Absolutely wonderful cruise, with top notch service from the crew. The only drawback is the uncomfortable mattress, which is important and needs to be addressed.
Embarkation
4 out of 5
Lines as usual, but smooth check in and boarding once completed
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
Food was delicious, especially in the main dining room. Buffet was also good although crowded at times. Enjoyed one complimentary dinner in Chops, and it was very good, but not sure I would splurge for that, as our meals in the main dining room were just as good.
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
Played trivia, enjoyed dance music through the decades, walked around the top deck. Saw the pickle ball games, and while we didn’t participate, love that this is available!
Entertainment
3 out of 5
DJ’s were good. We didn’t attend a stage production. We did visit the cinema for a movie which we enjoyed
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
The service from everyone we came in contact with was top notch, and definitely made our vacation even more enjoyable. We have been on several cruises, but feel the crew on this ship was above all others. Very professional, welcoming, and were dedicated to making sure all our needs were met.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
Brilliance of the Seas was easy to get to know and we enjoyed visiting several areas around the ship, which were all clean and crew were always there to immediately take care of anything needing attention.
Cabin / Stateroom
4 out of 5
The cabin size was very comfortable, and our stateroom steward kept it in top notch condition, freshening the room several times daily. The bathroom is very small. The one drawback was the bed. The mattress was extremely firm, actually hard, which was not comfortable for us. The 2 sections also would separate a bit in the night (2 twins made into a king), making an uncomfortable space right in the middle. We highly suggest that Royal Caribbean upgrade the beds on this ship, as a good night’s sleep is so important on a vacation. Truly the only negative about this cruise but it is a crucial part, and I will read ratings on other Royal ships’ beds before booking another Royal cruise. The beds on other cruises we have taken, including Royal, have not been this uncomfortable, so I am hoping it is just this ship needing to upgrade.
Ship tip
While rooms seem to be fairly well soundproofed, I recommend booking a cabin away from the Centrum area as that area can be noisy with music, etc., from events taking place there on deck 4. Also, smoke tends to waft up from the casino in that area, so if you are bothered at all by cigarette smoke, you would not want to have a cabin that opens up right at that area.
Wonderful, walkable city with much to see and do. Beautiful canals and homes. Stayed here a few days before the cruise. Visited Van Gogh Museum and Rijksmuseum, did our own walking tour and a canal tour. Also did a bus tour to Volendam, Marken and the windmills. A favorite port!
Loved Dublin! Ship stayed overnight here. We did an excursion to the countryside the first afternoon then toured the city on our own by the hop on/hop off bus around the city. Visited St Patrick’s Cathedral, Guinness, Trinity University (Book of Kells), and several other areas. One of our favorite ports!
Loved sailing into Dover! The white cliffs are breathtaking. Our excursion took us into Canterbury, Kent and to Leeds Castle. It did not include any extras. In fact, our first stop was a couple of hours in Canterbury, but none of the shops were open for the first hour, and you had to pay to use the public toilets. I feel the excursion should have included tokens for these facilities, at least. We also did not have a meal included (all day tour), so were on our own, but had to board the bus for the ride to Leeds Castle at 11:45, so made for an awkward time to find a spot to grab lunch. Entrance into Canterbury Castle was not included, although we did enjoy our time visiting Leeds Castle. Loved this port, but felt this excursion should have delivered more for the price paid.
We had a mid morning flight, so we opted to do the early self disembarkation, which went smoothly. We appreciated having coffee, juice and pastries in the area where we waited to disembark, as we had to be there early and did not have time to grab breakfast. We were able to easily get a cab and get to the airport in plenty of time for our 10:30 am flight.
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