Aloha! Live from the Radiance 9.8.17 Cruise to Hawaii

[maggieq]

I am looking at this cruise for 2019. Just wondering which cruise would be better for weather. The one that leaves Hawaii or Vancouver. I haven't seen the best weather (reviews posted) from the cruises that leave in April/May headed to Vancouver so thinking the September cruise time might be better. Looking forward to following along.

 

Thanks!

[DragonOfTheSeas]

We will always start off a cruise out of VC at Pan Pacific...just too simple to walk down the escalator with no luggage and waltz on the ship. Your belboy takes it and checks it for you. For the amount you save on transportation you can pay for the room. On the last Alaska cruise the room costs us a whopping $169! It's not always that cheap but I got a great qte at the time from Expedia. I love that hotel! Smoothest embarkation ever. And the trip under Lions Gate bridge is fantastic!

 

Thank you! We got this hotel using Hilton Honors points. So, it was the right price. However, DH and I said if we would do it again we would stay in the city.

 

We will remember that this hotel is a good choice.

[tlw3184]

Following! I will be doing the northbound Alaska cruise on Radiance in May and I can't wait. I hope you have an awesome cruise!

[DragonOfTheSeas]

Before I get to today let me finish up a couple of other things:

 

FYI--We are active 60 somethings and do not have mobility issues. We usually have late dining, however, on this cruise one of our travel companions wanted to do My Time Dining. We have a standing reservation for 7:45 pm.

 

We booked this cruise about a week after reservations opened. I hoped to score a corner aft balcony and planned to book as soon as they became available. However, there was a computer glitch and the prices were sky high. [8-10K for a balcony for 2] So I waited.

 

We ended up booking asuperior ocean view cabin [9568]. I found this graphic on Cruise Critic showing the cabin numbers of the aft of the Radiance class ships. [sorry—I do not remember who posted this] It might help someone else select cabins:

 

 

 

Here are some pics of our cabin:

 

 

 

 

 

 

[DragonOfTheSeas]

After the muster drill we met some of our fellow roll call members at the sky bar for sail away. There was one particular couple who flew in yesterday and landed around 1:15 pm for a 5 pm sail away. We were all worried they would make it. But, they did. They had a couple of things working for them. They had first class tickets and their airport to port transfer was with Royal Caribbean. All is well that ends well!

 

There was a Welcome Aboard show in the theater at 9:45 pm. We did not go. Instead we went to the Centrum and listened to the Ho’ulo Duo. They are from Honolulu and onboard for this cruise only. The description says they are recording artists in Hawaii. They play Hawaiian music, rock,country, and island music. They are very good and it was a good way to get in the Hawaii mood. The only awkward moment was when someone asked them to play Tiny Bubbles. :rolleyes:

 

You could tell by their comments they do not like to be compared to Don Ho. After that we went through the casino to check it out. DH noted that the roulette table had a $1 minimum. There were not too many people gambling. We came out of the casino with as much money as we entered. I consider that a win. :D

 

 

Then it was time for bed. I had not gotten completely used to the 3 hr time difference.

 

. . . we are off to lunch. I will post again when we get back.

[DragonOfTheSeas]

Here are a couple of last pictures of Vancouver.

 

 

 

We passed under the famous Lion's Gate bridge. This reminds me of going under the Bay Bridge on a trip aboard the Grandeur from Baltimore or under the bridge in Tampa. :D

 

 

 

 

 

My favorite picture is always the first sunset at sea. I was not sure we would see it because of the rain. But, as you can see the weather began to clear.

 

[DragonOfTheSeas]

Welcome to day 2 of our cruise. :D

 

 

We adjusted our clocks back an hour last night, since we need to account for a 3-hour time change by the time we get to Hawaii. It is always a good thing when you get an extra hour of sleep.

 

 

Today is a sea day and the official weather forecast is partly cloudy with a high of 59-68ᴼ [15-20c]. The ocean is fairly calm. There is a little more motion than you get in the Caribbean on a day with similar weather. [we see the occasional whitecap]. . . but, it is the Pacific Ocean.

