Trying to decide which family accomodations on the Brilliance

[Bostonpies]

Hi Everyone,

 

We are cruising to the Med with my 2 boys who will be 13 and 16. It is a 12 day trip. We have been on one other RC cruise, when my boys were 8 and 11 years old. This cruise is special to us for a number of reasons.

 

My choices for rooms are either 2 connecting oceanviews on deck 4 under the Deck 5 promenade, between 2 quad oceanviews, and right off the lobby bar... or 1 quad balcony (204 sq. ft. with 41 sq. ft. balcony) on Deck 9 which looks like a quiet deck... nothing above and below. The quad balcony is slightly higher in price, but not enough to make a difference.

 

I really want a balcony to see the Med, BUT have a hard time sharing a room with my teens. They are not bathroom hogs, but their TV habits drive me insane. They will both be in the kids clubs most of the time when we are not in port, but I imagine will turn on the TV first thing in the morning, and last thing at night. Apparently, the ship has NO more balconies across from an inside which is what I was originally looking for. I am planning 9 months ahead, and in a down economy, and so much of the good rooms on this ship are already booked. Go figure!

 

Would love to hear your opinions out there. Thanks!

[Sue L]

Hi Everyone,

 

We are cruising to the Med with my 2 boys who will be 13 and 16. It is a 12 day trip. We have been on one other RC cruise, when my boys were 8 and 11 years old. This cruise is special to us for a number of reasons.

 

My choices for rooms are either 2 connecting oceanviews on deck 4 under the Deck 5 promenade, between 2 quad oceanviews, and right off the lobby bar... or 1 quad balcony (204 sq. ft. with 41 sq. ft. balcony) on Deck 9 which looks like a quiet deck... nothing above and below. The quad balcony is slightly higher in price, but not enough to make a difference.

 

I really want a balcony to see the Med, BUT have a hard time sharing a room with my teens. They are not bathroom hogs, but their TV habits drive me insane. They will both be in the kids clubs most of the time when we are not in port, but I imagine will turn on the TV first thing in the morning, and last thing at night. Apparently, the ship has NO more balconies across from an inside which is what I was originally looking for. I am planning 9 months ahead, and in a down economy, and so much of the good rooms on this ship are already booked. Go figure!

 

Would love to hear your opinions out there. Thanks!

 

 

book the available oceanviews and then keep on checking for price drops and the balcony inside combo.

[Marie51]

You say you have a hard time sharing a room with your kids and their TV habits drive you insane. That being said it is a no-brainer.....get 2 cabins.

[cb at sea]

The cabins right off the lobby bar aren't as close to the public area as it may appear on the deck plans...you won't have a noise issue.

 

Is there anyway to do a balcony for you, and an inside across the hall for the boys? You know how narrow the hallways are, so they'll be closer than they probably are at home, in their bedrooms! That could be a cost-effective solution!

[vickiw0318]

Have you called Royal Caribbean? If you are looking at their website, it does not show all of the available cabins.

[marci22]

There have been times when the category I wanted did not show up, but a representative has found me that category, so do call. Otherwise, I would take the two OV. On a 12 night trip, the extra space is worth more than the balcony; it is just easier to stay organized. For the more scenic parts of our cruise, we always went out on the public decks anyway, for a better view.

[Bostonpies]

Both my travel agent and I have tried calling RC and asking for my first choice: balcony across from an inside. There is absolutely nothing like that available right now. I guess I can book the 2 oceanviews and wait it out for the balcony/inside combo. Not sure how likely it is that I would get what I want.

 

Do the cabins tend to have sound-proof walls as having a quad on either side of our 2 oceanviews worries me a little.

[MAZANDSTEVE]

You should definately get a balcony, there are some wonderful sights, we spent most our evenings on it, I wouldnt cruise the Med without one.

[RosieRoo]

I did the Brilliance last May with my two daughters (18 and 21). When I first booked, I had a balcony and a room down the hall for the kids. During the year before the cruise, the price went down 3 times and I was able to move my kids to an adjoining balcony and still get a refund of $800. In the end we were upgraded to the RFS which was wonderful but doesn't happen very often. The first time it has happened to us in over 20 cruises. Anyhow the RFS was great but the point is we spent so little time in the cabin it probably wouldn't have mattered if we had insides. The itinerary was so port intensive that we were off the ship every day from 7am til 6pm. We pretty much just crashed in our rooms at night. I would definitely take 2 separate rooms just for the 2 baths alone, but don't worry about where you are located. There could be many changes between now and then.

