Voyager Class vs. Radiance Class Ships

[firsttimecruiser77]

Need help from you veterans again. DH and I are trying to make a decision for next year's cruise. The choice is an 8 night Eastern Car. on the Jewel or a 7 night Eastern on the Navigator. The Jewel includes Antigua on that extra night. Because I've never been on either class ship, we aren't sure what we're missing by selecting one over the other. So, can you help?

A little about us: I am 28 and he is 38. We like to socialize with more people our age but we aren't hard partiers. We are looking for a relatively active cruise experience.

Do we go with the smaller ship and get to see Antigua on an extra day or do we go with the larger ship and forego Antigua?

Thanks for any advice~

Fascination 5/02

[jimbulger]

antigua is ok not great i love voyager class ships

Jim Bulger
Monarch
explorer
majesty 2X
Voyager
sovereign
LOVE RCCL
SOS Quickie
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[trabucocruiser]

Firsttimer, we asked the same question a couple of weeks ago about the same cruise. We didn't get a response so we booked the Jewel for March. We sailed on the Voyager in April and had a blast, great ship and crew but decided to try the smaller, newer Jewel. P.S. My wife is ten year younger then me also. It avoids that mid-life crisis looking for a younger woman, simply married a younger woman.
Good luck on your choice.

[firsttimecruiser77]

Ha! I always joke with my hubby and ask if he's gonna trade me in for a younger woman. He always says if he went any younger they wouldn't be legal! Thanks for the input. I'm thinking Navigator over Jewel but I'm not sure. Guess I need to do more research on the ports themselves.

Fascination 5/02

[bUU]

That's what I was led to believe: That the decision between the two was best made between the two itineraries, since there were advantages to both classes of ship. The Voyager class ships are, of course, monstrously large, but also have more people. They have more features the Radiance class ships don't have, but are brighter, with more windows.

We ended up choosing a Radiance class ship (Serenade).

[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?srgb=00ff00&dd=cd&trgb=ffffff&prgb=ffd700&cdt=2005;1;29;22;00;00&timezone=GMT-0500&ft=5&frgb=ffd700[/img]
RCI - Serendade of the Seas (S. Carib.)

[Guest]

Book an excrusion with eli's eco tour on antigua with eli [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img] !!! One of our favorite excursions ever! Young guy with his own boat who grew up on Antigua. Holds 25. You won't be disappointed!

[cruisingrightalong]

Only one point....if you like to eat outside...then the Radiance class ships you can eat at the Windjammer outside watching the ship sail through the waters. Voyager class is all inside I believe. Depending on the season...we love to sit on the Windjammer and eat breakfast and lunch and even read and socialize with breezes "wafting" thru my hair...and my husband's hair standing on edge around ye ole bald spot!

Lou

Radiance of the Seas May 2, 2004
Brilliance of the Seas November 14, 2003
Imagination June 30, 2002

[rkaplan]

Hubby and I have done both class ships and we keep going back to the Voyager class ships. We really love to people watch and there are so many places to enjoy. We were on Radiance last Jan, she's a beautiful ship but we missed the "big" ship.

Hope this helps.

Sea Princess 2000
Grandeur of the Seas 2001
Infinity 2002
Exployer of the Seas 2003
Radiance of the Seas 2004
upcoming Adventure of Seas Jan. 2005

[superjerryw]

Go with the better itinerary. The Jewel, although smaller than the Navigator is not a small ship, it's a huge ship. The Jewel is a member of the Radiance class of vessels. Overall, the Radiance class ships apeear to be more luxurious than the Vaoyager class ships such as Navigator. You should have a great time on either ship.

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Donuts, is there anything they can't do....

[caviargal]

IMHO and IME, I found Voyager to be one of my least enjoyable. The food and service were marginal, there were lines everywhere and it was overrun with kids.

I much prefer the Radiance class of ships for the overall experience. I do not see the shows, or use many of the other amenities about Voyager class. I look for good food, attentive service, the overall beauty of the ship and the personality of the ship itself.

The only thing I found to be superior on Voyager class was the gym and spa facility which was terrific. Otherwise, it is too big, crowded and impersonal for my taste.

Just one opinion.
CG

RCI(38),NCL(12),Princess(1),HAL(2),Celebrity(3), Carnival(2), Eastern (13),Radisson(2), Star Clippers(1),Home Lines(2), Costa(5),Big Red Boat (6), Dolphin (1), Commodore (2), Others (11)

[Larryhnj]

Unless I did not like the itinerary I would take the cruise that is eight nights over seven nights. Just love that extra night. This October will be our first cruise with RCCL and it will be on the Radiance of the Seas. We hear those radiance class ships are beautiful even if they dont have the ice skating ring and the huge promenade shopping area.

L & D or D & L

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Repositioning cruise thru the canal on RCCL Radiance 10/24/04

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Southern Caribbean on Celebrity Constellation 4/9/05

[bUU]

I really like the idea of being able to watch the sea go by while eating at the Windjammer. Are there a lot of tables that have a good view?

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RCI - Serendade of the Seas (S. Carib.)

[Bonster]

I agree with [B]Caviargal[/B], been on both classes, just got back from the Explorer of the Seas and kept thinking how much we liked Radiance better! Could never catch an elevator on Explorer, always full. Could never find a table in Windjammer on Explorer and I too liked to eat outside of Windjammer on Radiance, Explorer was all closed in. I was not all that impressed with Explorer. Have a great time!

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Nordic Empress 1995
Radiance of the Seas 2001
Galaxy 2003
Explorer of the Seas 2004