I have always wanted to do a transatlantic cruise and this one was reasonably priced. All of the ports were interesting. I particularly liked Mallorca and Barcelona, where i am staying a few days. Barcelona is a beautiful city and I highly recommend the Hotel Diagonal. They food and entertainment on the ship were great. The Chefs Table special dinner was excellent. I would highly recommend the Full access behind the scenes tour. It covers everything from the Bridge to the bowels of the ship. My only disappointment was it did not include the Engine Room. Most people would probably not be that interested in that part of it, but would have liked to see it. The organization of the shore excursions needs some work. There was a lot of waiting in the Arcadia and in line before getting started. Royal Caribbean delivers a very consistent experience for a reasonable price. Read Less

Wife and I have cruised RCCL and Celebrity exclusively and have been very satisfied with both but give an edge to Celebrity for overall food quality and choice. We have sailed several times on Freedom of the Seas and the promenade on this class of ship makes for a more enjoyable experience, especially on a transatlantic crossing. It is nice to be able to stroll the promenade, browse the shops, stretch our legs and get a snack whenever we want. We like to just stroll after dinner and before going to bed. Each lines ships will vary in positive and negative comments so do research on itinerary, read the ships reviews and choose. We have found that the staff, cabin attendant, dining room, Windjammer and guest relations, on either line, are friendly, focused on service and more than willing to make our cruise memorable. Overall you should be satisfied choosing either line, just check out the individual ship reviews to ensure the ship is right for you. Read Less

Love transatlantic cruises... plenty of time to relax and explore. Entertainment was quite varied ... something for everyone. We like to travel casual and find that these cruises allow us to dress down even on formal nights ... we enjoy the variety at the Windjammer so when everyone is putting on their best we can still be comfy and not feel out of place. For the most part the crew was very accommodating and we never felt crowded or that we had been inconvenienced While you always have some people who are not going to be happy when comparing the current cruise to one in the past we like to find the positive in each experience. The ports of call where incredible.. our tours were very good Life is what you make it.. on a cruise or at home! If you have not done a crossing yet.. get out there!! Read Less

Overall - the cruise was great. The food and entertainment was great. The days at sea were relaxing. The ports had limited excursions for people with physical limitations. Except for Fort Lauderdale and Barcelona - the ports had very long walks to get from the ship to the excursions buses. The problems were very apparent - not enough workers! In the past - there were plenty of workers, clearing tables and providing service. Now - RCCL has decided to cut back and it has greatly hurt the way guests are treated. As a C&A Diamond Plus member - I'm suppose to have 3 free drinks but I was only able to get my drinks 5 days out of 14 because there were no servers and/or I could not get the attention of the bartender! All of the tables in the assorted venues including the Windjammer and Sorrentos were full of dirty dishes making it difficult to find a place to enjoy a meal or snack. Another issue - the terrible, inaccurate descriptions of the shore excursions. The RCCL workers have no idea what the excursions actually entail - the listing from the time of booking to the handout on the ship - all are read back to you if you ask questions. No one really knows what each tour requires as far a how much walking is involved. The descriptions did not reflect how long each bus ride would be to get to the sights. The guides did not bring us to places with accessible bathrooms. Read Less

This was an awesome deal for the money. Enjoyed the 9 sea days. Lots of activities during the day to keep you busy. The dining room service was outstanding. I am somewhat of a pillow snob so our room steward found a feather pillow to my liking. We weren't too excited about the entertainment. It seemed to be a bit weak as compared to other cruises we have been on. We really enjoyed the Anytime Dining. Meet some great friends at dining and enjoyed their company every night. We did our own excursions. The ship should warn folks to beware of pickpocket problem, I was fortunate to be on guard and escape the hands of one. Another passenger was not so fortunate and lost her passport and all credit cards. Guess no one warned her not to take passport ashore. Enjoyed all the stops. Getting on ship in FLL was a nightmare and took forever. Also encountered long lines when getting off in Barcelona. Guess it was more of a port issue vs RCL. Read Less

