First Suite experience recap

[Snowbird_in_training]

5 minutes ago, Milwaukee Eight said:

It’s important that you keep expressing your concerns. It’s important that Royal hears you. We certainly hear you. There are far more P’s and loyal to Royal people here on CC than Suite Guests. Don’t be the silent minority. Thank you for your posts. 

 

In my opinion 

Those who are regular posters here on CC are most likely not even a blip on Royals  radar.   Here in the north, Royal’s marketing whether print, digital or broadcast typically shows a young family with children.  Harmony is going to attract a huge number of families with children, due to its proximity to the mouse.  Many of those families are going to pay dearly for a suite.  It’s going to be necessary for those young families to feel just as comfortable in the SL, even if it’s their first cruise, as those who have cruised for decades.  

 

This is is where the most experienced cruisers should take the lead, the high road.  Hope it happens.  

[reallyitsmema]

4 minutes ago, Snowbird_in_training said:

Those who are regular posters here on CC are most likely not even a blip on Royals  radar.   Here in the north, Royal’s marketing whether print, digital or broadcast typically shows a young family with children.  Harmony is going to attract a huge number of families with children, due to its proximity to the mouse.  Many of those families are going to pay dearly for a suite.  It’s going to be necessary for those young families to feel just as comfortable in the SL, even if it’s their first cruise, as those who have cruised for decades.  

 

This is is where the most experienced cruisers should take the lead, the high road.  Hope it happens.  

 

The Royal Caribbean ships sailing 7 days from Port Canaveral historically attractions large numbers of retirees in addition to families.  Port Canaveral is located near a lot of more affordable areas where people relocate to, including lots of retirement communities.  Expect the loyalty cruiser totals to remain high.

[Retired LEO]

3 hours ago, Andy C said:

Nowhere in the SUITE marketing materials does it mention anything about sharing the space with NSPPs.  Nowhere.  Unless you read CC you wouldn't know this boondoggle exists.  

 

I really do not understand why this is so hard for people to understand. 

It's clearly mentioned on the website for all to see. As it states "Exclusive for suites and pinnacles"

And nowhere does it mention what cabin category the pinnacles need to be in.

Is that not clear to you?

[Snowbird_in_training]

5 minutes ago, Retired LEO said:

It's clearly mentioned on the website for all to see. As it states "Exclusive for suites and pinnacles"

And nowhere does it mention what cabin category the pinnacles need to be in.

Is that not clear to you?

This is what’s on Royals website for all to see.  

 

As part of the Royal Caribbean commitment to creating unforgettable vacation experiences for our guests, we have developed Royal Suite Class — Luxury That’s Anything But Boring. Royal Suite Class is an elevated onboard experience for suite guests, combining the unmatched range of innovative Royal Caribbean suite-category accommodations with superior service, exclusive access and personalization of guests’ cruise experiences. Within its three tiers — Star, Sky and Sea — this program offers exclusive access to lounges and dining venues while onboard, attentive services and additional stateroom amenities.

Edited May 23, 2019 by Snowbird_in_training

[John&LaLa]

1 hour ago, Milwaukee Eight said:

Post #47 has a picture of it. It’s a printed piece of paper in a plastic letter display like below. I believe it’s on the Concierge desk in SL.  Was thinking Allure???

 

In my opinion 

 

 

Oasis, you can tell by the Concierge names

[John&LaLa]

46 minutes ago, Milwaukee Eight said:

I suspect that Harmony SL/CK are likely to be more crowded than her sister ship Oasis, which was a favorite of C&A Tiers. Oasis had a beautiful Diamond Lounge, two decks, with windows and a view.  Harmony downsized the DL, moved it to Deck 4, no windows. On Oasis, P’s had a nice location to retreat if kids/children bothered them too much. On Harmony, no such retreat. 

 

In my opinion. 

