Brilliance of the Seas revitalized; Transatlantic on Brilliance of the Seas

 The introduction of the super cruise ships Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas created a problem for Royal Caribbean. Not just in size but in the array of entertainment and dining choices that the ships offered, they were beyond pretty much any ship in service. However, not only did they render almost every other ship then in service out-of-date, they also did the same to Royal's existing fleet.

The solution was to undertake a fleetwide revitalization program that would give the existing ships some of the features of Oasis and Allure. Obviously, because they are not as big as the two giants, the existing ships would not be able to offer everything that you can find on the Oasis class ships but they could add some of the more popular features in order to give guests more choice throughout the Royal Caribbean fleet. It is a business strategy that makes a lot of sense.

This strategy was not without risk, however. Quite a few of the existing Royal Caribbean ships are very popular and have their own loyal following. For those ships, didn't Royal risk violating the old adage if it ain't broke don't fix it.

This was particularly true for Royal's four Radiance class ships. These ships are big but not too big. They are elegantly designed but not stuffy. They have relatively few passengers for their size, giving the ships a passenger space ratio that is more like that of an upmarket ship. In addition, they have a loyal following, particularly among frequent cruisers.

It was with these conflicting thoughts in mind that I joined Brilliance of the Seas for a transatlantic crossing. I had sailed on this ship, the second ship built in the Radiance class, less than a year before. However, since then she had been through the revitalization refit, adding several new dining and entertainment venues.

I was relieved to find, in the words of Cruise Director Steve Davis, that the Brilliance is still the Brilliance. Her essential character has not been changed. She is still presents a sophisticated version of the Royal Caribbean experience.

The changes that were made blend in nicely with the ship's character. The additional dining venues give you more options, which is particularly nice on a long cruise. I particularly liked the transformation of the Solarium Cafe into the Park Cafe. The atmosphere is the same but the menu and the hours have been enlarged. I was also impressed with Giovanni's Table, which has taken over from Portofino's. (See review http://www.beyondships2.com/brilliance-of-the-seas-giovanni-review.html )

I was disappointed that the Sea View Cafe, a venue found only on the Radiance class ships, was replaced with Izumi. I have nothing against Izumi but the Sea View was unique and I have enjoyed a number of meals there.

With regard to entertainment, the Centrum has been modified to make it more of an entertainment venue. Previously, the atrium had been used for theme parties and some other forms of entertainment but the glass stairs and the floor plan of the lobby made it difficult for the entertainers. That has all been changed and a new layout created that is more conducive to entertainment.

The giant sculpture that hung in the atrium has also been removed so as to allow aerialists to perform in this space. It is impressive but “flying” shows are no longer something new on cruise ships and so I am skeptical of whether it creates the “wow” that Royal was hoping to achieve.

There has also been the addition of a giant outdoor television/movie screen on the pool deck. Several of the bars have been changed as well. The most dramatic change has been the transformation of the Sports Bar into the King and Country Pub. The fact that it was full every night whereas the Sports Bar was never full testifies to the success of this change.

Beyondships' multi-page photo tour of Brilliance of the Seas has been updated to reflect the revitalization. It begins at http://beyondships.com/RCI-BOS-Tour-1.html

I spoke with Captain Stig Nilsen, Hotel Director Dean Bailey and Cruise Director Steve Davis to get their thoughts about Brilliance after the revitalization. That interview is posted at http://www.beyondships2.com/brilliance-of-the-seas-revitalized.html

I also spoke with them about sailing transatlantic on the Brilliance. A transatlantic crossing is a unique cruise experience. It is one that a large number of frequent cruisers savor. The experience on Brilliance is much different than crossing on Queen Mary 2, which I have written about in the past. (see http://www.beyondships2.com/queen-mary-2-shepard.html ). Moreover, the far northern route that Brilliance followed across the Atlantic also made the crossing different than the more southerly crossings made by other cruise ships. My article on crossing on Brilliance is at http://www.beyondships2.com/brilliance-of-the-seas-transatlantic.html

The crossing on Brilliance began with what was in essence a European cruise. This enabled me to take some photos of the ship in various European ports. They are posted at http://www.beyondships2.com/brilliance-of-the-seas-in-europe.html

In addition, Brilliance's menus page has been updated with new menus from the main dining room and the specialty restaurants. http://www.beyondships2.com/brilliance-of-the-seas-menus.html The daily programs page has been updated with new Cruise Compasses. http://www.beyondships2.com/brilliance-of-the-seas-daily-programs.html The informationals page has been updated with a variety of different leaflets distributed onboard Brilliance. http://www.beyondships2.com/brilliance-of-the-seas-informationals.html And, of course, a new deck plan has been added which reflects the changes made during the revitalization. http://www.beyondships2.com/brilliance-of-the-seas-deck-plans.html

Queen Mary 2 transatlantic

I have recently returned from a trip to Europe by sea. I traveled over to the United Kingdom on the Queen Mary 2 and I returned on Royal Caribbean's Brilliance of the Seas. In between the two crossings, I did a cruise around the British Isles on Ocean Princess.

