Royal Caribbean Serenade of the Seas
/Somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean sailing off the coast of Nova Scotia, Dan and Teresa from Atlanta, Georgia, are being served cocktails and hors d’oeuvres in the intimate Concierge Club, just one of the amenities they enjoy from booking a suite aboard a brand new cruise ship. But this is not Crystal or Silversea, this is Royal Caribbean! As a friend in Plano, Texas would say “Who would have thunk it?”
Okay, maybe I am biased when it comes to Royal Caribbean. The first cruise that Rickee and I enjoyed together was on Grandeur of the Seas in ’97. Since then, we have sailed together on dozens of ships from nearly as many cruise lines to all corners of the world. Yet, as we stepped aboard Royal Caribbean’s new Serenade of the Seas, we were immediately reminded of why this cruise line continues to amaze cruise enthusiasts. With a gross tonnage of 90,090, Serenade of the Seas may not be one of Royal Caribbean’s largest vessels (Voyager-class vessels are 138,000). Nevertheless, this ‘Radiance-class’ vessel commands a distinctive presence wherever she sails.
THE SHIP
Royal Caribbean - Serenade of the Seas
Royal Caribbean has a knack for designing and building impressive ships, and Serenade of the Seas is certainly no exception. Like her slightly older sisters, Radiance of the Seas and Brilliance of the Seas, Serenade’s massive white hull is trimmed with blue-green glass lining the upper decks and topped off by the distinctive Viking Crown lounge (as are all Royal Caribbean vessels). With a gross tonnage of 90,500 and a beam of 105.6’ (width), Serenade is able to squeeze through the Panama Canal, allowing her to service the east coast, Caribbean, Panama Canal, Hawaii and Alaska.
The Centrum gives Royal Caribbean ships their 'wow' factor.
Serenade of the Seas has two sister ships which are virtually identical in design and décor: Radiance of the Seas and Brilliance of the Seas. Jewel of the Seas will be the last in the series of Radiance-class vessels and will be launched in March 2004.
Royal Caribbean’s signature Centrum, located midship, is nothing short of awe-inspiring. The open atrium extends from Deck 4 all the way to Deck 12 and sparkles with polished metal, a huge amount of tempered glass and low-voltage halogen lighting. There are six glass elevators in the Centrum, 2 of which offer a view of the Centrum as they raise and lower guests, while the other 4 are located on the outside offering breathtaking views of the ocean. There are 3 additional elevators located forward but none located aft on Radiance-class vessels. Speaking of glass, it is everywhere on Serenade of the Seas and it gives the interior a major “Wow!” factor.
In general, moving around this ship is surprisingly easy. The majority of public areas are located on decks 4, 5, 6, 11 and 12. There are staterooms on Decks 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9 and 10. The only thing impeding fore to aft movement is the Shops at Centrum which can become very jammed with shoppers at various times of the day.
ACCOMMODATIONS
Junior Suite offers lots of space, comfortable seating and vast amounts of storage.
Guests aboard Serenade can relax in a variety of well-appointed staterooms and suites. Our Category JS (Junior Suite) was comfortable and spacious with a large walk-in closet better suited for a 14-day cruise than our 5-night Canada/New England cruise. The marble-clad bathroom features a granite vanity with sink, full-size bathtub/shower and two mirrored medicine cabinets flanking the large mirror. The queen-size bed is comfortable with the exception of its shape which is curved on the end. This is apparently done to allow more walking space around the bed in staterooms where the bed is located next to the balcony door. At 6’ – 1” tall, I sometimes felt like my feet were hanging off the end of the bed. There are extra pillows stored in the closet and plenty of wooden hangers. The desk/entertainment unit has six storage drawers, a pull-out extension for a laptop computer and storage shelves everywhere. A full-size sofa (which makes into a full size bed), a coffee table and a nice chair with ottoman make for a roomy sitting area. A nice feature is a privacy curtain which divides the living room from the bed. The 20" color television sits on a cabinet which houses the refrigerator/mini-bar. There are two bedside tables, each with its own drawer and an ingenious reading light. The balcony is large and features two chairs, a table and a lounge chair. Royal Caribbean's balconies use sliding glass doors instead of hinged doors. You can really appreciate the sliding glass doors after having been jolted out of bed on other cruise lines when a neighbor's hinged door slams shut at 6:00am. Notwithstanding the audible talking and television from the neighboring suite, the Category JS suite was extremely comfortable and probably well worth the cost to upgrade from a balcony stateroom.
