Ports, ports, ports! Definitely port intensive! But, the islands are lovely and the beaches are wonderful. Most ports are walkable which makes it easy to get around. I am 'loyal to Royal' so any cruise I go on is wonderful, but the southern Caribbean is definitely special.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Embarkation was a breeze...the Crown & Anchor loyalty program makes it so easy for top tiers to board.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
We only eat in the Windjammer buffet. The cuisine changes daily with specialty themes. One night will be Italian, another will be Indian, another Asian. The WJ chefs are always available to answer questions or take suggestions. The WJ manager is fabulous and will accommodate the needs of passengers if special dishes are requested.
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
The cruise had many children onboard, so we avoided the pools and rock-climbing wall. The fitness center was great, offering a variety of machines and free weights.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
Royal Caribbean has some of the best talent for production shows. Serenade offers two production shows which show off the talent of the singers and dancers. The production shows always use live, and very talented, musicians. The varied headliner entertainment appealed to different types of people...usually a comedian, magician, singer, juggler, etc.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
The crew onboard Serenade is wonderful. Their friendliness and dedication to their jobs and to the happiness of the passengers is always evident. It is easy to engage in conversation with anyone from the cleaners to the senior officers. The senior officers are out and about and visible.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
Serenade is a smaller ship which makes moving around it very easy. Two sets of elevators and stairs at the front of the ship and midship make it easy to get around. The centrum hosts many activities, games and music. The openness of each deck allow passengers to watch the action without being on the centrum floor.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
Our stateroom attendant was attentive to our needs and made sure we had everything we needed to make us comfortable. Our balcony stateroom was large enough that we had a full-length couch. The vanity area and desk is nice. There is plenty of storage space and the small refrigerator helps to keep water or soda cold.
Ship tip
Watch the morning show for a summary of the activities that are going on each day. Send in a shout out to the special people you are traveling with. Submit a joke. The cruise director and activities manager love to have interaction from the guests.
Love Labadee. Royal Caribbean has made improvements to the island, allowing for a variety of activities without having to do an excursion, although the zip line is popular.
Took a taxi to Maho Beach where the planes land just past the beach. After the hurricane, the island is slowly coming back and the large planes are beginning to come back. However, they don't arrive until late afternoon, so we only saw the smaller planes. But, it's still thrilling to see them land so close to the ground. The beach is small and the water was pretty rough on the day we were there.
Great review, thank you. We are a group of 9 ranging in ages 25 to 64 booked to go on the SOTS in April 2020. One of the reviews we read stated that this ship is geared to 60-70 year old passengers. This is a bit concerning. Can you shed some info on your thoughts please.
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