Serenade of the Seas

The main pool sits in the middle of deck 11, with hot tubs, tiered loungers all around and a pool bar on the far side. A large screen added in a recent update shows movies and big games, like the Monday Night Football game playing the night Danny filmed. One deck up, the Sky Bar serves the loungers along the running track, which wraps all the way around the front of the ship for sweeping views.

The Solarium is one of the most-loved spaces on the Radiance Class. A glass dome keeps it climate controlled in Alaska or northern Europe, and it can open on a beautiful day. Inside are a main pool, a shallow wading area where you can sit with your toes in the water, a hot tub, a bridge with two large elephant statues, and jungle sounds piped in. A bistro and a full bar sit on either side, and the space is adults only.

Up on deck 13, the rock climbing wall was one of the first Royal Caribbean ever put on a ship. Nearby are a half basketball court, a kids' area with a waterslide, splash pad and wading pool, and a complimentary mini golf course that wraps around the stern in a horseshoe, with views out over the wake. The Challengers Arcade on deck 12 costs extra, so it's worth setting a budget with the kids.

Danny thinks the Radiance Class has the best Windjammer layout in the fleet. The buffet has windows down both sides, separate food stations, an omelet station, a dessert bar with soft-serve, and outdoor seating both forward and aft, where the views are some of the best on the ship. Rita's Cantina sits just outside. Up at the very top aft, Izumi replaced the old Seafood Shack and serves sushi and Japanese dishes at an extra cost.

The Viking Crown holds three spaces. The Vortex lounge and nightclub has panoramic windows that are great for glacier viewing, a big dance floor, a piano and a DJ late into the night, and Danny points out its bar rotates. The Diamond Lounge serves Crown & Anchor Diamond members and above with a concierge and an evening cocktail hour. Nearby, the old Hollywood karaoke bar is now the Suite Lounge, with its own outdoor terrace.

The Vitality Spa offers massages, facials, a salon, and manicure and pedicure stations set right against the windows. On this class, the men's and women's changing rooms each have a sauna and steam room that every guest can use. The thermal suite, sold as a day or full-cruise pass, adds heated stone loungers facing the sea, a large steam room and rain showers. The full fitness center and aerobics studio sit one level up.

The Schooner Bar is Danny's favorite bar on every Royal Caribbean ship, and the Radiance Class has the largest ones in the fleet, with ship models, cozy booths, ocean windows and a piano bar with sing-alongs and trivia. Just past it are the self-leveling pool tables, which stay flat as the ship moves. All the way aft, the Safari Club hosts bingo, karaoke, the adults-only Quest game show and dancing, with wraparound windows.

The Centrum rises through the ship, with glass elevators and stage shows you can watch from several levels. The retro R Bar anchors the bottom, and Café Latte-tudes serves Lavazza coffee, cookies and grab-and-go bites a deck up. The two-story main dining room has a grand staircase, a waterfall feature and a grand piano, and it is included for dinner every night. The main theater stages Royal's Vibeology and Stage to Screen.