I chose this boat for the itinerary to the British isles. Firstly there is worker that is in charge of entertainment. he was part of the entertainment at night. He was very rude condescending attitude and looked down on you when u asked for help. I don’t understand why would royal hire a terrible person like him. The entertainment was very boring and it was quite a boring ship The food was bland same old thing every single night except they would change the name of the food. The service was somewhat ok the staff complained to me how terrible the head staff treated there staff. The excursions were a rip off take it from me do your research before u get on the ship and organise your tours ahead of time as the ship rip you off The cAbin stewards was lazy. No soap constantly asking for shampoo and extra towels and no bin in the room. The embarkent was so so slow and very disorganised I have done 18 cruises and I tell u Royal is one of the worst company I have travelled with. Read Less

I liked the ports of call. Transportation at some of the ports was a challenge. We were left in Inverness with no buses leaving for 2 hours. We would have missed the ship sailing if we had not found a cab driver (and they are sparse on Sunday)to take us the 30 minute drive to Invergorden where the ship was docked ($65.00)Upon our arrival at the cruise port of Invergorden we boarded a city bus, it broke down with no air conditioning and no refund. The bus driver ran off with our money and left us standing on the side of the road. No explanation, nothing. What a joke. Finally another city bus came along and let some of us get aboard and stand in the aisles. (Against the law) You would think the city of Invergorden would bend over backwards to accommodate such a boom to their economy as a huge cruise ship filled with vacationers. I blame Royal Caribbean for poor planning and leaving hundreds of people in such a bad situation in an city ill equipped to handle the flood of people trying to get to Inverness. The people at passenger services answer was "we should have taken a Royal Caribbean excursion." There was in no way enough space on the excursions to accommodate that many people. The food in the My Time dining was adequate but the menu somewhat boring. Some of our food was cold and ice cream melted when we got it. The wait staff offered to change it out but we would miss the entertainment schedule and inconvenience our fellow diners. The wait staff is amazing. What used to be included in the dining menu is now an extra fee. Such as lobster. The ridiculous prices charged for cokes etc. is a "hostage feeling". An all inclusive resort would include such items. #nickel&dimed Read Less

Took this ship on a cruise through the British Isles from Amsterdam, a great city to explore before starting a cruise. The ship is a bit old (2002) and had about 2,500 passengers, which we considered to be a good amount of people unlike some of the mega ships that are too big. It did show its age in spots, including the cabins which showed wear. That said, the cabin was clean and bed comfortable. The staff was very friendly throughout the ship. Our overall eating experiences were good, if not "gourmet". We didn't get any stomach distress or gain weight because of overly salted food, even with the cruise lasting 12 days. The main dining room had good food with a fair amount of variety, and the Windjammer buffets were OK with a minimum of overcrowding, although sometimes the food could have been hotter. It definitely helped that there were not a lot of children on board, like you get on Caribbean cruises. We ate at two specialty restaurants-Giovanni's and Chops. Both were good and something different to do, although I'm not sure they were worth about $35 extra pp. The showroom entertainment was first rate, and the orchestra was fantastic. The Solarium and pool areas were nice and generally uncrowded, but again, there were not a lot of children on the ship. All of the bars and lounges were enjoyable. I highly recommend getting the ultimate beverage package. Drinks up to $12 in value are included, including espresso-based drinks and bottled water. It's just so much easier than signing for everything and then having a bill that runs on for pages and pages. We did an excursion in each port to at least get a taste of life there. Some were worth the price and some really weren't, but you shouldn't really just sit on a ship. The ship really pushes the excursions, and isn't the best about giving alternative ways to explore each port, as can be expected. Tenders had to be used on two of the ports on this itinerary, and we experienced delays on both. Overall, as people who want a clean environment and a feeling of getting our money's worth, this ship, while not "top of the line", was a good choice Read Less

We chose this cruise because we have enjoyed Royal Caribbean cruises in the past, especially the kids' program. Our kids are teenagers now and the teen program held less charm for them than in the past. In particular there wasn't a lot aimed at older teens (18 or 19) who may not have felt comfortable in a get-together that included 25+ year olds. Uniquely good aspects of this cruise were the entertainment shows. Most of these were unique and featured British performers, an appropriate and refreshing change from a previous European cruise in which we were treated to the American song "get your kicks on Route 66" from three different performers. I also enjoyed the enrichment lectures from Sondra Ettinger. She was knowledgeable and taught us something new about all the port cities. The cruise director Abe Hughes was a funny and friendly presence who made the cruise more enjoyable and fun. Our waitstaff and cabin stewards were friendly and efficient. And the Royal chocolate fudge cake was awesome! The ship has a lot of nice amenities such as the rock climbing wall, minigolf, a great gym and spa, a book nook etc. However, it seemed like the ship was one of the older ones in the fleet and there were little things amiss. The latch to our balcony door felt loose and the first time we tried to play minigolf there were no golf balls available (a staff member did find some by the next day). Trivia questions were repeated and some of the contests and games were poorly organized and chaotic. In contrast to previous cruises, there were no chocolates on our pillows, some of the towel animals were unrecognizable, and the food selection in the main dining room was somewhat limited and conventional. We didn't spend a lot of time in our cabin, but it was nice and pleasant while we were there. We usually find that local tours are as good as the ship-offered shore excursions, and are less expensive. We had wonderful local tours in Inverness (with busybus), Guernsey (with a private driver), and Holyhead (with Vicky's). We especially loved the Snowdonia National Park, and hiking the White Cliffs of Dover trail. In general, getting on and off the ship was seamless, but our daughter's hard-shell suitcase was damaged, getting a big crack in the corner, in its transfer off the ship when we disembarked. We often walk our own suitcases off for this reason, but decided to try the ship's disembarkation service this time. Oops :-( The strengths of this cruise were its itinerary and its entertainment. Read Less

