Brilliance of the Seas

Wonderful staff but tired staterooms and mediocre food

August

Pros: Every crew member we encountered was exceptional.

Cons: Our junior suite was clean but carpet and furniture needs to be replaced

Recommended: No

Our ship and itinerary was changed after airfare was purchased so we could not change our plans. Furthermore, in the few days before embarking, port arrival and departure times were changed which severely impacted our private tour itineraries. Brilliance is scheduled for an upgrade in the next couple of years and is sorely needed. The food was mediocre at best and probable cause of intestinal illness on the 6th night of our cruise. We opted to eat at the specialty restaurant for a 2nd time for our last meal due to the poor food quality. Chop's Grille cuisine provided a quality dinner experience, but was the only alternative dining option. The crew was wonderful and for that we are thankful.

Royal Caribbean wrote the book on customer service

October

Pros: Friendly staff, working hard to accommodate. Smaller ship is easier to get around

Cons: Older ship has some odor problems

Recommended: Yes

This older design has pros and cons. The smaller ship is easier to get across and is less crowded. With fewer youth-related activities, it is also quieter. The cabins are well-designed, but small. Bathrooms could use updates; shower curtains let out too much water, drains have sewer-gas smells that just cannot be neutralized successfully. Staff on this ship worked HARD to fix a noxious odor on our balcony (coming from a drain). We could not use the balcony at all. Eventually they offered a different cabin. Giovanni's Table is excellent .... better on Brilliance than on Explorer, which is a reflection on the kitchen staff. Activities - these leaned heavily on the game-show / trivia show type and any dance parties or other parties started after 10 pm. There were no ship tours offered that we could see, no kitchen tours, no cooking classes, no lectures about port destinations. Entertainment - good variety of shows, excellent talent.

Great cruise

February

Pros: Great room attendees

Cons: No laundry facilities to self use

Recommended: Yes

Had a wonderful cruise. Overall it was a great time.

Sunshine, service, and serenity!

February

Pros: Every aspect of this cruise was exceptional!

Cons:

Recommended: Yes

We were looking for sunshine, service, and serenity and found all three on RCI's Brilliance of the Seas! We cruised to Grand Cayman and Cozumel and found plenty of sunshine to kick out the winter doldrums. The service was better than we could have imagined as the staff made us feel as though we were royalty from boarding to disembarking. While the ship was full of fun activities throughout the day and night, we found serenity on Deck 12 as we laid back to read a couple of good books while watching the Gulf waves dancing and the sea breeze lulling us into a relaxed feeling. What a dreamy, fun-filled experience!

First cruise delivers lots of memorable moments

February

Pros: Delicious food, amazing Cococay day trip

Cons: Disorganized, slow debarkation at Key West

Recommended: Yes

The ship was beautiful, and since this was our first cruise, the 5 night trip was just the right length. The crew were all friendly and responsive. We bought the drink package, so it was nice to be able to order what we wanted and not have to worry about how much it would cost. Four other couples we know went on the cruise, but we couldn’t communicate properly. They have internet only for use of their app, but there is no means of communicating with other passengers except calling their room from your own. I paid for Internet (Voom) since I had to do some work while on board, and it cost me $259 for 4 devices (husband also had to have it). Sadly, since staterooms have metal walls, the connectivity was spotty at best. I talked to a tech onboard and he was no help and wouldn’t consider a refund. He also had an attitude and acted insulted that I was questioning the service.

4 Night Cruise

January

Pros: Fun, lots to do, great staterooms

Cons: food quality

Recommended: Yes

We had a great time but feel the food could have been a little better. Some items were just okay not WOW factor.

Brilliance of the Seas Royal Carribbean

December

Pros: Check in at the port was pretty seamless, great vacation for a family where the kids can have some freedom, decent food and good drink selection

Cons: Ship was a bit older, staff was nice but not as nice as other cruises we have been on, everything cost extra on the ship, only select areas had staff taking

Recommended: Yes

We had a great vacation but I don't think that we would pick this ship again. Cruises are great but in the end everything costs more money and you are nickle and dimed to death.

Experiences on board

December

Pros: Great entertainment and services

Cons: No coin laundry machine on ship

Recommended: Yes

Good experience in general on ship but couple small issues not worth mention. Poor elevators "Floor Indicator" special at the center main group of 6 elevators. Floor Indicators were hidden at the top of elevator, if we stood at one side, we could only see 2 or 3 not the other on the other side. Once I pushed up or down, always led up at the far end. When we ran over, the elevator was gone. For walking slow older passengers (not only me and my wife) on the ship, average waiting time was over 4-5 minutes during all sailing days. Many times, we had to get in any elevator just to be on it and riding up then down to our designated floor.

