We have just returned from 12 night Baltic Trip from Amsterdam and can honestly say we enjoyed every single moment.We normally sail with Celebrity and while there are some differences the customer service provided by each and every person on this ship more than made up for it.The staff are outstanding in every area. The atmosphere on the ship they created as a consequence was tangible. We pre booked all our excursions with the ship...the 2 day trip in St.Petersburg is worth every penny and the city itself is stunning although I would caution that they are 2 long days from 7.00am to 5.00pm and 1.5 days might suit some people more. Skagen was a wonderful surprise as cruise books advise there is little there but it is in fact a beautiful stop over.Helsinki bike ride is excellent for cycle enthusiasts and there is a free shuttle which we were not told about at the port. Tallinn, Copenhagen and Stockholm are very manageable alone.In Stockholm we had the service of Alex , a local taxi man who dropped us at The Vasa and Abba museums, collected us for drop off at the old town and then brought us back to the ship.(mobile no.0046736422255).He charged €75 euros for our family of 4 adults for doing all of that.Not to be missed on the top deck is the 4 hour sail out from Stockholm. The scenery is stunning.The Baltic cities particularly Copenhagen are very expensive so we didn't but buy a lot. Tivoli gardens is worth the entrance cost though without the rides as the gardens are beautiful. We took the 3 day speciality dining package which was excellent value particularly as we did not have a drinks package and enjoyed 40% discount on all wine bought there without a limit on the bottle numbers purchased.We also bought drinks cards at day 7 for $75 dollars plus 18% service for 10 drinks.The drinks package at the outset is very expensive and the cruise is very full on so it is not worth the cost as you will not have time to consume the number of drinks required to even break even. The activities including Murder Mystery night are great fun.The shows are not as good as Celebrity due to the fact that this is a small older ship and probably doesn't attract the big names.They are however enjoyable particularly the guest appearances. This trip was excellent value for money and I will look at Royal Carribbean again. I am no longer a committed Celebrity cruise due to the outstanding service. Read Less

We chose the itenirary British Isle mostly for Scotland which is rarely offered and thought the ship would be as good as same category ships ie loved Jewel and Serenade. Not problem at embarkation in Amsterdam although very annoying feeling besieged by staff selling ALL they could think of prior to us stepping on ship. Upon entering our balcony stateroom, the smell of sewer was so strong and the preview of 12 days amora to come. Not only our cabin but public toilets were often as bad. For our 25th anniversary my husband had pre-ordered 2 champagne and 2 wines to be deivered in the cabin prior to our arrival. NO BOTTLE in sight, we had to chase them for delevery. His surprise to me was ruined. The shock was to be told that we no longer have BASIC ameneties (hotel basic) no shampoo, conditioner or body lotion and 1 soap. In the shower is a dispenser 2 in 1 shampoo and body soap!!!!! Technology is backwards on the ship, no access to your account so line-up at guess services for a copy. But twice, my husband was given a copy of another stateroom....confidentiality? The dining room staff was good but food not at par. They even removed the salmon option when nothing is attractive. I will skip many bad experiences of this cruise to skip to the very bad ending. For the first time after 40 cruises we bought a transfer to the airport by bus. Once at the airport, only 1 out of 2 suitcases made is and NO ONE from RCCL to handle this. Thanks to Welma of Intercruises at the airport who took charge and texted at the port to find our luggage to be put on the next bus . Brilliance was less that Brilliant at this time. Read Less

