Radiance of the Seas.....Past - Present - Future

[cruisenfever]

Hi everyone, thought I would start a thread on my favorite topic.........Radiance of the Seas. Maybe some of you would like to share your past cruising experiences and current cruising experiences. What you liked most, what you liked least (if that's possible). What changes would you like to see.

 

This might be helpful in answering questions for those that are looking to book a cruise on this beautiful ship in the future. If you would care to share cabin pictures or balcony pictures, please do so.

[mytwoboys]

What a great idea!! Me and my husband just booked Radiance of the Seas last Friday to celebrate our 40th birthdays. We will be getting on the boat on my birthday 2/10!! Come on all you Radiance experts and tell me how great this ship is:)

[CL-JW]

Patti,

 

As you know, we love this ship too. Some highlights for us:

 

Solarium - nicest indoo pool afloat in our opinion

 

Seaview Cafe - fun place to get lunch or a snack. Great outdoor eating area too (and if you are a fan of old Sci Fi, there is a model of the Seaview submarine from Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea there too). Also - great shakes, and the Cuban sandwich is awesome!

 

Schooner Bar: Love the entire wall of windows, floor to ceiling. Great place to watch the world go by (and have a chocolate martini!)

 

Gym Radiance has a very nice gym, with plenty of equipment so waiting is minimal.

 

Crew: Awesome, professional friendly & fun

 

We have a ton of pictures in our Webshots album (see link in our signature.)

[BILL-WI]

Patti....

 

Past, Present,....And future....

 

Rosie and I will be on the Radiance in October 2008! I'll give you my full report at that time...until then...if you love the ship...so WILL I!:D

 

BILL

[cruisenfever]

Thanks Craig and Jack, I knew you guys would come through!!

 

Here's a link on more information about Radiance Of The Seas

 

 

 

 

[mytwoboys]

Craig and Jack: Thanks for all of the great pictures. Now we are even more excited for our cruise to come!

[Loucat]

We have sailed on many RCC ships and I love Radiance!! I agree that this ship is special. One of the best features is Inga, the Loyalty Ambassador. She is personable and the best we have seen. Love the ship, crew and everyting about her. We took two friends on their first cruise on Radiance in March and they now have a bad case of cruise fever. Great shows, captain, spots to eat, etc. etc. etc.:D

[medfordgirl]

I would love to read as much as possible on this ship as our next cruise will be on her in January. Can't wait. :)

[cheerdawg]

I love this ship. What makes this ship special to me is Captain Rune Lokling. He is a captain like no other!! He is a very happy, social, funny guy and it trickles down from the top. Because of the way he is, he has a happy crew and a happy crew makes happy guests! The ship is beautiful and so are the people who run her!

[clbnlv]

Love the Radiance!!!! The only bad thing about the Radiance is having to get off the ship! I've met some truly wonderful people (even adopted a couple ;)). The crew is always welcoming and helpful. And the Seaview??? could eat all my meals in there! So excited to be sailing in our aft JS in September.

[CL-JW]

Craig and Jack: Thanks for all of the great pictures. Now we are even more excited for our cruise to come!

 

You're very welcome. Just re-read your post and saw you are celebrating your 40th B-days. That's what Jack and I did too - we booked Hawaii for our 40ths and had a great time (and met friends we will have for life).

 

Happy Birthday(s) (early):D

[cruisenfever]

I love this ship. What makes this ship special to me is Captain Rune Lokling. He is a captain like no other!! He is a very happy, social, funny guy and it trickles down from the top. Because of the way he is, he has a happy crew and a happy crew makes happy guests! The ship is beautiful and so are the people who run her!

Capt. Rune is now alternating with Capt. Trym Selvag who is also wonderful and personable. Capt. Trym's wife Chantal is the Windjammer Manager and she is absolutely fantastic. She took Allan Williams' job when he was transferred to the Freedom. Allan was also terrific and I never thought he could be replaced.............but Chantal is doing a fantastic job. You will probably meet her in the mornings and afternoons for lunch, as she tries to make it a point to visit each and every table, if possible.

