I was on the Royal Caribbean cruise cancelled after we boarded. I was disappointed, but I’m grateful for the memories

In:
03 May 2024

A propulsion issue forced Royal Caribbean to cancel an Alaska cruise after guests boarded, including Kayla Hildebrandt.

Kayla was on the cancelled Alaska cruise

The April 26 sailing of Radiance of the Seas was scheduled to sail a 7-night Alaska cruise, but an issue with the ship's propulsion caused initially a delay of departure, and then a full cancellation.

The last-minute cancellation disrupted the well laid out plans of those booked on the cruise, but it's difficult to fathom the impact unless you were directly affected.

Kayla shared her perspective of the experience, as well as what to consider for anyone else in the future who might experience something like this.

When a Cruise Gets Cancelled – Making the Best of It

Kayla

As the years have gone on, there are two main times of year I tend to cruise: 

  1. in late April/early May for my birthday 
  2. in late September/early October, for our anniversary. 

This year – I decided I wanted to do something a bit more adventurous – a cruise to Alaska on a Radiance class ship, which is my favorite class.

Little did I know at the time – but this would truly become a bit of a roller coaster adventure. 

Spoiler alert: It turned out fun anyway.

Pre-Embarkation

Vancouver

Due to a bit of hectic work travel, I wound up heading out to Vancouver about 12 hours after arriving home to Cincinnati from Halifax on a business trip. This resulted in both severe overpacking and a significant loss of sense of the current time. Nonetheless, we made it out to Vancouver without issue. 

I had seen the emails from Royal Caribbean indicating that Radiance of the Seas had been having issues, but I thought nothing of it at the time. Ship issues aren’t super uncommon, and in more than 25 cruises, I’d never had one actually cancel over simply changing the itinerary. 

Vancouver

My husband and I agreed to go along with it and see what happened. We enjoyed an incredible pre-embarkation meal at Elisa in downtown Vancouver and our stay at the Metropolitan Hotel Vancouver.

Embarkation Day

Kayla

We boarded during our 10 AM boarding window as scheduled, and again, without much concern. We made our way through the pin-ball boarding process that seems to be Canada Place in Vancouver and sat in the rows with the rest of our excited cruisers.

While we were waiting, one of the managers announced in the rundown about boarding that he expected that the required repairs wouldn’t be completed today – but he hadn’t received anything official yet. This is the first point that I started to think, “we’ll be seeing changes.” 

I’ll also admit, with all the work travel, I hadn’t thought to check online (as I normally would have) to see what had happened on the previous sailing. Either way – we agreed: just go with the flow and got on board.

On the Ship

Radiance of the Seas

For this cruise, we booked into cabin 3500, an ocean view cabin all the way forward on the starboard side of the ship. 

While not quite a balcony like I constantly hear recommended for Alaska sailings, we had a huge bright window that allowed us to check out what was going on directly outside and get some sunlight in the room. 

The room had tons of space – even with the amount I had overpacked, I had no issue unloading and finding space for all our things. I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of clever storage on the Radiance class. I’d happily book this category again to save a few dollars to put towards fun excursions.

Onboard Radiance of the Seas

Once we had a quick chance to explore the ship and sit down to grab lunch at the Windjammer, we finally got word that we’d be missing Juneau and staying in Vancouver an extra two days.

While my initial thought was to spend some time exploring Vancouver, the staff quickly clarified that we would all need to stay on board due to customs regulations. 

Again, no problem. This was also our first cruise that we had not done a drink package of any kind and having given up alcohol a few years ago, we were pretty happy about the option for Pellegrino and Diet Coke while enjoying our stationary time on board. 

Deck

We proceeded to enjoy the rest of our first day by getting a deep tissue massage, grabbing dinner in the dining room, and heading to bed early. After coast-to-coast travel, I was very tired.

We knew that we’d be shifting a bit down the coast to a quiet cargo port overnight but waking up to the misty and rainy mountain views that surround Vancouver still made for quite a sight. 

After some breakfast and coffee in the Crown Lounge, we settled in for a movie day: back-to-back viewings of Dune 1 and 2, with a break in between for lunch and a nice walk around deck 5. Even when stationary on a ship that is undergoing repairs, it still makes for a relaxing afternoon. 

Radiance of the Seas ready to resume cruises

During our lunch walk, they announced that Wi-Fi would be free for the next two days. This is when it hit me something big was about to change.

It was halfway through Dune 2 that the captain finally announced that the cruise was cancelled. 

I’ll admit, I felt very sad at that moment. This was my birthday cruise, and a trip I had been looking forward to through months of work stress. 

Radiance of the Seas letter

In that announcement, the Captain included all the important details: we’d need to disembark the following morning, and Royal Caribbean would be issuing a letter to all cabins very shortly with details (we saw that letter on our door within the hour). 

The very first thing I did was to book a hotel for the next night and change our flights around to get back home.

After some processing time, I realized it was a reminder that things aren’t always going to go to plan, and things like this aren’t in our control. The only choice we get is how we react to it. 

So, after chatting in the Centrum over Heineken 0.0s, we made a couple decisions:

  • We’re going to stay in Vancouver for an extra 2 days to explore the city.
  • We’re going to use our FCC to book a New Year’s Eve cruise – something else we’ve always wanted to do, and something to look forward to on my first winter break of graduate school.

By the time we talked through our plans for Vancouver and for our new sailing, we were giddy and wanted to spend the rest of our time on board the ship to the fullest. 

We wound up having an insanely fun dinner at Izumi (big shout out to Ronald, Jelly, and Adonis!) and set to enjoy the rest of our time in Vancouver, a city we wound up absolutely loving.

Final Thoughts

Radiance of the Seas docked in Vancouver

If I could go back in time and have a do-over, I don’t think there’s much that I would change. 