My wife and I were celebrating our 25 years of marriage with the third of three RCCL cruises within the last nine months. We had spotted this itinerary of 12 nights in the British Isles and Ireland, and thought how nice it would be to visit Scotland, in particular. We had not cruised on Brilliance before, but had done trips on sister ships, Jewel and Serenade. Boarding/check-in in Amsterdam was probably one of the easiest we have ever done in 40 cruises. The problem was the gauntlet of sales crew between the dock and the ship, pushing everything from drink packages, restaurant specials, facials, massages etc. I t was like getting off of the ship in Barbados. That was not impressive. The stateroom was ready as advertised at 1:00 p.m. As soon as we walked in, the smell of the sewer system in the toilet/washroom was ridiculous. The cabin attendant came, washed and sprayed again, but had to call a plumber. Eventually the smell subsided until later in the cruise and it came back again. Again, the stateroom attendant had to take the same actions as on day one. Also we were told that our cabin was noticeably warmer in the middle of the night when we said how uncomfortable it was, because the line has instituted a rotating policy which raises the temperature to save energy. On one occasion we had to leave the door open to get some sleep. We were not amused or impressed. When we asked the attendant if he had forgotten to leave the shampoo, conditioner and lotion, as is always done, he replied that company policy at RCCL was that unless we had 340 loyalty points with Crown and Anchor, (even though were are Diamond Plus status) there would be no no shampoo, conditioner or lotion given. That may be written somewhere, but we had never heard of it. Makes RCCL look pretty cheap and classless. When we asked about a bathrobe that we have always had, we were told that since we asked, we could have one each. But if you do not ask, it will not be provided. So far, Day 1 not so impressive. We had been given onboard spending credit, and wanted to check the account on the TV. "Sorry that technology does not exist on this ship, but you can go and stand in line at Guest Services to have a copy printed out". Now the the line has decided that Guest Services is the best place to add the noisiest place on the ship; the Centrum. Morning Zumba classes, Evening rock bands and lord knows what else during the rest of the day. You literally have to yell to heard at Guest Services. Not bright. Do not choose your your cabin too close to the aft elevators if you retire early. Showtime ends at 11:30 p.m.To add insult to injury, after spending 25 minutes in the line, on two occasions, I was given another passengers account information, and had to go back again. Again, not impressed. The offers to sell us "special things" continued every day. We were informed that part of RCCL staff training and contract renewal states that the line is less interested in servers, and more interested in sales people. That is certainly obvious. With regard to food, the Windjammer buffet started out very well early in the cruise, but was less impressive in its choices as the cruise went on. But, in fairness, it was superior to the dining room. On its best night, the Dining room food quality was average. Up until now, if you did not like any of the daily offerings on the menu, there was always the fallback standards of steak, chicken and/or salmon. Well, not anymore. Forget about the salmon. The Assistant Head Waiter made it clear that we were not getting salmon. Unfortunately, his delivery needs work. When one person at the table said they would like salmon, in a frustrated tone our fearless head waiter huffed and said "why don't I just bring everyone salmon." Not everyone is cut out for sales, I guess. Because of the mediocre offerings in the dining room, we went to Chops and Giovannis three times, without the promotion. Which reminds me that someone should keep an eye on the differences between what the RCCL website says and what is practiced on the ship. The website offers what amounted to a three for the price of two restaurant deal, on the condition that your first night had to be taken on the first or second night of the cruise. When we talked to staff, we were told that that was not actually true, and we could have gone whenever convenient. Not impressed. When we filled in our mid-cruise "How is everything Survey" we shared some thoughts. We then received, on the second to last day, a letter offering a future cruise saving certificate. Don't get me wrong. They did not have to do this, and I know it. However, this is where we have another example of the difference between pretender to excellence and a real contender. The certificate was for a new cruise within the next 12 months. A quick check of our C&A file would reveal that we already have our next two sailings booked in May and September 2020. Considering that I am still working and have restraints on my vacation times, the offer is more frustrating than pleasing. The same applies to a Casino letter we received with the same conditions. The old saying that its the thought that counts does not apply here. As a final farewell, for the first time, we decided to purchase the airport transfer tickets, only to find that they had not put my luggage on the truck, and thus made me chase someone down at the airport, since the ship had no one there to help. Luckily the supervisor from Inter-Cruises was excellent and went above and beyond to help. Having said all of this, I must distinguish between the Corporate policies in Miami of RCCL which are tarnishing the image of the line, and the dedication of many of the on-board staff, who work hard and do what they can to help and make the thought of returning more palatable. The dining room waiters, the stateroom attendants, the Concierges in the Diamond and Diamond Plus Lounges made the difference. And less the HQ staff tries to take credit, forget it. Their policies have staff reminding at all chances to remember the number ten, as if it is the be all and end all. Miami needs to focus on defining how much is enough. This incessant nickel and diming of passengers is a reflection of what I see as a major malaise of our times. It is ruining the industry. Read Less

Our cruise began in Amsterdam and the Amsterdam Cruise Terminal was wonderful. They had water bottles, wine, and cans of soda for sale to bring onto the cruise in your carry-on at a very reasonable rate. My 8 year-old daughter absolutely loved the Adventure Ocean Kids Club. The activities ranged from sports activities, arts & crafts, and organized games. The counselors did an amazing job motivating and engaging the kids in the games and making everyone feel included. The Ports were wonderful! Our three stops in Scotland included Edinburgh, Inverness, and Glasgow. As guests returned to the ship in Inverness, RCCL arranged to have a fantastic Scottish Dance Troupe accompanied by a bag-pipe player, an accordion player, and a singer aboard to perform prior to departure. We had two days in Dublin, Ireland, a stop in Guernsey, Holyhead Wales, and Dover/Canterbury, England. One recommendation that I have is to look to 3rd party companies for excursions because RCCL doesn't offer many excursion options due to the limited sailings on this itinerary. The food in the main dining room was delicious however each night there were only 3 new courses that alternating with the 4 offerings that remained the same on the menu; in the past there was more variety. The WindJammer seemed to have a diversity of food options and theme nights that would have been welcome in the main dining room especially on a 12-night cruise. We used the 6:45 Adventure Ocean pickup & our waitstaff ensured that our daughter’s meal was expedited while our meal was served at a normal pace. We also dined in Chops. Our filets were cooked to perfection but we were disappointed that they no longer have the tator tots. We absolutely love Izumi’s and decided to take the sushi making class. The class was a blast and we made a California wrap, a Spicy Tuna roll, a Shrimp Tempura Roll, and shrimp sashimi. I highly recommend this class. A big disappointment was the amount of cigarette smoke that filled the atrium at all hours of the day from the Casino. People were consistently allowed to stand in both entrances while smoking & facing the atrium. Read Less

We chose this ship based on the fact that it had the ONLY embarkation point from Amsterdam. We were on the 12 night Baltic cruise and the ports were fine it was the ship that was awful! When we had the safety drill, the crew penciled in who was in attendance (I know that they have electronic devices that can check in). The rooms, while quite beautiful in a 1940's way have no updated electronics. The TV's are all old and the 3 movies replay after 4 days. How many times can you watch "a dog's life?" The food was good although there was no variety in the menu. Day after day the same foods were offered in the main dining room as well as the Windjammer Buffet. The evening entertainment was not professional at all except for the 'special' entertainers that made a one day appearance. The bathrooms need to be updated as well as the electronics on board. All in all I would recommend the excursions but definitely NOT this ship! The enrichment class was only 40 mins & I got the feeling that everyone in attendance would have loved more. Read Less

