Serenade of the Seas Cruise Reviews - Reviews

Everything was first-rate on the Serenade of the Seas that sailed from New Orleans. Getting on and off the ship was fast and efficient. Food was fabulous! But what was really special...The service on the ship. The captain was approachable and quite visible throughout the cruise. The room attendant was the best we have had on our six cruises.

Before we left, I printed directions from the Royal Caribbean web page. The directions put us on the wrong side of the parking area. We saw a traffic barricade that sent us to the correct spot. There was a problem with the parking lot capacity, so they sent us to another lot. They did provide a shuttle but all the waiting took about 2 hours to get parked and to the terminal. After entering the terminal, I asked about a wheelchair for my wife. The attendant told us to ask at another place. We went there, the attendant told us to ask at another place. We went there and the attendant told us we should have asked at the entrance. I told her we did and then she contacted someone and we got a wheel chair. We got to our room and it was hot, so I adjusted the thermostat down. Room didn't cool much, so I called to see if they could adjust it. 2 more calls finally got the temp down enough to  tolerate it (day 3) Had lunch at the main dining room. Food was not very good. A supervisor asked me if I didn't like the food. I said it wasn't very good and he walked away. Hallway by glass elevators on deck 10 smelled like sewer. Time at Key West was too short. Time at Nassau was not planned very well. Cococay was too crowded. The Windjammer had a few days with decent food. The cruise sailed from New Orleans, La, but most of the tv channels were in Spanish.

We thoroughly enjoyed our cruise from start to finish.  We disembarked quite relaxed and content. 

The staff made it for us.  Our steward was amusing and on the ball and very attentive.  The critters he made were adorable.

The wait staff did a great job considering their immense undertaking of feeding so many people at one time. They were always pleasant and attentive.  Our head waiter remembered our names and likes after one meal.  That was most impressive.

The event and shopping staff far exceeded my expectations in their implementation of their jobs.  They went over and above.  Craig, the shopping guide took a personal interest in my concerns and was extremely helpful with an in port purchase.

Carly B., the event planner, out did herself with her additions to each of the shows.  She was funny and enthusiastic and obviously loved what she did.  She was fabulous.

Though the food was somewhat disappointing, it was good.  The specialty restaurants were better. It didn't seem fair that we had to pay extra for a really good meal, but it was worth it. We were however, very disappointed that there was no food available for late night cravings like we had found on other ships.

Overall, the cruise was wonderfully relaxing and fun.  The entertainment was superior and the activities plentiful.  If one is bored on a Royal Caribbean cruise it is there own fault!  We look forward to cruising again.

The cruise was great.  The only thing I was not impressed with was that there were no servers walking around with drink of the day or in the bars areas you had to go up to the bar to get a drink they didnt come and serve you!  I guess if I pay for a cruise and they charge me gratuities I should be able to get service without going to get it myself.  Otherwise the rest of the areas on the ship were excellent.  There was wonderful service in the buffet area and in the dining room.  Not sure why they can't do the same for the bar areas!  The other cruises I have been on (which were on a different cruise line) were much better with their service in all areas of the ship! 

I spent a great Journy.Customer service and restaurant services are 5 stars. But some small flaws. I was 11AM when boarding, can not stay booked rooms. We visited the ship with full luggage. I feel very bad. If you can not be admitted immediately, you should notify us in advance boarding delays, or someone to help guests have a look at the luggage on board, so that we do not ship ran full luggage.

