Radiance 4 day 02/05/24 through 02/09/24 Live-ish because why not?

[CoffeeGoddess]

Hello, it's been sometime since my last cruise which was the Breakaway back in December of 2022 and now I'm doing two short cruises! The first is the 4 day on Carnival Radiance and then I disembark on 02/09 and head right over to the Royal Navigator of the Seas for a 3 day. Since I live in Las Vegas these are the closest ports to me. The usually cheap airfare tends to balance out the additional cruise fare these tend to run for some reason. Although with the Superb Owl in Vegas, a flight back on 02/09 was almost as much as another cruise. Serendipity prevailed and seeing the Navigator started the same time this ended, well, I had to book it.

 

Both are new ships to me and while this will be my 4th(?) on Carnival but 1st time on a 4 day, it will only be my 2nd time on Royal with my first being Alaska on the Quantum back in 2022 with friends and family. Looking forward to both ships!

 

It is not a great day here in Long Beach due to the storm that went through and is now a little further north but thankfully my flight this morning was not canceled so I am now sitting and the damp Blue Iguana Tequila Bar enjoying a spicy margarita.  I did get the drink package with my $200 OBC and grabbed the value internet package when it was on sale. When I logged in they offered an upgrade to the premium for $8 so I grabbed it. And now I can torment the masses with a live blog.

 

 

 

I did enjoy a chicken sandwich from Shaq's Shack and a Ting-a-ling from the pub.

 

If you happen to be on this cruise, I'm the fat old lady wearing the sweet sweet Ghost jacket of which I've had 2 people tell me they love it already.

 

 

Remember,  if you have Ghost, you have everything.

[CoffeeGoddess]

So if you read my Breakaway thread, you'll know I like to drink. While I found my bartender soul mate in Lawrence aka Dr. Love on the Breakaway it's a little too early to say which bartender will be my favorite but Dante at the Tequila Bar is pretty high on the list.

 

 

This is the Mezcalrita with Dante and his boss in the background.

 

[carohs]

We just debarked from the Radiance this morning! We had a fabulous time, hopefully the weather clears up for you too! 

[pc_load_letter]

Was on it a couple weeks ago. Had a great cruise. Greatly enjoyed the new MDR menu items.

 

The crawfish linguini was very good.

 

[CoffeeGoddess]

Checked to see if my suitcase had been delivered yet and that's a nope. Decided to head up to Guy's Pig and Anchor to get some more food in my stomach to counteract the booze. Now, not gonna lie, based on the reviews I've seen here and the YouTube I wasn't expecting much. I got the beef brisket, mac and cheese, and collared greens.

 

 

While the mac and cheese was some kind of unholy abomination the brisket and greens were really good. I'm not a fan of sweet greens and these were peppery and nicely cooked. The only complaint was the juice was a little . . . thick . . but otherwise delicious. The brisket was tender and flavorful which surprised me because of what I've read. There was also no one there so I don't think many people are aware of it since it is in a weird spot on the 10th deck above the lido.

[weezal]

15 minutes ago, CoffeeGoddess said:

The brisket was tender and flavorful which surprised me because of what I've read.

pulled pork was surprisingly good too, on recent NYE sailing

[Matco]

If Rudy is still at the alchemy bar, he was a great bartender! made everyone laugh

[CoffeeGoddess]

18 minutes ago, Matco said:

If Rudy is still at the alchemy bar, he was a great bartender! made everyone laugh

 

I'll be heading there as soon as it opens so will look for him!

[john91498]

Try the slaw next at the Pig 😎

[CoffeeGoddess]

I got my bag and am unpacking for the 4 day. I have a porthole inside cabin, 1214, that is pretty nice. It's very roomy especially since I am cruising solo but would still be for 2 people.

 

 

 

 

 

There is the shower curtain in bathroom and I prefer actual doors but it be like that sometimes.

 

I had a fairly decent deal with $200 OBC so am happy with it. There was an upgrade offer for a balcony after final payment but it just was not worth it to me.

[CoffeeGoddess]

Waiting on the safety briefing to start since once it is complete Alchemy can start serving.

 

[CoffeeGoddess]

Took a little but finally the Alchemy Bar opened and I asked for a Bramble since I love them so. He had not heard of one but I showed him the basic recipe and he whipped up one with a few changes. It turned out really good and they did a little show while shaking up the inevitable of first orders. I'll throw that video up on my Insta since I don't think we can post those.

 

 

 

 

[CoffeeGoddess]

Still at Alchemy and I guess if you sit here long enough you get nibbles. My boy, Myo, made me a Jungle Bird and then after I finished that he made me something similar to the Bramble but with Whiskey.

