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Royal Caribbean's
Radiance of the Seas
September 4 - 11, 2004
Cruise Review
by
Roberta

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Date: Mon, 13 Sep 2004 21:38:01 -0400
From: roberta_4512@yahoo.com (Roberta)
Subject: Review - Radiance of the Seas - September 4 - 11, 2004

First of all I would like to say that the ship is beautiful. Staff were very friendly and helpful (my husband is in a wheelchair)and pushed him up and down the gangway many times without complaint. However, there were some things that took away from our enjoyment.

I know stateroom attendants have a job to do, but we were quite a long way down the hall on deck 4 and had to get past at least 6 sometimes more carts (containing glasses, towels, ice buckets, etc). I was actually told by one of the stateroom attendants at one point to take the elevator closest to our stateroom, go up to deck 5, walk to the centre of the ship, then take the elevator down to deck 4. All this to get to the dining room for the evening meal. It would save them having to move their carts out of the hallway. After a few days of doing this, like a fool, I was getting tired of going up and down, waiting for elevators, pushing a heavy wheelchair. I spoke to the International Ambassador and she was supposed to ensure that it didn't happen again. Of course, it did, but I persevered and waited at the end of the hall until they moved all the obstacles. It was done with some pasted smiles on their faces, but I didn't care.

I requested a VCR in our stateroom at the time of booking and was assured that one would be provided. Well it was certainly provided but it was never connected. I called for someone to connect it and an electrician came by. But he couldn't do it. So he called for another electrician but the second one couldn't do it either. We are talking about connecting a VCR to a TV not exactly rocket science. Anyway away they went and guess what - THEY NEVER CAME BACK. That perfectly good VCR sat on the dresser all cruise long not connected.

Then there was the food. I was so disappointed. The food was awful. Salmon was dry and overcooked, or it was not cooked in the centre. Chicken was dry and overcooked, or it was not cooked in the centre. The undercooked salmon I could tolerate, but the undercooked chicken is just downright dangerous. No wonder there are outbreaks of sickness on cruises, not only from passengers dirty habits, but undercooked food especially chicken being provided. Meals in the main dining room were no better than meals in the Windjammer. In fact most of the meals in the Windjammer were boring, repetitive, uninspiring, and tastless. Variation was at an all time low. Even room service didn't offer anything different on a daily basis. A fruit plate came with the same fruit, arranged in the same way every single day.

If Seattle's Best knew what you were doing to their coffee, they would probably take it away and you would not be able to serve it. Most of the time it looked like colored water. There was no taste to it. I am not a coffee afficionada by any means, but it was the weakest, tastless cup of coffee I have ever tasted.

And what is with the plastic plates and bowls in the Windjammer? Aren't we adults capable of carrying a real china plate? Why weren't there any trays provided?

I think I have given you enough questions to answer for now.

Roberta and Robert Grant

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