Royal Caribbean Brilliance of the Seas

For the first time, Royal Caribbean’s Brilliance of the Seas will call Sydney home next cruising season.

Royal Caribbean’s Radiance-class ship, Brilliance of the Seas is set to sail into Sydney, and home port in the Emerald City this upcoming summer season. If you love thrills, world-class dining and spectacular entertainment, this is the ship for you. Highlights include a 12-metre rock climbing wall, the Adventure Ocean youth programme and nine delicious dining options. All aboard for an unforgettable adventure.

Key dates: Starting in October 2023, the ship will sail on voyages out of Sydney for the summer season. On April 12, 2024 Brilliance of the Seas will depart Sydney for Hawaii.

Capacity: Brilliance of the Seas is a 2,543-passenger ship.

Best suited to: families. There’s the complimentary Adventure Ocean Programme available for children aged three to 17. Kids (and adults too) will love the arcade where classics such as Pacman and table hockey sit side-by-side with Guitar Hero, Fast and the Furious Drift. There’s also an outdoor children’s area Adventure Beach on deck 12 featuring a waterslide and pool.

Where does Brilliance of the Seas sail from?

Brilliance of the Seas will be based in Sydney for the Australian summer cruise season.

the view of Sydney harbour at night, Royal Caribbean Brilliance of the Seas — The Brilliance of the Seas will sail from Sydney Harbour. (Image: Destination NSW)

Where does Brilliance of the Seas sail to?

There are a number of itineraries sailing out of Sydney including voyages to Tasmania, to Melbourne, and to Adelaide. Add to this, sailings to the South Pacific, to New Zealand and an Australian voyage through Queensland, Darwin and Western Australia which also takes in Indonesia.

Salamanca market in Hobart — Experience Salamanca Market, one of Australia’s most loved outdoor markets, when in Tasmania. (Image: Tourism Australia)

Sustainable practices

In 2016, Royal Caribbean partnered with World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and has developed a series of programs and goals to help in the long-term health of our oceans and to protect some of its most iconic wildlife. WWF and Royal Caribbean’s work together focuses on three key areas: emissions reduction, destination stewardship and sustainable sourcing.

Some of these programs include 2,000 Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC)-certified tours , and sustainable sourcing practices for coffee, tea and sugar – commodities with the highest environmental impact. Royal Caribbean is also working toward sourcing 90% of wild-caught seafood from Marine Seafood Council (MSC)-certified fisheries and 75% of farmed seafood from Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC)-certified farms in North America and Europe.

the Royal Caribbean’s Brilliance of the Seas sailing at sea — Sail across Australia aboard the Royal Caribbean’s Brilliance of the Seas.

Dining

There are nine dining options onboard including a la carte table service at the main dining room and the global flavours of Windjammer, which come at no extra cost. For that special occasion, book into one of the specialty restaurants. Here are some of the highlights.

Giovanni’s Table

Enjoy Tuscan family-style dishes at this rustic Italian restaurant including house focaccia served with marinated artichokes, olives and pesto, fluffy gnocchi and veal osso buco paired with creamy cheese polenta, ripe tomatoes and sautéed greens. Dining here comes at an additional fee which is around US$25.

Chops Grille

Feast on prime cuts of steak at Royal Caribbean’s hallmark Chops Grille where the chefs will hand cut, season and grill each steak to your specifications. Far beyond a typical steakhouse, here you can also treat yourself to Maine lobster and other surf and turf delights. Dining here comes at an additional fee which is around US$35.

Izumi

Sit down for a Japanese-inspired dining experience at Izumi. Sample fresh sashimi and sushi as well as ramen and teriyaki. Dining with little ones? Ask for a kids’ menu, it’s got plenty of smaller-sized versions of Izumi’s delights. Dining here comes at an additional fee which is around US$35, though depending on what is ordered, it can be less.

Bars

There are nine bars and lounges onboard from cocktails at the Solarium to a pint at a traditional English pub. Here are some of the other highlights.

Vintages

Sample wines from the world’s renowned vineyards at Vintages. Perfect for a pre-dinner drink, here you’ll find the perfect drop of malbec, merlot, riesling, pinot grigio and more.

Schooner Bar

Head for nightcap at the nautical-themed Schooner Bar , where perfectly mixed cocktails and live entertainment come together. Be prepared for fun-filled singalongs around the grand piano.

Viking Crown Lounge

The Viking Crown Lounge is the ultimate spot to soak up panoramic views while sampling your favourite cocktail. After the sun goes down, take to the dance floor and boogie to the band.

