Serenade Review - March 29, 2008

[KikiKruiser]

Enjoyed reading your very thorough review! One question: what is the WIFI situation on the Serenade? Did you bring a laptop and try to use it in your cabin? If so, did you need a cable or was the cabin WIFI? Thanks!:)

[Chitoryubt]

Does formal night change from one week to the next. I have someone compass from a couple of weeks ago and the formal night was St. Thomas, and yours was St. Maarten.

 

Would really like to know this ahead so we can plan excursions?

 

Sorry - I'm not sure - anybody out there know??

[Chitoryubt]

Chitoryubt -

Just curious: What does your screen name mean?

 

I have SO enjoyed reading your review. I have sailed on Serenade 4 times (S. Caribbean twice, Alaska, Pacific NW reposition). We've had Capt. Stig and he's just the best! He's soooo funny! I can just picture being there with your vivid descriptions. Is Granny your mother? or your mother in law?

 

Sorry if these are nosy. I have just really enjoyed it!

 

SeaBreezy

 

No problem - I get curious too! The style of karate I practice is Chito Ryu - and my initials are bt, hence Chitoryubt.

 

Granny's my Mom. She's Gran Gran, Granny, Gram Gram, and Granny Jane to our boys.

 

I'm really glad you enjoyed the review - I have the last day yet to go - I'm just taking a quick break from a proposal I'm working :rolleyes:

 

Cool avatar, BTW!

[Chitoryubt]

Did you put anything on your comment card about security's investigative techniques on your comment card?

 

Yes. The RC employees are not allowed to touch them once they go to the guest, so I asked the fellow at guest services for a brand new one, with two blank pages stapled to it. I told him I had a great deal to say, and I used both pages.

 

I also e-mailed Mr. Goldstein last Thursday. His office called me today to tell me that the head of the corporate security was investigating the incident. I told him that everyone was very professional, and very nice, just ineffectual, and the rep who called me told me that's the part that they were investigating. It will probably take awhile - she said they have to get the reports from the ship, etc., but that she would keep me posted.

[Chitoryubt]

Enjoyed reading your very thorough review! One question: what is the WIFI situation on the Serenade? Did you bring a laptop and try to use it in your cabin? If so, did you need a cable or was the cabin WIFI? Thanks!:)

 

 

Thank you! We brought a laptop, but did not use it with the ship's WIFI - we used it to download pics from our digital camera, and to keep a journal of our trip :). We had a lot of fun writing the journal - one poor schmo trying to type what everybody was saying, of course all at the same time.

 

There was a coupon in our C&A booklet for internet credit - 10 minutes I think. We used the computers RC has to check e-mail - and man was it slow. Slowww.

[MIcruiser99]

Yes. The RC employees are not allowed to touch them once they go to the guest, so I asked the fellow at guest services for a brand new one, with two blank pages stapled to it. I told him I had a great deal to say, and I used both pages.

 

I also e-mailed Mr. Goldstein last Thursday. His office called me today to tell me that the head of the corporate security was investigating the incident. I told him that everyone was very professional, and very nice, just ineffectual, and the rep who called me told me that's the part that they were investigating. It will probably take awhile - she said they have to get the reports from the ship, etc., but that she would keep me posted.

 

I'm glad that you are following up on this. It really is disturbing to know that security was not very efficient.

[happysinglemom]

Glad you had a great time! Just out of curiosity, who was your Driver?

 

Cosol was our driver, and he is absolutely the best driver or guide that I have ever met. Without exception.

[happysinglemom]

Sorry - I'm not sure - anybody out there know??

 

The formal nights are always on the same nights for that same cruise - at least they USED to be.

[waterbugohio]

Happy, so that means it is defintely Monday night, St. Maarten stop??

 

We want to plan the least amount of excursions during the day on formal night

[Merion_Mom]

Happy, so that means it is defintely Monday night, St. Maarten stop??

 

We want to plan the least amount of excursions during the day on formal night

 

Do watersports, beach, or a spa day in St. Maarten. You will have a great time, and still be able to get back to the ship early.

 

If you want to read about our day at the spa, click on the Explorer 8/3/07 link in my signature.

[Chitoryubt]

Disembark Day -

 

Saturday, April 5, 2008

 

Wake-up call at 0-dark:30. No coffee this morning – room service not available.

 

We were out of the stateroom between 7:30 and 8:00. Had breakfast in the dining room. Our flight wasn’t until 2:20 that afternoon, so we just kicked back. After breakfast, we headed to the Platinum/Diamond departure lounge. It was empty when we entered – they had just called the first departure group before we headed there.

