Why I Chose a Smaller Royal Caribbean Cruise Ship
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- čas přidán 5. 07. 2024
- I recently sailed on one of Royal Caribbean's smallest cruise ships for a few important reasons, and it provided me an affordable cruise to the places I wanted to visit, even if it did not have all the bells and whistles of other ships.
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I really really think if royal would invest more money in renovating their older cabins... smaller older ships would be more popular. Similar to how celebrity redid their smaller ships. It could do ALOT for the brand.
My husband and I sailed on Radiance in late March 2023 for his 50th birthday. It was 10 days out of Galveston to the western Caribbean including Panama and Columbia. We LOVED Radiance! Our kids are grown and this trip was just for the two of us, and we chose the smaller ship specifically because of its lack of bells and whistles. It was a way to enjoy a Royal ship without thousands of kids (longer cruises in the middle of the school year also attract fewer families with school-aged kids). The pricing was great too!
We enjoyed our balcony cabin on our multiple days at sea and loved dining at Giovanni’s Table for my husband’s birthday dinner. It was delicious! Perhaps because the ship had fewer passengers, the MDR staff, including managers, got to know us. One manager even sent a bottle of wine and special birthday cake to Giovanni’s for my husband’s big night and later treated us to a special behind-the-scenes galley tour with brunch. So nice!
We found we enjoyed the centrum style ship (having also recently been on Quantum and Liberty I wasn’t sure what to expect).
What made it the perfect trip for us:
- smaller ship = fewer crowds
- same delicious food as other Royal ships (I found I didn’t even miss Sorrentos!)
- same (or better) service in cabins, restaurants, etc.
- same fun daily activities line-up without feeling overwhelmed by too many things so we didn’t feel like we’d missed out on anything
- same great shore excursion options
- Running into the same friendly faces more frequently to enjoy chatting with fellow cruisers and catching up on their activities
- relaxing in our cabin & enjoying together time without feeling like we had to stay out all night long to get to a certain show or another can’t miss activity
One detriment to the first couple of days of our cruise was the low-key stench of sewage both in our cabin and lingering in some of the halls (yuck, I know). After a couple of days of trying to manage it ourselves with various products and tricks, I finally spoke to guest services and they immediately took care of the issue in our cabin. It was infinitely better after that. I attributed that possibly to the age of the ship.
Radiance also showed her age in the rust in places on our balcony and the older, more worn decor and carpeting in the hallways and staircases, even with a not-too-long-ago refurbishment. Still, I enjoyed my time in the spa, lounging occasionally by the inside pool, working out in the gym, and walking the outside decks. My favorite feature of the ship is her massive windows everywhere. We could see the spectacular sunset every evening from wherever we were on the ship, whether it was sipping on drinks in the cocktail bar before dinner or after grabbing a quick meal in Windjammer after a day in port… the views were always around us.
Even the small ones are still very big. Radiance I've been on twice this year. Perfect.
Radiance class is 100% the best RC ship for port/views experience. I've done Alaska on Serenade, the Baltic on Brilliance and NZ on Radiance. The views from your stateroom and the entire ship (sailaway from the helipad! the windows from the centrum! views in the MDR!) cannot be beat. Made friends with the bartender in the rear lounge on each cruise because that's something you can do on smaller ships! Radiance class is bomb!!!!
Our first cruise was Monarch of the Seas in 1992. Our comedian was The Jerry Lewis! 1994, we were on the Majesty of the Seas, and the comedian was Yokof Smirnoff. “What a Country”.
Our first RCCL cruise was on the Sovereign OTS...Jerry Lewis was our comedian as well...he put on quite a show with a big band and pulled me out of the audience as part of his comedy routine. Incredible experience.
@@stevedeloach3336 that is amazing. It seems to me that the Monarch was less than a year old when we sailed. Of course it was the premium ship of all fleets at the time, dwarfing everything except the Sovereign.