Our first transatlantic cruise. Signed up for another . I really loved the sea days. The food at Chops was exceptional but went the second night and the restaurant was jammed . The service was slow. Understandable. Too many of the Diamond Plus wanted to take advantage of the two for One. The photo department operated differently from other ships I had been on. I wanted to have the photos held until after the last formal to make a choice but was made to pay up front to hold with the option of having my money refunded. Having live music for the Diamond and diamond Plus made for a really fun time from 4:30 until 8:00 PM. A different group each day and you were able to dance. My first experience with MY TIME DINING was a success. The staff works very hard to accommodate and gives you an opportunity to sit alone or with other folks. More time should be given to getting tickets for the ice show. Read Less

As a first time cruiser, this trip was amazing. The staff were outstanding in terms of friendliness, helpful and they would go out of their way to assist you. An itenary is given to you the night before so you know whats happening in advance which was a good thing. The food was o.k. Not spicy enough for me although they did have sauces available to you but it wasn't the same. There is however a variety so you were bound to find something to your liking. The chefs are very good at cooking something for your own taste so for example, I have a tolerance of egg so they cooked me a white omelette which was fantastic. I found the cruise quite expensive as it was done through an agent. Next time I will find my own cruise as its important to research the ship first before you book anything. Find out whether its a family ship with activities, a young ship for the younger generation, a cruise for the older generation or a mixture of both. The drinks package is really expensive if you do not drink that much. I found that the days we visited the islands, I drank on purpose just to get my monies worth but next time, I will not do the drinks package. Read Less

4th time on Brilliance. Solarium is still awesome..... The Centrum was much more fully utilized than previously..... without the Promenade, this use of the Centrum worked well. Windjammer was top-notch.... No better casual dining at sea now... and chefs were willing to do anything and everything to please... really extraordinary.... I use my cabin very little so the dated appearance was not a big deal since it was clean and fresh.... cabin steward, Yosef, was awesome.. My TIme Dining with Amane, our waiter, was excellent. Everyone wanted his tables he is so good. He needs to be a Head Waiter or more. He organizes things and runs a tight group of tables, professionally. Weather was among the worst of my 40 or so crossings --- rain and choppy seas. Can't do much about that and I actually enjoy some movement, reminds me that I am at sea. Vlad in Schooner Bar is a brilliant addition to the crew..... he should be at least a Cruise Director if not the Hotel Director, be careful or RCCL will lose him. I would rate the Value for Money as a 5 Star IF I did not have to pay for 2 people when there was only me.... When will the cruise industry wake up and design for solo travelers as well as the standard couple: it is 21st century and solos would travel twice as much if we didn't pay twice for each cruise. Read Less

Great ports of call though our stop in LeHavre, France was changed to Dover, England due to a strike at the port. We were price gouged with the new shore excursions offered for Dover and didn't get much for our money. Very disappointed! Cabins showed wear and tare, ship needs to be refurbished. Entertainment in the Schooner Bar needs help, piano singer talks more than he plays and sings, but probably a blessing as he could use some singing lessons. The Cinema is way too small for the crowd it draws and are required to stand in line for over an hour just to secure tickets only to be told the tickets for the time slot requested was already handed out and tickets were no longer available. If fortunate enough to get a ticket, you need to show up at least 45 minutes prior to show time in order to secure a decent seat - front row seats are a neck breaker. Most of the evening entertainment in the theater was good but several of the nights we left after only 10 minutes - truly needs better planning. Read Less

Last minute deal in our email box caught my eye. The price, the "close to home" port and the itinerary added up "to let's take a chance on this transatlantic to Barcelona." This is our 4th TA, and the weather was less than perfect compared to our previous 3 TAs on Celebrity. They're was plenty of activities to fill the day, however, but missing was professional speakers with lively and entertaining subject matters. The evening entertainment was very good and the music groups around the ship were excellent. We are Elite Plus with Celebrity which gives us Diamond status on Royal. The perks were different between cruise lines, but evened out in the end. With Celebrity we each receive 240 minutes of WiFi. With Royal we each received one 24hour consecutive period. I ended up purchasing a package for the last 9 days. Discounts on laundry services was offered on Royal. On Celebrity they are free (2 bags of laundry each, plus dry cleaning and pressing). BUT, the evening Diamond member Happy Hour, was far superior on Royal - longer, very generous, themed receptions, plus 3 drinks per person to use in any bar on the ship. This was in addition to the reception, which was in The Colony Room, because there were so many Diamond members on board. Loved the ship overall, but wish it had more adult outdoor spaces. We had a Superior Cabin, which was very comfortable and great storage. Much better than Celebrity's Solstice class ships, where I have to stand on the bed to reach the cabinet! My Time dining was great. The dinner menu was varied and the food consistently good. The buffet was lacking variety, however. The Park Cafe is a nice alternative for breakfast and lunch. Read Less

