Jump to content

Grand Loft Suite 01/18/2021


Recommended Posts

I know its 6 months away but I'm excited to sail with star class. We'll be on the Quantum of the Seas. One thing I'm hoping my assigned genie can do is arrange an in-suite dinner for my wife and I. Embarkation day is her birthday.

Any suggestions on what to do?

Also, how does the dinning work with star class? Can we basically eat wherever and whenever without incurring extra costs? Same thing for drinks or does the beverage package rules apply?

Thanks in advance for sharing!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi, you will enjoy Star Class. Let your Genie know before boarding, will make dinner work for you both in the suite. All Restuarant’s are included, no extra cost. Genie will make an itinerary for you with show times, dinner etc. Just let the genie know what you prefer, times Restuarant’s, shows and any other activity you wish to do.

Enjoy

John ?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Congratulations on Star Class.  It will ruin you for sure !

Yes, in-suite dining is not a problem at all.  The Genie will coordinate with the specialty restaurant that you want to order from and with room service to get everything delivered and cleaned up.  In-suite dining from the specialty restaurants is one of the completely exclusive amenities of SC. Any full suite can get room service from the MDR but only SC can get room service from the specialty restaurants.  Since you want this service on embarkation day, it is particularly important that you coordinate with your Genie pre-boarding.  This will be easy to do since the Genie will contact you a full month prior to sailing to start coordination.  Your Genie should provide you with all of the specialty restaurants' menus so you will know what you have to choose from and plan your menu.  I'm sure your Genie will make the birthday celebration very special.  This is an area where Genies are particularly skilled.

The SC drinks package basically follows the Deluxe Drinks Package rules.  I will say, however, that I have only been charged any "overage" for a drink I've ordered as SC once...and that was in Vintages on Anthem.  I can't recall the label that we ordered but it was super duper expensive (ordered without seeing the price first !!) and they charged us for it.  We have never been charged any overage fee any other time.  Of course, we don't drink much alcohol anyway so it's rare that we ever order anything in that category.

There is nothing on any of the specialty restaurant menus that is off limits for SC.  You can order anything, as much as you want, at the restaurant or for in-suite delivery - no extra charge, ever. I will offer this advice:  on Anthem, if you are ordering breakfast for room service, be SURE to stipulate that you want it from the Coastal Kitchen.  I assumed (incorrectly) that it would always come from CK, but that is not always the case.  We once got powdered eggs from the MDR and it was horrible. Make sure you indicate CK and that you want FRESH eggs.  Also, when you order anything for room service, be sure you ask for everything you want.  They will bring you exactly what you ask for, so if you want salt, pepper, bread, butter, jam, juice, coffee, ketchup, etc., include that in your order.  With SC you will have an ample supply of beverages in your suite (sometimes WAAAYTOOO many !) so those are not normally a problem, but some of the condiments can be an issue.  If you don't ask for it, they will not bring it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Amendment to my post above.  The one thing that will cost you extra in SC is the Chef's Table.  Originally there was no additional charge, but the last time we chose to do CT, they charged us $25 PP additional for the wine.  I thought it was kinda silly, but them's the rules.  It was still well worth it.  We always enjoy the CT but don't do it every time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

Congratulations on Star Class.  It will ruin you for sure !

 

This will actually be our first cruise. We travel quite a bit, but never by ship/cruise. We've stayed in numerous places, especially around the Philippines, and have experienced "VIP" treatment, but probably nowhere in comparison to SC.

The price was way too attractive to not book SC. For all the amenities listed, it seemed like a steal! Heck of a way to cruise for the first time!

1 hour ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

Amendment to my post above.  The one thing that will cost you extra in SC is the Chef's Table.  Originally there was no additional charge, but the last time we chose to do CT, they charged us $25 PP additional for the wine.  I thought it was kinda silly, but them's the rules.  It was still well worth it.  We always enjoy the CT but don't do it every time.