Great time overall! Royal did a great job getting us to the ship from the airport, we walked out of baggage claim and they were right there. They don’t let you on the ship until after 11 and your staterooms will not be ready until 1. So there really is no need to rush to get to the ship. Room service is garbage. I ordered a burger and it tasted like they took the left over meat from the day before and ground it up..,and they don’t know what a peanut butter and jelly sandwich is. We got two rolls, a packet of jelly and butter. We had them try again and it wasn’t much better. If you have special diet restrictions or are a picky eater, eat in the dining room. They are better equipped for special requests. The cookies were always hit or miss and they need to put more pepperoni on the pizza. I thought there was plenty of variety. Make sure you get off the boat and plan ahead if you plan doing on your own. Almost all of the ports are 30-40 minutes away from the town/city you are going to. Don’t expect to walk off the ship and find stuff to do. That is especially true in Glasgow. We tried to go on our own but all they did was drop us in the middle of town and said see you in 4 hours. In Dublin they gave us a detailed map of places to visit. Make sure you take local currency, they do not accept dollars. Tour guides were awesome and very organized. With the exception of one of the shows, they were all great. The mime was awful. We love Royal Caribbean and have already booked our next one. Read Less

We chose this cruise because of the itinerary. We have been on many cruises in various parts of the world and we found the service on this particular ship to be outstanding. We made reservations for most nights in the main dining room for a table of two during “my time dining” ( if you are traveling as a couple and want to eat alone make sure to do this!) The service was fantastic and the food was much better than many other cruises we have taken. We ate two nights at the specialty restaurants and actually thought the food and service in the dining room was better! This has not been the case for us on other cruise lines in the past. The breakfasts and lunches in the Windjammer were average and like most other cruises. We ate breakfast one morning in the dining room and were placed at a table with 8 strangers which is not our preference so we went to the Windjammer the rest of the mornings. Our cabin attendant named Natalia was wonderful and took great care of us. We enjoyed wine and the view each evening at Vintage Bar and Tatiyana who worked there was fabulous! The entertainment was good during a few evenings including a Beatles show and Claire Maiden. A few of the other shows like the final evening and a Broadway song production could use improvement. The parties in the Centrum each evening were lots of fun and we wished they would’ve lasted more than 45 minutes. There was an 80s party that was particularly fun! The cruise director was ever present and quite funny! We felt the excursions were average. There were many on the ship who booked outside private excursions and they seemed very pleased with their decision. We found the transportation and tendering to be rather unorganized and very time consuming . We missed half of our time at St. Andrews due to a tendering mistake. The ship did offer to refund 30 percent of the excursion cost but it was disappointing to not have much time at St. Andrews. The organization for these excursions and dismissals need to be MUCH more efficient each day. Leaving and returning to the ship in guernsey was time consuming as well so plan accordingly. We did love our visit to Canterbury and our guide named Liz was great. Our BIGGEST blunder was purchasing an airport transfer from the ship. Take your OWN luggage and take a cab! We were told by the ship that our luggage would be waiting for us at the airport when we got off the bus they provided.....this was NOT the case. Our driver let us off at the wrong place VERY far from where we all finally found our luggage hours later! When we asked him where to go he turned and drove away! We called Royal Caribbean’s emergency line and were on hold for 15 minutes then were told to call back later! This was a horrible way to end a lovely cruise and many were upset. We eventually found our luggage but others were not as lucky. So many people work so hard on the ship to make it a perfect cruise so it’s a shame this stressful and unpleasant incident happened. We are appreciative of the hard working staff on the ship however and they truly deserve thanks. Read Less

The ship was very nice & clean. This class of ship is very easy to get around on. Our favorite area to sit was Park Café away from the crowds in the Windjammer. All the areas (Solarium, The Colony Club, Vintages were very nice places to sit and read etc. We didn't realize there was a game room near the main dining room. It was great area for playing cards and board games. There was a nice variety of evening shows. The fitness center was well equipped. However I don't think you should be charged for classes such as Spin, Yoga etc. We enjoyed all the activity in The Centrum. The theme nights are a lot of fun. The food in the main dining room was very good. Chops was excellent. The only request/recommendation would be to have more time in some of the ports. The Baltic Ports were absolutely stunning. We will definitely sail again on The Brilliance of the Seas. Read Less