Travelling with my husband who is confined to a wheelchair was very, very good on this cruise. Our room was perfect for accessibilty. Complimentary breakfast room service was exactly right. We were disappointed when we understood that room service was no longer included. This was one of the biggest benefits to me as a caregiver... we however WERE TOLD THAT.. CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST IS STILL FREE... THIS WAS BEAUTIFUL FOR ME!!! No compaints at all! I would recommend this cruise to everyone, especially if you are travelling with someone who is confined to a wheelchair. Our dining experience was excellent, the Windjammer cuisine was always fresh and had variety. My only disappointment was the enrichment activities. Fred the Astronomer was excellent however he was not listed on the daily list of activities. My husband was very happy to have seen Fred on the ship (Len had taken Fred's Astronomy Class in the past on re-positioning trips). Cruise Critic Meet and Mingle also was a disappointment... no contacts were made except for Fred. All in all we had a wonderful holiday on this cruise. Read Less

It was Our 50th anniversary and wanted to try a transatlantic. It was very enjoyable and a well run ship. Food and service was exceptional. Crew seemed very happy and was always friendly. The shows were very good and the band was exceptional. The bars and lounges all had great music. We have been on many cruises and never had this quality of entertainment except on the Harmony of the Seas which is much bigger. The dining room staff at dinner was so friendly and even if you were not in their section they would make a point of talking to you and asking how you are. The gym was large enough to always have a place to exercise and had plenty of equipment. The dance instructors were fun and knowledgeable and always available in the evening to help with anything you needed to practice. Would have liked a few more lectures but they did get better as the cruise went on. We would cruise on this ship again. Read Less

I caught a good price for this cruise and the ports it was going to made it highly desirable! Even though events prevented us from going into France (Le Havre), I think the crew handled it well. I know I was one of the few that weren't upset by this change, but felt the excursion crew handled themselves most professionally. After our day in port many said that Royal Caribbean should make Dover a regular stop, so I think that proves the crew did an amazing job! This is the first time I've done my time dining. I have mixed emotions about it. I liked because I got meet different people sitting at different tables each night, but it seemed to throw the dining staff off. It took about 2 hours to get through dinner. There was definitely a lack of activities for younger crowd. I know this cruise had more golden aged people on it, mainly because most working people can't get this much time off, but I just recently retired and don't play bridge, knit, ballroom dance (didn't go with a partner either). I found history lectures on our ports of call interesting and trivia got old. Also enjoyed the English pub and listening to guitar with Kevin. Attempted a few shows but not really into variety shows, kind of thought that went out with Donny and Marie. Found Kevin playing in pub on way to show and saw no reason to go to show after that. Can't believe he's not in a recording studio somewhere! Read Less

