Lovetocruise2002

My Dad had a bit of a set back shortly after our Utopia cruise that we all went on. He is now stable again and feeling much stronger than before. Thanks for asking. Playscape = young children = steer clear I cannot argue with you on that one! Wonder and Utopia are probably my two favourite Oasis class ships. I still love SY because of Hiro and Flight but that cannot compete with MJ.

I just asked Hubby this now and he says he doesn't remember either ship lmao! Every sailing is like a new sailing to him. I don't even know if knows the line up this summer. But yes, he probably prefers two waves.

That would be most ideal. We cannot do that for a number of reasons. I would not feel good about being away from the kids that long. I also would not want to leave my Dad for a super long period of time. And children are only invited to one of those sailings, so if I did it all in one flight, I would have to ship them home on their own, or have them attempt to catch the cruise on their own. That could be more trouble than it’s worth lol Symphony was always going to be our anniversary sailing this year and Wonder was always going to be the summer sailing with the kids. The girls have never been on Wonder before and that is why we picked that sailing. Freedom was the surprise add on.

Ours came in the evening as well, between 7:30-8pm EST.

You are the king of tangents! Will not try to take your crown lol

Not sure how EPIC it will be. I feel like we are pretty routine, but glad to have you along.

No Trellis Bar pics until Symphony lol You guys all know me well

That has yet to arrive for me. I also asked her about embarkation day procedures out of Terminal A, if it’s the same as normal SC, and she said she would send more info on that later. No email yet on that either.

Another difference I have noticed so far is that it is not referred to as “Star Class”. It is referred to as the “Royal Genie Package”, on the itinerary and the wave session. I am curious what the reserved seat banners will say.

So Lissandra reached out via email about 10 days out from sailing. A bit earlier than the regular 6-7 day reach out in normal Star Class. Her email is very similar to the one @CruisingAndy posted on his blog in May. I noticed one main difference from regular star class, there was no mention of what complimentary beverages could be stocked in the cabin. I replied with our usual Word doc that we send with all our room and dining requests. I did not hear from her for a few days but she eventually came back with an itinerary and confirmation of our room requests. Dear , Thank you for choosing Royal Caribbean and our amazing Royal Genie package. I hope you’re getting excited for your upcoming adventure ! My name is Lissandra, and I am thrilled to serve as your Royal Genie. I can’t wait to welcome you to your Suite onboard the Freedom of the Seas on Monday, June 30th. To ensure a seamless experience, I kindly advise you to share with me any requests for dining, shows, tours, activities and if you are celebrating any special occasion. I also recommend you begin reserving your Shore Excursions and Spa services now on Cruise Planner: http://www.royalcaribbean.com/cruiseplanner My Royal Cruise: Pre-Cruise Deals | Royal Caribbean Cruises Plan your cruise and book in advance to get exclusive deals on drink packages, onboard activities, and shore excursions. Design your cruise vacation today! www.royalcaribbean.com Please help me begin to get to know you by answering the following questions: What's the best advice you've ever received, and from whom? What would constitute a 'perfect' day for you? What can I do to make your onboard experience more magical? I will be taking the liberty to start crafting an itinerary to ensure you can experience the different specialty restaurants we have to offer onboard, ensuring you can attend and enjoy the evening entertainment. Do you have a preferred dining time? Once I hear back from you, I'll confirm all the exciting details. Please feel free to reach out any time with questions or requests. I'm looking forward to welcoming you onboard the Freedom of the Seas and making your trip truly unforgettable. Best Wishes, Lissandra, your Royal Genie.

This was really what it came down to. That and I cannot be a hypocrite. I cannot tell @AshleyDillo to go try it in the name of research and then not do it myself when presented with an opportunity that somewhat made sense lol Omg...I will let you know what Hubby thinks after the sailing I wish they were! But sadly no. And with the Genie package, you get the standard Star Class session. This one is at a decent time. 9am on the sea day. Thank you! lol I knew you would!

I am going to need one of those on Sunday...at La Bamba! But he gets more wave time! lol

The blog that never ends lol

There is a logical (girl math) explanation for this..... I did initially put in minimum bids for a VP, GS, and OS so that I could have access to the suite lounge. There was one GS and one OS available when I booked 4 weeks ago so I was mildly hopeful. But I was also reading conflicting reports on Reddit and the RU FB page regarding GTYs and RU. I went ahead and booked VOOM, UDP, and the Evian water package (@asquared17 will get me on this one). I also noticed in the app that this sailing qualified for the "Spend to Save Challenge" which means I would get 10% cruise planner purchases back in FCCs. In the meantime, the sailing completely disappeared off Royal's site. About two weeks ago, the Genie Package went on sale. I never would have entertained this at regular price. I began to think of the "value" of this package in terms of things that matter to us during a sailing (VOOM, UDP, access to SL, priority embark/disembark, access to a wave session, unlimited Evian). By the time I factored in the "value" of those things, the sale, getting 10% back, and the fact that I would pull my RU, it made the different not too bad. That's how we ended up with a Genie, I promise you it was not always the plan lol