Staterooms Total: 1,055
Interior: 238
Ocean view: 817
Balcony: 577
Wheelchair Accessible: 19
All cabins are equipped with interactive television, telephone, computer jack, vanity tables with extendable work surface for laptop computers, refrigerator/mini-bar, hairdryer, 110/220 electrical outlets, convertible double/single hanging closet, and reading lights by the bed.
The interior staterooms on Serenade of the Seas seemed roomier than the one we occupied in 1997 on Grandeur of the Seas. There was a mini-sofa and loads of storage. For the budget-minded cruiser, these are quite comfortable. One step up from the interior stateroom is the standard ocean view stateroom which are basically the same size with the addition of a large picture window (a porthole on Deck 2). By far the most popular staterooms on Serenade of the Seas (and most newer ships) are the balcony staterooms. While there are a couple of variations of Balcony Staterooms, they are generally larger, and of course, feature a nice balcony. There are five categories of suite accommodations. The Junior Suite (Cat JS), the Grand Suite (Car GS), the Family Suite (Cat FS), the Owner's Suite (Cat OS) and the Royal Suite (Cat RS).
Note from Rickee: The mirrored medicine cabinet doors in the bathroom can be opened and positioned so that you can see your head from all angles, a great feature when it comes to styling your hair.
DINING
Virtually everyone agrees that food is an integral and important part of any cruise vacation. The one exception to this rule might be Rickee who often has to be reminded to eat. Remember Mikey from the old 60's cereal commercial who did not like anything? Well, that could easily be Rickee. So if Rickee likes the food it really means something. When it comes to food on Serenade of the Seas...Rickee likes.
When evaluating dining aboard a cruise ship we take several things into consideration:
Food quality & Taste
Preparation
Presentation
Variety
Service
The understated elegance of Reflections Dining Room.
The evaluation has to be balanced against reasonable expectations. For example, a meal served in a dining room that serves 1,200 meals per seating/per night cannot be expected to deliver the same quality meal that you should expect from a 5-star restaurant with only 30 tables to serve. Therefore, we evaluate dining rooms based on how they compare to other dining rooms on other cruise lines. Given that disclaimer, we found the Reflections dining room to rate very good to excellent for a ship this size. Breakfast served here was delivered fast, hot and everything was prepared to order. Unlike some other major cruise lines, Royal Caribbean still offers Eggs Benedict on the breakfast menu as well as made-to-order omelets, banana or blueberry pancakes and much, much more. Lunch in Reflections was good, but a couple of items came to the table cool to lukewarm. Nevertheless, the wait staff were friendly and very efficient. We never spent more than 40 minutes in Reflections for lunch, another big plus. Evening meals in Reflections were no less efficient and the meals were more impressive. Royal Caribbean and sister cruise line Celebrity Cruises are two cruise lines that have maintained the traditional early and late seating in the dining room, fighting the temptation to move to a 'freestyle' type of dining. "We simply cannot deliver the quality and service that our guests have come to expect from Royal Caribbean with a freestyle system," says Persaud Latchman, Serenade's Food and Beverage Manager.
The Windjammer Cafe is Royal Caribbean's signature Lido Buffet. On Vision-class vessels, the Windjammer is located a the front of the ship while Voyager-class and Radiance-class vessels place Windjammer aft of the pool area. Royal Caribbean really got it right when designing Windjammer for the Radiance-class vessels. At first glance, the sheer number of serving stations look daunting and confusing. Your first reaction might be "where do I begin?" In spite of this, the layout works very well. There are multiple serving "kiosks" each serving its own courses. One kiosk serves salads and fruits, another serves hot entrees, yet another for desserts, and so on. The layout and design reduces long lines waiting for food. That's a good thing. Instead of serving trays, which can result in tipped over glasses of water or lemonade, Royal Caribbean has implemented platter-sized plates sure to please even the most aggressive buffet aficionado. For breakfast, there was the standard scrambled eggs, hash browns, bacon, ham, sausage, etc. The omelet station was making omelets or other egg dishes to order. If you position yourself just right at the omelet station you can even talk yourself into fresh-off-the-griddle pancakes! For lunch, Windjammer offers a wide selection of salads, hot entrees, vegetables and a fresh pasta station. In the evening, the Windjammer transforms into a very nice dining alternative. The lighting is lowered and there are plenty of open tables. The variety and quality of food served in the evenings is surprisingly good, especially the sushi and Mongolian barbeque offerings.