This cruise was the third leg of a 4-leg trip including a land trip across Austria and Switzerland, a river cruise on Avalon from Switzerland to Amsterdam, this Baltic cruise, and then 4 extra days in Amsterdam. All 4 legs were great, although admittedly we were a bit weary by the time we checked into for the Baltic Cruise in Amsterdam (which was about two blocks and a very short cab ride from the river cruise in Amsterdam, VERY convenient transfer!). The process checking in (we already had our sail passes) was VERY convenient and quick and could not have been better. The transition from river to ocean cruise was so easy and the terminal was so easy for this cruise! I booked this cruise to see bits of Scandinavia and the Baltic Sea area in a convenient way (just the highlights). Like all cruises, you only see so much in a port day (or two in the case of St Petersburg, Russia) but we felt like we saw and did many things even given the nature of cruises, and we were satisfied that we had a good sampling of Denmark, Estonia, St Petersburg, Helsinki, Stockholm and, including the extra 4 days we did separately, Amsterdam (all travelers should definitely spend extra time in Amsterdam before, after, or both if they take this cruise). All in all the itinerary was very good, and we actually enjoyed having the 4 sea days to relax, especially at the beginning and end of the cruise. I've cruised before, and have sometimes booked excursions in advance, before sailing, but this time I actually research everything and booked ALL the excursions in advance. I was very glad I did, and we ended up paying much less that way (and we didn't spend any time in lines at the excursion desk). I will probably do that at all times in the future (they can always be cancelled onboard as long as the cancellation period is met). We were satisfied with all the excursions and felt that we maximized our time in each port. They do seem expensive, but for the entire trip, for two people, with all the excursions we wanted, we spent about an extra $1000. Since the cruise itself was quite cheap (I booked early on a different site and got a good deal) it all worked out well. The biggest kudos to Royal Caribbean was the customer service. I have to say that EVERYONE was very helpful and friendly. We didn't ask for a lot, but when we did, everything we needed was taken care of quickly and well. The excellent customer service made up for a few things that were a little less than great. The food was good, overall, although I wouldn't say fabulous, and the choices were very helpful. We enjoy the late dining period (8:30) because we spend a lot of time at the gym and in the spa and don't like to rush for dinner. The show times forced us to see the show at 7 pm most of the time, but it still worked out. The food choices were better at the buffet a Windjammer but we don't like the crowds so we usually dined at the main dining or a specialty restaurant (we booked the 3-dinner package in advance). We personally choose room service for breakfast most days (the continental is free) but did enjoy the buffet for that on sea days. Our waters (Juwan and Anniket) were outstanding and we enjoyed our dinner partners we met and ate with on some nights. We thought the shows were terrific and offered talent and variety. We saw all but one of them and enjoyed them all. Keeping them less than an hour is perfect so we can see the show, eat dinner, and not have to rush or stay up too late. I love the gym and spent a lot of time on the treadmill (or walking the promenade decks) watching us sail. The main thing we spent money on (beyond the excursions) was the spa (3 massages each) and although the massages aren't "great" they were adequate. They are expensive but if you book in advance and/or book carefully to take care of "specials" for multiple massages the helps (and my medical insurance pays back $60 for each massage, so that helped too). We also buy the thermal suite all-cruise pass and we spent lots of time in the heated marble chairs, steam rooms and saunas. Very relaxing, if expensive. It also kept us away from the crowds. We were in a ocean view cabin just below the promenade deck (it was on deck 4) and it was perfect for us. Would love to have had a balcony but it wasn't worth the extra cost (especially in the Baltic Sea). The porthole window was quite large and I spent lots of time looking out (and didn't have to worry about closing curtains except in port). We found it to have adequate room and we were comfortable (we prefer the beds split to give more room). The bathroom was outdated and sometimes smelled bad, and this is clearly an older ship that is getting a bit worn, so that was a negative, but other than that all was fine. Our cabin steward (Nick) was great :) More on that in the cabin part. Overall we thought this cruise was a very good value for the money, but we do warn cruisers to research and plan carefully, and be judicious with your money while onboard. Unless you plan to drink or use the Internet all the time, avoid the all-cruise packages (they are very expensive). We drank some, but avoided most of the extra costs onboard (except the spa, which we admit we probably spent too much money on). If you're not careful you'll owe a fortune after 12 days on the ship. Just make sure you read and research, and think about what you really want and need. We would recommend this cruise to others, but book ahead for excursions and other extras if possible (but don't buy the expensive beverage and internet packages unless you really need them). Read Less

