jaullram

We sailed on Oasis in Dec. 2019 in SC (Joyce was our Genie) and it is really beautiful after amplification !  The ONLY complaint I had was the extraordinarily loud sound system that they had on the pool deck which was deafening.  I sure hope they have tamed that by now.  It probably wouldn't be so bad for you back in the ATS but it was awful for those of us up on 17.
I have never asked about the private seating area at Playmakers.  I didn't even realize that they would reserve that area.  I know you aren't suggesting this...but I would be very surprised if the Genie could reserve that area for you (for free, I mean)(but I've been wrong before !!!) as there is a general rule against allowing the Genie to reserve areas that are considered "revenue generating".  He probably could get it for you though, if there is a way to reserve it as a paid event.
We are not bar people so I really don't have any recommendations for bars other than those that are fairly well-known.  Too bad they have stopped the private tours.  I think your FIL would have really enjoyed that.
We sailed in a 2 BR ATS on Harmony on deck 9 (and twice on deck 8).  The only real difference (on Harmony, anyway) was that there is a "bump-out" area in the dining area and the MBR on the deck 8 suites that are missing on decks 9 and 10 but you won't even notice it.  The suites are really lovely.  The Master bath is rather disappointing but it's perfectly adequate.  The second bedroom is very small....basically the same size and layout of a regular inside cabin....but the living space is really nice and the balcony....well, you already know....
Enjoy it !!!

I loved Portside BBQ.  We had the Ultimate Dining Package and they were open on boarding day so we got to try it as the first thing we ate on the ship.
Booking that special area in Playmakers is definitely something you can ask the Genie about pricing on.  He will be able to find that out for you and find out the availability.

Following! So anxious to read about your Star Class experience @jaullram!!!  We do our first SC on Anthem in February 11th, 2022 from Bayonne.  I have been reading and re-reading all of the Star Class live blogs that have been written.  I am like foaming at the mouth waiting to get on ours LOL! I plan to do my first live blog to when closer!!!

So here goes.  I am honestly not a creative writer (although I wish I was) but I posted an after the fact blog for our last cruise in Star class (Grand Loft Suite) on Anthem in March 2020 before the shut down so figured I would try it again.  This cruise is a long time in the making.  Since we had just discovered Star class, we immediately came home and booked a May 2020 cruise on Oasis in the 2 bedroom Aqua Theater suite.  Since Covid was here to stay, that cruise was cancelled.  Then we figured, of course by September this will all be over so we Lifted and Shifted to Oasis in the same 2 bedroom Aqua Theater suite...cancelled again.  So our amazing travel agent (#TeamMindy) got us Lifted and Shifted to Anthem in the Royal Loft Suite in February 2021...we will surely be cruising by then, right?  Nope.  So, here we are now.  We are sailing in 2 bedroom Aqua Theater Suite in a little over 2 weeks!
About us.  I am sailing with hubby and we are now bringing my father in-law.  It started out with us bringing a friend but my father in-law really needs to get out and enjoy the Star Class life so we are bringing him.  We are on Deck 9 (Deck 8 was sold out).  We have previously stayed in the 1 bedroom Aqua Theater Suite and cannot wait to be in the 2 bedroom suite with the Star Class perks!
On our first Star Class cruise we weren't sure what to expect so our expectations weren't high but after having Yen as our Genie on Anthem in March 2020, she is going to be tough to beat! On that cruise she took care of our 3 Star class suites so we had her all to ourselves.  I am sure it is going to be different since our Genie  told us he has 5 suites to take care of.
About a month out, we received an email from Derick (who told us he is taking care of 5 suites) and then we got the normal genie email.  We decided we didn't want to answer all of the crazy questions because we knew the most important ones were #1 what we want stocked in our room for drinks and #2 what we wanted to experience on the ship.
I am a SUPER planner and need to know what the plans are before we leave so I have a schedule laid out as to where we want to eat and at what time which I sent to him.  He said he wished all of his cruisers were as organized but he probably thinks I am crazy!  Since cruising from NJ is just starting up and my father in-law is older, we plan to get room service for lunch and dinner on the first day to feel out the crowds so there is no anxiety for him.  This will be his first cruise in 5 years and first Star class experience.  
I have sent a few emails to Derick and he usually responds within an hour or two which is amazing.  We were told that in NJ, he can still meet us in the terminal and bring us on the ship, the rooms will be ready at noon and we can check in 1 hour before or 1 hour after our check-in time online.  We chose a 12:30 - 1:00 check in (which was the earliest) so we are going to get there around 11:30. One difference I noticed from our last Star class cruise is we can't get beverages in the suite that are not normally stocked on the ship (we asked for diet iced tea and diet ginger ale and we were told we couldn't get those so we will bring some).  In addition, the Genie and the room stewards are not allowed in our room while we are in there.  They can clean our room if we are in our deck and we can call the genie or meet them on the ship with masks but not in our room.  For us, we aren't high maintenance so that isn't a big deal for us.
On embarkation day, Derick is going to have some fresh fruit waiting for us and we are ordering lunch for our room which we can do from one restaurant that is open.  We are thinking Chops.  He did let us know that bridge tours, Central Park tours, etc., are all cancelled until further notice.  I am fine with that but was looking forward to having my father in-law do the bridge tour he used to own a big boat and would have really appreciated it.  In the grand scheme of things, just get me on a SHIP, RIGHT NOW!
I will try to update everyone as we plan more and talk to Derick.  We cannot wait.
We would love it if people who have been on Oasis since the revamp have some information on best bars or things to check out!  One specific question I have is, does anyone know how to book the special area in Playmakers during football?  I thought it may be fun to try and if so, how much is it?
LET'S GET CRUISING!

