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Royal Caribbean International

MV Radiance of the Seas

Your Rating:
Reviewed by:: Sandy R.
# previous cruises: 10+
Date of Trip: June 9, 2001
Itinerary: Alaska

We have been on 25 cruises, and we found that the radiance of the seas is the best ship we have ever seen. It is so well designed and is like a museum with all the beautiful art and decorations on it. The crew is the best trained and the most congenial of any ship we have been on. The captain is great at keeping the passengers informed of what is happening on the ship. You got the feeling that each and every passenger is the most important thing to Royal Caribbean. This new size ship is very smooth sailing, and I think will be a great asset to what is already a terrific cruise line. Royal Caribbean is to be commended for their attention to the happiness, safety, and well being of their passengers. Everyone should try to book a cruise on the radiance if you want to have a cruise that is perfect from start to finish.

The Colony Club is a terrific lounge. They had good entertainment, and the view from the windows is spectacular. The area just before the Colony Club has the pool tables. What a great idea to have pool tables at sea. The dining room is spectacular too with the water fall. The sound of the water is so soothing and makes this ship dining room one of the easiest ones to talk in. I think the sound of the water makes everyone use a quieter voice. The pool area with a waterfall and stone elephants is terrific too. The bridge over the pool is a nice touch too.

The food in both the Windjammer Cafe and the dining room was excellent. Our waiter was very capable. He has been on many of the new ships for RCCL. No wonder they send him to each new ship ----- he sets a terrific example for all the new waiters he is training as they work as his assistant. The chef has a very nice menu with selections that fit everyone's needs . The food was presented beautifully, and we always had a meal that was at the optimum temperature. It is beyond me how they do this with the large number of guests each waiter serves. The food was excellent in the Windjammer too.

We had an E3 category cabin on deck 9. The location was good, and it was terrific having the balcony. I would highly recommend a balcony cabin for all alaska cruises. The noise level was perfect in our cabin. We did not hear any ship noises at all. The closet was a bit tight, but then I tend to bring too many clothes on a cruise. It is definitely adequate in size. The shower was adequate too if a person does not try to compare it to what most of us have at home. I would rather be on a cruise with a smaller shower than stay home to use a larger shower. My husband is tall, and he found the shower to be adequate too.

We enjoyed all the shows. Some are more appropriate for the children on the ship than others. The cruise director had a beautiful singing voice which put him head and shoulders above most cruise directors who spend their time telling corny jokes because they have no genuine talent. The cruise staff was very good at entertaining us too.

We took our 9 year old grandson with us, and we were very impressed with the staff of the ocean adventure area for young guests of the ship. They had a focus on science, and the activities encompassed so much more than baby sitting. The children wanted to be there all the hours that the service was available. The program also gave parents a chance to be involved in activities with their youngsters too which I felt was a great thing to do. The kids all finished the cruise wanting to go again. The cruise lines are very smart as they are raising the next generation of cruisers. Royal Caribbean is to be commended for hiring people with the high level of education and experience that I noticed with the staff of the ocean adventure program.

We met some of the nicest people on the ship. I wish most of them lived close enough to come to our home. They were parents and grandparents with some of the nicest, best behaved children. It is wonderful to see so many people having fun together.