Above: Royal Caribbean Cruise
Lines Radiance of the Seas Cruise Ship.
Ship info
The Radiance of the Seas cruise ship departs from
Miami, FL, Honolulu, HI,andVancouver,
BC. Throughout the year, she offers ocean cruises to Alaska,
Hawaii, and Caribbean.
Check Dates & Prices for cruises to Alaska, Hawaii, and Caribbean.
Began service: March, 2001 Guest capacity: 2,100 Total staff: 859 Length: 961 feet Passenger decks: 12 CDC
inspection score: 99
Radiance of the Seas Overview
The first of a new class of ship for Royal
Caribbean, Radiance of the Seas incorporates the best
features of her predecessors: the variety of activity and entertainment
options of the Voyager-class (like rock climbing), the sleek profile
of the Sovereign-class, and the global itineraries and wealth of windows,
glass doors and canopies of the Vision-class. RCI's loyal following
will feel right at home in this ship and all ocean lovers will welcome
her spectacular use of glass (half the ship's exterior is glass),
including outside elevators spanning 12 decks.
Cabins
Of the 1,050 cabins, 813 are outside
and more than 71 percent of those have balconies which makes Radiance
of the Seas the veranda champ among RCI ships. The most lavish
accommodation is the RoyalSuite
(1,034.55 sq ft. with 172 sq. ft. of balcony) with amenities such
as a baby grand piano, wet bar and entertainment center with 42-inch
flat screen TV, stereo and VCR, and bath with whirlpool, bidet and
steam shower. Good middle-of-the-road choices in a balcony cabin are
Categories E1, E2, and E3
measuring 179 sq ft. with a 41 sq ft. balcony. These are situated
on Decks 7, 8, 9 and 10 with the
ones on Deck 10 closest to the pools and other outdoor
amenities. The most affordable accommodations are Category
Q - these are inside cabins measuring 166 sq ft. All cabins
have Internet ports. Wheelchair-accessible cabins are available in
a variety of categories.
Dining
The main dining room, Cascades, is an elegant,
two-level restaurant featuring a grand staircase, impressive columns,
and a cascading waterfall. Two smaller dining rooms, Breakers
and Tides, perfect for private parties, adjoin Cascades.
Service was attentive. Breakfast and lunch are open seating; dinner
is served in two seatings. ShipShape selections (less
than 30 percent of calories from fat) and vegetarian dishes are offered
for lunch and dinner. Alternative restaurants include Chops
Grill serving premium steaks, chops and other grilled entrees;
and Portofino, an upscale Euro-Italian restaurant.
Reservations are required for Chops Grill and Portofino
(fee is $20 per person at each). A casual, no reservations, no-fee
dinner alternative is served in the Windjammer Cafe where
breakfast and lunch are also served buffet-style with a choice of
indoor and outdoor seating. The Seaview Cafe offers
fast food with no reservations or fees. Complimentary 24-hour room
service is available, including egg dishes for breakfast.
Entertainment
The three-level Aurora Theatre is themed to the Arctic
with a stage curtain inspired in the Aurora Borealis. Sightlines are
excellent for revues like Rockin' in Paradise, a special-effects-rich
tropical music explosion. Other nightly entertainment options include
the Hollywood Odyssey nightclub, where comedians,
jazz ensembles, pianists and vocalists take turns entertaining; movies
in the Cinema; dancing in the Starquest disco; an
interactive game based on the sports game called the Pennant Race
in Scoreboard; a game of pool in the BombayBilliardClub; and piano in the
Schooner Bar or Singapore Sling's.
The Casino Royale features 211 slot machines and
tables for blackjack, craps and roulette.
Fitness & Recreation
Destined to become one of the most
popular spots on the ship, the African-themed Solarium
has a raised pool (featuring a counter current) two whirlpools, and
relaxation areas covered by a retractable glass roof. A bar and pizzeria
are located within the Solarium. The ocean view ShipShape
Spa is divided into three sections: beauty and health center
with 12 treatment rooms including Rasul and thermal suite (fee is
$15 for a half-hour); aerobics area with mirrored wall and aerobics
floor; and the gym with 18 treadmills, 10 Reebok Recumbent Cycles,
eight Reebok Body Peaks, four Reebok Ridge Rocker Cycles, four Reebok
Body Treks, free weights and multiple benches. There is a stereo sound
system and TV monitors throughout. Fitness activities include stretching
and aerobics classes, aquadynamics, and sports tourneys. Other challenges
await at the Rock-climbing Wall, rising 200 feet
above the sea with five separate climbing tracks. A Sports
Club & Country Club has golf simulators, ping-pong, a
basketball court, and deck games; and there is a 9-hole miniature
golf course and a jogging track (6.3 times around equals one mile).
Public Areas
Glass is the dramatic element of
the public rooms throughout the vessel including floor-to-ceiling
windows in the nine-deck Centrum atrium, ShipShape
Spa, Solarium, Seaview Cafe,
the Colony Club, the Windjammer Cafe,
Portofino and Chops Grill, the Schooner
and ChampagneBars, Viking
Crown Lounge, and the Concierge Club. Every
time you turn your head, you are very likely to see the sea. The heart
of the vessel is The Centrum, an RCI signature feature,
is decorated with a greenery, a waterfall, and a colossal abstract
sculpture (part of the $6 million-plus art collection onboard).
Intimate spaces include the library, reminiscent
of a traditional English study; Books, Books& Coffee, a book retail outlet featuring 200
titles and serving them up along with cappuccino, pastries and pizza.
The Champagne Bar and Lobby Bar,
both with a capacity for 50 guests, are perfect spots for a cocktail
before dinner. Other public areas include Royal Caribbean
Online (the Internet center with 12 stations)
and the nautically-inspired Schooner Bar. The Viking
Crown Lounge is perched 11 decks above the sea with two nightclubs:
the Starquest, a futuristic dance club with a revolving
bar; and the Hollywood Odyssey, a more intimate,
relaxed lounge, featuring Hollywood memorabilia. Scoreboard
is a baseball-themed sports bar. There are no self-service launderettes;
laundry/dry cleaning is available.
Kids
Free, supervised activities for
children 3-17 are featured (offered by age group: 3-5 years, 6-8 years,
9-12 years, and 13-17) in age-appropriate activity centers. Facilities
include a Computer Lab, outdoor area, play stations with video games,
and Adventure Beach with splash pools and a water slide. Kids earn
coupons for participation in activities that can be redeemed for gifts.
A children's menu with games and crayons are also featured. Group
babysitting is available for $4/hour per child; in-stateroom sitting,
booked through the Guest Relations Desk at least
24 hours in advance, is $8/hour for one or two children in the same
family or $10/hour for three children in the same family. Teens have
their own coffeehouse/disco with flat-screen TV's and soda bar.
Expert Radiance of the Seas reviews are edited by Michelle, and provided by Ian and Cruise Critic.com, an award-winning cruise community. This
objective information can help you choose just the right ship for
your next cruise vacation.
Check Dates & Prices
for cruises to Alaska, Hawaii, and Caribbean.
Radiance of the Seas cruise reviews
Cruise
Ship Inspection Report
All passenger cruise ships arriving at US ports are subject to unannounced
CDC inspection. Radiance of the
Seas Score: 89
