ScooterScott22

@Ducky57 your requests are some of the benefits of the Genie.  Having some added flexibility to the overall time on the ship is a plus of the Genie since you can ask them to make the plans.  They will interact with you daily at minimum and you can adjust your plans requests at that time.  

The one caveat is "last minute", that can be a little tricky even for the Genie.  If you mean adding something the day of that can usually be accommodated.  Very late requests on certain days or places might be tough.  For example asking in the afternoon for Chops dinner on the formal night might not be so easy.  Our Genie on Ovation, in 2019 when our son was 11 got him, and me in some cases, to many of the things we wanted to do, including multiple bumper car rides and we took turns going with him since I didn't need to be bumped around that much.  There are some things we did coordinate with the Genie like the iFly, NorthStar (the glacier day) and the trapeze but most were just spontaneous when the activity was open.  On Allure this fall we did have a dedicated Star class flow rider session.  Didn't coordinate any other activities except shows on that cruise.  Not sure how much this is different post restart. 

Have a great cruise!

We did our last Star Class cruise, and first since the COVID shutdown, this fall and I just have to ask about the list @MLH shared.  Things were still evolving and we had some of the first Galley/Bridge tours but the sushi/cupcake were not back.  Still most of what was listed seemed to be active and available from the Genie, if desired.  We did book the Chef's Table ahead of time since we really wanted a specific day and did not want to chance it, though it would have likely not been an issue.  

As for the general theme of this thread, the Genie is a great perk in our experience but there can be variations in what you feel your are getting.  We don't mind planning and can do it but the difference for anyone who plans is that you can make your plan and give that list to the Genie for execution on the reservations, etc.  If there are changes or issues the Genie can really help.  it can be a challenge to see and do it all on the largest ships and for anyone that has limited time or sailing with Royal the Genie can help get to more of the "must do" items.  The Genie is a great help in planning once they reach out via email so have your list ready if you are a planner, once onboard they are great for changes to the plan or spontaneous requests.

6 hours ago, AshleyDillo said:

They use algorithms that we aren't privy to in deciding who gets which casino offers.  You don't even need to be prime to start receiving offers on the Club Royale page. That's why it's really hard to give any advice as to which way will give the best results.

From what my wife can tell the "algorithm" is not really anything but the stated comps in the link that was shared.  They do seem to be pretty lenient on who actually gets offers, Royal probably just wants to get head in beds so they can get more revenue through other means, including the casino.  My point for the OP is that gameplay in a land based casino is going to get noticed way before anything on the ship.  I'm not being argumentative just looking at the focus around the question of getting a comped Grand Suite.

As was pointed out by the OP, two signature players each having a annual comped balcony, could combine to get the grand suite.  Unlike land based casinos, where gameplay may get you free rooms, upgrades, dining credits, tickets to events, entries into tournaments, gaming credits, etc. and are consistently being adjusted and communicated by your personal host, the ships program is pretty much straight along the list they shared on their site.  

We tried to work through the question and IF we understand, here is my wife's thoughts (she understands the players club on land and sea in our family).  Background - she has the higher of the two of us on the ship and has varied with the Vegas casinos over the years (we used to live in Nevada).  We understand the question to be - after one player in the family hits Signature and one hits Prime, what is the best strategy to play moving forward for the best comps.  

It seems that Casino Royale system is a little different from the other programs.  The levels seem to be locked into the comp and once the level is achieved, there doesn't seem to be any change in the benefit until the next level.  With the Vegas casinos they have dedicated player hosts that help book rooms and other perks but they are also monitoring your game play.  They know when, how much, etc. and will use that information even if you are stuck between the levels to add perks, or even "demote" you if your activity is not enough (didn't lose status but with low activity lost access to the host).  

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/content/dam/royal/resources/pdf/casino/casino-royale-rewards-table.pdf

That doesn't seem to be the case on the ship.  Maybe someone at the Masters Level can confirm but they don't give you any bonus for gameplay above the threshold for the level.  Once you are signature even if you get  to 90,000 credits, there is no additional perk.  It would be nice if they had something in-between the levels like the 340+ and 525+ for Diamond Plus in C&A.  Since there is no benefit for the extra game play, it seems for you the best option is to work on the lower players level.

Only responding since it was mentioned that the BIL is sensitive to noise.  We cruised with some friends that tried a Central Park balcony and they felt it was a little noisy and shared that they probably wouldn't choose that again unless it was just too good of a deal.  They didn't say "never again" but they said they would pick someplace else, and even inside cabins are fine for them.   

A few things to take into consideration about the rooms.  They had a room on deck 9 and it was more central, above the Park Café.  That means there is a little more traffic and action in that area compared to 10251 which is more towards the end and over Chops.  Also being on deck 10, as opposed to 9, might help a little to decrease some of the noise impact.

Good luck planning and have a good cruise.

51 minutes ago, SteveK said:

 

Is this even real?

