Radiance of the Seas review: what is it really like on board

With a pregnant wife and baby son along for the ride, Quentin Long was cruising for trouble on his Sydney-Melbourne-Hobart voyage aboard Royal Caribbean Cruises ‘ Radiance of the Seas.

About Radiance of the Seas

Radiance of the Seas, Royal Caribbean Cruises — Radiance of the Seas eases out of Sydney

At 90,000 tonnes, Radiance of the Seas is a resort-style ship from big-ship specialist Royal Caribbean International.

Radiance first entered service in 2001 but was extensively refurbished before she made her Australian debut for the 2011/2012 season. Around $20 milllion was spent stripping out old fittings, restaurants and rooms and replacing them with some sparkly new ones, like Giovanni’s Table, the Chef’s Table and even a new Royal Babies and Tots nursery.

Staterooms and cabins on board Radiance of the Seas

We stayed in a Large Ocean View Stateroom on the fourth deck.

For a couple, it was compact, and we did make it harder on ourselves with an 11-month-old and his cot. This ate into the available space, but it was roomy enough to want to spend time in, winding down. The massive porthole made a huge difference to the light in the room – strange, but that one feature lifted the overall design. Waking up to the see the world or the Sydney Opera House was lovely.

Minor annoyances: the TV would have been better as a flat-screen, the shelf space was cramped and the bed base smashed my shins a few too many times.

Life on board Radiance of the Seas

Radiance of the Seas, Royal Caribbean Seas — The pool deck on board Radiance of the Seas

OK, I really didn’t think this one through.

What responsible husband takes a pregnant wife with morning sickness (and a tendency for seasickness – joy!) on her first cruise with an 11-month-old? So I had a mixed experience, where the not-so-great stuff was mostly my own doing.

Against that backdrop, though, I had a ball. Royal Caribbean prides itself on being the friendliest, most fun, most upbeat floating resort company and that’s what it delivered. The scale of the ship meant that there was always somewhere to be, either in a crowd enjoying some form of entertainment or in a quiet nook just chilling.

The first two days of our cruise were really lost to figuring out how to make the ship work for us as a family, but by the time we reached Melbourne, we had sorted everything out and started to get into a much better rhythm… until we decided to disembark for a trip to Melbourne Zoo.

The infrastructure at Port Melbourne was poor (although in all honesty, Sydney embarkation was a nightmare, and Hobart was not too great either). We arrived at the bus to take us into the city, and were told that it was full and that this was the last bus. No-one got off to give their seat to a pregnant woman with a baby, leaving us with a 500m walk down the pier to try to find a taxi.

But that was not a representative experience. Our fellow cruisers ranged in age from about 30 to 80, with the vast majority in the 40-55 bracket, and the overall atmosphere on board was like being at the best beer garden in your neighbourhood: happy, energetic and relatively fun.

Our first taste of the better things that Radiance is doing was in the speciality restaurants. Service in the main dining room, Cascades, is unbelievably good if a little mechanical, cramped and very American (water on the table as you sit, salad before dinner and so on). The food in Cascades is similar: good except for the American food groups of salt and sugar, which are a little overrepresented in the meals.

But the speciality restaurants are a revelation. Giovanni’s Table was so good we made several stop-offs. Set on the sixth deck, it’s removed from the hustle and bustle of the major thoroughfares, and with seating for about 50 is a far more intimate and sedate offering for a comfortable, secluded meal.

The antipasto platter of lovely prosciutto, olives, salami, artichokes, roasted capsicum and anchovies – washed down with Giovanni’s damn fine signature cocktail, a limoncello martini – was a great way to start one long grazing dinner. Fabulous fresh pastas of pappardelle with radicchio or the crab ravioli followed in their own good Mediterranean time. The wife had no room for a main but I managed to squeeze in some lovely giant prawns with potatoes and vegies.