So here goes.  I am honestly not a creative writer (although I wish I was) but I posted an after the fact blog for our last cruise in Star class (Grand Loft Suite) on Anthem in March 2020 before the shut down so figured I would try it again.  This cruise is a long time in the making.  Since we had just discovered Star class, we immediately came home and booked a May 2020 cruise on Oasis in the 2 bedroom Aqua Theater suite.  Since Covid was here to stay, that cruise was cancelled.  Then we figured, of course by September this will all be over so we Lifted and Shifted to Oasis in the same 2 bedroom Aqua Theater suite...cancelled again.  So our amazing travel agent (#TeamMindy) got us Lifted and Shifted to Anthem in the Royal Loft Suite in February 2021...we will surely be cruising by then, right?  Nope.  So, here we are now.  We are sailing in 2 bedroom Aqua Theater Suite in a little over 2 weeks!
About us.  I am sailing with hubby and we are now bringing my father in-law.  It started out with us bringing a friend but my father in-law really needs to get out and enjoy the Star Class life so we are bringing him.  We are on Deck 9 (Deck 8 was sold out).  We have previously stayed in the 1 bedroom Aqua Theater Suite and cannot wait to be in the 2 bedroom suite with the Star Class perks!
On our first Star Class cruise we weren't sure what to expect so our expectations weren't high but after having Yen as our Genie on Anthem in March 2020, she is going to be tough to beat! On that cruise she took care of our 3 Star class suites so we had her all to ourselves.  I am sure it is going to be different since our Genie  told us he has 5 suites to take care of.
About a month out, we received an email from Derick (who told us he is taking care of 5 suites) and then we got the normal genie email.  We decided we didn't want to answer all of the crazy questions because we knew the most important ones were #1 what we want stocked in our room for drinks and #2 what we wanted to experience on the ship.
I am a SUPER planner and need to know what the plans are before we leave so I have a schedule laid out as to where we want to eat and at what time which I sent to him.  He said he wished all of his cruisers were as organized but he probably thinks I am crazy!  Since cruising from NJ is just starting up and my father in-law is older, we plan to get room service for lunch and dinner on the first day to feel out the crowds so there is no anxiety for him.  This will be his first cruise in 5 years and first Star class experience.  
I have sent a few emails to Derick and he usually responds within an hour or two which is amazing.  We were told that in NJ, he can still meet us in the terminal and bring us on the ship, the rooms will be ready at noon and we can check in 1 hour before or 1 hour after our check-in time online.  We chose a 12:30 - 1:00 check in (which was the earliest) so we are going to get there around 11:30. One difference I noticed from our last Star class cruise is we can't get beverages in the suite that are not normally stocked on the ship (we asked for diet iced tea and diet ginger ale and we were told we couldn't get those so we will bring some).  In addition, the Genie and the room stewards are not allowed in our room while we are in there.  They can clean our room if we are in our deck and we can call the genie or meet them on the ship with masks but not in our room.  For us, we aren't high maintenance so that isn't a big deal for us.
On embarkation day, Derick is going to have some fresh fruit waiting for us and we are ordering lunch for our room which we can do from one restaurant that is open.  We are thinking Chops.  He did let us know that bridge tours, Central Park tours, etc., are all cancelled until further notice.  I am fine with that but was looking forward to having my father in-law do the bridge tour he used to own a big boat and would have really appreciated it.  In the grand scheme of things, just get me on a SHIP, RIGHT NOW!
I will try to update everyone as we plan more and talk to Derick.  We cannot wait.
We would love it if people who have been on Oasis since the revamp have some information on best bars or things to check out!  One specific question I have is, does anyone know how to book the special area in Playmakers during football?  I thought it may be fun to try and if so, how much is it?
LET'S GET CRUISING!

So here goes.  I am honestly not a creative writer (although I wish I was) but I posted an after the fact blog for our last cruise in Star class (Grand Loft Suite) on Anthem in March 2020 before the shut down so figured I would try it again.  This cruise is a long time in the making.  Since we had just discovered Star class, we immediately came home and booked a May 2020 cruise on Oasis in the 2 bedroom Aqua Theater suite.  Since Covid was here to stay, that cruise was cancelled.  Then we figured, of course by September this will all be over so we Lifted and Shifted to Oasis in the same 2 bedroom Aqua Theater suite...cancelled again.  So our amazing travel agent (#TeamMindy) got us Lifted and Shifted to Anthem in the Royal Loft Suite in February 2021...we will surely be cruising by then, right?  Nope.  So, here we are now.  We are sailing in 2 bedroom Aqua Theater Suite in a little over 2 weeks!
About us.  I am sailing with hubby and we are now bringing my father in-law.  It started out with us bringing a friend but my father in-law really needs to get out and enjoy the Star Class life so we are bringing him.  We are on Deck 9 (Deck 8 was sold out).  We have previously stayed in the 1 bedroom Aqua Theater Suite and cannot wait to be in the 2 bedroom suite with the Star Class perks!
On our first Star Class cruise we weren't sure what to expect so our expectations weren't high but after having Yen as our Genie on Anthem in March 2020, she is going to be tough to beat! On that cruise she took care of our 3 Star class suites so we had her all to ourselves.  I am sure it is going to be different since our Genie  told us he has 5 suites to take care of.
About a month out, we received an email from Derick (who told us he is taking care of 5 suites) and then we got the normal genie email.  We decided we didn't want to answer all of the crazy questions because we knew the most important ones were #1 what we want stocked in our room for drinks and #2 what we wanted to experience on the ship.
I am a SUPER planner and need to know what the plans are before we leave so I have a schedule laid out as to where we want to eat and at what time which I sent to him.  He said he wished all of his cruisers were as organized but he probably thinks I am crazy!  Since cruising from NJ is just starting up and my father in-law is older, we plan to get room service for lunch and dinner on the first day to feel out the crowds so there is no anxiety for him.  This will be his first cruise in 5 years and first Star class experience.  
I have sent a few emails to Derick and he usually responds within an hour or two which is amazing.  We were told that in NJ, he can still meet us in the terminal and bring us on the ship, the rooms will be ready at noon and we can check in 1 hour before or 1 hour after our check-in time online.  We chose a 12:30 - 1:00 check in (which was the earliest) so we are going to get there around 11:30. One difference I noticed from our last Star class cruise is we can't get beverages in the suite that are not normally stocked on the ship (we asked for diet iced tea and diet ginger ale and we were told we couldn't get those so we will bring some).  In addition, the Genie and the room stewards are not allowed in our room while we are in there.  They can clean our room if we are in our deck and we can call the genie or meet them on the ship with masks but not in our room.  For us, we aren't high maintenance so that isn't a big deal for us.
On embarkation day, Derick is going to have some fresh fruit waiting for us and we are ordering lunch for our room which we can do from one restaurant that is open.  We are thinking Chops.  He did let us know that bridge tours, Central Park tours, etc., are all cancelled until further notice.  I am fine with that but was looking forward to having my father in-law do the bridge tour he used to own a big boat and would have really appreciated it.  In the grand scheme of things, just get me on a SHIP, RIGHT NOW!
I will try to update everyone as we plan more and talk to Derick.  We cannot wait.
We would love it if people who have been on Oasis since the revamp have some information on best bars or things to check out!  One specific question I have is, does anyone know how to book the special area in Playmakers during football?  I thought it may be fun to try and if so, how much is it?
LET'S GET CRUISING!

