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ROYAL CARIBBEAN INTERNATIONAL
Radiance, Serenade and Vision of the Seas
Royal Caribbean has come a long way since it was formed in 1969. The ships of the fleet are noted for their use of glass which gives passengers a wonderful connection to the sea from most places on board. This is the line which owns some of the largest ships afloat, the 138,000-ton Voyager Class ships, but they stay in the Caribbean as they are too long to transit the Panama Canal. Many of the entertainment options of those huge vessels are found on board the Radiance-class ships, Radiance and Serenade of the Seas which sail to Alaska from Vancouver in 2005.
RCI is an excellent line for families as their children's and teen programs are well run and the facilities are second to none. A large area of the ship is set aside for the junior cruisers' entertainment centres. Children's menues and soft drink program add to the pleasure of family cruising.
Royal Celebrity Tours offers land tours from Seward in conjunction with Vision of the Seas cruises and those of Summit, operated by sister company Celebrity Cruises.
RADIANCE AND SERENADE OF THE SEAS
Radiance featured the first climbing wall on an Alaskan cruise ship.
Voyage Report and Photos of Serenade
More photos of RadianceSerenade of the Seas, which entered service in August, 2003, joins sister ship Radiance for Inside Passage cruises round-trip from Vancouver in 2005. Radiance entered service in 2001. Radiance departs on Saturdays while Serenade sails on Sundays from May through September. The 90,090-grt, 2,100 passenger ships have a wide variety of entertainment options. The newest class of ship for RCI, they feature a climbing wall and are the first modern cruise ships to have self adjusting billiards tables. RCI President, Jack Williams said of Radiance “With her sleek, mega-yacht exterior, an abundance of windows, and all-glass elevators facing the sea, Radiance of the Seas gives a remarkable sense of openness, connecting guests to the ocean.”
I have had the pleasure of touring Radiance of the Seas and attending my nephew's wedding onboard. I found many beautiful spots on board, notably the African themed solarium and spa. Alternative dining is available in the Windjammer Café and two specialty restaurants - Portofino and Chops Grille.
Sailing aboard Serenade last September, my favourite feature was the helicopter pad on the bow, an excellent spot for glacier viewing and capturing some very unusual photos of the ship.
I also enjoy the location of the dining room on these ships - deck 4 between midships and aft. I find it a good spot for pleasant dining even when the seas are high in the Gulf of Alaska, as they were on our late season sailing.
Radiance and Serenade of the Seas are powered by an azipod propulsion system and smokeless, vibration-free GE gas turbine engines which represent some of the industry's newest technology for protecting the environment. It certainly is a smooth ride on these vessels.
VISION OF THE SEAS
Photos and Review of a Vision Inside Passage cruiseOne of my favourites, Vision of the Seas is the final ship of RCI's six Project Vision ships. Vision debuted in April, 1998. She is 78,491-grt and 915 ft. long carrying 2,100 passengers.
The Project Vision ships for are known as the "ships of light" as there is so much glass including walls of glass on board, allowing passengers to be in touch with the sea. It is an excellent design for those with any claustrophobia concerns. I find Vision to be one of the best designed ships sailing to Alaska. The magnificent solarium has a retractable dome ceiling allowing indoor or outdoor swimming, according to conditions.
The beautiful Centrum (atrium) with glass elevators is an RCI trademark which the company introduced to the industry with the first mega ship, Sovereign of the Seas back in 1988.
Vision sails Inside Passage cruises from Seattle.
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©Susan Milne, 2006