For our 50th Anniversary we wanted to take a Transatlantic Repositioning Cruise from Tampa to Barcelona; with a Back-to-back from Barcelona to Venice to Barcelona. We've been on this particular cruise several times and just enjoy this area. This was a trip of a lifetime for us and we packed a lot of memories into these 30 days. Each day we tried to do something that we had never done before -- that was challenging on the days that it was too windy or cold to go out on deck. We played pool by the Colony Club and marveled at how we could sink EVERY ball with one shot (sometimes we sank all the balls before we even hit them.). It was a little rough once in a while and that helped the balls go to the far corners. We played Trivia, went to the shows, played cards with friends, went to Karaoke, hung over the rails at the Centrum to watch the dancers and the programs, read as much as we could, and ate at every opportunity (we actually concentrated on walking more on this trip so we went home lighter than we had started). There was always something to do. We had several exceptional crew members: Michael (our steward); Noel, Inuit and Irish in the main dining room; and Susie in Future Cruise Planning. One area of discontent for me personally was in food selections -- keep in mind that I am diabetic and have food allergies so my choices are always limited because of the situation. I asked Chef Gabrielle on the second day in the Windjammer if he could provide Sugar Free Pudding or Sugar Free Jell-O on the dessert bar -- Sugar Free cookies or cake don't count because carbs from flour and fat convert to sugar. It is possible that the cooking staff is not aware that "low-fat" and "lite" are not the same as Sugar-free. Those selections were never offered on the entire cruise. There were also a few issues with the menu items being mislabeled in the Windjammer. My main dining room choices were usually salmon and vegetables because the menu was heavy on shellfish additives (even Caesar Salad has anchovies in the dressing). Our head waiter, Noel, was very good at warning me what was appropriate to select. He was more careful than some have been because his little boy has severe food allergies also, and he knew what the dangers were. We are loyal Royal Caribbean customers that travel exclusively on RC. Even with that consideration, we received no introduction to the Diamond Lounge or the amenities there -- our keys didn't work until two days before the end of the cruise. We would have much preferred free Wi-Fi in exchange for the offered 6 drinks a day (not everyone does drink so why not offer a choice) . Other aggravations were created when the booking arrangements from Tampa Airport to the Hotel were messed up -- no one came to pick us up as arranged and eventually we found that the name of the hotel had been changed. The hotel was very nice and accommodating after we had been checked-in. By the time we left for the ship on the next morning, we were ready to relax and rest -- but we spent another hour at the terminal trying to get through the lines. When we departed the ship at the end of a 30 day cruise, there was no one to pick us up and take us to the hotel. We waited over two hours for our transportation before one of the young men secured a cab for us. The next morning when it was time to go to the airport for the return trip home -- there was NO TRANSPORTATION AGAIN to get from the hotel to the airport and we had to pay $55 euros for a cab. That is really unacceptable for a company that prides itself on "customer service". Our loyalty Ambassador was condescending when we couldn't understand her directions. The Centrum really isn't the place to position the Loyalty areas, customer service, or cruise planning. It is impossible to hear anything with the loud music in the foreground. We have already planned two more cruises, and it would be wonderful to find that some of these issues have been attended to by the time we embark again. Read Less

I wanted a nice long cruise to relax and visit cities I hadn't been to before. If you are not a dedicated RC cruiser be prepared to feel like a second class citizen. It began with check-in when we were put into lines segregated by rewards level. It you're not Diamond plus, be prepared to wait. The entitlements of the upper level reward system continued throughout the cruise. Also be prepared for the makeup of your fellow cruisers: 90% over 60, mostly from Florida and not active. There were a lot of canes, walkers and wheelchairs. The daily enrichment classes were geared toward the makeup of the patrons: napkin folding, doodling, coloring, etc. I looked forward to the enrichment lectures on the cities were would be visiting: Cohb, Bruges, Amsterdam, Paris, Copenhagen. Unfortunately, while the lecturer was very knowledgeable, his speciality was Ancient History. Each lecture began with the early Romans and Vikings and he only touched on topics after the 18th century in the last 10 minutes. We learned to arrive after 30 minutes into the lecture to hear about modern times and present day highlights and what to expect in each city. We had booked all our excursions before boarding but soon canceled almost all of them when we discovered that there was usually local transportation to each city at 1/3 the price. So instead of paying RC $60 for a bus to Bruges, we took a bus right at the port to the city for $20. The excursion desk will not give you any information unless it's about their excursion. The first few days we had warm, sunny days and spent a lot of time either at the outdoor pool or indoor pool. Contrary to the signs posted, people would put the towels on chairs at the indoor pool at 8:00 AM to save them. If you were patient, though, you could usually wait it out and get a chair. We had a balcony room and enjoyed the patio but after the first couple of days, couldn't sit out due to the high winds. We still enjoyed looking out at the wide expansion of the ocean though. We had nice meals at the main dining room and Windjammer. We were seated at a table of 10 and everyone was just great. We were from all over the country and enjoyed wonderful conversations. There were three formal nights but most people dressed in business casual. We had definitely packed too many dresses. Because of a pier strike in LeHarve, we went to Dover instead. Although we were disappointed, Dover was a fabulous substitute. We took a train to Canterbury ($18 instead of $60 that RC was charging) and then went to Dover Castle. Although my review has lots of negatives, I would like to do another transatlantic cruise now that I know what to expect. Read Less