So here goes.  I am honestly not a creative writer (although I wish I was) but I posted an after the fact blog for our last cruise in Star class (Grand Loft Suite) on Anthem in March 2020 before the shut down so figured I would try it again.  This cruise is a long time in the making.  Since we had just discovered Star class, we immediately came home and booked a May 2020 cruise on Oasis in the 2 bedroom Aqua Theater suite.  Since Covid was here to stay, that cruise was cancelled.  Then we figured, of course by September this will all be over so we Lifted and Shifted to Oasis in the same 2 bedroom Aqua Theater suite...cancelled again.  So our amazing travel agent (#TeamMindy) got us Lifted and Shifted to Anthem in the Royal Loft Suite in February 2021...we will surely be cruising by then, right?  Nope.  So, here we are now.  We are sailing in 2 bedroom Aqua Theater Suite in a little over 2 weeks!
About us.  I am sailing with hubby and we are now bringing my father in-law.  It started out with us bringing a friend but my father in-law really needs to get out and enjoy the Star Class life so we are bringing him.  We are on Deck 9 (Deck 8 was sold out).  We have previously stayed in the 1 bedroom Aqua Theater Suite and cannot wait to be in the 2 bedroom suite with the Star Class perks!
On our first Star Class cruise we weren't sure what to expect so our expectations weren't high but after having Yen as our Genie on Anthem in March 2020, she is going to be tough to beat! On that cruise she took care of our 3 Star class suites so we had her all to ourselves.  I am sure it is going to be different since our Genie  told us he has 5 suites to take care of.
About a month out, we received an email from Derick (who told us he is taking care of 5 suites) and then we got the normal genie email.  We decided we didn't want to answer all of the crazy questions because we knew the most important ones were #1 what we want stocked in our room for drinks and #2 what we wanted to experience on the ship.
I am a SUPER planner and need to know what the plans are before we leave so I have a schedule laid out as to where we want to eat and at what time which I sent to him.  He said he wished all of his cruisers were as organized but he probably thinks I am crazy!  Since cruising from NJ is just starting up and my father in-law is older, we plan to get room service for lunch and dinner on the first day to feel out the crowds so there is no anxiety for him.  This will be his first cruise in 5 years and first Star class experience.  
I have sent a few emails to Derick and he usually responds within an hour or two which is amazing.  We were told that in NJ, he can still meet us in the terminal and bring us on the ship, the rooms will be ready at noon and we can check in 1 hour before or 1 hour after our check-in time online.  We chose a 12:30 - 1:00 check in (which was the earliest) so we are going to get there around 11:30. One difference I noticed from our last Star class cruise is we can't get beverages in the suite that are not normally stocked on the ship (we asked for diet iced tea and diet ginger ale and we were told we couldn't get those so we will bring some).  In addition, the Genie and the room stewards are not allowed in our room while we are in there.  They can clean our room if we are in our deck and we can call the genie or meet them on the ship with masks but not in our room.  For us, we aren't high maintenance so that isn't a big deal for us.
On embarkation day, Derick is going to have some fresh fruit waiting for us and we are ordering lunch for our room which we can do from one restaurant that is open.  We are thinking Chops.  He did let us know that bridge tours, Central Park tours, etc., are all cancelled until further notice.  I am fine with that but was looking forward to having my father in-law do the bridge tour he used to own a big boat and would have really appreciated it.  In the grand scheme of things, just get me on a SHIP, RIGHT NOW!
I will try to update everyone as we plan more and talk to Derick.  We cannot wait.
We would love it if people who have been on Oasis since the revamp have some information on best bars or things to check out!  One specific question I have is, does anyone know how to book the special area in Playmakers during football?  I thought it may be fun to try and if so, how much is it?
LET'S GET CRUISING!

So here goes.  I am honestly not a creative writer (although I wish I was) but I posted an after the fact blog for our last cruise in Star class (Grand Loft Suite) on Anthem in March 2020 before the shut down so figured I would try it again.  This cruise is a long time in the making.  Since we had just discovered Star class, we immediately came home and booked a May 2020 cruise on Oasis in the 2 bedroom Aqua Theater suite.  Since Covid was here to stay, that cruise was cancelled.  Then we figured, of course by September this will all be over so we Lifted and Shifted to Oasis in the same 2 bedroom Aqua Theater suite...cancelled again.  So our amazing travel agent (#TeamMindy) got us Lifted and Shifted to Anthem in the Royal Loft Suite in February 2021...we will surely be cruising by then, right?  Nope.  So, here we are now.  We are sailing in 2 bedroom Aqua Theater Suite in a little over 2 weeks!
About us.  I am sailing with hubby and we are now bringing my father in-law.  It started out with us bringing a friend but my father in-law really needs to get out and enjoy the Star Class life so we are bringing him.  We are on Deck 9 (Deck 8 was sold out).  We have previously stayed in the 1 bedroom Aqua Theater Suite and cannot wait to be in the 2 bedroom suite with the Star Class perks!
On our first Star Class cruise we weren't sure what to expect so our expectations weren't high but after having Yen as our Genie on Anthem in March 2020, she is going to be tough to beat! On that cruise she took care of our 3 Star class suites so we had her all to ourselves.  I am sure it is going to be different since our Genie  told us he has 5 suites to take care of.
About a month out, we received an email from Derick (who told us he is taking care of 5 suites) and then we got the normal genie email.  We decided we didn't want to answer all of the crazy questions because we knew the most important ones were #1 what we want stocked in our room for drinks and #2 what we wanted to experience on the ship.
I am a SUPER planner and need to know what the plans are before we leave so I have a schedule laid out as to where we want to eat and at what time which I sent to him.  He said he wished all of his cruisers were as organized but he probably thinks I am crazy!  Since cruising from NJ is just starting up and my father in-law is older, we plan to get room service for lunch and dinner on the first day to feel out the crowds so there is no anxiety for him.  This will be his first cruise in 5 years and first Star class experience.  
I have sent a few emails to Derick and he usually responds within an hour or two which is amazing.  We were told that in NJ, he can still meet us in the terminal and bring us on the ship, the rooms will be ready at noon and we can check in 1 hour before or 1 hour after our check-in time online.  We chose a 12:30 - 1:00 check in (which was the earliest) so we are going to get there around 11:30. One difference I noticed from our last Star class cruise is we can't get beverages in the suite that are not normally stocked on the ship (we asked for diet iced tea and diet ginger ale and we were told we couldn't get those so we will bring some).  In addition, the Genie and the room stewards are not allowed in our room while we are in there.  They can clean our room if we are in our deck and we can call the genie or meet them on the ship with masks but not in our room.  For us, we aren't high maintenance so that isn't a big deal for us.
On embarkation day, Derick is going to have some fresh fruit waiting for us and we are ordering lunch for our room which we can do from one restaurant that is open.  We are thinking Chops.  He did let us know that bridge tours, Central Park tours, etc., are all cancelled until further notice.  I am fine with that but was looking forward to having my father in-law do the bridge tour he used to own a big boat and would have really appreciated it.  In the grand scheme of things, just get me on a SHIP, RIGHT NOW!
I will try to update everyone as we plan more and talk to Derick.  We cannot wait.
We would love it if people who have been on Oasis since the revamp have some information on best bars or things to check out!  One specific question I have is, does anyone know how to book the special area in Playmakers during football?  I thought it may be fun to try and if so, how much is it?
LET'S GET CRUISING!

