Radiance of the Seas
Preview ~ March 2001
by Tim Rubacky
I'm back from my Radiance of the Seas preview cruise and I must say that
this ship not only met, but surpassed even my highest and wildest
expectations. IMO, the ship is quite a radical departure from previous
generation RCI ships. While there are indeed similarities to her elder Vision
Class fleet mates and she carries on with some of the innovations of the
Voyager Class, such as the rock climbing wall and golf course, she is much
more sophisticated and is already forging a unique identity and reputation for
herself and her soon to be launched sister, Brilliance.
Just as the Vision Class was such a marked improvement and departure from the Sovereign
Class, the same can be said for the Radiance Class. What they've done is taken
the best of the Vision and Voyager Classes and refined them a highly polished
state, resulting in a ship that is truly a gem; a ship that radiates charm, sophistication,
comfort and a touch of whimsy.
Gone are the over powering brass, glass and pastels. In their place are warm,
dark woods, polished marble and rich, luxurious earth and jewel tones that,
when mixed with the acres and acres of glass, create an atmosphere of warmth
and comfort. The ship also offers a lot of choice with the main restaurant, a
private dining room, five alternative dining venues, and more than abundant
entertainment and relaxation options.
Radiance does indeed carry on with RCI's trademark Centrum with it's abundant
glass and a mix of warm pastels and jewel tones, but it's one that is
welcoming and stimulates the senses rather than over power or under whelms.
This central area serves as an axis and is quite an effective
"crossroads" as it is ringed with bars and lots of cozy, intimate
seating areas that rise through the ten decks.
My favorite areas were the innovative Colony Club along with the whimsical and
tranquil Solarium. The Colony Club is innovative in that RCI has eliminated
the traditional secondary cabaret lounge and replaced it with a cluster of
rooms that serves a variety of functions. It struck me as being very much like
an English manor house not only with it's baronial style, but with it's
functionality. Entering, you come upon the "Colony Club" proper
which is set up with a small bar, two pool tables and a casual groupings of
sofas and chairs; much like a "Great Room" one finds in today's home
and great country homes. Off to port is a Card Room, with the Jakarta Club
occupying the center of the complex. The Jakarta Club serves as a venue for
Cabaret and dancing and is adjacent to Singapore Slings; a spacious and
stunning bar area with windows over the stern; anchored by a central bar area
and flanked by casual groupings of sofas and chairs. For those of you who were
aboard the Oriana, Grand Princess, as well as the Century/Millennium Class; it
is strikingly similar to Anderson's or Michael's Club, not to mention the Explorers
Lounge aboard the Grand. Very traditional in decor, the room is paneled in
rich wood laminates with wood/marble floorings and accenting throw rugs. The
furniture is an eclectic blend of styles and fabrics which add to it's hominess.
And the best part of this room is that it is so well designed; one may be in
any part of the complex and not feel isolated but never feel as though they
are caught up in the thick of the action. The Jakarta Club and Card Room may
also be partitioned off (to an extent) to minimize disturbance or contain
noise without isolating them from the rest of the areas.
The solarium is an absolute triumph and I'm sure will be a tremendous hit in
Alaska and provide a welcome respite form the less than moderate clime of the Southern
Caribbean. Done in an African theme, it's resplendent with lush greenery, exquisitely
tiled pools, waterfalls and 15 foot high stone elephants. There's also a
"lounging puma" on the port side of the pool and adding to the
ambiance/atmosphere is a soundtrack of birds, monkeys and jungle sounds. It's
just so relaxing but at the same time so whimsical and fun, one feels their
spirits lifted and refreshed just by walking through it. Thankfully, it's off
limits to the kiddies and has complete food and beverage service areas; one
could in theory spend their entire cruise in this venue and never go hungry or
thirsty.
Not coincidentally, the Solarium is immediately adjacent to the Ship-Shape
Spa, one of the most impressive spas/fitness areas afloat. The spa is both
extensive and expansive with every imaginable kind of treatment facility.
