⭐️🎄🎅 Starmony “Christmas Vacation” - Harmony December 24-31, 2022🎅🎄⭐️

[mom2mybugs]

Thank you so much for your blog.  I can't wait to get on Harmony tomorrow.  Our trip will be very different (just a balcony so no perks) so it was fun to see the "other side". And thank you so much for the thermal spa tips.  Safe travels home!  Jane

[Jax]

7 hours ago, mom2mybugs said:

Thank you so much for your blog.  I can't wait to get on Harmony tomorrow.  Our trip will be very different (just a balcony so no perks) so it was fun to see the "other side". And thank you so much for the thermal spa tips.  Safe travels home!  Jane

Happy cruising! And enjoy the thermal suite. Have a great week. 

[Jax]

Final breakfast in Coastal Kitchen ️️️️️ 

The service and good quality this week has been excellent. We came here every morning for breakfast and on filet night.  If we were in a rush in the morning they prioritized our order.  It’s such a nice relaxing space especially on full cruises. Staff were very friendly.  

[Lovetocruise2002]

@Jaxso glad that you had a fantastic sailing! Loved following along this week. I know that I have long said that I am #teamDeck17 but I would be lying if I did not admit that your blog and IG stories have made me consider trying the ATS at least once. Just for those daily aft views! Have a safe trip back to Alberta later today. 

[Jax]

New Years 

As we disembarked Berty filled us in on some of the New Years festivities   The balloons are up and the Rising Tide Bar and Schooners bar have tickets available for purchase.  It’s cheaper than on Symphony @Lovetocruise2002 only $1600 for a table at the Rising Tide bar.   Schooner Bar was $1600 for front and $1200 for back.   

One New Years he had guests that purchased 17 tickets at $1000 per ticket.  

 

[Jax]

Disembarkation 

Berty met us at our suite at 8:15 for a 8:30 departure. The luggage porter accompanied us from our stateroom. Lines were long but Berty used his genie powers and accompanied us to just before CBP where we said our goodbyes. We were through CBP by 8:35 and in a cab and at FLL airport by 8:55am.  Very organized cab process directed by Broward County Sheriff. 

[Jax]

Final Thoughts on Suite 

This entire trip was fantastic! We love Florida and we had the best 2 weeks. 
The 2 Bedroom ATS was a pleasant surprise. Like @Lovetocruise2002I am #teamdeck17 but we will definitely do the ATS again. In fact we have it booked next year on Harmony so I am glad we liked it as much as we did. The pro’s outweighed the cons. We loved the functionality of the suite. The 2 bedrooms were great; no lost living space when couch gets converted to a bed. Bedrooms are sound proof.  Deck and suite are great spaces to entertain friends. We hosted our friends 4 nights and with 10 of us we didn’t feel crowded.  The long walk is what it is but you get your steps in. Most days I got 10000 + steps in.  Food trays in halls are a pet peeve but I was guilty of doing that a couple times. Lol No wow factor with the bathrooms but they are functional.  And how much time do you really spend in the bathroom.  I really liked the close proximity to specialty dining in Central Park and it was a quick trip on stairs to get to the Boardwalk and Promenade. We don’t use CK outside of breakfast and filet night so the distance didn’t seem too bad.  We had one of the best stateroom attendants. Hendra left today to go back to Indonesia. 

[Jax]

43 minutes ago, Lovetocruise2002 said:

@Jaxso glad that you had a fantastic sailing! Loved following along this week. I know that I have long said that I am #teamDeck17 but I would be lying if I did not admit that your blog and IG stories have made me consider trying the ATS at least once. Just for those daily aft views! Have a safe trip back to Alberta later today. 

Thanks! I didn’t realize you hadn’t trIed the ATS. 

Happy cruising this week and Happy New Years!  I will catch up on your blog on the flight today and look forward to following along this week. 
 

[twangster]

Do you happen to know if the beds in the primary bedroom of the A1 can be separated?  