I keep checking the app each seeing if they will re-assign us again but no luck. The GTY was such a good price. There was also a GS and OS when we booked it but those were not worth it to book direct, not for a 4 night. We are still currently in a JS. Winner! Winner! @Jax did already know but I just recently broke the news to Hubby. My sister on the other hand, saw through me right away

Freedom of the Seas 06.30.2025 This sailing was booked just a month ago. For those who know me, that is really short notice. We booked this sailing on whim, or perhaps a moment of weakness. Four weeks ago, I was super exhausted from work, wishing I was on a balcony overlooking the water. While taking a break from weekend marking and report cards, I was browsing cruise prices. I came across what I considered a great deal on this FR sailing. There was a suite GTY option for two of us. Knowing the answer was likely going to be a “no”, I had to at least make the attempt to run it by Hubby. The last few months have been draining for us as a family. On top of the regular hustle and bustle of life, we were dealing with family health issues, a difficult school year that felt never ending at points and Hubby surprisingly said “yes” rather quickly! I think he knew I needed it. He truly is awesome! And I may have told him he could hang out at the wave all day long lol. Who’s Going? Just Hubby and I! Flight Very reasonable airfare from DTW-FLL made this sailing possible for us. If airfare had been the usual price that we pay at peak times, we would not have gone. At 1 month out from sailing, airfare was $239pp RT. I don’t remember paying a price that low in almost a decade! Pre-Cruise Stay We are using points this time for a stay in Fort Lauderdale. We thought about staying at the Intercontinental because we had enough points for that too, but I think you all know by now why we decided on FLL. And I really love staying along Fort Lauderdale beach. Itinerary Standard 4 nighter, likely not leaving the ship. 30 JUN MIAMI, FL 01 JUL PDCC, BAHAMAS 02 JUL NASSAU, BAHAMAS 03 JUL CRUISING 04 JUL MIAMI, FL Cabin Our suite GTY was assigned at 16 days out and it’s an accessible JS. I have very mixed feelings about this one. I expected the JS, not the accessible part. There’s pros and cons. I will hold out on commenting until the end of the sailing. Pre-Cruise thoughts - This was our very first time booking a GTY. I agree with @RCIfan1912, it’s sort of fun, and not, at the same time. My TA laughed because for a Type A person like me, not knowing was eating away at me each day lol. - I had booked the UDP (great deal, 55% off C&A offer, $103.99pp), VOOM, and Evian water package and have since cancelled it. I have also cancelled all my Royal Up bids. More on that to come - Once again, in the spirit of a live blog, please do not hesitate to ask any questions. I will do my best to find out whatever I can for you. - When responding to a post with a series of pictures, please do not include the pictures in your reply. It just makes for easier scrolling. - Lastly, I will try to post videos and stories on Instagram. You can follow me @lovetocruise2002

Summer Vibes: Raise a Glass to Freedom; Symphony of Serenity; A Wonderful Life – FR 06.30.2025; SY 07.27.2025; WN 08.15.2025 Back with a triple sailing this summer! I had thought of taking a break from blogging as I wasn’t sure I wanted to keep starting up new ones in such a short time span (over two months). But then @asquared17's blog that never ends gave me an idea. I am going to combine all our summer sailings into one blog that I can pop in and out of and not have to start up a new one each time. Here we go, let’s start by “Raising a Glass to Freedom”, appropriately named I think, because finally, I am free from the burden of this school year and summer finally is here!

I don't eat anything raw either, but you know I find lots to eat at Izumi, even minus the raw stuff. Glad you guys are trying it!

Nothing for me because I sail during all the excluded holiday dates...#teacherlife

I think you and I both started sailing in 2002. One day I'll hopefully make it. Harder having to travel pretty far for each sailing.

Meanwhile...those still trying to get there and it's been almost 23 years lol

I am so glad you liked them too! I went with them on a recommendation from @Jkaczano and did not regret it one bit! In fact, I wish they covered more areas of Europe. If I ever go back to Europe, I will be looking to book with them again for sure.

It is extra huge. That is the pro. The bathroom is large as well, but very "open". We'll see how it works out for us. The only thing is that I was reading on other forums that if you get assigned an accessible cabin as your GTY and someone needs it at the last minute, you're getting the boot. So who knows, maybe that won't be our cabin in 9 days....

All points true...however, as you know, we booked a suite GTY about 3 weeks ago for FR sailing next Monday. I totally expected a JS and that is what we got. What I did not see coming was that they assigned us an accessible JS, even though we have no need for one. Could be good or bad depending on how you look at it. But as Hubby says, that's what we get when we book GTY lol

Happy Cruise Day to all of you!