Activities and entertainment

By day, hit new highs by scaling 12 metres above deck on the rock climbing wall, then try your skills on a round of mini golf. Lounge poolside, sit back in a bubbly whirlpool and catch a movie, or head to the Vitality at Sea Spa and fitness centre for a treatment or a workout. Come nightfall, be entertained by singers and dancers showcasing their skills in the variety revue, Centre Stage and sing along to modern stage hits in Now and Forever. Keen to turn up the heat? The Tango Buenos Aires show slips into sultry rhythms and heart-racing beats.

Cabins

Brilliance Of The Seas has 1075 staterooms including Interior, Ocean View, Balcony and Suites. Suite staterooms offer more space and comfort as well as additional perks such as concierge service, priority boarding and departure privileges, and dedicated entertainment seating, that is, the best seats in the house. Enjoy an everchanging vista every day in your balcony or ocean view stateroom, or retreat to your interior stateroom, and use the rest of the ship as your loungeroom with a view.

Deck plan

Brilliance of the Seas is made up of 13 decks, on the very top is the ‘Fairways of Brilliance’ mini golf course, the rock climbing wall, and the Viking Crown Lounge.

Itinerary highlights

The five-night Tasmania sailing visits Hobart but the seven-night Tasmania cruise also takes in the New South Wales ports of Newcastle and Eden. Also recommended is the six-night Melbourne and Hobart cruise. There’s also a nine-night Melbourne and Adelaide cruise, an eight-night, 10-night and 11-night South Pacific cruise and an 11-night sojourn taking in the best of Queensland. See the sights of the North and South islands on a 12-night New Zealand cruise itinerary. For a longer voyage, step aboard for the 16-night ‘All-Out Australia and Indonesia’ sailing from Sydney, north to Queensland, Darwin, Indonesia and then down the west coast of Australia, disembarking in Fremantle.

Shore excursion highlights

On New Zealand’s Bay of Islands, you can fly through the sky on a parasailing trip to see the 144 islands from above. Go tandem with the skydiving instructor and take in that magnificent view.

How much does it cost to go on Brilliance of the Seas?

A five-night Tasmania cruise starts at $671 per person, a 12-night New Zealand cruise starts at $1601 per person and the 16-night ‘All-Out Australia and Indonesia’ starts at $5999 per person. (Note: Prices are correct at time of publication. Please check the website for price changes.)

a scenic view of the towering peaks of Milford Sound in New Zealand, Royal Caribbean Brilliance of the Seas — Stare in awe at the towering peaks of Milford Sound in New Zealand.

Slow down and find your rhythm on a Murray River journey through time and place.

Trust is a funny thing. It seems not that long ago that my mother was insisting on pouring the milk into my cereal bowl, because she didn’t trust me not to slosh it over the table, and yet here I am on the Murray River at Mildura in far north-west Victoria, being handed the keys to a very new and very expensive luxury houseboat.

After a crash course in how not to crash, I’m at the wheel of the good ship Elevate – pride of the All Seasons fleet – guiding her upstream past red-ochre cliffs as pelicans glide above the rippled river and kookaburras call from reedy banks. There’s a brief moment of breath-holding while I negotiate a hairpin turn around a jagged reef of skeletal, submerged gum trees, before a cheer rings out and calm descends as the timeless river unfurls in front of us.

The Murray River winding through Yarrawonga. (Image: Rob Blackburn)

Setting sail from Mildura

Murray River birds — Home to a large number of bird species, including pelicans. (Image: The Precint Studios)

A journey along the Murray River is never less than magical, and launching from Mildura makes perfect sense. Up here the river is wide and largely empty, giving novice skippers like myself the confidence to nudge the 60-tonne houseboat up to the riverbank where we tie up for the night, without fear of shattering the glass elevator (the boat is fully wheelchair accessible) or spilling our Champagne.

My friends and I spend three days on the water, swimming and fishing, sitting around campfires onshore at night, and basking in air so warm you’d swear you were in the tropics. The simplicity of river life reveals an interesting dichotomy: we feel disconnected from the world but at the same time connected to Country, privileged to be part of something so ancient and special.

Stop one: Echuca

19th-century paddlesteamers — A historic 19th-century paddlesteamer cruises along the Murray River. (Image: Visit Victoria)

The six-hour drive from Melbourne to Mildura (or four hours and 20 minutes from Adelaide) is more than worth it, but you don’t have to travel that far to find fun on the river. Once Australia’s largest inland port, Echuca is the closest point on the Murray to Melbourne (two hours 45 minutes), and you’ll still find a plethora of paddlesteamers tethered to the historic timber wharf, a throwback to the thriving river trade days of the 19th century. The PS Adelaide, built in 1866 and the oldest wooden-hulled paddlesteamer operating in the world, departs daily for one-hour cruises, while a brand-new paddlesteamer, the PS Australian Star , is launching luxury seven-night voyages in December through APT Touring.

