More Royal Caribbean ships are offering one of the best perks you can buy on a cruise.
Royal Caribbean tested out offering its Royal Genie service on two of its ships earlier this summer to determine the feasibility of giving such benefits on other ships.
Evidently the Royal Genie Package proved to be a good idea, because we're seeing it now on more ships.
Here's what you get for the hefty cost and if it's worth buying.
More ships offering a Genie
Initially, the Royal Genie Package was only available on Freedom of the Seas and Independence of the Seas.
We spot checked a number of upcoming sailings and it looks like more ships are offering it now:
- Freedom of the Seas
- Independence of the Seas
- Navigator of the Seas
- Liberty of the Seas
- Mariner of the Seas
- Explorer of the Seas
With this change, all of the Freedom Class ships offer a Royal Genie option. Plus, more than half of the Voyager Class ships.
What does a Genie get you?
Think of the Royal Genie Package as a way to get the absolute best perks on your ship for a price.
The starting price is $300 per adult, per day (kids are $200 per day), and it's an add-on you can buy for your sailing.
With your Genie, this person will personally take care of your needs around the ship. This includes getting you seats in any show wherever you want it, specialty dining reservations, food delivered to your cabin, and escorts on and off the ship.
Plus, it also gets you these added benefits:
- Deluxe Beverage Package (for all guests of legal drinking age)
- Refreshment Package (for all guests below legal drinking age)
- Unlimited Dining Package
- Complimentary Room Service
- 1 Device Internet package per guest in the reservation
- Complimentary Stateroom Mini Bar Beverages (Coca-Cola canned products)
- Still & Sparkling Water Bottle Delivery
- Complimentary Starbucks Beverages
- VIP Luggage Service (Arrival & Departure)
- VIP Welcome Food & Beverage Amenity
- Suite Lounge Access
- Complimentary Ice Cream at Sugar Beach
- Reserved Seating in the Main Theater
- Designated time to FlowRider, Rock Climbing Wall & Ice Skating
- Complimentary Stateroom Movies
- Malin+Goetz Bath Amenities
Each Genie will handle about 3 or 4 cabins per sailing.
Unlike the Royal Genie service on Royal Caribbean's bigger ships, you don't have to stay in a suite to get this package on its smaller ships.
That means you can be booked in an inside cabin and still get the Genie services.
Before you book, you should know you cannot cancel the Royal Genie Package once you buy it, either before the cruise begins or onboard. It's completely non-refundable.
I tried the Royal Genie service and it was impressive
I've stayed in Star Class suites that comes with a Genie, but I was curious if this Genie package would be just as good without the mega cabin to go with it.
While on Independence of the Seas, I tried the Royal Genie Package for my family on a 7-night cruise to the Norwegian fjords.
The best thing about having a Genie is you get pretty much everything you want or need without much effort. It's the easy way to cruise.
That isn't to say you can't have a good cruise without one, but a Genie takes care of every need.
Our Genie decorated my kids' cabin with a sisters motif, and that was something I had never seen before.
She also ensured we had our Starbucks coffee order delivered to our room every morning. When I mentioned the WiFi signal in my cabin wasn't great, she had a maintenance team in there in less than hour to install a repeater so it was better.
At $300 per adult, per day, it's pricey.
You can justify some of that cost given it includes a Deluxe Beverage Package, which easily costs more than $100 per day onboard the ship. And having unlimited access to specialty restaurants that have a cover charge $40 - $60 per person adds up quickly too.
Plus there's the free internet package too.
The only downside to my experience was because I was booked in an oceanview balcony cabin, we really couldn't take full advantage of the things the Genie can do in a smaller cabin.
When you're in a suite, the Genie can set up meals to enjoy in your living room or balcony, and it's just not the same in a regular cabin.
Ultimately, it's an expensive upgrade, but those that can afford it will find it an incredible way to splurge and enjoy cruises in an all new way.
