Good Cruise, but Royal is Slipping

Serenade of the Seas Cruise Review

SeaNotes

Contributor Level: Second Mate

8 Days Till Next Cruise

Cruises: 7+ cruises

Reviews: 8

Helpful Votes: 73

Overall rating:

3.9 out of 5

4 Night Western Caribbean (Tampa Roundtrip)

Sail date: September 04, 2023

Ship: Serenade of the Seas

Traveled as: Singles/Friends

Reviewed: 9 months ago

Review summary

Overall good cruise, but the food quality was a big disappointment. Also, Royal STILL struggles to seat people in the main dining room. We had a scheduled time of 6:30 each evening but without fail, the "no-reservation" line would be seated and cleared before all of us in the reservation queue and their line was always longer. Don't expect too much and you won't be disappointed.

Embarkation

5 out of 5

Easy process. Very organized.

Ship experiences

Food and Dining

2 out of 5

The food was average at best. Now that the classics options are gone from the main dining room, it seems the food quality has suffered. Bland food, poorly presented and repetitive choices.

Onboard Activities

4 out of 5

Entertainment

4 out of 5

Service and Staff

5 out of 5

Great service all around.

Ship Quality

4 out of 5

It never felt dated and I do love smaller ships.

Cabin / Stateroom

4 out of 5

Just your standard balcony cabin. It was kept clean and was surprisingly quiet. I never heard our neighbors in the cabin and they were rambunctious on the balcony so I guess it's more soundproof than I expected. The bed was very comfortable but may be too firm for some.