So, we just got back from our cruise with a preschooler and an infant, and thought I'd pass along some pros/cons/tips for the Brilliance of the Seas, 12 Night British Isles Cruise. I wish I knew then what I knew now, so hopefully this helps anyone interested. Booking I chose to book with AAA and there really wasn’t anything good about that experience. I would definitely go straight to Royal Caribbean based upon my experience. In short, I ended up having to do A LOT personally to correct my travel agent’s mistakes, in addition to paying more for my trip, along with poorer service than just going direct to RC. Here are some of my lessons learned: • Don’t buy travel insurance UNTIL you check with your credit card company you are planning on using for the cruise. Even after bringing up my card’s benefits to my travel agent, she still talked me into buying the insurance through RC. When I called my credit card to double check and found out that my coverage was all that and better, it was too late to cancel. • Get your flight through RC if possible. Even if you are going in a day early, if you are in a foreign land, this will give you the peace of mind that both your luggage and you get to the ship on time, or be covered if not. • Definitely double check with the airline directly after booking the flight through whomever you use. We called to confirm and found out they had all of us in separate rows, even thought that violated the airline policy due to the ages of some of our travelers. I have to say, United Air stepped up and helped us correct what our travel agent messed up. • Understand the trade-offs between booking a “Guaranteed” room as opposed to one through the current sale. This was not explained well to us and we went with the Guaranteed Room. This meant we paid less in the front end. However, we were put on a bottom floor and missed out on the bonus cruise dollars, that would have made up for that savings we saw from the guaranteed booking. If you are planning on spending some money on the boat, its better to shop the sales. • Get the balcony of you can afford it. The lock is up high, out of reach of children, and if safety is still a concern, have the room attendant remove the outside furniture. The added storage space for strollers and such alone is worth it! Aside from the fact you will wish you had it when you’re on board. • Oh, and if you are traveling with small children, be sure to tell the folks before your international flights. You will get to board early no matter your assigned group. Excursions • There’s a lot of interesting stops along this cruise, and I feel the ship excursions are the way to go (as opposed to looking to alternates offered from different sources), especially when traveling with children and after a decent amount of online research. • Children 3 and under are free for excursions. There definitely were some excursions where both the adults and children were better off with the kids at the Royal Tots and Adventure Ocean, but the fact you didn’t pay extra was cool when we chose to bring them along. So be sure to book them along with yourself, even if you are unsure, at the time of your excursion booking. • Book your excursions in advance. They often come at a discount and sometimes the popular ones do fill up by the date of that particular stop. I’d even go so far as to say even if you’re on the fence about one, still book it in advance. Of course, do your research, but the fact of the matter is, you will likely want to do it when that date comes along and better to have paid less and be assured a space. You can always cancel up to 48 hours prior to the excursion. • The downside of the excursions RC offers is that are still done by a 3rd party. So, if you have a problem, RC will not provide a refund. They will inform you they will pass it along to the excursion company, but that’s the extent of their “help”. They are NOT your advocate. We had an issue on one and still haven’t heard anything, 3 weeks after the cruise. With that said, I think more often than not, you will have a good experience. Just recognize RC assumes little to no responsibility when you have problems on an excursion. Child Care / Children’s Programs • I can’t say enough good things about my experience with Royal Tots and Adventure Club. My preschooler loved it and we felt very secure with their care for our infant. • I was a little scared about the hours and the available spaces getting filled prior to our cruise, since you couldn’t do any pre-booking for those services. However, there turned out to be no need for concern. They have this down and it is really easy to use. Go to the open house on your first day on board and get it set up. There will be space for your child on this particular cruise. • Order diapers, wipes and baby food ahead of time to be delivered to your room. Call RC directly to do this. This service is buried in their website and is glitchy from my experience if you try to do it online. The reps on the phone are, by and large, super helpful and will get it done for you. And if you get someone from RC on the phone who seems reluctant or unknowing about this service, politely end that conversation and call back later. You will get someone who can and will help you. But the fact of the matter is it will save you a ton of luggage space and their costs aren’t much different than a target in the States. Dining • I thought the dining room was top notch and the buffet was hit or miss. My Time Dining was the way to go. But go ahead and book times in advance if you have a handle on your schedule, even with the MTD. There’s a lot to be said for having the same attendants through-out. And if your waiters seem a little off that first night, don’t give up on them. They’re in the dining room for a reason and will get to know your family and take good care of you. • Definitely book a specialty dining package in advance. If you’re on a cruise for this long, you are going to want some variety. And even with the sales you will see once on board, it will never be as cheap as it is before the cruise. I didn’t get to go to the Giovanni’s or Chefs table, but Chops Grille was awesome, and they were great with the kids. We also went to Izumi, but I did not like the food or the service. Here they tell you to bring your kids, but from all appearances they really don’t want you to. Once we were seated we rarely saw our waiter and he was curt and unhelpful when we did see him. And he was the waiter featured on the videos about the restaurant on the boat! And when it came down to it, the sushi was just not good. So the service definitely wasn’t something I would say I would put up with for the food. • If you have interest in the Mystery Theatre Dinner, book it in advance. It will not be available when you’re onboard. Plan for an adult dinner that night if you decide to sign up. Get the kids an earlier meal and then take them to the childcare for a couple of hours. We didn’t do this but wish we had. The Spa • I’ve been to the spa several times on different cruises and talked to a few different travelers about their experiences on RC, and the consensus is it’s just OK. Here again, buy in advance to get the savings if you want it, but temper your expectations. Massages aren’t great, and they will try to sell you the lotions when you are done. • In fact, there’s a lot of hard selling and up selling going on at the spa. For instance, if you want a steam in addition to your massage (like you would get at a typical on land spa), you will pay extra. • In our case they really pushed this “great consultation” from a trainer who will develop a diet and fitness plan for you for around $50 for a couple. In short, it was an hour high-pressure sales pitch with a guy trying to sell us seaweed pills, who would not discuss diet and exercise, and who wouldn’t take no for an answer. We had to just get up and walk away. My advice is don’t expect to find anything better (or even close to as good) for your health on the boat, than you would find through true health professionals back on land in the US. • Prices are likely more expensive when compared to spas you have been to in the past, so just recognize that higher price is not indicative of the quality of service. You pay a premium bc your trapped on a ship with no other offers. That doesn’t mean you won’t find the masseuse you’ve been waiting for all your life. I just wouldn’t get your hopes up. Stores • Although this is a British Isles cruise, don’t expect to see anything from the British Isles in the cruise shops. We were surprised to see only Baltic and Russian souvenirs in shops, even on the special sales days. It was explained to us that this is because the ship spends most of its time in the Baltic and only goes to the British Isles once a year. • Don’t believe the cashier that you can send your EU tax reimbursement form from home. You cannot. Global Blue informed me of this when I inquired once back in the States. You need to go through 2 lines at the Amsterdam airport to receive a refund and be prepared for a circus. So, if you want that money, plan to get that done before you get on your plane. • Be careful about the digital photo package. We bought it and still don’t have our pictures. I’ve called and emailed Royal Caribbean numerous times, and they tell me it is a third party who does that, and they have no control. And the third party is virtually impossible to get ahold of, and pretty nasty when you do. They do not have an email or direct line you can contact an actual person. I’ll update this part once it is resolves, but it is a problem with Royal Caribbean and their complete decentralization of everything. I have found accountability is scarce with RC when something goes wrong. Id say buy the actual pics if you really want to, but definitely stay away from the digital packages. Royal Caribbean in General • I think there’s two types of crew members on Royal Caribbean ships. Those who bend over backwards for you, and those who will do anything to avoid helping you. No in between. I never heard more people telling me that’s not their job and that they don’t know who can give me the answer. Even on postage to send a postcard! So, remember, if someone doesn’t help you, come back later and a different person will. This may be personality driven as different people connect with different people. So, you may have a good experience with someone I had a bad experience with. I think the main thing to keep in mind, don’t get upset when this happens bc it will happen, just try someone else later. It will work out:) Read Less