While I’m still very sad I didn’t get to see Alaska this year, I believe I’ll have another opportunity to go, and this cancellation provided an additional opportunity to get to know Vancouver, which is truly a very cool city.

Additionally, I would gladly book Radiance or one of her sister ships again.

The experience provided was my own and while I felt that we handled it well in the circumstances we had, I felt bad for others that traveled in from Europe or Australia for the experience. That’s a lot of travel time sunk into an experience that you didn’t expect to have changed so significantly. 

Radiance pool deck in Alaska

Most others we encountered onboard carried a positive attitude around the experience, which also impacted our attitude on how we moved forward. Passengers I encountered discussed their alternate plans with us almost happily, though based on the constant line at Guest Services and other voices overheard in the Crown Lounge, I don’t expect that that was everyone’s experience. 

Similarly, the crew being in limbo and the uncertainty of when they’d be able to work with incoming passengers again was a bit sad to see.

Radiance of the Seas docked in Vancouver

I feel that the compensation provided by Royal Caribbean was fair. While we haven’t had the refunds hit our credit card yet, nor have I gone through submitting our hotel and taxi receipts quite yet (not to mention the travel insurance aspect), I do know there’s a lot to process and that this will likely take some time. 

I’m grateful for the promise of a full refund, the paid hotel for the couple of days in Vancouver, as well as the future cruise credit. It took a lot of the sting out of a significant change of plans. 

While onboard, I really do think the ‘open bar’ policy made a difference, even for us as non-drinkers. Since we weren’t at sea, the casino and shops remained closed and the number of bars available were limited, but it was still fun to see people making the best of their vacation together.

Vancouver Recommendations

Vancouver aerial

If you ever find yourself with a few extra days in Vancouver, here’s some suggestions:

  • Visit the Vancouver Aquarium
  • Explore the sights on foot or on bike around Stanley Park
  • Check out Granville Island Public Market
  • Take a food tour around Gastown
  • Book some local dining – Elisa and Nightengale both offered incredible meals

Royal Caribbean confirms cruise ship fixed its propulsion problem and will resume cruises

In:
30 Apr 2024

Good news: Royal Caribbean's Radiance of the Seas has made the necessary repairs to be able to resume cruises.

Radiance of the Seas ready to resume cruises

The cruise line was forced to cancel an Alaska cruise at the last minute on Radiance of the Seas due to a problem with the ship's propulsion.

The cruise line confirmed the issue has been resolved.

Guests booked on the May 3rd, 2024 sailing received the email they were hoping for that their cruise is a go.

Radiance of the Seas repairs complete

Radiance of the Seas in Alaska

The email sent overnight said, "We're happy to share that our teams are finishing up the technical work onboard right on schedule and we'll be ready to welcome you on May 3rd, as planned!"

"Thank you for your continued patience and understanding as we work to get the ship into tip-top shape for you. See you onboard Radiance of the Seas!"

The next sailing is an open-jaw 7-night sailing from Vancouver to Seward that will visit Juneau, Icy Strait Point, Sitka, and Skagway in Alaska.

Radiance of the Seas letter

The trouble began for Radiance of the Seas last week when a repositioning cruise between Los Angeles and Vancouver when the ship encountered some sort of an issue with its propulsion, as it became visible only one engine was being used.

Guests were informed the ship would need to sail at a reduced speed, and as a result, the ship would skip the rest of the planned stops and go directly to Vancouver.

Radiance of the Seas has two Azipods, which are multidirectional pods that drive the ship and can be rotated 360 degrees and are have been the standard form of propulsion for all of Royal Caribbean's new cruise ships in recent years.

Radiance of the Seas azipod

Radiance made it to Vancouver, but then informed guests on the April 26 7-Night Alaska Glacier sailing they would sail a shortened cruise because an additional two days of repairs would be needed.

Passengers boarded only to be informed a day later their cruise had to be cancelled in order to carry out the necessary repairs. 

Those on the cancelled sailing were issued a full refund, plus a future cruise credit that can be used for a future sailing.

2024 Radiance of the Seas Alaska season

Serenade of the Seas Alaska

Radiance of the Seas will offer 7-10 night Alaska cruises in 2024 that can also combine with Land Tours to offer immersive visits to Alaska, including in-land destinations such as Denali.

Radiance is sailing alternating, open-jaw itineraries between Vancouver and Seward.

Radiance pulling into Seward

Radiance of the Seas can accommodate 2,466 guests onboard (at maximum occupancy), with more than 800 crew members working on the vessel.

Radiance will remain in Alaska waters until her September 20, 2024 sailing.

More about Alaska cruises

Royal Caribbean promises a status update on the cruise ship with propulsion problem this week

In:
29 Apr 2024

Work is underway to repair Royal Caribbean's beleaguered cruise ship.

New update coming this week

Radiance of the Seas is in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada after making it there last week following engine trouble.

Royal Caribbean was forced to cancel the next sailing after realizing the repairs needed were more substantial than originally thought.

Late on Monday, guests booked on the next sailing were sent an email update indicating work is underway and a new update will be made by May 2.

Radiance of the Seas letter
Photo by Cindy Ardoin

"As you may know, Radiance of the Seas encountered a technical issue with its propulsion system, resulting in the cancellation of our April 26th, 2024, sailing," the letter said.

"Repairs are still underway, and our teams are working diligently to address this issue. We want to assure you that we are doing everything possible to resolve it as quickly as we can."

While there is no formal update to share as to when it will be complete, guests can expect another update this week, "While we continue to make progress, we understand the importance of keeping you informed and will provide you with another update by May 2nd."

What happened to Radiance of the Seas?

port-tampa-radiance

The saga of Radiance of the Seas began last week during her repositioning sailing from Los Angeles to Vancouver.

During that cruise, guests were notified of a “technical issue with one of its propulsion systems" and that the ship would skip all the ports of call in order to get to Vancouver at a slower speed.

