Cruise Spotlight
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Serenade of the Seas vs Islander
The Royal Caribbean Serenade of the Seas was built in 2003. It was renovated in 2023. It's 3 years newer than the Islander, which was built in 2000 and renovated in 2024. The Islander formerly sailed as the Costa Atlantica before it was brought to the Margaritaville fleet.
Comparison Overview
- Ship Size
- Number of Passengers
- Food and Restaurants
- Bars and Drinks
- Pools and Hot Tubs
- Ship Features and Activities
- Cruise Costs
- Onboard Costs
Ship Size
The Serenade of the Seas is considered a small size ship. Coming in at 965 feet long and 106 feet wide, it's roughly the length of 2.7 football fields, as wide as 2 tractor-trailers and the same height as a 12-story building. It's about the same size as the Margaritaville at Sea Islander.
Number of Passengers
Royal Caribbean Serenade of the Seas holds about the same number of passengers as the Islander based on double occupancy (two people per room). When you compare the total tonnage of the ship to the number of passengers, or what we call the "Space Ratio," the Serenade of the Seas has more space per person compared to the Islander. This means that you might have a bit more space to yourself on the ship, although there still could be some crowded areas like buffets, pools, etc.
| Royal Caribbean Serenade of the Seas | Margaritaville at Sea Islander | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Radiance | MAS Spirit |
| Gross Tonnage | 90,090 | 85,619 |
| Length | 965 | 960 |
| Beam/Width | 106 | 127 |
| Passenger Decks | 12 | 11 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 2,146 | 2,114 |
| Crew | 848 | 920 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 2.5 | 2.3 |
| Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 42 | 40 |
Food and Restaurants
Food is a big part of any cruise, and the ship you choose can make a huge difference in your food experience.
The Serenade of the Seas has nine different dining options like Chef's Table, Izumi Sushi & Hot Rocks, and Chops Grille. Of those options, eight are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other six options have an additional fee.
The Islander has three more dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Far Side Sushi, JWB Prime Steakhouse, and Cheeseburger in Paradise Burger Bar. six of these restaurants are complementary and the other six have an additional fee.
If you like having a variety of places to eat, the Islander might be a better choice. It has 33% more dining options than the Serenade of the Seas.
If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Islander might be a better choice then the Serenade of the Seas. More of the dining options are included in the base cruise fare, potentially saving you money.
| Royal Caribbean Serenade of the Seas | Margaritaville at Sea Islander | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Dining Options | 9 | 12 |
| Complimentary Dining Options: | 8 | 6 |
| Additional Fee Dining Options: | 6 | 6 |
| % of Included Options | 33% | 50% |
| See the options | See the options |
Bars and Drinks
The Royal Caribbean Serenade of the Seas has 1 fewer bar than the Margaritaville at Sea Islander. The Serenade of the Seas has 11 bars like R Bar, Schooner Bar and The Congo Bar. On Serenade of the Seas, you can grab a drink at 12 different bars such as 5 o'Clock Somewhere Bar, Havana Daydreamin' Sports Bar and Lounge and Love and Luck Casino Bar.
| Royal Caribbean Serenade of the Seas | Margaritaville at Sea Islander |
|---|---|
| •Casino Bar • Champagne Bar • English Pub • Pool bar • R Bar • Schooner Bar • Sky Bar • The Congo Bar • The Safari Club • Vortex Nightclub • Zanzibar Lounge | •5 o'Clock Somewhere Bar • Bubbles Up Lounge and Champagne Bar • Coral Reef Lounge • Flip Flop Atrium Bar • Havana Daydreamin' Sports Bar and Lounge • Hemisphere Dancer Craft Spirits • Hot, Hot, Hot Night Club • JWB Prime Lounge • LandShark Bar and Lookout • Love and Luck Casino Bar • The Far Side Lounge • The Tiki Bar |
In terms of drinks and cocktails, you have a variety of choices. Both ships serve the Coca-cola family of products. That means Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite and Barqs Root Beer, although the selection can vary by ship. Most Royal Caribbean ships also have Coke Freestyle machines where you can make 100 different flavor combinations.