We wanted to see the Hermitage again so decided on this cruise as a good way to do that. It also allowed us to see most of the northern European capitals. Overall it was a great cruise with no major complaints so do not read too much into the minor problems we encountered. First the good news. We thought the food was very good in the main dining room even if some of the choices were less than inspiring. Biggest complaints were the covering on the beef wellington was soggy and the pasta with the shrimp scampi needed flavoring. One suitcase was delivered to our room with a wheel broken which they fixed in a day. (When we got back to the states it was missing completely and the airline replaced the whole thing). The ship is spotlessly clean and there are hand sanitizers everywhere. The staff was flawlessly friendly, even the customer service people. There was a wide variety of entertainment at night and I especially enjoyed the Four Season Tribute group. One last positive note is that we were surprised that the ships tours were about the same price as those from other companies. We did do a private tour from another company to get a full day at the Hermitage and Marina Wilson did a very good job giving us what we wanted. We had an oceanview cabin and really enjoyed the large window. We normally get a balcony but early June in northern Europe is just to cold to enjoy a balcony. Now for the few bad items. We were disappointed that the head waiter interrupted our first meal to push the special dinner show for $80. I am pretty sure he gets a commission for anyone that signs up but the intrusion was not appreciated. I had two small problems with the casino. They have special times where the 6:5 BJ table is a $3 minimum. I bet $3 and hit a Blackjack but they only paid me $3 instead of the almost correct $3.50 since they had $.50 chips on the table. When I pointed it out to the dealer he said the sign said that a $5 bet got paid $6. I pointed out that the sign said the table paid 6 to 5 and that I should get at least $3.50. It had no effect on the dealer. The other problem was the BJ tournament. The rules for the tournament clearly state that rebuys are $20 instead of the usual $25 fee. On the last day I wanted to do a rebuy and they said it was $25 and that the $20 rebuy was only good on the same day even though that is not what the rules state. As far as the cruise itself I thought that there were too many days at sea. I also don't understand why they do not visit Oslo instead of Skagen, Denmark. There is very little to see in Skagen and Oslo is not that far away. Several of the tours were less than inspiring (admittedly they are private contractors working for the cruise line). One tour did not offer headphones and it was hard to hear what the guide was saying sometimes. Another one was a 2 1/2 hour tour with no scheduled bathroom stops. After 6 people complained he finally made a special stop. Now for the ship itself. One of the biggest problems is what they call the Centrum. It is an open air area open to most of the 12 floors of the ship. They have chairs on each floor and frequent entertainment near the customer service desk. The problem is the noise is almost unbearable. There are also very few places where you can find a quiet space. The best two are the Starquest area on the 13th floor (when it is available) and the far rear of the ship on floor 6 (when they are not having special events in the area). I was a little disappointed in the fact that quite a few of the windows are fogged up due to bad seals. It would not take a lot of effort to replace those. Also the seats in the cinema are very worn out and it is hard to sit on some of them for a 2 hour movie. And lastly, the hot water in the shower was too hot. There was no way to take a "cool" shower since your choice was hot or hotter. Again keep in mind that most of these complaints are very minor compared to the overall pleasure we had on this cruise. Read Less

Extraordinarily interesting ports with Sea Days perfectly interspersed to rest for exhausting shore excursions. Seas were calm; chilly but sweaters and light jackets sufficed. The Brilliance although not new was well laid-out and never felt crowded. Solarium was especially comfortable with additional food choices (great quick roast beef sandwich) Smaller, quieter dining area also available in casual dining. Main dining room was excellent for breakfast lunch and dinner. RC's Shore excursions were remarkably good---especially the "Soviet Experience" in Estonia. Entertainment was unexpectedly good. The most outstanding thing about this was the crew. I've been on 12 cruises - and this staff was the best ! Waiters, guest relations, shore excursions- all could not do enough for you. We found "the key" worthwhile. No embarkation lines, wonderful embarkation lunch at Chops and final breakfast at Giovanni's. Internet worked well and was included in key. Everyone looked forward to the Captain's messages --informative but always amusing. Highly recommend both this itinerary--and the Brilliance Read Less

Arrived 2-days early in Amsterdam for departure on May 19. needed more time there since Amsterdam has many, many sites to see (advance reservations a must for popular sites). Excellent TRAM system with a cheap 24-hour pass can get you near most sites. As a newly minted RCI Diamond cruiser, we enjoyed the expedited check in and especially the evening free happy hour in the Diamond lounge where we met fellow cruisers to learn of their experiences over a cocktail or glass of wine and hors d'oeuvres. Also open 24/7 for premium coffee as well as breakfast snacks each morning. One complaint is there were so many Diamond cruisers on this voyage, they had to open the adjacent lounge to handle everyone and the bar service was slow. To RCI's credit, they did load 3-free drinks per day on your card which you could use during happy hour at any bar (No specialty drinks) to help draw down the crowd at the Diamond lounge. Food was OK and we enjoyed MYTIME dinning where we tried to get the same waiters each night. Entertainment was OK, but nothing special when compared to the Oasis class ship venues. RCI shore excursions were expensive so we followed advice on CC and booked in advance online two tours through TJ Travel, the major 2-day tour in St. Petersburg (most excellent) and 5-hour Stockholm (OK but wished we had more time at the VASA museum). Another complaint about RCI is they announced a week before departure the RCI tours would disembark first before the private tour groups, thus delaying the private tours for a time, but all seemed well in the end..... Read Less