Ok Matt, we did it. We went and booked the Icon and the Star. I know I'm not a hang out with kids all day guy but at the same time I don't mind behaved kids on a ship. My wife she could care less...good kids bad kids, nothing bothers her. I just have to see this new star ship so we booked it in August 2nd sailing. We booked the Icon too for no other reason then just wanted to see it in person.
I like going out of Tampa for experience of going under the Sunshine Skyway bridge. There are people who get up at 4 am on debarkation day up on deck to watch the ship glide silently through. Sometimes the police officer on the bridge waves to all of them.
We sailed on Radiance in Alaska back in July and absolutely love that ship!
First thing about the smaller ships is we feel the crew seems to be a little friendlier if that is possible. Maybe because you run into the same crew members so much more often. We even ran into the Captain a dozen times which is someone we may only see once or twice on the larger ships. And for what it's worth... If you find yourself on a ship with Captain Merck prepare to have a blast! True.. We did miss the promenade vibe a little but It seemed there was always something going on in the Centrum... Including... wait for it... Rocking with the Captain. This is where the Captain and crew put on a rock concert. Too much fun!
But the best part about Radiance for us was the Schooner Bar. It's big, bright and everything you would want in a Schooner bar including floor to ceiling windows that span 90% of the bar offering amazing views while enjoying a drink and escaping the cold. I don't know why this same style of Schooner isn't on every ship in the fleet.
Thanks for this video and brining back some incredible memories!!! Can't wait to sail on her again soon!
You're so right about Captain Merik!
Oh we loved the Schooner Bar. We spent alot of time there, but our favorite bartender was in the Starquest, so we went there alot too when she was working.
My 1st cruise in November was on Radiance, I loved it, the ship, the ports, the crew, the food 👍👍👍👍👍
Radiance class is by far my favorite!
4,000 people is my limit. So I pretty much stick to the small to mid ships all the time. I’m an itinerary based cruiser who is not a foodie, so dining options aren’t a thing with me. Glad you had a good time!
I love the smaller RCCL ships, last month I sailed the Serenade OTS from Miami to LA thru the old locks of Panama Canal... it was the perfect ship for that kind of cruise.
My favorite feature of the Radiance class is that you can see the ocean from all of the public venues.
My wife and I sailed on Jewel and Serenade this year and had a great time. Like others have said, the service on the smaller ships seems more personal. We also sailed on the Mariner and found that we prefer the Voyager class ships. They aren't huge compared to the Oasis class ships but having the Royal Promenade instead of the Centrum just makes it feel more open. Also, as silly as it sounds; having a cinema on board is a bonus for us that the bigger ships somehow don't have.
We live 30 minutes from Port Canaveral and usually cruise from there but you are absolutely right about Tampa. We went on Serenade out of there this summer to try a different ship from a new port and it was so easy to get in and out of.
I sailed on Radiance in September/October and ADORED IT. Loved the more low-key vibes (partially also influenced by it being a repositioning cruise with an older crowd), and how contained everything was. I don't need all the bells & whistles, and simply found Radiance charming. My favorite bit was Schooner Bar with all the theming, running along a side of the ship with floor to ceiling windows--it became my favorite place to hang out. There was also less crowding/competition for things like karaoke, theater shows, the 70s dance party was actually fun (whereas I found it "meh" on Navigator with a more young/party crowd), and I thought the food was really good. After so many negative reviews for the new MDR, the two nights I ate there it was better than I thought it would be. Not to mention the crew was phenomenal. I will 100% sail Radiance and Radiance class again.
My home port is Baltimore so we only get Vision class ships. I've been on larger ships like Anthem and Oasis, but my favorite ship is Vision of the Seas!
Love, love, love Radiance and all of the Radiance class ships! My favorite when I'm traveling solo. ❤
FYI, you can join the Radiance in Tampa on Apr 8, '24 and get off 45 days later in Vancouver, BC on May 17. You'll sail the Canal, the Pacific coast, and *three* weeks in Alaska! Unfortunately, we'll only be onboard for the last 2 weeks of that stretch.
love the washy whashy shirt!!
We spent 11 days on Jewel OTS last month. We loved the size and design. We have another cruise booked on her next summer.