For guests who want a truly unique dining experience, Serenade of the Seas offers two upscale restaurants which are open from 6:00pm till 10:00pm nightly.Chops Grille is the ship's resident steakhouse serving USDA Prime beef, veal and pork chops. Chops Grill is our new pick for Best Alternate Dining at Sea, nudging out Carnival Pride's Nouveau Supper Club (our previous pick for Best Alternate Dining). Chops Grill hits all the marks with great quality, near flawless service and presentation. The shrimp cocktail appetizer yielded 5 medium-size shrimp with a spicy sauce that had a hint of barbeque flavor. The salads were the least impressive part of the meal but were compensated for by the hearty bowls of cheese and onion soup and clam chowder. Meat is where Chops really shines. The veal chop has a tender smoky flavor that tastes like it was cooked over a hickory flame. The Prime Rib is a huge slab of tender beef cooked to perfection that can be cut with a fork, literally. I wish I could extol the virtues of Chops' desserts, but alas, there was no room left in the 36" waist pants to give it a try. There is a $20 per person service charge for dining in Chops Grill, but it is one of the best bargains on the ship. Reservations are required.
Right next door to Chops Grill is Portofino, Serenade's Italian restaurant. Portofino is no less impressive in its own right than Chops. In fact, it was a real toss up as to which should be named 'Best at Sea'. Portofino's strength lies in its Antipasti, Zuppe (soups) and Insalate (salads), where Chops relies more on its main courses to impress. The Prawn Risotto is not to be missed. In fact, our waiter, Earnest, claimed that many guests order it as an entree. On our visit, the soup of the day was Cream of Asparagus and was equally rich and creamy. The Caesar salad served in Portofino is made tableside and is better than the one served in Chops. The pasta dish was made fresh and had a delightfully rich red sauce while the Veal Medallion and Prosciutto were fork tender and delicious. As with Chops, we were totally unable to force a dessert down, but we heard from many other passengers that the desserts were truly delicious bordering on decadent. There is a $20 per person service charge for dining in Portofino and reservations are required.
Cruisers who lament the notion of 'having' to pay for these alternate dining options should perhaps rethink their attitude.
These restaurants are optional. There are plenty of other places on the ship to enjoy a meal without an additional service charge.
The value of these restaurants far exceeds the $20 per person service charge. The food quality, presentation, service and atmosphere are comparable to restaurants with meal prices in the $50 to $75 per person range.
Cruise fares are far lower today (not even adjusted for inflation). Even with dinner for two in both restaurants, the total cost of a cruise aboard Serenade of the Seas is likely to be hundreds less than it would have cost 25 years ago
The Solarium Cafe serves pizza and other snacks from 3pm to 7pm on most days and is located in the Solarium on Deck 11. The Seaview Cafe on Deck 12 is a nice place for a quick lunch or a late night snack. This restaurant serves burgers and other sandwiches, soups, salads, chicken fingers and hot wings.
Guests who wish to enjoy a cup of Cappuccino or a Mocha Latte along with a sweeping view of the ocean will want to head to Latte-Tudes on Deck 5 Centrum. Even though there is a charge for the coffee drinks served here, the quality of the 'Seattle's Best™' coffee exceeds the complimentary coffee served in Windjammer, Reflections or other dining areas. Complimentary cookies, cakes and other sweet temptations are available here to enjoy with your coffee. Coffee bars have become a popular addition to most new ships in the past few years, but none have anything as nice as Latte-Tudes. The coffee drinks are competitively priced with your local Starbucks, and I personally prefer Seattle's Best to Starbucks. The four internet computer terminals found in Latte-Tudes make this a perfect place to sip morning coffee and check email!
