RADIANCE - D1 AFT DECK 8 & 9

[jst4fun715]

All I meant by "seeing forward" was that on the balcony of 9256, because of the shape, you can see a bit more (earlier) of what is coming up on the starboard side. I'm particularly thinking of when we were leaving St Lucia and the Captain was taking us by the pitons, we have the view before our neighbors (who were in 9258). Not really a big deal because eventually everyone in the aft cabins will have the view. As far as it being "open", out neighbors above us could only see us if we were standing all the way at the railing. And as for having sun or shade, that entirely depends on which direction you are sailing, time of day, etc.

[Host Karen]

Perhaps my 40+ year old memory is not what it used to be, but I prefer the 9660 balcony to the 9256 balcony for the reasons I stated. I did not like the pie shape of the balcony, found it less spacious than the center aft balconies, and felt it was more exposed because the area by the sliding doors is not completely covered. As far as privacy is concerned, one side of the balcony on 9660 is opaque glass and the other is a solid metal wall, which provided a great deal of privacy unless someone purposely leaned around the barrier. While we were going through the canal from 9256, I tried to see somewhat forward portside to find out what type of ship was next to us, and I could see much less than I expected even when I leaned out over the railing. Maybe that's because I'm short, but that's my experience. In addition, because the back of the ship curves out, the view from 9660 is a bit more than 180 degrees.

 

The OP was asking for opinions and as someone who prefers center aft cabins, I wanted to provide a different perspective. That's what these boards are for, after all.

 

roe2ship, I believe you will enjoy any aft cabin you choose, especially if you are cruising in calm waters (Caribbean, Alaska). If you can get it, reserve 9256 and try to find someone with a center aft so you can check it out. Or try the reverse. Either way, have a great cruise.

 

Karen

[NYDee]

Interesting discussion on cabin 9256. We have it reserved for our N. Europe cruise on the Jewel next August, then for our Panama Canal cruise Feb. 2006. I hope we like it as well as the other afts we have had. We have cruised this class ship before.

 

Is there room for both chairs and lounges and a table in the pie shape?

[jst4fun715]

Well said, Jimbo! That is the best description I have seen. It really isn't any more open than any of the other aft balconies. And as far as the sun, that totally depends on which way you are sailing, time of day, etc.

[jst4fun715]

Dee....there is definitely room for the two lounges, two chairs and the small table. In fact, because of the shape of this balcony, I think there is a bit more difference in the way they can be arranged.

[NYDee]

Carol,

 

You did email me some photos from the aft on the Seranade. Thanks again.

[just4kixx]

We'll be sailing in 9256 on the Radiance in April... just me & DH celebrating our 20th anniversary!

:D

A

[debandbill]

Hey Guys,

 

Here is a picture of the balcony on Brilliance, Cabin 1100, just above cabin 9256.

The balconys are very similar in size --1100 just slightly bigger:

 

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/debandbill25/detail?.dir=/ed4e&.dnm=bffe.jpg

[VickiVSN]

Deb - I thought of you when I say the thread title. Not surprised to see you had just posted.

 

Anyway...HI.

[anniversary_cruisers]

If you want to see some pictures of our D1 cabin and balcony, click on the following link and the cabin/balcony pictures are on page 2 and 3 of "Serenade of the Seas" album.

 

http://community.webshots.com/user/redbandana

 

This is somewhat off topic, but here goes anyhow ... your pictures are terrific! I am looking at buying a digital camera shortly and would be happy if I could get pictures anywhere near as good as yours. I realize there is much more to good pictures than just the camera, but, would you mind telling me, please, what equipment you were using?

[jst4fun715]

I am totally jealous that you have TWO cruises booked in this great cabin. And the two you are taking are (hopefully) somewhere in the future for me. I think having that cabin on the Panama Canal trip will be about as awsome as you can get. Be sure to post pictures of both of them...even though there is a little time left! Have a wonderful time!:D

[NYDee]

I am totally jealous that you have TWO cruises booked in this great cabin. And the two you are taking are (hopefully) somewhere in the future for me. I think having that cabin on the Panama Canal trip will be about as awsome as you can get. Be sure to post pictures of both of them...even though there is a little time left! Have a wonderful time!:D

 

I try to book our cruises as soon as the schedules are posted so I have a better chance of getting the cabin we want. We are taking SIL to the Caribbean on Navigator in Feb. 2005 and have 1690 and have her booked right across the hall. I would book a cruise for the late summer early fall of 2006, but DH wants to take a driving vacation along the east coast that year. He intends to stop working that summer (since he isn't old enough to collect Social Security I don't consider it retiring). So I will be thinking about the winter of 2007 soon.

[cujosmom]

Anniversary Cruisers - I'm glad you liked my ship pictures and thanks for the compliment.

 

The camera I used I purchased just a couple weeks prior to our cruise. It is a Nikon Coolpix 3200. (3.2 megapixel). I paid $195 at Buy.Com but just noticed that Best Buy just reduced the price in last Sunday's paper to $199.

 

It is a tiny, light-weight camera that has lots and lots of features and is very user friendly. There are 5 image modes (from lowest to highest resolution- high, normal (1), normal (2), pc screen and TV screen). All my photos were taken in the "normal (2)" mode. In the "normal (2) mode" you can take 486 photos with one 256 mb card. I was very happy with this camera and feel it is the perfect vacation camera due to its size, weight and ease of use.

 

I took two 256 mb cards and one 128 mb card. I took over 700 pictures and could have gotten by with one 128mb card and one 256 card.

 

Let me know if you have any other questions.

[glgolfer]

We were in 9258 on the Radiance, 9256 is perfect. Take it anytime you can get it. It's 115 yards from there to the elevators. And it's only a few steps from that cabin across the corridor to the starboard side. The corridor goes all the way across.

 

We have 9254 on the Jewel in December.

[anniversary_cruisers]

Anniversary Cruisers - I'm glad you liked my ship pictures and thanks for the compliment.

 

 

Let me know if you have any other questions.

Thanks for the response. What I noticed was how well lit, bright and detailed your inside shots were. It's my impression that many digital camera's have a very anemic flash and the result shows in many of the shots of the atria of the RCI ships that I've seen ... but not yours. FYI, the camera I'm looking at is the SONY DSC-P73 but maybe I'll reconsider the Nikon.

Thanks again.

[cujosmom]

Anniversary Cruisers - Some of my Atrium pictures were taken WITHOUT the flash setting. You just have to hold the camera VERY STILL when you take low-light pictures without the flash.

[NYDee]

We take a unipod with us to attach to the camera to help keep it still in low light.