$25 PP seems reasonable, still debating if we want to schedule it or not.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, PRebecca said:

Congratulations on Star Class! In my opinion 6 months is not too early to be excited and I think most here will agree ? That's a great upcoming trip to help get you through these times of waiting.

We originally wanted to sail for our anniversary (last week) but never got chance to book anything. Glad we waited though because we got a deal for January. Now it'll be a birthday cruise!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My husband and I just did a Star Class cruise this past January on Anthem. Just like you I asked all these questions and was told that it would be a trip of a lifetime! Well, from the moment we arrived and had those blue and gold Wow bands placed on our wrists, the ship was ours. I am excited for you!! I can 't think of a thing we paid for, including any cake or candy in the shop inside Starbucks. Enjoy, enjoy enjoy!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Like you we found a wealth of information from the people on this thread and others on these boards.  We were able to relax and enjoy the experience and let the genie work their magic since folks on here eased our itch to plan.  

There are some great tips and info so far but I wanted to address your item about specifically planning before hand.  When we did our Grand Loft Suite last year due to a few reasons we had two specific dining requests that we submitted to the genie via email prior to the cruise.  If you know that you want to do something specific, especially that first day, don’t be afraid to ask up front when you get the email from your genie.  You could actually make all your requests before boarding but that takes any some of the fun that accompanies spontaneity.

Enjoy!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, ScooterScott22 said:

If you know that you want to do something specific, especially that first day, don’t be afraid to ask up front when you get the email from your genie.  You could actually make all your requests before boarding but that takes any some of the fun that accompanies spontaneity.

No doubt there is a bunch of good info on this site!

I'm really only concerned about the first night and getting that in-suite dinner setup. Anything after that we are all for. I plan on letting our genie know we are new to cruising and will trust that we get to experience as much as we possibly can.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Anguillandelight said:

My husband and I just did a Star Class cruise this past January on Anthem. Just like you I asked all these questions and was told that it would be a trip of a lifetime! Well, from the moment we arrived and had those blue and gold Wow bands placed on our wrists, the ship was ours. I am excited for you!! I can 't think of a thing we paid for, including any cake or candy in the shop inside Starbucks. Enjoy, enjoy enjoy!

My wife is a big coffee drinker. She can't start her day without a cup. Can you have Starbucks delivered or was this something you got and brought back to the suite? Either way just glad its included, my wife could probably spend the drink package's worth in coffee. lol!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 minutes ago, gdk0085 said:

My wife is a big coffee drinker. She can't start her day without a cup. Can you have Starbucks delivered or was this something you got and brought back to the suite? Either way just glad its included, my wife could probably spend the drink package's worth in coffee. lol!

Yes, as far as I know you can still have Starbucks delivered to your suite. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 hours ago, gdk0085 said:

I'm really only concerned about the first night and getting that in-suite dinner setup. Anything after that we are all for. I plan on letting our genie know we are new to cruising and will trust that we get to experience as much as we possibly can.

On our cruise, we had some special circumstances and timing of the sail away.  Because of that we asked for a specific dining location and time for that evening.  We submitted the request via email before sailing and there was not an issue.  So as long as you have what you want in mind for that first evening is communicated, expect that it will happen.  The more details you can share, exact time, orders etc. the better it will be.  Knowing the genies they may even through in a few surprises.

On another day we had a later shore excursion so the evening  before we just asked our genie to have dinner in the room when we got back.  We ordered the Seafood tower (that might be a Star Class Requirement!) and some appetizers and they timed it nearly perfectly for our return. 

On the coffee question, I can share that our party did get specialty coffees on our own.  Since I am the only coffee drinker And I am usually up early and either out for a a run or just to walk about, we never made a request for morning coffee.  I have heard that some genies will do that on their own, so there is probably some variability.  If it is important the options are either communicate that or make a direct ask of them to bring some.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@gdk0085 one piece of important advice to avoid disappointment....The most important thing that I have learned is that Star Class really varies (in terms of the small details) from ship to ship and from Genie to Genie.  The basics are the same (all inclusive specialty dining, drinks, etc. but the smaller little details vary). 