[dfishner]

Radiance was our first introduction to RCL and what an introduction it was. We have never sailed our a cruise that we like so much.

 

High points

Captain Rune,

The glass exterior it really makes you feel close to the sea.

Solarium what a tranquil spot got to love it.

Schooner bar complex

Chops and portofino great food, service and worth every penny.

Dining room staff

Cabin attendants. I swear ours was waiting for us to open the door to greet us each morning.

Coffee on the balcony each morning

The ship is just down right beautiful we felt we were on a luxury cruise.

Like the layout of the windjammer, easy to get around.

Seaview cafe especially the first few nights when no one knew where it was. Great place for a late night snack.

Champagne bar, especially in the evening with the little appetizers they give you with your drink.

Champagne bar in the day, just sitting and looking at the sea.

 

 

low points and there are only two

Shower curtain...they should be outlawed if I wanted something to stick to my body I could think of a few things and the shower curtain would not be one of them.

 

Not sailing the Eastern Caribbean for Winter of 08.

 

The Radiance has spoiled us. We took her sister the Jewel equally as nice but the staff on the Radiance could give the Jewel a run for its money.

[Loucat]

We have sailed on many RCC ships and I love Radiance!! I agree that this ship is special. One of the best features is Inga, the Loyalty Ambassador. She is personable and the best we have seen. Love the ship, crew and everyting about her. We took two friends on their first cruise on Radiance in March and they now have a bad case of cruise fever. Great shows, captain, spots to eat, etc. etc. etc.:D

Forgot to mention the beautiful solarium pool, area in the Windjammer where you can eat outside, the wonderful food in the Seaview cafe (clam chowder in a bread bowl is excellent), etc etc. YIKES!! We need to go back on Radiance.:)

[CL-JW]

Loucat just reminded me . . .

 

We also loved the outside eating area of the Windjammer. We ate breakfast there every day. It's so nice to eat while looking out over the wake. :)

[cruisenfever]

Patti....

 

Past, Present,....And future....

 

Rosie and I will be on the Radiance in October 2008! I'll give you my full report at that time...until then...if you love the ship...so WILL I!:D

 

BILL

Well, we will be sailing on her in September of 2008....so we shall make sure that she is in tip top shape...........and fully stocked for you!!;)

 

We have sailed on many RCC ships and I love Radiance!! I agree that this ship is special. One of the best features is Inga, the Loyalty Ambassador. She is personable and the best we have seen. Love the ship, crew and everyting about her. We took two friends on their first cruise on Radiance in March and they now have a bad case of cruise fever. Great shows, captain, spots to eat, etc. etc. etc.:D

Absolutely agree with you about Inga. She really enjoys her job and it shows in the time she takes with each and every person she meets with, whether it's during an appointment or just a casual meeting around the ship.

 

Radiance was our first introduction to RCL and what an introduction it was. We have never sailed our a cruise that we like so much.

The Radiance has spoiled us. We took her sister the Jewel equally as nice but the staff on the Radiance could give the Jewel a run for its money.

We experienced the same thing........sailed on Radiance several times, then did the Baltic's on Jewel. Though the staff and crew on Jewel was very efficient...........they are nothing like the staff and crew on Radiance.

 

Each and every time we return, it's like going home to see family.........that's exactly the way we are always treated.

[bikn4fn]

Patti - saw your request over on our Polar Bear site. I thought I would add my 2 cents. We have not been on the Radiance, but have been on the Jewel (sister ships). The only we didn't like was the Windjammer. It had a low ceiling and seemed a little on the dark side. We like the atmosphere of the Windjammer on the Legend (et al) better. Don't hold this against us and "black ball" ;) us when the Polar Bears get together in September.

