Radiance of the Seas Review
Rating by category
Additional details
The check-in went like clockwork in regards to Royal Caribbean. The security checks were a joke. No coordination, no regards to anyone. We were treated like slabs of meat on a conveyor belt.
This was our second cruise on this ship. We did not notice so much on the first cruise but this time we noticed it was buy, buy, buy every day. Buy this, buy that, get this, get that, non stop. For us it just got tiring and annoying. There are very few places on the ship where it is relatively quiet. I'm not talking about the normal ship sounds but the people and the constant music. Didn't mind the music just the high volume. Way too loud for some of the venues. The cabin attendant was excellent, no faults there.
DO NOT GET YOUR PERSONAL LAUNDRY DONE ON THE SHIP. It is extremely expensive, way more than it should be, $1.95 for 1 sock, not a pair but 1 sock. It would be best to pay the tips to each individual that you feel deserves it. A blanket gratuity, I feel is unfair. A tip should only be given for outstanding service, anything less, no tip. For the most part the crew were excellent, polite, courteous and usually with a smile on their faces. The ship also looked tired and worn, a good ship in need of some TLC.
Cabin Review
Large Ocean View Stateroom
The cabin was, for our purposes, a good size, but would be a little cramped if there were four people in it. We found it better to split the queen bed into two singles, this made the cabin feel more spacious. Furnishings were a little tired. Carpet a little worn and felt like it needed a clean. Bathroom was functional and everything worked. Two pillows on the bed are fine if you have no neck problems, but are not comfortable for everyone.
Port Reviews
Auckland
We walked around the area of the city near the port. We took ourselves to the Sky Tower, which was fantastic as it was a very clear day and you could see for miles. Unfortunately not good for people with fear of height problems. We also went to the Maritime Museum. This was interesting, but it would have been better if the air-conditioning was working.
Picton
Interesting little town, with very friendly natives. Quite a large amount of tourist/souvenir shops. Well organised transport to and from the ship. A good town to jump off into the northern parts of the South Island.
Wellington
Very well organised transport to and from the ship by the local authority. We took ourselves to the cable car. We went up only and walked down through the Botanic Gardens, which was very enjoyable, but not great for the knees. We then took a public train to an outlying area of Wellington which was very enjoyable. High recommend taking a train out of Wellington.
Akaroa
Lovely small town, but with all the people from the cruise ship going onshore, the town became very crowded. Highly recommend the short walk to the historic lighthouse.