So here goes.  I am honestly not a creative writer (although I wish I was) but I posted an after the fact blog for our last cruise in Star class (Grand Loft Suite) on Anthem in March 2020 before the shut down so figured I would try it again.  This cruise is a long time in the making.  Since we had just discovered Star class, we immediately came home and booked a May 2020 cruise on Oasis in the 2 bedroom Aqua Theater suite.  Since Covid was here to stay, that cruise was cancelled.  Then we figured, of course by September this will all be over so we Lifted and Shifted to Oasis in the same 2 bedroom Aqua Theater suite...cancelled again.  So our amazing travel agent (#TeamMindy) got us Lifted and Shifted to Anthem in the Royal Loft Suite in February 2021...we will surely be cruising by then, right?  Nope.  So, here we are now.  We are sailing in 2 bedroom Aqua Theater Suite in a little over 2 weeks!
About us.  I am sailing with hubby and we are now bringing my father in-law.  It started out with us bringing a friend but my father in-law really needs to get out and enjoy the Star Class life so we are bringing him.  We are on Deck 9 (Deck 8 was sold out).  We have previously stayed in the 1 bedroom Aqua Theater Suite and cannot wait to be in the 2 bedroom suite with the Star Class perks!
On our first Star Class cruise we weren't sure what to expect so our expectations weren't high but after having Yen as our Genie on Anthem in March 2020, she is going to be tough to beat! On that cruise she took care of our 3 Star class suites so we had her all to ourselves.  I am sure it is going to be different since our Genie  told us he has 5 suites to take care of.
About a month out, we received an email from Derick (who told us he is taking care of 5 suites) and then we got the normal genie email.  We decided we didn't want to answer all of the crazy questions because we knew the most important ones were #1 what we want stocked in our room for drinks and #2 what we wanted to experience on the ship.
I am a SUPER planner and need to know what the plans are before we leave so I have a schedule laid out as to where we want to eat and at what time which I sent to him.  He said he wished all of his cruisers were as organized but he probably thinks I am crazy!  Since cruising from NJ is just starting up and my father in-law is older, we plan to get room service for lunch and dinner on the first day to feel out the crowds so there is no anxiety for him.  This will be his first cruise in 5 years and first Star class experience.  
I have sent a few emails to Derick and he usually responds within an hour or two which is amazing.  We were told that in NJ, he can still meet us in the terminal and bring us on the ship, the rooms will be ready at noon and we can check in 1 hour before or 1 hour after our check-in time online.  We chose a 12:30 - 1:00 check in (which was the earliest) so we are going to get there around 11:30. One difference I noticed from our last Star class cruise is we can't get beverages in the suite that are not normally stocked on the ship (we asked for diet iced tea and diet ginger ale and we were told we couldn't get those so we will bring some).  In addition, the Genie and the room stewards are not allowed in our room while we are in there.  They can clean our room if we are in our deck and we can call the genie or meet them on the ship with masks but not in our room.  For us, we aren't high maintenance so that isn't a big deal for us.
On embarkation day, Derick is going to have some fresh fruit waiting for us and we are ordering lunch for our room which we can do from one restaurant that is open.  We are thinking Chops.  He did let us know that bridge tours, Central Park tours, etc., are all cancelled until further notice.  I am fine with that but was looking forward to having my father in-law do the bridge tour he used to own a big boat and would have really appreciated it.  In the grand scheme of things, just get me on a SHIP, RIGHT NOW!
I will try to update everyone as we plan more and talk to Derick.  We cannot wait.
We would love it if people who have been on Oasis since the revamp have some information on best bars or things to check out!  One specific question I have is, does anyone know how to book the special area in Playmakers during football?  I thought it may be fun to try and if so, how much is it?
LET'S GET CRUISING!

So here goes.  I am honestly not a creative writer (although I wish I was) but I posted an after the fact blog for our last cruise in Star class (Grand Loft Suite) on Anthem in March 2020 before the shut down so figured I would try it again.  This cruise is a long time in the making.  Since we had just discovered Star class, we immediately came home and booked a May 2020 cruise on Oasis in the 2 bedroom Aqua Theater suite.  Since Covid was here to stay, that cruise was cancelled.  Then we figured, of course by September this will all be over so we Lifted and Shifted to Oasis in the same 2 bedroom Aqua Theater suite...cancelled again.  So our amazing travel agent (#TeamMindy) got us Lifted and Shifted to Anthem in the Royal Loft Suite in February 2021...we will surely be cruising by then, right?  Nope.  So, here we are now.  We are sailing in 2 bedroom Aqua Theater Suite in a little over 2 weeks!
About us.  I am sailing with hubby and we are now bringing my father in-law.  It started out with us bringing a friend but my father in-law really needs to get out and enjoy the Star Class life so we are bringing him.  We are on Deck 9 (Deck 8 was sold out).  We have previously stayed in the 1 bedroom Aqua Theater Suite and cannot wait to be in the 2 bedroom suite with the Star Class perks!
On our first Star Class cruise we weren't sure what to expect so our expectations weren't high but after having Yen as our Genie on Anthem in March 2020, she is going to be tough to beat! On that cruise she took care of our 3 Star class suites so we had her all to ourselves.  I am sure it is going to be different since our Genie  told us he has 5 suites to take care of.
About a month out, we received an email from Derick (who told us he is taking care of 5 suites) and then we got the normal genie email.  We decided we didn't want to answer all of the crazy questions because we knew the most important ones were #1 what we want stocked in our room for drinks and #2 what we wanted to experience on the ship.
I am a SUPER planner and need to know what the plans are before we leave so I have a schedule laid out as to where we want to eat and at what time which I sent to him.  He said he wished all of his cruisers were as organized but he probably thinks I am crazy!  Since cruising from NJ is just starting up and my father in-law is older, we plan to get room service for lunch and dinner on the first day to feel out the crowds so there is no anxiety for him.  This will be his first cruise in 5 years and first Star class experience.  
I have sent a few emails to Derick and he usually responds within an hour or two which is amazing.  We were told that in NJ, he can still meet us in the terminal and bring us on the ship, the rooms will be ready at noon and we can check in 1 hour before or 1 hour after our check-in time online.  We chose a 12:30 - 1:00 check in (which was the earliest) so we are going to get there around 11:30. One difference I noticed from our last Star class cruise is we can't get beverages in the suite that are not normally stocked on the ship (we asked for diet iced tea and diet ginger ale and we were told we couldn't get those so we will bring some).  In addition, the Genie and the room stewards are not allowed in our room while we are in there.  They can clean our room if we are in our deck and we can call the genie or meet them on the ship with masks but not in our room.  For us, we aren't high maintenance so that isn't a big deal for us.
On embarkation day, Derick is going to have some fresh fruit waiting for us and we are ordering lunch for our room which we can do from one restaurant that is open.  We are thinking Chops.  He did let us know that bridge tours, Central Park tours, etc., are all cancelled until further notice.  I am fine with that but was looking forward to having my father in-law do the bridge tour he used to own a big boat and would have really appreciated it.  In the grand scheme of things, just get me on a SHIP, RIGHT NOW!
I will try to update everyone as we plan more and talk to Derick.  We cannot wait.
We would love it if people who have been on Oasis since the revamp have some information on best bars or things to check out!  One specific question I have is, does anyone know how to book the special area in Playmakers during football?  I thought it may be fun to try and if so, how much is it?
LET'S GET CRUISING!