Radiance made it to Vancouver and then initially would be delayed by two days so that the engine problem could be resolved.

Radiance of the Seas in Icy Strait Point

Guests were notified that the ship would welcome passengers onboard. but that the ship would remain in Vancouver for two additional nights in order to give the crew time to fix the propulsion issue.

Guests boarded the ship on time, but a new update came out on Saturday that the sailing would have to be completely cancelled.

All passengers had to disembark by April 28.

Radiance of the Seas in Vancouver

Compounding the problem is that this exact issue seemingly occurred less than a year ago.

Radiance of the Seas suffered a propulsion issue last summer that resulted in two cruises being cancelled in order to make the necessary repairs.

Radiance of the Seas was scheduled to depart from Seward, Alaska on September 1, 2023 and Vancouver, Canada on September 8, 2023 for seven-night cruises along the Alaskan coast. Both voyages were canceled due to a technical issue with the ship's propulsion system.

The ship underwent repairs and was able to resume sailing with the September 15, 2023 voyage.

Propulsion problems are not uncommon

Radiance azipod

Cruise ships can run into mechanical problems, just like airplanes, buses, or trains.

In the grand scheme of how many cruise ships operate each week, breakdowns such as this are quite rare.

Radiance is not new, but Royal Caribbean invests a lot of money into routine maintenance.  However, engine problems will still occasionally happen.

Other cruise ships have had propulsion issues that forced a cancellation or at least an itinerary change. It's more common for the ship speed to be affected and itinerary changed than the entire sailing cancelled.

Radiance of the Seas is a 90,900 gross ton Radiance Class cruise ship. She had her maiden voyage in 2001.

Radiance is a smaller ship by today's standards, and has a capacity of 2,466 guests at double occupancy.

She is 962 feet long.

Royal Caribbean cancels Alaska cruise at last minute after passengers were already onboard

In:
27 Apr 2024

Royal Caribbean threw in the towel on Saturday and decided to cancel its planned sailing to Alaska after discovering repairs would take longer than expected.

Radiance of the Seas in Alaska

Guests boarded the ship on Friday after being told their sailing would be delayed by two days, but would sail on Sunday. Radiance of the Seas was scheduled to depart on Friday, but the amended itinerary dropped a port visit so it could stay in Vancouver for a few extra days.

Around mid-day on Saturday while still in Vancouver, an announcement was made over the public address system to inform guests their sailing would be cancelled in order to fix an ongoing issue with its propulsion system. 

Guests are expected to disembark the ship tomorrow.

Radiance of the Seas in Alaska

"As you are aware, our teams have been vigorously working to have Radiance of the Seas prepared to set sail on our shortened April 26th sailing," the letter given to passengers in their staterooms read.

"Despite our best efforts, circumstances beyond our control have delayed our sailing further."

"As a result, we'll regrettably have to cancel our April 26th, 2024 cruise."

Radiance of the Seas letter

The sailing will not occur at all, and guests must disembark the ship by April 28th at 4:00pm.

Royal Caribbean issued a further apology saying, "we understand the disappointment due to this unfortunate turn of events. We truly extend our sincerest apologies for the continued unforeseen disruptions to your vacation."

Royal Caribbean has not yet made a comment on exactly what is wrong with the propulsion system. 

How will passengers be compensated

Radiance of the Seas docked in Vancouver

All guests will receive a 100% refund for the cost of the cruise. This includes refunding passengers of any taxes and fees for the cruise. 

In addition to the 100% refund, guests will also be receiving a Future Cruise Credit (FCC) of 100% of their cruise fare paid to be used towards a future sailing. Royal Caribbean has stated guests will receive this FCC by May 10th. 

Passengers have been notified that they will be expected to disembark by tomorrow, April 28th 2024 by 4:00pm local time. 

Anyone that booked flights with Royal Caribbean will have their flight arrangements automatically re-scheduled.

The cruise line will reimburse any travel change fees up to $250 for domestic travel and $400 for international travel.

They will also reimburse up to $250 for hotel costs, per stateroom, per night, for two nights.

What happened to the cruise ship?

Radiance of the Seas wake

Earlier this week, Radiance of the Seas set sail on a 4-night sailing from Los Angeles to Vancouver. During the sailing guests were quickly notified  of a “technical issue with one of its propulsion systems" and that the rest of the planned port stops would be skipped.

Initially passengers for the April 26th sailing were given a letter onboard notifying guests of a delay that would be occurring due to the time it would need to take for crew members to fix the faulty engine and propulsion system.

Royal Caribbean notified guests that the ship would be welcoming passengers onboard but that the ship would remain at the embarkation port for two additional nights in order to give the crew time to fix the propulsion issue that has disabled one of the ship’s engines. 

The letter delivered to all passengers onboard stated the following message from Royal Caribbean, "While repairs for the technical issue that we encountered on our previous sailing are still underway, we discovered that we're going to need some extra time to get the ship in tip-top shape for you. Although we'll conduct our boarding as planed for our April 26th, 2024, Radiance of the Seas sailing, we'll now set sail on April 28, 2024.”

After delivering this message to all guests Royal Caribbean addressed the problem with the following apology, “We're terrible sorry for this last-minute change. We understand this news is disappointing, but we hope you'll join us on the alternate itinerary planned.” 

Alaska cruise ship

The change in itinerary at the time meant that Radiance of the Seas would need to adjust its schedule and that some changes would be made to the current Alaska sailing. This included missing an originally scheduled port stop in Juneau Alaska. This sailing was meant to be the first of the Alaskan cruise season for Radiance of the Seas. 

However, there is now a more recent development that has completely changed this cruise sailing again for passengers currently onboard Radiance of the Seas. 

