Great cruise on Radiance

[bandit68]

We were on this cruise also, it was a great time, I was wobbling for days after the last rough day at sea! Here is a mini review/points to note for the ppl taking future cruises:

 

Embarkation: Easy! You drop off luggage to porter, then park. Skip the lines for the drop off and just park and pull your luggage, then hand over to porter, the parking is only about 200 yards away. Parking is $14 per day paid in advance. It took us about 30 minutes from the time we parked to getting on the ship.

 

Sail Away: If you want to see the sail under of the skyway it will be right in the middle of the 6:00 seating for dinner (take note of sunset). If you want to see this you will need to decide if you want to skip dinner or possibly leave early.

 

The ship was great, although I do perfer the larger ships.

 

Sunday football: (yes some of us watch even on vaca). They only showed one game at a time in the scoreboard lounge. There was no choice, what they showed is what you got.

 

Crew: Very friendly, which I have been accustomed to on all RCI ships, there is always an exception to this rule, but I did not see it.

 

Plumbing: Shower had a constant drip/run, the steward said it could not be fixed until they got to port. When we hung up clothes they got wet due to the drip/splash... really no big deal.

 

Food: good, I have been on 6 cruises, so it was as expected. Stay away from steaks in the MDR, they are never as good as restraunt quality (think mass produced) this is true on all cruises that I have been on.

 

as previously posted, Have small bills!!!, Have exact change! If you want to buy something for $8 and only have $10 some vendors will tell you to find something else for $2 as they do not have change (which is a lie). I needed to tip $10 for drink/food on the beach, so I asked for change for a $20 it took over 1/2 hour to get it, and he came back with just a few dollars at a time, he was just hoping that I would just get fed up and leave the remainder for him.... I waited him out and only left the $10.

 

Cozumel: We rented a jeep for $55, driving is not as intimidating as the other posts that I have read. If you are a compentent driver you will not have a problem. The motor bikes do zip in and out around you, just pay attention to them and you should be fine. We went to the ruins (overrated) and drove down the far side of the island stopping for restraunts/beach/drinks along the way. Great time, I recommend this beach drive.

 

Costa Maya: As previously posted skip the "fake" plaza, you can get the same stuff and more in town. Take the $3 taxi/shuttle into town, it is 2$ to get back. It is a long clean sidwalk that borders the beach with shops and vendors. The vendors in town will approach you as soon as you pass by, a simple firm "No thank you" and they will back off. For $10 we got a bucket (6) corona's and were allowed to sit on their beach area for the day. They were extreamly polite/accomaditing, they even moved our beach chair's into the water when we wanted to get our feet wet. A massage was $20 1/2hr or $30 1hr.

 

The "fake" plaza vendors tried to sell us a pkg of $35 unlimited beach usage and free alchol for the day, it seemed like a rip off since we paid $10 for a bucket of beer (6) which included a tequilla shot and was allowed to use their beach for the day.

 

Cruise director: These cheesey/annoying guys normally drive me crazy..., but this guy (Dan the man) was alright. He was more of a normal person, at least what I witnessed.

[Barbiegator]

Going on Radiance in Feb mainly because we love Costa Maya. Mahahual is a great town to spend the day at the beach. Fast Eddie will take care of your beach chair, table, umbrella, drinks, food, jewelry, cigars and massage!!! cheap and he gets a good tip from us.

[bandit68]

Going on Radiance in Feb mainly because we love Costa Maya. Mahahual is a great town to spend the day at the beach. Fast Eddie will take care of your beach chair, table, umbrella, drinks, food, jewelry, cigars and massage!!! cheap and he gets a good tip from us.

 

 

wow this sounds like our trip, fast eddie delivered those same things, minus jewelry (and I question if his cigar was a counterfit). I wonder if your guy was the same fast eddie... it took a lot of prying but we found out our guy's real name was Fernando.

[havaml]

Was on the Radiance on the 27th as well... We were feeling it for a few days later as well... What was really cool to watch, were the people playing pool on the self-leveling pool tables during the high seas on the last day. The pool tables were going back and forth rather dramatically along with the people playing pool, but the balls remained absolutely still. It was really kinda odd to see...:) Stayed in an aft cabin balcony, 7176 was absolutely fantastic!! Sebastian in the Hollywood bar for late night drinks and cigars, as well as nightly diamond event was fantastic! Wyenne (sic?) our room attendant was the best!! The Radiance is a great ship, sailed her on my first cruise, and loved her just as much on my 12th cruise...

