Queenbeecruises 58 Report post Posted October 3 Hi all. It's Melissa here. I am going to try and do something that I have always wanted to do...A Live Blog of our Symphony of the Seas cruise. Let me first introduce myself. If you watch Below Deck on Bravo then you will understand that I am the primary! AHHHHHH. I love being in charge...lol. Joining me will be my wonderful husband, Axel (6) and Emily (3), my parents, my grandmother, and rounding out my motley crew is my brother. You can probably tell by the name of my blog that we are a family that loves Disney. But a close second would be Royal Caribbean. We will be lavishly living it up in the Villa Suite on November 30, 2019. I know what you are thinking...why start a blog so early? I guess I am just too dang excited not to get my thoughts down. My hope that you all enjoy yourself while reading this, and it may help future cruisers. 8 1 Traveler, Skigoofy, Srp431 and 6 others reacted to this Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AshleyDillo 1,356 Report post Posted October 3 Woohoo! Symphony of the Seas is one of the best ships to experience STAR class. There is just so much to do on that ship! How far out did you have to book in order to luck into the Villa? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WAAAYTOOO 5,541 Report post Posted October 3 YIPPEE ! A Star Class live blog. Can't wait !! 2 1 Queenbeecruises, Srp431 and Lovetocruise2002 reacted to this Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
monctonguy 1,180 Report post Posted October 3 I will be following.....I hope that some of your antics mirror those like the primary's on Below Deck!...ha 1 1 Srp431 and Queenbeecruises reacted to this Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JLMoran 4,696 Report post Posted October 3 2 hours ago, Queenbeecruises said: why start a blog so early? Because you're highly competitive, and can't let @Matt or @Lovetocruise2002 hold onto the title of earliest blog start? 😁 2 3 1 Queenbeecruises, mworkman, Pookie and 3 others reacted to this Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Queenbeecruises 58 Report post Posted October 3 1 hour ago, AshleyDillo said: Woohoo! Symphony of the Seas is one of the best ships to experience STAR class. There is just so much to do on that ship! How far out did you have to book in order to luck into the Villa? We booked in February 2018. In all honesty, we had the Ultimate Family Suite booked first when there wasn't too much information on the room. I made the inquiry of possibly changing rooms. Much to my surprise the villa was only $1600 more TOTAL! I talked to my posse and they were down. 2 Big Tule and JLMoran reacted to this Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Queenbeecruises 58 Report post Posted October 3 1 minute ago, JLMoran said: Because you're highly competitive, and can't let @Matt or @Lovetocruise2002 hold onto the title of earliest blog start? 😁 Hmmmm...I didn't even know there was such a thing...or did I? 🙂 1 JLMoran reacted to this Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Queenbeecruises 58 Report post Posted October 3 1 hour ago, WAAAYTOOO said: YIPPEE ! A Star Class live blog. Can't wait !! They are my favorite reviews. 2 Big Tule and Srp431 reacted to this Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lovetocruise2002 7,782 Report post Posted October 3 2 hours ago, Queenbeecruises said: why start a blog so early? Phew! To finally take the heat off me! 😄 Following for sure. I feel like we have been on this journey with you for a while now. 🙂 2 hours ago, AshleyDillo said: How far out did you have to book in order to luck into the Villa? We booked ours upon release. They are usually one of the first ones to go for obvious reasons. I thought it was going to be crazy expensive but after re-pricing several times, it is turning out to be one of the best deals ever in Star Class! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Queenbeecruises 58 Report post Posted October 3 @Lovetocruise2002 We are less than 60 days, and time is seemingly going by super fast. I hope I can do justice on this review. There is just not enough people doing reviews on Star class. Your review was amazing!! Another big shoutout is to @WAAAYTOOO. Thank you again for doing reviews. I feel like I have asked enough questions and read enough to give it a solid college try! Forgot to mention our royal genie survey came on Monday 9/30, so just about two months out. I am printing out the questions for my crew and compiling into one. I am actually kinda excited to see some of their answers. It should be fun! 1 Lovetocruise2002 reacted to this Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lovetocruise2002 7,782 Report post Posted October 3 3 minutes ago, Queenbeecruises said: I am printing out the questions for my crew and compiling into one. That's what we did in March. When we do the Villa I am not sure what we will do with that since we have so many more people. 