The second time this ship had a last-minute cancellation after guests boarded

Radiance of the Seas in Seward, Alaska

It's deja vu for Radiance of the Seas as a similar situation occurred last year in Alaska that resulted in two cruises being cancelled, and one was after passengers had gotten onboard.

Radiance of the Seas was scheduled to depart from Seward, Alaska on September 1, 2023 and Vancouver, Canada on September 8, 2023 for seven-night cruises along the Alaskan coast. Both voyages were canceled due to a technical issue with the ship's propulsion system.

The ship underwent repairs and was able to resume sailing with the September 15, 2023 voyage.

The similarities less than a year apart are uncanny and quite unusual.

Royal Caribbean shortens sailing because of propulsion issue

In:
26 Apr 2024

Royal Caribbean's Radiance of the Seas will not have to cancel its next cruise, but it will need extra time to fix the issue onboard.

Radiance of the Seas shortened a sailing due to a propulsion issue

Guests on the April 26 sailing of Radiance of the Seas were advised on embarkation day that their sailing will still take place, albeit with an extra two days in port before they can leave.

Earlier this week, Radiance of the Seas suffered a propulsion issue that appears to have disabled one of the ship's engines.  

During the four night sailing from Los Angeles to Vancouver, guests experienced a brief stop and then the ship resumed sailing but with only one engine operational.  Guests were quickly informed the ship has, "a technical issue with one of its propulsion systems" and the rest of the planned port stops would be skipped.

Radiance of the Seas letter

Radiance made a direct course for Vancouver, where it was able to dock late last night and allow new passengers onboard today as scheduled.

Unfortunately, the start of the Alaska cruise season will be altered due to the propulsion issue.

A letter given to guests on embarkation informed them that the ship needs additional time to make the necessary repairs, "While repairs for the technical issue that we encountered on our previous sailing are still underway, we discovered that we're going to need some extra time to get the ship in tip-top shape for you."

Radiance of the Seas in Vancouver

As a result, the ship won't leave Vancouver until Sunday night, "Although we'll conduct our boarding as planed for our April 26th, 2024, Radiance of the Seas sailing, we'll now set sail on April 28, 2024."

While the ship will remain in port for a few days, the terminal will be closed so passengers will be unable to disembark to explore Vancouver during the delayed time.

In addition, the revised itinerary means it will skip a scheduled visit to Juneau, Alaska.

Radiance had planned to conduct its first 7-night Alaska cruise of the 2024 season with this sailing.

Compensation for the delay

Radiance of the Seas in Icy Strait Point

Royal Caribbean apologized to guests for the inconvenience this technical issue has caused, which has now impacted two sailings.

"We're terrible sorry for this last-minute change. We understand this news is disappointing, but we hope you'll join us on the alternate itinerary planned," the letter said.

Radiance will sail the Inside Passage on April 29, followed by a visit to Icy Strait Point and Ketchikan, Alaska before returning to Vancouver.

Read more: Alaska cruise ports guide

Radiance of the Seas letter

In addition, Royal Caribbean is offering compensation for the last-minute change of schedule.

Guests will receive:

  • A refund of two days of cruise fare in the form of onboard credit
  • A Future Cruise Credit value of two days of the cruise fare paid to use towards the booking of another cruise
  • Refunds for any shore excursions booked in Juneau in the form of onboard credit
  • Complimentary drinks for the two days stuck in Vancouver
    • All drinks will be complimentary to guests on April 26 and April 27, 2024
    • Guests who bought a drink package will get a refund for those days in an onboard credit
  • Guests will still get 7 Crown and Anchor Society points for the sailing

The problem with the cruise ship

Radiance of the Seas azipod

Royal Caribbean did not specify exactly what the propulsion issue is, or what happened to cause it.

Royal Caribbean's only official comment on the problem is that the ship's "propulsion system experienced a technical issue."

Radiance of the Seas has two Azipods, which are multidirectional pods that drive the ship and can be rotated 360 degrees and are have been the standard form of propulsion for all of Royal Caribbean's new cruise ships in recent years.

Radiance of the Seas in Ketchikan

During the previous sailing, the ship came to a stop in the ocean briefly before resuming sailing with only one engine.

It remains to be seen if this issue will be fully resolved by April 28.

Royal Caribbean cruise ship cancels rest of sailing because of propulsion issue

In:
23 Apr 2024

Royal Caribbean's Radiance of the Seas has encountered a propulsion issue that has slowed the ship, and will now head to its final port of call.

Radiance of the Seas has cancelled the rest of her cruise

Guests onboard Radiance of the Seas were alerted by the ship's Captain of the issue, which occurred on Tuesday as the ship was sailing up the west coast of the United States.

Radiance of the Seas is sailing an open-jaw 4 Night Pacific Coastal Cruise to move the ship from Los Angeles to Vancouver and get the ship in position for her 2024 Alaska season. An open jaw cruise is one that begins and ends in a different port.

The Captain spoke to guests over the public address system to inform them of the issue, "Our teams have discovered that radiance of the seas is experiencing a technical issue with one of its propulsion systems, resulting in the ship being required to sail at a much slower speed."

Radiance of the Seas

He emphasized the ship is still safe to operate, "Please know your safety and comfort, along with that of my crew are my top priorities and our ship remains seaworthy and safe. It's just slower."

He did not specify exactly what the propulsion issue is, or what happened to cause it.

Radiance of the Seas has two Azipods, which are multidirectional pods that drive the ship and can be rotated 360 degrees and are have been the standard form of propulsion for all of Royal Caribbean's new cruise ships in recent years.

Radiance of the Seas wake

Guests could see only one Azipod is being used once the incident occurred.

As a result of the slower speed, Radiance of the Seas now needs to skip the rest of the ports on its itinerary and go straight to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

According to the Captain, Radiance of the Seas will arrive there on Thursday, April 25th in the evening between 9 and 10 p.m. The ship can then be ready to disembark guests on April 26 as scheduled.

