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Discover new experiences on every shore – and on every deck.
If you love next-level thrills, world-class dining and stellar entertainment, you’ll love a holiday getaway onboard Brilliance of the Seas®. This headliner levels up adventure with exciting destinations and favourite onboard activities. Reach new heights and take on the signature Rock Climbing Wall 12 metres above deck. Sip craft cocktails at a rotating bar with spectacular views. And catch non-stop entertainment that will make you sing along and laugh out loud.
TIME FOR A LATITUDE ADJUSTMENT
If you’re looking for one-of-a-kind ways to experience distinct cultures, savour exotic flavours and soak up views that’ll give even the most seasoned travellers wanderlust, this is the cruise ship for you. Brilliance of the Seas® offers year-round adventures for every kind of explorer.
Our last cruise was in 2019 due to covid and a few other matters. we are diamond plus cruisers and were happy to once again be cruising. we are seniors. this was our first cruise on the brilliance of the seas, but not on this class of ship. this was our first experience of the new boarding procedures, and we found the "pre-boarding" registration on the rci website to be easy and painless. We also liked dropping the need to muster at the muster station and wait for everyone to cram into the limited space to be checked off. as someone who is not attached to bringing my phone with me everywhere i go, i was disappointed in the onboard rci ap system for everything. my phone gets turned off and tossed into the safe upon arrival in my room. i was glad to see the printed compass available. on embarkation day, we arrived to board at approximately 11:45 am. the vehicle arrival area was small, and the ubers, shuttles, vans, and cabs were jostling for position. it did not take long to get our travelers and luggage out and start into the terminal in old san juan. after showing the rci pier-side staff our passports and e-tickets, we were sent through to the luggage drop and onward to the passenger processing terminal. upon reaching the entrance for passenger processing, we were quickly sent through to the next stage of our pre-boarding processing which was to clear the security screening and x-ray clearance. from the pier to the ship, it took about 20 minutes to board. our adventure had begun. we were with a six-member group of friends, and when we compared our dining table, we noticed that two of our group were not at the same table. a quick detour to the dining room got this error corrected and we were placed at a 6-person round table, which was great. we then headed to the windjammer cafe for lunch. we were pleased to see that rci had returned to individually wrapped utensils in napkins instead of the open utensils for all to touch. during the week, i noticed that all of the plates, saucers, bowls, and utensils that were available to me were clean with no rejects being placed near the stacks of dishes. i wandered around the windjammer and noticed that there was a variety of food and offerings for lunch. throughout the week, we would eat here for lunch. we never had to wait in line for entrance or for a table. the windjammer staff was friendly, attentive, and helpful. this was a great place to relax and eat before sojourning towards the schooner bar and then our cabins. at about 1:45 pm, we went to our cabin, and our luggage was already at our door. we had plenty of room and hangers for our clothes. after quickly unloading my luggage, hanging clothes, and securing our magnet hooks about the cabin, i exited to allow my wife to unload her luggage. i then explored the layout of the upper decks and went to the crown lounge and the starquest nightclub in the viking crown lounge. this area was nice and quiet at that time, and it allowed me to sit and watch the surrounding area for a while allowing my wife the run of the cabin without me in the way. i then checked out the pool deck, the colony club, and the solarium. our group then met at the schooner bar to visit and have a drink. our dining time was 5:00 pm, so we freshened up. i will say, the bathroom in the cabin, like most ships, was small. you are not going to get two people in it at the same time, so adjust your "getting ready" time accordingly. our dining table was on the fifth deck [735]. our wait staff and assistant head waiter were excellent. once we told them what we wanted for drinks during the meal and at dessert, we never had to ask for a refill again. we were always met with a smile and warm greetings every day. the menus had changed a bit from 2019, but i was a bit disappointed by the end of the week over the selections [or lack thereof]. while there were a number of appetizer selections, as the week went on, the selections stagnated. you always had french onion soup, escargot, and caesar salad. there were no cold soup selections or alternative salads to a caeser salad on a daily basis. the french onion soup was mediocre at best and the dressing on the caeser salad became bland as the week went on. we enjoyed our dining experience in large part due to the friendliness and attentiveness of the staff. the food was served at the appropriate temperatures and the meals i ordered were for the most part, tasty. near the end of the week, two of us, after reviewing the upcoming menu, asked our staff to please bring us a pizza from the solarium as the items on the menu were unattractive and we would not be eating any of the entrees. while a cheese or peperoni pizza was not on the menu, our staff produced one of each for us. don't be afraid to ask for an off of the menu item. you just might get what you want. thanks