Setting Sail on the Carnival Radiance Cruise Ship

Are you ready to set sail on a journey of relaxation, and adventure? Whether you are a first-time cruiser or a seasoned cruiser, look no further than the Carnival Radiance! The Radiance is renowned for its vibrant atmosphere, and unforgettable experiences. You can choose to relax in the pool or hot tub, lay in the sun, hang out in the sports area, try your luck at the casino, or relax at the spa. There are countless things to do during your cruise and the Radiance is the perfect ship to sail on and enjoy your time at sea.

The Carnival Radiance, part of the esteemed Carnival Cruise Line fleet, underwent an extensive $200 million transformation to elevate your onboard experience to new heights. From dazzling entertainment options to delectable dining choices and everything in between, here’s what you can expect when you step aboard this magnificent vessel.

Dining Options on the Radiance

You can start your day with breakfast at the Lido Marketplace. You will find a tempting array of breakfast classics, such as pancakes and made-to-order omelets. For lunch, head to Guy’s Burger Joint for mouthwatering burgers crafted by celebrity chef Guy Fieri, or enjoy fresh seafood at the Seafood Shack.

In the evenings, savor a gourmet meal at one of the ship’s specialty restaurants, such as the elegant Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse or the vibrant Bonsai Sushi. With options ranging from casual to upscale, there’s something to satisfy every craving.

One of the highlights of any cruise experience is undoubtedly the food, and the Carnival Radiance does not disappoint. It is no secret that cruises are known to have a lot of food options onboard. On the Carnival Radiance there are a variety of dining options to suit every palate. Most dining options are included in the price you pay for your cruise. However, there are a few specialty  dining options that are an additional cost and definitely worth a try.

Dining Included in the Cost of the Cruise 

The Carnival Deli in the Lido Marketplace, as well as the buffet, are included in the price of your cruise. The buffet has set times for when breakfast, lunch, dinner, and late-night snacks are served. You can start your mornings with pancakes, waffles, or a made to order omelet. If you choose not to eat at the buffet, you can eat breakfast at your assigned dining room which will either be the Sunset Dining Room or the Sunrise Dining Room. The dining room has many menu options to choose from and is a nice change of pace from the breakfast buffet if you prefer table service during breakfast. 

Other included dining options are located mid-ship on the Lido Deck (deck 9) by the swimming pool. If you would like a mouth-watering burger, try Guy’s Burger Joint. You will also find The Blue Iguana which serves delicious tacos and burritos. The Blue Iguana is also open during breakfast and offers breakfast burritos. 

Big Chicken and Pizzeria del Capitano

Another great option on the Lido Deck of the Radiance is Big Chicken, which is known for serving one of the best chicken sandwiches and delicious chicken strips. Their waffle potato fries are pretty good as well. Right near Big Chicken you will find Pizzeria del Capitano which serves wood fired pizza. There are five different options to choose from. Margherita, Funghi, Pepperoni, Quattro Formaggi, and Prosciutto. My personal favorites are the Margherita and the Pepperoni. The pizzeria has extended hours. You can enjoy a pizza until four in the morning most nights. Both Pizzeria del Capitano and Big Chicken are located on the aft (back) of the Radiance.

Guy’s Pig & Anchor Bar-B-Que

Another option by Guy Fieri is Guy’s Pig & Anchor Bar-B-Que located on the port side of the Panorama Deck (deck 10). Pig and Anchor offers delicious smoked and bar-b-que options along with many sides to choose from. Guy’s Pig & Anchor is open on sea days.

Specialty Cruise Dining Options

The specialty dining options on the cruise are dining places that are an additional cost to eat at. For an additional cost, you have a range of options from Italian, sushi, seafood, and a steakhouse. The Seafood Shack is located to the side of where you find the buffet in the Lido MarketPlace on the Mid Lido Deck and has longer hours of operation, spanning from lunchtime to 10 p.m. at night. If you want sushi, there is Bonsai Sushi; just know there are not as many options for rolls as you would find on land. Hours for Bonsai Sushi vary depending on the day of the cruise.