It is great to get ideas from others and hear their experiences (I am guilty of doing the same thing myself before my first star class sailing), but what I've noticed from talking to other star class cruisers and Genies, in the 4 years or so since the program started, the minor details vary.  The variances are due to the rules of each specific ship and the personalities of each particular Genie.

For example, can you get Starbucks delivery, yes sometimes.  Some ships won't even allow it and some Genies won't do it. 

Can you get the seafood tower and can it be delivered to your stateroom?  Yes, again sometimes.  Some ships don't even have the seafood tower on their menu, some will not deliver it on embarkation day while some have had success getting it delivered on embarkation day.

Will the Genie reserve you loungers by the pool?  Some will, some will not, they are not supposed to.

Can you get lunch delivered to your room on the day that you arrive?  Some ships allow, some do not.

Can the Genie save you seats on the Royal Promenade for the parades? (not on Quantum, but just as another example) Some ships allow the Genie to do so, some will not.

The list goes on...

Basically, what I am trying to say is that while I love the Star Class program, it is most definitely not consistent.  This leads to some disappointment from those who are expecting something because they heard someone else had it done etc. and then people blame the Genie.  But sometimes their hands are tied too depending on the rules of the specific ship.  It is very clear to be upfront and honest with your Genie about your expectations, but at the same time, sometimes it is good to step back a bit and let them surprise you.  Those are usually the best moments.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@Lovetocruise2002 awesome advice, much appreciated! ?

I've been poking around and reading posts of other's experience (yours included) and I did get that sense that every genie and ship is different. Its like any trip or vacation, no two peoples experiences will be exactly the same. This is completely understandable to me.

Quite honestly though we booked the stateroom for the views and that the drink and dinning packages were "included." 

My wife and I are fairly easy going and wouldn't be disappointed or blame a genie for something they couldn't or weren't allowed to do. For us, we just didn't know where to start or what to ask the genie for. For example, it never occured to me to ask a genie to reserve loungers by the pool. I figured they'd just tell us where to go lol. I don't expect to get 100% of what we asked for, but everyone's past experiences gives us an idea of what to ask for. If it happens, yay! If not, no big deal. Being new to cruising in general, we're just excited to experience the ship.

...I did tell my wife though, that if we ever got lost on the ship at least one person would attempt to find us, our genie. Haha!

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 6/30/2020 at 8:21 AM, WAAAYTOOO said:

Congratulations on Star Class.  It will ruin you for sure !

Yes, in-suite dining is not a problem at all.  The Genie will coordinate with the specialty restaurant that you want to order from and with room service to get everything delivered and cleaned up.  In-suite dining from the specialty restaurants is one of the completely exclusive amenities of SC. Any full suite can get room service from the MDR but only SC can get room service from the specialty restaurants.  Since you want this service on embarkation day, it is particularly important that you coordinate with your Genie pre-boarding.  This will be easy to do since the Genie will contact you a full month prior to sailing to start coordination.  Your Genie should provide you with all of the specialty restaurants' menus so you will know what you have to choose from and plan your menu.  I'm sure your Genie will make the birthday celebration very special.  This is an area where Genies are particularly skilled.

The SC drinks package basically follows the Deluxe Drinks Package rules.  I will say, however, that I have only been charged any "overage" for a drink I've ordered as SC once...and that was in Vintages on Anthem.  I can't recall the label that we ordered but it was super duper expensive (ordered without seeing the price first !!) and they charged us for it.  We have never been charged any overage fee any other time.  Of course, we don't drink much alcohol anyway so it's rare that we ever order anything in that category.

