Do staterooms on Brilliance of the Seas nonetheless maintain as much as the Royal Caribbean commonplace?
Launched in 2002, Brilliance of the Seas stays a fan favourite.
The Radiance-Class vessel has a capability for two,543 friends, with a complete of 1,075 staterooms onboard.
I lately sailed on Brilliance for a 7-night Western Caribbean cruise, calling upon Cozumel, Mexico; Georgetown, Grand Cayman; and Yucatan (Progresso), Mexico.
I booked an oceanview balcony cabin by way of the assure course of. The assure choice supplied a lower cost in trade for being assigned a leftover stateroom in our chosen class.
The full cost, with gratuities and charges, was $1959, or $140 per day, per individual.
Just a few weeks earlier than the cruise, Royal Caribbean assigned me a balcony stateroom positioned on the ahead finish of Deck 9: #9520.
In keeping with on-line deck plans, the stateroom spans 167 sq. ft, with a 27-square-foot balcony.
Once I first entered the room, I seen that it felt small for a balcony cabin, however had some nice facilities.
First, I opened up the closet, positioned to the fitting of the entrance door.
The spacious closet featured six massive wood cabinets within the heart. I like that the cabinets have been dividing the center—it made it straightforward to separate the closet with a journey buddy. We might every hang around garments on one assigned facet.
The closet additionally had a mess of hangers and an above-head cupboard space the place the life jackets lay.
Reverse the closet, I opened the door to the stateroom toilet.
The small house was brightly lit, with a big toilet mirror.
The tiny bathe sat to my proper, lined by a white fabric curtain.
The bathe curtain was my least favourite a part of the stateroom, because it appeared outdated and worn. Plus, it might both sway outwards, slashing water onto the ground, or inwards, clinging to me within the bathe.
Mixed with the miniature measurement of the bathe, it made showering inconvenient and irritating.
Nonetheless, our stateroom attendant did a terrific job of protecting the world clear, with contemporary towels day by day.
The lavatory was geared up with a number of cabinets, positioned behind the mirror or below the sink, for loads of toiletries storage.
Exterior of the toilet, I moved on to discover the cabin desk. The lengthy piece of furnishings held seven drawers, plus extra shelf storage behind the mirror.
A hoop gentle on the mirror and chair in entrance of the desk made it straightforward to remodel into an arrogance for making use of make-up or selecting jewellery.
On day one, after I first opened the desk drawer, the highest piece fell off in my hand.
By day three, the piece was affixed again onto the drawer, and we didn’t have any additional issues with the stateroom.
I might inform that, regardless of Brilliance of the Seas‘ age, Royal Caribbean’s crew members have been working laborious to keep up a top quality setting.
Regardless of the ship’s age, the lights and facilities functioned nicely, and the stateroom appeared well-maintained. My solely challenge with the cabin was the bathe curtain.
Beside the desk sat the stateroom TV, geared up with 20 free channels. Beneath that, I discovered the mini-cooler, which had simply sufficient house to suit bottles of wine or small bowls.
Nonetheless, it wasn’t a real fridge; any ice left inside melted fully.
Learn extra: 6 issues I liked and three issues I hated about my Brilliance of the Seas cruise
Reverse the desk, I turned to seek out the sofa. I used to be stunned by how small this piece of furnishings was as a result of different balcony cabins I’ve stayed in had barely longer couches.
Nonetheless, it was a snug place to take a seat or depart gadgets on, and a lamp was conveniently positioned above it.
I additionally appreciated {that a} small desk was positioned subsequent to the sofa—I might depart it there to eat at or transfer it round for further storage.
Between the sofa and the stateroom mattress, I discovered an extended brocade curtain tied again.
This might serve to divide the stateroom and maintain out further gentle. If one visitor wished to sleep whereas the opposite stayed awake, the curtain might divide the room to keep away from disturbance.
The stateroom mattress was broad and made up with white Royal Caribbean monogrammed sheets.
My journey buddy and I later requested for the beds to be separated, which our stateroom attendant did rapidly and effectively.
Every mattress was a snug place to sleep, with two pillows and a thick blanket.
On both facet sat two bedside tables, every with a lamp above them.
Every bedside desk had two sections: a drawer and a big shelf house beneath.
The bedside desk to the left additionally held the stateroom telephone.
I appreciated that every lamp supplied particular person lighting and will management the stateroom’s major lights. I might flip off the lights with out getting away from bed!
Previous the mattress sat a sliding glass door (lined by thick blackout curtains), which led to the cabin balcony.
When it was windy, the door was laborious to push open, however the balcony view was all the time price it.
The balcony house itself was small, solely lengthy sufficient to suit two chairs and a round desk.
Nonetheless, it was a beautiful place to take a seat, learn, eat, or chat.
Learn extra: Inside cabin vs. balcony room on a cruise ship
I additionally appreciated that the desk and chairs have been waterproof and simple to wipe the rain off when the climate was moist.
The balcony added to the cruise expertise, providing a handy spot to examine the climate and revel in views of the ship crusing into and out of port.
At evening, the sky was so clear amid the darkish ocean, and we might see 1000’s of stars.