 

 

 

We left a little late but you could tell once we left the berms since we started rocking. I was not feeling up to karaoke so am still here but I can hear some of the karaoke people over the music here.

Edited February 6 by CoffeeGoddess

[CoffeeGoddess]

Just a comment on the previous post, I know they aren't berms since those are earth but I am blanking on what to call them. Breakwater?

This going to bug me until I remember and yes, I could Google but I prefer the pain of trying to figure it out.

[MEUB1112]

We're going on the Radiance early April.  Love this review!!

[Buffettfan 225]

Following review, thank you for taking the time to post. We sail Radiance in three weeks for my birthday cruise. It  will be 7th on same ship since Covid, as moving to Vegas allows us to drive to a port.  
Can you post if the lido cakes are being served by the slice (rumors Carnival was going to sheet cakes 😠) also if any hot chocolate machine can be found working, or have to rely on dining room. 
I admire you taking time to write up about your cruise.  I did a semi-live post on our Oct. Radiance cruise and know hard to get all compiled . But I didn’t have Internet. 

[Are.we.there.yet?]

Love the Radiance!!!

[EllieinNJ]

Doing the Radiance in April with a side to side on the Panorama. 

[CoffeeGoddess]

15 hours ago, Buffettfan 225 said:

Following review, thank you for taking the time to post. We sail Radiance in three weeks for my birthday cruise. It  will be 7th on same ship since Covid, as moving to Vegas allows us to drive to a port.  
Can you post if the lido cakes are being served by the slice (rumors Carnival was going to sheet cakes 😠) also if any hot chocolate machine can be found working, or have to rely on dining room. 
I admire you taking time to write up about your cruise.  I did a semi-live post on our Oct. Radiance cruise and know hard to get all compiled . But I didn’t have Internet. 

 

Sure, I'll swing by the lido this afternoon and evening to check on the cakes. I'll also check on the hot chocolate for you.

[CoffeeGoddess]

So I tried my best but the dreary weather and the ship rocking was too much and I went to bed by 8:30pm. Slept well once I got my earplugs in since the walls are thin and people be loud.

 

Got up at about 10 and had a chicken biscuit for breakfast. Chicken is 10/10 but that was a sad, sad, biscuit.

 

It was still cold and wet and as I was eating the downpour started. That killed my plan to head up to Serenity for a soak in the hot tub and quality Kindle time. So I bought my ship magnet and got a spiked coffee at the coffee shop.

 

Pictures are acting odd so I'll continue in a new post.

 

 

[CoffeeGoddess]

So the rain came down and people went inside. I went and got a spiked coffee and bought my ship magnet. 

 

 

I went to the forward deck on 10 to grab a picture and video of the nastiness for the gram then stopped in my room to putty magnet away. Figured I'd go back up to Serenity just to check and wonder of wonders the sun was now out. I jumped in the hot tub and did some relaxing in that just right water.

 

 

After soaking a bit more people had come up there and started to get in so I toweled off and headed down to the Blue Iguana. My buddy Dante was there so I started with a Mexican Mule.

 

 

He was asking where I was last night since he works the lobby bar then. Unfortunately every time I went by there he wasn't there so missed him.

[CoffeeGoddess]

I guess I really picked the right bar because Myron from Alchemy is here with Dante. We're talking about cocktails and I told him if he was down for it I'd challenge him tonight. Gonna go to one of my favorite YouTube channels How to Drink and grab a couple recipes for him.

[CoffeeGoddess]

Well this is new. A lady came around with a box of tea bags and with the drink package it was free. So I grabbed a few and Dante was going to get me hot water but tea lady got it for me. 

 

 

 

I'm usually not a fan of Roobios but the French Lemon Ginger is really nice.

[CoffeeGoddess]

23 hours ago, john91498 said:

Try the slaw next at the Pig 😎

 

Okay. That was pretty good. Not too sweet and crunchy.

[CoffeeGoddess]

Okay, the Lido buffet is serving cake slices and the hot chocolate machine is working because a lady hot some right before I took the picture.

 

 

 

I can also say that the Pig and Achor is not consistent since I stopped by and got the brisket and greens again but tried the slaw and pork as well.

 

 

 

Got to say, the greens this time had meat and were sweeter than yesterday withnone of that great pepper previously.  The brisket also had a bit of toughness with more fat in it but the coleslaw and pork were pretty good. So apparently your milage may very depending on when you get it.

 

 

The pizza however was still on point and delicious.