we did a lot of Transatlantic cruises with RCCL, but this time with the Brilliance was the best we ever had. The whole stuff was very nice, took care of any problems you had. Every evening an other theme in the diamond lounge, with funny people so you get in the mood for a nice evening. We booked onboard the next transatlantic with the Brilliance, because of the good exsperience. We have been sorry to go away in Bracelona, but we come back next year and hope to get the same experiance like before. A good idea has been to give diamond plus member the oportunety to go in a special breakfast restaurant, where you good everything you asked for. They Hoteldirektor must be very good, allways new ideas, and even the sea days have been full of activities, so sometimes we wished we had more time. Everything was well. Read Less

Just finished the 14-Night Crossing of the Atlantic on Brilliance of The Seas. Had a wonderful time on a great ship. The Brilliance just won "ship of the year" with Royal Caribbean and you can see why. The ship felt spacious and not crowded although it was full with 2050 passengers in double occupancy. (Not a lot of triples and quads on this type of sailing), so not maximum capacity. Voyage was relaxed and fun with lots of activities and even got to see the premier of their new show "Tango Buenos Aires". Fabulous. Don;t hesitate to choose the Brilliance, the ship is light an airy with wonderful sea views everywhere. There could be a difference in the ship on the 4 and 5 day itineraries than when the ship does longer cruises, so keep that in mind, ships on longer cruises tend to attract experienced cruisers and less children, so can feel different. Read Less

My friend and I wanted to do a repositioning cruise and this was an excellent deal. The Brilliance of the Seas was easy to get around but VERY noisy! There wasn't a quiet area (other than our cabin) where you could escape ear-pounding music. I found it most annoying and was certainly glad my cabin wasn't near the Centrum and even though they closed the fire doors each night, I'm sure those cabins heard the noise every time someone had to go through them. I was unimpressed with the food in the main dining room. It was just average and the lobster was the worst, overcooked and rubbery I had ever experienced. I was kind of surprised that by day 10, the assistant waiter still asked me what kind of roll I wanted (I had the same type EVERY day). The shows each evening were very well done and lots of variety. I would enjoy taking another repositioning cruise, but would try a different ship. Read Less

This was a last minute decision that provided a super bargain. The ship was great and we had great service on this repositioning cruise. The entertainment was fabulous. There were plenty of opportunities to get involved. Good shore excursion options. The ship stopped at good ports of call. The only negative for this trip was the quality of the food. We travel because of the need for relaxation and for the total travel experience. Overall, Royal Caribbean (RC) provides for those needs. However, we have noticed a considerable deterioration in the quality of the food on the voyages with this last cruise being the poorest quality we have experienced on RC. The quality of service remains exemplary in all areas. The institutional style food in the dining room left a lot to be desired. There was little flavor in many of the dishes. Room service food was the poorest I have experienced anywhere in my International travels. Read Less

I wanted to sail on this class of ship to compare it to others. While it was fine, I do prefer the Voyager class and Freedom class more. Considering the age of the ship I was impressed with how well it was maintained. The cruise staff was always friendly and helpful. My biggest disappointment was the dining room assignments at dinner time. There were many 10 person tables with two, four or five persons assigned to the table. Many 6 or 8 person tables were full. Why couldn't the cruise line spread the people more evenly around the dining room. I had spoken to others and they felt awkward sitting by themselves at tables with so many empty chairs. Seating in the Centrum is very limited due to its smaller size. Often times it was difficult to find a seat at Cafe Lattetudes because of it's location so many people used those seats to watch the activities going on in the Centrum. Read Less