Radiance of the Seas azipod

Radiance of the Seas is a 90,900 gross ton Radiance Class cruise ship. Her maiden voyage was in 2001.

Radiance is a smaller ship by today's standards, and has a capacity of 2,466 guests at double occupancy.

She is 962 feet long.

Compensation

Radiance of the Seas

Letters were distributed to guests in their staterooms to confirm the changes.

As a result of the altered itinerary, guests can expect a partial refund for the disappointment. Royal Caribbean is not obligated to offer compensation for technical problems, but tends to do so as a gesture of goodwill.

Guests will receive 50% of their cruise fare paid back as an onboard credit.

letter given to guests

Any shore excursions purchased for ports that will be skipped will be refunded fully as an onboard credit.

The onboard credit can be used onboard the ship, and any unused credit will be refunded back to the credit card on file within 14 business days after the sailing concludes.

What about the next cruise?

port-tampa-radiance

A propulsion issue on Radiance of the Seas is cause for concern for anyone with an upcoming sailing booked on her as to what impact it may have on it.

In the letter given to guests onboard Radiance, the ship's staff conveyed a message for back-to-back cruisers that are booked for the next sailing.

 "Our teams are hard at work to correct this issue and our current progress is meeting our timeline. However, we'll need to be docked to complete the required repairs," the letter explained.

"At this time, we intend to sail as planned on April 26th, 2024, and we are committed to keeping you informed every step of the way."

"We'll provide you with another update by April 26th."

Letter to guests on April 26 sailing

Guests booked on the April 26th sailing also received an email summarizing the same information mentioned previously in this article.

Recent propulsion problems for Radiance

Radiance of the Seas in Alaska

Radiance of the Seas has had some bad luck lately with its propulsion system.

Last year, Radiance encountered a propulsion issue during her Alaska season that cancelled a few cruises at the last-minute.

Two cruises were cancelled before Radiance could resume sailings.

Cruise ships have redundant engines for this situation

Work on Oasis propellors

As the Captain of Radiance of the Seas explained, propulsion issues like this are not unheard of and the ship is quite safe to sail on.

Cruise ships can sail with less than both engines running. In fact, it's common not to have all engines going at once in order to conserve wear and tear.

When a situation like this occurs, the ship can still operate at a reduced speed safely.

Historically, ships with propulsion problems have been able to sail and either make repairs along the way, or hold off until a scheduled upcoming dry dock. The incident with Radiance last year having to cancel a couple of cruises was certainly an outlier.

After sailing Royal Caribbean's mega ships, I tried a small ship and here's what I liked about it

In:
25 Nov 2023

In the world of cruising, bigger isn’t always better.

Many cruisers are familiar with the grandeur and scale of Royal Caribbean’s exciting mega-ships. 

I personally experienced luxury cruises on some of those colossal vessels, such as the Wonder of the Seas and Freedom of the Seas

After cruises on the bigger Oasis and Freedom Class ships, it was time for me to try a cruise on a smaller ship.

I sailed on Radiance of the Seas, a Radiance Class ship.

While not the smallest Royal Caribbean has to offer, the ship only has 13 decks and a capacity of 2,500 guests. 

The contrast from the larger ships was stark. The experience opened my eyes to the potential charm and advantages of a smaller cruise adventure. 

I found that, although there are disadvantages to a smaller ship, this type of cruise can also offer a refreshing change of pace.

In this article, I’ll share my insights into the unique aspects that set small Royal Caribbean ships apart from their larger counterparts. 

1. The ship had a more defined, intimate culture

One of the most significant differences of sailing on a small ship was the sense of a more defined, intimate ship culture that permeated the experience.

While on the ship, I noticed crew members acting closely and calling one another by name, even over ship announcements. 

The ship’s captain, Captain Marek, also brought a much more personal touch to the sailing. I saw him walk around the ship, taking pictures with guests. He even performed one night, singing songs in the Centrum. 

I also attended the Captain’s Q&A, which is present on other Royal Caribbean ships, but felt more personal with a smaller group.

While some of this is dependent on Captain Marek’s sociable and kind personality, I’m sure that piloting a smaller ship helps him spread that friendly energy and create a more intimate ship community.

Personal touches like these make the ship a warm, welcoming atmosphere and allow guests to feel like more than just passengers—they feel like part of a close-knit cruising community.

2. The atmosphere felt quiet and calm

One difference that became very apparent once I stopped onboard was the sense of calm and serenity around the vessel. Unlike some of the larger, bustling ships, Radiance of the Seas felt like a much more tranquil and laid-back place.

There were so few crowds and noise everywhere onboard that my introverted spirit began to soar.

Especially at night, I could walk around a completely quiet ship. Most cruisers clustered at the bars or in the nightclub, leaving the majority of the ship tranquil.

For example, my friend and I would walk around the upper decks to look at the stars outdoors. Sometimes we would travel the whole deck without seeing anyone else!

This was a stark contrast to my cruises on larger ships, especially on Wonder of the Seas, where I could barely find a quiet place, much less one with no people around. 

If getting some peace and quiet is a concern for your future cruises, I highly recommend sailing on a smaller ship.

The absence of crowds and noise made it easier to unwind and enjoy the breathtaking views of the open sea without the noise and distractions found on larger ships.

Read more: 10 reasons why I didn't want to go on a cruise, but glad I gave it a try

3. Staff was more attentive, providing a personalized experience 

While Royal Caribbean has always impressed me with the quality of guest care, I could tell that the smaller scale of the ship allowed staff to be even more attentive to the needs of each guest.

From the dining room to the room service, the crew members went above and beyond to ensure a comfortable cruise experience. 

I noticed that crew members would recognize and greet me again after seeing me on the deck.

When we ordered room service breakfast, staff would call us before delivering to make sure we were ready to receive it. 