Just got back from 16 days on the Brilliance. Our stateroom was so tired. Furniture was scuffed, needed replacing or refurbished. The bathroom had an odor we couldn't identify, sort of like mold. The main dining room needs more variety. Food was mediocre. Some of the entertainment was good, other so-so. I had a good time, but I began to feel like I was in steerage, no amenities in the stateroom. No lotion in the bathroom, no pen and paper in the desk. But what I did like was the amount of storage. Large closet with shelves for shoes, etc. Vanity had six nice sized drawers. The bathroom had one mirror that opened so one could see the back of their hair. The mirrors over the vanity opened up for storage. The stewards, waiters, all the folks serving our needs were excellent and wanted to please. Ports were excellent. The captain plotted course to avoid hurricane Florence entirely. The overall feeling was that Royal Caribbean is cutting expenses to the bone. Read Less

I wished to go on a TA going west and after careful consideration I opted for a 16 day trip on Brilliance of the Seas. It left from Amsterdam, visited four ports in Ireland and one in the Azores before a seven day / night crossing. I was in stateroom 3042 (outside view). I was happy with it. I also elected Anytime Dining. I usually ate late, as I hate fighting crowds for either dinner or the showroom. I made a reservation a few times, but was seated without a wait after 8:00 p.m. Mike, the cruise director, and his staff were excellent. The number of sea days meant a number of activities were scheduled. I especially enjoyed The Brilliance Race and the morning game shows. There were lots of trivia sessions, as well as some traditional party game activities. Music on the ship was great, coming from a duo, a guitar player, and a trio of string instrument players (violins and piano). The quality of the shows varied from fantastic (hand shadows, AbbaMax, pickpocket) to weak (the first production show, the comedy magician). I found all three production shows lacking to some degree. This was not the fault of the singers and dancers; the blame goes to whoever created it. Food quality was mixed. The Windjammer breakfast and lunch selections had a minimum of variation from day to day. Breakfast pastries were limited to sticky buns, and even they vanished during the crossing. I heard rumors that the shipment of yeast the ship expected to take on in the Azores did not arrive (thus forcing the bakery to make cuts) but I can't verify that situation. Dinner was generally good, though some nights it wasn't exciting. The menu overdosed on items available at all dinners with fewer daily selections than I was used to. The food was fine, with some dishes being better than others. I went to the mystery dinner one night. The cast needed work in learning the script. They also resorted to shouting. The food quality that night at Giovanni's was fantastic. This was my first sailing as a Diamond member. Due to the large number of Diamond and above passengers, events were held in both the Diamond lounge and the Colony Club. Lines formed an hour before opening. I went a few nights, but cocktail parties are not really my thing. Weather was mixed, from cold in Ireland to warm / hot in the Azores and during the crossing. However, it did not rain anywhere I went. I would do this trip again. The price was good, and the Air2Sea price of a flight from my home of Las Vegas to Amsterdam was an astonishingly low $290.85. The length was a bit long, but I had a great time. Read Less

We are Diamond members with RCI so have quite a few cruises under our belts. The service on ALL RCI cruises are beyond expectations. They really go out of their way to earn your loyalty. Have to say that the food quality and variety have greatly improved over time - thanks to honest and vocal guests. We've also enjoyed their entertainment immensely on this particular cruise. However, the background music on the casual dining area can be improved. Would be nice if some of the background music played is representative of the itineraries or ports being visited i.e. this itinerary should play some Spanish/Irish/Celtic music. There was a Irish band & dancers on the port however with the cooler/windy weather, most passengers just walked by them. The disembarkation process was unpleasant in that the port is still not up to efficiency standards required for processing 2,000+ passengers. Recognize this is not the cruise line's responsibility, however the port infrastructure is just not there to have a more organized process i.e. process wheelchair passengers separately, etc. Read Less

Had an awsome time on the Brilliance of the Seas the staff are very polite and friendly. They made our 12 days enjoyable, our stateroom attendant Hubert took care of us and kept our room nice and tidy. The food is great in both the Windjammer and the main restaurant the Minstrel. We enjoyed the dinner with our waiter Wayan and Benson, and their headwaiter Ariel. The entertaiment was very good in fact there was always something going on every evening and the parties which were organised at the Centrun were very entartaining. The ports we visited were great especially St Petersburg where we spent 2days because there is a lot to see and the Palaces and canals are unique. All in all we had a great time with the crew of the ship and the officers who were always smiling and made us feel at home, keep it up, thank for an awsome time. Read Less

Wanted to see as many countries with major stops. This 12 day cruise hit them all. Ship was great and service was as expected from Royal. First time in an inside cabin and was a bit worried that it would not work for this length of time. We were very surprised as it was enough room even had small couch and did not feel cramped. Going to all these capitals and being in Russia was terrific. Did the day and a half tour in St. Petersburg was well worth it. Terrific time, nicely priced. It's not a real relaxing cruise as there is so much to explore. Departed out of Amsterdam and would recommend a few days there to explore. Great city. There are so many canals and wonderful places to eat and enjoy. Ann Frank house is a must. Also we did the specialty restaurants on board. I've eaten steaks in the best steak houses around but this was fabulous. Also the Italian was good. Did both of them twice with special package Royal offered. Worth the money. Read Less