Chose this cruise as had visited all the Med and Adriatic countries, wasn't disappointed! Embarkation in Amsterdam was the fastest and smoothest i have ever had. From arrival at terminal to getting on board approx 50 minutes. Ship is in good shape, overall very clean, although showing some signs of age here and there. Cabin 9524, (balcony) was clean and very quiet, would thoroughly recommend. Close to stairs/lifts, but no noise at all. Ate at windjammer the whole time, food good, but a bit repetitive after a while, still, no complaints. Evening entertainment at theatre was mostly ok, but cruise director a bit hard to listen to at times. Throughout the ship the staff were to be highly praised, all very attentive and dedicated. Ports: Amsterdam: Stayed there the night before cruise at Movenpick Hotel, right beside terminal.Expensive, but worth it for the convenience.Walked 10 miles round the town, very busy place! Skagen was desolate! Easy walk to town, but shops don;t open early.Very little there. No need for shuttle bus. Tallin: Again just walk to old town, 25 minutes, Lovely place St Petersburg: Took ships 1 1/2 day tour, very well informed guide Tatyana, Full marks for content and presentation. Busy city and somewhere to consider returning to, after the football fans leave, and the sights are fully accessible again. Helsinki: Took tour to three sights with free time on own, not overly impressed with driver, city just ok. Stockholm: Lovely place, took tour ending up in old town. very quiet there. Excellent guide Tobias. Copenhagen: Easy walk to everywhere. Little mermaid close to dock, Town and everything else all walkable, actually walked 8 miles around, very enjoyable. We were able to use euros for currency in most places, even Russia (street vendors take it, no problem) Although some small shops in Helsinki and Copenhagen only took their Kroner. Disembarkation in Amsterdam was amazingly quick. Left cabin with own luggage at 6.15 am, was straight off, into taxi, checked in and through security in airport by 7 am! Overall, this was a very enjoyable and stress free cruise. Apart from a bit of windy weather early on, the sun shone most of the time. Definitely one to book if you have an interest in northern Europe. Read Less

The food was a disappointment by cruise ship standards. Breads and deserts showed signs of pre-prepared ingredients, mixes, frozen. Main dining room and Windjammer cafeteria there was a fair selection but the quality was moderate. At times little was on offer, especially in mid-afternoon on port days exactly when you might want a late lunch or snack. No pop-up bbq or special food events. Complimentary beverages were poor, coffee, watery lemonade, watery orange juice from mix or part mix. Fruit selection limited, bananas green. Room service was an additional charge. No good bbq, pizza, tacos etc., option outside of the main venues. Staff are friendly and try hard. Chops grille the food was good for premium charge if you enjoy steakhouse fare. Izumi was a very disappointing effort if you have good Asian food available by comparison available at home. Bar service was better, but then they can’t substitute name brand liquor, wine, beer. Still, some pre-mixes used in cocktails. Ship is a little tired by design, lacks a wide wooden promenade deck which I missed, but there is another running track on deck 12, and the exercise room is good. Cabin was a little worn - chipped cabinets, worn sofa, older fittings in bathroom, but clean, bed was comfortable, linens always fresh. Read Less

Diamond Plus at the end of this cruise. So we've been on most of RC's ships. Went on this one for the itinerary not the ship. We knew what to expect on the ship so there were no surprises. The onboard service on the ship in the diamond lounge and mytime dining was excellent. The cabin, mini suite 1040 had many problems with plumbing, had to call for service twice for no cold water and scalding hot water. Burned my hands on the water in the sink and the shower. If you ran the water in the sink, the toilet started gurgling. Also a big problem which was our fault for not checking was our cabin was on deck 10 right under the pool deck 11 so the noise was pretty bad from items begin moved like deck chairs and people running, Won't make that mistake again. Not much to do at night on these ships. No big shows. The ones they did have were pretty bad. The best entertainment was usually found around the centrum in the evenings we kept busy mainly in the casino. But we knew what to expect on these ships. The big ones just can't make it into the ports we were going on so it always the older smaller ships for trips like this one. -Embarkation and debarkation were the smoothest I've experienced on any cruise. -The smaller amount of people allowed better interaction with the staff. The food in the main dining room was excellent, -The prices in the specialty restaurants keeps going up so we no longer go to any of them. -Excursions, overpriced as usual. but you needed to use them in places like Russia, Also ran into a problem with traffic on one port and were very late getting back. If we were on a private tour the ship would have left. so that's why we always do the ships tours. One major complaint ts their tours give you no free time. Can't shop. Except for when the tour stops at one of their stores which are usually overpriced and run by the tour company. On one excursion in Finland touring the city when the bus realized they that we weren't going to stop anywhere they made the bus driver stop and half the people got off and abandoned the tour to go shopping and took the shuttle service back to the ship. Overall amazing trip, ship not so much. . Read Less