Of course, if all else fails, you can always pick up the phone in your stateroom and order from the complimentary room service menu! Full breakfast service is available each morning and sandwiches and snacks are available 24 hours a day. During dinner meal times, you can even select dishes from the evening's menu and have them delivered to your stateroom or suite.
BARS AND LOUNGES
“Mixed drinks at the Pool Bar and Sky bar are served in much smaller plastic glasses than in the other bars on the ship, yet they are the same price.”
When the sun goes down, the lights come up on Serenade of the Seas to reveal a ship built for fun and nightlife as much as it was for daytime activities. Guests who enjoy good music accompanied by a well-made cocktail need look no further than the Lobby Bar on Deck 4 where there is a string quartet or Jazz trio playing nearby from 4:30pm till 1:00am. Intimacy and elegance is the order of the day as you sip the bubbly (or any other drink) in the Champagne Bar on Deck 6 Centrum. The signature bar on any Royal Caribbean ship has to be the Schooner Bar (Deck 6) just aft of the Centrum. The Schooner Baris the perfect place to listen to pianist Denny Phelps or Latin Guitarist, Rico Duarte and enjoy a pre-dinner cocktail before you have dinner at Portofino or Chops Grill.
Sports enthusiasts have not been forgotten. The Pit Stop Sports Bar located aft of Casino Royale features walls lined with plasma televisions playing sports events from around the world. The de-facto late night haunt is the Vortex Disco Bar located on Deck 13 in the Viking Crown Lounge. Another section of the Viking Crown Lounge has been designated as Hollywood Odyssey, the ship's cigar bar. Of course you can also quench your thirst at the Pool Bar (Deck 11) or Sky Bar (Deck 12) on warm afternoons by the pool.
ACTIVITIES
Rickee sinks a long putt on the Fairways of Serenade.
Royal Caribbean has designed the Voyager-class and Radiance-Class ships, as well as its advertising campaign, to appeal to young adults (at any age, married or single) who lead active, energetic lives. Those looking to stay in shape after a night of partying and dancing need look no further than Deck 12 on Serenade of the Seas. For true adventure seekers, there is the 33-foot rock climbing wall which doubles as the rear panel of the ship's exhaust stack. Wanna-be hoopsters will find a basketball court (that can also be converted to a volleyball court). The golf simulator ($25 per hour) lets you play a round of golf on your choice of famous golf courses from around the world while the slightly less-challenging miniature golf course offers 9 holes of putting fun. The ShipShape Fitness Center is on Deck 12 forward and is well-equipped for stretching and toning muscles you did not even know you had. The center has a full set of free weights, Life Fitness™ circuit trainers, LifeCycles™, LifeStride™ treadmills and LifeFitness™ elliptical trainers. Royal Caribbean has spared no expense by installing the highest quality, commercial grade equipment in this facility. There are a host of ShipShape classes throughout the day for stretching, aerobics, Pilates yoga, etc. A nice locker room for changing into workout gear is on Deck 12 in the spa area with lockers, showers, steam and sauna. Well done!
Serenade of the Seas does not abandon those who may have consumed mass quantities the night before and simply need something less aggressive to pass the time. The pool on Deck 11 is one of the largest we have seen on any cruise ship and has impressive waterfall jets shooting from one end of the pool. This will be a popular hangout when Serenade does its Southern Caribbean itinerary. Deck 11 aft is where you can lay around a quiet pool for adults only in the Solarium. The Solarium has a retractable glass roof which can be closed in cooler weather (e.g. Alaska). There are two hot tubs here, a Balinese theme pool area with lush plants, sculptures of wild animals and a Balinese carved Teak gate by a waterfall. This area is very relaxing and a great place to take a swim followed by a nice nap. And did we mention, no unaccompanied kids allowed?
Other daytime activities on board include the Fine Art Auctions which are held in the Centrum on Deck 4. The auctions are conducted by Park West Galleries and there are hundreds of pieces from which to choose. Park West claims that you can purchase art here and save 40% to 80% off the land gallery prices. For whatever reason, there were lots of people at the auctions doing lots of bidding. Unfortunately, the auctioneer's 'barking' can be heard on every deck of the ship in the Centrum area which can be a little distracting for those who wish to read in the library, which is located on Deck 7 Centrum.