The luxury of our long, drawn-out dinner when you’re a parent of an 11-month-old reveals another massive drawcard – the babysitting services. The children’s, teen and even baby programs are incredibly well done – officially called the Adventure Ocean Youth Program (3-11 years), Teen Program (11+) and the Royal Babies & Tots (six months to three years). I just loved being able to drop Master Oliver off with his dinner in the safe hands of the excellent crèche staff, then heading off to meet my long-lost lover.

That said, the initial days were a challenge. Again, probably first-cruiser errors, but we naively expected a cot to be in the room when we checked in. Three hours later, after our lovely room attendant had finally sought one out for us, we unpacked it to discover the most rank stench: yep, child formula vomit. Just a systems failure by the onboard crew, but not a great start.

When we at last had a decent cot sorted, we turned our attention to bottle sterilisation. It was weird: no-one on the ship could help us, when all we wanted was a microwave. Then when we asked the logical question – “What do other parents do?" – the shrug of the shoulders was sort of irritating. Somehow, we eventually figured out that the glass-cleaning system in the Windjammer Café had an extreme water temperature; not perfect, but the best solution available. So Master Oliver continued in his healthy ways.

The trip across Bass Strait was smoother than anticipated so we tried another of the speciality restaurants, the Samba Grill – a traditional Brazilian churrascaria restaurant where grilled meat is sliced off the skewer. As with Giovanni’s, it was a great meal if a little too filling.

Meandering up the Derwent River to Hobart, we saw dolphins swim past on several occasions, like emissaries sent out to welcome us to their shores. The viewing area at the bow of the ship was spectacular as we approached Hobart, though it was less Kate and Leo and more sharp elbows at close quarters, as many passengers tried to make the most of the Kodak moment.

Strolling around the beautiful historic streets of Hobart on a gorgeous afternoon was like emerging from a cocoon; realising that the world was working and we were on holidays was smugly satisfying. That night, the ship was like a racecourse: hot tips for the shore excursions were buzzing through every conversation. There was only one winner: MONA, The Museum of New and Old Art.

We jumped in a cab to beat the ferry (and the inevitable queues) and while that didn’t make much difference in the end, MONA was worth it. (For the sake of brevity I will not give you the full review, but whatever you do, make sure it is on your bucket list.)

Departing Hobart for the coast of NSW, there was a full day at sea and two nights ahead of us. We did very, very little. I tried the Japanese restaurant Izumi for lunch and it was disappointing – the sushi was not particularly great. I suspect the cooked meals would be the way to go, and it would be better for dinner.

Cloudy weather meant a spectacular morning arrival in Sydney didn’t happen, but the harbour is always astonishingly pretty from the water first thing in the morning. A nice welcome home.

Three favourite things on board Radiance of the Seas

Churrascaria restaurant, Radiance of the Seas — The Brazilian churrascaria restaurant on board Radiance of the Seas

Specialty dining:

Loved the experience in Samba and Giovanni’s. Izumi was a little disappointing, but these two made up for it. Unfortunately the Chef’s Table was booked out – I would have loved to make the most of that, too.

The babysitters:

These lovely staff were great. Leaving your child with a total stranger from a different country is somewhat unnerving, but we were blown away by just how well they treated our little man.

Champagne Lounge:

I loved sitting at the bar while my wife and son caught up on sleep. I could work with a couple of beers and the friendly bar staff for company.

Three downsides on board Radiance of the Seas

Baby care:

A vomit-covered cot and the lack of sterilisation services for babies was a little challenging in the first two days.

Salt and sugar:

Many of the main dining options were over-sugared or too salty.

Port infrastructure:

Boarding at the spectacular Overseas Passenger Terminal in Sydney was a complete nightmare, with very long queues under full sun. The transport off in Melbourne was disappointing and Hobart’s “terminal" was a shed in the middle of relative no-man’s-land. Come on: we can and must do better.

Activities on board Radiance of the Seas

Atrium, Radiance of the Seas — The artrim on board the Radiance of the Seas

The daily regime of things to do is printed and slipped under your door every night so you can fall into bed and plan your next day’s fun. It’s rather competitive, with table tennis, darts, volleyball and a shuffleboard competition, to name a few.