The price, the service, the destination was amazing. The room was so noisy. The room mate was very serviable, funny, and available. He gived to us a fresh bucket of ice two time a day. We got some problem with the embarkation to Puerto Rico, we was two ships in the same times and the time for going in it was very long and crasy. The food in the dinning room was excellent, but seafood was missing, they served only on time lobster. At each night they gived to us the french menu and we saw the crew do all is possible to help each of us. We was a group of 6 adults and every boy was vers happy. The night show was very great, various, excitting, duration (45 minutes ). The wine package was not available. All the time we got a lot of chair available around the pool or the updeck. Royal Carribean gived at each people a beautiful beach towel with the draw of Brilliance of the seas. Thank you. Read Less

Since the cruise was transatlantic it was a great way to go to a few ports and also travel over to Europe. The shows were excellent and there was a good variety. The Production shows had the best singers and dancers we've seen on a ship. Whoever was handling the sound system was excellent because the music wasn't drowning out the singers. The service in the dining room was excellent and very friendly. If you're food was not to your satisfaction they were more then happy to bring something else. We have cruised many times with Royal Caribbean and like this smaller ship that they have. The centrum area is spectalur and offers a variety of entertainment each day. The balcony cabin was very comfortable and offered a great view of the ocean and ports as we arrived. You never walked done the hall where there was a crew member present that he or she didn't Greyson you with a smile and a friendly greeting. If you go on Royal be sure to visit their next cruise section to book another cruise. You'll get an onboard credit to use on the cruise you're currently on or you can apply to the cruise you are booking. Read Less

Relax time, on the sea, without Connections to Internet or cellphones - no calls from work. As Privat-Pilot i organized by myself the chartering Cessnas 172 in Tampa(FL) and Puerto Rico for flying by myself. Waiter's and Crew Staff are very friendly and try to celebrate a good Service. Not good: Some times ALL pools and Hot-Tubes wased closed completly. Bad weather, renovation - but why all in same time? Shore excursions by RCC are not my style. I organized my trips all by myself, from home, before we start, including flights and hotels. Hope, RCC will have in future more individuals Solutions fro bring bycicle or Harley with. Also we NEED in future is the Hop ON - Hopp OFF Option: May be still in town - not return to the ship, take a flight and come back to the ship in the next port. This Options is a MUST HAVE for passengers with Special interests. Next Cruise with RCC ist booked for Oct.2017: From Singapore to Perth. Read Less

The main negative was the main dining room food variety and preparation. The quality of service was outstanding with the staff being friendly and helpful. Another negative, they allow smoking in the Casino and we found ourselves walking through the casino several times a day. Embarkation and disembarkation were painless. The shows and headliners in the theater were quite entertaining. The Dailey compass did not have all of the information we needed at times. The Radiance class ship was a nice size to us, it did not take long to figure your way around. We enjoyed all the ports of call. Rained on us in Punta Delgada but the ship is parked downtown easily walkable for exploring. Cobh, Ireland again parked right in town walkable and there is a train stop right at the pier that will take you to Cork. In Dover, England the pier is a ways from town but they provided a free bus service that had three stops and ran until everyone had to be back onboard. Amsterdam you are right down town, walkable, and they have an amazing tram service. Zeebruggen is in an industrial area not much to do near the port. Copenhagen was our disembarkation point and is a ways from town, so we got to spend 1 & 1/2 hours in the cab line. We stayed a couple of days and thoroughly enjoyed the community. Read Less

I always wanted to go transatlantic by ship and now I can check it off my bucket list. In fact, in 2018 I'm doing it in reverse. Wish they would have had more interesting things to do on the sea days. Doodle Art? Really? Food in Dining Room was excellent. Windjammer for breakfast was great, pretty good for lunch and fair for dinner. My waiter Melbert and server, Weekly were fantastic! Ship was clean but could use some renovations. Cabin was spotless due to my Stateroom Attendant, Arnold.. Embarkation was very smooth as I went two hours into the process. Disembarkation was totally smooth.. Bravo to Royal Caribbean for having this down to a science. The gentleman who worked Room service was getting obnoxious and tried to charge me 7.95 for tea. No food. Just a pot of water and a teabag. The woman who worked there was very nice. Read Less