Our first ever cruise was on the Serenade OTS. Had a nice corner aft balcony, loved having the indoor theater, and enjoyed the set-up of the buffet. Liked it so much we kept on cruising :-)
The Radiance class is my favorite class of RCI ship. I love all of the glass and think it is the perfect size. Admittedly, I have not been on the Quantum class ships and from what I have seen, those also look lovely. With all of the amusement park themes on the mega ships come kids and I love kids but when I go on vacation the fewer, the better.
I love the smaller ships. Grandeur is my favorite. I don't use the amenities on bigger ships. So, I will leave it to the families and people who love the waterslides/roller coasters/zip lines etc.
I will be on Vision of The seas for Christmas. Have you heard what Royal is doing for their Christmas sailings. I dont mind smaller ships. Get to know the crew really well on a 7 day cruise.
Sailing RADIANCE for my Bday cruise in Jan/Feb. can’t wait.
Thank you for your thoughts. I've never had a problem finding Western Caribbean cruises. But then again, I'm not wedded to Royal.
I have been on 12 different ships, all classes apart from Oasis class (first time next year). I have liked all the classes, concentrate on what they offer rather than what they don’t offer.
Radiance spent many years in Sydney Australia and many of us have a special place for her - there is something about her that feels great. Many great memories.
I love Radiance and Vision of the Seas. My favorite ships !
Amen Brother!!! Love the Radiance. Cruised on her to Alaska this year in a nice suite. Awesome experience.
Our favorite class of ship! Love being able to see the ocean from almost anywhere. Great service.
I've never been on a smaller vessel but am really considering it. I mentioned it to my husband and we're interested in trying something new and different. Thanks Matt, you have given us something to look forward to.😊
Big ships vs small ships I’ve been on both and love them both big ships offer tons of things to do but the smaller ships offer a better personal experience in my opinion.
I still like smaller ships even after sailing on Harmony of the Seas this year out of Miami.
We even had Messi & Beckham on our ship the day we set sail which was a bonus for loads of passengers.
They were dropped off after a 30min turn around in Miami port.
I’ve sailed Rhapsody of the Seas around the Med departing from Venice and got a brilliant on board discount for following year for a Caribbean cruise via Bermuda departing from New York.
The smaller boats were perfectly fine and with 3 kids in tow we still had loads to do on board.
Harmony was an eye opener and couldn’t believe how many passengers were packed on board.
But in fairness we didn’t ever feel overwhelmed on board.
A few port days there were a few probs getting breakfast but only a short wait to find tables.
I want to do Alaska next.
Just got back yesterday from Radiance. I agree about the ship entertainment. Lacked luster for sure. I've cruised the smaller class ships several times and this was the worst entertainment ever. The best was the Rockin with Captain. He show cased the singing talent of some crew and sang himself.
If you want to save money, book early!!!! Matt you are so right!!! I paid $811 for a balcony class 4D too on Odyssey in 2025 (7 nights(.
I sailed radiance last month and loved it! It's a beautiful ship!
I’ve been on Radiance. It’s nice, but I’ve spoiled myself with the Oasis class. I agree with specific ports being a good reason to choose the much smaller ships. If you won’t be on the ship much, makes sense. I probably will stay with the larger ships myself because I enjoy doing things onboard. I also love all the extra dining options on the larger ships. We sailed on Wonder twice and Harmony once this year. Had an awesome time on each cruise. Thanks for all your videos Matt. Hope to see you onboard someday!
ian from sydney australia here. wife and sailed on radiance of the seas from sydney australia to vancouver in 2016. absolutely loved the ship. we have also sailed on voyager and quantum of the seas. booked on Ovation of the seas and brilliance of the seas march 2024. recently become diamond. love all the videos you post
Recently sailed on here Tampa to cozumel and mahahual! This cruise is small yet so huge when you are inside. This was my second ever cruise, and this changed my mind from Carnival to Royal Carribean!
I was on Anthem [built 2015 & 168,000 gross tons], and thought,
"Nah, over-rated, too big, too crowded, long waits for shows & drinks."