You can check out recent the bar menus for the Serenade of the Seas and the Islander below.
Pools and Hot Tubs
Nothing beats relaxing by a pool with a nice drink in hand as you feel the fresh sea breeze pass by you. The Royal Caribbean Serenade of the Seas has a total of 2 pools and 3 hot tubs.
Margaritaville at Sea Islander has more pools than the Serenade of the Seas and the same number of hot tubs.
Tired of loud kids and splashing? One of the pools and one of the hot tubs are adults only on Serenade of the Seas.| Royal Caribbean Serenade of the Seas | Margaritaville at Sea Islander | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Pools | 2 | 3 |
| Pools - General Access | 1 | 2 |
| Pools - Adults Only | 1 | 1 |
| Pools - Exclusive | 0 | |
| Total Hot Tubs | 3 | 3 |
| Hot Tubs - General Access | 2 | 2 |
| Hot Tubs - Adults Only | 1 | 1 |
| Hot Tubs - Exclusive | 0 |
Ship Features and Activities
Both ships have lots of activities to keep you busy throughout your cruise. Below you'll see a list of some of the major features on these ships. On the Serenade of the Seas, 70% of the activities below are included in the cruise fare. On the Islander, only 69% of the activities are included, meaning you might spend more money while on board.
| Royal Caribbean Serenade of the Seas | Margaritaville at Sea Islander | |
|---|---|---|
| Adult Only Relaxation Area | ✓ | ✓ |
| Arcade | ✓ | ✓ |
| Basketball | ✓ | ✗ |
| Casino | ✓ | ✓ |
| Climbing Wall | ✓ | ✗ |
| Comedy Show | ✗ | ✓ |
| Dry kid's play area | ✗ | ✓ |
| Fitness Center | ✓ | ✓ |
| Mini golf | ✓ | ✓ |
| Pickleball | ✗ | ✓ |
| Pool-side Movies | ✓ | ✓ |
| Shows - musical review | ✓ | ✓ |
| Spa | ✓ | ✓ |
| Splash park | ✗ | ✓ |
| Waterslide | ✗ | ✓ |
| Learn more | Learn more |
Cruise Costs
Royal Caribbean and Margaritaville at Sea are both considered "Mainstream" cruise lines. Mainstream cruise lines cater to a variety of guests, hoping to provide something for everyone. These typically cost about $100 - $350 per person per day.
Cruise pricing is dynamic and varies for each specific sailing based on factors such as departure point, ports of call, and time of year. Typically newer ships cost more, so a cruise on Royal Caribbean Serenade of the Seas will likely be more expensive than on Margaritaville at Sea Islander.
Onboard Costs
Another way to gauge the cost of a cruise is to consider how much you'll spend on board. Even though a lot is included in the base cruise fare, you may still spend money on things like spa treatments, specialty dining, drinks, and excursions. In addition, guests can also have to pay for things like gratuities and tips.
Typically guests can expect to spend about 25 - 40% of the cost of the cruise on onboard expenses. In other words, if the cruise fare is $1,000 per person, you might spend between $250 and $400 on extra expenses.
The table below will help you compare onboard prices to see if you might spend more on a specific ship.
| Royal Caribbean Serenade of the Seas | Margaritaville at Sea Islander | |
|---|---|---|
| Base Daily Gratuities* (Per Person Per Day) | $18.50 | $20.00 |
| Tip added to drinks & services | 18% | 20% |
| Soda Price | $3.50 | $2.95 |
| Domestic Beer Price | $8.25 See drink menus | $8.50 See drink menus |
| Drink Package Price | $77 - $118 Learn more | 64.99 |
| Internet Plan | $19 to $30 per device per day | $17.99 per device per day |
| *Daily gratuities for a standard cabin. Suites or specialty rooms may have higher rates. | ||
Royal Caribbean uses dynamic pricing, which means the pricing for many things will vary per sailing. The daily gratuities and tip are consistent across the fleet, but the pricing for the drink package, internet, and excursions will change. The only way to know your price is to consult the Royal Caribbean cruise planner once you're booked.
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