This attention to detail made sure my needs were always anticipated and met. I felt that the smaller ship lent itself to more genuine hospitality from crew members and created an environment where passengers’ individual needs could be even more prioritized. 

4. I navigated the ship with ease

Navigating Royal Caribbean’s mega-ships had felt like a daunting task. The larger ships, such as Wonder of the Seas, have multiple neighborhoods and many decks, making you feel like you’re traversing a small town.

I’m not the best with directions, so took me about 3-4 days to get comfortable navigating the larger ships. It was hard to even remember which end was the fore and which was the aft!

On the smaller cruise ship, however, the layout was more straightforward and compact, making it easy for me to find my way around. With fewer decks and a more compact design, I felt comfortable traversing Radiance of the Seas by Day 2 of the cruise.

This saved us time when it came to getting lost and deciphering maps and allowed us to spend more time enjoying the amenities and activities onboard.

We didn’t have to rely on crowded, slow elevators for the whole of the cruise, as well. I was comfortable taking the stairs for much more of this cruise due to the ship’s smaller size. 

5. There was no need to make reservations

On my larger cruise ship experiences, I had to be on the lookout for events and venues that could fill up quickly or require a reservation.

We had to move fast when it came to dining reservations and show up early to find a seat in the shows.

Unlike on mega-ships, where availability was limited, my smaller cruise offered a hassle-free experience. There was no need for me to plan ahead, as I found I could simply show up to whatever activity or event I wanted and find plenty of spots available. 

These events, such as comedy shows, Zumba classes, or groups on the pool deck, felt more intimate and connected with much fewer people present.

6. Seating was more easily available 

One common struggle on larger ships is finding a vacant seat, especially in popular dining areas like the Windjammer buffet. 

On the smaller ship, I found that many more seating options were available. In the Windjammer, I could enjoy meals without the stress of searching for a table.

And the bars had hardly any lines, whereas I would have had to wait for several minutes on a larger ship.

This contrast added comfort to the already-relaxed atmosphere onboard.

Of course, this difference has two sides: on one hand, the smaller ship has fewer people aboard, meaning that more seating was available in some areas. 

However, on the other hand, the smaller ship meant smaller areas, so I did find fewer seats available in places like the pool deck.

7. Provides the unique experience of sailing out of small ports

port-tampa-sign

Choosing a smaller ship opens up the possibility of disembarking from smaller ports.

In the case of my Radiance of the Seas cruise, this meant we could sail out of Tampa.

This smaller port allowed for a more convenient, streamlined departure experience. 

The ship could also sail directly under the iconic Sunshine Skyway Bridge, the gateway to Tampa Bay. Radiance of the Seas clears the bridge with just 6 feet of leeway, so it is an incredible opportunity to watch the small ship navigate.

We could also sail right up to our ports of call at Costa Maya and Cozumel, meaning no extra tender ships were required. 
 

I chose to cruise on a smaller Royal Caribbean cruise ship. It saved me money and brought me to ports I prefer

In:
16 Nov 2023

Sometimes picking a cruise ship to sail on can feel like picking your favorite child: you don't have one, but sometimes you prefer one over the other for different reasons.

Radiance of the Seas

It can be daunting to choose between different cruise ships for a vacation, and even I can sometimes find myself second guessing the decision.

I recently sailed on one of Royal Caribbean's smallest cruise ships for a few important reasons, and it provided me an affordable cruise to the places I wanted to visit, even if it did not have all the bells and whistles of other ships.

Radiance of the Seas logo

Radiance of the Seas is the oldest Radiance Class cruise ship, having launched on June 15, 2000.  Cruise ships that reach the 20 year plateau are becoming far more commonplace than it used to be, so age is not the factor it used to be in evaluating how good a cruise ship is.

Read moreWhy you can't trust online reviews of cruise ships

Radiance is also on the small end of Royal Caribbean's fleet.  She has a capacity of 2,501 guests and a length of 961 feet.  Compared to new cruise ships, like Wonder of the Seas, she is in a different category of cruise ship layout and feel.

Centrum on Radiance of the Seas

Ultimately, I picked Radiance of the Seas because it was the right cruise ship for what I wanted: an inexpensive getaway cruise to ports of call in Mexico from a convenient homeport.

Here's why my cruise on Radiance of the Seas ended up being a great choice.

Inexpensive last-minute fare

Balcony cabin on Radiance of the Seas

It seems like a last-minute cruise deal is getting harder and harder to find because of rising cruise prices.  Royal Caribbean is seeing exceptional demand, and that means there's less incentive to offer a lower price.

I booked this cruise exactly 31 days before embarkation, and got a Category 4D balcony stateroom for $1,390.79 (including gratuities), plus $50 onboard credit.  

Read moreThe 5 best cabin locations on a cruise ship

Balcony cabin on Radiance of the Seas

This was a 5-night cruise that visited two ports of call in Mexico, Costa Maya and Cozumel.

I could have gone with a category 2V inside cabin instead for $1,063.79  (including gratuities), plus $50 onboard credit.  I decided the extra $300 was worth having a balcony and more space.

Read more8 reasons a balcony cabin is worth it to book on a cruise

I didn't set any records for the lowest cruise fare ever, but considering I booked the cruise just a month before sailing, I think it's a pretty good price for a last-minute cruise in 2023.

Tampa sign for Radiance

At the time of booking, there were very few options that worked for the timeframe I wanted, but more important, I was going to pay more for them too.

Cruises from other ports around Florida had higher prices and worse cabin choices.

My cabin had lots of space, and the private balcony was so nice to have on the two sea days we had.

Cabin on Radiance of the Seas

I was in cabin 8516, located near the forward elevator bank. There were no noise issues to contend with, and it was very convenient to have an elevator so close by.

Not only does a balcony cabin get natural light from the sliding glass door, but I was able to spend time on my balcony with the fresh air or a view from in my room if it got too hot.

