is from the Phillipeans. Your Room Attendant visits your cabin at least six times per day, drops off your Compass and other important information, and if they are really good, are virtually invisible. They also work with an assistant who most never see. They normally take care of between 10 – 15 cabins (less if they clean suites). Maria was an absolute sweetheart. I attempted to record her voice for an introduction on the website – she tried so hard to do it well but she kept breaking down and laughing – so much so that I could not stop laughing…which perfectly summed up her sunny personality.

I mentioned earlier that when they do their jobs well, they are virtually invisible. That was the way it was with Maria. We communicated with notes – we’d request things like more water in the mini-frig, different color luggage tags, special instructions for laundry, etc. Maria always responded by following the instructions to the letter, and by responding with a note – always signed with “God Bless”. She was a delight. We prepay our tips, but always give our Room Attendant an additional tip on the first day, letting them know how much we appreciate their efforts. Different threads cover the tipping issue, but we have always leaned toward the kill them with kindness approach. But I really believe it does not make difference for Maria. She is truly a sweetheart.

2) Your Waiter and Assistant Waiter

Even if you eat at specialty restaurants during the week, or you enjoy the freestyle dining style of the Windjammer for your dinners, you will undoubtedly take in a meal or two in the main dining room. Your waiter and assistant waiter can make or break your dining experience. Much has been written on the food quality in the main dining room (our impressions tomorrow), but we have never had a poor experience in the dining room.

Savio was our watier, and he was from India. Our first impression of Savio was one of a quiet man who was very proud of his job and doing things perfectly. Most of our watiers over the years have attempted to learn our names and then addressed us by our names the rest of the trip. Savio did not ask our names the first night – it caught us by surprise. But his quiet demeanor did not hide his quick smile, nor his incredible courtesy and skills. The presentation of the food was perfect, and the delivery was right on time. By doing so, our dinners were surprisingly efficient – there was little waiting between courses, nor did we at any time feel rushed. He did a fantastic job. We enjoyed his courteous style so much that we sought him out in the main dining room for lunch on the sea day in order to be served by him there. We had to wait a few minutes, but it was worth it.

Our Assistant Waiter was Wyan from Indonesia. He was a force of nature – I’ve never seen a man smile as often and as widely as he did. The communication and efficiency with which he worked with Savio made them an excellent team. Wyan worked in the Windjammer most mornings in the cereal area – keeping the boxed cereal full and the bowls/silverwear stocked. I believe he must have gone hoarse each day with the number of “Good Mornings” he would say to passing guests. I have audio files of each of them welcoming everyone to Serenade of the Seas – I hope to have them on our Website later today (www.prosapiaeo.net)

3) Your Concierge

This may not apply to you, but if you either (1) stay in a suite above a Junior Suite or (2) you have achieved a Diamond Status in the Crown & Anchor Society, your Concierge is a very important part of your trip. The Concierge Lounge is open 24 hours a day for an area to use private computers or for a quiet place, but in the morning and evenings it is occupied by the Concierge. This person can literally do anything for you – you want a different table – for 2 (or 6 in our case), in a different location – no problem. Virtually anything you would stand in line at the Guest Relations Desk for, he/she can take care of it. We had our Concierge take care of our table requests, ticket requests, excursion requests, prepaying of gratuities, arranging for our baggage tickets for departure… virtually anything. Plus each and every morning, he was quick to serve up a Latte’… and in the evening he made a wonderful Gin & Tonic (and was quick with a glass of wine for my wife). Our Concierge was Rahul Barua from India. He is not the normal Concierge aboard Serenade – he was filling in for the regular Concierge who was between contracts. He did a fine job – he was personable and extremely efficient. He is hoping to be promoted to Concierge on a different ship in the future, but it is a very difficult job to get – not every ship has a Concierge lounge. We hope Rahul gets his chance… he deserves it.

4) The Sports Activity Director

I don’t normally spend much outdoor time by the pool….. I just can’t sit there that long (my wife does not suffer from my “illness”…). I tend to spend more time on the Basketball Court, or walking on the jogging track, or “watching” the rock climbing wall. The Sports Activity Director is responsible for the different games that occur most every day. Be it Table Tennis, or Dodgeball, or Basketball, or Soccer. Sometimes there are not many who play, so this person has to be ½ sales person and ½ cruise director. We were blessed to have an old friend on board, who we first met while on Radiance. His name is Essa, and he is a character. We traveled with companions who were on the activities list much more often than we were, and as soon as Essa heard we were on board, it was a daily question as to where I was. He is fantastic at what he does – and has been doing it for some time – I believe he is on his 10th contract.