If you have the time, transatlantic crossings are a great way to get to and from Europe. Air travel has become notorious for its hassles and delays. In contrast, traveling by sea is a relaxing and memorable experience.

A transatlantic crossing, however, is different than a cruise. There are more sea days and the sea sometimes can be more turbulent than on a cruise. But most people find that there is more to do on a crossing than there is available time. Also, modern ships are good at handling the weather.

Like cruises, the guest experience on a crossing differs from ship to . A crossing on Queen Mary 2 is much different than a crossing on Brilliance of the Seas. Both are good experiences but they are different.

This week, we take a look at what it is like to cross on Queen Mary 2. In an article that will be published later, we will look at a crossing on Brilliance of the Seas.

I spoke with David Shepard, Hotel Manager on Queen Mary 2, about what a crossing on QM2 is all about. David has some 17 years experience in the cruise industry, primarily with P&O Cruises, and thus is in a good position to talk about what makes a crossing on QM2 different than the type of experience one has on a cruise ship.

I wanted this article to be a concise overview of the QM2 crossing experience. Therefore, I have included links to our more in-depth articles about various aspects of QM2 when those topics are discussed in the article.

The article is posted at: http://www.beyondships2.com/queen-mary-2-shepard.html

In addition, I have posted a review of the Coriander specialty restaurant on QM2. Coriander is one of three alternative dining experiences that Cunard has added to QM2. Unlike QM2's primary specialty restaurant, the Todd English Restaurant, these alternative dining experiences do not have their own permanent locations. Rather, they come to life on certain evenings in a section of the ship's buffet restaurant. It gives guests more choice but is it consistent with QM2's luxury image? http://www.beyondships2.com/queen-mary-2-coriander.html

Finally, we are adding two new FAQs. The first explains what a bulbous bow is and what it does for a cruise ship. http://www.beyondships2.com/faq-bulbous-bow.html

The second is about cruise ship itineraries. Recently, I heard a guest ask a cruise ship captain why the ship did not stop at some of the nice looking islands that we had passed earlier in the day. I think most people know that a cruise ship captain cannot decide to stop the ship at whatever island takes his fancy. But I thought it might be of interest to provide some information about how it is decided where a ship will go. That FAQ is at http://www.beyondships2.com/faq-cruise-itineraries.html

Talking with the Captain, Hotel Manager and Entertainment Director on Queen Mary 2

During the last couple of years, Cunard Line, and its flagship Queen Mary 2 in particular, have seen the retirement of a substantial number of senior officers including Commodore Bernard Warner, Captain Paul Wright, Captain Nick Bates and Hotel Manager John Duffy. It is also my understanding that Entertainment Director Ray Rouse is now semi-retired. Those familiar with the Cunard world know that these people played a significant part in bringing the Queen Mary 2 into service and shaping the on board experience.

Now they have been succeeded by a new generation of leaders. Some of them have only been with Cunard a relatively short time. However, it is now their responsibility to take Queen Mary 2 into the future.

This is a more difficult task than taking over the leadership of any other major passenger ship. Queen Mary 2 was built as a transatlantic liner and although she does other types of voyages, her mainstay is the crossing between New York and Southampton, England. Whereas at one time hundreds of ships were making this journey on a regular basis, only one ship makes regularly scheduled transatlantic crossings today. The question that constantly haunts Cunard is whether there is enough of a market for such voyages to even sustain one ship.

The direct crossings on Queen Mary 2 are different than the transatlantic re-positioning cruises that cruise ships moving from the Caribbean to Europe or vice versa do during the Spring and Fall. On a direct crossing, there are no port days. Thus, the focus of the voyage is on what happens onboard, not on the ports. In addition, it is a shorter voyage than the re-positionings even though with the high cost of fuel, Cunard has lengthened its crossings in recent years to reduce fuel consumption.

Queen Mary 2 was designed with such differences in mind. The ship is geared for sea days, with facilities and programming to occupy your time fully. Furthermore, the ship was designed to withstand whatever weather she may encounter on the Atlantic and still proceed at speed and in comfort.

There is a core of people who love the traditional crossings and their elegance. Consequently, Cunard has a very high number of repeat passengers. However, in order to sustain the ship, it must also attract other vacationers and holiday-makers.