So here goes.  I am honestly not a creative writer (although I wish I was) but I posted an after the fact blog for our last cruise in Star class (Grand Loft Suite) on Anthem in March 2020 before the shut down so figured I would try it again.  This cruise is a long time in the making.  Since we had just discovered Star class, we immediately came home and booked a May 2020 cruise on Oasis in the 2 bedroom Aqua Theater suite.  Since Covid was here to stay, that cruise was cancelled.  Then we figured, of course by September this will all be over so we Lifted and Shifted to Oasis in the same 2 bedroom Aqua Theater suite...cancelled again.  So our amazing travel agent (#TeamMindy) got us Lifted and Shifted to Anthem in the Royal Loft Suite in February 2021...we will surely be cruising by then, right?  Nope.  So, here we are now.  We are sailing in 2 bedroom Aqua Theater Suite in a little over 2 weeks!
About us.  I am sailing with hubby and we are now bringing my father in-law.  It started out with us bringing a friend but my father in-law really needs to get out and enjoy the Star Class life so we are bringing him.  We are on Deck 9 (Deck 8 was sold out).  We have previously stayed in the 1 bedroom Aqua Theater Suite and cannot wait to be in the 2 bedroom suite with the Star Class perks!
On our first Star Class cruise we weren't sure what to expect so our expectations weren't high but after having Yen as our Genie on Anthem in March 2020, she is going to be tough to beat! On that cruise she took care of our 3 Star class suites so we had her all to ourselves.  I am sure it is going to be different since our Genie  told us he has 5 suites to take care of.
About a month out, we received an email from Derick (who told us he is taking care of 5 suites) and then we got the normal genie email.  We decided we didn't want to answer all of the crazy questions because we knew the most important ones were #1 what we want stocked in our room for drinks and #2 what we wanted to experience on the ship.
I am a SUPER planner and need to know what the plans are before we leave so I have a schedule laid out as to where we want to eat and at what time which I sent to him.  He said he wished all of his cruisers were as organized but he probably thinks I am crazy!  Since cruising from NJ is just starting up and my father in-law is older, we plan to get room service for lunch and dinner on the first day to feel out the crowds so there is no anxiety for him.  This will be his first cruise in 5 years and first Star class experience.  
I have sent a few emails to Derick and he usually responds within an hour or two which is amazing.  We were told that in NJ, he can still meet us in the terminal and bring us on the ship, the rooms will be ready at noon and we can check in 1 hour before or 1 hour after our check-in time online.  We chose a 12:30 - 1:00 check in (which was the earliest) so we are going to get there around 11:30. One difference I noticed from our last Star class cruise is we can't get beverages in the suite that are not normally stocked on the ship (we asked for diet iced tea and diet ginger ale and we were told we couldn't get those so we will bring some).  In addition, the Genie and the room stewards are not allowed in our room while we are in there.  They can clean our room if we are in our deck and we can call the genie or meet them on the ship with masks but not in our room.  For us, we aren't high maintenance so that isn't a big deal for us.
On embarkation day, Derick is going to have some fresh fruit waiting for us and we are ordering lunch for our room which we can do from one restaurant that is open.  We are thinking Chops.  He did let us know that bridge tours, Central Park tours, etc., are all cancelled until further notice.  I am fine with that but was looking forward to having my father in-law do the bridge tour he used to own a big boat and would have really appreciated it.  In the grand scheme of things, just get me on a SHIP, RIGHT NOW!
I will try to update everyone as we plan more and talk to Derick.  We cannot wait.
We would love it if people who have been on Oasis since the revamp have some information on best bars or things to check out!  One specific question I have is, does anyone know how to book the special area in Playmakers during football?  I thought it may be fun to try and if so, how much is it?
LET'S GET CRUISING!

Day 7 – Last Sea Day
A very sad day….last sea day.  This is the day where we had to start packing and enjoy every last minute on the ship.  We had great weather the entire cruise so it was nice to still be able to sit out on our balcony.  Since we didn’t get much wind back there, sitting in the sun was very nice.

 

 
We only had plans to do the back stage tour and bridge tour.  I had already done the back stage tour so I only opted to do the bridge tour.  Yen met us in the afternoon with one other Star Class group to do the bridge tour.  When we got to the bridge, there was a bar set up for us with soda and champagne….talk about feeling like royalty!

 

 

 

 
It was very interesting to hear how they dock, how the ship sails itself and the tutorial on the radar.  The bridge definitely has an amazing view.
After the tour, we asked Yen to join us for dinner at Chops.  She said she was unable to but would join us for dessert. 
Dinner was amazing and we enjoyed having one last opportunity to eat at Chops.  Of course, all of our drinks were waiting for us.  Yen joined us for dessert and surprised us with a birthday cake for some of us celebrating milestones this year and the restaurant sang us Happy Birthday. 
This is our group with Yen.
 

 

Day 6 – Sea Day
Since Cococay was our last stop, we were officially heading back to NJ.  There were a lot of passengers on board worried as to whether we were going to be quarantined but the Captain announced that no one was showing signs of being sick so that made it ease our minds.  Through the entire cruise, crew were wiping railings, door handles into rooms, doors, walls, etc. so they really did a good job.
It was another late night so we slept in but had various activities planned throughout the day beginning with the Galley Tour.  It was only about 20 minutes and they cancelled it for everyone except Star Class suites due to the health and safety of the guests.  Yen told us that they made an exception for us since no one in the group was showing any signs of being sick.  I am still amazed how the crew prepares so much food!

 

 

 
After the Galley tour, 3 of us had Escape from the Future Puzzle Break scheduled.  The theme is that the cruise ship has traveled through time and we have to solve the puzzles to bring the ship back to the current time.  There were 8 of us in total and it required a lot of communication, but we were able to “escape” in a little over a half hour.  We are (hopefully) sailing Oasis in September so looking forward to trying that escape room.
In the afternoon a few people went to a private wine tasting at Vintages that Yen had set up.  I am personally not a wine drinker but those who did it raved about being able to try some VERY expensive wines (I think they said one bottle was close to $600).  There was a cost to this of around $175 for 3 people but Yen surprised them on the last night and actually had the wine tasting comped!
Everyone in the group but my husband and I saw We Will Rock You at 6:30 – of course Yen had their drinks waiting.  Since hubby and I wanted to have a nice dinner with just the two of us, Yen arranged to have Lobster and some sides from Chops delivered to our room.  I FINALLY caught a picture of dinner before it was devoured!!! Yeah me!
 