So out of all the experienced cruisers here, who personally has gone out onto their balcony and actually witnessed this 'hanky panky' going on?

 

 

 

If you ever go see the love and marriage show while on the cruise it is pretty easy to extrapolate that about half of the couples partake in this recreational activity.  My math is based on usually one to two couples (or at least one half of the couples) state "on the cruise ship balcony" during the show. 

I only feel bad for those folks that have to deal with the audience not only in the theater but that are out on the balcony in Central Park rooms on the Oasis class ships! 

Our family loves sea days even if the weather is not great.  Didn't mind the rough seas on the trans-Atlantic (impacted by Dorian and lost the Canadian Maritimes visit) or our other cruise in the North Atlantic and even had one ridiculously rough night out of Port Canaveral.  Our three cruises in the Pacific have been unbelievably smooth.   Just sharing that trends will help but there are outliers and you will never know exactly what you might experience.  good luck planning and have a good cruise.

1 hour ago, joberry57 said:

Can the suite concierge help book restaurants when they contact you before the cruise?  The one time I did the dining package was at the beginning of the restart and had no issues even though I boarded late. 

That is usually not an issue.  We even had a list of venues, day and time preferences ready for when the concierge emailed.  Sent that along and it was mostly confirmed when we got on.

1 hour ago, MoonMan81 said:

What is regarded as "the best times" ?  Ideally we'd like to eat early (around 5-5:30 if possible). Is this a peak time?

It seems that the earliest and latest dining times are usually easier to get than peak of 6 - 8 pm.  There are things that may influence the trends but we have found the earlier reservations are not as hard to get.  

Another thing to remember is to check in at a later date.  Sometimes things will open up even if they are fully booked on day one.  We have been on both sides of this, have cancelled or moved reservations (usually only when we have a genie or concierge) and were able to get new or modify reservations mid-cruise.  We lucked into trying  The Mason Jar when Wonder started sailing just by checking back.  

On 1/3/2023 at 12:32 PM, WAAAYTOOO said:

Nothing is ever really free. But I will tell you that I have saved tens of thousands of dollars over the years through casino comps.  Overall, it's a winner for us.

Hearing a lot of negativity towards Prime and that it is not worth the perks they provide.  Glad to hear that it is working. 

There are quite a few people in the world that do actually enjoy casino gaming as a form of entertainment.  For those folks the time and money spent gaming IS their "fun".  Any perks that happen to come with that is a bonus no matter how some people feel about the program.  The key is that people have their entertainment dollars and they can enjoy them as they like.   

Good luck on getting to prime.

Thanks for the great review and pics @twangster.  We had that booked but turned it into the Royal Loft Suite and added my parents for a cruise this past fall.  Was sort of regretting missing out on a unique cabin but I think we made the right decision.  

Betting that this will be a difficult item to get an accurate count, for a few different reasons. 

First, likely only the cruise line will probably have this info not the travel agents.  Starting at the agents, they probably could give you a very good estimate on how many of their clients they typically book that have passports vs. not.  That will require the individual agents to roll client information up to a larger pool.  I'm doubting that sharing of information is happening.  A large agency might aggregate information but again there is a pretty low chance that gets shared.  Unless someone polls agencies and agents for a conference presentation it is pretty unlikely they are getting a percentage.  They just want to know the processes to book guests with and with out passports since the trends will vary also.  

As for the cruise lines, there is likely variability between lines and times of the year.  My guess is Princess and Holland likely have more passport guest and Disney has one of the lower ratios.  So one cruise line might have a large number of cruisers with passports and some may not.  Even Royal likely has a dip in number of passports on shorter, weekend, or at common vacation/holiday cruises.   

My guess is cruisers with passports outnumber those with Birth Certificates.  If I had to guess, it probably is somewhere between the 2/3 to 3/4 ratio.  

I'll add that we tried the key on the Navigator, non-suite, this fall and it was fine for that itinerary.  The plusses for that cruise were pretty specific to that sailing and we likely would not opt for the key again, probably, especially if we were booked in a suite. 

You will have to compare the benefits that might impact you and determine how much value you perceive.  The specifics that benefited us on that cruise had to do with the baggage drop at boarding (which normally wouldn't be an issue for us)  and the way we boarded, the cost was also very close to the internet package and the tendering at Catalina Island.  For those reasons we did the Key and it made a few things easier.  We likely would have been fine without, the cost being so close to what we would have spent on the internet package so it was not really a stretch.  

@Templecruiser the deck 10 corner loft suites are smaller, but we found it acceptable for our party of three.  We sailed 10270 in Alaska and found the combination of the three veranda's a big plus for that itinerary.  Having done other loft suites on the Oasis class, I'll add that now we would feel that room is a little small for the Star Class lofts in comparison but it is still larger than a standard stateroom.  The bigger drawback for our party was that there is no tub in the suite.  

Good luck with everything and happy planning.