Worthy of note are the colorfully tiled sauna areas with floor to ceiling
glass windows and tiled chaise lounges/chairs instead of the usual benches;
and the "Relaxation Chamber" facing over the bow. What is this you
say? It's a room lined with inviting cushioned chaises with aromatherapy capabilities
and a sound system. You simply go in to decompress and relax with a variety of
tranquil and relaxation inducing sounds and scents. This ship will be THE
belle of the ball in Alaska! Another nice feature are the three
"verandahs" adjacent to the Windjammer. Partially enclosed but open
air, they contain groupings of thickly cushioned rattan sofas and chairs
lining the widows. They're perfect for eating or just plain relaxing
when one wants fresh air and views without being exposed to the sun or
inclement weather.
But these areas are just the beginning. The Aurora theatre rises through three
decks; technically state of the art and with perfect sightlines, not to
mention comfy air-conditioned seats a la Oriana! The Cascades Dining Room is
simply stunning; words don't do it justice; only experiencing it or viewing
photos will convey the sense of style. Portofinos and Chops Grille are also
extremely handsome and the menus look divine. The dining areas are rounded out
by the Windjammer Cafe, the Seaview Cafe (offering lighter fare and round the
clock snacks/nibbles) and Breakers. Breakers is adjacent to the main dining
room but it's purpose had not yet been determined. It could possibly be
another alternative dining room or an extremely large private dining room.
Staterooms and suites are extremely spacious and well designed, if lacking a
wee bit in the storage area. Perfect for 7 night cruises, the storage could be
a little tight for anything longer. The staterooms/suites also carry forward
with a much more sophisticated look with darker, richer tones/fabrics and lots
of dark wood paneling. They reminded me greatly of the staterooms aboard the
RSSC Navigator/Mariner or the new Silversea ships in decor.
And no RCI ship would be complete without the Viking Crown Lounge. Like all
the others, it doubles as a OB Lounge and Disco and serves it purpose
perfectly. Adjacent to it is a smaller club which serves as a Comedy Club and
venue for Karaoke.
As this was a "preview cruise", there were a few snafus and glitches
as the crew was 60% brand new. Service problems were corrected quickly and the
difference in service on Saturday and Sunday was like night and day. And RCI
has thankfully improved their food service with new menus and lots of options.
Where as food on the Voyager was universally miserable last year, the new
menus were great; choices were innovative and plentiful, well prepared and
artfully presented. Not haute cuisine or gourmet fare, but quite simply very,
very good and plenty of it. And in lieu of long buffet lines, one simply
wanders between well placed and well marked "action stations" which
feature soups, salads, fruit, hot dishes, carving stations, sandwiches,
desserts, and self serve ice cream during lunch and various breakfast foods during
the morning. (Note: Dinner and lunch were very good, breakfast foods were
still miserable) Whereas this was a brilliant move that seems to cut down on
long lines, RCI quite brilliantly decided that you must now be SERVED your
drinks. No more self service, but rather you wait in line! And dinner the
first night ran very late but was entertaining when a crock of onion soup showered
several RCI and Consortia executives. Thankfully, no one was hurt or burned!
Entertainment was very good and the one production show I attended was well
done and entertaining. The entertainment staff is very YOUNG and VERY GOOD
LOOKING! Thankfully, there was no production show Sunday night as the Oscars
were being broadcast and that left the entertainers free to mingle and dance
in the disco. That night, we managed to close down the disco at 3:00,
continued on to the crew bar until 4:30 and I watched our entrance into Miami
from my balcony as a flock of porpoises frolicked along side us all the way
down Government Cut into the turning basin.
If you've never been on deck to witness the entrance back into Miami during
the pre-dawn hours, I highly recommend it. This was my first time but even
though I didn't get to bed until 6:00 and had to get up at 8:00 for a
full day of meetings, I'd do it all again. A simply glorious end to a great,
but much too short two days. If you get a chance to sail the Radiance, by all
means do. I think you'll love her... I know I did!
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Caribbean Cruise Reviews