1 MamaShark reacted to this Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Big Tule 99 Report post Posted October 4 Following for sure Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Notyouravgjt 7 Report post Posted October 4 DARN someone beat me to this. I am actually on this exact same cruise you are in also in Star Class. I have already, offline, prepping some of the early post and what not. This will be the first time anyone in my party will have been in Star Class or a suite for that matter. I am taking my parents and my future wife on this cruise in the 2 bedroom aquatheather suite on deck 9. From the time I have booked this my mother has told me if I couldn't afford it they would not be sad if they cancelled, she was worried about the cost. But I have told her and my father many times that the cost is nothing for me as I wanted to thank them for everything they have done for my sister and I throughout our lives. So I am hoping to really give them a special experience. Plus I will be celebrating my birthday while on the cruise. 3 1 Skigoofy, Bob_KY, Lovetocruise2002 and 1 other reacted to this Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WAAAYTOOO 5,541 Report post Posted October 4 1 hour ago, Notyouravgjt said: DARN someone beat me to this. I am actually on this exact same cruise you are in also in Star Class. I have already, offline, prepping some of the early post and what not. This will be the first time anyone in my party will have been in Star Class or a suite for that matter. I am taking my parents and my future wife on this cruise in the 2 bedroom aquatheather suite on deck 9. From the time I have booked this my mother has told me if I couldn't afford it they would not be sad if they cancelled, she was worried about the cost. But I have told her and my father many times that the cost is nothing for me as I wanted to thank them for everything they have done for my sister and I throughout our lives. So I am hoping to really give them a special experience. Plus I will be celebrating my birthday while on the cruise. What a wonderful gift ! You are all going to have the times of your lives. They will never forget it ! The ATS are awesome ! Be sure you have at least one nice meal out on the balcony. Sometimes it can be waaaytooo hot out there, but it's so special. It's usually a little more tolerable while underway vs being in port b/c at least you get a little breeze. 2 1 MamaShark, Jax and Srp431 reacted to this Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Srp431 46 Report post Posted October 6 I assume you could order dinner from one of the speciality restaurants to have it delivered to your room for eating on your deck? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Srp431 46 Report post Posted October 6 On 10/4/2019 at 5:03 PM, WAAAYTOOO said: What a wonderful gift ! You are all going to have the times of your lives. They will never forget it ! The ATS are awesome ! Be sure you have at least one nice meal out on the balcony. Sometimes it can be waaaytooo hot out there, but it's so special. It's usually a little more tolerable while underway vs being in port b/c at least you get a little breeze. How much advanced timing is needed to set something like this up? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WAAAYTOOO 5,541 Report post Posted October 6 12 minutes ago, Srp431 said: I assume you could order dinner from one of the speciality restaurants to have it delivered to your room for eating on your deck? Yes, so long as it is during normal operating hours. You cannot order lobster at midnight, for example. They prefer if you keep your room service orders from 1 specialty restaurant at a time, so no ordering steak from Chops and something else from Jamie's and something else from Wonderland. The logistics of getting different foods from different venues is just too complicated. 