Another wonderful cruise minus the menu in main dining room and Wind Jammer food.

Item: Radiance of the Seas
Rating: 3.7
Author: 2dogs2cats

Radiance of the Seas Cruise Review

2dogs2cats

Contributor Level: Second Mate

Cruises: 7+ cruises

Reviews: 2

Helpful Votes: 31

Overall rating:

3.7 out of 5

10 Night Western Caribbean (Galveston Roundtrip)

Sail date: January 30, 2023

Ship: Radiance of the Seas

Cabin type: Balcony

Cabin number: 8578

Traveled as: Singles/Friends

Reviewed: 1 year ago

Review summary

Another great Royal Caribbean Cruise but the menu in main dining room was a huge disappointment and hoping they will go back to what they were best at.

Embarkation

1 out of 5

Big problem, was told by Royal Caribbean personal when showing passports that she couldn’t go on the cruise with a passport “card” and must have the book. She has always used the card and intentionally bought the card because it was for closed loop cruises, which this one was as well. Waited and waited and waited with people talking between themselves not knowing how to handle this situation. Finally told that it would just be that she won’t be allowed to get off at the Panama Port.

Ship experiences

Food and Dining

1 out of 5

Cascades Dining Room

1 out of 5

Very Very disappointed with the menu and food that was on it and served. I would say poor choices. This new (themed) menu in the main dining room is awful. We ate at the Windjammer 4 of the nights and 3 other nights wish we would have. We have always ate in the Main dining rooms on our other cruises. This was the main highlight in which we look forward to each time we cruise. I was shocked at what they had and didn’t have on the menus. The Windjammer had the same foods other then the lobster tail being only in the main dining room. As far as saying it would make dining times quicker with less choices, well that didn’t happen. I did not talk to one person on the ship that said they liked the new menu selections. And we talked to many people about it. To end I’ll say that it was very disappointing and to the point we said It looks like time we try some other cruise lines other then Royal Caribbean. Note we have cruised strictly with Royal Caribbean for many years based on this food and experience of the the main dining rooms and always have top notch ratings for the food and experience of the main dining. I rated them as top scores and sadly it was a one this sailing.

Windjammer Marketplace

1 out of 5

Continuing on from saying the main dining room was a 1 and Windjammer buffet was a 3. It was just ok and nothing special.

Onboard Activities

3 out of 5

A lot of fun however, could have had more.

Entertainment

4 out of 5

Wonderful!! Top notch performers. Very talented. Captain even did some singing and even played water volleyball dressed in his captain clothes lol 😂. Cruise director was on the poor side. Not much fun and basically all he did was a couple of announcements. The Captain should have been paid the money for being the cruise director. He literally did the job the RCCl director. u would have expected.

Service and Staff

5 out of 5

As always service was wonderful. Ships personnel stood up to their standards. Very friendly, kind, wonderful attitudes!! The BEST cruise Captain “ever”!! He liked his ship and the staffing. No doubt about that. He was so involved and participated in many shows, with the passengers. He was funny and talented.

Ship Quality

4 out of 5

Layout on ship was good. But the Centrum just didn’t work. Very small dance floor with very limited seatings.

Cabin / Stateroom

4 out of 5

Great balcony room, lots of storage and close to elevator.

Ship tip

Relax relax relax. Take highlighter pen to highlight on the cruise compass for your plans are the next day and don’t miss a thing!!

Thumbs up

Ports of call

Progreso (Merida), Mexico

4 out of 5

Cartagena, Colombia

4 out of 5

Colon, Panama

4 out of 5

Galveston, Texas

4 out of 5

Cozumel, Mexico

5 out of 5

Great Beach Day!!

Thumbs Up 1

Disembarkation

4 out of 5

Great. Bought RCCL transfer.

Traveler Photos

6 Comments

2dogs2cats 1 year ago

Java Woody that’s sad to hear. A lot of the food especially in windjammer RCCL was foreign food to US and when I tasted it I liked none of it. My palate has never had it before so it it rejects the liking I guess. I don’t know but I can say well over 1/2 the food I didn’t even like. And what was with the desserts labeled pie and or tarts. These all had the exact the same taste and texture. Rather like a dry bread or a thick jel. So so strange. I just didn’t get it. It was all the same. Whether it be labeled Coconut, raspberry, blueberry it all rated the same. Not a hint of the fruit flavor. Was just a sweet thick jel. Terrible. Desserts in Windjammer I liked nothing. However I did like the icecream!! 😋

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Gwbigdog 1 year ago

Thanks for sharing

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javawoody 1 year ago

Thanks for sharing

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CruzeFan 1 year ago

The dining changes are likely to be permanent and are changing on all cruise lines. The cost of food and shortages of certain items is changing the dining experience everywhere, including on land.

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MargieRita 1 year ago

So sorry the dining experience was a disappointment. I feel like dining on various brands are getting hit but mostly miss reviews. They all need to get it sorted out soon before people consider not booking. Dining is a big experience for cruisers. Also, you would think RC would have sent an email to everyone alerting them about acceptable ID for Colombia. We travel with both book & card but if I had only the card I’d have been highly PO’d not being able to get off the ship at a port I’ve never been to.

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karlgrgurich 1 year ago

Wow…I can certainly understand your disappointment with the dining changes.

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Other reviews of this sailing

Amazing adventure

Columbia, Panama and Mexico

Great