July 2, 2024 – Episode 54
Unlocking The Chilled Vibe Of Key West’s Lifestyle
While the Serenade of the Seas was docked in Key West, Florida, in June of 2023, we were out and about enjoying the island. In episode 54 of the vlog from that cruise, Key West’s chilled vibe was on full display as we walked around and drove around in our rented golf cart.
June 25, 2024 – Episode 53
Closest Point To Cuba: Just 90 Miles Away
While our cruise ship, the Serenade of the Seas, was docked at Pier B in Key West, we toured the island on a rented golf cart. One of the must-see places in Key West is the famous 90 miles to Cuba marker at the end of Whitehead Street.
June 18, 2024 – Episode 52
The Heart Of Key West: Duval Street
While the Serenade of the Seas was docked at Pier B in Key West, Florida, in June 2023, we were riding around in a rented golf cart. Duval Street in Key West is a well-known street and serves as the heart of the city. With numerous bars, restaurants, and shops, it offers a little something for everyone.
June 11, 2024 – Episode 51
Exploring Key West In Style: Golf Cart Adventures
With the Serenade of the Seas docked at Pier B in Key West, Florida, on a hot summer day in June 2023, we decided to rent a golf cart to explore the island for a couple of hours. Golf carts in Key West are definitely a thing, and they’re so much fun, other than trying to find a place to park.
June 4, 2024 – Episode 50
Exploring The Vibrant Streets Of Key West, Florida
With the Serenade of the Seas docked at Pier B in Key West, Florida, in June of 2023, we started toward Duval Street and Sloppy Joes. Eventually, we’d make our way over to our favorite little shop to rent a golf cart for a few hours. Key West is perfect for golf cart rentals, and it’s a fun way to see the island.
May 28, 2024 – Episode 49
Key West Florida: The Ultimate Island Getaway
After watching the approach to Key West, Florida, from the upper decks of the Serenade of the Seas for what seemed like hours, it was finally time to get off the ship and go exploring. In episode 49 of the vlog from our June 2023 cruise on the Serenade of the Seas, we step off the ship and back onto Florida.
May 21, 2024 – Episode 48
Cruise Into Paradise: Key West & Serenade Of The Seas
With our sun hats on, we watched the Serenade of the Seas approach the docking position in Key West, Florida, in June 2023. The weather was perfect, but it was hot since this was the tip of Florida in the summer.
May 14, 2024 – Episode 47
Unbeatable View Of Key West Florida From The Serenade Of The Seas
With the Serenade of the Seas carefully positioning itself at Pier B in Key West, Florida, in June 2023, we had plenty of time to enjoy the view from Deck 12 at the front of the ship.
May 7, 2024 – Episode 46
Key West Adventure: Serenade Of The Seas Cruise
One of our two port stops on the Serenade of the Seas in June 2023 was Key West, Florida. We’ve been to Key West many times over the years, and any chance to return on a cruise is definitely something that will get our attention. In episode 46 of the vlog from that 2023 cruise to Key West, the Serenade of the Seas is slowly moving sideways to dock at Pier B.
April 30, 2024 – Episode 45
Exciting Arrival: Serenade Of The Seas In Key West, Florida
In June 2023, with perfect weather, the Serenade of the Seas from Royal Caribbean slowly approached the dock at Pier B in Key West, Florida. In episode 45 of the vlog from our cruise on the Serenade, our vantage point from deck 12 gives us amazing views of the city as the ship moves into position.
April 23, 2024 – Episode 44
Pilot Boat Makes A Dramatic Approach To Serenade Of The Seas
On a sunny summer day in June 2023, when the water was calm and bright blue, the pilot boat from Key West, Florida, approached the Serenade of the Seas. The local pilot is necessary for the ship to dock, and as many times as we’ve seen this over the years when the small boat first appeared on the horizon, we only realized it was the pilot when it was fairly close to the ship.
April 16, 2024 – Episode 43
Viking Crown Lounge: A Serenade Of The Seas Experience
On day two of our Serenade of the Seas cruise in June of 2023, the ship was scheduled to dock in Key West, Florida, around Noon, which gave us plenty of time that morning to visit the Diamond Club and the Viking Crown Lounge while roaming around the ship.
April 9, 2024 – Episode 42
The Cruise Ship Buffet On The Serenade Of The Seas
Throughout our five-night cruise on the Serenade of the Seas in June 2023, we decided on the Windjammer for a meal more often than our typical cruises with Royal Caribbean. This was partly due to the smaller size of the ship but also due to the quality, consistency, and layout of the buffet.