to our waiters. i normally do not eat breakfast in the windjammer as i find it hard to get all of your food and drinks to the table and have the drinks cold and the eggs and meat hot at the same time. however, you do have a pretty good breakfast selection in the windjammer if you don't mind buffet style dining. i ate most of my breakfasts in the main dining room. make yourself aware of the dining rooms operating time for breakfast as it changed a few times depending on where the ship was located. i like the main dining room as it is pretty quick to get a seat at a table, and you have the opportunity to relax and enjoy your meal. i enjoy eggs benedict, and they are served daily in the dining room. they were cooked correctly 3 out of the 4 times i ate breakfast there. on the one time, they were overcooked. this was quickly corrected. we also ate snacks several times in the solarium in the late evenings. they had a nice set up and were never out of anything we wanted other than chocolate chip cookies. the pizzas were thin and reminded me of red baron pizzas in taste. they could improve these a bit, but they always had a running line of people eating them. the sandwiches that were coming out of the kitchen were very tasty. during the day and evening, there was also a salad bar and/or dessert bar operating nearby. i would recommend that they improve their drink dispensing station though. the lemonade on a couple of occasions was bland and missing part of its mix. the crown lounge, for diamond and above loyalty club members, was nice. good selections of appetizers in the evening. staff was excellent. you can also get help with excursions via the loyalty concierge in the lounge. if you are looking for the best place to get a cocktail, we found the schooner bar to provide the best drinks. get to know the waiters and the bartenders. they are friendly and fun. ours always took care of us and remembered our names and for the most part our drinks, unless we changed them. our drinks came out tasting good. we also had drinks in the theater and on the pool deck. both of these were satisfactory. the theater service was very good on this cruise and we always had at least two servers come by to see if we needed anything. our activities onboard the ship were fairly tame. our group sometimes played trivia, made all of the live shows in the pacifica theater, went to watch the quest, listened to the piano player in the schooner bar, split up to hit the casino, relax in the solarium, hung out near the pool or on the promenade deck just chilling and/or listened to the music being played in the atrium. two of us also went to the izumi shushi class. this was fun and a place to spend some time before you get to eat your shushi rolls. my wife and i were glad that the shows had changed from those of the "old days". we enjoyed the singers and dancers on the brilliance of the seas. several of the shows were very good and the music was also very good. the sound system operators kept the level of the music and singing at a good level so that the music was not overpowering the singers. we were not disappointed by any of the shows. we had also scheduled excursions at each of the ports we visited with the exception of puerto plata, dominican republic. we made beach breaks and a couple of snorkeling excursions. the first was on st. Thomas, usvi. the beach escape and snorkeling with sea turtles at charlotte amalie, st. Thomas was an easy snorkeling event. you loaded on an open carriage that brought you to the beach. after walking down about five or six steps, you were at the tree where the operator had their snorkeling equipment. after a brief pre-snorkeling talk, the participants picked up their gear and walked about 100 yards or so to the beach and shoreline. another brief educational discussion about the turtles you might see and the area to swim, and we were off. i drifted a bit away from the "school" of snorkelers and then spent time just drifting and slowly kicking around. the clarity of the water was poor with visibility of about 20-25 feet being very sandy. i saw four turtles, several stingrays, a lot of bar jacks, and a few needle fish. our next excursion was at tortola, bvi. this was the norman island snorkeling excursion. a word of advice, on this trip, there is no beach time. both of the snorkeling sites were next to rocky shorelines with no exits to the beach. you enter and exit the boat from a ladder platform at the rear of the boat. there were a lot of snorkelers. the water was murky with visibility of less than 20 feet. i did not enter the caves but instead tried to observe the marine life along the shoreline and in the rocks. the crew was friendly. my wife and her friend were disappointed as they thought we would be near a beach to snorkel. the carambola beach break at basseterre, st kitts was a quick change from our original beach break location as that location experienced a fire that damaged its "facilities" and left no running water. this was an easy beach to navigate, and they had umbrellas for rent for an additional $10.00 above the ticket price. there was also a beach club with a bar and restraunt on site. waiters were always making the rounds. getting into and out of the water involved a somewhat soft and shifting sand bottom. i spent my time listening to a book and just staying in the shade and breeze. the umbrellas are permanently mounted on the beach and are pretty close to the umbrellas around you. there were also jet skis close by to rent or to buy rides. we also took an excursion at st. Johns, antigua. it was a snorkeling and island tour that went completely around the island of antigua via motor-catamaran. this was a six-hour excursion. the