We had a great time on this cruise!  The ports were perfect, the ship was great - although for some reason it was rockier than other cruises we've been on.  This is the first time using the Premier Drink Package and loved it - no shock at the end!  But we did notice that servers at the bars and around the pool are more difficult to come by.  I guess they feel since they already have your money they don't have to be as attentive.  :(

My husband and I had a delightful time on our cruise because we both love to dance ballroom, salsa, Latin, swing, and just about any dance we can dance together as a couple.  We were able to do that almost every night on Serenade of the Seas.  I was also able to line dance a couple of times as that is one of my passions when not dancing with my husband.  Serenade of the Seas was a beautiful spacious feeling and very clean ship.  We have sailed on Carnival, Holland America, and Royal Caribbean and we love both Holland America and Royal Caribbean.  Carnival is a notch below both of them but still a nice That said, Royal Caribbean has the best entertainment of the three lines.  Our Cruise Director, Carly Boileau, was one of the most enthusiastic and friendly we have ever had. We were pleased with every aspect of the service and friendliness of the staff onboard and would do another Royal Caribbean cruise without hesitation.  Everyone we met and talked to seem to be having a great time.   

We have sailed on several different cruise lines but this was our first time on Royal Caribbean.  We were excited because we have always been under the impression that Royal Caribbean was a step above the other cruise lines.  I will list the things we were disappointed with and then list the things we liked better than the other cruise lines:

1)  Embarkation process was very disorganized and cumbersome.  Even though we arrived 4 hours early, we stood in line to check in for a long time.  When we finally made it through the metal detector, etc. we were directed to another line.  We again stood in line for a long time.  When we finally made it to the desk we presented all of our documents to the representative.  She looked over our documents and gave us a medical form to sign.  While we were signing the form (which took less than a minute), she just disappeared.  We waited for about 10 minutes and she finally returned.  We were then directed onto the ship.  When we reached the deck, we had to stand in line AGAIN to get our pictures taken.  On other cruise lines, the paperwork and pictures were all done at the desk and the process was much faster and smoother.

2)  The food was not the same standard of food as the other cruise lines.  Same menu every night with very little variation and steaks were very small and dry.  Servers spent more time hinting for tips than actually serving.

3)  We had a balcony state room.  The bathroom was uncomfortably small.  There was a lot of high wind during our cruise and the seal around the sliding glass balcony door was messed up and the wind coming through it howled all night.  We talked to our steward about it and he said he contacted maintenance.  Maintenance never showed up so we had to stuff paper napkins in the crack to stop the noise.  No lounge chairs on the balcony, just regular lawn chairs.

4)  This is childish, but we always enjoy the animals made from towels and looked forward to them each day.  On this seven day cruise, there were only two animals placed in the room for the entire cruise.

5)  If there was any late night food service we could not find it.  Very limited room service menu for breakfast and never saw another room service menu for any other meal besides breakfast.

Things we liked:

1)  Beautiful decorations.

2)  Fast debarkation

Royal Caribbean will not be our preferred cruise line for any future cruises.  They are not worth the additional money it costs to cruise with them.

Thanks.

We have been on several cruises and this one was one of the nicest.The ship was beautiful, lots of wood detail like you see on older wooden boats. The ship was one of the cleanest we have been on. The help was very friendly and always going the next mile for you. It's amazing how they go from one to the next cruise and never miss a beat. The stateroom was a balcony and was very nice. I missed having a coffee pot in the room as all of the other ships we taken had one. The departing and arrival back in port went very smoothly. They really have it down and it moves right along.The only complaint we had was the open dining rooms. The food tables are set up independently by food groups and so people were moving about like in a maze.  There was no direction so by the time you had all your choices your food was usually cold. They need better direction to move in so everyone goes the same way. We would definitly take another Royal Caribbean cruise with hopes they find a better way in the  open dining rooms.The independent dining rooms were excellant.

We had a great time.  Ship was smaller than what we are use to. Larger ships had more to do keeping the days at sea more interesting. I don't think we would take another cruise out of New Orleans.  River very rough.  Next time will take a cruise out of Florida.  In February much warmer. Ship very clean.