 

Mike found a comfy couch. The rest of us headed over to the tables (it was in the upstairs dining room). Mike started reading; Beth and Granny drug out the laptop and started putting comments with all of the pics we took (too bad they didn’t transfer when Beth exported her pics from iPhoto <Grrrrr>). After all that coffee, a couple of us wandered towards the restrooms, which are just outside of the dining room. Not meaning to be gross or anything, but the restrooms were not in top shape – apparently, all of that rich food had gotten to SEVERAL people who had visited the restroom before her (Ewwww). Mentioned this because the restrooms really got nasty that morning. Might be prudent to go lightly on the coffee and juice – we wished we had. Perhaps the staff concentrate on the staterooms until all the folks are off the ship, then blast through the public areas before the new folks come on?

 

Another note: RCI started a program on the Serenade recently (not sure if it’s fleet-wide) where one could register with the ship (kind of early – like Wednesday, noon?) and get transfers to the airport, have their bags checked and get their boarding passes too. NOTE: Beth wasn’t entirely sure about the bags being checked through so PLEASE READ THE PAPERWORK (included with your Cruise Compass early in the week) CAREFULLY. Beth didn’t read carefully - missed the Wednesday cut-off because she thought it was the same time as the “add the gratuities to your Sea Pass” cut-off on Thursday. Nope. Obviously, can’t comment about the program, but it sounded convenient, and if you get all that stuff, the price seemed reasonable ($20-something per person?). Sorry can’t be more descriptive, but at least you know to read the paperwork EARLY!!!

 

Our group (Amarillo-10) was called and we were off the ship by 10:00. The line through customs wasn’t too bad – about 10 minutes. After stashing our dirties in our luggage (but we neglected to stash our Spiderman toothpaste and Crest Pro-Health toothpaste, it got confiscated later at TSA) it was off to the taxi stand. Got a taxi within 5 minutes. Fare was $27 for 5 people with 10 bags, which Beth thought was a deal. Tip was extra.

 

The line at AirTran did not move for a good 10 minutes, but then it started to go. There were some signs about that indicated that one's baggage “MUST have been inspected by the Agricultural inspectors”, or some other group like that, before one could check one’s bags, and Beth got nervous. Another lady piped in that as long as we still had our ship tags on (Amarillo 10) we would be fine. Beth tried to uncrumple the ones she had just ripped off . . . Turned out we were ok. Moral of that: leave those tags on until you get your bags up to the bag guy.

 

AirTran is weighing all of the bags, which is why we brought 2 each just for safety. Make sure somebody in your group is good at estimating weight from picking the bag up so that you don’t go over 50 pounds.

 

Went to TSA. There are apparently two TSA lines in the SJU terminal. One was completely jammed up. The lady told us to go to the other line, away from where the signs said to go to our gate. We were assured that we could still get to our gate from there, and they were correct. San Juan had some awesome TSA people. The wanted to look in Beth’s bag because they thought they saw a knife – even asked her. Turned out it was the tiny little plastic scooper that came with those French cosmetics she bought in St. Martin. They thought Mike had a knife – he had his school backpack with him because his teachers assigned homework. They took every textbook out of his bag (total of 5) and fanned through every single one of them. Sam’s carry-on was examined too – for Spiderman toothpaste. Beth isn’t sure when they got her toothpaste (Cinnamon Pro-Health).

 

Don’t take your shoes off right away – you send all your stuff through the x-ray machine, then you have to go stand in this machine that looks like a metal detector but has mysterious holes that go from the floor up to the top of the thing. As you stand there, jets of air puff you from your feet up past your head. Apparently, but we are not “up” on this, this machine somehow sniffs ions to detect explosives. That’s just fine with Beth. Get the bad guys – get them all.

 

After that, shoes off, hand over your toothpaste, etc. on the other side of the poofy machine.

 

We sat in the airport and continued commenting on the pics we had taken. All of a sudden, we heard a brass band, drums, lots of hoopla. Pretty good music coming from a group that was making their way up and down the terminal. Never could find out if they were sponsored by the tourism folks or what, but they had beautiful young women decked out in what looked like traditional clothing. That broke the monotony for awhile.