Have been there for work and once for a cruise.  We did the Marriott Pinnacle for our pre-cruise and it was pretty decent.  The piece of advice I'll share is there are tons of options in downtown around the port, do a little searching to find the best deal for you.  Adding that with 2 days, I would stay in the Coal Harbor area (see map below).  Likely you will be able to see the water from the room.  You can also walk to a number to things including Stanley Park (along the waterfront), Gas Town area, and even the cruise port.  (And there is nothing better than to hear the nightly cannon being fired!) 

On 12/27/2022 at 1:57 AM, NR1987 said:

Thanks everyone for your feedback.  Any other suggestions?

We have done Star a few times and have never been in the MDR on those cruises, including a 12 day.  Between the choices of all the specialty and in room dining option it wasn't really necessary or fit in the schedule.  For that second part, the Genies will keep you busy (if you want) with show and events and also likely be providing snacks in the room so expect no need or time for MDR dining.  

The caveat is if you really want to sit in the MDR for dining the genie will keep that on your schedule.  It can be though to give up the planning but turning that task over to the genie really is the perk of Star Class.  Relax and put it into the Genie's hands.  

We did Star Class, included UDP, on Allure this past fall.  Have had it on Wonder, Harmony, and Navigator in 2022 and would say that it most viable on Wonder and Allure.  The Oasis class has the most specialty dining options and those two are just different enough that it seems more valuable.  For Allure specific, the addition of the Samba Grill, Brazilian steakhouse, gives one more option for the UDP.  Also if you do Chef's Table, it is one of the better venues for CT in the fleet (minor drawback of noise/traffic in DL early in the meal).  Personally I would prefer Playmakers to Sabor but both make a good UDP lunch.  We missed Johnny Rockets on that trip but it is one more UDP option.  We did Coastal Kitchen once on an eight day cruise and didn't really repeat so there are plenty of choices.    

The genie assignment is usually pretty reliable but there are instances that could cause some genie assignments to be late or change.  I share this because we had one re-assigned on the day of the cruise.  Our poor (new) genie got reassigned late from the Caribbean to our Alaska cruise.  He had no warm clothes!!! 

If the staff is in the middle of a contract, it should not be an issue unless there is an illness or emergency.  if there are staff that are rotating out due to contracts ending, it could create a slight delay. 

As others have hinted/mentioned, your success will be dependent on how you have packed.  
 

The arrival time you have will make it much more likely that you will be able to bring the bags to the room without handing them off to anyone.  They will still need to go through security.  We did some large suitcases once and they fit, so unless your suitcases are extremely oversized you should be fine.  As long as your party can handle their bags (not too many and they are easy enough to roll/maneuver) you should be fine.  
 

As for pro’s and con’s really doesn’t seem to be any more than personal preference.  Your bags will be with you which could be a plus or minus.  Luggage delivery doesn’t seem to be too late so with a later boarding time not sure there is a huge difference on when you would see your bags.  The only real plus is that the chance of a bag going missing is not really there if you carry on yourself.

It will probably depend on your actual sailing dates, with respect to how smoky the casino will be.  Even then it might be somewhat subjective.  We were on Navigator over thanksgiving and it really didn’t seem too bad to me.  At one point I was playing a machine in the smoking area and didn’t even realize that I was in the “smoking” section.

That cruise was heavy with family and kids so likely less smokers and casino traffic in general.  And the kids in the casino were not smoking.

16 hours ago, smokeybandit said:

If the worst case on board was a mild cold, what was the trigger to start mass testing?

The point of testing and masking is to try and reduce the transmission and further illness and death.  Yes, most people who get COVID are not dying these days and yes, birth is fatal 100% of the time.  BUT this is a disease that we actually can decrease with some precautions.  Death rates are down but we are still losing thousands of people a week in the US.  

This is like the Radiance leaving port every Saturday with a full cruise and coming back a week later with no living passengers.  If that was actually happening, people would likely be less flippant about precautionary measures.   

Interesting since there was a similar notice about visitor restrictions at French Polynesia, but it did not mention cruise ships.  

https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/news/french-polynesia-to-limit-number-of-tourists/

Wonder if there is anything in the works here about future cruise restrictions.

We did Reykjavik overnight a number of years ago and there are a few Royal itineraries that have an overnight there.  Great place to do a 2 day, especially in summer since sunset and sunrise there can be only 3 minutes apart!!!

Confirming that there was a Pillow Menu on Allure - Royal Loft Suite about a month ago.  Sorry didn't grab a picture but there were like 4-5 choices.  My wife asked for the memory foam, otherwise we just used the pillows that were in the stateroom.

Having done a 14 day from LA to Miami and experiencing both the Pacific and Caribbean, in December, they both are pretty similar in the temps.  The use of pools and slides likely will not be all that different.  The immediate local weather patterns will change and that can be unpredictable especially from far out.  Both have a pretty equal chance of pool weather.