The other two options are open for dinner, and they are Cucina del Capitano, the Italian option, and Fahrenheit 555, the steakhouse. If you are hoping to eat at Fahrenheit 555, which we do recommend checking out, you will need to make reservations in advance. 

Included Drinks

When it comes to drinks on board, the Radiance has you covered. If you don’t want to purchase any additional beverages, the drinks included in the price of the cruise are lemonade, iced tea, coffee, hot tea, hot chocolate, and water. The drink station is located in and near the buffet area. There are additional beverage packages that you can purchase that include sodas and all spirits. 

The Drink Packages

There are two drink packages offered on a Carnival Cruise. The Bottomless Bubbles package and the Cheers! Package. 

The Bottomless Bubbles Package

The Bottomless Bubbles Package includes unlimited soda and juice. The cost of the Bottomless Bubbles Package is $6.95 for children and $9.50 for adults. The cost is per person, per day. You can purchase the package before you set sail or at the Radiance Lobby bar, pool bar, or Casino bar. 

The Cheers! Package

The Cheers! Package gives you one flat price for all of your beverages on the cruise. This includes all nonalcoholic drinks such as specialty coffees, including those available at JavaBlue Cafe, milkshakes, sodas, bottled water, and fruit juices. The package also includes alcoholic drinks that are priced at $20.00 or below. There is a 15 drink maximum for alcoholic drinks per 24 hour period. The package also includes discounts for purchases such as bottles of wine and champagne, and cocktails that are priced above $20.00. The Cheers! Package does not include beverages that are promoted in souvenir glasses. The Cheers! package is only available for persons over the age of 21. Also, if one person in your stateroom purchases the package then all adults over the age of 21 in the same room are required to purchase the package.

Location of Carnival Radiance Bars

Carnival Radiance has several bars on board where you can order a drink, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic. The main bar, the Lobby Bar is located in the Lobby on Deck 3. The Red Frog Pub, the Casino Bar, the Heroes Tribute Bar, the Piano Bar, and The Alchemy Bar are all located on the Promenade Deck (Deck 5). Blue Iguana Tequila Bar and the Red Frog Rum Bar are located on the Lido Deck (Deck 9). If you are interested in specialty coffee or a spiked coffee, you can get that at the JavaBlue Cafe on the Atlantic Deck (Deck 4). 

24-Hour Room Service

Since cruising on the Radiance is like being on a floating resort, 24-hour room service is available. Continental breakfast is available between 6:00 am and 10:00 am. There is a small charge for a few items on the continental breakfast menu, however, other items such as cereal, fruit, bakery items, yogurt, and drinks such as coffee, tea, apple juice, and orange are included. Carnival also offers an all-day menu, which begins at 10:00 am and has many options to choose from. There is a charge for items ordered from the all-day menu. 

You can order room service by calling from your stateroom or by using the Carnival Hub App. Ordering by using the Carnival Hub App is convenient as you can place an order from just about anywhere on the ship. The app guides you through setting your location so that you can receive your order without a problem. You can also add your photo so that the food attendant can easily recognize you.

The Fun Shops on Carnival Radiance

The Fun Shops on the Radiance are located on the Promenade Deck (deck 5). Here you will find all shops with a large variety of items for purchase. The majority, if not all of the Items for sale are duty free and tax free. The Fun Shop area on the Promenade Deck is located toward the front of the ship and overlooks the Lobby Bar. The Fun Shops include Cherry On Top, a sweets shop that sells a different variety of candy, cookies, and a few assortment of flowers. 

You will also find a large selection of jewelry, and beauty items at The Fun Shops. Jewelry items include selections from Diamond International, Tanzanite International, Cabana Jewelry, and Marahlago Larimar. You will also find fine watches, pre-loved designer bags, and beauty products from well known companies. You will also find Carnival inspired logo products. If you are looking for discounts on tobacco or alcohol products, you will find those products available for sale as well. If you do purchase tobacco or alcohol products, these products will be stored for you and returned to you at the end of your cruise. The Pexels Gallery is close to the Fun Shops, this is the area where you can purchase the amazing photos taken of you and your family on board the ship or in port. 