April 2, 2024 – Episode 41
Windjammer Dining Experience On Serenade Of The Seas
During our cruise on the Serenade of the Seas in June 2023, we ate several meals in the Windjammer. The food was always very good, but we sometimes didn’t care for the menu being served in the Main Dining Room.
March 26, 2024 – Episode 40
Gorgeous Balcony Views From Serenade Of The Seas!
On the morning of our second day on the Serenade of the Seas in June of 2023, the view from our oceanview balcony is gorgeous as the ship slowly approaches Key West, Florida. After leaving our stateroom, the first order of business was coffee at Café Latte-tudes on Deck 5.
March 19, 2024 – Episode 39
Late Night Pizza
On our first night on the Serenade of the Seas in June of 2023, we discovered late-night pizza at the Park Cafe inside the Solarium. We had seen the pizza on display in the Windjammer earlier in the day, but it turns out the pizza moves to the Park Cafe at 9 pm.
March 12, 2024 – Episode 38
Pitch Black
On our first night on the Serenade of the Seas in June of 2023, the weather was perfect as we explored the upper decks of the ship. In episode 38 of the vlog from that cruise, it’s pitch black at the bow of the ship on decks 11 and 12, with some faint lightning off in the distance.
March 5, 2024 – Episode 37
Gym At Night
In the Summer of 2023, we decided to cruise on the Serenade of the Seas for a five-night cruise out of Tampa, Florida, that would take us to Key West, Florida, and Royal Caribbean’s private island Perfect Day @ CocoCay. In episode 37 of the vlog from that cruise, it’s embarkation night and we’re still exploring the ship on a perfect night for cruising.
February 27, 2024 – Episode 36
Golf At Night
On our first night on the Serenade of the Seas in June of 2023, exploration was the name of the game as we set out to learn the layout of this unfamiliar ship. In episode 36 of the vlog from that cruise, we’re on Deck 13 at the back of the ship, checking out the golf course at night.
February 20, 2024 – Episode 35
Sports Court At Night
On a beautiful night in June of 2023, we were exploring the Sports Court of the Serenade of the Seas as the ship was en route to Key West, Florida.
February 13, 2024 – Episode 34
Coffee Card
If you’re a coffee drinker and you like to cruise with Royal Caribbean, their coffee card in the pre-cruise planner might interest you. In episode 34 of the vlog from our June 2023 cruise on the Serenade of the Seas, Maria stopped by Cafe-Lattetudes to pick up her coffee card for the cruise.
February 6, 2024 – Episode 33
Standing Room Only
On the Serenade of the Seas, the Centrum is a great place to get a drink, watch a band perform, or even take part in an activity with the cruise director staff. But as we witnessed during our June 2023 cruise on the Serenade, the seating on Deck 4 of the Centrum is limited so it can turn into standing room only very quickly.
January 30, 2024 – Episode 32
Beautiful Evening On Deck
In episode 32 of the vlog from our June 2023 cruise on the Serenade of the Seas, we’re walking around on Deck 12 after dinner, and the weather that night was absolutely perfect.
January 23, 2024 – Episode 31
Diamond Club
Located next to the Vortex on the Serenade of the Seas, the Diamond Club is a cozy little area for passengers who’ve achieved the level of Diamond or above in the Crown & Anchor society. In episode 31 of the vlog from our June 2023 cruise on the Serenade, we’re visiting the Diamond Club on the first evening of the cruise.
January 16, 2024 – Episode 30
View From The Viking Crown
On the older Royal Caribbean ships, the Viking Crown lounge is usually a good place to stop by for a drink in the afternoon or evening on a sea day. In episode 30 of the vlog from our June 2023 cruise on the Serenade of the Seas, we stopped by the Viking Crown lounge in the evening on embarkation day only to find it renamed the Vortex, and no one was around.
January 9, 2024 – Episode 29
Viking Crown Lounge
When you enter Deck 13 on the Serenade of the Seas, the sign on the wall says the Vortex, but the recognizable shape of that part of the ship is undeniably the Viking Crown Lounge. In episode 29 of the vlog from our June 2023 cruise on the Serenade, we’ve come up to the lounge to walk around for a few minutes and enjoy the view.
January 2, 2024 – Episode 28
House Band In Centrum
For our five-night cruise on the Serenade of the Seas in June of 2023, we had many opportunities to enjoy the house band that played on Deck four of the Centrum. In episode 28 of the vlog from that cruise, we’ve just finished dinner on the first night of the cruise, and the band is performing.
