Voyager Class vs Radiance class

[LillyDilly]

Has anyone been on both classes of these ships and can you tell me which one you preferred?:confused:

[Ann25]

Hi!

I have been on both classes and it depends what you like. The radiance class is a smaller ship (about 2501 on the Brilliance for example) Its only 90 tons. It was alittle more intimate and if you like to talk and meet people it was the perfect size.

I have also been on the Explorer which is a voyager class ship. It is very big (holds 3114) It is 138 tons. There is a shopping mall called the Royal Promenade, a skating rink and a rock climbing wall. I found you can't get to know as many people because there is so many.

The service is great on both and the food is good. Entertainment is good on both but that depends who is there when you go. The crew was excellent on both too. I think the crew to passenger ratio was better in the radiance class but it might have just ben the cruise.

If there is anything else you would like to know, let me know

Crusin 05

Ann25

[Host Karen]

We've sailed Brilliance twice (one more coming up) and Adventure once and we enjoyed different aspects of each class of ship. On Brilliance, we enjoyed the layout, lounges, service, self-leveling pool tables, and food. On Adventure, we enjoyed the Royal Promenade (the area with shops, a cafe, and bars in the center of the ship), the ice skating show, Johnny Rockets (back when it was free!), the tiered area around the pool, and the fact that it never felt crowded (except at the elevators) even with 3000+ passengers onboard. On the downside, we thought the service and food on Adventure were not quite at the level of Brilliance and attributed it to the fact that the crew and staff were dealing with hundreds more passengers. We also missed Chops, which was not available on Adventure.

 

Given a choice, we would chose a Radiance class ship over a Voyager class. The amount of glass used in the design and the center atrium lend a classy look to the Radiance class ships and made us feel closer to the sea. However, if the itinerary and price were right, we would sail the larger ships again -- and would even try the ultra-Voyager class (the upcoming Freedom of the Seas).

 

If possible, I would try both because they afford different cruising experiences. Good luck with your decision. It's certainly a tough one.

[LillyDilly]

Thanks for your information. I am thinking about booking on the Mariner 2/20/05 or the Summit 2/18. I have sailed Celebrity several times and it's always great. I am celebrating my 50th and thought I should try something new. I have never been on a mega cruise ship. I love glass and elegance so maybe a Radiance class ship would be better. I just don't know. I need to book today. I think I would have a wonderful time on any of these ships.

[Host Karen]

I'm sure you will enjoy a cruise on any of those ships. If it were me, I'd celebrate my birthday in style onboard Celebrity and try a different ship for a less significant sailing. JMHO

 

Karen

[LillyDilly]

I'm sure you will enjoy a cruise on any of those ships. If it were me, I'd celebrate my birthday in style onboard Celebrity and try a different ship for a less significant sailing. JMHO

 

Karen

 

Karen,

 

You sound like an experienced cruiser. What has been your favorite ship? Have you been on Princess or Holland? My husband is giving me this trip to go with my best friend from high school who just turned 50. I want a great week. Thanks for your opinions!

 

Lilly aka Laurie

[Firefighterhoop]

Hi,

 

I would chose the Voyager class in a heartbeat! I really like the extra room (Pools (3) and hot tubs(6) compared to the two pools and 3 hot tubs on Radiance)

 

I also really like the large promenade area, the expanded sports area and just the larger ship feel in genearal.

 

By no means is the radiance class a bad ship however, I have enjoyed the Brilliance and Radiance, and would gladly go on them again! THey have an awesome solarium area, the service in the food areas is better in my opinion, It is just noticably a lot smaller then the voyager class if you have been on both.

 

If you have any comparisons you want me to make, please ask and I will gladly reply!

 

Scott

[heatherb1958]

we have sailed with Princess ( 1 ), Celebrity ( 3 ) and Royal Caribbean ( 8 )

we have sailed on all classes with Rccl and have loved them all but our favourite one is the Radiance class. We have been on Brilliance, Jewel and of course the first one Radiance. We love everything about these ships just wish there were more hot tubs on them.( only one in the adult solarium! ) we have had a variety of cabins on them from inside to balcony and they have all been comfortable .We love the layout of the windjammer buffet with its individual food "islands" so you dont feel like you are cutting in if all you want is a bread roll or the butter. I haven't found any serious down side to this class of ship and if you really want to pamper yourself there is the thermal spa suite which you can pay $15 per day for ( the ship usually does a deal at the beginning of the cruise ) Here you will find steam,sauna and heated mosaic lounge beds with a great view of the ocean. They still have complimentary steam and sauna but without the extras. I'm sure you will have a great cruise whichever you choose. Personally for me I would never cruise Celebrity again unless it was free. being served those hard green peas more than once at dinner is enough for me !!!

[Gabbiegirl]

LillyDilly-

If you haven't sailed on the Summit or on that class with "X" than you should pick that ship, we've been on her twice and it's a great ship, quite elegant. If you have done that class already then maybe the new experience of the bigger(not necessarily better) Mariner might be the better choice, just to see what they can offer you. In case you didn't know it apparently the Radiance Class on RCCL is very similar to the Summit although a lot more glass from what I've read on these boards. No matter what the choice I'm sure you'll have fun!