I have 8330 booked and I'm weighing adding some more guests but the options will change if the beds can't be separated.

Thanks.

[Jax]

Where is Berty!!

[Jax]

24 minutes ago, twangster said:

Do you happen to know if the beds in the primary bedroom of the A1 can be separated?  

I have 8330 booked and I'm weighing adding some more guests but the options will change if the beds can't be separated.

Thanks.

Darn! I am not sure. I assumed all kings split but I actually don’t know. 

[SweetPea]

Waahhhhh, i don't want your trip to be over either! Thanks for taking us with you and have a safe trip back home!

 

And thanks for your thoughts on Deck 17 v ATS. Batman is not a fan of the loft suites so we're on Deck 8 of Symphony in 2024 instead.  I will probably regret it, but Batman will be happy !

 

 

[Jax]

27 minutes ago, SweetPea said:

Waahhhhh, i don't want your trip to be over either! Thanks for taking us with you and have a safe trip back home!

 

And thanks for your thoughts on Deck 17 v ATS. Batman is not a fan of the loft suites so we're on Deck 8 of Symphony in 2024 instead.  I will probably regret it, but Batman will be happy !

 

 

Haha Hopefully you are pleasantly surprised like I was. 

[AshleyDillo]

1 hour ago, twangster said:

Do you happen to know if the beds in the primary bedroom of the A1 can be separated?  

I have 8330 booked and I'm weighing adding some more guests but the options will change if the beds can't be separated.

Thanks.

It's was my understanding that they can not be split, but I don't think we have ever asked.

I also thought the CLS loft bed couldn't be split, but it definitely can be, so who knows.

[WAAAYTOOO]

1 hour ago, twangster said:

Do you happen to know if the beds in the primary bedroom of the A1 can be separated? 

Agree with @AshleyDillo...according to the SC propaganda, the MBR's are supposed to all have Duxiana mattresses, which cannot be split....but I would be willing to make a BIG wager that the bed we had in our SLS (1718) was NOT a Duxiana mattress (whether it could have been split or not is another question....).  I would guess (that's all it would be) that the bed in the master cannot be split.

[Lovetocruise2002]

3 hours ago, Jax said:

Thanks! I didn’t realize you hadn’t trIed the ATS. 

Happy cruising this week and Happy New Years!  I will catch up on your blog on the flight today and look forward to following along this week. 
 

Nope. Never been in one. We have toured one before when we sailed with friends but Hubby likes the WOW factor of the lofts so we have always done those. But I seriously want to try one in the future. 

[Jax]

Look what we spotted  

[JohnK6404]

It's so sad to say goodbye for now! You must have been in the same spot I was in back in 2019 (Allure)!  

 

[Jax]

5 hours ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

Agree with @AshleyDillo...according to the SC propaganda, the MBR's are supposed to all have Duxiana mattresses, which cannot be split....but I would be willing to make a BIG wager that the bed we had in our SLS (1718) was NOT a Duxiana mattress (whether it could have been split or not is another question....).  I would guess (that's all it would be) that the bed in the master cannot be split.

Now that I think about it, I saw the pillow top Duxiana mattress topper in the primary bedroom and it was definitely one piece so I agree; I don’t think they can be split. @twangster

Does that mean the mattress in the second bedroom is not Duxiana ?? We actually requested it to be split part way through the week as it was a great way to stage all our luggage. Lol Plus it made access into the bed easier. 

 

[Jax]

Took off on time and are expected to arrive 10 minutes early into YYC. Let’s hope baggage handlers and ground crew don’t call in sick due to New Years.

[WAAAYTOOO]

Yes, no doubt the beds in the second bedroom are plain ol’ everyday mattresses that you would find in any stateroom. 

