Serenade of the Seas Review
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Additional details
Overall, the cruise was great with interesting and scenic ports. The ship offered several communal spaces with lots of activities. Great food and service! Biggest complaint was timing and/or lack of evening shows.
Pros: Good Windjammer buffet but would like more variety at lunches. Service in MDR was outstanding. Initial cabin requests were handled quickly and our room steward was efficient and friendly. Activities staff was excellent, and we enjoyed the various trivia and games. The two headliners were entertaining and the production singer, dancers, and orchestra were talented.
Cons: We were disappointed that there were not 2 headlining shows each night. Several nights there was either only one show or no show with a game instead. Also, while the cast performed them well, the production shows are feeling tired, especially the costuming. The cruise director lacked enthusiasm we have experienced with other cruise directors on other ships. While his staff exuded it, he seemed distant. Massage taster was poorly run with 20+ people showing up and the "5-min" taster being 2 mins and they didn't even take people in the order in which they arrived. Centrum elevators seemed to be out of sync with a long wait every time. Tender process in Bar Harbor was poorly organized. There is no point in following the rules and waiting for your tender ticket number to be called if the personnel never check them and take other people ahead. It seemed to be a free for all. I would recommend trivias and name those tunes activities be moved out of the Schooner Bar. There was no room and it was impossible to hear on multiple occasions because other guests who weren't participating shared the same space. The app worked for the most part, but didn't always update with the next day's events making planning difficult.
Cabin Review
Interior
Inside cabin was pretty standard with king bed layout, two side tables, vanity, loveseat and table. Lots of storage in closet and vanity. Only complaint is that there was an outlet next to the bed with European plug and USBs, but it didn't work.
Port Reviews
Boston
Port is very close to the airport and train stations. Lots to do in Boston without a tour.
Sydney (Nova Scotia)
Sydney is a small town and easy to walk around directly from the ship. There is a cruise terminal with craft market, shops, and free wi-fi. Within walking distance are a couple of historic houses and church to tour. The downtown area was mostly under construction and didn't feel very vibrant. We stopped at the Governor's Pub (to the right and across the street when exiting the cruise port). It had live Celtic music on the second floor. Good for drinks or food. Worth the wait.
Saint John (New Brunswick)
We docked at the Long Wharf which was a little further away from the town than the other two docks, but definitely walkable. The town has several streets of shops and restaurants, including the city market. We went to Big Tide Brewing for drinks and apps. If you're looking for a good massage that's quality but cheaper than the cruise, I'd recommend Refresh Wellness Studio (just up the hill from Big Tide). The walk to the reversing falls is quite far, but there are some informational signs along the way and you can enjoy the scenery even if you go for a little bit. You would need to check times for tides...otherwise, there's nothing to see.
Bar Harbor
Ships must tender into the pier, so plan accordingly. The tender process is a mess and might take several hours. However, once in port, Bar Harbor is a quaint community that caters to tourists, most who are visiting for several days vs. the cruise passengers. We wandered the town, looked at shops, and had a drink at Atlantic Brewing. Booked a 2.5-hour bus tour on Oli's Trolley, which leaves from the port area. It was a nice, fully-narrated drive on the Acadia loop road with 3 stops (Thunder Hole, restaurant with view of Cadillac Mountain, and top of Cadillac Mountain). As we were there in mid October, the trees were turning and lovely. Unfortunately, the view from the top of Cadillac Mountain was completely obscured by the clouds that moved in. I think it would be hit or miss. However, we enjoyed the tour overall.
Portland (Maine)
Portland was the largest city we went to. The ship docks right next to a visitor center. It's an easily walkable area, but maybe not as accessible for people in wheelchairs due to some cobblestone streets. We walked along the main street parallel to the water. Had hoped to take a trolley tour out to the lighthouses, but they were all booked for the day. We might have booked in advance, but fog is a reality and they may not have been running. Instead, we chose to walk around. Saw a piece of the Berlin Wall on one of the piers. Then walked into the Old Port area. Lots of shops and restaurants. Interesting exhibit at the public library. We passed by but did not tour the Wadsworth-Longfellow Home and Maine Historical Society. Spent some time at Shipyard Brewing, which was very busy. Options for flights of beer. We even sampled a Maine staple, the whoopie pie. This city was worthwhile even with the rain.