The Fun Shops makes for a great shopping experience. Carnival goes above and beyond with the many items available for purchase at their fun shops.

Entertainment on the Carnival Radiance 

There are many options for entertainment on the Radiance. If you love to dance and listen to great music, you can dance the night away at the Limelight Lounge. The Limelight Lounge hosts theme music parties such as 80’s night  and 90’s night. After thet theme music party, you can dance the night away with the evening DJ spinning the best dance music.  The Limelight Lounge is 18+ to enter and 21+ to order alcohol. 

The Radiance Cruise Director and the Carnival Fun Squad hosts several fun parties throughout the cruise. Some of the parties include the Mega Deck Party and 80’s Rock-N’Glow Party, and Rock the Promenade. You will definitely have a great time at these awesome parties. The parties are held on the Lido deck, and the Radiance Lobby. You can check your FunTimes flier or the Carnival Hub App for the location of each party. 

Enjoy Live Music on the Radiance 

If dancing is not your thing and you just want to relax with a drink in your hand while listening to music, you do that at the Radiance Lobby Bar where you will find live music entertainment. The Redfrog Pub is another great venue. It has a lively environment with live music and even opportunities for karaoke. If you prefer a slower pace, you can visit the Piano Bar and request songs as you relax and enjoy the tunes in a cozy environment. 

Variety Shows on the Radiance

In addition to dancing and music, there are various shows and presentations held throughout your cruise for you to attend. There is a Welcome Aboard Show the first night of your cruise. The Punchliner Comedy Club is home to several comedy shows throughout your cruise. Comedy shows are also presented in the Limelight Lounge and the Liquid Lounge on the Radiance. Some sailing on the Radiance also include a main show production in the Liquid Lounge. The times for all shows are listed in your FunTimes or in the Carnival Hub App.

Vegas-Style Casino on the Carnival Radiance

Yes, you read that right; there is a Vegas-style casino onboard. There are many slot machines and tables to keep you busy. Conveniently, the Casino Bar is located within the casino. Smoking is allowed in the casino if you are sitting and playing. Smoking however, is not permitted at the Casino Bar. The casino is only open when Radiance is at sea and in international waters. If you are hoping to play in the casino, you will need to wait until the ship sets sail and is in international waters. Luckily, this does not take too much time once the Radiance sets sail. 

Games on the Radiance

If you enjoy playing games, Carnival Radiance has a variety of games for you to enjoy. There are a variety of Trivia Games such as Harry Potter Trivia, 80’s Trivia, Guess the song trivia and Friends Trivia. Trivia games are usually held at the Red Frog Pub. Trivia games happen throughout the day and their location can vary based on the popularity of the trivia topic. 

The Liquid Lounge usually hosts the popular Bingo games where you can win a cruise and other large prizes. You can also join in on the fun and be a contestant on a live game show. No worries though, you can also be part of the audience. You can easily find the start time and the location on the Carnival Hub App. You can also take part in challenges such as the hole-in-one challenge at the mini golf area, a Beer Pong tournament, or a basketball. knockout challenge. The Radiance has many games and entertainment options to keep you busy and happy.

Get Pampered and Relax at the Spa

If you want to get pampered, you should visit the Cloud 9 Spa on the Radiance. The Cloud 9 Spa offers many services including salon services such as hair and nails, make-up, facials and best of all, massages. If you visit one of the presentations on the Radiance, you will more than likely receive a discount offer for several of the services in the spa. If you are interested in any of the services, you can contact the spa by either visiting the Cloud 9 in person, calling from your stateroom, or using the Carnival Hub app to reserve a service. Appointments are required and many services fill up quickly. All the services in the spa are an additional cost.

