Radiance of the Seas meets passenger feedback

Radiance of the Seas is on her way to Australian waters. Fresh from a multi-million dollar makeover, this ship which entered service in April 2001 and carries 2112 passengers will be followed by her sister ship Rhapsody of the Seas.

Due to arrive in Sydney on the morning of 15 October, she will be the biggest ship based in the region and she will stay here until early April 2012. As well as a 34-night circumnavigation of Australia Radiance of the Seas is offering weekend getaways of 2 nights, 14-night and 16-night cruises to New Zealand and trips to Hobart and Melbourne.

The refit of Radiance has been based on passenger requests, say the owners the Royal Caribbean line. Those who have travelled before on this vessel can expect to find staterooms for singles, new dining venues, an English Pub, an outdoor movie screen, improvements in the lounges and a new Royal Babies and Tots Nursery. And all the carpets and soft furnishings have been replaced.

These new restaurants include a Samba Grill where the Seaview Grill was. Offering different meats, all carved at the table and South American specialities like the caiparinhas (one of my all-time favourite cocktails since I first visited South America) which promises to be a favourite. The Chef's Table will be a venue seating just 14, offering a five course meal with wines to compliment the food. On a similar theme Rita's Cantina will offer Mexican cuisine - and another South American favourite, the Margarita - no cover charge and no reservations.
If you prefer Japanese the Izumi will be more to your taste. Here they promise traditional Japanese food, including sashimi. Or you may find Giovanni's Table with it's focus on the food of Tuscany is more your thing. And when you just feel like being casual there's the new pub or the Park Cafe.
Can't imagine getting around all these restaurants in a week - let alone a weekend taster - and I haven't even mentioned the hot dog House…. you can see I enjoy my food.
I'm looking forward to visiting this ship when she comes our way… and I hope many of my clients will take advantage of her long stay in our waters!
Pic is of the Radiance in dry dock in British Columbia, Canada where many ship fitouts take place.

Europa to get luxury sister

The Europa is the only cruise ship to be awarded with 5 stars plus in the cruisers bible - the Berlitz Cruise Guide. Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, the owners of this beauty have just begun work on the Europa 2 - with a modern and less formal design. Europa 2 will have a total of eleven decks and 258 suites. It will have a maximum capacity of 516 passengers and will boast more space per passenger than any other cruise ship in the industry. The ship’s veranda suites will be a minimum of 28 Square meters. Spa Suites, Penthouse Suites and family suites will complement the range of accommodations to choose from on board. Seven restaurants including a sushi bar, two lounges and four bars will offer culinary diversity! There will also be a large wellness and spa area, and numerous sports and health-oriented features...
Hapag-Lloyd are German ships, but having travelled on the Bremen I can say that the staff all speak excellent English - and the service is very good. This line currently has four ships that cater for different markets. Contact me if you'd like more info
If you are not familiar with the first Europa you may like to watch this bit of PR...

Where will the cruise ships go in Sydney?

The question of where the cruise ships that are too big to go under the Sydney Harbour Bridge - which will be most of them in the next 20 years - is still being pushed around. The obvious spot is Garden Island, currently home to the Navy, which is where the Cunard Queens have docked in the past. Local residents are not happy at the thought that this may become a permanent occurrence if part of Garden Island becomes an international terminal - but it does seem to be the most obvious spot.
I just came across this news item in a community paper which seems to indicate that there are some serious discussions going on.