 

Children have been allowed in DL for a long time now

[Snowbird_in_training]

9 minutes ago, Retired LEO said:

It's clearly mentioned on the website for all to see. As it states "Exclusive for suites and pinnacles"

And nowhere does it mention what cabin category the pinnacles need to be in.

Is that not clear to you?

 

More marketing information directly from Royal’s website for all to see.   

 

Q

What benefits are included in each Royal Suite Class Tier?

 

 

SEA

• Dinner at Coastal Kitchen*
• Royal Caribbean Classic Bathrobes for Use Onboard
• Luxury Pillow Top Mattress
• Luxury Bathroom Amenities by L’Occitane®

* Please note, reservations are required for dinner at Coastal Kitchen. Beverages are not included.

SKY

• Concierge Service
• All Day Access to Coastal Kitchen*
• Specialty Bottled Water (upon arrival)
• Complimentary VOOM, The Fastest Internet at Sea †
• Priority Boarding and Departure
• Priority Dining Reservations
• Reserved Seating Area in Select Entertainment Venues
• Suite Lounge Access (complimentary hors d’oeuvres and cocktails each evening)
• Access to Suite Sun Deck
• Exclusive Access to the Barefoot Beach Club** at our Private Destination Labadee®
• Spa Bathrobes for Use Onboard
• Luxury Pillow Top Mattress
• Luxury Bathroom Amenities by L’Occitane®

* Please note, reservations are required for dinner. Beverages not included. 
† Surf + Stream package. One device per person for each guest booked in a Sky suite. Access codes will be provided upon arrival. 
** Barefoot Beach cabanas are an additional cost and require reservations.

STAR

• Exclusive Access to Royal Genie Service
• All Day Access to Coastal Kitchen*
• Complimentary Specialty Restaurants* (including Chef’s Table and à la carte dining)
• Complimentary Deluxe Beverage Package (for guests 21 years or older)
• Complimentary Refreshment Package (for guests under 21 years)
• Still and Sparkling Water Replenished Daily
• Complimentary GratuitiesΔ
• Complimentary VOOM**, The Fastest Internet at Sea
• Expedited Boarding and Departure
• Best Seats in the House in Select Entertainment Venues
• Priority Entrance to Many Onboard Activities††
• Suite Lounge Access (complimentary hors d’oeuvres and cocktails each evening)
• Access to Suite Sun Deck
• Exclusive Access to the Barefoot Beach ClubΔΔ at our Private Destination Labadee®
• Complimentary Minibar stocked with Coca-Cola® Beverages and Water
• Complimentary Laundry and Pressing Services
• Duxiana® Mattress and Pillows
• Frette® Linens
• Luxury Bathroom Amenities by L’Occitane®
• Spa Bathrobes for Use Onboard
• Coffee Maker

* Please note, reservations are required for dinner. Beverages not included in the Deluxe Beverage Package will be charged to the guest. 
Δ Complimentary Gratuities benefit applies only to onboard staff who provide standard dining and culinary services, stateroom and general housekeeping services. Star guests may tip their Royal Genie and Concierge separately, at their own discretion.
** Surf + Stream package. One device per person for each guest booked in a Star suite. Access codes will be provided by your Royal Genie.
†† Enjoy reduced wait times for select onboard activities during published hours, excluding peak times between 1:00 pm and 4:00 pm on Sea Days.
ΔΔ Complimentary access to Barefoot Beach. Barefoot Beach cabanas are an additional cost and require reservations.

[Milwaukee Eight]

Just now, John&LaLa said:

 

Children have been allowed in DL for a long time now

Not without a lot of resistance from upper tiers here on CC. 

 

In my opinion

[Milwaukee Eight]

4 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

 

Oasis, you can tell by the Concierge names

Got it, thanks. I was pretty sure it wasn’t on Harmony. 

[Snowbird_in_training]

 

2 minutes ago, Milwaukee Eight said:

Got it, thanks. I was pretty sure it wasn’t on Harmony. 

