SERENADE OF THE SEAS OUT OF PORT OF NEW ORLEANS
Serenade of the Seas Cruise Review to Caribbean - Western
7 Night Western Caribbean (Ft. Lauderdale Roundtrip)
Sail date: March 28, 2015
Ship: Serenade of the Seas
Cabin type: Balcony
Cabin number: 7520
Traveled as: Family (older children)
Reviewed: 9 years ago
Review summary
WE HAD A GREAT TIME ON THIS CRUISE VACATION IN SPITE OF A COUPLE LESS THAN PERFECT WEATHER DAYS. I BELIEVE THE WEATHER WAS A FLUKE AND IT JUST HAPPENED TO FALL DURING OUR CRUISE. I HAD DONE A LOT OF RESEARCH PRIOR TO DEPARTING AND PLANNED FOR OUR OWN EXCURSIONS AT EACH PORT. OUR FIRST STOP WAS JAMAICA AND I HAD 3 "FREE" PUBLIC BEACH OPTIONS TO VISIT WHILE THERE. ONE OPTION WAS RED STRIPE BEACH, ONLY 7 MILES FROM THE PORT,BUT WHEN WE ASKED TO GO THERE, THE LOCALS SAID THEY WOULD CHARGE US $30 PER PERSON TO GET THERE! THEY WOULD NOT TAKE US THERE. INSTEAD SUGGESTED A BEACH IN MONTEGO BAY THAT WAS TO COST $20 PER PERSON TO TRANSPORT, BUT BECAUSE WE HAD ONE EMPTY SEAT IN THE VAN, EVERYONE HAD TO PAY AN EXTRA $2 TO MAKE UP FOR THAT. UPON ARRIVAL AT THIS BEACH, WE ALL HAD TO PAY $5 TO GET IN AND THEN ANOTHER $5 IF YOU WANTED A BEACH CHAIR. THE DRIVER KEPT ASKING US TO GIVE HIM MONEY FOR HIS LUNCH SINCE HE WAS WAITING AT THE BEACH SO THAT HE COULD RETURN US TO THE PORT WHEN WE WERE FINISHED. I WAS TOTALLY DISGUSTED WITH THIS GUY AND FELT IT WAS A "SHAKE DOWN" FROM THE MOMENT WE GOT STARTED. WE WERE TRAVELING WITH OUR TEENAGED AND PRE-TEEN GRANDCHILDREN SO WHAT I THOUGHT WAS GOING TO BE AN "EASY ON THE BUDGET" DAY, TURNED INTO A VERY EXPENSIVE DAY. GRAND CAYMAN IS WONDERFUL PORT AND I WISH WE HAD HAD MORE TIME TO SPEND THERE! COZUMEL IS ALSO A GREAT PORT TO VISIT. ROYAL CARIBBEAN IS A GREAT CRUISE LINE THAT MEETS THE NEEDS OF BOTH ADULT AND YOUNG PASSENGERS. THE SERVICE ON THE CRUISE WAS GREAT. NO COMPLAINTS. PLANNING OUR NEXT CRUISE WITH RCCL!
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Ship tip
I WOULD SAY THE SERENADE IS A MID-SIZED SHIP AND GREAT FOR TRAVELING WITH FAMILY. IT TOOK SOME TIME TO GET ONTO THE LAYOUT OF THE SHIP (NOT UNCOMMON), BUT ONCE WE DID, IT WAS EASY TO FIND THE PLACES WHERE WE NEEDED TO GO. WOULD RECOMMEND,