Odyssey 2019 - Mother's Day aboard the Serenade of the Seas

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The temperature in Copenhagen was a chilly 42 degrees early this morning as we finished packing for our departure. A taxi met us at 11:00 AM, and by noon we had finished the check-in formalities at the port and boarded our ship, the Serenade of the Seas. We ate lunch, poked around the ship, and shortly after the perfunctory emergency procedures drill the ship weighed anchor at 5:00 PM, while we were having drinks and listening to some reggae music.

Serenade of the Seas, in service since 2003, is owned and operated by Royal Caribbean International cruise line. Powered by two gas turbines, she is 965 ft long, 106 ft wide, and has a cruising speed of 25 knots. There are 12 passenger decks, serviced by 9 passenger elevators (6 of which are glass and either look over the central atrium or outside the ship through a glass wall). The ship can accommodate 2,490 guests (in 1,055 cabins), plus 891 crew.

Serenade of the Seas sails the Caribbean, departing from its home port of Fort Lauderdale during the winter months. In the summer months, it sails the Baltic Sea leaving from the home ports of Copenhagen, Denmark, or Stockholm, Sweden. Some of you may be familiar with big ship cruises, but this is a new experience for us. The sheer size of this ship---and the massive amount of crew, supplies and services required for a 7-day voyage like ours---is simply mind-boggling.

And, of course, the quantities and varieties of foods offered create a paradise for gluttons--no Weight Watchers program on this cruise! We had lunch and dinner today at the Windjammer Cafe, a buffet-style dining area serving everything from waffles and stir fry, to roast beef, stuffed peppers and pizza, and just about anything else imaginable. It was quite amusing to watch the feeding frenzy, and belly-busting, taking place before our eyes.

We'll be cruising in the Baltic Sea tonight, and all day tomorrow, until we arrive at our first port of call, Stockholm (Sweden), on Tuesday morning (May 14th) at 9:00 AM. After a shore excursion in Stockholm, the cruise continues on to Tallinn (Estonia), St. Petersburg (Russia) and Helsinki (Finland) before returning to Copenhagen on the morning of May 19th.

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Comments

[Jeni]

You both look so relaxed, cruising suits you! The stateroom is a nice size. Eat, drink, and keep playing the slots!

[Danielle Cobb]

Looks like you're having a great time. Martini and slots looks like a nice combo to me!! Roomy stateroom with a nice view. Enjoy it all. Love you guys.

[joyce]

cruising......may the sun keep shining...
My oh my, reggae music on the Baltic Sea....(for some reason this causes some confusion for my mind...) That's a great looking room and love the balcony, shall come in handy for private chill time. Enjoy, good luck at the slots, enjoy the shows, and the masses of food! Take this travel time to rest up and relax. Excited to see the sights of Finland (my grandmother from moms side came from here). Love you both, and Dee glad your Mothers Day was a treasure.

[joyce]

...wino...on the say wine!!
Love the Meiomi, Pinot Noir...bottle price is comparable to restaurant prices here at home. I prefer mine from the local store @ say $20ish a bottle.

[cindy]

cruisin'
I hope the balcony lived up to its intended purpose for Mitch and that the seas were calm. Also hope Dee's cough has subsided and that it is a wonderful cruise. I now have a head cold and haven't completely adjusted to the time difference. All is good though.