We have sailed on numerous other cruise lines and always had a very positive experience. This was our first time with Royal Caribbean and we were so disappointed-- not with the itinerary but with the customer service, food, and entertainment. Please don't think that we are cruise snobs complaining about the slightest infraction. The cruise ship itself was older but in great shape for its age. Our stateroom attendant, Dian Yudi Kusuma, was beyond exemplary, and one of the best room stewards we've ever had. Also, Cherry at the Windjammer Cafe was fabulous. These individuals, however were sadly the exception. The customer service desk and the computer service area was a joke. We were stunned by the complete absence of customer service skills. If you asked the smallest request, like putting a postcard in the mailbox, it was a major burden for them. They were standoffish, rude, and acted like you were an inconvenience on their time. Keep in mind--we weren't asking for anything exceptional, just simple requests, like the use of a stapler or tape. Mid-cruise a survey was issued and we let them know that the customer service was lacking. We were honest about our experience, and the head of the service desk department contacted us. She did apologize and gave us a free meal at the Italian Restaurant. We were grateful for the courtesy, but when we had our meal at this restaurant--again--the service was lacking. We felt like they wanted us to hurry up and inhale our meal so that we could leave and they could have their table. As for the food throughout the ship, it was SERIOUSLY bland and lacking in flavor. It definitely was NOT fresh, as I'm sure most of it had been frozen. We actually ate more off the ship while in port and LOVED the food of the UK, which had flavor and freshness. The ships desserts especially all tasted the same, as if they had been stuck in the freezer for decades. We understand that people have different dietary palates, but some flavor would have been nice. Regarding entertainment--only one show was worth our time and that was the four male singers singing '60's and '70's hits. The final show of the cruise was really, really bad, and several people as we were leaving were all saying how disappointed they were in such a catastrophe. What a waste of time on our last evening. Even the cruise director, Abe Hughes, looked embarrassed with this show. He also was getting off the ship to go on vacation, and you could tell he was in a hurry to start packing, although Abe was good during the cruise itself. We did have some spa treatments--a massage. The massage felt very rushed and hurried so that they could end with their "buy our products" speech. We don't blame the employees, for we know they are told they have to push their products. But it didn't feel like a relaxing massage, but something for the massage therapist to hurry up, get this person done and over with. The only thing that saved this cruise was the ship itself and the itinerary. We cannot begin to tell you what a fabulous time we had in the United Kingdom. Also, our fellow cruisers were fun to get to know. Embarkation and disembarkation went smoothly, but average. BOTTOM LINE: Too many cruise lines out there and so little time in this life. In our opinion--having taken many past cruises--you sadly will be happier choosing another cruise line (we even found that Carnival, the "Walmart" of cruise lines, had much better customer service and food). Read Less

First time to Ireland and Scotland....so looking forward to it. However, the trip was a mafor. disappointment on many fronts. The ports were very industrial and greatly took away from the experience. The food was ok, nothing special. The entertainment was the worst we have had on a RC cruise. Service was lacking and the team did not seem to have it together. Our Diamond attendant would barely acknowledge us. The dining waitstaff would bring us two courses at the same time. We always seemed rushed at dinner. Giovanni’s was lacking in anything special. Chop’s was the one bright spot. We had an issue where security showed up at our door at 11 pm at night with a body camera asking us to turn down our tv. Despite our tv being at normal volume, we had no problem with this request...but a kind phone call would have had the same impact versus a security guard whose first words were “I have a body camera”. Made us feel like criminals. The specialness that we have always felt on a RC cruise was not there on this trip. We also heard rumors of the Diamond benefits (specifically the Diamond lounges) going away. This would be a major negative impact on our future bookings. The people we have met in the diamond lounge would be the one thing to bring us back. We have been loyal RC cruisers but maybe it is time to try another line. Sorry for the negative comments but this cruise has been a disappointment. Read Less

Recommended by friends The Ship is fantastic she sails like a smooth dream, after a few days I forgot I was on the water. It is beautifully decorated and presented with class and elegance. The Captain and his crew certainly know what they are doing the only thing that I found unsettling was when there was an announcement by the captain during the night that alerted us to the fact that someone had taken critical and needed to be airlifted to land. We were on the 2 floor so did not hear the helicopter only this announcement. The Cabin was very comfortable and quite roomy, on the 2nd floor it was noisy with some alarm was going on and off continuously and other noises outside of the ship. This was very annoying. On our 2nd cruise we moved to the 7th floor with a bigger window view and found it was much better access to entertainment and activities also it was much quieter for sleeping. Dining was excellent with no shortage of choices on offer and on menus were very good. The specialty restaurants were okay but not worth the expense. We found all Staff were well trained, very friendly and professional also they went out of there way to please us and nothing was to much trouble for them and they did there best to meet all requirements where possible. They do an amazing job and are an asset to the ship Very dedicated and show great integrity. On the negative side the laundry service was very expensive and alcoholic beverages and specialty coffees quite expensive. The special packages offered we found expensive and not good value. Shore excursions were expensive and getting of the ship in a few cases was very disorganised this needs better planning and attention. people do not appreciate standing in cues for any amount of time frustrating. Read Less

We chose this cruise for ports of call and they were great. Had a wonderful waiter in Jose. Ying kept our room great. But RCL could not seem to get their online together as we were sailing as 3 couples and they would send me emails for my friend all the time. They do not have a good tech team. Had to call numerous times to get it right. Air & Sea said they would give $50 credit to my husband and I and it never was there. The acupuncturist told my husband he would feel better and sleep the night after he worked on him - just to get him to spend $200! He found no relief and he was not apologetic at all. Evening entertainment was good except for juggling act was poor. on one of our shore excursions the air conditioning was not working on the bus and we were all very hot - they had a new bus at out first stop with working air conditioning, it was so much more bearable. I could not have lasted that entire excursion if they had not brought a new bus. Read Less

