My review of Radiance Jan/Feb 2014 Qld & Tasmania

[goodycruising]

Hi, My pictures of our recent cruise are on my website. The link is below on my signature.

 

This cruise was on Radiance, a back-to-back that had the first leg to Queensland (19th Jan 14) and the second leg to Tasmania (27th Jan 14), Australia.

 

We had a balcony on Deck 7 (7668) and Junior Suite on Deck 10 (1596). It was also our first time as a Diamond C&A member and we thoroughly enjoyed that!

 

There is no advertising and it is just for general info on my experiences. I have enjoyed so many other people's info and reviews, and hope this info is helpful and/or entertaining for others.

 

I have made up this webpage for doing reviews and posting all my pics on cruises. I have done it this way as the pics on facebook and here on CC can be a bit hard to find, and it was taking a lot of time doing up all the pics and wording on both sites. Then they just seem to disappear quickly as time goes on. If you see a broken link or something doesn't work well on your computer please tell me. I am new at this and want to make it work well. I will add more pics of previous cruises as time goes on.

[skyas]

Fantastic review! It was great to meet you on the radiance in November.

 

Looking forward to more! :)

[goodycruising]

Hi again! Hope the bushfires have stayed away from your area. Vic is getting slammed this year.

We really enjoyed this latest trip. We had one part booked in November, and when we did the 5 nighter we just felt the 7 nights would be too short! Two weeks is just right. Our next trip is 10 nights so that should be nearly enough :D Have you got another booked yet? We keep looking but you can only do so many *sigh*

[markarmel]

She's a beautiful ship. We went on her back in 2007 when we did a 7 day Alaskan cruise. Hopefully we will get back on her again in the near future. Been on a couple of other ships since and we still rate Radiance the best.

[skyas]

Just got back from the Voyager 2 days ago.

 

The Voyager was nice but still prefer the Radiance. I think the layout is much better on Radiance. Once the refit on the Voyager happens, it will make the ship more appealing. New specialty restaurants, a covered solarium etc.

We are trying Dawn Princess in December and then Rhapsody in Feb 15.

Have to wait for the new itinerary to come out to plan some more! :D

[Yillup]

I came on this hoping to get to your review. I can't get to it though as I'm on my iPad and don't see signatures. I know many people turn signatures off even on the main computer forum. Pretty please consider linking in your main post rather than referring to a signature. Thanks!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[goodycruising]

sorry Yillup! I tried to put the link in the main body and couldn't make it work. I need to learn how to do that. If you google my user name dot com, then that is the web page. I think actually when I go onto tapatalk on my tablet the same thing will happen. There is no info on the signatures there also.

 

Appreciate you taking the time to let me know!

Edited March 11, 2014 by goodycruising

[goodycruising]

Just got back from the Voyager 2 days ago.

 

The Voyager was nice but still prefer the Radiance. I think the layout is much better on Radiance. Once the refit on the Voyager happens, it will make the ship more appealing. New specialty restaurants, a covered solarium etc.

We are trying Dawn Princess in December and then Rhapsody in Feb 15.

Have to wait for the new itinerary to come out to plan some more! :D

 

I would be hard pressed to go on Voyager again, but we have friends that love it. Radiance is my favourite. Are you going to Tas/Adelaide next Feb? We have only heard positive comments from people about Princess. Come on new itinerary!

Edited March 11, 2014 by goodycruising

[goodycruising]

Click here for the link to the website Goodycruising.com

 

That seems to work! Made me do some research on here, thanks.

Edited March 11, 2014 by goodycruising

[Yillup]

sorry Yillup! I tried to put the link in the main body and couldn't make it work. I need to learn how to do that. If you google my user name dot com, then that is the web page. I think actually when I go onto tapatalk on my tablet the same thing will happen. There is no info on the signatures there also.

 

 

 

Appreciate you taking the time to let me know!

 

 

Thanks for that! You don't need to make it all fancy with clickable words, just copy and paste the link and it'll automatically become clickable... At least I'm pretty sure of it...

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[aussie cruzer]

I came on this hoping to get to your review. I can't get to it though as I'm on my iPad and don't see signatures. I know many people turn signatures off even on the main computer forum. Pretty please consider linking in your main post rather than referring to a signature. Thanks!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

 

http://goodycruising.com/

[robinph]

Great review and photo's, it bought back some great memories, it is on my agenda to sail on her again one day. Robin :)

[Yillup]

Thank you for the link. A great review. I got goosebumps again reading it and looking at all the pictures. I miss being on the Radiance...