 

Harmony concierges last week were Elaine and Cheker.  Both were wonderful.   

[Snowbird_in_training]

18 minutes ago, reallyitsmema said:

 

The Royal Caribbean ships sailing 7 days from Port Canaveral historically attractions large numbers of retirees in addition to families.  Port Canaveral is located near a lot of more affordable areas where people relocate to, including lots of retirement communities.  Expect the loyalty cruiser totals to remain high.

True.  We did meet so many retirees and really enjoyed hearing how they chose central Florida. We see The Villages ads here quite often, was interesting to hear about the huge number of very affordable retirement options.  Now those love bugs, that’s a different story.   

 

The upper tier cruisers and young families will, hopefully, coexist quite well to make a wonderful cruise experience for all. 

[PopeyeDaSailor]

3 hours ago, Andy C said:

 

I can tell you from firsthand experience that children are not welcome in the Suite Lounge and CK and in particular by the owners of the ship (you'll know who they are by the little gold lapel pins).

 

The staff is another story - they will fawn over your children and play with them and high five them.  Many of them have children and they see their children in yours.  They are real special people.  Your family will form a bond with them.  

 

Godspeed on Allure in late September.  You will be on a ship and time that should be prime for NSPPs.  

 

 

My 12 and 5 year old were very welcomed.  We of course made sure they acted like they were in church while they were in there.  Jennie & Jackie the suites concierge's lorded over them and treated them like gold.  As a matter of fact they loved my 5 year old daughter and when we had the "sail away" reception for the suites at the front helipad they grabbed her and escorted her right to the center of the activities.  My 12 year old would ask me if he could go up to the CK to say "hi" to them he was so welcomed.

 

I didn't notice anyone giving us the "eyes" about them either, but like I said we made sure they were behaved.  We ate later dinners so by then my 5 year old was running on empty anyhow.  As for breakfast I saw a lot of families up there with kids.  There was one large family who had one 7 year old that never took her face out of her tablet all week.  I felt sad for her because she seemed ignored by her family but to each their own.

[Big_G]

4 hours ago, Andy C said:

 

I can tell you from firsthand experience that children are not welcome in the Suite Lounge and CK and in particular by the owners of the ship (you'll know who they are by the little gold lapel pins).

 

The staff is another story - they will fawn over your children and play with them and high five them.  Many of them have children and they see their children in yours.  They are real special people.  Your family will form a bond with them.  

 

Godspeed on Allure in late September.  You will be on a ship and time that should be prime for NSPPs.  

 

 

I can tell you after having my 4 year old grandson in the SL, this is wrong. People were swooning over the kid so there's that. Was it because he was well behaved? Maybe that's an issue for  others.

[Big_G]

20 hours ago, Milwaukee Eight said:

And what are yours otherwise. It’s my opinion based on my experience with five cruises in GS on Oasis Class. Family members are P too. 

 

When you find where I made any assumptions about P's cruising and spending habits, please let me know. Unlike you, I will immediately ask for the comment to be deleted.

[John&LaLa]

1 hour ago, Milwaukee Eight said:

Not without a lot of resistance from upper tiers here on CC. 

 

In my opinion

 

I doubt Royal cares what CC thinks

[Mikew0805]

5 hours ago, Andy C said:

Nowhere in the SUITE marketing materials does it mention anything about sharing the space with NSPPs.  Nowhere.  Unless you read CC you wouldn't know this boondoggle exists.  

 

I really do not understand why this is so hard for people to understand. 

Really... no where? A quick google search of "who can access the suite lounge on Royal Caribbean" and within 3 clicks I find on Royal's website the image below.  Seems like there is no "boondoggle", 🤣 only a comprehension problem for some folks. As so many on these boards say all the time to those newbies that make mistakes.... "Do your research." Anyone willing to drop tens of thousands of dollars on a vacation, should at least take some responsibility for being informed. 

