Just Booked Radiance of the Seas

Having only cruised three times and all on the Diamond Princess we have decided to 'spread our wings' and give RCI a try.

From what I've read the main difference is their strict policy with regards to taking beverages on board and the fact that I'll be washing in the tub as there are no self serve faciltites. I'm sure I can cope with both of these.

If anyone out there cares to share their thoughts on RCI I'd be interested in hearing them.

cheers

Stu

Maybe you should be posting this thread under Royal Caribbean cruise lines. There is a board. These are CRUISE LINE boards not destination ones. There's also Port Information sites too. :mad:

Maybe you should be posting this thread under Royal Caribbean cruise lines. There is a board. These are CRUISE LINE boards not destination ones. There's also Port Information sites too. :mad:

Karoo, Radiance will be sailing here so it is of interest to chat on this board about the RCL.

Jilly:rolleyes:

Having only cruised three times and all on the Diamond Princess we have decided to 'spread our wings' and give RCI a try.

 

From what I've read the main difference is their strict policy with regards to taking beverages on board and the fact that I'll be washing in the tub as there are no self serve faciltites. I'm sure I can cope with both of these.

 

If anyone out there cares to share their thoughts on RCI I'd be interested in hearing them.

 

cheers

 

Stu

Which cruise have you booked Stu? We've been looking at cruise departing Perth to Sydney late October but with the prices I've found it's still quite expensive.

Jilly:)

Maybe you should be posting this thread under Royal Caribbean cruise lines. There is a board. These are CRUISE LINE boards not destination ones. There's also Port Information sites too. :mad:

Sweetheart...............you need a cruise big time!!!!!!

Which cruise have you booked Stu? We've been looking at cruise departing Perth to Sydney late October but with the prices I've found it's still quite expensive.

 

Jilly:)

Hi Jilly,

I've booked the January 3rd Sydney return cruise to New Caledonia, Vanuatu etc.

Compared to what we have paid in the past on Diamond Princess at school holiday time the fares were pretty similar.

We have booked a Junior Suite which is a little extravagant but we did get it at a few hundred dollars less than the RCI website.

The fares looked good until I found that you have to add $150 pre -paid tips. Still, at least I don't have to worry about paying them at the end.

cheers

Stu

Hi Jilly,

 

I've booked the January 3rd Sydney return cruise to New Caledonia, Vanuatu etc.

 

Compared to what we have paid in the past on Diamond Princess at school holiday time the fares were pretty similar.

 

We have booked a Junior Suite which is a little extravagant but we did get it at a few hundred dollars less than the RCI website.

 

The fares looked good until I found that you have to add $150 pre -paid tips. Still, at least I don't have to worry about paying them at the end.

 

cheers

 

Stu

Stu you only have to pre-pay the gratuities if you choose 'Anytime Dining'. If you book the traditional dining option then you can pay your gratuities as you wish.

I believe she is a stunning ship... :):)

Jilly:)

Hi Stu,

Have that cruise booked myself, along with two other families. There is a meet and mingle group started if you want to join. Any kids with you. Seven in total for us.

Can't wait, countdown is on.

Leah

Gday Stu,

We cruised twice this season with Rhapsody and absolutely loved it....never tried Princess, only P&O. Love the way RCI do things, many similar to P&O but also many different (if that makes any sense) we're hooked on RCI now, have 2 booked, girls weekend to nowhere and annual family holiday around NZ this time - kids are going to love this one!!

Cheers

Sharon

p.s. Jilly, yes I've heard she is a stunning ship - cant wait!!!

This thread has been moved over from the P&O Australia forum to the new Australia & New Zealand Cruisers forum that is intended for A/NZ cruisers on line other than P&O Australia.

The discussion can be continued there.

Hi All, I am booked on the weekend to nowhere on the Radiance too..cheapest way to check out a new ship. Looking forward to meeting some of you onboard...she looks like a fantastic ship.

I think I'd like Princess' more liberal alcohol policy and a laundry though for a longer cruise.

Hi All, I am booked on the weekend to nowhere on the Radiance too..cheapest way to check out a new ship. Looking forward to meeting some of you onboard...she looks like a fantastic ship.

I think I'd like Princess' more liberal alcohol policy and a laundry though for a longer cruise.

I've just been reading your cruise to nowhere Roll Call. Looks like a reunion of your Diamond Princess cruise from last December.

We have recently returned from the Diamond Sydney to Beijing cruise. It was all that we had hoped. If I could get the time off work and a Lotto win I'd be doing it again next year!