 
After dinner we met up with those that went to the show and they said they really enjoyed it.  Of course, hubby and I headed to the casino where we finally had some luck!
We got back to the room and Yen had come in and decorated for our anniversary and left us a cake to enjoy.  Very sweet.
 

 
 

 

 
 
Brian and Lucky left us the cutest penguin too!
 

Day 5 – Cococay
So excited to wake up and be in Cococay!  It was a little cool without the sun first thing in the morning but it definitely warmed up during the day.  Mariner of the Seas was docked with us – I wasn’t expecting anyone with us but since we rented two cabanas we weren’t worried about it being busy for us.

Since we had two cabanas at Chill Island booked, we wanted to get off fairly early.  We met Yen at 8:30 on Deck 4 and she brought us off the ship.  Once off the ship, Yen arranged a golf cart to bring all 10 of us from the ship directly to our cabanas so we didn’t have to wait for the trams and Yen arranged a time to go back at 3:00 for anyone that was ready.  Very nice and loved the special treatment.  We had cabanas #4 and #5 which were the front middle waterfront.



 

 
The cabanas are stocked with a cooler full of ice and water, the table doubles as a safe, there was a Bluetooth speaker and we had a device that allowed us to push it and our cabana attendant would bring us food and drinks from the menu.  The drinks were obviously all free being in Star Class (besides tipping the attendant).  The food menu is available beginning around 10:30.


 
We did some exploring of the island and took some pictures along the way.  We did not go to the new beach club but could see the floating cabanas on the beach behind us.  Based on the map, those were floating cabanas 1 through 10 and didn’t seem as private since there was a beach (not part of the beach club) that was right there. but I could be wrong.

 
The view from our cabana was great.  We loved the location although it did get a little chilly at times with the breeze.  In hotter weather, the breeze would be more enjoyable. 



 
We did some snorkeling before lunch and there were a lot of fish near the rocks.  Unfortunately, after lunch when we went out again to the deeper areas it got windy and the sand was stirred up so it was harder to see anything.
We left a little after 3:00 and went back to the room to change.  Of course there were snacks waiting for us and after being out in the sun and swimming all day, we were very excited for them!!!  I got one picture before we ate most of it.

 
After snacks, we took the opportunity to go up in Northstar since our balloon ride was cancelled due to high winds.  Yen met us there and made sure we were the only guests on there when we went up.  We couldn’t believe how far out the tide goes near the over water cabanas…not sure if they were still floating or not!


 
We were all exhausted so everyone just did their own thing for dinner that night and then played some more in the casino after dinner.  They ran out of Michelob Ultra in the casino so Junior went and found some at another bar and put a few on ice for me.  I think he appreciated that we always tipped him extra for any drinks we got because a lot of people weren’t.
 

Day 4 – Nassau
The first two days of the cruise didn’t go by fast but now that we were stopping in ports the days started to fly by!
Usually when we do this route, we do Cococay first, so it was unusual for us to do Nassau first and not get in there until 1PM.  Four of us planned to do the Aquarium at Nassau tour through Royal Caribbean.  My husband and I have done this tour a few times but since we were with a few who had never been we thought it would be fun for them. 
Yen met us on Deck 4 at 1:15 and escorted us off the ship and to the front of the line where wristbands were being handed out on the pier.  We waited for a little while and then they had everyone with tours walk to the end of the pier.  As I mentioned, we have done this before but the amount of people doing some sort of excursion was insane.  The lines and the standing was so long and it was warm (thus the resulting V neck t-shirt sunburn I had).  We all regretted saying that we didn’t need water when Yen asked us!
We finally got on the shuttles and off we went to Atlantis.  Out of all of times that we have done this same tour, this was by far the worst.  The headphones weren’t working at first and usually, this tour brings you through the aquarium, around the outside of the grounds and then through the shark tunnel.  After she walked us around the aquarium and near the pools the tour ended which was not what we were used to.  We wanted to still see the shark tunnel, the baby turtle area and walk around still.  Unfortunately, the shark tunnel was closed (it looked like there was some water leaking from the tank and it was closed).  We did get to see the baby turtles and everyone said that was the highlight of the day. 
This first picture is of the tunnel the floating tube water park ride takes you through – I would love to do that sometime:
 
 
 
 

 

 
We got back to the ship around 5 and had dinner at Jaime’s Italian with all 10 of us.  Once again, all of our drinks were waiting for us at our table.  The waiter brought us all of the appetizers for the table (two meat planks, Garlic Prawns, Arancini, Garlic bread, Bruschetta, etc.) We each ordered our own dinners and then we got a dessert plank with everything from the menu.  Talk about food coma!!  I don’t think I have ever eaten that much in my life!  I am terrible at taking pictures at dinner but I can attest, the lamb chops and lasagna were both amazing!!
Headed down to the casino after dinner to see my favorite bartenders and play some slots and Let it Ride.  No big wins but we always have fun!  We already earned Prime for the year so we didn’t need anymore points but we still gambled for fun.

Day 3 – Port Canaveral
Before docking, some brave souls did boogie boarding (The one time I tried it my top came off and I nearly lost my bottoms so I learned my lesson…don’t do it again).  The two who did it did great and had a lot of fun.  Yen met us all there and again, put those doing it, to the front of the line.  I didn’t want to post pictures of it because they may not appreciate it but if you are brave enough, it is a lot of fun.  They were both able to get up on the board on their knees and neither fell off which was a miracle in and of itself.
One person did the rock climbing and she made it to the top which I would never be able to do!

We docked in Port Canaveral around 12 and loved having the aft balcony.  We saw tons of dolphins and two sea turtles who stayed right by the back of our ship most of the day.
Everyone had different plans for the day and for those that got off the ship, Yen met on Deck 4 and escorted them off the ship.  Some took an Uber to Ron Jon’s and others did the excursion to Ron Jon’s through Royal Caribbean. We decided to stay on and walk around taking pictures, reading and napping.
Because no other Royal ships were leaving from Port Canaveral that day we were lucky enough to Dock at Pier 1 which meant we could have gotten off and walked to one of the restaurants but with all of the amazing food and service on board we decided not to.


 
 
Several families had hidden ducks on the ship and my husband managed to find 3 during the cruise (this was one).  It was really fun looking for them throughout the ship and re hiding the ones we found.

We didn’t have any dinner plans so we asked Yen around 3:30 if we could open the divider between 10324 and 10724 so we could have dinner on our balconies all together.  She met us in our room at 4:45 and we gave her a list of items from Chops and Jaime’s we would like to order and she scheduled delivery for 6:30.  Yen moved the table from my SIL’s balcony to our balcony so we could eat together. 
This is the balconies with the divers opened (Yen is the itty bitty one in the background).

 
Again, I forgot to take pictures of dinner.  We were all so hungry that it quickly disappeared!  It was really nice having the HUGE area to eat and not have to talk to one another over the railing.  Maintenance came by after dinner to close them (as when under way the door bangs against the divider).