 

Sam and Mike saw a bunch of the buddies they met on the ship, and hung out with them for awhile. Beth, Jerry, and Granny saw a few of the Cruise Critic gang. All too soon, it was on the plane, and on to Orlando. Rough flight. Beth experiences sheer terror on aircraft so was prepared with the little prescription pill from the doc. The pill doesn’t work, not until we’re at least 10 minutes into flight and at least 25K feet aloft. Then it’s night-night time. Was so rough, it even woke up Beth.

 

Beth’s opinion that the only thing worse than getting on a plane is leaving a perfectly good one for no apparent reason before it reaches the ground (still mystified by sky-diving. Looks like fun, would be dead from fright before hitting the ground). Oh – and any landing you can walk away from is a good one.

 

Arrived early in Orlando at 5:10. Huge thunderstorm. Jerry had to retrieve the car from long-term parking. Arrived home about 6:30. Immediately left home to attend friends’ wedding – well, we missed that, so, attend the reception. Went on a search for the Maitland Art Center – got lost several times - where we attended Dave and Karen F.’s wedding reception in the midst of a tropical thunderstorm and deluge. They were good sports about it though, and we had a great time dancing. Then it was back to the house, where we started the post cruise unpack and wash clothes routine.

 

Cya on the next one (but hopefully not through a cloudy haze of funny smoke)!

[happysinglemom]

Happy, so that means it is defintely Monday night, St. Maarten stop??

 

We want to plan the least amount of excursions during the day on formal night

 

 

Yes - Monday was our formal night. I just pulled out my Cruise Compass, and on both of our cruises, the formal nights were on day 2 and day 5.

 

For what it's worth, we had excursions every day where we got back to the boat at 4:30 or after, and we had early seating. We had no problems getting to dinner on time, any night. But it was just the two of us, so it wasn't difficult to manage.

[jimmyjib2008]

this tour rocked we had the best tour guide...RUM Punch was awesome the views were awesome!!! The views you see are GREAT...take this cosul tour...i was with this large group this day. You have to take it for what it is worth...and i'd do this tour again!

[jimmyjib2008]

Disembark Day -

 

Another note: RCI started a program on the Serenade recently (not sure if it’s fleet-wide) where one could register with the ship (kind of early – like Wednesday, noon?) and get transfers to the airport, have their bags checked and get their boarding passes too.

 

THIS IS WORTH THE $20.00!! IT WAS SO EASY AND QUICK!!!!

[jimmyjib2008]

Enjoyed reading your very thorough review! One question: what is the WIFI situation on the Serenade? Did you bring a laptop and try to use it in your cabin? If so, did you need a cable or was the cabin WIFI? Thanks!:)

 

NOTE ALL WIFI PEOPLE: The rooms are not WIFI ready and can not use your laptop in you room. For WIFI you must go to guest services and buy a pass for $28.00 for 60 mins. then you must go to certain parts of the ship "Hotspots" to connect. Computers in the business center are .55 a min.

[MIcruiser99]

Yes - Monday was our formal night. I just pulled out my Cruise Compass, and on both of our cruises, the formal nights were on day 2 and day 5.

 

For what it's worth, we had excursions every day where we got back to the boat at 4:30 or after, and we had early seating. We had no problems getting to dinner on time, any night. But it was just the two of us, so it wasn't difficult to manage.

 

I am confused, Monday should be day 3 at St. Martin. Are you counting the sail day of Saturday? I am trying to figure out which days/ports are the formal nights and day two should be St. Thomas, I think!

[Chitoryubt]

I am confused, Monday should be day 3 at St. Martin. Are you counting the sail day of Saturday? I am trying to figure out which days/ports are the formal nights and day two should be St. Thomas, I think!

 

My Cruise Compass says Day 3, St. Maartin across the top, and at the bottom, it says Dinner FORMAL.:D Thank goodness for cruise compasses and the name of the day tile in the elevator or I'd never know what day it was . . . .

[happysinglemom]

My Cruise Compass says Day 3, St. Maartin across the top, and at the bottom, it says Dinner FORMAL.:D Thank goodness for cruise compasses and the name of the day tile in the elevator or I'd never know what day it was . . . .

 

 

Our departure days were on Sunday. We sailed at 10pm Sunday night. So Mondays were "Day 2". I did not realize this had changed - sorry for the confusion.

[Chitoryubt]

Our departure days were on Sunday. We sailed at 10pm Sunday night. So Mondays were "Day 2". I did not realize this had changed - sorry for the confusion.

 

Ah - that would make a difference! I must admit I had to go bak and look :o

[deppong]

they do count the day that you sail as your 1st day. Unfortunatly it is not 1 full day.