This was my third cruise. I have cruised with RC once, and Carnival once. RC was better than Carnival between my first two cruises (more activities, better food, great staff, etc.), but in the 5 years between my first sailing with RC to now, things have changed. I was traveling with my husband to celebrate our first wedding anniversary. He hadn't been on a cruise before, but we did a week long because I had so much faith in RC to be fun. To be honest, we spent most out time in our room, reading our books. We did this for a couple reasons: 1, the daily activities didn't appeal to a younger couple. 2, the lines for the bar were ridiculous (we had to wait in line for 5-10 min to order a drink because the ship was so crowded), and there wasn't any room to just sit peacefully by the pool or in one of the public spaces. All of the pool chairs are tied to each other and the ship (which makes sense, you don't want them sliding away while in the sea) but they were to the point you couldn't even lay the back down. You HAD to sit up. Who wants to sit up by a pool the whole time? They used to have staff walk around, to wait on you. This isn't the case anymore. The windjammer's food sucked. The main dining room's lunch and dinner was fine, but it was obvious they wanted you to spend your money on the additional restaurants and not put as much effort into the dining room. Daytime activities were Bingo & Trivia... playing this everyday for a week is too much.

Ports of call were Falmouth, Jamaica, Grand Cayman, & Cozumel. All the ports were not the best. If you wanted to do any excursion, you had to drive 30 min or so + to get anywhere.

Cruises just aren't what they once were. Next time, we're going to just book a week in a single destination at a resort. 

This is my 3rd cruise on 3 different cruise lines.  There was not one thing to complain about other than Royal is leaving New Orleans :(.  The food was delicious.  I found the buffet to be very good. in fact, it was better than the fine dining area.  They had so much seating room in the buffet area, it was very nice.  usually there hasn't been room to sit on other ships. the seating was endless.The rooms were nice. They were one of the bigger rooms we stayed in.  The entertainment was really good.  It had a full schedule, never leaving you wondering what to do. 

My cruise experience was awful with Royal. My family and I anticipated enjoying a family vacation but were otherwise surprised when we arrived at the port for 3:20 pm and were refused to abroad the boat.  However, we were not allowed to board the cruise liner, but my friend (Susan Mayo) and 5 other passengers were able to board.

This was my second time cruising with Royal Caribbean  and  they just do an awesome job. They're very well organized so the onboard process is quick, or room was ready,  we got our luggage within an hour of getting  on the ship. The staff are very professional  and  willing  to do anything in your favor. The ship it self was beautiful. There were  activities available for people  of every  interests. If you're someone  who can appreciate  the services and hard work of others, you will  definitely  appreciate  this itinerary.

This was my husband and I fourth cruise, and we have never had customer service like this. The staff was polite and made you feel at home. Our dinner waiters Adrian and Raymond was a awesome team. They made every night wonderful, they were witty and funny. We went to dinner just to see them they absolutely made the cruise a great experience. The food was great, the ship was huge and kept very clean. we had a great time . If you decide to go on this boat I suggest you request Adrian and raymond for your table

Had a wonderful time.  The crew, the ship, and all the ports were so much fun. I felt like a Queen for a week!  Can't wait for my next cruise on Adventure of the Seas next year!  Go Serenade of the Seas....You are awesome! 

The only shortfall on this vacation was that the internet was so dammed expensive...Would have loved to have shared on Facebook and tweeted but alas, it just wasn't worth the price that we would have gotten charged.

The ship was great, the shows were great, the activities were fun.  Our cabin was nice and had plenty of storage in the closet.  Elliott our cabin steward was the best!  We went to the Mystery Dinner and enjoyed it a lot.  The meal was fabulous.  Our Dining Room meals not so much.  The staff was great but the food was just OK.  Not very warm, over cooked, and almost the same choice every night!  We ate at the buffet most of the meals.  It was our first cruise and enjoyed it, but would say I was disappointed in the Dinning room.

The cruise was good.  Food was mixed (some great, some very mediocre). Service mixed. Excursions excellent.  Would recommend, but may or may not sail with again. 