Casino Royale
Pampered guests will certainly make their way to the Serenade Day Spa where they offer a variety of massage treatments, facials, hair and nail treatments. Bingo fanatics will love Royal Caribbean's Snowball Jackpot Bingo, offering unquestionably the most generous payout of any cruise line. Bingo cards are available for $10 to $35 and the big final jackpot is almost always several thousand dollars. Hard core gamblers will be pleased to see that Casino Royale has everything a Vegas aficionado could want. There are 195 slot machines, including poker machines, ranging from quarter to $5. Table games include Craps, Roulette, Black Jack (21) and Caribbean Stud Poker. Casino Royale's slots accept real quarters, so there is no need to get tokens from the cashier. There is a Casino bar where you can take a break from the action and enjoy an exotic libation. Something you will only see on Royal Caribbean are self-leveling billiard tables. The tables are located between the Schooner Bar and the Safari Club on Deck 6.
If you think Royal Caribbean has forgotten about the younger cruisers, you would be wrong. The ship's Adventure Ocean program has a full-time staff of 10 that does nothing but keep the young ones occupied from sunrise to way past sunset. Activities are divided into four different age groups:
Aquanauts 3 to 5
Explorers 6 to 8
Voyagers 9 to 11
Navigators 12 to 14
Guests 15 to 17
Each age group has its own daily schedule of activities which start at 9:00am and extend until 1:00am on some evenings. For teens, there is a fully-equipped video arcade and Fuel, a teen disco and soda bar. Very cool. For the younger kiddos there is a fully-equipped daycare center with computers, games, big screen TV, and all kinds of other 'kid's stuff' to keep the little ones occupied. After hours babysitting is available for a small fee.
ENTERTAINMENT
Serenade of the Seas' Tropical Theater represents the Royal Caribbean's ongoing commitment to providing guests with top-notch entertainment. "This ship has the latest in stage and sound technology, on land or sea," says Rennie Watt, Stage and Production Manager. The Tropical Theater features advanced computer-driven lighting, sound and stage effects. But great entertainment relies on more than technology. Great talent must also be present to put on a memorable show. The Royal Caribbean Singers and Dancers who put on two production shows during a 7-Day cruise, consist of four vocalists and a troupe of 10 dancers. Before a show makes it to the ship, the entertainers are hired through the company's Miami entertainment office then are shipped off to Ft. Lauderdale to train and rehearse each show at the Royal Caribbean Productions' studio.
Leading the entertainment effort on Serenade of the Seas is Allan Brooks, the ship's cruise director. Brooks has been a cruise director for only a year and a half, but you would never know it to watch him at work. Allan is as comfortable on stage as he is walking down the hall. Having served on the old Viking Sun, Majesty of the Seas and as Assistant Cruise Director on Monarch of the Seas, the young Canadian finds himself managing a staff of 80 on the cruise line's newest ship. Brooks' former life as an improvisational comedian is evident when you watch him work the room during any of the events he hosts.
The two production shows on Serenade of the Seas* are Stage to Screen and Vibeology. As a "song and dance tribute to some of the most memorable stage and movie musicals," Stage to Screen fell short of providing a memorable show. Even though the vocals are good and the dance routines complex and well-executed, the musical numbers were hardly recognizable. Vibeology is, hands-down, the better show of the two. This high-energy production allows the vocalists to show off their range and ability to harmonize better than Stage to Screen. The dancers excelled in both shows, as did the Serenade of the Seas Orchestra. Both shows featured impressive costumes, stage and lighting effects and even a few surprises.
The real star of both shows is the Tropical Theater itself, unquestionably the best theater design on any cruise ship we have seen to date. A great ship theater begins with good, comfortable seating and great sightlines. There is nothing worse than showing up at the theater and not being able to find a seat without a support structure (pole) blocking your view of the stage. The Tropical Theater has very few obstructed views and the seating is not only comfortable, but functional. One great design feature was the cup holder located in the arm of each chair which has been ingeniously designed to hold a flat bottomed glass or a stemmed wine glass. No more red wine tipping over and ruining the expensive evening gown!
The Tropical Theater is also host to Celebrity Showtime which features a variety of guest performers. It is safe to say that there is something going on in the Tropical Theater each evening to entertain and delight guests. The theater is also used during days at sea for other entertainment like the popular Love and Marriage Game Show.