[elaine5]

I did a 12 night Med last year. 1st we had an outside, then b/c of room problem, we got moved to a balcony. You really don't need it for a Med cruise--here's why: Many times, you are sailing at dark and/or in the shipping channels, so you can't see much. When you are in port, you could be looking at another ship, or port/freight stuff. Plus, with 2 teens, I doubt you are likely to lounge in your room while you are in port. In the AM, if I wasn't rushing off the ship, I preferred to go and eat breakfast with a nice view. Thus, I would get the 2 outside cabins. Plus, if your ship allows smoking on balconies (and many do), you could get smoked out and not even want to be on your balcony. Elaine

[MAZANDSTEVE]

I did a 12 night Med last year. 1st we had an outside, then b/c of room problem, we got moved to a balcony. You really don't need it for a Med cruise--here's why: Many times, you are sailing at dark and/or in the shipping channels, so you can't see much. When you are in port, you could be looking at another ship, or port/freight stuff. Plus, with 2 teens, I doubt you are likely to lounge in your room while you are in port. In the AM, if I wasn't rushing off the ship, I preferred to go and eat breakfast with a nice view. Thus, I would get the 2 outside cabins. Plus, if your ship allows smoking on balconies (and many do), you could get smoked out and not even want to be on your balcony. Elaine

 

 

Total the opposite to how we feel, we loved sitting there in the warm air watching Sicilly go by and other places and the Volcano at night, dolphins during sea days. We were awake quite early and loved sitting in bed watching pull into the beautiful Islands like Mykonos and Santorini without having to rush to the decks, we ate breakfast most morning on it too. I suppose its what your priority is in cruising, we didnt do the entertainment hardly in the evening so it was wonderful to sit and chill with a bottle of wine.

[Happy ks]

I completely disagree about not having a balcony on a Med cruise. We had 3 balcony cabins in a row and were on them every morning, every evening. On sea days, that's where we would spend hours reading and enjoying the ocean.

 

If it were me, I'd book the two outsides and hope for your balcony/inside to open up. Changes are made frequently, so keep checking for yourself.

[boulders]

I had looked at the Brilliance for our cruise next summer too. I ended up booking on Celebrity's Equinox. The fares were significantly lower on Celebrity, the itinerary is similar, but shorter by 2 days. Have a look at Equinox, you may be able to afford 2 balconies. :D

[Bostonpies]

Well it turns out that my agent found an inside and a balcony albeit 4 rooms apart, and the balcony is a connecting, so thinner walls. Not ideal, but much closer. Based on what I am reading here, I will take it and hope for something even better to come up. Sounds like the odds are in my favor.

 

Thanks so much for the help! I love to get different perspectives.

[MAZANDSTEVE]

Well it turns out that my agent found an inside and a balcony albeit 4 rooms apart, and the balcony is a connecting, so thinner walls. Not ideal, but much closer. Based on what I am reading here, I will take it and hope for something even better to come up. Sounds like the odds are in my favor.

 

Thanks so much for the help! I love to get different perspectives.

 

 

The walls are thin anyway so dont worry, we heard alsorts of goings on.:o

[Bostonpies]

That is so interesting, Boulders. I looked at the Equinox, and I think (if memory serves) I found it to be slightly higher in cost overall than the Brilliance. It looks like a really cool ship and I loved that it was 2 days in Instanbul! Do you have kids? Did you think it had good features for kids? I think part of my issue was that flying into Rome from Boston was a good deal more $$ than flying into Barcelona. Did you find that to be true for you? Also, the Brilliance is stacked with features that my kids like...

[Bostonpies]

Oh, no MazandSteve, I didn't want my kids receiving THAT kind of education at sea!

[MAZANDSTEVE]

Oh, no MazandSteve, I didn't want my kids receiving THAT kind of education at sea!