I was on Enchantment [built 1997 & 82,000 gross tons], and thought,
"This old girl is very well kept up, lots of windows, nice open Centrum, just a short walk to anywhere on the entire ship, not too crowded, quick service at bars."
(I just booked my next cruise on Vision!!! [built 1998 & 78,000 gross tons])
Love the radiance class ships...done them all. Did the Jewel earlier this year and fell in love with the ship. Took the inaugural on the Radiance out of Seattle. Just got off the Wonder 2 months ago but can't wait to do any Radiance class again.
We’ve cruised on Radiance twice, both times to Alaska. In my opinion these are the best ships to cruise Alaska. There is just so much glass and visibility in such a scenic area. Cruising through the inside passage on her was magical.
We also cruised Radiance in Alaska and loved it. Espcially, the outside-facing glass elevators facing the glass walls.What a view!
@@TheBaltoDave it remains one of the best trips of my life. I’m really more into the ports on cruises. Not sure I’d fully appreciate the newer ships, although the entertainment intrigues me.
RC has now priced us out of the market and we make a very good living. We have 7 bookings on RC and 2 on celebrity and that's it for us. We are now looking into land vacations. It used to be fun to look and book but no more. Pricing has gone thru the roof now and all the cruise lines have gotten so greedy. It's $5,500 just for an oceanview with balcony cabin not counting drink packages for us plus airfare lodging spending money specialty restaurants tipping and uber your easy $10,000 for 7 days and less and less service. We can RV it for half that price and take our time. When the prices come back down we'll jump back on board. We used to book the royal suite for $5000 now that room is over $18,000 not counting anything else. I think there pricing more and more people away and soon it'll just be the rich and famous cruising but when the shtf the cruise lines will be begging people to come back.
Love Radiance class.
Radiance class of ships are my favorites! Love the aft balcony!
LOVE Radiance class having been on Serenade and Jewel, both with the top most memorable itineraries we’ve been on - Panama Canal/costa Rica/cartegena/Cozumel/grand cayman, and Greenland respectively. Loved the layout and old time charm of the ships, especially the bars. Best Solariums.
Looking forward to our January cruise on Radiance.
Thank you for this review
We will be in Radiance 9/24 going to Alaska. It’s our first Radiance class ship.
My first cruise was on the brilliance of the seas. It was awesome and got me hooked on cruising. That being said i prefer the newer/larger ones with the promenade. I do think ill go on the brilliance again though one day
We cruised Radiance in Alaska and loved it. So much, we booked Brilliance (Radiance class) next year (2024) out of NOLA. Can't wait for the views of the Mississippi.
We have this same cruise next month. We're in Sarasota. Less than an hour from the Tampa port so we try to do one each year. Smaller ships can be fun and this time of year not too crowded. Looking forward to it!
Love the Radiance. We were on the Serenade for a 10 day and I loved it.
My fiancé and I went on Rhapsody of the Seas last week. For the short 3 day cruise to the Bahamas, the small ship was completely fine, as we spent the vast majority of our time on shore. If we were taking a longer cruise with multiple sea days the lack of things on the boat might have been a problem, but we barely noticed it.
Was there much to do in the night for adults on the rhapsody? Like clubbing or comedy shows etc..?
@@MR-oq1jg There were some things--some shows, a dance party, things like that. But noticeably less volume of those sorts of thing as compared to Explorer of the Seas that we went on last year.
I love the Radiance. Will be on her next October for the repositioning cruise through the Panama Canal.
My wife and I love the radiance class ships. Less crowds and they have all we need.
Adventure in June and then Oasis the next cruise. Good companion for my family
Just got off that ship a week ago. Loved 🥰 it
Love the Radiance class- Serenade is my favorite.
Booked on enchantment of the seas out of Tampa October of ‘25! I’m so excited to experience I small and classic ship with my wife. I do wish it had as many dining options as radiance that amazing to have 4 specialty restaurants on a ship that size.
Love the Radiance class of ships, especially Serenade, great service, food in dining room and room service.