*It should be noted that production shows do change over time. The life of a show varies from 12 to 18 months.
SUMMARY
To say that we were impressed with Serenade of the Seas would be an understatement. The ship and her staff deliver everything that anyone can reasonably expect from a value-driven, mass-market cruise line, and more. Royal Caribbean is the only cruise line that is using its loyalty program, Crown & Anchor Society, to give guests significant incentives to book future cruises with Royal Caribbean. Having access to the Concierge Club is reason enough for someone like myself to qualify as a Diamond member (10 or more cruises). There really is no reason not to book a cruise on this ship.
THUMBS UP/THUMBS DOWN
Maritza Moolman, Concierge
👍🏻 - Maritza Moolman, Concierge - A staff member has to be pretty special for us to include them in our review, much less include a photo! Maritza is one of those rare individuals who goes out of her way to make sure guests have a great vacation. Maritza is the ship's concierge and greets guests in the Concierge Club from sunrise to way after sunset. She is always smiling, pleasant, and more than willing to serve. It is obvious that she loves her job.
👍🏻 - Concierge Club - Reserved for suite guests in Grand, Owners and Royal Suites and Diamond members of the Crown & Anchor Society, the Concierge Club provides a quaint, quiet and comfortable area to enjoy cocktails in the evening, continental breakfast in the morning, or to access the Internet throughout the day.
👍🏻 - Allan Brooks, Cruise Director - Talented, funny and energetic. Allan Brooks does a great job of keeping guests entertained and active. Only a few cruise directors ever impress us enough to warrant a photo in a review, Allan is certainly one of the few.
👍🏻 - Chops Grille – Guess who just took over the top spot for Best Alternate Dining at Sea? The meals served in Chops Grille are delicious, cooked to order and served by a polished team of professionals. We dare you to finish the Prime Rib and have room left for dessert. Note: There is a $20 service charge for dining in Chops Grille and reservations are required.
👍🏻 - Portofino – Portofino is Serenade of the Seas’ Italian-theme restaurant. Quite simply, the food and service here are impeccable. The ambiance could be enhanced with lower light levels from above and candles on the tables. A cruise on Serenade without a visit to Portofino is a missed opportunity. Note: There is a $20 service charge for dining in Portofino and reservations are required.
👍🏻 - Tropical Theater – Yet another 'Best at Sea' award goes to Serenade of the Seas for having the best theater at sea. Great sightlines, comfortable seating, high-tech stage, lighting and sound and a cup holder designed for stemmed glassware. No more wine glasses tipping over!
👍🏻 - Royal Caribbean Singers and Dancers – There is no lack of energy with this group! The 'Stage to Screen' show seemed to lack continuity and the vocal numbers were hardly recognizable, but 'Vibeology' (the second production show) made up for it with powerful vocals, impressive costumes and amazing dance routines.
👍🏻 - ShipShape™ Fitness Center – Everything you want and/or need in a fitness center. Free weights, circuit trainers, plenty of LifeFitness™ Treadmills and elliptical trainers and a whole row of LifeCycle™ recumbent bicycles. Nice locker room with keyed lockers, steam and sauna.
👍🏻 - Activities – There is no shortage of things to do aboard Serenade of the Seas. In fact, we had a hard time thinking of an activity that is not already available! The combination and variety of activities available earns RCI our BEST AT SEA award for activities!
👍🏻 - Casino Royale – 195 slot machines, along with blackjack, roulette and craps tables and Caribbean Stud Poker combine to make Casino Royale a lively and fun place to 'donate' money to the ship. However, one lady on the cruise before ours walked off with a $75,000 progressive slot jackpot!
👍🏻 - Library – Royal Caribbean’s ‘honor system’ for borrowing books is the best we have seen on any large ship. The library is open 24 hours a day and is centrally located on Deck 9 in the Centrum.
👍🏻 - Crown & Anchor Society – Royal Caribbean’s loyalty program is the best in the business, hands down. Membership in this program is free to anyone who has completed a cruise with Royal Caribbean; all that is required is registration. Crown & Anchor Society members enjoy special amenities depending on their membership level (see sidebar).
