It’s Cruise Ship Monday!
Today brings us Royal Caribbean International’s Radiance-class–Radiance of the Seas (2001), Brilliance of the Seas (2002), Serenade of the Seas (2003) and Jewel of the Seas (2004).
The Radiance-class is a smaller class of ship weighing in at 90,090 gross tons. The ships were built for cooler climate cruising as well for transiting the Panama Canal. They also offer the most diverse itineraries of Royal Caribbean’s fleet.
Radiance-class ships differ from other Royal Caribbean ships in that they have a Centrum instead of a Royal Promenade. The Centrum is a large multi-deck atrium that features live music, dance classes and other events. The open space has shops, bars and lounges and can transform throughout the day to fit the time and atmosphere.
The Radiance-class ships were built with more than three acres of glass. This makes the ocean viewable from nearly anywhere on board–including the elevators–and is a favorite feature among guests.
The main pool deck of the Radiance-class ships has one pool, two jacuzzis and a pool bar. The Sky Bar is located above the main pool area and offers amazing views of the ocean. The adults-only Solarium features a pool and a jacuzzi as well as a retractable glass roof so the area is available in all climates.
The vessels have Adventure Beach–the pool area for kids–with a small waterslide, pool and splash area. The ships feature a rock climbing wall, a miniature golf course, an arcade and a sports court.
Radiance-class ships are the only Royal Caribbean ships to have a movie theater. Guests can watch complimentary movies at the cinema throughout the day. However, the main entertainment on Radiance-class ships is the theater. Radiance of the Seas features Piano Man and City of Dreams; Brilliance of the Seas features Tango Buenos Aires, Center Stage, and Now and Forever; Serenade of the Seas features Stage to Screen and Vibeology; and Jewel of the Seas features Tango Buenos Aires, West End to Broadway, and City of Dreams. Each ship also features live music, comedians, games shows and more.
Each Radiance-class ship features Windjammer Marketplace, Chops Grille, Giovanni’s Table, Izumi, Schooner Bar, Solarium Bar, Sky Bar, and more. Of course, guests can always enjoy the Main Dining Room and room service.
Each ship also has a series of lounge and pool table areas in the aft of deck 6. They each have a different name, but have the same features–bars, a dance floor, live music, plenty of seating, and the first self-leveling pool tables at sea.
Currently, Radiance of the Seas and Serenade of the Seas are offering itineraries throughout sailing in Alaska, Brilliance of the Seas is homeporting in Greece, and Jewel of the Seas is offering various Perfect Day cruises.