Day 2 – Sea Day
This was a very busy day.  Usually on a cruise we hang out on our balcony, read, go to the casino and just take the time to relax.  This cruise we found ourselves trying new things.
Although I have been on Anthem I have never done the bumper cars as the line is so long.  Yen met us at bumper cars at 10 and we got to cut to the front of the line.  It was so much fun!

After bumper cars some of the girls went to the Cupcake decorating class.  It was a little over an hour long and we got to make a flower cupcake and “burgers and fries”.  Once done, we were able to eat our cupcakes or take them back with us (although the safety waiver we signed said we couldn’t take them but we were allowed). 

 
I have already done iFly but my husband’s cousin wanted to try it and she did amazing!!!  There were only 3 people in her group so they let the group try it twice.  The instructor (whose name was “B”) was amazing and we ended up with some great photos.  He was pretty easy on the eyes too! And yes, this is a picture of him balancing her on his head!!

 

J’s cousin had mentioned that we liked snacks so everyday we received fruit, cheese and crackers, soft pretzels with mustard and canapes.  We asked for snacks to be delivered around 3 and like clockwork, they were there everyday.  In addition, yen also had late night pizza, wings, chips and salsa which was a nice surprise.  There was definitely no shortage of food.
 

Some random photos from the day:


We ate dinner at Chops and definitely had food coma after!  Yen met us there and every drink that we ordered on the first night at dinner was waiting for us at our table which was a very nice touch.  A lot of the group had Spectra’s Cabaret at 7:15 so dinner was quick (which I like better).  I didn’t go to Spectra’s but Yen had reserved great seats and also had everyone’s drinks waiting for them which they loved.
My husband and I went to the casino (which we do most nights) and I met my two favorite bartenders on the ship – Junior and Mark.  They got to know most of our group and remembered each of our drink orders.  Now that they knew our orders, anytime we walked near the bar they had our drinks out…whether we needed one or not. …this resulted in too many drinks, not a clear memory of the night and some very blurry photos on my phone of four of us dancing at Boleros!  From what I do remember – so much fun!  If anyone gets to meet Junior at the casino bar, ask him to make you something special and he will put together a great drink. I recommend the Sexy Ocean.

It was very late when we got back so the pizza and wings were cold but who doesn’t like cold pizza!

Okay...so here starts the good part....Embarkation Day!!!  
Day 1 - Embarkation Day (YEAH!!!)
I couldn’t believe over a year of planning was here!!  Of course, we were very worried about the Coronavirus with everything going on around the world but nothing was stopping me from getting on this ship.  Royal sent an email to us indicating all passengers would be checked for symptoms so that eased my mind a bit. 
Yen had sent us a photo of Zone 6 and where to go as well as a contact person who will take our bags from us to bring them directly to our room.  We had heard so many people say to make sure that the porters did not take your bags unless it was the star class porter. 
We got to the terminal around 10:30, pulled up to Zone 6, and the porter that was there confirmed he would take us and our bags through security and directly to our room.  He loaded our bags, we waited for my husband to park the car and went into the terminal.  After a short temperature check before security (due to Coronavirus), we went through security and went to the suite check-in to the right where Yen was there waiting for us!  We showed our passports and Yen took us to the front of the line.  We had to wait about 5 minutes before they opened the doors to start boarding a little before 11.  Once we were allowed to board, Yen took us up a separate gangway with no lines and brought us on the ship….so far so good!
Once on the ship, Yen toured the ship with us (we have been on Anthem 8 other times but it was our cousin’s first).  Because Yen had to meet the other 7 people in our party she left us to explore on our own (and get an adult beverage) and she set up a plan to meet us at noon at Vintages and bring all of us up to our suite.  When we got to the suite, our lunch was waiting for us (sorry it is blurry...I promise I only had 2 drinks by this time):

 
Room 10324
All I can say is WOW! The living room was huge, storage was plentiful, both bathrooms were great and aft balcony phenomenal.  I tried to get most of the pictures I could of the room before we made it messy!!
 

 

Master Bathroom Shower


 

Our bar was set up with everything we asked for and Yen had our suite attendants (Brian and Lucky) bring in a cooler full of ice so we could keep our beers ice cold (the refrigerator was not big enough for the amount of drinking we did!!).  We had asked for Corona Light and Yen specifically had some brought to the pier before we left NJ since it isn’t sold on the ship.  She also didn’t have any Budweiser stocked in one of the rooms and 10 minutes later, 6 beers showed up chilled on ice – service was amazing throughout the cruise.
We also got a bottle of champagne that was a perfect way to toast the beginning of this amazing cruise.

 
 

As I mentioned, the other rooms booked were 10724 and 10320.  Although 10320 had 3 balconies, the living room was significantly smaller and didn’t have as nice of a layout (sorry I didn't get pictures to show the comparison).  I also heard complaining about the noise from the suites on Deck 8 but rumor has it they may be installing soundproofing above 270 to keep those suites quieter after dry dock.
We did sail away on the Suite Sundeck and loved being up that high to sail under the Verrazano Bridge.

 
Yen met us at 4PM to go over the schedule she had sent us and provided us with an updated one.  She changed our iFly reservations for the first sea day as she explained it sometimes gets cancelled later in the cruise due to bad weather in the winter months.  She also scheduled more than one session of bumper cars and moved our North Star for us to our Day at Cococay. We also indicated that we would like limited interruptions during the day as we wanted to enjoy hanging out on the balcony and not constantly getting up to answer the door.  Yen did a great job of this which we appreciated very much!
 

 
For dinner we ate at Coastal Kitchen as it was Filet night and it did not disappoint.  Most of us ordered the Filet and people also raved about the pasta with sausage.  That was the only dinner we ate there since we mostly chose Chops, Jaime’s or room service from one of those restaurants throughout the cruise. Sorry I didn't get any food "porn" pictures but I can assure you, everything was amazing!
Of course, we got a towel animal from Brian and Lucky who were absolutely the best suite attendants.