snorkeling part of the excursion was at a very small beach and rocky outcrop near a shallow reef. if you were going to go snorkeling, you had to stay with the guided snorkeling tour and you could not snorkel on your own. the snorkelers spent about thirty minutes snorkeling out to the reef and then back to the boat. i would have gone with them; however, i wear a size 14 shoe and the fins they had would not fit. my wife and her friend stayed by the boat and waded around in the water next to the beach. they saw a lot of small fish and a couple of sting rays that swam through the area. i sat on some rocks by an overhang and watched fish swimming along the rocks. after the snorkelers came back, lunch was served and additional time was spent at the beach for people to relax. there was an open bar. following this, the boat headed out to tour the island from the sea. they showed a number of very expensive houses and villas and then entered a port where there were some very significant private yachts at which to marvel. if i were going to rate these excursions on a rank of 1-5 stars, i would give them all a 3. if there was better visibility, i would go back to the st. Thomas snorkeling beach as it was very easy to get around on and to navigate. i prefer beach breaks that have snorkeling reefs close by. our room attendant did an excellent job. one thing we wished that they would go back to was having our room attendant take care of the room twice a day instead of a morning or evening selection. you were without towels once you used them until the next day. so, if you came in from an excursion, showered to get ready for the evening, and then during the evening you worked up a sweat, you were out of luck to take another shower ... unless you had extra towels or went to the pool deck and got beach towels. we shifted to extra towels. we also asked for two ice buckets to make sure we had ice. we also asked for extra pillows. disembarkation was easy and without incident or delay. we waited in our assigned location and when we were called to disembark, we gathered our belongings and left the ship. one thing that we were puzzled about was the lack of a custom’s declaration form to fill out for customs. upon checking with the purser's desk, we were informed if you had nothing to declare above the value or that was required to be declared, you did not need to fill out a form. so that is what we did. after getting off of the ship, i will caution you to ask anyone that is a cab or shuttle driver for the full amount of the fare before you follow them to their vehicle. some are charging more than they are allowed. all in all, we enjoyed our time on the ship and never felt crowded on the brilliance of the seas. the entire crew that we met and interacted with was first rate and friendly. they were always trying to make your stay and cruise enjoyable.
We took the Halloween Cruise out of Boston to Canada. There was a hurricane down south and heading our way. Captain Juan did a wonderful job avoiding hurricane Melissa. We skipped Sydney New Brunswick since the hurricane was heading east of Canada. When we left Halifax NS, we headed towards Maine and we really never had rough seas. We are Diamond members and enjoyed all the benefits. We learned on this cruise that cruising on Royal Caribbean or Celebrity our Lattitude points will be applied to our larger Royal Carribean account and we can keep accumulating them. They will be honored on either cruise line. We have only taken one Celebrity Cruise so we were happy to hear this. It has been fun Halloween cruise, lots of people wore costumes, and there was a big party in the Centrum with a balloon drop. The food has been very good all around, the service excellent. We ate in Chops and there were few people enjoying it, the service was superb and the food was memorable. We enjoyed the production show, the comedian was just OK. We are sorry the Royal Caribbean Radiance class ships will not be returning to Boston. We have enjoyed cruising out of Boston on these smaller ships for 20 years.
This was our 9th cruise with Royal Caribbean, and our first on a Radiance class ship. We really liked the more intimate size and style of Brilliance of the Seas compared to the larger ships. The staff were all fabulous and engaging, the food was great, the comedian Stephen Thomas was hilarious, the main theater shows were entertaining, the ship was in good shape, and we had a wonderful time. The Halloween themes, decorations, and activities for the week were awesome. We booked our room as a GTY Balcony, and although the room that we were assigned was listed as "obstructed", we can't figure out why, as we saw no obstructions! (see photos). When the remnants of Hurricane Melissa were approaching, the captain masterfully changed our course and itinerary to safer waters. We loved the Centrum, the Colony Club, and the larger-than-average Schooner Bar when compared to most Royal Caribbean ships.
The trip was great! We ran into a bit of rough weather but the captain did a great job keeping us safe! We had to have an extra day at sea because of it. The crew worked hard to make that extra day special and fun. We found great little spots to talk and play games. Halifax was the best port by far! The service was wonderful. The ship is clean and well kept. I felt like the food was very good! We had a balcony view and I would highly recommend it! Plenty of fun activities and also time to just chill. I liked this size of a ship, it was not too overwhelming. I liked Royal Caribbean and I would recommend this trip and cruise line. I’m new to cruising but I think it’s a new vacationing favorite! I’m looking into my next one, either solo or with a friend!