There is nothing on any of the specialty restaurant menus that is off limits for SC.  You can order anything, as much as you want, at the restaurant or for in-suite delivery - no extra charge, ever. I will offer this advice:  on Anthem, if you are ordering breakfast for room service, be SURE to stipulate that you want it from the Coastal Kitchen.  I assumed (incorrectly) that it would always come from CK, but that is not always the case.  We once got powdered eggs from the MDR and it was horrible. Make sure you indicate CK and that you want FRESH eggs.  Also, when you order anything for room service, be sure you ask for everything you want.  They will bring you exactly what you ask for, so if you want salt, pepper, bread, butter, jam, juice, coffee, ketchup, etc., include that in your order.  With SC you will have an ample supply of beverages in your suite (sometimes WAAAYTOOO many !) so those are not normally a problem, but some of the condiments can be an issue.  If you don't ask for it, they will not bring it.

Star class sounds like an  experience as close to "all inclusive" as you can get on RCL.   I read the amenities, and Star gets you about every on-board dining, drink, internet, specialty, chef's table, in-room bar option, plus the Genie, probably priority tender, embarkation.   Does it get on-board all access tours also?   I was just trying to sum up the difference  between Sky and Star.  We're trying Sky next year, but in the following year I wouldn't be opposed to bumping to Star if the package is better than adding a laundry list of amenities a la carte.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 minutes ago, cruisellama said:

Does it get on-board all access tours also?

You get some entertainment tours (Meet the Cast, ship dependent) and the bridge tour included.

IMO, it is pointless to try to quantify and justify star vs. sky.  If you can do it, and it's not much of a jump, then do it.  As @WAAAYTOOO always says, you can crunch all sorts of numbers, but the value of the Genie is hard to measure.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, cruisellama said:

Star class sounds like an  experience as close to "all inclusive" as you can get on RCL.   I read the amenities, and Star gets you about every on-board dining, drink, internet, specialty, chef's table, in-room bar option, plus the Genie, probably priority tender, embarkation.   Does it get on-board all access tours also?   I was just trying to sum up the difference  between Sky and Star.  We're trying Sky next year, but in the following year I wouldn't be opposed to bumping to Star if the package is better than adding a laundry list of amenities a la carte.  

Yes, it is as close to an all-inclusive as you can get with Royal Caribbean.  While there are a number of behind-the-scenes tours that you can take (complementary), the All Access Tour (which is a specific tour) is not included at no cost.  I will say, the All-Access Tour is well worth the money that they charge, but it is not free for SC.

There are some things with SC that others cannot get at any price.  Nobody else on the ship can get room service delivered from the specialty restaurants.  SC also includes unlimited laundry service.  I suppose you could pay for individual bags of laundry every day if you wanted to, but for SC, it is complementary and they bring it back to you all hung up on hangers except for the unmentionables.  Of course, the Genie is only available for SC.  Only SC get individual reserved seating anywhere in the theaters and performance venues (some variation for some of the venues depending on ship and Genie).  With SC you get unlimited water, soda and beer in your suite.  If you want wine, you can have that delivered, but it is not complementary.  They strongly discourage liquor in the suites but even that can be obtained at a very dear price.  Not only do you get priority embarkation (and disembarkation) but the Genie meets you personally and escorts you directly to your Suite.  No waiting until 1:00 for your room to be ready.

Regarding the cost....you will probably not be able to justify the cost by adding all of the add-ons to a Sky Class room.  I suppose there are rare instances where SC might work out to be less money, than adding all of the optional perks to a Sky Class fare, but I have never found one that did !  The difference in service is unquantifiable (as @Lovetocruise2002 mentioned).  As I said above, there are some things that you cannot add on at any price.  There are times when the Genie is worth every dime that you spend on your SC cruise.  A particular instance comes to mind when all passengers had been required to disembark (I won't bother with all of the details) and we were stuck in a terminal full of very unhappy folks.  One call to the Genie and she came and rescued us and got us back onto the ship before anyone else was being allowed back on. It was hours...and hours before everyone was allowed back on the ship.

SC on O class is incredible.  I love it....but to be honest, I think I enjoyed the Genie more on Anthem than on any other ship where we've been SC.  Imagine your children or grandchildren being able to ride the bumper cars as many times as they want, going to the front of the line every time.  Between the bumper cars, North Star and IFly, the Q class ships have so many unique activities and being SC allows you to go to the front of the line, every time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...