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[skyas]

I would be hard pressed to go on Voyager again, but we have friends that love it. Radiance is my favourite. Are you going to Tas/Adelaide next Feb? We have only heard positive comments from people about Princess. Come on new itinerary!

 

Yes!

It seems we will probably meet again in Feb. Got a great rate for a junior suite on the aft:D

[goodycruising]

Yes!

It seems we will probably meet again in Feb. Got a great rate for a junior suite on the aft:D

 

Oh no! We got a great deal on a junior suite located fairly central on the sale in January, and then last night I was looking at some Celebrity Solstice cruises and found a 12 nighter for the same cost per night as the 10 night we had on Rhapsody - so a little dearer, but also they were giving $300 obc compared to the $150 we had lined up with the onboard booking bonus. It does end in Auckland, so it also will cost for a flight home, but we might spend a few days in NZ if we can. So we have booked it! It overlaps with the Rhapsody trip, so we will be cancelling that :(

 

It is a balcony of approx. 194 sq feet as opposed to 244 on JS on Rhapsody, but I had major concerns on the noise from the deck above. We have not had a quiet JS cabin in our cruising history with a strike rate of 3 noisy for 3 booked on Rhapsody and Radiance. I think the ones right on the aft on Rhapsody are better noise wise, but I really wanted to go central after all the walking on this last Radiance trip.

 

We have been keen to do Solstice, but have generally found these sort of trips to be a bit dearer than the Royal Caribbean ships, and I didn't think anything could beat the deal we got on Rhapsody. So when I added up the price, checked it again and double checked it, I just jumped at the price. The cabin on Rhapsody also included a diamond balcony discount, as well as supposedly $1400 off per person, and going by current prices, it was off the regular rates. The Solstice price seemed to be around half of what I had researched a few months back.

 

We will have to catch up again on another trip! I am sure we will :)

[goodycruising]

Thank you for the link. A great review. I got goosebumps again reading it and looking at all the pictures. I miss being on the Radiance...

 

Thanks! What a nice thing to say - goosebumps! Radiance is my favourite, but I am now looking forward to seeing what Solstice offers. :)

[susie2shoes]

Great review of both cruises Kathy, many small details! Lance and I really enjoyed meeting you and Steve, and enjoying our nightly drinks with you in the Diamond lounge. We enjoyed discussing issues with you from the Aussie perspective!!

 

We hope to cruise with you in the future!

 

You will love Solstice, so much newer and more elegant than Radiance!

Edited March 14, 2014 by susie2shoes

[goodycruising]

Thanks Susie! I am sure we will sail together again. We are really surprised to be getting a Solstice trip for the same per day as the special we thought was unbeatable on Rhapsody. Rhapsody was a JS, but that is not a lot bigger than a standard balcony on Solstice and we were really worried about being under the entertainment on the pool deck. (I am repeating myself!) Pays to do research. I still need to go back and load up pics for previous cruises, but we hadn't taken as many previously. Now we are looking forward to the release of the next schedule for Australia. :D We can't get OS yet, but we want to hear how your next trip goes. Maybe before too long.

[goodycruising]

Yes!

It seems we will probably meet again in Feb. Got a great rate for a junior suite on the aft:D

 

Looks like the chance of meeting again is on the cards after all! We have changed plans again, and the Rhapsody trip was not yet cancelled, so it is still a strong chance. We had to move the Solstice trip due to work reasons. So we are looking at both trips now. :D Fingers crossed.

[MandaNShannon]

Loved all the pics

THANKYOU for the review, I really enjoyed it

[wynstay]

Oh no! We got a great deal on a junior suite located fairly central on the sale in January, and then last night I was looking at some Celebrity Solstice cruises and found a 12 nighter for the same cost per night as the 10 night we had on Rhapsody - so a little dearer, but also they were giving $300 obc compared to the $150 we had lined up with the onboard booking bonus. It does end in Auckland, so it also will cost for a flight home, but we might spend a few days in NZ if we can. So we have booked it! It overlaps with the Rhapsody trip, so we will be cancelling that :(

 

 

 

It is a balcony of approx. 194 sq feet as opposed to 244 on JS on Rhapsody, but I had major concerns on the noise from the deck above. We have not had a quiet JS cabin in our cruising history with a strike rate of 3 noisy for 3 booked on Rhapsody and Radiance. I think the ones right on the aft on Rhapsody are better noise wise, but I really wanted to go central after all the walking on this last Radiance trip.

