HBCcruiser

I'd book that in a heartbeat. Do you think it is legit?

Thanks - good to know. We just got of HOS and my DD should now be Diamond. Once she gets that status I will submit the form for her. Thanks again. Have a wonderful cruise! Enjoy those sea days - they go by fast!

Wait, back it up. Can you please elaborate on this? I will be on Scarlet Lady for the 10-day Med cruise in October. I have DBE but my DD who I am traveling with does not. She won't be able to partake in the perks? Who do I email? Thanks for doing this LIVE. Following along 😀 Safe travels!

It really is not about how we think/feel about the subject. It is about the laws pertaining to each country we travel into, and each cruise line's rules (that we sign off on). If you are willing to break those laws/rules then you must be willing to pay the consequences.

So I was able to book a 4-night cruise out of LA on the Quantum - it's the first LA sailing - in October 2025 in a Grand Loft Suite for under $6000 when it was released. Drunk HBC may, or may not have, booked the B2B 6-night Cabo cruise following that one while she was onboard the Harmony. 😜 That cruise is more expensive but I also got $1000 OBC for that booking because I booked onboard. I suppose I can pay $100 to change the cruise if I need to but for now I will hold them both. The prices have already gone up!

Enjoy your cruise! Yes, we tipped our cabana server between 15%-20% of our food and drink costs. Just like we would a waiter. We used cash for the tips but CC for the cabana, food, drinks and massage fees.

We LOVED our 2bd ATS on the Harmony last week. We were in 8330 with a HUGE balcony and great views of the Aquashow. Being on Deck 8 was great because it put us close to the specialty restaurants in Central Park. We only visited Ck for breakfast and one dinner. It is an elevator ride up to 17. Easy. Remember, Star Class has the Unlimited Dining Package which allows you to eat or get deliveries from any specialty restaurant. The suite deck was forward, but we only visited there once. Our balcony was often a better place to catch some sun. I do not think the Owners Suite is Star Class - there is NOTHING better than Star Class IMO!

Honestly, the Royal Class S4 is a little bit smaller and the balcony is not as deep as on the CB. There is no sink (wet bar) in the living room and no walk-in closet on the Discovery (for example). On the CB there was. Discovery S4 Balcony:

I tend to agree. For service nothing beats Star Class. Plus it includes the drink package, drinks delivered to room upon request, priority everything, specialty dining, WiFi and tons of special surprises. Hands down better than the Haven. Personally, if I could not afford to book Star Class on a ship with Star Class, I would prefer booking a regular RCI suite on ships that do not have Star Class. Why? You get much better pricing and the suite areas are much less crowded. You still get to eat the suite breakfast in a specialty restaurant which has always been less crowded than the CK was on that last day. Granted, you must pay for the drink package, dining package and WiFi, but often there are good sales on those. Some of the smaller ships provide a more intimate service experience too. Our cruise on the Vision had excellent service and our concierge provided an amazing personalized experience. He’d make a great Genie. NCL Haven tops RCI in the ship-within-a-ship category, the availability of wines and liquor brands, and the private areas - bar, pool, deck, hot tubs and restaurant. We never had to wait long for drinks or seating in the restaurant or bar area, and could always find a lounger on the sun deck. Both NCL and RCI allow children in suite areas so can’t compare that. I must say, though, that the layout of the Harmony was much better than the NCL ships, especially the Prima. We never felt crowded despite the ship being full with 6000+ passengers. We could find seats at bars and shows (even if we were not in a suite just reserve and get three early). There were always open loungers, and the open areas like the Boardwalk and Central Park were never crowded. Even during the parties, the Royal Promenade had space to move around. I really enjoyed the layout of the Harmony. There were so many great venues to choose from with plenty of seating and space. Yes, the elevators sucked at times, but it’s the same on NCL. A huge difference now, though, is the pricing. I can book a Haven suite on the Joy for 4 people for 9 days to Alaska for $12,000, which includes the premium upgraded package. On RCI the Star Class suite would be $20,000+ for a 7-day cruise during the same time. That’s a huge difference. Would I book Star Class again? Absolutely if the price were right!

That is really a personal decision and depends on the price on the sailing. If you had a few couples or families in the larger suites it would be less per person. You do not have to drink alcohol to make it worth it. Genies will hold suite parties for kids with pizzas, shakes, mocktails, sweets and the like. Remember that Genies can deliver food from any restaurant as long as the kitchen is open.

That is up to you. We checked our bags the night before. You are able to have them get your bags before 12 a.m. or by 6:30 a.m. the day you leave. We were in our car by 9:00 a.m. It took about 10 minutes from when Wendy took us down the elevator, off of the ship and through the terminal to our luggage.

Yes we did! Love the shirts too! Thanks, we had an amazing time. Star class really is an amazing experience. Never be afraid to ask your genie for something. The worst they can say is no.

Enjoy your cruise!! If you have Wendy you will be in great hands.

We were at breakfast by 7:45. They want you out of your cabin by 8:00 am. The elevators were a nightmare so take everything with you to breakfast. We waited a good 15 min for the elevator to go up to CK on 17. Remember that we were escorted directly to our cabin at 10:30 a.m. when we boarded. They need time to turn those cabins around.

I’m sure they have listings of what’s available different days. I have seen the rotating menus and saw how detailed they are with labels. Yes, the current Star Class prices are INSANE! If prices don’t drop this experience is a one and done for us.