Serenade of the Seas Cruises

Life aboard Serenade of the Seas
Serenade of the Seas crosses the Pacific from Vancouver in September 2020, to be based in Sydney until April 2021. Most cruises depart Sydney for New Zealand, but also to the Great Barrier Reef, Tasmania, and Pacific islands. Circle Australia in February/March 2021, to include Bali, Port Hedland, Geraldton, Esperance, and around New Zealand – 34 nights in total. Meanwhile, until May 2020, Serenade sails out of Fort Lauderdale to all parts of the Caribbean. These are longer 10 and 11 night cruises, and it’s only a matter of which parts of the Caribbean you wish to explore. From late May to early September 2020 Serenade of the Seas sails from Vancouver for 7-night cruises along the Inside Passage of Alaska and British Columbia. Serenade of the Seas entered service in 1999 at 90,090 GT, was refitted in 2017, and carries 2112 passengers.

Serenade of the Seas’ most striking feature is the nearly three acres of exterior glass employed in its design - including glass elevators that span 12 decks giving ocean views. From every public space you are likely to see the seascape wherever you turn your head. The ship is family-friendly, with large facilities for children and teens. It caters for large conferences, Wi-Fi ship wide, wheelchair access, and also couples wishing to tie the knot in the wedding chapel. Though large, the ship offers a good passenger space ratio. Décor throughout is warm and attractive and you’ll need good walking shoes to become familiar with the many public spaces. Though carrying over 2000 guests, dining, entertainment and activity centres are spread throughout the ship and elevators are fast. You pay for many extras including gratuities, and need to plan where to eat and what to purchase, so order packages online before your cruise. (Interesting: The ship’s Godmother is Whoopi Goldberg.)

Accommodation
Staterooms come in four main categories and 19 grades, with variations based on guests’ needs: Suite/Deluxe Staterooms, Balcony Staterooms, Outside Staterooms and Interior Staterooms. When selecting accommodation consider the view, the level of privacy, and location near to or far from activity areas. All staterooms come with private bathroom, vanity area, hair dryer, interactive TV and phone. Many cabins are family-friendly with up to four additional bunk beds, and interconnecting rooms. There are no single cabins, and many are wheelchair-accessible. In-cabin service and dining is available 24-hours.

Travel in style with a selection of five categories of Suites, which are especially good for families needing more space, and may include complimentary concierge service. Suites come with priority check-in, most have multiple rooms and balconies, and depending on the suite you may have whirlpool tub, baby grand piano and an entertainment area, and accommodate up to eight guests. The stateroom’s TV enables guests to request room service, to book show tickets, shore excursions, movies and specialty dining, and keep track of their onboard account. Smoking is not permitted inside any stateroom and any stateroom balcony. Cigarette, cigar, e-cigarette and pipe smoking is permitted in designated outdoor areas.

Food and Dining
For the Main Dining Room, spread over two levels, select from three dining choices before cruising: fixed seating at the same table nightly, at either early or late sitting; open-seated My Time Dining (with pre-paid gratuities) at a flexible time; and early sitting My Family Time Dining that allows children aged 3 to 11 years to leave for their Adventure Ocean kids club. Menus feature healthy, vegetarian and kosher options. Special dietary needs can be catered for by giving advanced notice. Menus change daily throughout the cruise. Evening dress is casual or smart casual. Expect one to three formal evenings in the Main Dining Room during your cruise. Other complimentary eating options include buffet-style Windjammers Café, a pizzeria, the Seaview Café, and 24-hour room service.

Specialty dining (with a cover charge) can be booked for Chops Grille steakhouse and Portofino Italian restaurant. The Mystery Dinner Theatre, set in Portofino, combines your meal with theatre drama and intrigue. Reserve Vini d’Italia for a seasonal menu complemented by fine wines. Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream is the place to go for ice-cream and frozen drinks. Café Latte-tudes serves specialty coffees and sweets. In all, the ship has 16 bars, clubs and lounges. There are package deals for wine, juice, sodas and bottled water.

Entertainment
A signature feature of RCI vessels is a Broadway-style production in the Main Theatre. A second entertainment centre is the Safari Club, with its music, dancing, comedy and cabaret shows. Try your hand at gaming in Casino Royale. Live music features around the pool, in the main dining room, and in many lounges, bars and specialty venues. There are always parties and parades to join. Alternatively, just stroll around and shop duty-free, or for a quiet time retire to the Library/Card Room or Internet Café.

On-shore excursions and explorations can be pre-booked or arranged on board. Choose from a range of classes and seminars to bring out your creativity and expand your knowledge. The Vitality Spa and Fitness Center is fully equipped and runs a variety of beauty services and fitness classes. Activities include use of the outdoor sports deck, mini-golf course, golf simulators, three whirlpools, billiards & pool tables, and a basketball court. The Solarium is exclusively for adults. Youngsters will love Adventure Beach pool and slide. Teens have their own lounge areas and disco, the video games arcade, and the Adventure Ocean youth programmes that cater for all ages. And every RCI ship has a rock-climbing wall.

Explore the decks

13 - Deck 13 12 - Deck 12 11 - Deck 11 10 - Deck 10 9 - Deck 9 8 - Deck 8 7 - Deck 7 6 - Deck 6 5 - Deck 5 4 - Deck 4 3 - Deck 3 2 - Deck 2