[coaster]

Thanks for all the great tips about the Radiance. Will have single $1's handy. Did not know about the cheap transportation to Mahahual. We went to Costa Maya in 2002 when it first opened as a port and did not know there was something outside of the 'fake plaza'. Cheap beers and seeing something outside the plaza is something I am looking forward to next week. The posts about a new Hard Rock Cafe in Costa Maya lets me know I need to travel further on this visit.

[cruiseluvingirl]

We just got back from a 4 day Dec 2 cruise and she is a real beauty. My husband and I have been on many RCCL ships but this was the first in the Radiance Class and we fell in love with it. We are so excited about our next one on the Serenade iin March. The staff on this ship was very friendly.

[Rockfordcruiser]

We just got back from a 4 day Dec 2 cruise and she is a real beauty. My husband and I have been on many RCCL ships but this was the first in the Radiance Class and we fell in love with it. We are so excited about our next one on the Serenade iin March. The staff on this ship was very friendly.

One of the better crews on the RCL line IMO. Awesome time by all:D She itself needs a lil TLC but crew more than makes up for that. MDR was much better than LOS we came off Dec 2nd. DAN, DAN the party MAN!! is as always, a great CD. Activities MGR Josh is a great as well. If your looking for a short and fun booking this is your ship:D

[sg1phileshipper]

<sigh> Nothing compares to the Radiance, especially if she was the first ship you have ever sailed. Perfect size, greatly maintained, beautiful glass and above all, the staff is excellent. I still miss her after more than a year

 

bandit68: Thanks for your review, I always enjoy reading them :D

 

cindy

[Hotelfixer]

This is a great resource. I wish I had known about it earlier!

 

We will be sailing on Radiance the first time on Dec 20th out of Tampa. Thank you for the positive input. I am a little nervous;have never been on a cruise ship before. Especially nice to hear that everyone looks out for the younger ones aboard, thank you.

If anyone has any additional tips for a first time traveler not already covered, please let me know. Thank you.

 

I am on this sailing with you. Normally my advice would be stop by our thread and get to know people before you sail but that thread is pretty quiet. I think only four pages. The sailing is sold out however. Some friends tried to join us last Friday but I was told it was full nothing left.

[coaster]

 

Costa Maya: As previously posted skip the "fake" plaza, you can get the same stuff and more in town. Take the $3 taxi/shuttle into town, it is 2$ to get back. It is a long clean sidwalk that borders the beach with shops and vendors. The vendors in town will approach you as soon as you pass by, a simple firm "No thank you" and they will back off. For $10 we got a bucket (6) corona's and were allowed to sit on their beach area for the day. They were extreamly polite/accomaditing, they even moved our beach chair's into the water when we wanted to get our feet wet. A massage was $20 1/2hr or $30 1hr.

 

The "fake" plaza vendors tried to sell us a pkg of $35 unlimited beach usage and free alchol for the day, it seemed like a rip off since we paid $10 for a bucket of beer (6) which included a tequilla shot and was allowed to use their beach for the day.

 

 

Thanks for the postings about going into town at Costa Maya. It was the highlight of our Radiance cruise to see something we would not of done otherwise without the helpful postings here. We kept walking and were skeptical at first, but the taxis were there once you walked far enough outside the gates of the 'fake plaza'. Vendors just needed a frequent 'no thank you' as mentioned. Thanks again for the inside scoop!

[coaster]

We're also on that cruise, great time! Few points: never had, nor saw, single plumbing issue. Last day waves were 15 ft confirmed on our bridge tour(it was rough!). Our MDR food was super except for one pasta dish she just didnt care for. American dollars were taken all over, in fact most never read of supposed rule. Costya Maya is very under rated: get out of cruise ship fake little plaza and explore the town. People there coudn't be any nicer. To get taxi walk all the way out of the fake plaza cruise ship area. Don't give the white van "transportation desk" people a dime. They are lowlifes who wouldn't tell us where taxi's are and even told another couple there were no taxis in town! The small town (Manahual?) is great!

 

I am total agreement with you. Taking a taxi into Majahual is a highlight. We walked past the white vans outside the gate and experienced the 'hidden gem' that you would not know about without the open forum here and tied to what the cruise lines financial interests are. Just another valuable example of Cruise Critic and it's members sharing information in a unbiased forum.

[rubrrick]

Paul.......and everyone else that was aboard for a bit of a roller coaster ride.......we found this to be true, especially on longer trips, and on smaller ships, where we had a constant roll and pitch.

 

We would get off of the ship at the end of the trip, and then for one to two days after.....would still have the feel of the motion. I'm told that it comes from our middle ear, and it took me over 40 cruises to overcome the feeling.

 

So, this feeling is felt by many.........you are not alone!!:)

 

Now, after more than 150 cruises....we can have heavy seas......and when we get off, I feel that I have not been to sea!;)

 

Rick