1 Lovetocruise2002 reacted to this Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WAAAYTOOO 5,541 Report post Posted October 6 13 minutes ago, Srp431 said: How much advanced timing is needed to set something like this up? Not much. Just let the Genie know which meal you want and when and it will happen. You can tell the Genie that you want dinner tonite out on the balcony from Jamie's (or Chops or wherever you want...including the Main Dining Room !) and they will set it all up. Most often we choose to eat breakfast out on the balcony b/c it is coolest. Just let the Genie know the night before what you want to order and they will set it up. I will recommend that you do NOT try and order this yourself, although you can. I have found, over the years and on EVERY ship, the room service number is useless. Rather than go through the hassle and frustration of trying to order food yourself, just let the Genie do it. At first I felt very uncomfortable asking the Genie to order food for me. It seemed like something I should be able to handle, but honestly, they do not make it easy. More times than not, the room service number just rings and rings without any an answer and then half the time, if I DID manage to get someone to answer and take an order, the order was wrong when it got to the room. Be sure and tell the Genie EVERYTHING you want, down to butter, salt, pepper, milk, cream, sugar...they will only bring you what you order. You'd think that salt and pepper should come without asking but it normally will not. 2 Big Tule and JLMoran reacted to this Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Queenbeecruises 58 Report post Posted October 7 @WAAAYTOOO I am so excited to eat on the balcony. Our party plans on doing this a few times during our cruise! Also, thank you for letting us know that we have to order EVERYTHING! My dad will freak out if he doesn't have his salt and pepper! LOL 1 WAAAYTOOO reacted to this Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WAAAYTOOO 5,541 Report post Posted October 7 Eating specialty restaurant food on the balcony is one of those perks that you canNOT get anywhere except Star Class. Take advantage of it while you can. Breakfast out there is positively decadent. 3 Mrs. RoyalMoyal, Jax and Lovetocruise2002 reacted to this Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Notyouravgjt 7 Report post Posted October 7 4 minutes ago, WAAAYTOOO said: Eating specialty restaurant food on the balcony is one of those perks that you canNOT get anywhere except Star Class. Take advantage of it while you can. Breakfast out there is positively decadent. Where would recommend ordering from for breakfast I plan on having our first breakfast out on our deck. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lovetocruise2002 7,782 Report post Posted October 7 8 minutes ago, WAAAYTOOO said: Breakfast out there is positively decadent. +1 3 minutes ago, Notyouravgjt said: Where would recommend ordering from for breakfast I plan on having our first breakfast out on our deck. Ask your Genie to get it from Coastal Kitchen. If not you will get the regular room service food, which, IMO, is awful for breakfast items. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WAAAYTOOO 5,541 Report post Posted October 7 2 minutes ago, Notyouravgjt said: Where would recommend ordering from for breakfast I plan on having our first breakfast out on our deck. The truth is, I have no idea which kitchen the breakfast comes from. In the past, I asked the Genie to please have the CK prepare our breakfast and I made a very BIG deal about ensuring that we got real eggs. If Twangster is to be believed (hmph....😉😉) there are no more powdered eggs so this shouldn’t be an issue. If they’re using real eggs everywhere now, then I guess it really doesn’t matter who cooks the breakfast. The bottom line is....just order what you want and who care who makes it, right ? So just give The Genie your order and let him take care of getting it from wherever it makes sense. Now....if someone wants sushi for breakfast, you might have a problem, but assuming you stick with pretty much traditional breakfast foods, you should be ok. To my knowledge, breakfast is prepared in the MDR, Windjammer and CK. I have never asked for this, but let’s speculate....someone in your group wants juevos rancheros or a traditional English breakfast with baked beans for breakfast.... Could someone from the WJ prepare those dishes ? Probably. Are those dishes already being prepared in the WJ for breakfast ? Probably. It might be kinda fun to see if you could get those (or something similar) delivered to your suite. It’s something to think about. I have a SC cruise coming up myself ! I might give this some consideration. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lovetocruise2002 7,782 Report post Posted October 7 Johnny Rockets is also an option for breakfast delivery (if you want the greasy breakfast)... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WAAAYTOOO 5,541 Report post Posted October 7 9 minutes ago, Lovetocruise2002 said: Johnny Rockets is also an option for breakfast delivery (if you want the greasy breakfast)... Yep. Forgot about that one Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