Enjoyable

June

Pros: Staterooms and staff

Cons: Tours offered

Recommended: Yes

Staterooms and staff were excellent, especially Vincent and Alfredo in the dining room. Activities were good for those who enjoy bingo and trivia. Ports of call were excellent. However, buses had to park too far from sites. Too few accessible tours.

Family Vacation

April

Pros: Something for everyone

Cons: Need more time at the ports of call.

Recommended: Yes

Happy 25th to us

February

Pros: The staff on this ship can be rated 200% for their level of Customer service~

Cons: Need more pools!

Recommended: Yes

We had been saving (originally) for Hawaii but realized (due to mobility issues) that the $$ would be used elsewhere. Having never taken a cruise, this won out from the All inclusive idea. There is plenty to do on the ship so the Port of Call stops are just an added bonus! I am on day 2 of my return to reality and being someone that is very involved in serving others, I can say that I really felt blessed with the meals and the service of each and every employee. Fantastic food and fun!

Great staff

February

Pros: Food, helpful staff

Cons: pool music too loud

Recommended: Yes

The food all over the ship was amazing. The main dinning room was great. our waiter William and asst waiter Matej were so pleasant and accommodating. If anyone gets bored while on a cruise ship that is there own fault. So much to do or not do to your liking. Wish we had more time in port but very fun experience.

Prefer larger ships

January

Pros: Room size

Cons: Poor food selections, not enough staff for the long lines,

Recommended: No

Prefer sailing on larger ships. Found that this ship did not offer the choice on the menus, found the food to be very plain. Long lines at all places that we would want to order special coffee drinks or mixed beverages, they were under staffed to help move the lines. Also found that they continue to raise our tips but continue to take away the service that everyone has come to love and expect. I’ll be going back to the larger ships again.

There is no bad cruise

October

Pros: Great crew, food, shows. quality all the way.

Cons: The ship could use a refit and general inspection.

Recommended: Yes

I really like cruising and would book this ship again tomorrow if the itinerary was what I wanted. But, it does need some work. That said, the crew is great and so is the food. I think the shows were better then my last cruise on another line, but that is subjective. I usually prefer the on board singers and dancers over the performers brought on board, but this time we had a group called "Rookie" that was great. As to value, you can't beat a cruise when it comes to cost. We really took this cruise because we wanted to visit Key West. We did buy vanilla for a friend in Cozumel. (Mexican vanilla is special? Who knew, apparently my friend who likes to bake.)

Brilliance of the Seas sailed Oct 29 - Nov 3, 2018

October

Pros: Stateroom attendant, waiters, assistant waiters, and food: excellent

Cons: entertainment

Recommended: Yes

Entertainment in Pacifica theater was excellent on the third day and up to what I consider Royal Caribbean's style. I was not impressed with the RC singers and dancers, and in fact we(our group) walked out of their matinee show(2:30) on the fifth day. This was definitely not appropriate for whole families; should have been R+ rated. It made me reconsider whether I would sail with RC again.

British Isles Cruise

August

Pros: Great trip,wonderful food aboard the Royal Caribbean ship, Brilliance of the Seas, great service, very interesting itinerary

Cons: It all ended too soon!

Recommended: Yes

Brilliance of the Seas February Cruise

February

Pros: Nice ship. Good food and very good entertainment

Cons: Not enough seating in the Centrum where we dance every evening.

Recommended: Yes

If you like the smaller ships better than the really big ones this Radiance Class ship is the way to go.

Cruise experience.

February

Pros: The cruise exceeded our expectations. The crew were excellent and the waiter in the dinning room was top notch.

Cons: None

Recommended: Yes

We had such a wonderful time.

You Cannot Go Wrong With Royal Caribbean

January

Pros: Professional staff, great food

Cons: Smaller ship (Brilliance) so more crowded than the larger lines like OASIS

Recommended: Yes

We had a great time. We did assigned hour dining for the first time. We normally do "My Time". But think we may reconsider in the future, or at least alternate. Our waiter/assistant waiter, Tadium and Karolina were wonderful. It was really special to sit down and have your preferred beverage waiting for you! The ship was nice, as we have come to expect from Royal. Only wish they would go to "no smoking" in the casino. We like to play blackjack and slots but can't handle the smoke! Ugh!

5 day Key West and Cozumel.

January

Pros: Food, service, games, cleanliness, staff, entertainment, housekeeping....all were superb.

Cons: We were a party of 14 but were not able to dine together. We were broken up into 2 tables...6 at one table and 8 at the other.

Recommended: Yes

We have been on Royal Caribbean before and this cruise measured up to what we expected from you. We were disappointed we were unable to sit together with our whole group but other then that, all was great.

First Time Brilliance

November

Pros: Beautiful and well maintained ship. Very nice cabins, Solarium area was quite and very nice. Staff extremely helpful and courteous.

