We LOVE LOVE LOVE the Brillance of the Seas and this was our 4th or 5th sailing on the ship. The ship is clean, beautifully appointed, lots of great lounges and areas sit and enjoy. The centrum on the ship seems to always have something going on and a great place to hang out. Our sailing was full but there was never a crowd (except by the pool) in any of the public lounges.
My only complaint about the ship is the casino - half is smoking and half is non-smoking, but since you can't control where the smoke goes, it's essentially all smoking and you have to walk through it to get to the pub and theater unless you go up/down a deck to get to the front of the ship.
Overall we love this ship and have booked another cruise for next year on the same ship and in the same cabin. If you are looking for a great ship, crew and food, you won't be disappointed on Brilliance of the Seas!
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Port of Tampa is super easy with parking across the street and drop off right out front of the terminal. The overall process is pretty fast especially if you wait a little later to arrive at the port. We arrived at 12:45 pm and it was a breeze to get through security, check-in and right onto the ship.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
Every dining venue had a nice selection, super fresh and tasty. The Windjammer buffet had so many choices, you were spoiled for every meal and for lunch and dinner there were two carving stations offering different selections. Even the pickiest of eaters won't have a problem finding something to suit them.
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
For a smaller and older ship in the fleet, it offers many amenities like a rock-climbing wall, basketball court, etc. We didn't personally use any of them but when we walked by there were several people enjoying the options. There were also lots of activities inside the ship in various lounges/areas to choose from as well.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
Lots of music throughout the ship and all of it was pretty good even if it wasn't our personal taste in music, we still enjoyed it. We didn't see any of the production shows, but others in our group reported they enjoyed the shows.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Smiling faces are the true hallmark of a happy crew which in turns makes happy guests. The crew on the Brillance was FANTASTIC!! From our room steward to the other stewards we passed in the hall, to the washy-washy person at the Windjammer and everywhere in between, everyone was super nice and attentive. We particularly enjoyed getting to know Edison in the English Pub...because of him the pub became our go-to bar onboard the ship.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
The ship is in great condition overall and we have sailed this ship many times because it's a comfortable size, beautifully appointed and easy to get around.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
LOVE LOVE LOVE this cabin on the very aft corner of the ship. While the cabin itself is a larger balcony category, it's the oversized balcony that really makes the cabin better than the rest. We loved it so much that we booked the same cabin for next year while we were on board.
Ship tip
Don't be afraid of choosing an older ship in the fleet! The Brilliance is easy to get around, comfortable public areas, great food and service and one of our favorite ships!
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