 

 

 

LOL, ear plugs!!!!;)

[FunCruiser56]

On the cruises we took our 2 boys along, similar ages to yours, we booked a balcony and an inside cabin for the boys. 12 days is way too long to spend all 4 of you in one cabin. The two cabins don't have to be directly across from each other, they could be a few down one way or the other, Book the two OV's and keep watching, let your agent know you want to change if the balcony/inside becomes available anywhere on the ship.

 

The Brilliance is a beautiful ship, you will enjoy her alot.

 

Bev

[SDPadreFan]

Oh, no MazandSteve, I didn't want my kids receiving THAT kind of education at sea!

 

2 boys at 13 and 16, sorry to say but they will already have figured most of it out. ;)

[akcruz]

2 boys at 13 and 16, sorry to say but they will already have figured most of it out. ;)

 

 

Most of it??? I think my 14 year old probably knows as much if not more than I do :eek:.

 

To the OP, glad to hear it is working out. We've done the balcony and inside a few times now and works really well for us. Enjoy the cruise!

[Bostonpies]

Final decision has been made. On the advice of my agent, I am booking the 2 oceanviews and waiting to hear of any balcony/near inside openings. Apparently inside rooms are scarce due to the need of cruisers to travel more economically. She talked me out of the balcony/inside that was available due to the connecting door... she said that it would increase the chances of hearing the neighbors TV set, or worse. I am in a tickle file, and am optimistic that my configuration will appear over the next 9 months.

 

Being a photographer, I want a balcony! I don't want to always have to run to the deck to get my snaps.

 

And yes, of course, my kids already know. But still, knowing and hearing are two different things!!!

[LeesSummitCruiser1]

Hi Everyone,

 

We are cruising to the Med with my 2 boys who will be 13 and 16. It is a 12 day trip. We have been on one other RC cruise, when my boys were 8 and 11 years old. This cruise is special to us for a number of reasons.

 

My choices for rooms are either 2 connecting oceanviews on deck 4 under the Deck 5 promenade, between 2 quad oceanviews, and right off the lobby bar... or 1 quad balcony (204 sq. ft. with 41 sq. ft. balcony) on Deck 9 which looks like a quiet deck... nothing above and below. The quad balcony is slightly higher in price, but not enough to make a difference.

 

I really want a balcony to see the Med, BUT have a hard time sharing a room with my teens. They are not bathroom hogs, but their TV habits drive me insane. They will both be in the kids clubs most of the time when we are not in port, but I imagine will turn on the TV first thing in the morning, and last thing at night. Apparently, the ship has NO more balconies across from an inside which is what I was originally looking for. I am planning 9 months ahead, and in a down economy, and so much of the good rooms on this ship are already booked. Go figure!

 

Would love to hear your opinions out there. Thanks!

 

 

My wife and I always get a balcony and put our kids on an inside. We try to get them as close as possible but our last cruise on the mariner we put our 18 year old daughter and 15 year old son in an inside that was one floor up and in the front of the ship while we were in a rear balcony.

[Bostonpies]

Leesummitcruiser, how did that go being so far apart from your teens? They must be quite independent kids. I'm afraid that both my kids (and me) would need to be closer in proximity.

[boulders]

That is so interesting, Boulders. I looked at the Equinox, and I think (if memory serves) I found it to be slightly higher in cost overall than the Brilliance. It looks like a really cool ship and I loved that it was 2 days in Instanbul! Do you have kids? Did you think it had good features for kids? I think part of my issue was that flying into Rome from Boston was a good deal more $$ than flying into Barcelona. Did you find that to be true for you? Also, the Brilliance is stacked with features that my kids like...

 

The Equinox doesn't go to Istanbul. The cruise we are going on travels from Rome and ends in Venice. I am especially interested in having a longer stay in Rome and so the Equinox' itinerary was more appealing than the Brilliance to me. Flight costs were about the same from Toronto.

 

I do have 3 kids, aged 4, 11 and 14. While they liked their cruises on the Radiance and other RCCL ships, we all were interested in something a little different. The kids have never used the rock climbing wall. Other features, like kids camp, pool, video arcade should be similar between the two ships. I like that the Equinox is a new ship. It has a glassblowing studio which we are very interested to see. Celebrity has a reputation for better food and service and we are looking forward to experiencing those.