radiance vs summit to alaska

[mortypro]

ok so we have norrowed it down to radiance of the sea or summit

southbound next summer.

we have been on explorer loved it and mercury and zenith with celebrity loved them

the iteniaries are identical

has anyone go on the radiance is it similar to the explorer

[wcal]

Just returned a month ago from the Summit southbound Alaska cruise. I have also cruised on the Radaince, but in the Caribbean. Both ships are very nice but the Radiance is the more beautiful of the two. I am sure the itineraries are similar so I would go with the one with the best price.

[rjg41]

The basic differances between the two lines are the same on these ships. RC activities are a little more in your face and vs Celebrity whose activities staff is more low key. You'll never hear, "Bingo starts in 5 minutes" or other such announcements on the PA of a Celebrity ship.

 

If you like contential cuisine you will consider the food on Celebrity to be much better. Also, the speciality restaurant is also better provided you prefer contential cuisine.

 

I enjoyed a very negative review I read a few years back about Celebrity. The people had only sailed on Royal Caribbean before so this was their first cruise on Celebrity. They said they would never sail again with Celebrity. Here are a few of the better quotes. Remember these are is not my words.

 

“First, it is important that you know that I am not a gourmet when it comes to food. My taste buds have become very used to "Junk Food" and basic meals over the years. In some cases, this makes it difficult for me to enjoy the finer foods and dishes.”

 

“(ref: Waterfall Restaurant)…..the worst part was the staff members standing around waiting for you to clear the line so the could help you to a table.”

 

“I have spent most of my life doing for myself and only asking for help when I truly needed it. Being waited on constantly makes me feel that I am no longer capable of taking care of myself.”

 

Decide for yourself which best fits your likes and dislikes.

 

Our decision is for just the two of us, Celebrity. If with family, Royal Caribbean.

[emilygrace]

The OP asked if the Radiance was similar to the Explorer.....no, not quite. It is smaller, but in my opinion more beautiful. An ideal ship for Alaska because of all the glass throughout the ship. There is no Royal Promenade, but an atrium that will knock your socks off, soaring from deck 4 all the way up to deck 12. There is no ice skating, but there is a rock wall and miniature golf and a sports court. The solarium is just gorgeous and the overall decor is classy.

[Ericknow32]

The Summit. I have to disagree with the person that said that the Radiance of the Seas is more beautiful. Ah, I would choose the Summit.

[hermang]

You can't compare the experience for several reasons.

 

First of all - we have not sailed on the Radiance but on two of her sisters. Serenade and Brilliance and we loved them both. Just came off the Summit southbound from Seward to Alaska.

 

When you do the Radiance - you are doing the inside passage and doing Juneau, Skagway and Ketchikan ONLY - and if you look at the amount of time in port you don't have a heck of a lot of time in each port.

 

When you are on the Summit it is a ONE WAY voyage so you get an extra port

Icy Strait Point - Great for whale watching AND your port times are much longer. Juneau was 14 hrs, Skagway was 12 hrs and Ketchikan was 10 hours.

Considering in August when we went the sun set after 9pm this was a good thing.

 

I don't know what the entertainment on RCCL is in Alaska - on the Summit it was adequate.

 

Food was definitely 3 notches up on the Summit even the Waterfall Cafe was

better than the Windjammer and the Normandie was ( I hate to admit) better than Chops or Portofino.

 

Service was very good as well. A few more nickle/dime items like a charge for "fresh orange juice" in the Waterfall cafe but Home made Ice cream was Free as was Sushi and much better hotdogs and hamburgers.

[Mildred]

We have the Radiance booked for June 2006 on a North Bound sailing. We did the Serenade round-trip from Vancouver this past June and we wanted to have a different itinerary this time that still included the Hubbard Glacier (my favorite part). The Serenade this past May did not do Sitka, Icy Strait Point or Seward.

 

The North bound Radiance includes Sitka, Icy Strait Point and Seward

The South bound Radiance does not include Sitka

[German Wunderkind]

I have sailed both and I have to say I love Radiance of the Seas.

 

But

 

If you have bad weather (like we had in 2002) there is one thing to be considered:

Radiance and her sisters have a solarium with only one whirlpool.

Because the kids have no separate pool the solarium will be opened for them for a couple of hours also.

So it is very packed in this area.

 

Summit and her sisters have the bigger Thalasso-pool and two whirlpools under a glass roof.

I haven't sailed them in Alaska but would think that kids would be also allowed there for a couple of hours each day.

 

One other nice thing about Summit:

You can sit in the enclosed observation lounge (now the Cirque de Soleil Bar at the edge of the earth) and watch Glacier and wildlife from there.

The views from Viking Crown Lounge on Radiance are not so spectacular.

 

Hope this helps

G.W.