Excellent cruise. Very educational as well as scenic. A great look at Russian culture, history and "evolution". And the Baltic countries gave us a wonderful understanding of life both pre and post Soviet rule. It is amazing what freedom can do for a country and its people! When we choose our travel our priority is the destinations as we have now been in 97 different countries. This Royal Caribbean cruise fulfilled our expectations in that regard as we do not choose our travel based on what ship board life has to offer. We are very pleased with the experience.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Airport transfers, Cruise check in and boarding was very smooth. Luggage to the room was very timely.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
3 out of 5
This was our 2nd cruise with Royal Caribbean and the food quality was no where near as good as the previous cruise. Food was often not hot and either too bland or too salty. We are not finicky eaters but the quality was not up to expectations. Drink prices were substantially higher than on the previous cruise and truly deterring.
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
We used the pools and hot tubs which were very nice. Due to the busy itinerary being in port nearly every day, we didn't participate in other activities.
Entertainment
4 out of 5
They had a good variety of entertainment. The cruise director, Topi and his staff were excellent.
Service and Staff
3 out of 5
The service was good but the staff throughout the ship seemed to lack energy and enthusiasm. They seemed a little burn out. They just seemed tired!
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
We very much liked the size and layout of the ship. Even though not the newest of ships it was convenient and easy to move around. Our cabin on deck 8 was very convenient to all activities. Our only complaint would be that we chose "My Time Dining" always with a table for just the two of us, but the tables were literally only 4 to 6 inches apart. It might as well have been "group dining". Even another 4 inches would have provided a better sense of privacy.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
Excellent and as expected for an inside cabin. Our room steward was prompt and timely in tending to our cabin.
Ship tip
The Serenade was an excellent ship for this itinerary as we were in ports and on shore excursions nearly every day. If you were on a long cruise with may sea days the ship might start to seem limiting. But again, we did enjoy the layout of the ship. Decks 5 & 12 allowed you to walk continuously around the ship and even go out on the bow. Stairs were conveniently located and the elevators were abundant enough to handle the crowds.
Interesting country and an excellent look at post-soviet life and progress. Especially if you have a good guide who is open about the before and after soviet rule.
Fascinating! History overload. The opulence of the Czars was beyond belief. Be prepared for the crowds as tourism is exploding and logistics can be trying. A good guide makes all the difference. We did a full 3 day excursion package to see as much as possible and where very pleased with our time in St. Petersburg and a taste of Russia.
Unfortunately the wind was so strong the captain could not get the ship into the narrow channel to dock. Dissappointing as this was one reason for choosing this cruise itinerary.
Common port call to access Berlin but we had been to Berlin before so we opted for the Molli train excursion. Beautiful countryside and visited the Baltic resort areas. Very good experience.
We didn't book an excursion as the town is small and easy walking. Enjoyed a free day to explore on our own. Very pretty town and interesting old fortifications to stroll along.
Been there before but took a walk and cruise excursion where we saw a lot of new areas and an excellent guide to inform us. A big city with many beautiful areas.
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