 

Other than that we liked the layout of the Jewel. It took a little getting use to; everything was on the opposite end of the ship from we normally had.

[cruise wizard]

Radiance introduced the best layout for any ship - this is our favorite RCCL class - love the Windjammer, seaview cafe, all of the glass, specialty restaurants etc -etc. She is just the right size for us - since Radiance we have enjoyed all of her sisters - Jewel, Serenade and Brilliance.....somehow you always remember your first love (we sailed on her during her inaugural year to Alaska).

 

Quick story - there is a large GTV lettered on her side - aft. While we were on the ship we asked Gordon Whatman, the CD, what GTV stood for - he quipped - Gordon TV of course. But then he fessed up that it stood for "gas turbine vessel".

[bikn4fn]

One more thing. We LOVED the shower doors. No more curtains to "get Friendly" with you. :D

[cruisenfever]

One more thing. We LOVED the shower doors. No more curtains to "get Friendly" with you. :D

Unfortunately on Radiance, you still have the "friendly" shower curtains. I believe that Serenade and Jewel are the only ships in the class that have the doors. I guess they learned after Radiance and Brilliance.

[crusingdave]

I love this ship. What makes this ship special to me is Captain Rune Lokling. He is a captain like no other!! He is a very happy, social, funny guy and it trickles down from the top. Because of the way he is, he has a happy crew and a happy crew makes happy guests! The ship is beautiful and so are the people who run her!

Captain Rune is like no other!!!! We changed our summer plans to go to Alaska on the Radiance with Captain Rune and crew. A wonderful ship and crew. We don't know if Captain Rune will be back on the Radiance after he goes on vacation in September.

[cruisenfever]

Patti - saw your request over on our Polar Bear site. I thought I would add my 2 cents. We have not been on the Radiance, but have been on the Jewel (sister ships). The only we didn't like was the Windjammer. It had a low ceiling and seemed a little on the dark side. We like the atmosphere of the Windjammer on the Legend (et al) better. Don't hold this against us and "black ball" ;) us when the Polar Bears get together in September.

 

Other than that we liked the layout of the Jewel. It took a little getting use to; everything was on the opposite end of the ship from we normally had.

Not all of the Windjammer is dark..........the areas to the left and right of the food serving stations are very bright with wonderful floor to ceiling windows. You are probably referring to the areas to your right and left as you enter the Windjammer...........and I believe it is not as bright because of the beautiful dark wood on the walls.....and the ceiling is lower in that particular area.

[cruisenfever]

Captain Rune is like no other!!!! We changed our summer plans to go to Alaska on the Radiance with Captain Rune and crew. A wonderful ship and crew. We don't know if Captain Rune will be back on the Radiance after he goes on vacation in September.

I've read that about Capt. Rune not coming back after September. He might be going to another ship. A great loss and sad day..........as he really makes the cruise special.

 

Capt. Trym is not as vocal as Capt. Rune...............but he is a wonderful addition to Radiance. His announcements are just as entertaining without the Hurdy Gurdy Kiss Kiss Kiss.

[windjamming]

Radiance was our first introduction to RCL and what an introduction it was. We have never sailed our a cruise that we like so much.

 

Thanks cruisenfever for starting this thread about the lovely Radiance!

 

Radiance was my first cruise. At the time Captain Darren Bowland was running the ship, and what a high bar he set! So friendly and approachable! We loved everything from the self-leveling pool tables to our waiter who always seemed to appear right when we needed something to the outside dining area in the back of the Windjammer. She got me hooked on cruising!

[critterchick]

We've sailed all 4 of the Radiance class ships. Although Jewel is our favorite, Radiance was our first, so she holds a very special place in our hearts. We also had Captain Darren (Daryn? Darrin?), who was the friendliest, most "out and about" Captain we had encountered. Since then we've been fortunate to sail with several Captains (especially Hakan Lindegren, formerly of Monarch, now on Brilliance) who are equally sociable, but Captain Darren was also the first...