Reading the RCI board I can only find good things said about the Radiance so I'll be interested in hearing your stories when you get back from your 2 nights of partying.

cheers

STu

Hi everybody. How lucky are you guys who have booked a cruise on Radiance.We cruised on her back in June 2007 from Seward (Alaska) down to Vancouver and it was one of the best weeks of our lives.As soon as we boarded her we thought OMG do we belong on this ship,it was just WOW.I think this is what Royal Carribean ships are about,it is having this WOW factor.I read recently that the ship is being refurbished which is a surprise to me because it certainly looked amazing when we were on it.Every level of the ship is amazing,the crew were amazing,the food was amazing and considering there were 2500 people on her it never felt like that.If you have been on Rhapsody and thought that was great,wait until you see Radiance(it has to be one of the best looking ships)and cruise on her,it will be incredible.

Stu, if I may digress a little, do you happen to have any menus from the Diamond Princess?

I have read that the American-based ships do not offer much in the way of salads and vegetables. Can you enlighten me on this for the Diamond Princess Australia sailings, please? (I am not a fan of donuts, pancakes or sweets in general, although I do have the occasional lapse :D)

OK, back to the Radiance - she sounds great! :)

(I know I could do some searching, but I don't have time at the moment.)

We cruised on the Rhapsody in Jan and although all the family thinking it was a fantastic ship, not quite as good as the Legend which we have taken out of Singapore (digressing, what a great place, you could send your granny out at 3 in the morning for a pint of milk and she would be perfectly safe)

We love both these ships and the whole Royal Caribbean experience.

The Radiance sounds just as good as the both of these if not better.

However when we were in Hobart, the Diamond Princess pulled up alongside, it looked fantastic, I actually think you will be going downmarket on the Radiance.

We would love to sail on the DP but none of the itineraries line up time wise for us.

Paul

Having only cruised three times and all on the Diamond Princess we have decided to 'spread our wings' and give RCI a try.

From what I've read the main difference is their strict policy with regards to taking beverages on board and the fact that I'll be washing in the tub as there are no self serve faciltites. I'm sure I can cope with both of these.

If anyone out there cares to share their thoughts on RCI I'd be interested in hearing them.cheers Stu

Nice on Stu.

Its good to branch out and try other cruise lines and you have chosen what sounds to be a wonderful ship.We have only sailed on the Vision Class, (Legend and Vision of the seas ), but are really looking forward to trying out Radiance. I think it will be very popular.

Stu, if I may digress a little, do you happen to have any menus from the Diamond Princess?

I have read that the American-based ships do not offer much in the way of salads and vegetables. Can you enlighten me on this for the Diamond Princess Australia sailings, please? (I am not a fan of donuts, pancakes or sweets in general, although I do have the occasional lapse :D)

OK, back to the Radiance - she sounds great! :)

(I know I could do some searching, but I don't have time at the moment.)

Not what I have found Sandi, in fact quite the opposite for me anyway.

I just love the food on the American ships , as they have a great selections of salads . The buffet always has a great selection , or you can make your own , and the dining room always has a different salad each night , plus there is also the Always Available selection. The Caesar salads were yummy.

The only confusing thing with the American ships.......

is that they call their Entrées , Appetizers ,

and the Main Course an Entrée:eek:

The Rhapsody is a beautiful ship, but I am really excited to try Radiance. The pictures I have seen of her look amazing.

Stu, if I may digress a little, do you happen to have any menus from the Diamond Princess?

 

I have read that the American-based ships do not offer much in the way of salads and vegetables. Can you enlighten me on this for the Diamond Princess Australia sailings, please? (I am not a fan of donuts, pancakes or sweets in general, although I do have the occasional lapse :D)

 

OK, back to the Radiance - she sounds great! :)

 

 

(I know I could do some searching, but I don't have time at the moment.)

Sorry Sandielle, I don't have any menus but I don't think you need to worry about the food on the Diamond. My view is that the Diamond is an American ship so when I sail on her I'm sailing on a little bit of the USA so I may be sailing from Melbourne to Auckland but as a bonus I get to a bit of America as well.

As Kiwi Kruzer has said, you get a lot to choose from and certainly in the buffet they have a great "make your own salad" area with pretty much anything you can think of to put in your salad then an array of dressings.

An English woman was complaining to me that (due to the American nature of the menus in the dining room) you didn't get enough vegetables with your meals. She went on to say that she had to order an extra serve of steamed vegetables with her meal every night.

Not quite sure what she was complaining about, she obviously got what she wanted.

The thing you have to remember when you are looking at your menu each night is that you can pretty much ask for anything.

You can have three appetizers and a salad and two main course and five deserts if you really want to. The waiters will never question you. Just have whatever takes your fancy and if you don't see it just ask.... more often than not you can get what you want.