I've been on 3 of the Radiance class vessels and Radiance herself 3 times. The first time was 2006, and I really don't remember the experience well enough to comment on it. The second time I went it was in Alaska. We had a great time and really enjoyed the ship. On that voyage the entertainment was nothing special, but we still enjoyed it. The most recent time was February 2023. I was blown away by the entertainment. There were no plays, but I was blown away by everything that happened in the main theater. They had a piano player that was especially amazing.
I guess the point is that Radiance ships may not be for everyone, but they are great ships that sail great itineraries and sometimes have amazing entertainment.
Good points particularly regarding the port intensive itineraries and the smaller ships. We did 2 Mediterranean cruises , one on Serenade and one on Odyssey. I really didn't feel like we had the time to fully enjoy the activities on Odyssey due to the port intensive itineraries. In fact I would have been kind of disappointed in the limited time we had to enjoy onboard activities on Odyssey but we had previously sailed on Anthem and were able to do all the gee wiz activities on it a few years prior. On Serenade, I felt like we had enough time to do everything we wanted to on the ship without feeling rushed especially after long days in port. We are planning to go on a Norwegian Fjords cruise on Jewel and I am satisfied with the idea of doing that cruise on a Radiance class ship for the reasons mentioned above plus with cooler climate, I think the glass will allow plenty of warm spots to view the scenery on our sea days. Another thing I loved about Serenade was being able to be out on the helipad on the front of the ship for some of the more scenic cruising aspects of that trip. I am hoping to have a similar experience with Jewel in the Fjords.
We just sailed on Radiance this past July to Alaska. It was a great ship
We sailed on the Brilliance of the Seas, and loved it, and that was after the previous three cruises on Quantum class ships.
We were on Serenade in 2018 Transatlantic from Copenhagen to Boston via Iceland and Greenland (it was RC's very 1st sail through Prins Christian Sund) and loved the ship. Then we did a B2B on Jewel Aug-Sep 2022 Norwegian Fjords & repositioning from Amsterdam to Barcelona visiting Bruges, Madeira & several ports in Spain, and absolutely LOVED it. We had the best Activities Manager (Graeme), plus the captain did announcements around midnight 3 nights in a row while we were cruising the fjords so we could see the Northern Lights - an absolutely awestriking experience. We wouldn't hesitate to sail on these ships again, particularly since they offer interesting itineraries!
I sailed out of Tampa on the Brilliance of the Sea in 2018 with a stop in cozumel. There are a few quaint things about this class of ship. I love the open concept with lots of windows even on midship elevators. I love the covered solarium. Its obvious this ship was built to get the most of Alaskan cruises with the views. I loved the aft seating area. Its one of the largest Schooner Bars Ive seen. The self leveling pool tables are awesome. Playing real darts in the english pub. The centrum was impressive and the lounge/night club at the top was a great place to soak in the views. I love my oasis class ships and freedom class; but if you just want to relax these radiance class are top notch.
Did an Alaska back to back last year on it. I loved the ship. Was excited to go on it again this year, but then that propulsion problem happened and it was cancelled XD. One thing to remember since it's smaller, it can go into smaller ports and stuff. Like get closer to the Glaciers in Alaska for example.
The only thing I have to say I wish they could do with the ship. Is Dry dock it and just spruce it up again. Repaint the walls, fix the scruffs, change the carpets. You know, that kind of stuff. Other then that, it was a great ship!
I love Oasis class ships and freedom class, as well, but we’re booked on Jewel from San Juan in March and I’m looking forward to it. It’s very port intensive and is in port 8am-6pm everyday. Although I LOVE the entertainment on Oasis class, I’m looking forward to not being stressed about making all my reservations. We’re going on Symphony and Odyssey next year as well and I’ll love them, but we booked 10 night southern Caribbean on Rhapsody for early ‘25, which we’ve never been on, but it is also port intensive and was a great price.
Crossed the ocean on the Jewel,, the only complaint I had was that the entertainers only had a few sets of music to play and on a 13 night cruise it got a little old
We did Radiance OTS to Alaska in 2015. It was fine. We tend to go smaller, as well because of better prices for suites and less people. We have Grandeur OTS coming up in May. It'll be our second time sailing on her (New England in 2017 out of Baltimore).