[Jax]

What are the odds that the couple sitting across from me on the plane were on Harmony this week after having their flights cancelled by WestJet and rescheduling tickets for their family of 12 into Nassau. Berty actually mentioned the guests that would be boarding in Nassau. He said there are CBP implications and they are required to be the first off the ship on disembarkation at around 6:45am. Royal took the family off in San Juan and transported them by bus to local CBP to avoid them having to do this, this morning. They were very happy Royal did this.  The things you don’t learn. 

[Yesiamthere6]

9 hours ago, Jax said:

New Years 

As we disembarked Berty filled us in on some of the New Years festivities   The balloons are up and the Rising Tide Bar and Schooners bar have tickets available for purchase.  It’s cheaper than on Symphony @Lovetocruise2002 only $1600 for a table at the Rising Tide bar.   Schooner Bar was $1600 for front and $1200 for back.   

One New Years he had guests that purchased 17 tickets at $1000 per ticket.  

 

So, where do the “poor” people go for New Year’s Eve?  

[GregD]

10 hours ago, Lovetocruise2002 said:

@Jaxso glad that you had a fantastic sailing! Loved following along this week. I know that I have long said that I am #teamDeck17 but I would be lying if I did not admit that your blog and IG stories have made me consider trying the ATS at least once. Just for those daily aft views! Have a safe trip back to Alberta later today. 

They really are nice!!

[Jax]

39 minutes ago, Yesiamthere6 said:

So, where do the “poor” people go for New Year’s Eve?  

I think most  people will be hanging with the crowds in the Promenade. Lol Those prices are nuts for 3 hours. 

[Jax]

21 minutes ago, GregD said:

They really are nice!!

Sounds like we need to work on hubby. Lol 

[Jax]

Exciting news I forgot to share. Robert placed 2nd in a poker tournament on our last day and won $500. And Tammy won twice on the penny slots and won $1200!!! Plus a $100 discount on their next cruise.  We were so excited for them. Anyone have any big casino wins? 

[JohnK6404]

Congrats!  My best win total was $600 playing blackjack (back in 2015 on Liberty I believe).

[twangster]

3 hours ago, Jax said:

What are the odds that the couple sitting across from me on the plane were on Harmony this week after having their flights cancelled by WestJet and rescheduling tickets for their family of 12 into Nassau. Berty actually mentioned the guests that would be boarding in Nassau. He said there are CBP implications and they are required to be the first off the ship on disembarkation at around 6:45am. Royal took the family off in San Juan and transported them by bus to local CBP to avoid them having to do this, this morning. They were very happy Royal did this.  The things you don’t learn. 

Boarding in Nassau would not be a PVSA violation but since their cruise embarked in a foreign country CBP would want to see them for additional processing as they are not on a closed loop cruise like everyone else.  

This is a form of downlining that Royal set a policy against so it's good to see Royal being flexible.  I wonder if they had used Air2Sea?  

[Jax]

46 minutes ago, twangster said:

Boarding in Nassau would not be a PVSA violation but since their cruise embarked in a foreign country CBP would want to see them for additional processing as they are not on a closed loop cruise like everyone else.  

This is a form of downlining that Royal set a policy against so it's good to see Royal being flexible.  I wonder if they had used Air2Sea?  

Thanks for that explanation. Yes, downlining is the term Berty used. And no they did not have air to sea. They left Vancouver and got stranded in Toronto and found another carrier to fly them from Pierson to Nassau. 

[Jax]

I am hoping this is a sign that 2023 is going to be a great year. Landed 10 minutes early, ground crew and luggage handlers were there, our bags were the first off the plane, we are in the car on our way home and YYC is only -7. Only one small hiccup with Nexus.  Because Nexus centers have not reopened in Canada since Covid Reyd has a picture from grade 4. He is now 17 with facial hair LOL so we had to see a CBSA officer. Even the officer got a laugh at it and asked for his passport to verify him. 
Happy New Years everyone

[JohnK6404]

19 minutes ago, Jax said:

Happy New Years everyone

Thanks!  You too!   

