Welcome! Mabuhay!

...travel is more than the seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living. ~ St. Augustine

Traveling to places near and far is both exciting and enlightening. Travel may be close by, within a region, or globally. Visiting a bordering city or island in where you live could give you a fresh new perspective in life. Though, we don’t really need to go so far out to enjoy ourselves and find beauty, because it is all around us… if you open your eyes, stop and smell the roses... you will get that sense of freedom. However if you are a world traveler, it opens up for a much wider point of view. How I wish someday, I will get to do that. Visiting another country and seeing how other people live and discovering their culture provides us with new understanding that we are all different and unique in our own ways, though we are all human… living and breathing on the same amazing planet, Earth…

Enjoy, travel and live life to the fullest!


Around the World

Around the World

Sunday, December 13, 2009

Royal Caribbean's Radiance of the Seas

“There's no thrill in easy sailing when the skies are clear and blue, there's no joy in merely doing things which any one can do. But there is some satisfaction that is mighty sweet to take, when you reach a destination that you never thought you'd make.”



Radiance of the Seas
3rd - 9th of December 2006

This particular cruise was special to me since it was during my birthday! My family totally loves cruising with any of Royal Caribbean’s ships. Radiance of the Seas is a smaller ship, but they did not compromise on anything. They excel in pretty much everything that’s why we keep coming back for more! This was a 7-night cruise that originated in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The itineraries include: Key West, Florida; Cozumel, Mexico; Montego Bay, Jamaica and Georgetown, Grand Cayman.
 

"Sailing alone soothes me because the sea is fair, not cruel. It judges only your ability. It does not care who or what you are. It does not ask your age, color, sex, address, sexual orientation, education or IQ, but only your competence. It requires only that you can sail. If you can, you survive. If you can't, better stay ashore. That's fair, more fair than most of us experience on land...and refreshing."


Among her spectacular features are the 10-story glass-constructed Centrum, glass elevators facing the sea, and the highest percentage of outside staterooms in the Royal Caribbean fleet.
Passenger Capacity: 2,501
Centrium







The solarium pool. It's like being lost somewhere in Egypt.


One of the two formal nights at dinner time.
Yes, bring at least two formal attire when cruising, unless of course you don't care for that sort of thing. You do have other options. There are many casual dinning elsewhere in the ship. 
  

 The gorgeous two-story dinning room!!!
Our (private) table was by the huge mural at the center back.
 Hubby was amazed by our good fortune in garnering our very own table.
The norm is always be in a table of 6 or so, where one is forced to commingle with others, whether you like it or not. 
Don’t get me wrong; some are good company, while others are just disagreeable. 
  

One of the many casual dinning @ the formal dinning room.
We welcome with both arms all the pampering and attention that we're getting in this voyage.We don’t get this kind of attention on land. Well, on occassion.

 Docking in Key West, Florida




We walked around here and shopped for souvenirs;
very touristy. Don't you think?  


Docking in Cozumel, Mexico

Alayna is looking forlorn at this point. Poor thing was sick, it looks so obvious in her expression. She must have been sea sick (no GI problem) or just in a shock of her new environment.

My family just wondered 'round the port and shopped 'til we dropped.



Montego Bay, Jamaica (MoBay)
We hired a cab and had a fantastic city tour. Our driver was awesome, he took us wherever we want to go sight seeing, shopping and even where the locals hang-out!
A terrific experience considering that drivers are very wild... reminds me of the Philippines :))


Atop a famous mountain resort in MoBay.


Last destination: Georgetown, Grand Cayman
getting ready to tender...


We purchased a hand shaker for Alayna to keep her entertained,
but now Bill is annoyed with that noise :))
It's hard to please everyone.

A sea of ships. 
There must be 7 to 8 cruise ships out there.


Bill have scuba dived at StingRay City the prior years, long before we meet.  
He loved the experience!


Last day of our cruise...

Alayna got sick on this trip, so she's praying to get home soon.
Love that sweet smile!  
 

My birthday! December 7
Black and white tandem.
 

Tribute night to the waiters and waitresses from all over the world!
Thank you! 
Merci!
Gracias!
Grazie! 
Maraming salamat!
Arigato!
Paldies!
Va multumim frumos!
Etc!!!
 

"Ships that pass in the night and speak each other in passing;
Only a signal shown and a distant voice in the darkness;
So on the ocean of life we pass and speak one another,
Only a look and a voice; then darkness again and a silence."


Farewell night... 2nd formal dinner
We had the best table, just for three!
Bill asked me how I convinced the cruise line to give us our very own table,
little did he know that I had nothing to do with it, just got really lucky! :))



Here are some of the ship's highlights:

Rock-climbing wall
Portofino Italian Restaurant
Chops Grille
Seaview Café
Themed bars and lounges
Casino RoyaleSM
The Colony Club, a unique British colonial-style lounge with self-leveling pool tables
African safari-themed Solarium
Indoor/outdoor country club with golf simulator
Adventure Ocean® youth facilities
Day Spa and Fitness Center
Sports court with basketball/volleyball court



"If you have to be somewhere by a certain date, you aren't cruising, you're racing."

Loved it! We are coming back for more!!!

*****

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