Even more helpful are the electronic displays that tell you what’s happening right now at locations around the ship. That’s how I came to be in the Quill & Compass Pub for the darts comp one afternoon, finishing an honourable middle-of-the-field fifth.

The tango lessons were well attended. The instructors were suitably a) gorgeous Latin lovers and b) kindly instructors, which may explain the crowd on the dance floor. Sans pregnant wife I was destined to be the wallflower…

I never got up on the rock-climbing wall, never got on the putt putt course and never went to the movie theatre, but I did find my inner teenager in the games arcade. I also had an ambition to work out in the gym every day, which went totally unrealised, but my wife had a fantastic facial.

Additionally, I saw the remnants of the fruit sculpture workshop in the buffet, watched grown men splash out in the belly-flop competition at the main pool and saw an 80-plus-year-old woman join in judging the Hottest Man on Board competition by feeling the lucky contestants’ firm buttocks.

Didn’t really go for the Inch of Gold shopping spree, and when I turned up for the poker tournament, I was too late – the table was full. But there was truly something for everyone.

Radiance of the Seas Shore Excursions

At every port was a selection of organised tours, which we opted out of as they were coach-based (we needed to be able to pull the chute and get Master Oliver home to the ship if all hell broke loose). Tour charges are in US dollars so the prices quoted here are subject to change. Here are what I saw as the highlights.

Ghost Towns, Mines & Mountains: After a coach ride from Melbourne, jump in a 4WD and head out on an old mining and logging track, past old abandoned settlements, before arriving at the picturesque Walhalla. Eight hours, $199.

Melbourne City & River: See the Crown casino complex, stop off at the Shrine of Remembrance and then take a river cruise down the Yarra. Four hours, $69.

Historic Hobart, Port Arthur & Wildlife: The coach trip starts with a visit to a wildlife sanctuary for a Tassie devil experience and a guided tour of the Port Arthur Historic Site. The tour includes a brief tour of Hobart before you’re dropped back at the dock. Eight hours (it’s a 90-minute drive to Port Arthur), $129, lunch not included.

Hobart Highlights: Drop in on the Hobart Botanical Gardens, then visit the Rosny Hill lookout, the top of Mt Wellington (weather permitting) and Salamanca Place on this whistlestop three-hour tour, $45.

Mt Wellington Descent: Take the coach to the top of Mt Wellington before climbing on a mountain bike for the 20km descent down to Hobart. Lots of stops for photo ops and even some off-road excursions for the adventurous. Three hours, $109.

Food on board Radiance of the Seas

Radiance has 11 different places to eat and another six bars.

The bars all vary in theme and ambience, from the English-style Quill & Compass Pub to the sailing club vibe at the Schooner Bar.

The inclusive dining options are the main dining room, Cascades à la carte dining, the Windjammer Café buffet, Park Café deli eatery, and the Boardwalk Dog House for hot dogs. The Lattetudes coffee shop is not inclusive for your daily espresso coffee but the cakes and snacks are.

The speciality dining options come with an additional cover charge: Izumi Japanese (lunch US$3, dinner US$5); Rita’s Cantina Mexican (lunch and dinner US$3), Samba Grill Brazilian barbecue (dinner US$25), Giovanni’s Table (lunch US$15, dinner US$20), Chops Grille US steakhouse (dinner US$30), Chef’s Table degustation (dinner US$120).

It is worth taking out the Radiance dining package which includes a meal at all of the above, except the Chef’s Table and Rita’s, for US$70.

Radiance of the Seas Review details

Route:

Sydney, Melbourne, Hobart, Sydney.

Number of cabins:

1083 hotel rooms in total.

Breakdown:

246 interior staterooms, 825 with ocean views, of which 583 have a balcony. The room types are: one Royal Suite, six Owner’s Suites, 17 Grand Suites, 37 Junior Suites, 145 Superior Ocean View Staterooms (with balcony), 368 Deluxe Ocean View Staterooms (with balcony), six Family Ocean View Staterooms, 235 Large Ocean View Staterooms.