Thus, Cunard must balance preserving tradition with providing the type of onboard experience that contemporary travelers seek in an ocean voyage. Queen Mary 2's predecessor, Queen Elizabeth 2 (QE2) managed to tread this tightrope for nearly 40 years. As one who traveled on QE2 many times, I can attest that she constantly evolved throughout her career.

I recently met with some of the new generation of Queen Mary 2's senior officers and asked them about their vision for taking the ship forward. As noted earlier, even though some have only been with the line for a relatively short amount of time, I was struck by their commitment to preserving the Cunard heritage, which goes back some 170 years. At the same time, they recognized the need to move forward. But changes will be done in a keeping with the Cunard style, not by merely copying whatever becomes popular on other ships.

Beyondships interview with Captain Kevin Oprey is posted at http://www.beyondships2.com/queen-mary-2-captain-oprey-interview.html

Our interview with Hotel Manager Robert Howie is at http://www.beyondships2.com/queen-mary-2-howie-interview.html

And our talk with Entertainment Director Keith Maynard is at http://www.beyondships2.com/queen-mary-2-maynard-interview.html

We have also updated our Queen Mary 2 section with new daily programs and with new photos so that the photo tour of the ship reflects the changes that were made in the 2011 refit. http://beyondships.com/QM2.html

Songwriting, Juilliard Jazz, and Gourmet Dining - - Sea Days on Queen Mary 2

People considering a transatalantic voyage for the first time often ask “Won’t I be bored with all of those days at sea?” However, unlike the old days when passengers had to entertain themselves, today ships crossing the pond offer an array of activities design to entertain and stimulate passengers. Moreover, the intense competition amongst the cruise lines is driving the lines to continuously develop new and innovative programming for sea days.




This is particularly tru for Cunard’s Queen Mary 2, which specializes in transatlantic crossings. QM2 is a beautiful ship both technologically and in the facilities it provides to passengers. However, Cunard is well aware that today’s vacationers want more than a pretty face. Accordingly, the line strives to present sophisticated programming that will attract the discerning traveler.



One example of such programming is the QM2 Songwriting Voyages. Developed with British songwriter/musician Chris Difford, this program gives guests the opportunity to write songs during the course of the voyage. Working with a team of professional songwriters, the guest write, record and perform their songs in the ship’s Royal Court Theatre. Along the way, the guests have fun, make new friends and often learn something new about themselves. My article about the songwriting program is at http://www.beyondships.com/QM2-songwriting.html



Another way Cunard enhances its transatlantic voyages is through partnerships with renown artistic academies. For several years, Cunard has had troupes London’s Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts onboard QM2 to perform and to provide acting workshops. (See article at http://www.beyondships.com/QM2-rada.html). More recently, Cunard has had faculty, graduates and students from the jazz division of New York’s Juilliard School onboard selected crossings. The jazz musicians perform and interact with the guests. My article about this popular program is at http://www.beyondships.com/QM2-Juilliard.html



A longstanding Cunard partnership is with celebrity chef Todd English, who has developed a seagoing version of his restaurant for QM2. Sea days allow QM2 to open this specialty restaurant for lunch. My review of lunch at QM2’s Todd English is at http://www.beyondships.com/QM2-review-Todd-English-lunch.html



The bottom line here is that with activities such as these available, it is very unlikely that any one is going to get bored during sea days on QM2. In fact, most passengers complain that there was not enough time during the voyage to do everything that they wanted to do.

Talking wiith John Duffy, Hotel Manager on Cunard's Queen Mary 2

John Duffy has been an eye witness to the transformation of the passenger ship business. He began his career on the original Queen Elizabeth, one of the great ocean liners of all time and a ship that was a household name in her day. He sailed on the first voyage of the legendary Queen Elizabeth 2 (QE2) and served as her hotel manager from 1981 until her last voyage in 2009. Now, he is the hotel manager on Cunard’s Queen Mary 2, the largest ocean liner (as opposed to cruise ship) ever built.

Along the way, Duffy has met royalty, heads of state and numerous celebrities. He has received awards for his work and heads up a department that includes some 900 people. Yet, he remains approachable and friendly, not only talking to but listening to passengers.

Having had such a unique career, I asked him to describe what it was like on the various ships that he has sailed on and how they differ from the passenger ships of today.

In addition, having spent so much of his career doing transatlantic crossings, I asked him why people should choose to spend their vacation/holiday on Queen Mary 2, the only ship that still does transatlantic crossings on a regular basis. I also asked him to address some of the concerns that people sometimes express about a crossing.
My conversation with Mr. Duffy can be found at: http://www.beyondships.com/QM2-art-Duffy.html