Carnival Carnival Triumph on 11/02/08 · $541
Royal Caribbean Navigator of the Seas on 11/22/08 · $499
Carnival Carnival Sensation on 09/18/08 · $249
Carnival Carnival Fascination on 09/01/08 · $249
Carnival Carnival Fascination on 11/20/08 · $309
Carnival Carnival Imagination on 10/20/08 · $239
Carnival Carnival Imagination on 11/17/08 · $239
Posted 03/04/08
Serenade of the Seas Review
Serenade of the Seas Alaska Experience
~ by Mike & Diana Bogart ~
|
|
In July 2005, we had the pleasure of experiencing a 7-Night Alaska Inside Passage Cruise aboard the Serenade of the Seas. Ever since we toured the Radiance and Jewel of the Seas on ship inspections we have been anxious to actually experience a cruise aboard a Radiance Class Ship. We were not disappointed. We flew from Charleston, SC to Vancouver, BC via Atlanta 2 days prior to ship departure. We booked the hotel, air, and transfers through Royal Caribbean. We were able to get cheaper air rates through Royal Caribbean rather than booking it ourselves independently.
Shore Excursions: We booked our shore excursions through "Shore Trips". Every one of the shore excursions was fabulous. Instead of being two of thirty on a shore excursion, we were two of six or two of eight.
Flying In: Because we flew in two-days early we were not eligible for the express check in service. Consequently, we were in the customs line for about an hour and a half. If you fly in the same day of the cruise, we recommend you purchase the express check-in service through Royal Caribbean. The luggage is taken directly to the ship and you never touch it until it is delivered to the cabin. Representatives meet you in the airport terminal and escort you to a separate customs line that couldn't have been more than 15-20 minutes in length.
Pre-Cruise Hotel: We stayed at Sutton Place Hotel. Great hotel and great location. Highly recommend it. If you stay at this hotel, please be advised that the transfer check-in location for buses to the terminal are not in the main lobby. You actually have to go out the door of the main lobby bear to the right, and enter a separate part of Sutton Place Hotel. It looked like a separate reception room used for large parties. There were people milling around awaiting transfer to both the Serenade of the Seas and Celebrity Infinity.
Checking In: We were delighted to learn that the Serenade of the Seas departed from Ballentyne Terminal and not Canada Place. Consequently we avoided the thousands of people trying to board multiple ships. We arrived at the Ballentyne Terminal at 11:45 and we were in our cabin at 12:15.
Cabin: We were in a Category D1 Cabin (9214) on the port side. The cabin was very good with plenty of closet and drawer space. Bathroom was small but functional. We recommend you book a cabin on the port side on this itinerary because the first two days are at sea sprinting up to Hubbard Glacier and proceeding south to Skagway, Juneau, and Ketchikan. In general, you view more spectacular scenery off the port side after visiting Hubbard Glacier than on the starboard side on the way up. Category D1 was perfect for us and a great location on Deck 9.
Days 1 & 2: At Sea. Good opportunity to explore and get to know the layout of the ship. The ship is beautiful, especially the Centrum, and easy to navigate. Our friends from San Diego sailed with us on Star Princess two years ago and they remarked how much easier it was to find places on the Serenade compared to the Star Princess. We also think that the first two days at sea are perfect for people flying from the East Coast to get adjusted to the time change.
Note: If you are a serious wine drinker, we highly recommend you purchase the "Wine & Dine" package on Day 1 of the cruise. You will save a minimum of 25% on a very nice selection of wines. This package is only offered on Day 1 of the cruise.
Day 3: Hubbard Glacier. Awesome experience. We lingered for 4 hours. Great photo opportunity. The ship’s captain sent a small boat out to capture a piece of floating ice for the evening’s “ice sculpture”.
Day 4: Skagway. We personally didn't spend much time there since our shore excursion "Eagle Preserve Raft Trip and Wildlife Quest" included a ferry to Haines and then onto the river. Highly recommend this shore excursion through Shore Trips. We did manage to have a beer at the Red Onion Saloon.
Day 5: Juneau: Not much time walking the streets there either. Our shore excursion "Taku Glacier Lodge Flight and Feast" took us to heaven. The float plane ride was fabulous and the lodge was breathtaking. The salmon bake feast was the best we had all cruise although it was rather early in the day to have such a large meal. If you take this excursion, we recommend a light breakfast that day or maybe just skip breakfast all together. We did manage to walk around a bit after the excursion and thought it was a charming city.
Day 6: Ketchikan: We were a little disappointed in this port of call because of two things. First; we were not there very long (only 7 hours) and second; because of port loading, we had to anchor out and tender to shore. The ship ran three boats which wasn't enough especially with all the shore excursions dumping passengers on the pier 30 minutes before the last tender was scheduled to depart. Needless to say the ship was delayed for almost 2 hours until everyone got aboard. Our shore excursion in Ketchikan was the "Kayaking...Orca's Cove Kayak in Ketchikan". It was a wonderful experience and one that we will never forget. No bear or orca sightings during this excursion but plenty of bald eagles. (Editor’s Note: Ketchikan is no longer on this itinerary and substituted by Icy Strait Point since 2007)
After departing Ketchikan, we cruised Misty Fjords for 4 hours. Had a couple of bear sightings on this part as well as some orca's. Cruising the narrow channel of Misty Fjords is why you get a balcony cabin. (Editor’s Note: Misty Fjords is no longer on this itinerary since 2007)
|
|
Overall Ratings On A Scale Of 1 - 10
Dining Experience in Reflections Restaurant: 7 (Better Than Average) We did not dine in any of the alternative restaurants. Food was good and there was plenty of it. One nice thing we enjoyed was a table for 4 at one of the windows on the port side. The sights during dinner were spectacular.
Cabin Size and Accommodations: 8 (Very Good) Bathroom was a little small
Ship Appearance and Layout: 9 (Excellent) Ship was clean, very attractive and easy to navigate
Shipboard Service and Attitude of the Crew: 9 (Excellent) The crew was cheerful and the service was excellent. They were always willing to please.
Entertainment: 6 (Slightly better than average) Nothing spectacular.
Internet: 7 (Better Than Average) We bought the Internet Package for $100 the first day of the cruise for unlimited access from our cabin. They gave us a cable for our laptop along with instructions on how to set up the dial-up connection. Best speed we achieved was 33kbps but that worked just fine for checking email. The convenience of having internet in the cabin was well worth the price.
Overall: In our opinion, this is a great ship and itinerary for a "first time" Alaska Cruise.
Mike and Diana Bogart |
Categories: Cruise Reviews - Royal Caribbean