The town is also a hot food and wine destination. St Anne’s Winery at the historic Port of Echuca precinct has an incredibly photogenic cellar door, set inside an old carriage builders’ workshop on the wharf and filled with huge, 3000-litre port barrels. The Mill, meanwhile, is a cosy winter spot to sample regional produce as an open fire warms the red-brick walls of this former flour mill.

Stop two: Barmah National Park

Just half-an-hour upstream, Barmah National Park is flourishing, its river red gum landscape (the largest in the world) rebounding magnificently after the recent removal of more than 700 feral horses. The internationally significant Ramsar-listed wetland sits in the heart of Yorta Yorta Country, with Traditional Owners managing the environment in close partnership with Parks Victoria. Walkways weave through the forest, crossing creeks lined with rare or threatened plants, passing remnants of Yorta Yorta oven mounds and numerous scar trees, where the bark was removed to build canoes, containers or shields.

The Dharnya Centre (open weekdays until 3pm) is the cultural hub for the Yorta Yorta. Visitors can learn about the ecological significance of the Barmah Lakes on a 90-minute river cruise, led by a First Nations guide, or take a one-hour, guided cultural walking tour along the Yamyabuc Trail.

Stop three: Cobram

Continue east to Cobram to find the southern hemisphere’s largest inland beach. Swarming with sun-seekers in summer, the white sand of Thompson’s Beach is shaded by majestic river red gums and dotted with hundreds of beach umbrellas, as beachgoers launch all manner of water craft and set up stumps for beach cricket. But the beach is at its most captivating at sunset, when the crowds thin out, the glassy river mirrors the purple sky, and the canopies of the gum trees glow fiery orange.

The region is also home to some fine resorts and indulgent retreats. Yarrawonga Mulwala Golf Club Resort has two riverside championship golf courses, luxury apartments and self-contained villas. While not strictly on the Murray, the historic wine town of Rutherglen is rife with boutique (and unique) accommodation, including an exquisitely renovated red-brick tower in a French provincial-style castle at Mount Ophir Estate. Fans of fortified wines can unravel the mystery of Rutherglen’s ‘Muscat Mile’, meeting the vignerons and master-blenders whose artistry has put the town on the global map for this rich and complex wine style.

Stop four: Albury-Wodonga

First Nations YindyamarraSculpture Walk — First Nations Yindyamarra Sculpture Walk is part of the Wagirra Trail. (Image: Carmen Zammit)

Follow the river far enough upstream and you’ll arrive at the twin border cities of Albury-Wodonga. The Hume Highway thunders through, but serenity can be found along the five-kilometre Yindyamarra Sculpture Walk – part of the Wagirra Trail that meanders through river wetlands just west of Albury in Wiradjuri country. Fifteen sculptures by local First Nations artists line the trail, conveying stories of reconciliation, enduring connection to culture, local Milawa lore and traditional practices. It feels a long way from Mildura, and it is, but the pelicans and kookaburras remind us that it’s the same river, the great conduit that connects our country.

A traveller’s checklist

Staying there

New Mildura motel Kar-rama. (Image: Iain Bond Photo)

Kar-Rama is a brand-new boutique, retro-styled motel in Mildura, with a butterfly-shaped pool and a tropical, Palm Springs vibe. Echuca Holiday Homes has a range of high-end accommodation options, both on the riverfront and in town.

Playing there

BruceMunro’s Trail of Lights in Mildura — Bruce Munro’s Trail of Lights in Mildura. (Image: Imogen Eveson)

Artist Bruce Munro’s Trail of Lights installation, comprising more than 12,000 illuminated ‘fireflies’, is currently lighting up Mildura’s Lock Island in the middle of the Murray. Murray Art Museum Albury (MAMA) is a hub for contemporary art, with a rotating roster of exhibitions, and is a major outlet for young and First Nations artists.

Eating there

Mildura’s diverse demographic means it’s a fantastic place to eat. Andy’s Kitchen is a local favourite, serving up delicious pan-Asian dishes and creative cocktails in a Balinese-style garden setting. Call in to Spoons Riverside in Swan Hill to enjoy locally sourced, seasonal produce in a tranquil setting overlooking the river.

Royal Caribbean Brilliance of the Seas – everything you need to know