I'm afraid though that I can't agree with Kiwi Kruzer about the Caesar Salad. My experience is that it has just been some bits of Cos with dressing and a few croutons. No bacon, no anchovies, no parmesan, no egg.

One night we asked if we could have a coddled egg on our Caesar......and we got one. So, don't worry about the food...............if you don't see what you want just ask the waiter.

cheers

Stu

We cruised on the Rhapsody in Jan and although all the family thinking it was a fantastic ship, not quite as good as the Legend which we have taken out of Singapore (digressing, what a great place, you could send your granny out at 3 in the morning for a pint of milk and she would be perfectly safe)

 

We love both these ships and the whole Royal Caribbean experience.

 

The Radiance sounds just as good as the both of these if not better.

 

However when we were in Hobart, the Diamond Princess pulled up alongside, it looked fantastic, I actually think you will be going downmarket on the Radiance.

 

We would love to sail on the DP but none of the itineraries line up time wise for us.

 

Paul

HI Paul,

Yes I think the Diamond is beautiful but I'm ready for the Radiance. She is having a facelift before she comes down so she should be looking good. The Diamond is showing her age in a few areas I must admit but she is due for a refit in 2012 or 2013 so I'm sure things will be taken care of.

We have booked a Junior Suite on the Radiance which looks wonderful. We had a mini-suite on the Diamond last cruise and loved it but it will be a treat to have a cabin that is almost twice as wide.

The down side to RCI is that you can't take your own booze on board so that will add to our expense account. But after three cruises on the same ship we're ready for a change and hopefully we are ready to be impressed.

I'll let you know!

cheers

Stu

Thanks for your replies David and Stu. That's great to know - I shall store this information in my brain in the hopes I will get to try the Diamond Princess one day. :)

HI Paul,

 

Yes I think the Diamond is beautiful but I'm ready for the Radiance. She is having a facelift before she comes down so she should be looking good. The Diamond is showing her age in a few areas I must admit but she is due for a refit in 2012 or 2013 so I'm sure things will be taken care of.

 

We have booked a Junior Suite on the Radiance which looks wonderful. We had a mini-suite on the Diamond last cruise and loved it but it will be a treat to have a cabin that is almost twice as wide.

 

The down side to RCI is that you can't take your own booze on board so that will add to our expense account. But after three cruises on the same ship we're ready for a change and hopefully we are ready to be impressed.

 

I'll let you know!

 

cheers

 

Stu

Have a great trip, get the currency now, we use the ANZ travelcards to lock in the rates.

Drinks are MUCH cheaper on RCI than on P&O Aust. so I would imagine they would be cheaper than Princess too.

Beers about $6, cocktail of the day about $8 (if I remember rightly bit hazy in the memory dept about them). They may even have the all you can drink package on the Radiance by then (29.95 beer & wine!)

Get the wine package if not, and if you have kids the soda package and you are good to go.

I am WELL jealous

Paul

HI

I have 2 cruises booked on the Radiance, 1st a girls weekend just for us to get a taste of the ship and then in March our family and friends are on her for 12 nights cruising the South Pacific :). Everything i have read gives really good reports and can't wait to see what she looks like after her refit.

Tania

We sailed on Rhapsody in February and you will pleased to know they have removed the 15% gratuities from the bars for Australian sailings so presume the same will happen when Radiance comes down. :)

Example of prices in USD a Tooheys New stubby was $4.50, frozen Margarita was $7.00 (Schooner Bar) and $7.75 (Pool Bar) :confused:, cocktail of the day was $6.25 (I think).

Hi Jilly,

 

I've booked the January 3rd Sydney return cruise to New Caledonia, Vanuatu etc.

 

Compared to what we have paid in the past on Diamond Princess at school holiday time the fares were pretty similar.

 

We have booked a Junior Suite which is a little extravagant but we did get it at a few hundred dollars less than the RCI website.

 

The fares looked good until I found that you have to add $150 pre -paid tips. Still, at least I don't have to worry about paying them at the end.

 

cheers

 

Stu

Hi Stu, we too are booked on our first Radiance cruise. Same itinery as yours, but we are the March sailing. It looks like a great itinery!

I have previously cruised on RCI and P&O, although have not cruised on Princess yet, so cannot compare the lines for you.

Radiance looks like a fantastic cruise ship, especially with the new eateries coming soon.

Look forward to hearing about your cruise when you get back! :)

~~ Waving ~~

Hi Stu ... long time no chat ;)

Good on you for branching out. As you can see my first RCI cruise is coming up in December this year :D

I've heard many good reports about Rhapsody and all the RCI ships. You'll have a ball!!