5) Your Bar Staff

Depending on where you find your spot while on board, you are most likely to be served by a member of the bar staff. Our favorite was Rudi from the Phillipeans, who served us our favorite Kir Royale in the Champagne Bar each evening. Rudi is very gifted with a pliers – he was able to take the wire tops of Champagne bottles and create wonderful figures of horses, people – all worthy of purchase. He does these in his spare time. He has spent his entire career on Serenade – he is working on his 4th contract.

There are so many others that can make your cruise a memorable experience. If you are around the pool, or are a fan of the Love & Marriage Show, or Quest, then the Cruise Director is important. For us, we only saw the Cruise Director on one day – opening the headline entertainment “Abbaracadabra” – so she was not important for us.

Activities

Each and every day, there are thousands of things to do. Here were some of the highlights for us from each day:

- Walk a mile – 8 AM daily.

- Team Trivia – 4:30 PM – Day 2

- 70’s Disco Fever – 10 PM – Day 3

- Team Trivia – 11:30 AM – Day 3

- Love & Marriage Game Show – 10:30 PM – Day 4

- Dancing under the stars party – 11:30 PM – Day 4

- Mini Golf Tournament – 8:30 AM – Day 4

- Morning Trivia – 10:30 AM – Day 4

- Belly-Flop Competition – 4:30 PM – Day 4

- Free-Throw Competition – 5:00 PM – Day 4

- T.V. Tune Trivia – 8:00 PM – Day 4

- The Quest – 10:30 PM – Day 5

- Morning Trivia Challenge – 10:30 AM – Day 5

- Billiards Tournament – 3:00 PM – Day 5

- Hot Shots Basketball Competition – 4:30 PM – Day 5

- 50’s & 60’s Rock-n-Roll Music Trivia – 8:00 PM – Day 5

- Battle of the Sexes Game Show – 10:15 PM – Day 6

- Adult 3 on 3 Basketball Tournament – 5:00 PM – Day 6

- Name that Movie Tune – 8:00 PM – Day 6

- 80’s Flashback – 11:00 PM – Day 6

- A View from the Top – Noon – Day 7

- Adult Ping-Pone Tournament – 8:30 AM – Day 7

- Mr. Serenade of the Seas Tournament – 2:30 PM – Day 7

- Adult Dodge Ball Tournament – 4:00 PM – Day 7

I have only just scratched the surface. Is it any wonder that people do back-to-back cruises? In order to simply do what they wish to do! J

Tomorrow, I will try to put my final thoughts on this trip together.

[BajaErin]

Thank you so much for such enjoyable (and thorough) reading.

[Pomperaugrr]

How did you like the Grand Suite? We will have one of these, two cabins away from yours in January.

 

Eric

[BuyReallyLow]

How did you like the Grand Suite? We will have one of these, two cabins away from yours in January.

 

Eric

 

We love them - We've had an Owners and a Junior on both sides of the Grand, and I think Grand is the best. Not a fan of the closet area nor the tub (too high of a step in), but still a great layout and just enough class to make you feel special.

[Pomperaugrr]

Thanks again for all of the great info and photos. I've followed this thread from the start. There was enough information to whet my appetite for the upcoming cruise, without having information overload. I'm glad you had a great cruise. We are looking forward experiencing the Serenade for ourselves next month.

 

Eric

[BuyReallyLow]

Thanks again for all of the great info and photos. I've followed this thread from the start. There was enough information to whet my appetite for the upcoming cruise, without having information overload. I'm glad you had a great cruise. We are looking forward experiencing the Serenade for ourselves next month.

 

Eric

 

Thanks for the kind words - I always worry about too much information, or pictures, or words..... I'm glad you found it useful.

[SCCruzer]

BRL... Just wanted to give my THANKS for a great "week long" plus thread. We've been looking forward to it daily ( hate thats its over ).We have been imagining ourselves on the ship, as we are boarding on the 15th. This will be our first Radiance Class cruise. Your pictures were great. I'm probably not alone with the excitment one feels prior to any cruise, cause it's been 2 years to the week since our last cruise and WE CAN'T WAIT. You've pumped us up even more. There's no way I could even come close to your daily dedication to filling all of us in on your daily exploits. We plan on looking for those who made your journey so special and letting them know that many others know about them now. Were there any special Casino Dealers you'd like us to say hey to? (minus the ones of course that took your chips) We also plan on contributing our "daily allowance" after the evenings show enterainment. We have been on Mariner twice and felt the same way about their service. Hope the "shock" of returning to reality has worn off, I know it takes a while for anyone to feel normal again after breathing a weeks worth of sea air. I love dusk at the railing of deck 4, with my favorite beverage on ice, watching the beautiful blue waves.

 

We'll be looking forward to more on your web page for upcoming pictures and write-ups. :D

 

Again...THANKS, Sharon & Bruce