[Cruise Miriam]

LillyDilly -- I haven't sailed X for a while (Horizon and Zenith) but I've been on three Voyager Class ships and one Radiance Class. While my favorite is still the Radiance of the Seas because of the glass, because of the detail because I just loved everything about the ship, my second favorite is the Mariner of the Seas (I've also been on Explorer and Adventure). They are such different ships. The Radiance Class is more elegant. What I liked about the Mariner was the art work, the Promenade, the disco.... they were different types of cruising experiences for me.

[Arizona Cruz Chic]

We have done both class ships...we've be on the Radiance and Brilliance...and I did the Navigator with my sister. I would favor the Voyager class a little more simply cause I like a little more room and would like to try another one of the Voyager class ships. With that being said, I would do another Radiance class too, it would depend on the itinerary and # of nights....(we got spoiled with doing 11 and 15 nights!) Again, with that being said....we are now looking at a quick getaway on the Vision of the Seas, 7 nt for my birthday in May....a smaller class than Radiance and Voyager, but nontheless a cruise.

Either class ship is great! :)

 

 

***

[LillyDilly]

Thanks for all the great opinions. I will probably book tomorrow. It's coming down to dates and itinerary. It helps to hear about other peoples experience. I have never been on a bad cruise yet (maybe my HAL repo). It's looking like I will book the Mariner.

 

Lilly

[gkm]

Lilly, my DH and I just got off of the Mariner. It was our first time on a Voyager class ship. We've sailed on the Radiance and the Constellation and prefer that size. Though the Mariner is a fabulous ship, to me it's too big. Unless you are near a window or on a balcony, you don't feel like you're on a ship. We usually make friends on board because you run into the same people throughout your cruise. On the Mariner, we never saw the same people twice. We'd sit by someone at a function and never see them again. The Promanade is wonderful, but prefer the "shops" on the Brilliance and the Constellation and all of the open areas and glass.

 

For upcoming cruises, we have one cruise booked on the Brilliance and two on the Summit.

 

Good luck with you decision.;)

 

Garry

[sailor moon]

I agree with GKM. We were on the Mariner and I never really felt I was "on a ship" because of its size. But, until you try it, you won't know what fits you! I am glad we tried it because know I know for certain that I prefer a smaller ship. I am doing my first Radiance class in June for Alaska and can't wait. :)

[bensjamin]

I've been on the Explorer, the Mariner, and in Janurary, the Jewel. Before the Jewel cruise I was afraid that we wouldn't like it since we were used to the Voyager Class. Although the ship is smaller, it is still enormous and didn't feel that much smaller to us than the Voyager class ships.

 

It is laid out incredibly well and never felt small. While we did miss the Royal Promenade and the pool deck did seem smaller, we had just as good of a time on the Jewel as we did on the Mariner and Explorer.

 

As for feeling more at sea, I think you only experience that when you're in the elevators, but I think that the Royal Prominade is just as impressive as the glass-walled atrium. When you're in the other rooms, I think there's just as much glass on the Voyager class than there is on the Radiance class.

 

They are all extremely impressive and beautiful ships, and make the first ship we were on, the M/S Westerdam, seem like an abandonded building.

[Blizzard54]

We have sailed on the Radiance 6 times and the Explorer once. In all we have sailed on 28 different ships. Of all of them the Radiance is our favorite. We felt the Explorer was a little too big for our taste. Not that we would not sail on another Voyager Class ship, we just would prefer the size and design of the Radiance.

[bpear1600]

We've never been on a Radiance class ship but we have been on the Mariner OTS twice and we echo all the comments about the beauty of the ship and the Promenade (mall) deck.

 

We had two different experiences, however, exactly a year apart with all cabins occupied both cruises. In 2004 the overwhelming majority of rooms had two passengers and the ship never seemed crowded. In 2005 with a lot of families on board the ship was around 106% capacity, if I remember correctly, and the difference was noticeable.

 

Next time we'll probably try Radiance class. You lose the "mall" and the ice show but that's no biggie.

 

BTW, we had a JS on the hump (9614) last cruise and it was all two people could ever ask for on a ship, very roomy and very nice.

Bob

[beachchick]

Love both classes. Our decision would come down to embarkation port, itinerary, and price. I would sail on either class again in a heartbeat.

 

You can't go wrong with either.

 

beachchick

[gailc]

We also love both classes. We've been on AOS 2 times & Brilliance 1 time. In March 2005 we go on the Radiance, & in Oct. 2005 we go on Explorer. Then we are thinking about going on Brilliance next March 2006 for the 11 day cruise. It is great to cruise on both classes for different reasons. On the Voyager class, we do miss the buffet not having food stations or outside seating.

 

Bob - We have a D1 cabin in the middle of the Bump on Deck 9 for our Explorer cruise. We had the same cabin last May on AOS. Great location & views!

 

Gail