This is my second time cruising my first with Carnival - I was hoping this cruise would be better than my first and it wasn't at all.  Everything was about money.  We had not planned to pay $367.00 extra for the two of us for service and servers.  What was the $1600.00 for that when we paid for the cruise?  The deck entertainment was lousy.  Hardly no one attended, the floor was always wet and slippery.  The Super Bowl Game was the worst setup I have ever seen.  What happen to the commercials?  What's Super Bowl without the commercials?  The Casino had a Super Bpwl Pool - selling blocks for $20.00 a block.  They gave you a ticket that stated Stadium Buffett and a "Speciality Drink" of your choice. When it was time to get a drink the bar in the casino had a flyer on the bar that offer a drink called  "Touchdown" which contained 3 different rums, vodka, tropical juice and 3 or 4 other ingredients in it.  I showed the bartender the ticket and said there must be a mix-up because the ticket said a choice of Speciality Drink - Who's choice?  I asked the bartender for a Apple Martini and she said she had been serving the Touchdown drink all afternoon and this was the speciality drink for the day.  I ask to speak to the bar manager and a guy came over and I showed him th ticket and he agreed with me and the wording could have been better and he told the bartender to give me the Apple Martini.  She was very rude and refused to give me the drink.  She called someone over wo had a Black and white referee shirt on and he sided with the bartender when the manager old her to give me the Martini.  Two other ladies heard the conversation and agreed that the wording was wrong on the ticket and they also didn't want that drink called Touchdown - who wants to get sick with that crap? The guy with the referee shirt told her (bartender) too give the ladies what ever speciality drink we wanted and he would pay for it himself.  We had already paid for he drink - it was included in our $20.00 ticket. Some of the dishes in the Wind-Jammer was a mystery, such as Beef Kofi?? I asked what was in it and I was told Beef and lamb.  We don't eat lamb!  We thought they were meatball - atleast they looked like meatballs.  This cruise was supposed to be special for us.  There was 6 in our group and everyone was not having a good time. Between the six of us we paid over $2000.00 extra that non of us had intended to pay.  Falmouth Jamaica was not a nice port - we didn't feel like we were in Jamaica - other in the group had bee to Jamaica and was very disappointed with that port.  The slots were tight as wax - no returns - lost lots of money.  Bingo was the pits - they sold cards for $22,00 - $32,00 and $52,00 for the machine - machine was not charged up the first day so we were sitting there with machines that were not charged.  They credited our account and we had to get the regular cards - they only played 4 games and the money didn't add up to what they paid out. Royal Caribbean you let us down..

DUE TO A WATER PIPE BREAK AND ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WE WERE UNABLE TO TAKE THE CRUISE. FROM THE TIME WE ARRIVED 10:00 AM UNTIL THE 4:00 PM WHEN ROYAL CARIBBEAN REPRESENTATIVES TOLD US WE COULD LEAVE THERE WAS NO DIRECTION OTHER THAN WE WERE NOT GOING ON THE CRUISE.AFTER DRIVING OVERNIGHT 11 HOURS WE WERE NOT OFFERED HOTEL LODGING .AFTER WE FOUND ROOMS FOR OUR PARTY OF 8THEY CALLED AT 7:30PM AND TOLD US WE HAD ROOMS AT THE HILTON . THE LETTER WE RECEIVED BEFORE WE LEFT OFFERED REIMBURSEMENT OF $150.00 CHANGE FEES FOR AIR TRAVEL NOTHING        FOR ANYONE WHO HAD DRIVEN TO TAKE THE CRUISE.ADDITIONAL EXPENSES WERE INCURRED AS VACATIONS HAD TO BE SET UP IN ADVANCE AND WE MAY NOT HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THIS IN THE FUTURE.IT WAS A DISAPPOINTMENT FOR OUR FAMILY.

MICHAEL & JOYCE DOYLE ,STEVEN DOYLE SR. & JR. RONDA &DANIELLE DOYLE,& DAVID DOYLE &KAREN LUCY.