Convenient homeport

Radiance of the Seas in Tampa

Radiance of the Seas is spending the winter cruise season in Tampa, Florida, and it's one of my favorite ports to sail from because of how easy it is.

Tampa does not get the bigger cruise ships that you'll find in South Florida or even across the state in Port Canaveral, but it's such an easy process to cruise from there.

Besides the fact I can make the drive in a little over an hour from my house, the port is set up with a valet parking option that costs just $15 more than parking in the cruise terminal garage. 

Port of Tampa

The terminal itself is a no-frills embarkation experience, and I've always found it to be quick and easy. 

I arrived for my noon check-in time (which I picked from the Royal Caribbean app) and there were no lines at all to contend with. All they had to do was check paperwork and send me on my way.

While the embarkation process is just as easy at other Florida homeports thanks to Royal Caribbean's utilization of its app to speed up the process, the folks working in the cruise terminal have done their best to ensure everything goes smoothly.

Lots of dining choices

Chops Grille

Given how old Radiance of the Seas is, I was surprised how many dining choices it has.

There are four different specialty restaurants on Radiance of the Seas, plus the Chef's Table.

When you're choosing between a small or big cruise ship, often the variety of dining choices is one consideration as big ships are known for having more.  

Windjammer on Radiance of the Seas

However, with four specialty restaurants in addition to the complimentary Windjammer and Main Dining Room, I was impressed by the variety.

Whether you decided to eat at any of the specialty restaurants or not, it's nice how many options there are on a ship of Radiance of the Seas' age and size.

Ports in Mexico

Maya Chan

A major reason I wanted to go on Radiance of the Seas was for the opportunity to sail to Mexico.

Anecdotally, it seems like there are far less cruises going to Mexico than the Eastern Caribbean. Or at least, I keep subconsciously choosing Eastern Caribbean routes.

I wanted a cruise that went to the Western Caribbean so I could review my two favorite beach shore excursions: Maya Chan and Paradise Beach.

Paradise Beach pool

Plus, I really enjoy cruises that go to Mexico because of the food.

At home, I eat plenty of Mexican food, but there's nothing like getting the real thing in Mexico. I enjoy the beautiful scenery there as well, but Mexico's food is my favorite among any Caribbean port.

An additional benefit to Radiance of the Seas was the amount of time we had in port.

RC Cozumel

In both Costa Maya and Cozumel, we were docked for the full day.  As an example, in Costa Maya we were in port from 8am to 5pm, whereas Mariner of the Seas came in on the same day, but did not arrive until 11am.  They did stay until 7pm, but in my experience so many businesses close up once you get to around 5pm.

Being that Radiance of the Seas was closer to Tampa, our distance was shorter than a cruise from Eastern Florida, and I loved having a full day in each port of call.

Fastest internet at sea

Speed test result

If having fast internet on a cruise ship is important to you, Radiance of the Seas is a great choice.

Royal Caribbean's investment in Starlink internet service has been a game changer, especially now that they seemed to have optimized their networking to better handle the traffic.

I was first blown away by how well Starlink worked when I was on Serenade of the Seas last month, which is another Radiance Class ship.

On Radiance of the Seas, the internet was almost as good as Serenade, but so much better than just a few months ago when I was on other, larger ships.

As someone that relies on the internet heavily, it was so nice to have a reliable connection for the entire cruise.

I stayed in the cheapest cabin on Royal Caribbean's Radiance of the Seas. It was small and windowless, but for $151 a night, it was a great deal — take a look.

In:
14 Nov 2023

I recently took my first cruise on a smaller Royal Caribbean ship, choosing to sail on Radiance on the Seas.

radiance-cabin

This sailing was a 5-night cruise from Tampa, Florida, stopping at Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico. 

Radiance of the Seas, the first Radiance Class ship, was built in 2001 and revitalized in 2011. 

It is a smaller ship in Royal Caribbean’s fleets, with a capacity for 2,466 guests. 

Read more: 20 Radiance Class cruise ship tips and secrets

I opted to book a guarantee stateroom, choosing a cheaper price in exchange for letting Royal Caribbean assign us a less desirable cabin. Usually, they assign you the cabins that have not yet sold a few weeks before embarkation. 

The total price of the fare was $1510.74, with pre-paid gratuities included, totaling just $151 a night per person. 

radiance-deck-4

About a week before my cruise, I saw that we had been assigned cabin number 4059. Located midship on the 4th deck, this was the lowest level cabin I’ve experienced before!

I appreciated the midship location, close to the elevators both in the middle of the ship and the forward end. 

It was also extremely close to our assigned table in the Main Dining Room—right there on deck 4. 

Room 4059 was a windowless inside cabin. Although Radiance of the Seas is the smallest ship I have sailed on so far, the size of the room did not disappoint. 

Despite it being a smaller inside cabin, I thought the stateroom was quite spacious, with a couch in the corner and room for two beds. 

When I walked into the room, I faced the two beds and couch on the right and the vanity and desk on the left. 

The closet was on the front left of the room, directly opposite the bathroom door. 

radiance-bathroom

The bathroom was small, as I am now used to on Royal Caribbean ships. The lights were slow to flicker on, but there was nothing else to suggest that the cabin was outdated. 

Honestly, if I hadn’t already known the age of this ship, I would never have guessed that she’s as old as I am!

Read more: I sailed again on Royal Caribbean's Radiance Class ships, but think these ships need upgrades

radiance-shower

One aspect that I did not like about the bathroom was that the shower curtain was a thin fabric instead of a plexiglass door. Water would spill under the curtain out onto the floor if I wasn’t careful. 

radiance-cabin-bathroom

However, all other aspects of the bathroom were great: lots of mirrors, enough shelf space, and fresh towels daily. 

radiance-closet

Opposite the bathroom, the closet held 6 wide shelves and countless hangers. This is one of the largest closets I've taken advantage of on my cruises. There was enough space for myself and my friend, who was traveling with me, to fill the shelves with our clothes, place our luggage on the floor of the closet, and hang jackets and dresses on the hangers. 