Cons: Terminal 6 in Tampa upon return took hours to get off ship. Check in at terminal 3 was easy and quick,

Recommended: Yes

Overall the ship was great, would go again. Highly recommend Brilliance, about the right size ship for us.

Western Mediterranean Cruise on Brilliance of the Seas, Oct. 16 - 28,2017

October

Pros: Excellent service, accommodations, and food. Great excursion choices! Royal Caribbean cruise line is exceptional.

Cons: None

Recommended: Yes

This was our 12th cruise with Royal Caribbean and 2nd time on Brilliance of the Seas, a beautiful ship. No complaints whatsoever! We even booked another future cruise on the ship to get RC’s special deals with no hassle. We will always remain loyal to this cruise line.

Honeymoon

July

Pros: Food, staff and excursions

Cons: Internet was very slow and in my opinion a waste of money

Recommended: Yes

The internet package was a waste of money for what they charged for the internet I would have expected very fast and easy internet. That was not the case, the internet would frequently freeze and not work. Very disappointing I would not recommend anyone purchasing the internet package.

Family vacation

April

Pros: Many activities to keep both adults and kids busy

Cons: Food was not so great

Recommended: Yes

We had a wonderful vacation with our kids, which never seemed to be bored! Our dinning experience was not what we expected but we have not cruised in several years.

A Great time!

March

Pros: Convenient, affordable, fun. Staff was excellent.

Cons:

Recommended: Yes

Wonderful first cruise experience

March

Pros: Wonderful, attentive staff

Cons: Wish we could have stayed longer

Recommended: Yes

This was a wonderful first-cruise experience, and we are looking forward to our next cruise. We would love to sail on this ship again, but,would also be glad to try others.

Brilliance

February

Pros: Great music great food excellent service

Cons: Terrible casino

Recommended: Yes

Overall great cruise. Service wonderful. Classical pianist on board was a treat. We like to play slots but they just ate up your coins, machines were very outdated. We had family room that will spoil us for future cruises.

Cruise Brilliance of the Seas

September

Pros: Great service & great food

Cons:

Recommended: Yes

Our First cruise & just loved it !

Vacation

May

Pros: Overall great trip

Cons: Extra costs to sights

Recommended: Yes

Additional costs to get to sights due to distance ship was docked to sights.. $50.00 per person in Venice & $12.00 per person in Zadar.

Happy remembrance!

February

Pros: Catered to us with kindness and respect

Cons: ! Buying drinks on your own was costly.

Recommended: Yes

The the crew of the ship was excellent. If you had any kind of problem or got lost you can always count on a ship crew member to direct you to the right place you're looking for, thay were always around. I felt safe!" I will definitely Cruise again on the Brilliance of the sea for Royal Caribbean cruise. And I will also mention it to my friends. This was my first experience on a cruise and it was good one to Remember by. Thanks for the good service.

Passenger

February

Pros: Great food and excellent service

Cons: Bad sewage smell 3 times-cold hotdogs and hamburgers and no regular coffee on pool deck

Recommended: Yes

I wish the 6 of us could have been together,as we all applied at the same time-some were on Deck 3 at the end of all activity-we were on 8 and not close to elevator as told. We had to walk from one end of the ship to another for every activity and as I have copd and carry oxygen-it became very difficult.We all had a lot of fun!!!

Cruise to Cozumel and Grand Cayman Islands

January

Pros: Fantastic Ship, Great Food, Amenities Include Recreation Facilitiy.

Cons: When cruise was over, leaving the ship took longer than one would have liked.

Recommended: Yes

I would recommend a Royal Caribbean Cruise to anyone who asks me. The trip was well worth the time and money.

Cruise Review

January

Pros: Excellent service

Cons: none

Recommended: Yes

Cruise was enjoyable as allways

Friends getaway!!

January

Pros:

Cons:

Recommended: Yes

The ship was very nice...Rooms were great and the beds very comfortable!! Everyone was very courteous..

Smooth travel

January

Pros: Pre planning by my travel agent was efficient and friendly

Cons: Unfortunately it was very cold when we disembarked and the buses were late. BRRRRR!

Recommended: No

Good Times

January

Pros: Clean large cabins, good food, great shows, friendly staff

Cons: Lost in the casino

Recommended: Yes

Enjoyed everything they offered

First time

December

Pros: Staff very friendly and helpful

Cons: location of casino caused Centrum(lounge in center of ship on main (4th) deck to smell heavly of smoke all the time. A problem for a non-smoker like me.

Recommended: Yes

Overall I had a good time. My accommodations, a single cabin turned out to be more than adequate. I would select a single cabin again on a RCI ship. The staff was great! Always helpful and friendly. The food at dinner was great at times and good at others. The walking/jogging track was too small,,about 3 feet wide with deck chairs on both sides. Also, because of the number of passengers, activities were always crowded.