Workout with a View at the Fitness Center on the Carnival Radiance

There is a fantastic Fitness Center on the Carnival Radiance. Visiting the fitness center is a great way to burn off some extra calories from dinner. The fitness center is a full gym with weight-lifting machines, treadmills, ellipticals, stationary bikes, and free weights. There are also yoga mats available if you would like to do yoga. In addition to the machines, various fitness classes are also available. There might be one or two fitness classes offered for free. However, the majority of the fitness classes are an additional cost.  Using the Fitness Center is included in the cost of the cruise. Fitness Center hours are 6:00 am to 10:00 pm.

Outdoor Fun on The Carnival Radiance 

Along with all the indoor activities on the Radiance, there are many outdoor activities held on the Lido Deck and other decks. The Mid Lido Deck is where you will find the main pool on the Radiance. Near the pool is the Red Frog Rum Bar and the Blue Iguana Cantina. This is the location you want to be on embarkation day as the Sail Away Party happens as you begin to sail on embarkation day. 

Waterworks on the Carnival Radiance

On the Panorama Deck mid (deck 10) you will find the Waterworks. The Waterworks include two different waterslides, the Aquatunnel and the Twister. The Aquatunnel is an exhilarating tunnel type water slide with twists and turns. The Twister is an open-slide type water slide also with twists and turns.  Both waterslides are a lot of fun and after getting on the slides once, it’s hard not to go back for some more exhilarating fun. 

The Sports Square on the Radiance

The Sports Square on the Radiance has many fun outdoor activities to enjoy. There is an outdoor track for jogging or walking after a great meal in the dining room. Walking the track seven times is equal to one mile. There is also a basketball court which is perfect for getting in a game of basketball. You will also find a pool table, a large chess board and a corn hole game. You will also find the ropes course in the Sports Square.  

The Ropes Course on the Carnival Radiance

If you want a fun challenge to participate in at sea, you should try the ropes course. There are two courses that run side by side. You can choose which side to proceed on. This allows you to customize the level of challenge on your course. You can decrease or increase the level of toughness as you proceed on the course. 

The Serenity Adult-Only Retreat

The Serenity Adult-Only Retreat is a great place to relax, enjoy the view, read a book, or do nothing at all. There is a pool and a hot tub in the Serenity Retreat as well as a nearby bar where you can get a refreshing cocktail. The Serenity Adult-Only Retreat is located  on the Sun Deck forward (deck 12) and on the Sun Deck forward (Deck 14). There is no deck 13 on the Radiance

Mini-Golf on the Radiance

The Mini-Golf course is located on the Sun Deck aft (deck 12). You will have great views of the ocean while enjoying a fun game of mini-golf while at sea.

Movies at Sea on the Carnival Radiance

There are movies scheduled throughout the evenings in the Lido Deck. The movie is played on the huge jumbotron located near the top of the Lido Deck. The movies are scheduled after any deck parties have concluded. The movies vary each day. You can check the movie schedule in the FunTimes or the Carnival Hub App.

Entertainment for Kids and Teens

If you are traveling with children, no worries. There are kids clubs onboard designated for children of different ages. There’s Camp Ocean, which is for children ages 2 to 11, Circle “C” for kids ages 12 to 14, and Club O2 for teens 15 to 17 years old. If you have a child aged 6 months to 2 years, you can place them in Turtles. There is an extra cost for the Turtles program. 

If you would like to enjoy some of the nightlife the Carnival Radiance has to offer, you can sign up your child from ages 2 to 11 for Night Owls. There is an additional cost for Night Owls but this will give you time to enjoy the nightlife without worrying about your child or children. Night Owls goes to 1:00 am, they offer activities such as games and music.

Enjoy Your Cruise On Board the Carnival Radiance!

We hope this information will help you navigate your way on the Carnival Radiance. We are sure that you will have an excellent time on your cruise. Bon Voyage and enjoy your cruise on board the Carnival Radiance!

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