Live-- “Eh” to “G’day” – Vancouver to Sydney on Radiance 2014

[teachergal29]

If you are still forwarding, that would be so helpful for our cruise out of Sydney on the Explorer in 2016. Thompson Staci at sbcglobal dot net.

 

Loving this review.

 

Hope I got the email right. It wouldn't let me put a space between your names..:confused:

Edited September 14, 2014 by teachergal29

[d4nigirl]

We then came back to town and went to dinner at a restaurant called “Coast”. It specializes in seafood. It was fantastic. Expensive but great.

Cold seafood for two. - half lobster, prawns, king crab, dungeness crab, oysters and various sushi.

 

 

 

snip...

 

I LOVE this picture. Your father looks genuinely happy. By far one of the best pictures I've seen in a long time (including other posts).

Enjoy your trip!

[Hoopster95]

Great review Raina! Thank you. Being a Vancouverite you've captured Vancouver very well.... should be part of everyone's vacation when either doing the Alaska or Hawaii run for at least a couple of days on land, especially an afternoon up at Grouse and Stanley Park. Excellent photos

 

I'm on Radiance next Sept so really looking forward to your Hawaii ports reviewed. By the way I posted pictures of Radiance sailaway the week before your sailing if you, or anyone reading this thread, wish to see what Radiance looks like going under the Lion's Gate: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2097912

 

Thanks again Raina :D:D

[AussieVisi2r]

Great review Raina! Thank you. Being a Vancouverite you've captured Vancouver very well.... should be part of everyone's vacation when either doing the Alaska or Hawaii run for at least a couple of days on land, especially an afternoon up at Grouse and Stanley Park. Excellent photos

 

I'm on Radiance next Sept so really looking forward to your Hawaii ports reviewed. By the way I posted pictures of Radiance sailaway the week before your sailing if you, or anyone reading this thread, wish to see what Radiance looks like going under the Lion's Gate: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2097912

 

Thanks again Raina :D:D

 

NO thank you. I took a photo from Stanley Park and wrote "Insert Radiance here". Now I have the real photo if Radiance inserted. I'm happy.

 

 

Thanks for sharing the email all.

 

I'm in the dreaded satellite hole. TV is terrible Not even the morning show, and internet is very ugly!!!!!

 

Raina

[kftw]

I just sent emails to musicorn, Realtor at Sea, and flifish64 with the link that Raina sent us..

 

Hello, I'd appreciate knowing the name also. Thank you for sending the emails.

 

karen underscore kirk at m s n dot com

[Hoopster95]

NO thank you. I took a photo from Stanley Park and wrote "Insert Radiance here". Now I have the real photo if Radiance inserted. I'm happy.

 

Raina

 

Nice! Great idea lol :D

[teachergal29]

Hello, I'd appreciate knowing the name also. Thank you for sending the emails.

 

karen underscore kirk at m s n dot com

 

Just sent email.. :)

[AkSusan]

I just sent emails to musicorn, Realtor at Sea, and flifish64 with the link that Raina sent us..

Can you also please send it to AkSusan83 @ gmail dot com

 

Thank you!

 

Susan :)

[musicorn]

I just sent emails to musicorn, Realtor at Sea, and flifish64 with the link that Raina sent us..

 

 

Sorry I did not receive it musicorn at iprimus dot com dot au

 

Thank you

[teachergal29]

Sorry I did not receive it musicorn at iprimus dot com dot au

 

Thank you

 

Just tried again as well as sending it to AKSusan

[AkSusan]

Just tried again as well as sending it to AKSusan

Thanks Pam.

 

For the person that didn't get it, check your spam folder, because, that's where mine went, but, I found it!

 

Susan :)

[Realtor at Sea]

Received email ref. airfare info. Thanks sooooo much!

[bigkauhuna]

Raina, thank you for the review. We did the reverse of your sailing, Sydney to Hawaii to Vancouver earlier this year and did a tour of Australia prior the cruise. Enjoy your time sailing with your dad and the many wonderful ppl sailing with you.

[kftw]

Just sent email.. :)

 

Got it! Thank you.

[yogibeardog]

Hi, I too would appreciate the broker info: To brupp21@dejazzd dot com

 

Thanks

yogibeardog

[nednrom]

I just sent emails to musicorn, Realtor at Sea, and flifish64 with the link that Raina sent us..

 

Me too please!! gsmith2007 at gmail dot com

 

Thank you

[teachergal29]

Just sent email to nednrom and Yogibeardog

[AussieVisi2r]

Sunday 14th September

Day 6 Cruise Day 3 At Sea

 

The morning started off with the Meet and Mingle. It was held in Quill and Compass at 9.30am but once again had no meeting or mingling. The room had every one sitting facing the front, cruise director staff then chatted for 25 minutes about the cruise, how tendering would work etc, drew the raffle and ended. Then people left as the meeting clashed with lectures, trivia and more. I did win a bottle of wine though!

 

I then went to Trivia, we had fun again.

 

The Behind the Stripes talk today was Captain Wendy.

 

 

So…just in case you don’t know – Captain is a RANK, Master is a POSITION. At present Radiance has two Captains on board. Captain Malcolm and Captain Wendy. Captain Malcolm holds the position of Master (Boss of the ship and THE Captain) and Captain Wendy hold the position of Staff Officer (second in charge). BUT the person in charge of the ship – the MASTER is known as Captain.

This is regardless of rank. A good example of this Captain James Cook was at the rank of Lieutenant but was called Captain.

