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Tell me about Briliance of the Seas...

tlgb2005

By tlgb2005,
in Royal Caribbean International

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tlgb2005

tlgb2005

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So we have cruised approx 10x, albeit not in 10 or so years...so, with the leaps & bounds that have occurred with the size/amenities on the ships, it feel like a lifetime! We are doing a short cruise (5 days) simply because it works out better with the arrangements that we have for our children (10 year wedding anniversary, and they are staying HOME:)). I am not as concerned as the ports that we are stopping in (Cozumel/Key West) as we both have traveled the Caribbean pretty extensively. What I am concerned with, is that we will feel like we are old an old, small ship. Any thoughts/opinions? Just as some background, we previously have mostly sailed Carnival. The 1x that we sailed RCCL was on the Grandeur. Going on Carnival this time around was not an option for us, although we did entertain Celebrity. I would love any thoughts/suggestions.

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tlgb2005

tlgb2005

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In all honesty, the lack of the smoke in the casino was one of the things that caught my attention with Celebrity! I am all about the views & relaxing. We actually booked the balcony cabin that is next door to the owners suite (8670 I think?). Anyone opinions on having a balcony cabin on the back of the ship? We have always had one on the side. I LOVE to sit and read a book out there!

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Justmekaren918

Justmekaren918

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Brilliance is a awesome ship, great crew and has the ocean facing elevators. Makes you feel lije you are going to the ocean for dinner.

 

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And the back patio off WJ. Schooner bar and beyond is lovely.

 

The forward deck 7 balconies are big.

35e7e34785d943d054ae9ff214a74ed1.jpg

 

Will be back on Brilliance in 2016.

 

Enjoy!

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Big_G

Big_G

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We did the 12/11/14 sailing of Brilliance and the ship is beautiful. We ate lunch and breakfast outdoors at the Windjammer every day. The MTD staff was very accommodating and the food was better than expected. For the first time in a long time we ate in Chops one night and it was the best Chops experience we've had. The pub has a great crew of servers, the best being Gilbert. Ask him to show you some bar tricks. The guitar player in the Centrum was awesome. We only went to the comedy show and he was very good. Never had a problem finding a deck chair. Alas, the casino stunk of smoke worse than any casino we've been in. Other than the latter, it was a great cruise all around.

Edited by Big_G
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seacruise9

seacruise9

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Hi,

 

It is good to read positive comments concerning the Brilliance of the Seas. I will be boarding the ship next week (Jan. 8, 2015) for a short four-night cruise. This will be my first time on the Brilliance, but I have cruised aboard two of her sisters (Serenade and Jewel). I am looking foward to few days in warm weather and aboard a nice ship.

 

Chuck

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cb at sea

cb at sea

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Nothing to worry about..Brilliance is a good ship. You will have a good time. Your age, or kid status or whatever won't matter.

 

Brilliance is by no means a "small" ship!!! It's only a tad shorter than the Voyager class ships which were once the biggest ships at sea! No worries!

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Big_G

Big_G

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Looking forward to a late Feb cruise on Brillance with the family. Thoughts on the speciality dining options? Favorites, must do's?

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

Like I said earlier Chops was the best we've experienced and Giovanni's was just as good. Park Cafe wasn't great but it was good for a quick bite. We did not do Izumi. Rita's was a failure.

Edited by Big_G
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cruizers

cruizers

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First, Happy Anniversary and I hope you enjoy your cruise! My husband and I love the Radiance class ships. We have sailed on the Brilliance (more than once) and are planning another cruise on her in May. We not only enjoy the size of the ship but the views from everywhere are fantastic. Service has always been wonderful and there's always something to do OR just enjoy your balcony if you prefer. Most of all. . . . have a great time!

 

Caren

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theredwoodguy

theredwoodguy

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We were on Brilliance in October for our 20th Anniversary. We absolutely loved this ship. I had read reviews prior to our cruise and many said that Brilliance may be one of RCCL's most beautiful ships and I don't disagree. I consider Chops to be a must if only for the pretzel bread! I saw a review above that said Rita's was a failure but I have to say that we enjoyed it and ate there twice. You should feel VERY good about your choice of ship! Enjoy your Anniversary!

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30scruiser

30scruiser

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We just got back from our Brilliance cruise today and it was amazing. The ship looked much newer than I expected. Giovanni's Table was incredible. We'll worth the price. We did not go to Chops . I loved the Park Cafe as an alternative to the buffet.

2 tips:

2 for 1 Margaritas in Rita's cantina every evening. Yum.

Go to the MD for lunch on a sea day. They have amazing made to order chopped salads.

 

Have a great trip

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monctonguy

monctonguy

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I am looking forward to being able to eat outside in the windjammer!

 

Wondering how packed it gets out there normally or are there long waits to get a table out there.(obviously I would not try to eat out there for lunch the first day!)

 

I wanted to ask about the lounge for the disco at nite. I had read somwhere that the bar actually rotates while sitting there, but havent seen much about anything nightlife wise on the Brilliance cruises?!

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mom4mom

mom4mom

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We ate a couple of times on the open air aft outside the Windjammer and never had problems finding a seat.

 

For specialty dining, we waited until we boarded and scheduled Chops, Giovanis and the Chef's Table for a 20% discount. If you are only going to do one of these and you are a fan of wine, I would go with the Chef's Table. It is in an intimate dining area outside the Colony Club. The room only hold 14 people. They start you out with a glass of champagne while you wait to be seated. Then the sommelier explains how he paired wine with each course and serves really excellent wine. The chef comes out and tells you how each course is prepared as it is being served. It is kind of pricy at $70 each but we got a break because they had a cancellation and we know another couple who got it half price because of a late cancellation. Chops was also excellent but Giovanni's not so much.

 

Have a wonderful anniversary.

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JoeRum

JoeRum

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We were on Brilliance in Feb 2014. Going back again in Feb 2016. Loved the ship. Never ate at Rita's. We ate at Chops, Giovanni's and Chef's table. One recommendation if you do the Chef's table. Make sure they do not have Karaoke scheduled at the same time.

 

Our favorite Bartender was Andrea from Romania at the "R" bar.

 

We had an Aft cabin and loved it. When eating at the windjammer go outside and walk all the way aft for a great view outside.

 

The Quest and the Love and Marriage show are also a must!

 

Enjoy!

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