At a capacity of 2,501 passengers. it’s the smallest ship in Royal Caribbean’s Sydney-based fleet each season but that very diminutive nature is exactly what makes Radiance of the Seas one of the most popular vessels, with an intensely loyal following that returns regularly.
Among the reasons for such favour in this market is the fact Radiance boasts one of the widest selections of staterooms of any ship sailing from Australia, despite its comparatively small nature compared to others. The vessel – which also sails from Alaska and Hawaii in the Australian winter – offers well over a thousand staterooms and suites, competing strongly in terms of available space per person with all other Sydney based ships.
Highlights include some of the only staterooms built for families of five and six and an entire deck dedicated to suites and junior suites!
We’ve cast an eye across the ship and rounded up the pick of the best you’ll find on Radiance of the Seas, including some gems you might not have even thought existed.
The Family Ocean View Staterooms
These spacious Ocean View staterooms are situated at the front of the ship on Decks 7 and 8 and each one accommodates up to six passengers across a main bedroom and a separate quad bedroom. Over 319 square feet of space, everybody in your family will have enough space to enjoy themselves without feeling as if you’re living on top of each other.
You will need a minimum of five guests to reserve either of these staterooms and even then, this can only be done through a travel agent or over the phone with Royal Caribbean directly – not online. They generally won’t appear on the Royal Caribbean website – or that of travel agents, so even to get a price, you’ll have to pay a visit to your agent or make a phone call.
Cabin Numbers to Ask for:
- Interior – 2023 (Deck 2), 3539, 3541 (Deck 3), 4017 and 4517 (Deck 4).
- Ocean View – 4006 and 4008 (Deck 4).
- Balcony – 7110, 7112, 7114, 7610, 7612 and 7614 (Deck 7).
- Suite – 1028 and 1528 (Deck 10).
Despite being one of the older members of the Royal Caribbean fleet, Radiance of the Seas offers more accessible staterooms than many of her fleet mates.
There are accessible options across all four major stateroom categories (Interior, Ocean View, Balcony and Suite). The vessel is one of the few to offer suites which have been modified to accommodate guests with accessibility challenges, with two Junior Suites on Deck 10 fully equipped for the needs of those occupying a wheelchair.
Cabin Numbers to Ask for:
- Anything between 2000 and 2028 (all Deck 2).
If you’re looking at an affordable category which still offers something of a view, you will most likely have examined the Ocean View staterooms, which sit one level below the Balcony cabins on the food chain.
On Radiance of the Seas, a little-known secret is that there are 27 Ocean View staterooms on Deck 2 – the lowest deck on the ship – which are actually a bit larger than those found higher on the ship. This collection of staterooms offer two porthole windows (which in case you’re wondering, don’t open) instead of the traditional larger window found higher up.
However, the biggest benefit of housing yourself on Deck 2 is its comparatively quiet nature, with more passenger staterooms above you and crew staterooms below. It positions you in a nice little bubble of sorts, as the smaller number of cabins on this deck means there will be a notable reduction in foot traffic going past your room in the middle of the night.
Rooms on this deck are also very handy for quick access to tender boats where needed in the more remote ports, with the tender boarding zone sitting only one deck below.
Loaded with all of the perks of a normal suite, these jumbo sized suites can accommodate up to eight guests across – you guessed it – two bedrooms!
One is configured with a king sized bed which can convert to two twins, while the second features another convertible king bed along with third and fourth bunks. If a seventh or eighth guest is joining you, they will rest their heads on the double sofa bed in the living room, which can be made up by your stateroom attendant.
You will need at least four guests to book this stateroom however the real value comes once you have booked for at least six. Overall, you will have nearly 50 square metres of space and more than 18sqm of balcony space.
Like the aforementioned Family Ocean View staterooms, suites can only be booked by travel agents or on the phone with Royal Caribbean, so it’s best to get some help to book these.