 

 

 

We have been keen to do Solstice, but have generally found these sort of trips to be a bit dearer than the Royal Caribbean ships, and I didn't think anything could beat the deal we got on Rhapsody. So when I added up the price, checked it again and double checked it, I just jumped at the price. The cabin on Rhapsody also included a diamond balcony discount, as well as supposedly $1400 off per person, and going by current prices, it was off the regular rates. The Solstice price seemed to be around half of what I had researched a few months back.

 

 

 

We will have to catch up again on another trip! I am sure we will :)

 

 

Hi, was interested in your comment about poor strike rate on JS cabins. We love the Radiance too and have been offered a good price on a JS in Dec but are worried about the possibility of noise - that would really spoil our cruise. I read your blog ( fantastic ! ) and note the overhang on the balcony too which I didn't think either. Do you know if most of the JS cabins on Level 10 have noise ? Our offer is a "cabin guarantee" so we won't know which one till just before sailing. Appreciate any advice,

 

 

Angela, Sydney Australia.

[goodycruising]

Hi, was interested in your comment about poor strike rate on JS cabins. We love the Radiance too and have been offered a good price on a JS in Dec but are worried about the possibility of noise - that would really spoil our cruise. I read your blog ( fantastic ! ) and note the overhang on the balcony too which I didn't think either. Do you know if most of the JS cabins on Level 10 have noise ? Our offer is a "cabin guarantee" so we won't know which one till just before sailing. Appreciate any advice,

 

 

Angela, Sydney Australia.

 

Hi Angela, each of the two times we have sailed on Radiance we have found our JS cabins on deck 10 had noise issues, but we sailed with very good friends that also had JS cabins on deck 10 and they had very quiet cabins.

 

First trip late last year we were in 1544 and it was making lots of squeaking and cracking at the top of the wall between the bed and bathroom. There was other chocks in the join, so the idea that they nearly always persist with that you are the only person with an issue is rubbish. Yet our friends had 1546 next door on our second trip together, and they said it was quiet. On the first trip they had 1084 and also found it quiet.

 

Then, as per our review we had 1596 with that industrial fan overhead, and the tiled floor with trolleys running over it all hours. It was an upgrade from central deck 9 and we were wary, but we do love the size of the JS. We still enjoyed it, but we were not as cranky as our neighbors. We don't know how they went as we only talked to them early in the piece, and we were prepared to make the best of the positives.

 

So I can't say you will or will not get a bad cabin noise wise, or maybe what we find annoying may not be annoying to others. I would suggest you take silicon ear plugs as a back up as that is what we do. You might even find your cabin turns out fantastic. I hope so!

[wynstay]

Thank you for the reply :) Hubby and I will think about whether we take the risk on a JS....do love the ship tho, so if we can get a balcony cabin on Deck 9 at a good price, I think we might choose that instead. Happy travels to you :)

 

 

Angela, Sydney Australia.

[wynstay]

Hi again,

The booking has come through and the cabin # is 1548 which is close to the one your friends had and weren't bothered by noise. We're prepared for a bit of deck chair shuffling but I was just thinking about all the dance competitions they had on the pool forecourt and wondered if you would feel/hear vibrations from all the Dancing Queens :) ? We're about 75% sure we'll take the booking....might even phone the RCL office in Sydney in the next few days and ask them...

This cruising can get a bit addictive, can't it ? :)

 

 

Angela, Sydney Australia.

[goodycruising]

That sounds like a good cabin. I would be tempted by that. Nice and close to the centre elevators, but far enough away from the Centrum noise. The way it is set up there is pretty good buffer with the walls between the Centrum and the cabins.

 

We only had the one night that the music was loud on deck and the people were stomping, but otherwise if our room had not had squeaking/cracking noise inside it would have been good.

 

If you go towards the front of the ship, the elevators are usually pretty quiet (except at the end of shows) and you come out right at the theatre entrance if you go down, and right near the park café through the solarium if you go up.

 

I will be interested to see how you go. Cruising is very addictive! I am looking forward to our next one in Nov!