I went on Serinade in March and had an amazing time there isn't as much to do however my wife and I had a great time and came home with 4 new friends we met on the ship
My last cruise (New England/Canada) and I was really surprised on the quality of the internet. It was flawless. It was a 'smaller' ship (still large) but I had a great time because I sat with strangers and we became friends. I didn't swim (too cold) but found other things to do. I just can't remember the name. Royal Caribbean of course.
I haven't yet, but definitely planning to sail on a Radiance class someday. I really enjoy the shock and awe of the big megaships, as I love seeing them and thinking about how massive they are, but in my case I really think the smaller ships are more about what I'm able to do. I absolutely love the Voyager class, and I now have the Harmony booked for 2024, but will probably plan my 2025 trip on a Voyager class again or smaller class. I really am excited to hear more about the possibility of the Discovery project.
4:47 sail out of Galveston and Mexico / west Caribbean is just about your only choice. I'm getting tired of cozumel (all my cruises have stopped there) and roatan (been 2x and it gets old fast, plus rc port sux)
I sailed on radiance back in March on a 10 day. Cartagena, colon, roatan, Costa Maya, cozumel. I was on deck 9 fwd starboard (right side) balcony. Room was pretty small. Had to rotate beds 90 degrees because otherwise I hit my head on wall lamp. Sofa wasn't even wide enough to compare to a love seat. Ship and crew were nice but I was not happy with room.
I’m 69. The days of a cruise ship (for me) needing all the bells and whistles are long behind me. I love the smaller class ships. I don’t need Flo riders, or Rock-Climbing Walls, or Formula 1 Car Racers (I know different cruise line). I don’t need a million families and their unruly kids. Now a days (for me) I need very little to have an enjoyable cruise. I like the cheesy stage shows at night (I also like not having to make a reservation on the first day of the cruise to det a seat the show. While they still exist I’ll continue cruising on the older, smaller ships.
My wife and I simply love the Radiance class ship. We have tried the Freedom class and the Marnier class ship and found it wasn't for us. To many people. We are not big on all the crazy rides on the upper deck we are more of the Solarium people. Relax in peace in quite and sip boat drinks in the hot tub. The dining options are great.
Plus I think you get to know the crew better. Our last two cruises this year were on the Radiance and we knew a lot of the crew from the previous cruise they remembered us and it really made the cruise so much better. I was like visiting old friends.
Our last cruise in October was fantastic plenty to do, the shows were good and the Centrum was always hopping. Captain Merck was awesome how many cruise ship captains can sing Metallica songs. Also he is always walking around the ship.
We sailed on Radiance in 2018 to Alaska. It was perfect for getting into the smaller ports. I don’t remember the entertainment or activities, we were there to see Alaska. Just like your Mexican cruise it was about the destination.
I love the idea of this size which only seems small against the huge ones...the older you get the smaller are easier to navigate as well with mistakes if you just want to go aeound ship without uber planning..
Going on Radiance of the Seas in mid 2025. I'm glad your opinion of it is positive. (funny thing, my cruise is a 7 night with the same two ports plus Roatan and Belize LOL)
We look for destinations we are interested in now. If it is on a nice ship, bonus. 😎
different cruise line and in europe but we found a 449 p/p pound cruise on december 15th to the 22nd on MSC Euribia which surprised me as it was a new ship, in southampton and with so many features and things to do. so it really depends when you're going as well as the ship
We love the Radiance class though we have mostly sailed Brilliance of the Seas. We prefer the Schooner Bar and Vintages since they look out over water rather than nothing or walkways. We also prefer port heavy cruises when the ship is less of the destination.
I've been on Brilliance and Jewel. Both were Atlantic sailings for their first time coming to America. Went with my dad. I'd cruised before, he never had. We went for the experience of cruising and relaxing, as it was 5 days straight across the Atlantic. PERFECT. Loved it. Still my favorite memories of cruising. (I've been on, I think, 11 or 12 now.) Will never get on those giant ships. No need to.