 

 

As the morning wore on we had more sun--but, it was still windy. On the noon announcement the Captain said the wind was 25 knots across the Starboard side and the seas are 7-8 ft.

 

One question we discussed on our roll call was did you need cool weather clothes. A few veteran Hawaii cruisers sad they did not need them. However, DH is glad he brought his long sleeve t-shirt and I wish I had mine. YMMV

 

 

DH and I walked the track to get a little exercise. The wind was very strong on the top deck. I attended a scarpbook session in the Schooner bar. The gave out a free kit to all participants. It was different than the usual ones I have gotten on prior cruises.

 

 

They were showing college footall on the big screen on the pool deck. It was humorous to see the pool deck full of men. They were all wrapped up in towels as we went to breakfast and took our walk. There was not a person in the pool.

 

However, there is always a life guard on duty.

 

 

Yesterday the life guard had on red long sweats and a red stocking cap. . . but, he was still standing there looking at an empty pool.

[Esilef]

Thank you for sharing your cruise with us. [emoji4]. Amazing itinerary you are doing.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[DragonOfTheSeas]

DragonoftheSeas, thanks for doing this live review. We did this sailing in the fall of 2005 and had an amazing time. I look forward to following your adventure. I also look forward to your commentary on Radiance, as we return to her and Alaska next summer for a southbound adventure.

 

 

So far our experience on Radiance has been very positive. The food is good and the staff is attentive and friendly. Our Alaska cruise is one of my favorites.

 

I am sure you will have a great time.

[BecciBoo]

Wow you waited to book and still got 9658?

 

I was up at 12 midnight on the itin release date to get our 9256...it spoiled us to anything but the aft on an Alaska cruise. I posted the aft with numbers pic, but I got it somewhere else.

 

Enjoying the commentary! It will get warmer real fast!

[DragonOfTheSeas]

Wow you waited to book and still got 9658?

 

I was up at 12 midnight on the itin release date to get our 9256...it spoiled us to anything but the aft on an Alaska cruise. I posted the aft with numbers pic, but I got it somewhere else.

 

Enjoying the commentary! It will get warmer real fast!

 

 

Actually our cabin in 9568. :D Yes, you scored a great cabin.

[DragonOfTheSeas]

Yesterday we got a card that lists important information for disembarking in Honolulu. It seemed a little early to be thinking of the disembarkation on the first morning of the cruise--but, what do I know? :rolleyes:

 

I tried to take a picture to post, but the font was too small to clearly read. So, I will type it out.:D

 

Distance--Honolulu International Airport [HNL] The distance from the pier is approximately 10 miles and takes 25 minutes by bus.

Airport Transfers--$24.75 USD pp Purchase at guest services, No tickets needed for the transportation. Luggage tags will be provided by your stateroom attendant 3 days prior.

Taxi to HNL--Approximately $40 USD/taxi. Very limited availability. Ubers are available in Honolulu.

Post Hotel Accommodations--Luggage tags will be provided by your stateroom attendant 3 days prior.

Special Assist--Guests who are wheelchair bound need to inform Guest services 4 days prior to departure.

******

Port Information--Port of Honolulu, Pier 2 Cruise Terminal 521 Ala Moana Blvd, Honolulu, HI

Baggage Storage--Is available at the pier for $5 USD/bag. Storage is open until 6:00pm.

Distance from pier to Waikiki Beach is approximately 3.5 miles and 15 minutes by bus.

 

All of this was listed on a card about the size of a 4 x 6 notecard. LOL You can see why it did not photograph well.

 

We need to get to the airport to pick up our rental car. The plan was to take a taxi. . . . we will see how that works.:confused:

[DragonOfTheSeas]

Last night was formal night. Men had on polo shirts/pants, shirt and tie/dress pants, sports coats, suits and even 4-5 men in tux. Women had on long dresses, short dresses and pants with dressy tops. [This is a frequent question, so I thought I would address it.]

