Brilliance of the Seas returns all ‘revitalised’

‘On the Rocks’ will usually find you heading for the ship’s cocktail bar but Royal Caribbean hope to shake up all cruise preconceptions when holidaymakers board the new ‘revitalised’ Brilliance of the Seas, writes Diane Evans.

The cruise line has invested in those speciality restaurants that encourage higher on-board spending and its new Japanese restaurant Izumi  – complete with ‘red’ hot rocks to cook your meat and seafood on – really takes you away from the mass market feel of the ship.

Why the novelty of searing your own food on a table top ‘hot rock’ and the danger of dropping your drink near the it should bring so much appeal – surely you’re paying to relax – I don’t know, but it does.  As does the novelty of the unmeltable ‘jelly’ ice cream on offer.

From first sight, the 2,112 guest Brilliance of the Seas does feel vast and a tad overwhelming but compared to some of the newer ships – like Norwegian Cruise Lines’ Breakaway with 4,000 berths – it really isn’t. It’s cleverly designed to fit in something for everyone and while the casino and ‘Centrum Shops’ which resembled a duty-free arcade did nothing for me – the child-free solarium with retractable roof did.

Ship-wide WIFI has also been installed but seemed to create more confusion than anything else as guests clucked around trying to find what it cost and how to sign up to it.

The $30 million drydock revamp followed Brilliance being based in Europe during the summer, and Dubai for the winter month. Now the ship’s arrived in Harwich.

This marks the largest ever deployment to the UK from Royal Caribbean with Adventure of the Seas and Independence of the Seas sailing from Southampton – and at a time when Carnival has just announced it is pulling out of Europe for 2014.

Harwich may not be the most picturesque port to depart from with a large ‘hanger’ open for check-in but for cruisers in the east and south east of England, it’s popular and handy.

The port is also frequented by Americans who see it as the preferred departure point to explore Northern Europe and the Baltic Sea while for Med cruises they fly into mainland Europe.  Only 30% of the passengers are from the UK compared to almost 100% of passengers leaving on Royal Caribbean ships out of Southampton.

For one night only – I joined  1,200 travel agents and around 600 passengers, who had been offered the extra day free of charge, for the ‘mini cruise’ around Harwich’s shipping lanes.

By the evening the thirteen deck-high tours, learning @ sea sessions and muster drills had many in need of refreshments. And although it was one of the wettest, windiest evenings not many seemed to be on board to sleep.

Many of the agents were at the resurrected Royal Achievers Award Ceremony in the Colony Club – which resembles a slightly dated hotel lounge.

Some chose the Centrum’s Champagne Bar – named the R Bar – featuring a sophisticated 1960s vibe, complete with signature cocktails, others picked the new English Pub  while a handful made it to ‘Bohemians’ – the Queen tribute band. Even the pool was in use in the early hours I’m led to believe following on from the ‘Dancing under the star’, or should that be clouds, disco which ran until 3am.

But one area of the ship which lay unused on this sojourn was the new Royal Babies and Tots nursery which now caters for babies from six months to three years. Spanking new and fully equipped, the crèche for under 3s keeps the kids programme in line with the newer ships. For the older children, there’s numerous computer screens, sports courts and an adventure beach.

The screens don’t stop there. Each ‘Stateroom’ or cabin has its own flat screen TV now. The layout of the rooms is similar to before ranging from the Royal Suite with its automatic playing piano and suite attendant to an interior Stateroom but they have all been freshened up.

And judging by the faces when we all disembarked at Harwich the next morning, I’m sure a few were left untouched. A night on the Brilliance to remember.

• Brilliance of the Seas is sailing to Northern Europe and the Baltic Sea on 11- and 12-night cruises.

A 12-night Scandinavia and Russia cruise departing Harwich and calling at Copenhagen, Denmark; Stockholm, Sweden; Helsinki, Finland; Talinn, Estonia; Gothenburg, Sweden; and an overnight in St. Petersburg, Russia.  Departs 27 May 2013.

A 11-night Norwegian Fjords and Iceland cruise departing Harwich and calling at Bergen and Geiranger, Norway; Lerwick/Shetland, Scotland; Klaksvik, Faroe Islands; and an overnight in Reykjavik, Iceland.  Departs 27 July 2013.