Serenade of the Seas Intel Gathering

[Neesa]

Well while I am still in the mindset of taking a break from sailing for a minute, I still can't sit still. Our next door neighbors are trying to talk us into a sailing out of Tampa on this ship. (Serenade) My plan was to watch them sail away & run down to the Skyway Bridge to snap some amazing photos...but this is November so it might be quite dark by the time she sails under the bridge. 

Anyway, if I decide to possibly waitlist a Grand Suite cabin and then maybe sail her where in the world do you have lunch? We gravitated to #CK or the Solarium on other ships as the Wind Jammer is quite hectic day one. 

Do they have a venue for the suite guests for embarkation lunch? Could we just get onboard and then utilize one of our Diamond Plus Buy 1 Get 1 specialty dining vouchers for lunch at Chop's? Trying to understand all of the moving parts here as I am so spoiled always sailing the bigger ships, but would like to experience this smaller vessel possibly. 

I did go ahead & book a B2B on another line on their new ship but that's not until next year, thinking of trying out our newly minted Diamond Plus amenities before then, thoughts? Suggestions? Thanks so much everyone for any and all insight you can provide. 

[SebagoSue]

I don’t have a great answer for lunch on Day 1.  I think Chops or WJ are really your only choices.  I don’t recall any suite embarkation lunch when we sailed Serenade earlier this year. But, I have to say, even though we are fans of Oasis class ships, we absolutely loved sailing Serenade.   We booked Izumi for night 1 so we could be dining there as we sailed under the bridge.  Absolutely stunning experience! Having cocktails at Vintages, while listening to music in the Centrum was one of our favorite things to do each day. And, in a shocking revelation, my DH, who usually doesn’t love the WJ, really enjoyed it on Serenade.  I think it was partly that the food seemed better and partly the beautiful views when sitting outside at one of the aft tables. I definitely think you should YOLO Book It, especially if you can get a GS!

[WAAAYTOOO]

No, there is no suites’ restaurant on Serenade so no complimentary special lunch location.  You will have a suites’ breakfast (probably Chops) each morning.  I really don’t know the answer to you question re: the BOGO specialty for lunch.  I don’t think I’ve ever asked that question !  Certainly you could go to Chops if you had the UDP.

[twangster]

Serenade in May used Chops for the Suite/Pinnacle breakfast.  It was a great way to start every day and I did start everyday there.

To put it in perspective Radiance class is somewhere around 44% of the space of Oasis class.  Understanding there is less than half the space leads to understanding there is much less real estate for many of the things you might love on Oasis class, including no space for a CK.  The kids space is limited with a simple water play area compared to larger ships.  In its day it was pretty freaking awesome with a small water slide but by today's mega ship standard the kid water area is very small and limited.    

Full suites don't include Voom on this class.  No dedicated suite restaurant.  The Concierge Lounge is something I like on this class.  It features a bar with seating that makes social opportunities very easy if you enjoy that but it also has smaller seating areas if you don't want social interaction.  I've met some great people in those CL's. Much more so than any Oasis class SL.  

There is no Solarium Bistro on Radiance class.  There is a small deli food area in the Solarium which is where late night pizza and daytime Kümmelwecks are found among other choices.  It's a scaled down Park Cafe from Oasis class, or the origins of Park Cafe found on Oasis class is another way to look at it.  It worked and is popular so Park cafe found its way in a larger scale on Oasis class.

I love the outdoor seating aft of the WJ.  

In May in the Centrum was a pair of ladies who were playing classical music on string instruments.  That's not my thing but the music was so beautiful I stopped in my tracks walking through the area to go somewhere and I immediately forgot where somewhere that I was going was, so I sat down and listened until they finished.  I've had Central Park moments like that on Oasis class and this was just as special.  

Serenade has a small movie theater.  Unique to this class. 

Casino gets smokey, quickly.  Only downside I can think of.  

Smaller ships are not for everyone.     Being older and smaller it offers a classic cruise experience absent of zip lines and bumper cars and skating rinks.  You are doing the right thing by researching so you can have the proper expectations which is the key to enjoying any older ship.  

[Neesa]

@twangster I loved watching your you tube videos on this ship. I expect I might really appreciate this smaller yet regal ship. Now leaning hard to sail for once out of Tampa but now I want to be up on deck to personally experience sailing underneath the Skyway Bridge. The sailing we are zeroing in on specifically is 19 November 2022. If I have the first seating in the MDR will we miss it? 

I thought about Izumi but the rest of my crew is not on the Izumi team. Maybe just skip MDR and #WJ the first evening? Even if we elected my time dining I wouldn't know what time to choose. Your help is very appreciated. 

[twangster]

1 hour ago, Neesa said:

@twangster I loved watching your you tube videos on this ship. I expect I might really appreciate this smaller yet regal ship. Now leaning hard to sail for once out of Tampa but now I want to be up on deck to personally experience sailing underneath the Skyway Bridge. The sailing we are zeroing in on specifically is 19 November 2022. If I have the first seating in the MDR will we miss it? 

I thought about Izumi but the rest of my crew is not on the Izumi team. Maybe just skip MDR and #WJ the first evening? Even if we elected my time dining I wouldn't know what time to choose. Your help is very appreciated. 

In February on Brilliance our sailaway had us leaving the dock around 4:30pm. All aboard was 4pm, sunset was at 6:06pm.

At 6:40pm we were approaching the bridge.  The sun had set but there was plenty of color left in the sky.   We were still about 20 minutes away from the bridge.

We had a specialty dinner booked for 8pm.

An early seating might miss the bridge so if that is important maybe specialty dining with a 7:30pm or 8pm reservation would be a good night one approach while preserving early seating for the rest of the cruise.  

Nov. 19, 2022 sunset is around 5:36pm so everything will be just a bit darker on your sail out.

PS - It can be windy and cold on the front of the ship with the sun down in these cooler months.  Bring a warm coat or wind breaker.  

[Neesa]

@twangster thank you so much!