 

After dinner we went to a headliner show. Typically shows for late dinner seating are before dinner. I do not find those times convenient because I am dressing for dinner. This show was at 10:15. It made it much easier to attend. I will let you know if this is the pattern or if they go back to the before dinner times.

 

The entertainer was Mark Preston. He was an original member of the Lettermen. He had a wonderful voice and a little humor between the songs.

 

There was not a very large audience. It was a shame. They had listed him as a 3-time Grammy nominated singer. I feel if the had mentioned the Lettermen connection more, a lot more passengers would have made to effort to attend the show.

 

Here is a picture of the Aurora theater. The curtain is a 3-dimentional representation of an aurora. This is a nod to the summer Alaska season.

 

I will give you a couple of additional pictures of the ship since I am posting.

 

Here is the Main Dining Room--

 

 

This is the balcony of the MDR-

 

[DragonOfTheSeas]

Welcome to day 3 of our cruise. :D:D:D

 

It is another relaxing day at sea. We woke up to heavy fog and clouds this morning, but they seem to be burning off. The official forecast is partly cloudy skies with winds of 15-20 kts [17-23 mph] and a high temperature range of 66-70 degrees [19-21 C]

 

We turn our clocks back again tonight. You have to love these 25-hour days!;)

 

Today is tournament day in the casino. They are having slot, poker and blackjack tournaments. They say to go all in on the poker tournament because you could win a free cruise for 2 on the Allure. It does not say you will win this. So I am not sure what the conditions have to be for you to win that prize. [PS--they have had $2 mimosas in the casino each day from noon to 1 pm. I am not a mimosa fan, but you will not find a better priced drink anywhere on the ship]

 

There is a lecture on Hawaiian history this afternoon. Also, they are showing the movies, The Mummy, on the big screen and The fate of the Furious in the cinema.

 

Currently there is NFL football on the big screen. I can not tell you which game. They were showing the pre-game show and discussing the Seahawks as we passed through after breakfast.

[PCWalton1]

Following along, than you for taking the time and effort to do the live posting. I definitely know how time consuming it can get. We had this booked but cancelled as we needed to consolidate vacations funds for our two weeks on Ovation this coming April. So happy to get to see through your eyes.

[DragonOfTheSeas]

Following along, than you for taking the time and effort to do the live posting. I definitely know how time consuming it can get. We had this booked but cancelled as we needed to consolidate vacations funds for our two weeks on Ovation this coming April. So happy to get to see through your eyes.

 

Thank you. I have followed your reviews in the past and enjoyed them.

 

Two weeks on the Ovation sounds exciting. I can see why that would lead to a little consolidation. :D

[DragonOfTheSeas]

We just got a visit from security at our cabin. Our door is very difficult to open. The sea pass card works well, but when you push down to open the door it takes a lot of strength. We had not reported it. However, the last cruise occupants likely had.

 

The security officers were wearing body cameras. :eek:

 

I noticed in the Cruise compass that it said for "the safety and well being of all onboard" some members of the security team would be wearing body cameras. We had not seen this on any previous cruises.

 

. . . and they are going to send someone to fix the door. :D

[PCWalton1]

We just got a visit from security at our cabin. Our door is very difficult to open. The sea pass card works well, but when you push down to open the door it takes a lot of strength. We had not reported it. However, the last cruise occupants likely had.

 

The security officers were wearing body cameras. :eek:

 

I noticed in the Cruise compass that it said for "the safety and well being of all onboard" some members of the security team would be wearing body cameras. We had not seen this on any previous cruises.

 

. . . and they are going to send someone to fix the door. :D

 

Good to hear they are going to fix the door. Hate for you to get locked out, that is never fun. :(

[DragonOfTheSeas]

. . . . I'm back! I am sorry this live thread has been anything but live lately. As all of us know there have been power outages and other issues in Florida. Our hearts go out to everyone dealing with the aftermath of the storms in FL and TX.

 

Although we are 3,000 miles away it knocked out our internet for 2 days, too. We were told the RCL hub is in Miramar, FL and it was knocked out by the storm.

 

In addition, the satellite feed for the 2 ESPN channel and CNN were out too. [still out] I think that is more a product of where we are in the Pacific.

