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Love, travel and Royal Caribbean Cruise Line

by | Apr 29, 2024 | Cruise Vacations

Here is a story about love, travel and Royal Caribbean Cruise Line.

Let’s go back to 2003 when I was hired to be a Cruise Staff on board the Royal Caribbean cruise ship Legend of the Seas. I knew nothing about cruising except for the fact that I knew I would love it. So I packed my bags and headed to Juneau, Alaska to board my first ship ever. I had lots to learn but I was ready and excited for it. As a Cruise Staff, I was acting as a social host. I greeted guests on board the ship on embarkation day, I socialized at cocktail parties, I hosted game nights and all the theme nights, called Bingo, taught dance lessons, etc. I spent my first 6 months traveling to Alaska, Hawaii, French Polynesia, New-Zealand and Australia and I absolutely loved every minute of it. My second contract was on board the Splendour of the Seas travelling through the Mediterranean and the Caribbean Seas. This ship holds a special place in my heart since I met my lovely husband who worked as the Sport Supervisor. We were both part of the Village People on 70’s night, doing the YMCA dance. Fun times!

Guest looking up at the rock climbing wall on Royal Caribbean cruise ship

Climbing wall aboard the Radiance of the Seas.

I spent 2 years working for Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, I feel very blessed for the experience and all the countries I got to explore. 

My husband and I still love cruising and have been on a few cruises such as the Oasis of the Seas & Harmony of the Seas as guests. We are always so impressed with all the new features on board the ship, RCCL is known for being innovative. It has been quite special for us to go on RCCL cruises and still know some of the staff members and officers. It makes us feel right at home. We thought it would only be fitting to take our young son on his first cruise on Royal Caribbean. We decided on a reposition cruise from Vancouver, BC to Los Angeles on the Radiance of the Seas called the 5 Night Pacific Coastal Cruise.

The Radiance is a modest size, built to the dimensions of the Panama Canal, so it can move between the Atlantic and the Pacific with ease. It is very elegant, boasting the most glass at sea and offers plenty of diversity while maintaining an intimate vibe. If you prefer a mainstream cruise experience on a smaller ship and enjoy dining out, you will find plenty to enjoy on board the Radiance. We really enjoyed the shows and our son loved the kid’s club Adventure Ocean. Not only it was fun but educational as well.
I find our guests don’t always consider repositioning cruises but they are a great opportunity to experience the joy of cruising but with less crowded ships and they offer unique itineraries. Especially the one I was on, as we didn’t have to fly to the embarkation port of Vancouver. We travelled to Astoria in Oregon, Santa Barbara & San Diego in California before disembarking in Los Angeles. It was then just a short 4 hour flight for us back to Vancouver.

As we travelled south, the weather got warmer and sunnier which allowed us to take advantage of the pool and our son absolutely adored the kid’s pool area. We really enjoyed Santa Barbara with the lovely beach area and local markets. In San Diego, guess what we did? We went to the zoo and what a zoo! It’s enormous. Spanning 100 acres in Balboa Park, it’s not only one of the largest zoos in the world; it is also home to one of the largest collections of rare and endangered animals. My son absolutely loved seeing polar bears, elephants and pink flamingos.

Polar bears at the San Diego zoo.

Back on board we spent time at the rock climbing wall, the waterslides, the gym and basketball court. We enjoyed Starbucks while we perfected our shuffleboard skills and had a fun time playing bingo and learning line dancing! The evening entertainment was world class. The dining room staff was so great with our son and the food was delicious. Overall, it was the perfect cruise for our family and a great introduction to cruising for my son. We already have our next cruise booked on the Freedom of Seas in November. Stay tuned for another cruise Travel Blog!

For more information about our various cruise options and to book your own repositioning cruise, check out our Cruise page at Canadian Sun Vacations by Momentum Journeys.