I'm on the first big cruise ship to sail to Alaska in nearly 2 years. It's so empty, it feels like my own private yacht
Editor's Note
As I write this, I am sitting in the Centrum on Royal Caribbean's Serenade of the Seas -- a soaring, centrally-located lounge and bar space that is one of the ship's main gathering places.
It's normally a bustling place, and it should be particularly bustling now. There's a guitarist performing on the stage -- the only live performance currently happening on board.
But the Centrum is stunningly empty -- so empty that it almost seems like the guitarist is playing just for me.
As I look around, I count just two other passengers on the ground level of the room. A few more are in the balcony spaces above. Nearly all the clusters of chairs that fill the Centrum are unoccupied.
It's not the only spot on board Serenade of the Seas where I have had a this-cruise-ship-is-here-just-for-me moment since I boarded on Monday.
Last night, as I was dining at the ship's Italian eatery, Giovanni's Table, I noticed at one point that the entire staff was attending just to my table and one other table that was occupied. Afterward, I sat down with another cruise writer in the ship's signature Schooner Bar for a drink and, for a time, we had the entire place (and the live piano music that it offered) to ourselves.
Serenade of the Seas is the first big cruise ship to restart departures to Alaska in nearly two years, and for now, it's sailing with just a small fraction of the number of passengers that it normally carries. That's resulting in an extraordinarily intimate and exclusive onboard experience.
It almost feels like being on a personal yacht. Just a very, very big one.
Here, a look at that and other things that are different (or not) on Serenade of the Seas as it finally returns to cruising after a COVID-19-caused, 16-month-long hiatus.
Smaller crowds
Surely this won't last for long. But, at least for a short time, being on Serenade of the Seas is a chance to experience all that a big ship has to offer without the crowds that normally come with a big-ship cruise experience.
A Royal Caribbean executive this week told me that there are about 630 passengers on board for this sailing. This for a ship that can hold up to 2,476 passengers when full to the brim.
In other words, it's only about 25% full.
Royal Caribbean purposefully is keeping occupancy low on its ships as it slowly brings them back into service this summer. But the low occupancy on Serenade of the Seas right now is also likely the result of cruisers having assumed that Royal Caribbean's Alaska sailings wouldn't operate this year due to a Canada ban on cruise ship arrivals that remains in effect.
The reason why a ban on cruise ship arrivals in Canada would make people think cruising wouldn't happen this summer in Alaska is a long and complicated story. But until a few weeks ago, it seemed unlikely to most people who follow the cruise world that this week's Serenade of the Seas sailing or any other big-ship cruise to Alaska would happen this summer.
Cruisers typically book sailings many months, if not a full year, in advance, and filling a cruise ship on short notice is difficult even in the best of times.
One amazing statistic about this first sailing of Serenade of the Seas in 16 months: There are more crew members on the ship than passengers. In all, there are slightly more than 800 crew members on Serenade of the Seas right now, a full complement.
That means the staff-to-crew ratio is nearly 1.3 to 1.
That's a level of staff-to-crew that exceeds what you'll find on even the most luxurious and pricey cruise ships, such as Silversea and Regent Seven Seas Cruises vessels. The result is a service level on board that, for now at least, is like nothing most Royal Caribbean fans have ever seen.
New health protocols
Royal Caribbean has implemented some new health and safety policies on board Serenade of the Seas that are noticeable, all designed to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
For starters, passengers must wear masks for now in the interior spaces of the ship. And some areas of the ship -- the casino, for instance, and the pub -- are off-limits to passengers who aren't vaccinated for COVID-19.
The line also has made changes to venues to encourage social distancing. Many seating areas in lounges, bars and restaurants are blocked off with "table reserved for physical distancing" signs so that they remain unoccupied. Gyms are only open by appointment.
In addition, travel parties with unvaccinated passengers are not allowed to leave the ship in ports unless they purchase a local tour through Royal Caribbean.
These policies are in keeping with U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) rules for cruise ships in U.S. waters that aren't sailing with at least 95% of passengers vaccinated for COVID-19.
Unlike most lines that operate in U.S. waters, Royal Caribbean hasn't committed to sailing its ships with at least 95% of passengers vaccinated.
Royal Caribbean executives have said they decided against such a commitment because they normally draw a large number of families with young children who aren't eligible for a vaccine. Without turning away those families, it would have been impossible to hit the 95% target, they have said.
Related: The ultimate guide to Royal Caribbean
Still, Royal Caribbean is mandating that all passengers 16 years of age and older show proof of a COVID-19 vaccination to sail on Serenade of the Seas (the age cut-off will drop to 12 on Aug. 1). The result is that a large percentage of passengers on board are, indeed, vaccinated for COVID-19.
Passengers who aren't vaccinated are required to take a PCR test for COVID-19 when checking in at the terminal and an antigen test for COVID-19 onboard the ship near the end of the voyage.
Passengers under the age of 2 are exempt from the testing requirements.
While noticeable, the new mask-wearing rules and social distancing measures aren't overly intrusive. While masks haven't been required in most venues in my home state of North Carolina since May, and I have grown accustomed to not wearing one in most settings, I've quickly gotten back into the habit of putting one on while on Serenade of the Seas.
Surprising normality
Despite the new mask-wearing rule on the ship and other COVID-19-related changes, the basic cruise experience feels relatively normal. As noted above, the most noticeable difference right now with the cruise experience on Serenade of the Seas as compared to pre-COVID times is that the ship is unusually empty.
Most of the ship's venues -- including showrooms, lounges, bars and eateries -- are operating normally. Operating as normally as possible has been important to Royal Caribbean in its startup in recent weeks -- one reason it has brought back a full complement of crew to Serenade of the Seas even as the ship sails at a reduced passenger capacity.
Perhaps the biggest change that I've seen this week is that passengers no longer can serve themselves in the casual Windjammer buffet on the ship. Instead, crew members ladle food onto passenger plates.
In addition, the Windjammer restaurant is closed at dinnertime.
New drinks for Alaska sailings
Serenade of the Seas is returning to service with one surprise for Royal Caribbean fans: A new warmed alcoholic drinks menu specially designed for Alaska sailings.
Dubbed The Last Frontier menu, it features an Irish coffee made with Jameson Irish whiskey, cinnamon syrup and coffee (and topped with whipped cream); a vanilla-spiked hot chocolate made with cinnamon-spiked RumChata and Absolute vanilla vodka (mixed with hot chocolate and topped with whipped cream); and a Malibu hot chocolate made with Malibu coconut rum and hot chocolate (again, topped with whipped cream).
There's also a classic hot toddy on the menu made with Chivas Regal Scotch whisky.
In the interest of proper research, I tried them all, and I declare the vanilla-spiked hot chocolate the champion of the bunch.
TPG’s Gene Sloan will be reporting live from Serenade of the Seas for the next week as it sails to Alaska. You can find all of his dispatches on his author’s page.
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Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.