[bretts173]

On 12/30/2022 at 1:01 PM, Jax said:

That is terrible news! I hope enough star class guests make their voices heard on all these lost perks.  It’s sad. 

To be fair plenty of perks being lost by the majority who don't go star class as well.

[Ampurp85]

23 minutes ago, bretts173 said:

To be fair plenty of perks being lost by the majority who don't go star class as well.

But those same people aren't paying anywhere from $10-20k and losing said privileges. Idk about you but if I pay the premium for luxury, I should get it. Star class is not about being fair.

Anyhow Happy new Year and I am glad you made it back to the cold with minimal discomfort. I believe somewhere around $800 is the most I have won but I only play slots. So good on your friends for their nice wins.

[GregD]

Thank you for sharing your trip. I'm glad you guys had a great time. The entertainment section just opened up for booking in my cruise planner for my 2/19/23 Oasis Cruise, so we are getting closer!! 7 more weeks. 

 

We will be in star class in an ATS again.. I'll take lots of pictures for @Lovetocruise2002 to show the hubby!!

15 hours ago, Jax said:

Sounds like we need to work on hubby. Lol 

 

[WAAAYTOOO]

50 minutes ago, GregD said:

my 2/19/23 Oasis Cruise

We're going to just miss you !  We will be on OA for a B3B beginning 2-26.

[Jax]

Random stuff 

Digital Photo Package 100: On previous cruises all photos were included; on Harmony photos taken in restaurants are not included. They charge $15 for each physical picture and an extra $5 if you would rather have a digital one.  That really adds up over the course of the cruise and the pictures aren’t that great. This is the first year I didn’t have 100 good digital pictures to select; I felt the quality of the pictures wasn’t as good as they were on past cruises. The photographers need to be creative with their poses. Lindsay started suggesting funny poses at the end just to have some fun with it. When I get my digital link I will post a few to give you some ideas of his sense of humor. The photo book is discounted by 50% to $49.99 for guests that purchased the 100 digital package but again, this is the first year that I didn’t purchase a photo book. I honestly couldn’t come up with 40 good pictures.  I am going to rethink things for next year and may decide to purchase the private session and be done with nightly pictures.  

Sabor: Both the Sabor manager and Berty mentioned that Sabor will be replaced with Playmakers!! Woo hoo.  Timing unknown but apparently they have stopped ordering product. (That’s not the same as food product, more promo product but I am still excited!) I sure hope this happens before our cruise next Christmas.  

Post Cruise Survey: I have always received my post cruise survey the day we disembark. This time I have not received anything and links from past cruises have expired. Anyone have any suggestions on how I can get a survey link sent to me? I would hate to miss an opportunity to recognize some of the fantastic crew.   

[Jax]

1 hour ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

We're going to just miss you !  We will be on OA for a B3B beginning 2-26.

B3B is a dream of mine. I would be happy to try a a B2B Lol Day 6 and 7 would feel entirely different.  

[GregD]

2 hours ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

We're going to just miss you !  We will be on OA for a B3B beginning 2-26.

We seem to keep doing this. I remember one blog where we passed each other in the airport! One of these times we'll end up on the same ship

[Jax]

Star class perks have been replaced by door dash. Lol I have found no solution to laundry. It’s been a tough week. 

Just a quick update on the post cruise survey. 
For some reason I have had email problems this cruise. It’s so strange because my email has not changed. I didn’t receive the genie questionnaire, the initial email from Berty went to never never land, I didn’t receive the post cruise survey and I haven’t received the email with link to my digital photos.  
For others that may be in the same boat I received a link to the post cruise survey from Corporate. 
http://www.royalcaribbean.com/esurvey

Surprisingly immediately after receiving the survey link from corporate, I received the post cruise survey so maybe they reset something.  

Corporate is now trying to get my photo link sent to me. I know they only retain the photos for a limited time so I didn’t want to wait too much longer. Wish me luck.