Radiance class is my favorite class, it distributes people well. I remember when these were their largest ships. It’s hard to think of these as the smallest ships.
We have only been on one cruise and it was on the Radiance and we loved it! Granted we did not have our kids with us and have planned another cruise with the kids on Mariner. I would go on Radiance again for sure. We took a 9 day cruise and still didn't do everything offered on Radiance.
Just booked my first cruise on Enchantment of the Seas. Very old ship. Still costing a good deal of $. Booked it for the ports to Mexico. Hopefully the entertainment isnt too bad. I really wanted a ship with the aqua acrobat entertainment, but i want to see Mexico more.
So far, been on Jewel, Liberty, and Navigator. Jewel and all Radiance class ships, although much smaller, by far my favorite. Main reason is as you point out all the sea views, glass, classic atrium, and the entire back of the ship is used for outside deck seating to enjoy views (which is right outside of the Windjammer). Would rather that any day than a silly Flow Rider you'll use maybe one time if ever or a water show only performers enjoy on an Oasis class ship that takes away all the aft views.
We sailed explorer from Ravenna to Greece. And it was perfect! The entertainment was horrible. But all our rc entertainment on our last 4 cruises was terrible. Other than that it was amazing and the perfect size
I will be on Radiance next September for a Pacific Coast cruise & the reason why I chose it is because it checks off three places I've always wanted to go so the destination was way more important than the ship. Don't get me wrong I still at some point want to try the newer ships from different cruise lines but since Covid I hadn't really traveled and I guess I'm at the age where I don't want any regrets that I didn't at least get to go to places that I thought were interesting. I also booked a Panama Canal cruise on Carnival in 2025 for the same reason, it's just something I've always wanted to do so the fact that it doesn't have all the newer amenities doesn't bother me like it may have in the past.
Wife and I are going back on Mariner (don’t know if that classifies as “smaller” or not, but it was the perfect size for us with the amenities). Have been on Symphony and Oasis as well and while the size is nice as well as the added benefits, the people were somewhat of a turnoff (c’mon, none of us like 5K people on a ship)!
Now that icon of the seas is coming, the smaller ships are key for those adults or people in general that aren’t really meant for kids
I wish we could get a new small ship
The internet on Voyager was terrible! I wonder why that is if it’s similar in age to Radiance. Funny that you really wanted Mexico because that seems to be the only itinerary we can get out of Galveston. 😂 I hope RC keeps these smaller ships going strong. Not everyone wants to sail with 6000 other people every time.
We did serenade to Alaska and even though the ship was awesome I feel like for an itinerary like that where you have a lot of sea days I would’ve went on a bigger ship like the quantum class but if I had to say I have the cruises I’ve been on I would say a allure my top freedom, then serenade
I've been on small ships from other cruise lines and I've come to realize that I'm a BIG SHIP person.
Hubby and I live in Tampa Bay and are sailing on Radiance in January. First time ever on RC. We almost always choose Carnival, but the food is always the same, and we wanted to compare cruise lines, as so many people have told us RC is better. At any rate, I appreciate the info re: Radiance.
If you're a foodie book "Taste of Royal" only 1 offered per cruise on a sea day. Lunchtime. Order bottle 244 and enjoy.
Ive been on adventure, allure, independence and liberty and im booked on anthem for a norway trip. I liked adventure, and i liked independence the most..allure was my first cruise last year since 2009 and i didnt really know what to expect. So...if the opportunity comes about i would book another cruise on a oasis class ship because now i know what to expect. Cant say i have a favorite though, but i did like independence
Please Royal Caribbean Think About New Smaller Cruise Ships! I Love Brilliance of the Seas And That Size Ships! Everyone Does Not Like The Big Ships So Please Consider That. Yes Tampa Is A Great Port Also!
I would love to sail on a smaller ship. But I'm in TX and my closest port is Galveston. So I'm stuck with the mega ships. I don't do the flow rider or the water slides or zip line. Just not into that. But I'm loyal to Royal. Diamond class... yippee