My recent visit to the revamped Brilliance of the Seas

I was fortunate enough to be selected to visit Royal Caribbean’s Brilliance of the Seas ship last week.

She has just undergone a makeover and Royal Caribbean were very keen and proud to show her off.

Based out of Harwich for 2013 and doing the Baltics and Fjords this new look ship will offer you a great cruise experience with plenty of entertainment, amazing dining experiences and first class relaxation treats.

Let me share a few photos and some of my experiences.

One of the 1st things that stood out for me was the train station, it was closer to the check-in terminal than the ship was, literally next door.

Harwich terminal building is not the most modern terminal you will see but check-in was fast and smooth, however if you are checking in on a cold day make sure you have your woollies to hand.

This was my 1^st experience of a Royal Caribbean ship so I was looking forward to it and had set expectations high, would I be disappointed?

As I entered the ship and went through the boarding procedure the 1^st thing I came to was the Centrum, about 6 or 7 stories high and hugged by lights, spotlights, glass lifts and balconies it really did look the part, but there was a lot of wasted space looking up, well that was what I thought at 1^st. It turns out this space will be the centre of the Ships WOW entertainment hosting all kinds of vertical shows suspended from the ceiling, such as trapeze artists and gymnasts.

I dropped off my overnight bag and went on a tour. My priority was to look at some of the speciality restaurants as these have had a redesign and new styles added to the ship.

There are so many different options, the Chef’s table was the 1 I dined at for the evening as is a must for fine food and wine lovers.

The meal experience I am led to believe is called ‘Wine pairing’. There were 5 courses and with each course came a wine that complimented that course, and before each course was served the chef would come out and explain how the meal had been prepared and what ingredients had been added. The Head waiter would then follow this up with a talk on the wine giving its origin, history and how it is made.

This experience is only done every 3-4 nights and sits up to 16 diners with a cocktail get together in a private room before it is time to take to the table.

Also included in the speciality restaurants is an Italian, Mexican and Asian as well as many more.

Sticking with the wine theme is the Vintage wine bar where you can experience wine tasting complimented by cheeses and meats. There is the ‘R’ bar in the Atrium that serves all drinks but is the best place to get a cocktail, there are bar staff there that have done bar work in some of the finest Las Vegas hotels for the last 7 years.

And of course there is the good old fashion British pub (which has a smoking section).

Moving outside for a bit and there was a little water park on the top deck, not the best but certainly going to keep the children entertained throughout the cruise, a few hours here and there. Next door to that is the crazy golf, I did not count how many holes but there was at least 9 on there.

Towards the middle of the ship, still at the top of the was the outdoor pool area with hot tubs, and like most of the top ships in the market this 1 has a giant outdoor screen showing the latest blockbuster movies and the top live sporting events from around the world.

This screen actually boasts some of the latest technology including overcoming sun glare on the screen.

Right next door is the Spa including a warm saltwater pool and a lovely hot tub, this is open 24 hours a day although the ‘Park café’ with-in the spa is open during daytime hours only. The Park café serves fresh snacks, rolls and sandwiches and drinks, all with good health in mind.

The Spa also includes a salon, massage rooms, large gymnasium and saunas.

During my daytime walk around I had a stop at the Windjammer café, A Windjammer can be found on all Royal Caribbean ships and who does not enjoy the Windjammer? I for one loved it and was not shy on having a couple of main meals followed by a generous portion and desert(s). Tea, coffee and soda all on tap and waiters always on hand to make sure you table was cleared and drinks topped up.

For the kids of all ages there are plenty of activities, entertainment and also babysitting services on offer.

The evening brought out the Karaoke, yes in the British pub but my cup of tea was on the main theatre stage where the Queen tribute band ‘the Bohemians’ rocked the place.

The ship sailed out to sea in the evening, even though it was just a ship visit, but by doing this it meant the casino could open, this too proved very popular, me? I just watched as my colleagues gambled their money away.

So it has just gone midnight and time for bed, got a drive home tomorrow but oh no, where do I find myself for the next 2 hours, in the indoors Spa Hot tub.

Breakfast time in the Windjammer, plenty of coffee was in order, nice British fry-up followed by some pancakes, some waffles, some maple syrup and some cream, replace the ‘some’ with lots and you have a better description of my breakfast treat.

My expectations of this ship and Royal Caribbean had been set high, was my expectations met? A big fat YES it was. I loved every moment of it and can’t wait to experience Royal Caribbean and the Brilliance again, hopefully on a lot longer cruise.