Royal Caribbean International Radiance of the Seas

Introduction

In 2001, Radiance of the Seas debuted as the inaugural vessel in Royal Caribbean’s eventual quartet of Radiance Class ships. Living up to its name, glass is a central design component, making Radiance of the Seas well suited for cruising through scenic regions such as Alaska (where it spends the summer) and the South Pacific (where Radiance sails most of the rest of the year). Although the ship was plenty large when it first came on the scene, carrying 2139 passengers at double occupancy, today Radiance seems refreshingly mid-sized, yet it possesses a surprising range of big-ship features. But with all the amenities being added to Royal Caribbean’s fleet in the last few years a remodel was due, and in 2011 Radiance was taken in for an extensive dry dock overhaul—the dining options in particular were greatly expanded. We spent a week onboard to get a firsthand look.