From poolside bites and tasting flights to seafood plates and dry-aged steaks, a foodie adventure on Hamilton Island is worth every bite.

Hamilton Island ’s sun-lacquered shores have long magnetised travellers craving an escape from reality. But what’s less expected – and more interesting – is just how assuredly this Whitsundays idyll delivers on the culinary front. Dialling up the flavour as much as the barefoot allure, the Hamilton Island food scene offers world-class dining and drinking options, spanning slick fine-dining moments to just-caught seafood served within sight of the sea. Let’s dig in.

Catseye Pool Club

Framing the electric blues of Catseye Beach from The Sundays hotel, Catseye Pool Club is Hamilton Island’s latest culinary prodigy. Shown to our table, we thread through rattan chairs, Zellige tiles and tumbling greenery that opens up to Coral Sea shimmer.

The poolside restaurant is the brainchild of Sydney-based chef duo Josh and Julie Niland, who have brought their relaxed yet elevated dining ethos north. The menu – designed to bring people together – is made for sharing, each hero ingredient orbited by a palette of sides to mix, match and layer as you please.

My thyme cocktail – woody with scotch, lifted by lime leaf – pairs perfectly with the charcoal grilled prawns entree, which is served with tumeric and lemongrass marinade, macadamia satay sauce and a thai-leaning sour green mango salad. Each forkful lands differently, but all are a delight. Then comes the coral trout. True to Josh Niland’s ‘scale-to-tail’ philosophy, the fish is presented whole in a theatrical crescent, a tiny fork stuck into its cheek in a nod to Niland’s declared prize cut. Ribbons of zucchini resembling gauzy curtains bring brightness and snap, while kasundi lends depth and warmth. It’s tongue-tantalising, special occasion dining with humanity.

Sails Restaurant

A more casual poolside dining scene awaits at nearby Sails Restaurant , where Eastern Mediterranean flavours are dished up with an island twist. Chermoula chicken skewers and barramundi souvlaki lie on the more filling side of the menu, while the sumac squid and stone-bread flatbread with za’atar – arriving alongside pomegranate molasses, beetroot hummus and crushed macadamias – are perfect light bites after a dip in the pool. And don’t miss the garlic lemon scallops.

The setting is equally part of the draw. Sunlight floods the high-ceilinged dining room, while outdoor tables look out across the glittering expanse of Catseye Beach. Holidaymakers in oversized sunglasses sip spritzes beneath umbrellas, the gentle clink of plates mixing with splashes from the adjacent pool. It’s the kind of place you’ll want to linger long after lunch.

Bommie

Tucked into a sleek curved wing of the Hamilton Island Yacht Club, Bommie delivers experiential fine dining with a sense of occasion. Led by award-winning Executive Chef Ryan Locke, the seasonal menu champions local and native Australian ingredients whipped up into a modern display of creative precision.

Inside the dim-lit dining room, guests can choose between the Tasting Menu or Chef’s Signature Degustation. Sourdough with pine oil sets the tone for the six-course tasting menu, beautifully presented in a bed of pine needles alongside smoked paperbark butter. I love how the squid ink choux pastry is served with flavour-popping native finger lime, which our waiter encourages us to eat caviar-style. Standout moments continue with the wattle-seed-crusted venison elevated by red fruit and pickled beetroot swirls; the meat is perfectly pink in the middle and an homage to the island’s history as a deer farm.

Pebble Beach

Exclusive to qualia Resort guests for lunch and dinner, Pebble Beach is Hamilton Island’s most serene expression of seasonal island dining. Ocean-facing chairs dot a timber deck that spills straight onto the resort’s private beach, while crystalline turquoise waters stretch to meet distant islands – a scene far prettier than any postcard could capture.