 

Back to Wendy. She also comes from Vancouver Island and has been with RCCL for 12 years. She came to the company with the rank of 2nd Officer and has worked her way up to Captain. Her background is from commercial fishing boats (like Deadliest Catch boats) and also on uba rich private yachts.

 

She said that RCL is very strong on equal opportunity and in the ranks it is very genderless. There are 4 women captains in the fleet.

 

She loves Radiance class best as it “Is elegant like a cruise ship should be, fits into all the ports and is a Gas Turbine so very eco friendly”. She has worked on all class of RCCL ships.

 

Another great talk.

 

The ocean today is a flat as a tack. May as well be sailing on a lake!

 

 

I was good today and went to the gym! For the not yet Radiance people this probably THE nicest gym in the fleet. It is really big and has many different types of equipment, Walkers, upright and recumbent bikes, stair climbers, huge floor and stacks of free weights. BUT the thing about this gym is the location. It is at the front of the ship on deck 12. So from the machines at front you have almost the same view as the bridge. We (my DD and I) have seen amazing things from the gym. The best have been breaching whales, glaciers, sounds and eagles picking salmon out of the water. It’s a great viewing point in nasty weather when many other places are crowded.

 

 

Then I went and got a glorious salad from the salad bar in the main dining room. Don’t miss the salad bar on sea days. Super. Made to order with dozens of ingredients.

 

 

 

I took my salad as a take away (as I knew I would see the menu and have to eat something on it) and came back to my room. Just as I finished the salad I looked across and saw a delivery sitting on the coffee table.

It was a gift from Giovanni’s Table - a super fancy chocolate desert! Yum.. It would have been rude not to eat it!!!

 

 

AND then when I read the card it also offered me a free champagne cocktail for everyone at my table if I go there – which I will be as I LOVE it. Hard to beat their scallops!

[AussieVisi2r]

Rooms. On this leg of the trip we are staying in two adjoining balcony rooms E2’s. An E2 is quite a bit smaller that a D but is fine. It has a two seater lounge as opposed to a three seat fold out bed. There is a curtain separating the bed from the sofa, if you wish to pull it across. The adjoining door is near the balcony, so is out of the way. I have seen lots of discussion about the noise from adjoining rooms – but I think it’s fine. Dad is a VERY loud snorer and I have not heard him at all. It’s a great set up (not as great as the family suite mind you, but fine) allowing total privacy but giving him companionship when we are not either asleep or dressing.

 

 

Balcony dividers on Radiance class DO NOT open. They do on many other classes (including Legend and Rhapsody for the Aussies). We are on deck 8. The balcony has a lovely overhang (about 1 meter beyond the edge of the deck) so has great shade. (I hate the sun). You look down onto the roof over the life boats. I don’t see it as a problem. I didn’t even realize until yesterday afternoon and got a great look at the pilot boat collecting the pilot the other night.

 

Travelling as a D+ is very impressive. Every time I turn around there is something extra. A cheese board, a tray of chocolate strawberries.

When we got on the letter on arrival that said 45 minutes of internet – but a note today said 60 minutes. So that is nice.

 

Like glass??? This is the ship for you then.

 

 

Kelly Goodridge played Billy Joel tonight. Excellent. Last night Elvis, tomorrow Neil Diamond, also Beatles, Elton and more.

 

 

At the Crown and Anchor event 'Nan' (Angus Smith) was top cruiser with 1350 points.

 

 

 

11 pm

 

 

[dancinman66]

Great review

Liked captain Wendy behind seas

Never met her yet

Only captain Liz

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[cassamanda]

Hi, just so wish we were with you but had to cancel out and get home for some important business.

Did Sydney to Hawaii last year.

 

We got off Radiance on the 5th after doing the Alaska SB and stayed over at Victoria a few days - loved it. Then spent a few days in Vancouver and visited Stanley Park and Capilano Suspension Bridge and Park.

Didn't go on to Grouse Mtn as it was in cloud.

Flew out from Vancouver on the 9th to Hawaii then flew home on the 12th.

 

Had a fantastic experience in Alaska and met up with fellow cruisers from Canada that we had sailed with before.

 

We also had the 75c deal only unless we bought a package with the diamond discount. In our case we had a port intensive itinerary so wasnt a problem getting free wifi ashore.

 

Enjoy your cruise.

Hugh

[Aldeya]

Got your email down. Once Raina sends it to me, I will forward to you all that asked for it.. I have a list going of emails to forward the link to. :)

 

Would really appreciate it too: Aldeya30 at Hotmail dot com.

 

Thank you.

[jimbri]

Wonderful, wonderful review. Thank you.

Edited September 15, 2014 by jimbri

[seetosea]

QUOTE from Raina:"I priced a few airlines and eventually got onto a few of the discount business seat sellers that advertise on many places. This one has a name that talks about first class discount air. I knew I would never get to travel first class. I was after affordable business seats. They eventually got back to me with Global First class tickets with United for around half the price of Qantas. So we grabbed them."

 

I would be very interested in the 'Discount site' where you got a good deal on flat bed Business seats. I know you cannot say it here, but could you please email it to me at psd354 at embarqmail dot com.

We are going to be sailing from Australia to LA (28 days) in April 2016. I am doing research now on flying the one way into Sydney or Melbourne.

Thanks so much for the great review and photos. :)

 

I, too, would like to know the name of the discount site. If possible, could you please email it to me at the dot spriggs at Comcast dot net

 

Thank you in advance,

Jackie (and Jim)

[teachergal29]

I, too, would like to know the name of the discount site. If possible, could you please email it to me at the dot spriggs at Comcast dot net

 

Thank you in advance,

Jackie (and Jim)

 

Is that dot spriggs or .spriggs?