December 26, 2023 – Episode 27
Busy MyTime Dining
On our first night on the Serenade of the Seas in June of 2023, we decided on the Main Dining Room for dinner with a MyTime dining reservation of 7 pm. As you might imagine, the MDR was quite busy at that time, but the crew members were experienced at getting the passengers seated as quickly as possible.
December 19, 2023 – Episode 26
The Safari Club
The Safari Club on the Serenade of the Seas is a spacious venue on Deck 6 at the aft of the ship. In episode 26 of the vlog from our June 2023 cruise on the Serenade, we’ve entered the Safari Club in the middle of a game of Disney trivia.
December 12, 2023 – Episode 25
Vintages Wine Bar
On embarkation day on the Serenade of the Seas in June of 2023, we stopped for a drink at the Vintages Wine Bar. While we didn’t experience any issues at Vintages, we spent the rest of the cruise visiting the Schooner Bar on Deck 6.
December 5, 2023 – Episode 24
Looking Straight Down
On the Serenade of the Seas, the Centrum in the middle of the ship offers a unique way for passengers on different decks to enjoy the entertainment of the band playing on Deck 4. During our June 2023 cruise on the Serenade, we often found ourselves looking straight down on the fun below.
November 28, 2023 – Episode 23
Obstructed View Balcony
For our June 2023 cruise on the Serenade of the Seas, we placed a bid in the RoyalUp program to upgrade our interior stateroom. Royal Caribbean accepted our bid and moved us into an obstructed view balcony on Deck 9.
November 21, 2023 – Episode 22
Making A Rock Lobster
After watching the Serenade of the Seas depart from Tampa in June of 2023, it was time for a drink at the main pool bar. One of Maria’s favorites is the Rock Lobster. Some bartenders know the recipe, and some need a little help with the ingredients.
November 14, 2023 – Episode 21
Solarium Bar
One of the main bars for a drink on the Serenade of the Seas is the Solarium Bar on Deck 11. In episode 21 of the vlog from our June 2023 cruise on the Serenade of the Seas, we’ve completed our filming of the sail away from Tampa, and it’s time for a drink before heading back to our stateroom.
November 7, 2023 – Episode 20
The Wake View
A common saying amongst cruising enthusiasts is the Wake View is the Best View. On our Serenade of the Seas cruise in June of 2023, we put that saying to the test on the Windjammer patio as the ship cruised through Tampa Bay en route to Key West, Florida.
October 31, 2023 – Episode 19
Windjammer Patio
For the best wake view on the Serenade of the Seas, the Windjammer patio on Deck 11 is your best bet. In episode 19 of the vlog from our June 2023 cruise on the Serenade, it’s late afternoon, and we’ve moved from the bow of the ship to the Windjammer patio to enjoy the wake view of Tampa Bay.
October 24, 2023 – Episode 18
Headwind
As the Serenade of the Seas was cruising from Tampa into the Gulf of Mexico in June 2023, the headwind on the Helipad was quite strong. After a while of standing on the Helipad to enjoy the sail away from the Port of Tampa, it was time to head to the Windjammer’s outdoor patio for the wake view.
October 17, 2023 – Episode 17
Peter O. Knight Airport
As the Serenade of the Seas was heading toward the Gulf of Mexico on a hot afternoon in June 2023, the ship cruised past a small airport on the outskirts of Tampa, Florida. The view of this little airport from the ship’s Helipad was spectacular.
October 10, 2023 – Episode 16
Tiny Lighthouse
As the Serenade of the Seas was exiting the Tampa cruise port in June of 2023, from our vantage point on the Helipad, we noticed a tiny lighthouse on the starboard side of the ship.
October 3, 2023 – Episode 15
Waterfront View
From the Helipad on the Serenade of the Seas, as the ship departed the Port of Tampa in June 2023, a row of homes with a great waterfront view is clearly visible from the ship.
September 26, 2023 – Episode 14
Grandeur Is Next
When our five-night cruise on the Serenade of the Seas began in June 2023, we embarked from cruise terminal number 3 in Tampa, Florida. Next door at cruise terminal number 2, the Grandeur of the Seas was also preparing to embark on a cruise and departed shortly after we did.
September 19, 2023 – Episode 13
Departing Tampa
When it was time for the Serenade of the Seas to embark from Tampa for our 5-night cruise in June of 2023, the helipad offered one of the best views. With our video camera recording, we enjoyed the sail away from the port of Tampa, not long before the Grandeur of the Seas would follow us to the Gulf of Mexico.
