Sunday, September 26, 2010

Sundays in My City - Special Days - September 26, 2010


Sundays in My City - Special Days - September 26, 2010


It's always fun to have friends visit.  It gives me the opportunity to play hostess in my
adopted city of San Francisco.  The weather was spectacular and I got some great
photographs everywhere we went.  My friend, Sherry Arndt, and her cousin, Nancy,
were here, then I went on board the Radiance of the Seas, a nice vantage point for
pictures of the city.

The Radiance of the Seas is one of my favorite Royal Caribbean ships.  I've had the
pleasure of sailing on her six times in the past.  She holds about 2500 passengers and
is the perfect vessel for Alaska waters, with glass everywhere, including the elevators. 
Most of the bars have ocean views, which I love.  When I went on board ( she was
docked at Pier 39 ), most of the passengers were off the ship ).  Hotel director, John
Denton and his wife Marisa, came down to greet me and we went for coffee in the
Windjammer Cafe before I was left to wander the ship on my own, saying hello to crew
that I knew and taking photographs.  I had dinner on board in the evening, then spent
some time with my cellar master friends before dropping them off at Matrix, one of the
popular clubs in San Francisco to party with other crew members.  It isn't often that a
ship overnights, giving the crew an opportunity to get out and have a little fun.


This is the atrium area of the Radiance of the Seas.  You can see  two elevator
shafts on either side of the large glass area.  There are also elevators across from
this that look right out on the ocean.


This is the pool deck on the ship, normally full on such a beautiful day but most folks
are off the ship in San Francisco.


The pool bartender is having an easy day so far!


The casino is always closed when the ship is in port so the casino staff have a
nice long break in San Francisco!


Entrance to the Schooner Bar, one of my favorite drinking places on any
Royal Caribbean ship


Seating area for the Schooner Bar with nice ocean views


The heated solarium with its lovely indoor pool - nice on those cooler Alaska days.


Another solarium view



Seating in the Windjammer Restaurant, buffet style, on Deck 11,
for those who prefer casual dining


Windjammer entrance


The ship's atrium, as photographed from the Lobby Bar


With dear friend, Lucy Tejano, bartender at the Lobby Bar


Indian cellar master, Sachin Lopes, with his American "mother"


Radiance of the Seas, Hotel Director, John Denton, and his lovely wife,
Marisa Merken, ready for his birthday celebration

View of Alcatraz from the deck of the Radiance of the Seas


The Golden Gate from the pool deck of the Radiance of the Seas


Great San Francisco view from the ship


Boats docked at Pier 39 marina



The Golden Gate Bridge at sunset


I am participating in Unknown Mami's Sundays in My City - join us!!!

14 comments:

  1. Hi Carmen, I've been on that ship too-- It's really fantastic.
    As always, your pictures are wonderful and capture the views perfectly.
    Happy SIMC, jj

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  2. Oh, I so want to go on a cruise. And great shots of San Francisco!

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  3. Anonymous3:14 PM

    How very impressive pictures. Thank you for the effort and sharing. Please have a wonderful new week.

    daily athens

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  4. What a beautiful cruise ship this is, Carmen! It's so nice you have so many friends on board and even one who calls you "mother," which is such a nice honor. Your photos made me miss San Francisco so much!

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  5. O.K. I'm convinced! That ship is stunning.

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  6. gorgeous shots Carmen, the last one is like a painting, it always feel good to have friends visit, glad you had a wonderful time.

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  7. I really can't imagine going on a cruise, but that atrium is really beautiful. I know you've had such special times on your cruises.

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  8. I've never been on a cruise ship. That one is pretty awesome. You got some fantastic photographs.

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  9. I've always wanted to go on a cruise, and now I want to more. What gorgeous pictures. Looks like lots of fun. :)

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  10. Fantastic photos! Each pictures is just gorgeous, and tells a story on its own..

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  11. I have never been on a cruise ship before....had no idea that they were so stunning on the inside. Amazing!

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  12. I want to go on that cruise. The last two photos you took of the captain and this one of the oat are both tempting me to go for it.

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  13. My Dad used to work on a cruise ship. To bad we didn't get the chance to experience cruise. But it is not too late. I will surely go on a cruise someday. I promise!

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  14. Joanna Jenkins -
    Goodness, I've done six cruise on the Radiance. I hope we weren't on there at the same time! I would have hated missing you.


    ρομπερτ -
    I'm so behind in commenting. Thanks for visiting my Sunday post and seeing San Francisco and one of my favorite cruise ships.


    Amy -
    Cruising is wonderful. I've done 88 - 78 on my favorite cruise line, Royal Caribbean, all over the world. It is great fun and the crew are fabulous.


    Pat @ Mille Fiori Favoriti -
    The thing I hate most about my job loss and current poverty status is not being able to cruise any more. I used to be on a ship at least four times a year. I am so thrilled that the crew continue to call and email me, though.


    lakeviewer -
    I actually like this size of ship better than the newer megaships. They suit me better. Of course, there are many different companies and one has to pick the right one to be happiest with cruising - some cater more to singles, others to seniors. I like Royal Caribbean because it seems to suit a broad range of passengers including myself and my kids.


    betchai -
    It was so wonderful having my good friend here overnight - we crammed so much into that brief visit - then to get to spend 12 hours aboard the Radiance with crew friends! I was in heaven.


    Sharkbytes -
    I have so missed cruising. From sailing at least four times a year to having to be content to being invited on board a ship in port is so sad.


    Unknown Mami -
    I've done 88 cruises in my life, all over the world, 78 of them in the past 16 years with Royal Caribbean.


    Kim,
    I absolutely love cruising but I also love land travel. Cruising is effortless and crew treat you like royalty. The downside is that you are, at most, a day or overnight in a port. You just get a taste of a place you might want to go back and visit.


    Icy BC -
    You'll never see me without a smile when I'm on a cruise ship. I really could live on one.


    From Tracie -
    Cruise ships are unbelievable. Some of them have hundreds of thousands of dollars in art work and their public areas are incredible. Cabins, of course are small - unless you have the dollars for big suites but the dining rooms and bars are as nice as anything you'd see in a fancy hotel on land - and service is outstanding.


    Self Sagacity -
    You definitely need to cruise. Most ships have excellent children's programs and, of course, Disney now has its own ships. Talk to me before you do one.


    Ruthi -
    You absolutely have to cruise one of these days.

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