Further on in the room, I loved the full-length mirror opposite the vanity and the vanity aspect with lights under the mirror. 

radiance-cabin-desk

The desk/vanity had a comfortable chair and many drawers, which were ample enough for my friend and I to store any other items there.

radiance-cabin-cooler

Tucked to the right of this desk was a small refrigerator. However, it didn’t have any cooling unit of its own, so it served more as a storage container rather than a cooler. I was able to store food there but found that it didn’t stay very cold. I put a vegan sorbet from the Main Dining Room inside this cooler, and it had melted by the next day. 

radiance-TV

Above the desk was a small TV, which was not a smart TV but had a few free channels. 

radiance-cabin1

The couch was large enough for two people to sit on, and I loved the small table next to it, where we served ourselves room-service breakfast in the mornings. 

The two beds came separated, each with a small nightstand and a lamp above it. I loved that the lamps had two settings: one dim and one much brighter.

The beds were comfortable and cozy, with fluffy pillows I couldn’t wait to rest in every night. 

There were no electricity ports on these nightstands that I could find, so we had to share the ones at the desk. Thankfully, I brought an extension cord to add several extra ports.

cabin-magnetic-hooks

I also chose to bring magnetic hooks, as many people suggest, since they can stick to the steel cabin walls. 

I can't believe I didn't take advantage of this hack earlier! It was a great way to hang scarves and jewelry on the wall and keep them from getting tangled up. 

radiance-cabin-beds

This cabin was my first one with a connecting door to the room next door. The room was connected with #4057. Since we weren’t traveling with a group, of course, we kept the connecting door locked. 

However, I did find that it was easy to hear our next-door neighbors, especially when it got quiet at night. I could hear them coughing late at night, and I’m sure they could hear my friend and I talking. 

The walls seemed thin all around, as I could also hear steps above me and people out in the hallway. 

We were also located quite near the elevators, lobby bar, and Guest Services, so we could hear the live music playing and people talking from that area. 

However, it wasn't so loud that we could not sleep. As a matter of fact, the windowless room stayed so dark that we slept very soundly most nights. 

Despite the midship location, I did find myself getting pretty seasick inside the room, maybe due to the lack of windows and no view of the horizon. Getting fresh air and taking Dramamine every day helped a lot. 

I took full advantage of room service breakfast on this trip and found that they would call us about 15 minutes before they came to deliver the breakfast. It was a great way to sleep in and enjoy a meal in the cabin. 

Despite the fact that this was a cheaper inside cabin, I found that it was large enough and nice enough that we wanted to spend time in this cabin. Saving money on booking to receive this cabin was definitely worth it! 

After 2 cancelled cruises, Royal Caribbean cruise ship will resume sailings

In:
10 Sep 2023

Royal Caribbean confirmed it will be able to resume sailings on Radiance of the Seas.

Radiance of the Seas in Alaska

The cruise line was forced to cancel two last-minute Alaska cruises on Radiance of the Seas due to a problem with the ship's propulsion.

It appears as though the issues are now resolved.

Guests booked on the September 15th sailing received the email they were hoping for. Royal Caribbean Blog reader Gord Wainwright shared a copy of the email Royal Caribbean sent out.

Radiance of the Seas in Seward, Alaska

"Our Marine technical team has given us the green light and we’re thrilled to announce that Radiance of the Seas will be returning to service beginning with our September 15th sailing," is what Royal Caribbean conveyed in the announcement.

"With repairs wrapping up and sea trial preparations underway, we’re now able to confirm our ability to sail as intended."

In addition to informing booked passengers the ship is good to go, Royal Caribbean's  also wanted to address rumors of the ship's seaworthiness.

Radiance of the Seas letter

Royal Caribbean Associate Vice President, Guest Experience, mentioned the ship is ready to go.

"In response to some comments I've seen and heard, seaworthiness was never in question - the propulsion issue only impacted our speed and ability to make it to ports on time," is what the email stated.

The trouble began for Radiance of the Seas last week when the cruise line cancelled the September 1st sailing after the ship experienced problems with its propulsions. On the last night of the August 25th sailing before it concluded in Seward, Alaska is likely when the issues cropped up.

Radiance of the Seas azipod

Radiance of the Seas has two Azipods, which are multidirectional pods that drive the ship and can be rotated 360 degrees and are have been the standard form of propulsion for all of Royal Caribbean's new cruise ships in recent years.

The September 1 and September 8 sailings were the sailings cancelled.

Royal Caribbean is issuing affected customers a full refund, plus a future cruise credit that can be used for a sailing departing within one year.

Radiance of the Seas in Alaska

For the September 8 cancellation, the cruise line will also reimburse non-refundable, pre-purchased travel fees (such as a flight, hotel, train ticket, or rental car) of up to $250 per guest for domestic travel, or up to $500 per guest for international travel.

The September 1 cruise was canceled on the same day the ship was scheduled to depart, meaning many customers had already traveled to the ship's port of departure.

A cancelled cruise is quite rare, but having two in a row is nearly unheard of in the industry.

Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley took to social media to talk about the progress being made to repair the ship, as many other people with booked cruises were concerned their sailings might also be affected.

On his Facebook page, Mr. Bayley celebrated the ship returning to service and thanked the people that made it happen.

“Thank you to our Marine Technical team who have worked tirelessly to get the Azipod back on track.”

“Thank you to all our guests for your understanding and our amazing Guest services team.”

“For anyone who has owned a boat you know the journey ! And this is a huge ship !   Boarding day the drinks are on us !  Enjoy !”

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