Good service, ship is due for update

Serenade of the Seas Cruise Review to Canada, New England, New York

Cruises: 4-6 cruises
Review: 1
Helpful Votes: 38

Overall rating:

4.6 out of 5
Serenade of the Seas

7 Night Canada & New England (Boston Roundtrip)

Sail date: September 29, 2019

Ship: Serenade of the Seas

Cabin type: Balcony

Cabin number: 8576

Traveled as: Singles/Friends

Reviewed: 5 years ago

Review summary

This was my first cruise on a smaller-sized ship. I had no issues with crowding or long waits to get served anywhere. Tons of little nooks and crannies to sit and relax/read/talk/people watch. Lots of eclectic artwork around the ship. Several different types of public spaces. Good internet. Even with the couple of negative items I mentioned above, I had a great time and would sail RC again, although I’d probably go with a newer ship or one closer to having been refurbished.

Embarkation

4 out of 5
Very fast. A little confusion with the Canada Customs form, but probably more an issue with the cruisers than the staff.

Ship experiences

Food and Dining

4 out of 5
I did not have any specialty meals. The food in the MDR was pretty good. Some in my group had some complaints, but I liked everything I ordered. Service was very good.

Onboard Activities

5 out of 5
I didn’t participate in many of the activities, but there were a lot offered, and people seemed to be enjoying themselves. The cruise director, Carly B, and her staff worked hard to ensure people had fun.

Entertainment

5 out of 5
All were very good. The comedians were exceptional. The shows were also very good, but I felt the singers were too low in the sound mix and often couldn’t be heard over the excellent band. But that situation improved near the end of the cruise or I got used to it.

Children's Programs

No children

Service and Staff

5 out of 5
Everyone was friendly and helpful. Bartenders were great, especially the ones in the main theater, dealing with people wanting drinks close to the start of showtimes.

Ship Quality

3 out of 5
There was a “smell” to the water in the bathroom. It smelled like a dirty bathroom even though the bathroom was clean. That was off-putting. I asked a friend on another deck if her bathroom had a smell, and she said yes. I also noticed that smell in a few non-bathroom areas around the ship. Nothing tasted “off” with the water from the faucet, so it was puzzling here the smell originated. But it was very noticeable and unpleasant. The ship was clean, and the staff cleaned the stair railings several times a day to help minimize germs. But the ship itself was a little worn around the edges. Not anything that really jumped out at you, but things you’d notice if you were looking (like a broken drain plug, a little rust)

Cabin / Stateroom

4 out of 5
The cabin was clean and the bed was comfortable if you prefer a harder bed, as I do. The cabin seemed a little small but I was alone, so no big deal. I liked the touch of having a curtain that separated the bed from the sofa/dresser/closet area, if more than 1 person were in the cabin. Lots of shelf space in the room and closet. A small couch and small coffee table. The balcony was average. The view looking straight down was obstructed by roof over the lifeboat deck, but it wasn’t wholly bothersome. There was still a great view.

Ship tip

The late-night food is in the Park Cafe, in the Solarium. The Windjammer buffet is not open after the dinner service.

Ports of call

Boston, Massachusetts

5 out of 5
A lot to do and see

Saint John, New Brunswick

5 out of 5
Get to Bay of Fundy

Halifax, Nova Scotia

5 out of 5
Peggy’s Cove is a breathtaking experience. But there are also a lot of things to see and do in Halifax within walking distance of the cruise dock. Unfortunately, we had to dock in an industrial area and b buses to the wharf. Thy took some of the convenience away, but that was not the norm for docking in Halifax.

Bar Harbor, Maine

5 out of 5
Beautiful. Took a bus to Acadia National Park. If you I this, be sure to sit in the same side of the bus as the driver. That was where most of the views were.

Portland, Maine

5 out of 5
I walked around the town here. Didn’t do an excursion. Hung our on the waterfront about 15-20 minutes away from the ship. Peaceful and a beautiful view of the harbor.

Disembarkation

5 out of 5
Relatively quick. It started a bit slowly but then really picked up.
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