👍🏻 - Adventure Ocean – Kids will love Serenade of the Seas and the Adventure Ocean program. Guests who cruise without kids (like us) appreciate a program that keeps kids occupied during the day.
👍🏻 - Latte-Tudes – Arguably the best coffee bar at sea. Latte-Tudes serves a variety of specialty coffee drinks featuring Seattle's Best brand coffees. Complimentary pastries and cookies and Internet access make this an unbeatable location for morning coffee and email checking.
👍🏻 - Staff and Overall Service Levels - Royal Caribbean has done a great job of training its staff. Our room stewardess (Maria) would call us by name each time we saw her in the hallway, the lady working at Latte-Tudes would thank me by name each morning when I purchased coffee. Behim (pronounced 'Beam as in sunbeam'), our waiter in Chops Grill, was superb as was Earnest in Portofino. Tonya, the restaurant manager at Portofino made a point to stop by our table to see if everything was to our liking. From top to bottom, we saw nothing but professionalism and friendliness in the onboard staff.
👍🏻 - Internet Access – The Internet access on Serenade of the Seas has been very well thought-out and implemented. Gone are the 75 cents per minute charges and confusing packages where you buy 100 or 300 minutes. Royal Caribbean has instead opted for a flat 50 cents per minute rate. Expensive? Yes, but the connections on our cruise were pretty fast for a satellite connection. The best feature is that Internet terminals have been located in various lounge areas. Computers in Royal Caribbean Online on Deck 4 across from Guest Relations, the Internet Cafe on Deck 7, Latte-Tudes on Deck 5 and in the Concierge Club on Deck 10 put the Internet easily within reach.
👍🏻 - Liquor Policy – Royal Caribbean now allows you to pay a $9.50 per bottle premium if you wish to consume liquor purchased on board in your stateroom. Even though it may sound a little pricey, at least they have a policy to allow in-room consumption. With the $9.50 per bottle premium, you will probably pay about the same as you would at home, but that is still a savings over buying drinks in the lounges.
👍🏻 - Photo Gallery – You can still buy a photo for under $10! There's no 'holding hostage' of your embarkation photo either like on some other cruise lines where you are forced to buy a $20 to $25 package just to get your boarding photo. The photography staff on this ship is not intrusive and the photos are priced competitively with other ships.
👍🏻 - Embarkation – The Port of New York is not known for its efficiency. Nevertheless, Serenade's staff did an admirable job of getting us checked in and onboard quickly. The only real delay was security, which is handled by the Port Authority, not RCI.
👍🏻 - Bar Service – We found the drinks served in the lounges to be considerably better than on previous Royal Caribbean cruises. Perhaps they have had an awakening. The highball glasses are larger and the liquor portions more generous. The prices were very competitive with other cruise lines and less expensive than most hotels and restaurants on land.
👍🏻 - Gratuity Policy – Royal Caribbean offers you the option of having gratuities added to your ship board account in which case you receive vouchers which can be placed in gratuity envelopes on the last night of the cruise. This is MUCH better than the policy adopted by many cruise lines where gratuities are automatically added to your account, and you have to make a trip to the guest relations desk to have them removed.
👍🏻 - Windjammer Cafe – Finally, Royal Caribbean gets it right with the Windjammer Cafe on the Radiance-class vessels. Several serving lines means you don't stand in long lines to get food. Huge platters have replaced serving trays. Food is good for buffet fare.
👍🏻 - Cinema – Even though it is practically hidden on Deck 6, the Cinema is a great venue for watching first run movies in a comfortable, theatre-like setting.
👎🏻 - Centrum Shops – The variety of the shops and the quality of the merchandise is not the problem. It is the traffic jam that the shops create because of where they are located on Deck 5.
👎🏻 - Art Auction - The Art Auctions are held in the Centrum on Deck 4 and create a lot of noise pollution not to mention a considerable traffic jam. We would like to see these moved to the Safari Club or the Vortex disco.
👍🏻 - Overall – There is very little to find fault with here. Not only is this an incredible value, but this ship has so much to do and experience that it should appeal to just about anyone. While the ship will be a great way to see the Southern Caribbean in Winter and Spring 2004, the sweeping views of the ocean and great balcony staterooms will make this a great ship for cruising the Panama Canal, Hawaii and Alaska.
