1 Nights Southern Caribbean Cruise

Amazing Honeymoon Experience

My wife and I decided to try our first cruise to celebrate our honeymoon. We were very pleased with this cruise, which far exceeded our expectations. The embarkation process in Tampa was super smooth. We were on the ship about 15 minutes after getting to the port. Disembarkation was smooth as well. We had a standard interior stateroom. Although the decor was dated and the TV was very small, the place was kept absolutely spotless for the entire cruise. Everything was in good working condition, the bed was comfy, and we had enough storage space for our needs. Our stateroom attendant introduced himself and gave us a card with his name and number on it. He was very friendly and we saw him all the time. He was incredibly responsive whenever we requested something. The food at the Windjammer was pretty good. We really loved the quality of the breakfast food and the wide variety. We were especially impressed that the buffet attendance brought us beverages. They were speedy about clearing plates too. We didn't find that the buffet was too crowded. In the main dining room, we thought the food was excellent! But what really made it a great experience was our wait staff. Our waiters learned our drink preferences after 2 days. We loved the little touches like the crumb swiper thing and the personalized recommendations from the lead waiter. Our waiter, who was Filipino, even made an effort to speak some Spanish for my wife whose first language is Spanish. Super friendly and great service that really made it special. We found that entertainment to be delightful. We especially enjoyed the game shows and trivia and other free entertainment that the crew put on. The theater shows were pretty good, but certainly nothing like Broadway caliber. The dancers were talented and the singers were okay. We didn't find the cruise to be crowded at all. It was quite a subdued group, too. Lots of retirees and couples. Not many families or big parties. And that was totally good with us, since we were looking for a laid-back, relaxing experience. We booked two excursions through Royal. One in Cozumel was a dolphin encounter, and the transportation and the excursion itself were both enjoyable. In Costa Maya, we went on an ATV excursion and found that to be a blast as well. Overall, we can't say enough good things about this experience. We'll definitely be cruising with Royal again...but next time we'll bring our young daughter!

Great first cruise on Serenade of the Seas

This was a first cruise for my husband and me. We loved it. Didn’t know what to expect prior to cruising and read different blogs, etc. Turns out we brought lots of unnecessary ‘things’ with us. For instance, we didn’t need a travel clothesline or magnetic hooks or portable motion lights. Our cabin had all that included already. We didn’t need an extension cord for our C-PAP machines and distilled water was provided upon request. We enjoyed the entertainment, and unfortunately had the experience of having our second excursion day cancelled due to high winds and safety concerns. While that was disappointing, it was not the fault of the cruise line. The staff were nothing but kind, friendly and efficient at their jobs. I am thankful we cruised with friends who were experienced cruisers so we could learn some of the ways things are done. Overall we had a great experience and we’re eager to go again

Would do this again in a heartbeat

Embarkation was a breeze, we were onboard before 11 am! The ship was in excellent condition and does not show her age. The crew were awesome, always friendly and eager to assist. Bar attendants were plentiful. MDR food was very good, service super friendly, attentive and fast. The Windjammer offered a changing variety of food especially for lunch and dinner. Chops, Giovanni's and Izumi were also excellent. The variety of food on this ship was incredible. Snack's served at Latitudes and Solarium were also very good. The ocean view stateroom we had on deck 3 was very clean and well kept. Entertainment was enjoyable and activities abundant. I can't think of anything negatives of our 9 night cruise. I would repeat this ship and even the same itinerary in a heartbeat. I highly recommend Serenade of the Seas for a smaller ship experience in a well maintained vessel which offers a lot of space and amenities considering her size.