I have been reading all of the live blogs others are doing of their Star Class cruise and thought about attempting one, however, I didn’t want to be constantly on my phone blogging about the day’s events or answering questions so mine is going to be an “after the fact” blog!  I am certainly not witty and it likely won’t be as funny or entertaining as others but hope to provide some information for anyone else looking for it.  I will space the posts out so if people have specific questions I can answer them along the way.  I am also currently going through all of my photos so future posts will hopefully have less content and more pictures!
Booking
We booked this cruise over a year ago.  We always try to book early to secure a location we wanted and my SIL asked if we wanted to try Star class this trip since we are celebrating big anniversaries.  The prices of the rooms weren’t that bad on Anthem compared to some of the other ships sailing in March.  We booked and then sometime over the summer, my BIL’s parents and nieces decided to join us and they snagged the last Star Class suite on Deck 10. My Husband, his cousin and myself stayed in GLS 10324, my SIL, BIL and niece were in GLS 10724 and my BIL’s parents and their 2 grand kids were in GLS 10720.
Prior to the Cruise
About a month out we received the generic questionnaire about any special requests, who we would be cruising with and some other random questions.  We were sailing with 10 of us in total in 3 Grand Loft Suites on Deck 10 and requested that we have the same Genie.  We also requested what we wanted stocked in our room for drinks and snacks.
A little over two weeks before the cruise, our Genie, Yen Lee reached out to us introducing herself.  From what I have read about Yen, she will make anything we want happen but we shouldn’t expect any real surprises.  That was completely fine with me because I am not one who likes surprises….I used to open my Christmas presents before Christmas and re-wrap them all again! 
We provided her a spreadsheet of where we wanted reservations for dinner for 4 of the nights and a list of what other things we wanted to do (iFly, Flow Rider, Cupcake Decorating, Rock Climbing, Galley/Bridge/Theater tours, North Star, etc.).  We also asked that the two cabanas we had booked at Chill Island on Cococay be next to one another in the front row (specifically Cabana #4 and #5).  After some back and forth emails between Yen, my SIL and myself, we got a final schedule around 5 days out with everything we wanted scheduled.  She indicated she appreciated the spreadsheet as it made it easier for her to make our final schedule for the week. 
This is what she sent to us:

One thing we had really wanted was to have a lunch set up in one of the suites on embarkation day to avoid all of the crowds.  We know we could have eaten at Coastal Kitchen or any of the specialty restaurants but wanted something in our room. Within 24 hours Yen replied with menus we could order off of (Jaime’s and Chops) along with letting us know we could also order pizza.  I have heard a lot of people were told they couldn’t set up lunch in the room on embarkation day but because we were her only suites, I think it made it easier for her to accommodate us. 

It would be 7 nights.  Otherwise they would not even be listed to make a reservation.

Debarkation Day
Saddest day.  Yen asked us what we wanted delivered to our room for breakfast and what time we wanted to get off the ship.  Promptly at 7:15 our breakfast arrived (bagels, pastries, coffee and juice).  We caught Brian and Lucky out in the hallway after breakfast and gave them their tips for amazing service.  Yen came with a porter at 8AM and whisked us off the ship with our luggage in no time.  She used her special card to get us on an elevator with our porter which was great.  As we said our final goodbye near customs I had tears in my eyes thinking about the best week we had and the amazing things she did for us.
After having some time to think about the cruise, there are some amenities I wish we had taken advantage of.  Hubby and I are not “sit down” for breakfast types but I wish I had done Coastal Kitchen once for breakfast.  The others in our party did Coastal most days and said they really enjoyed it.  The other thing we never did was Jaime’s or Chops for lunch.  I would have loved to try one of the burgers or enjoyed a nice salad and soup.  On sea days we always had a lot scheduled so we grabbed Johnny Rockets one day and Windjammer for the other sea days.  I felt it was hard last minute to change plans since there were 10 of us but I wish at least hubby and I did more specialty dining for lunch.
Would I do Star Class again – of course (if I could afford it of course)!!  We are currently trying to get 2 BR Aqua theater for September but unless the prices drop, we are going to stick with our Owner’s Suite (we are wait listed for Crown Loft which is sold out).  Our next Star Class experience is on a short 4 night cruise in November on Oasis.
We had an amazing cruise, a lot of laughs, enjoyed being spoiled and look forward to our next adventure! Thanks for following along.  With all of the craziness going on across the world with the dreaded “C” word, I enjoyed positing this to distract those who followed along.
Finally, I want to thank everyone who posted great tips and did their own live blogs that I followed along with leading up to our cruise.  All of the questions I had and nervousness about not being able to plan all of my dining ahead of the cruise were alleviated by people explaining that the Genie really does take care of everything – and she did!  Until next time, stay safe everyone and I will be looking forward to cruises sailing again so I can read along on other blogs in the future!

Debarkation Day
Saddest day.  Yen asked us what we wanted delivered to our room for breakfast and what time we wanted to get off the ship.  Promptly at 7:15 our breakfast arrived (bagels, pastries, coffee and juice).  We caught Brian and Lucky out in the hallway after breakfast and gave them their tips for amazing service.  Yen came with a porter at 8AM and whisked us off the ship with our luggage in no time.  She used her special card to get us on an elevator with our porter which was great.  As we said our final goodbye near customs I had tears in my eyes thinking about the best week we had and the amazing things she did for us.
After having some time to think about the cruise, there are some amenities I wish we had taken advantage of.  Hubby and I are not “sit down” for breakfast types but I wish I had done Coastal Kitchen once for breakfast.  The others in our party did Coastal most days and said they really enjoyed it.  The other thing we never did was Jaime’s or Chops for lunch.  I would have loved to try one of the burgers or enjoyed a nice salad and soup.  On sea days we always had a lot scheduled so we grabbed Johnny Rockets one day and Windjammer for the other sea days.  I felt it was hard last minute to change plans since there were 10 of us but I wish at least hubby and I did more specialty dining for lunch.
Would I do Star Class again – of course (if I could afford it of course)!!  We are currently trying to get 2 BR Aqua theater for September but unless the prices drop, we are going to stick with our Owner’s Suite (we are wait listed for Crown Loft which is sold out).  Our next Star Class experience is on a short 4 night cruise in November on Oasis.
We had an amazing cruise, a lot of laughs, enjoyed being spoiled and look forward to our next adventure! Thanks for following along.  With all of the craziness going on across the world with the dreaded “C” word, I enjoyed positing this to distract those who followed along.
Finally, I want to thank everyone who posted great tips and did their own live blogs that I followed along with leading up to our cruise.  All of the questions I had and nervousness about not being able to plan all of my dining ahead of the cruise were alleviated by people explaining that the Genie really does take care of everything – and she did!  Until next time, stay safe everyone and I will be looking forward to cruises sailing again so I can read along on other blogs in the future!

@jaullram Thank you for this information.  We love wine experiences and this may be a great way to celebrate our Anniversary.  DH (I think that stands for Dear Husband???) will absolutely love the private wine tasting.  Even if I do have to pay for it in the end, I will definitely set this up with our Genie.
 
Thanks again!
Drew
 
Drew & Rob

@Drewtastic86, if you enjoy wine, ask your Genie to set up a private wine tasting at Vintages.  Some in our group did it and there was a charge of $75pp for it but my SIL stated that one of the bottles they sampled was over $500 and she learned so much about different wines.  On the last night, our Genie surprised them and comped the wine tasting charges (didn't expect it but we were super appreciative that she did).

@Drewtastic86, if you enjoy wine, ask your Genie to set up a private wine tasting at Vintages.  Some in our group did it and there was a charge of $75pp for it but my SIL stated that one of the bottles they sampled was over $500 and she learned so much about different wines.  On the last night, our Genie surprised them and comped the wine tasting charges (didn't expect it but we were super appreciative that she did).