 

This is not intended as a complaint. Merely an explanation of why I stopped posting. :D

[DragonOfTheSeas]

Ok--I think I need to finish Day 3.

 

The evening production show was “Piano Man.” They said it was a tribute to Billy Joel,Elton John, Stevie Wonder, Harold Arden and Barry Manilow. Since it was a before dinner show we decidednot to go. Our travel companions didattend and said it was outstanding. Theyfelt it was better than the headliner the night before.

 

At 9:30 the 70’s Disco Inferno Dance Party was held in theCentrum. [The DJ and Royal Singers hadwarmed up the crowd before the party started.]

 

 

We watched for a while from the railing above. It was the same show we have seen many timesso we went back to our cabin before it was over. However, everyone was having a greattime. [Who can resist signing along to YMCA?] :rolleyes:

 

 

Here is my sunset picture from day 3.

 

 

[DragonOfTheSeas]

Welcome to Day 4 of our cruise! This morning was the chocolate breakfast in the main dining room. That is always a good way to start the day. :D

 

The ship was still having a little trouble with the satellite reception. Both of the ESPN channels and CNN are off of the TV.

 

 

I signed up at the“Next Cruise” desk to book a cruise. They told me their system is down, too, and they hoped it would be available by our afternoon time. [it wasn't]

 

There were a number of activities going on on day 4. Some were a little silly [JMHO] like the Egg Drop Challenge, The Wettest Link Contest and the Thriller Dance class. There was also a scrapbook class, a 3 on 3 soccer game and informal bridge play. The movies today are Going in Style at the Cinema and Ghost in the Shell on the poolside screen.

 

 

Here are a few more pictures from around the ship:

 

 

While many ships have gotten rid of their libraries or reduced them to a book nook, the Radiance has a nice library. The book collection is a little limited, but the room is nice.

 

 

 

 

 

 

One thing I have noticed is the emphasis on safety in thepools. I already mentioned the lifeguards by each of the pools. There is a lifeguard stand next to the towel exchange. There are at least 2 racks of life preservers for the children and these signs are located in several places on deck 11.

 

 

I had not seen these before.

[DragonOfTheSeas]

There was lots of entertainment last night. It was hard to schedule it all with dinner. We decided to go to the early show to make it work out.

 

 

There was a Headliner show with Marcus Terell and the Serenades. They were a pretty good show. They had lots of energy and great voices. They did mostly Motown and Pop.

 

 

Then we had dinner and made it to the Love and Marriage Show. I know it is corny, but it is always good for some laughs. It did not disappoint.

 

 

Finally, at 10:30 we went to the late night adult comedian, Bruce Gold. He was very good. His subject matter was definitely adult and he was hilarious. However, he managed to do the whole show without dropping a single “f” bomb.

 

 

Here is the daily sunset—actually a series.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I promise not to bore you with sunset pictures each day. ;p You can tell what I like to do in the evening. :D

[reallyhooked]

Awesome sunset pictures. So calming. I still have 8 days before setting foot on a ship. :p

[DragonOfTheSeas]

Awesome sunset pictures. So calming. I still have 8 days before setting foot on a ship. :p

 

Yes--sitting on a balcony watching the sun set with a drink is my happy place. :D

 

8 days will pass quickly. Have a great cruise!

[PCWalton1]

There was lots of entertainment last night. It was hard to schedule it all with dinner. We decided to go to the early show to make it work out.

 

 

There was a Headliner show with Marcus Terell and the Serenades. They were a pretty good show. They had lots of energy and great voices. They did mostly Motown and Pop.

 

 

Then we had dinner and made it to the Love and Marriage Show. I know it is corny, but it is always good for some laughs. It did not disappoint.

 

 

Finally, at 10:30 we went to the late night adult comedian, Bruce Gold. He was very good. His subject matter was definitely adult and he was hilarious. However, he managed to do the whole show without dropping a single “f” bomb.

 

 

 

We enjoy the Love and Marriage show too. There is always at least one couple that's really funny.