September 12, 2023 – Episode 12
Solarium & Park Cafe
On embarkation day for our 5-night cruise on the Serenade of the Seas in June of 2023, we held a YouTube livestream that afternoon while the ship was still docked at cruise terminal 3 in Tampa, Florida. Before the livestream, we explored the ship, looking for the best spot, and settled on an area in the Park Cafe inside the Solarium on Deck 11.
September 5, 2023 – Episode 11
Helipad
On the afternoon of embarkation from the port of Tampa, Florida, in June of 2023, we were still exploring the Serenade of the Ship and enjoying the beautiful weather. One of the best places on the ship to view the departure from Tampa is the helipad, so we stopped by to get a preview a few hours before the ship was scheduled to leave.
August 29, 2023 – Episode 10
Balcony Stateroom 9050 – FULL TOUR
While the Serenade of the Seas was still docked in Tampa on embarkation day in June 2023, we finally got access to our balcony stateroom. With the camera recording, we explored our balcony stateroom on Deck 9.
August 22, 2023 – Episode 9
R Bar
After lunch on the Serenade of the Seas on embarkation day in June 2023, it was time for a drink. The R Bar on Deck 4 is a visible, centrally located bar on the ship, so we decided to swing by for a drink. As this was before the staterooms were available, many other passengers also had their carry-on luggage with them.
August 15, 2023 – Episode 8
Windjammer Patio
On deck 11 of the Serenade of the Seas, the back of the ship (stern) is a nice, big, outdoor seating area with the perfect view of the ship’s wake. The buffet is not far away, so this area offers an outdoor option for seating when it’s time for a meal in the buffet. In addition to seating for a meal, this area is close to Rita’s Cantina, so it can be enjoyed with a nice adult beverage.
August 8, 2023 – Episode 7
Pool Deck
One of the most popular spots on the ship, the pool deck on the Serenade of the Seas, is usually busy around lunchtime. In episode 7 of the vlog from our June 2023 cruise, most passengers still needed to board the ship or were in the Windjammer having lunch. When we passed through this same area a few hours later, it was more customary of an embarkation day on a Royal Caribbean ship.
August 1, 2023 – Episode 6
Registering For A Spa Raffle
On embarkation day for the Serenade of the Seas in June 2023, Maria wanted to stop by the Spa on Deck 11 to register for a raffle later in the afternoon, around our sail away. The spa treatments are a great way to unwind and relax after a busy day exploring the ship or a port of call. The spa staff is always friendly and welcoming, and the treatments are top-notch, with options such as a massage, facial, or body wrap. Embarkation day is one of the best times to visit to get great deals and make a reservation for later in the cruise.
July 25, 2023 – Episode 5
First Lunch On The Ship
When it came time for lunch on the Serenade of the Seas on embarkation day in June 2023, we headed straight for the Windjammer on Deck 11, one of our favorite places on the ship. As we walked around looking for a place to sit when we first arrived, plus after we had finished eating, we realized the many seating options available for a meal at the Windjammer.
July 18, 2023 – Episode 4
Heading To The Buffet
On embarkation day for a Royal Caribbean cruise, it’s a safe bet that we’re boarding the ship as early as we can and that we’re also heading to the Windjammer once we do board the ship. In June 2023, it was time to try a cruise on the Serenade of the Seas, and a trip to the Windjammer was in order.
July 11, 2023 – Episode 3
Boarding The Ship
Boarding the cruise ship on embarkation day is always such an exciting experience. There’s just something about the hustle and bustle of all the passengers and crew preparing for the journey ahead that makes it one of our favorite reasons to go on a cruise. We love checking out the different areas of the ship and getting a feel for all the different amenities. Plus, there’s always the anticipation of what adventures and sights we’ll experience throughout the cruise.
July 4, 2023 – Episode 2
The Boarding Process
When we sailed on the Serenade of the Seas from the port of Tampa in June 2023, the process was rapid and efficient. We parked in the spacious garage across the street from terminal three and crossed the street with our luggage before dropping it off with a porter curbside at the terminal. Inside, the port employees had us checked in for the cruise in record time.
June 27, 2023 – Episode 1
Tampa Cruise Port
On Saturday, June 17, 2023, we embarked on a five-night cruise on the Serenade of the Seas in Tampa, Florida. It was a beautiful day as we arrived at the port after the drive over from Orlando. The Tampa cruise port features two terminals that share one large parking garage. We arrived a little early, but the process of dropping the luggage and checking in for the cruise was speedy and stress-free.