AWARD-WINNING & AWE-INSPIRING ACCOMMODATION
Redefining the cruising experience one room at a time. Our staterooms are an alluring escape from the non-stop action that our cruise ships are known for. From our spectacular views to our deluxe amenities, a stay with us is like nothing else at sea.
DESIGNED TO MATCH YOUR COMFORT NEEDS
We’ve thought of the details, so you don’t have to.
READY FOR YOUR STAY
All the creature comforts you’d expect to have during your holiday.
A JOURNEY FOR YOUR TASTEBUDS
Add a stop in Asia to your itinerary with freshly rolled sushi and made-to-order Far East flavours at Izumi Japanese Cuisine. Or tuck into New American delicacies like prime hand cut steaks and tender Maine lobster at Chops Grille℠.
Enrichment programs, or ‘Explorer Academy’ classes cover a wide range of topics, from wine tasting to casino tuition, including:
ADVENTURE SPOTTED AHEAD
When you’re not busy strolling through European capitals or basking in the sunshine on a secluded beach in the Caribbean, keep the adventure going strong with endless thrills onboard. Score some deck-defying views while scaling the rock-climbing wall or show off your putting prowess in a round of mini-golf. And make sure to bring your A-game if you venture into the arcade.
DAYS IN THE SUN, NIGHTS FILLED WITH FUN
There are lots of sun-drenched activities to enjoy onboard during the day. Just make sure to save some energy for later, because the thrills continue long after nightfall.
SOAK UP THE SUN
Set your sights on the horizon as you kick back in a warm and bubbly whirlpool. Unwind and take in the views from behind a crystal canopy while enjoying your favourite day-time drink in the Solarium. Or make a splash to the sounds of live music on the pool deck.
NOT YOUR AVERAGE NIGHT OUT
There’s no curfew on adventure onboard Brilliance of the Seas. When the sun sets, hit the R Bar for a classic cocktail, or swirl and sip your way to rosé-coloured happiness at Vintages. And don’t miss the amazing shows onboard, like the Broadway-inspired production Now and Forever, and the sultry dance showcase, Tango Buenos Aires.
ALL ABOUT THE VIEWS
No matter what sailing you choose on Brilliance of the Seas, every destination you visit is a show-stopper. Fortunately, the ship offers endless opportunities to scope out the scenery and appreciate the sights – whether you’re rocking out 12 metres above deck on the rock-climbing wall or hanging out in one of the Solarium’s serene whirlpools.
SIPS BETWEEN SIGHTS
Classic cocktails crafted by a pro in the retro-inspired R Bar. Reds, whites and rosés from around the world at Vintages. A perfectly-poured pint at the King & Country Pub. On this ship, you’ll never run of places to say, 'Bottom’s up' as you sail to each incredible destination.
ADVENTURE SPOTTED AHEAD
When you’re not busy strolling through European capitals or basking in the sunshine on a secluded beach in the Caribbean, keep the adventure going strong with endless thrills onboard. Score some deck-defying views while scaling the rock-climbing wall or show off your putting prowess in a round of mini-golf. And make sure to bring your A-game if you venture into the arcade.
MINI GOLF
Hit the links on the high seas! Refine your mini-golf game on a green that overlooks a sea of blue. Included in your fare, no reservation required
DAYS IN THE SUN NIGHTS FILLED WITH FUN
There are tons of sun-drenched activities to enjoy onboard during the day. Just make sure to save some energy for later, because the thrills continue long after nightfall.
SOAK UP THE SUN
Set your sights on the horizon as you kick back in a warm and bubbly whirlpool. Unwind and take in the views from behind a crystal canopy while enjoying your favourite day-time drink in the Solarium. Or make a splash to the sounds of live music on the pool deck.
NOT YOUR AVERAGE NIGHT OUT
There’s no curfew on adventure onboard Brilliance of the Seas. When the sun sets, hit the R Bar for a classic cocktail, or swirl and sip your way to rosé-coloured happiness at Vintages. And don’t miss the amazing shows onboard, like the Broadway-inspired production Now and Forever, and the sultry dance showcase, Tango Buenos Aires.
BEST CRUISE ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS & TEENS
Loads of laughter and unforgettable experiences go hand-in-hand when cruising with your kids. Royal Caribbean’s games, events and cruise activities for kids are going on all over the ship throughout the day and into the evening hours, making family time a great time. And thanks to our award-winning Adventure Ocean® youth programme, children love their cruise holiday just as much as their parents.