The recently refreshed menu doubles down on seasonality and bright, layered flavours. While the more substantial T-bone steak with hazelnut honey carrots tempts, we go lighter: Coffin Bay oysters with Champagne foam and keffir lime dust kick us off splendidly, followed by Byron Bay burrata served with balsamic and caramelised figs. The fennel and orange salad topped with succulent grilled chicken is utterly delectable, but it’s the zingy, oh-so-fresh soft shell fish tacos that I can’t stop thinking about. It all goes down a treat with a glass of delicate Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve Champagne.

Beach Club Restaurant

A lunch or dinner table at Beach Club Restaurant is best booked in advance – and it’s easy to see why. Looking out over the hotel’s palm-fringed infinity pool, the restaurant spotlights elegant contemporary Australian cuisine with a stellar (also Aussie-leaning) wine list to match.

I am completely enamoured by the grilled Queensland prawns, which are brought to life with a smoked compound, local fried curry leaves and lime. Digging into the butter-soft lamb rump served atop pea ragout and parsley Paris mash feels like a warm, nostalgic hug. And dessert – vanilla bean ice cream drizzled with hot salted honey and apple gel – ends the night on a high note.

Expect warm and discreet service; our waiter Marco tells us that the tiny decorative starfish on our table are there to help the staff remember whether we prefer sparkling or still water, so they don’t need to bother us by asking multiple times.

Talk & Taste with Courtenay Morgan-Fletcher

There’s more to Hamilton Island’s foodie scene than restaurant reservations alone. For wine-curious travellers seeking something a little more immersive, Beach Club has recently introduced Talk & Taste – a tutored tasting hosted by Bommie Assistant Manager and wine enthusiast Courtenay Morgan-Fletcher. Held twice weekly for a maximum of eight guests, the experience explores Australian wine culture through four thoughtfully selected drops paired with native-inspired bites.

We opt for the white wine and seafood option. Alongside pours from Eden Valley and Launceston, a nibbling platter arrives featuring sashimi, salmon roe, Mooloolaba prawn ceviche and palate-cleansing ginger. The seafood is pristine and pared back, allowing the wines to take centre stage.

The real highlight, however, is discovering just how nuanced winemaking can be. Courtenay speaks of viticulture as both art and science: harvest grapes a week too late and ripeness tips into ruin; plant the same varietal on different elevations and the sun, slope and water flow will shape entirely different expressions. Pinot noir, she explains, with its delicate skin and high water content, yields lighter fruit-forward wines, while thicker-skinned shiraz delivers depth and structure. I leave feeling fascinated and inspired by Courtenay’s evident passion.

coca chu

Sweet and hot. Sour and salty. Dining at ever-popular coca chu is a sensation-swirling experience that’s not to be missed if you’re a sucker for punchy Southeast Asian flavours. Located at the Main Pool end of Catseye Beach, this lively hangout is all swaying lanterns, driftwood, high beamed ceilings and giant open windows that let in the balmy ocean breeze.

Drawing from hawker traditions, the grilled betel leaf is a neat, vibrant mouthful of chilli fried cashews and spiced beef. The tofu surprises – soft beneath a tumble of dill, mint and coriander, and glossed in moreish peanut sauce. The massaman curry is pure comfort: creamy, fragrant, fall-apart meat. It’s generous and expressive cooking that I, for one, cannot get enough of.

Marina Cafe

Sometimes, all you crave on holidays is a bacon and egg roll done properly and a creamy fruit smoothie. Boasting harbour views, an easygoing atmosphere and clean modern interiors, Marina Cafe is a popular local haunt for a reason. The casual menu lures families and couples alike with its all-day brekky, seasonal salads and sandwiches – from a roasted pumpkin bowl to prosciutto and rocket on herby focaccia.

The acai bowl, topped with toasted nuts and berries, is a refreshing start to my day. Whether you sit in or takeaway, it’s a good-vibes-guaranteed place to refuel before or after your Whitsundays adventures.

Discover your foodie getaway now at hamiltonisland.com.au.