This cruise has too many ports and not enough sea days to relax. Plus, plan to spend most of the time (hours) driving to and from the cities of interest. Other than being able to see the white cliffs from the shipping port in Dover, nothing of interest is remotely near where the ship docks. I feel they could easily eliminate the Dover stop. It was not interesting and a sea day is needed at the end of this long cruise. Beware that Amsterdam is ridiculously expensive and that most hotels don’t have air conditioning. And don’t get run over by a wild bicyclist, THEY ARE EVERYWHERE! Be prepared with two types of foreign currency: Euros and Pounds. The ship’s exchange rate is expensive. You’re better off buying on land before cruise. The food and shows on Brillance of the Seas were acceptable but not outstanding. Dining room food was average. We did enjoy Chef’s Table (with Chip and Chef Brown,) Price was $100 per person but with group of 10 we were able to negotiate price, upfront with Chip) to $50 per. I enjoy comedy shows but there we’re none. The staterooms were small. The balconies are a good size but they won’t open the divider between them. Our friends were next door but we could expand balcony space to sit together:-(( My last beef is that there is a frig in cabin but RCL won’t lower temp below 50 degrees so food isn’t safe and drinks aren’t cold, What’s the point? Read Less

Chose this cruise because it was the only one that fitted our itinerary and schedule and liked the fact we were in St Petersburg for two days. The staff were friendly and the service was excellent especially in the Minstral dining room. The dress code was not adhered to and it was disappointing to see some men going into dinner wearing shorts, tee-shirts and sandals whereas the ladies made the effort to dress nicely. Many services which are standard on other cruise lines were either not available or carried additional charges for example, there were no tea/coffee making facilities in the cabin therefore incurring room service charges if you wanted an early morning cuppa before leaving the cabin. We appreciate that all cruise lines will attempt to sell you extras however we found that Royal Caribbean take this to the extreme with their constant hard sell of everything from drinks packages to holidays, many of which we felt were grossly overpriced. This, to a very large extent, took the shine off the holiday for us. We pre-booked our St Petersburg 2 day Grand Tour with Alla Tours through Trip Advisor and it was fantastic. It was very well organised and very reasonably priced compared with Royal Caribbean’s tours. Our tour guide Alexandra was amazingly knowledgable and friendly and we had a comfortable 16 seater bus which enabled our driver to park nearer to the places we were visiting. Our balcony cabin was adequate with good storage space. Overall a nice ship with friendly crew. Value for money? be prepared for your credit card to take a hit for what we considered to be the very high cost of compulsory gratuities and additional charges compared with some other cruise lines. It would have to be an amazing deal before we would even consider booking another cruise with Royal Caribbean. Read Less

We have never cruised on Brilliance of the Seas and were not disappointed. Smooth sailing all the way. Wonderful ports of call and the staff were amazing, especially in the King and Country Pub and MTD. We purchased 3 specialty restaurant deals for an extra 70 Euro pp. the food was exceptional and our favourite was Fillet Mignon at Chops Grill. My husband and I usually go to My Time Dining, but thoroughly enjoyed the Specialty Restaurants. Looking forward to going on Brilliance of the Seas again. Our cruise deal included one night pre cruise stay at the Opollo Museum hotel, which was 30 minutes by bus from the Airport and cost 12.50 Euros for the two of us . Another 10 minute tram ride in the morning from our hotel to Amsterdam Central Station and a short walk to the pier. I would have to say that disembarking the ship at all ports of call was a breeze and the best and quickest of our 14 RCCL cruises we have been on. Love sailing with RCCL. We are Diamond members and 2 days off Diamond Plus. Ulla Richards Read Less

We chose this cruise for the destinations offered which didn’t disappoint. The cabins are becoming a little tired but are a good size with plenty of cupboard and storage space. The bed we found comfortable and roomy. All the staff without exception were fantastic, best I’ve had on a cruise. They all seem to genuinely enjoy being aboard (for months at a time). In fact, one shore day my husband was unwell so decided to stay aboard. He wandered up to the Windjammer at lunchtime and about 20 Staff were all singing and dancing and so happy. The drinks are expensive with the added 18% tax and the same cocktail was made differently in every bar. The entertainment & orchestra was fantastic, much better than I have previously experienced, so top marks to Royal Carribean. I also enjoyed Mike the Cruise Director, and his sidekick Enzo. The bingo was so expensive with the returns much less than it should’ve been, RC make a good profit out of this and it was painfully slow. The food was excellent, I did not have one ‘bad’ meal the entire 12 days. The dining room was well staffed and responded to our requests immediately without exception. Embarkation and disembarkation was quick and ran very smoothly also. Very happy with our time aboard and would definitely consider RC again. Read Less

Always fancied a Baltic cruise due to the amount and variety of ports visited. Our cabin had a full length window and was more spacious than i expected with a very well appointed shower room and lounge area. A wide variety of dining choices with a huge menu to cater for all tastes. The staff and crew were very helpful contributing significantly to our overall experience. Great entertainment and activities for sea days and evenings. We did our own thing at each port having worked out in advance where and what we wanted to see so did not use the ships excursion facilities other than the shuttle bus at Helsinki and Stockholm. Arranged our own visa for Russia and stayed ashore in a St Petersburg hotel and visted a great authentic Russian restaurant. this allowed us both days with total freedom of movement rather than tied to arranged tours. Used a cash account for our on board purchases rather than credit card which can be costly with poor exchange rates. As a couple we would certainly consider another cruise. Read Less

I chose this boat for the itinerary to the British isles. Firstly there is worker that is in charge of entertainment. he was part of the entertainment at night. He was very rude condescending attitude and looked down on you when u asked for help. I don’t understand why would royal hire a terrible person like him. The entertainment was very boring and it was quite a boring ship The food was bland same old thing every single night except they would change the name of the food. The service was somewhat ok the staff complained to me how terrible the head staff treated there staff. The excursions were a rip off take it from me do your research before u get on the ship and organise your tours ahead of time as the ship rip you off The cAbin stewards was lazy. No soap constantly asking for shampoo and extra towels and no bin in the room. The embarkent was so so slow and very disorganised I have done 18 cruises and I tell u Royal is one of the worst company I have travelled with. Read Less