Satisfied Customer

November

Pros: High quality staff, good food, clean ship

Cons: Small bathroom/shower

Recommended: Yes

Liked the experience

Fall New England/Canada Cruise

October

Pros: Nice ship; the window cabin was good sized and accomodations were very nice. Serivce in the dining room was excellent. Shore excursions were very good; knowledgable guides. Embarking and debarking were a breeze.

Cons: Narrow hallways where oftern half blocked with crew supplies making passage difficult.

Recommended: Yes

Unfortunately Mother Nature - heavy fog - did not allow us to go ashore at Bar Harbor - said this was only the 2nd time this happened since RC began this cruise itinerary.

New England - Canada Cruise

October

Pros: ship size, activities, food,

Cons:

Recommended: No

I loved the Brilliance. It was just the right size for this cruise to New England and Canada. Staff was extremely helpful. Food was terrific. No complaints. Wonderful vacation.

Great Trip down the Eastern Seaboard

September

Pros: Wonderfule food, with great options. Excellent service!

Cons: More availability for excursions!

Recommended: Yes

Need more time in Halifax!

Great cruise experience

June

Pros: beautiful ship; great itinerary (Scandinavia and Russia); great perks for being in at the Diamond level

Cons: slow internet; food was somewhat routine in the dining room, but there are alternatives

Recommended: Yes

We enjoyed the ship, the ports, the people and the staff very much.

Excellence

April

Pros: Excellent service, professional, courteous & efficient!

Cons: Website not user-friendly

Recommended: Yes

Exceeded expectations!

Nice ship!!

March

Pros: We like the size of the Radiance series ships

Cons: Does not have an ice rink or a Royal Promanade

Recommended: Yes

The food and entertainment was very good. They need to use the dance floor in the Colony Club for dancing more. Bring back Fox News!! Very friendly staff.

Brilliance of the sea

March

Pros: It was a fun and relaxing 4 days

Cons: Was not long enough

Recommended: Yes

We had a lovely time and the staff were very cordial and happy to answer any question we had. The cabin was a bit small but it isn't like you spend alot of time there. We did have a balcony and spent some quite time there. The ship was very clean beautful. The entertainment was subperb and was amazed on all the talent they had. Like I said 4 days is not enough and next cruise will be longer I hope. (o:

Friends Cruise

March

Pros: great ship,friendly staff

Cons: none

Recommended: Yes

Best Little ship ever

March

Pros: Wonderful food, exceptional shows, easy ship to navigate

Cons: very small rooms

Recommended: Yes

I went on Brilliance of the Seas with sixteen girlfriends who like to play bridge together. This ship has a great card room so we were always comfortable and private. We had a waiter who doted on us and the food was phenomenal. The entertainment was exceptional with some great headliner shows. We were so happy with the cruise that we booked the same ship for next year's bridge cruise.

a few changes needed

March

Pros: friendly staff

Cons: food too salty--card room too dark to see at night

Recommended: Yes

enjoyable cruise

Relaxing 5 Day Cruise

December

Pros: Food was good, did not feel crowded, most of the entertainment was great

Cons: The ship felt a bit dated, not as much to do as the larger ships, smoking in the casino

Recommended: Yes

We cruised on the RC Oasis two years ago (and 4 in total). The Oasis is a much larger ship and my comments are in comparison to that cruise. Just in general the Brilliance has fewer entertainment and activity options. The food was great but the entertainment was a notch below. Our staff was very friendly and did a great job. Very easy to find your way around the smaller ship. We had cabins on the 9th level and at the center of the ship, next to the elevators. This actually was perfect, no sound issues and we could quickly get to any part of the ship. Highly recommend center ship cabins! The cruise director can really add to the cruise ... I would say ours was average. This was a 5 day cruise with only 2 ports of call so we spent a lot of time on the sea. Overall a good cruise.

Brilliance of the Seas

October

Pros: Beautiful ship, well maintained,great staff

Cons: Toilets not working /overflowing at times /hot & cold water faucets

Recommended: Yes

For the most part, Our room was fine - We did experience some bathroom water issues - the "cold" was never cold, always warm/hot - The shower hose "leaked" and was attended to and somewhat better

Neew England and Canada

October

Pros: great service and food in the evening was very good the ship and accomodatins were very nice.

Cons: some times the buffet food was not hot and was just barely warm IE. Breakfast

Recommended: Yes

This was a good trip and interesting The weather was fair and the ports were very nice except St. John. which did not have a lot to offer of great intrest.

Wonderful time

September

Pros: Very well organized; friendly staff; beautiful ports

Cons: Dinner choices - especially dessert for the main seating was more limited than our previous cruise

Recommended: Yes

Overall, our experience was fantastic. The meeting place of the excursions in St. John, NB was a bit confusing as it was difficult to locate our tour. Seemed a bit disorganized, but other than that, no major complaints!