 

https://secure.royalcaribbean.com/cas/benefitsLoggedin.do;jsessionid=x_Z4EutgnnBNls1N6Xeqajw#rcca-answer20

Edited May 23, 2019 by Mikew0805
added link for reference

[Mikew0805]

5 hours ago, Andy C said:

 

This tells you most everything you need to know about RCI demographics.  

 

Ah.. and yet there is proof of two RCI cruises that you took in your signature. 

[Mikew0805]

2 hours ago, Snowbird_in_training said:

You’re right.  This is copied directly from the Royal site. 

 

As part of the Royal Caribbean commitment to creating unforgettable vacation experiences for our guests, we have developed Royal Suite Class — Luxury That’s Anything But Boring. Royal Suite Class is an elevated onboard experience for suite guests, combining the unmatched range of innovative Royal Caribbean suite-category accommodations with superior service, exclusive access and personalization of guests’ cruise experiences. Within its three tiers — Star, Sky and Sea — this program offers exclusive access to lounges and dining venues while onboard, attentive services and additional stateroom amenities.

It's still exclusive. It doesn't say "exclusive to suite guess only."

2 hours ago, Milwaukee Eight said:

I sure wouldn’t call it “exclusive access “ for Suite Guests under current conditions. 

Great.. because it does not say that. 👍

 

Can't call me Loyal to Royal. I don't play that "loyal" to any company non sense. I patronize companies that are loyal to me. 

[John&LaLa]

Mike, I blew your reference up a little.

 

[hazence]

2 hours ago, Milwaukee Eight said:

I sure wouldn’t call it “exclusive access “ for Suite Guests under current conditions. 

It’s not “exclusive” but it is worded as if it is. In fact, let’s look at the proportion of suites to rooms on Oasis:

 

 

Royal Caribbean Cruises - Oasis of the Seas

Complete List of Staterooms and Suites

This is a list of all the cabins and suites onboard Royal Caribbean Cruises's Oasis of the Seas. Please click a cabin number below for more details about that particular cabin. Please note, cabin decor and size may vary among cabins in these categories. All descriptions are general as it relates to a particular category.

Number of Decks:	15
Number of Categories:	52
Suites	194
Balcony Staterooms	1793
Oceanview Staterooms	257
Inside Staterooms	495
Total Number of Staterooms	2739
Accessible Staterooms	51
Connecting Staterooms	708.

 

Now out of 2739 staterooms, only 194 are suites. That should mean that there would be plenty of opportunity for those paying a premium price to cruise...to use the amenities allotted to that class of cabin. But RCCL has diluted these amenities by opening them to an unknown (at time of booking) potential mass of others. It’s like booking a restaurant room thinking it will be a-private party and the restaurant crams in anyone else they want who walks in the door.

 

Their wording is deceptive in their marketing.

 

This will sort itself out. RCCL will have to find a solution in order to keep their suite customers coming back instead of choosing a competitor.

Edited May 23, 2019 by hazence

[Milwaukee Eight]

1 hour ago, Big_G said:

 

I can tell you after having my 4 year old grandson in the SL, this is wrong. People were swooning over the kid so there's that. Was it because he was well behaved? Maybe that's an issue for  others.

I think the time of year makes a difference. We generally for the most part sail around a holiday. I’m on permanent vacation but the boss doesn’t get paid unless she is working. The fares are typically a bit higher. Less upper tier members sail during these times. Spring Break/Summer. 

 

In my opinion 

[Snowbird_in_training]

True.  It also doesn’t say that you won’t be able to use the SL because it’s overcrowded with Pinnacles either, does it?    Royal wants the Suite business.  They also like the bragging rights they have by saying, look at John and Mary Doe, they like us do much they’ve been cruising with us over 2500 nights.  Royal wants both business. With the current SL/CK model, it seems they’ll run out of space.    Can everyone share that space?    Of course.   Can it be shared without the eye rolls, bullying and clustering?   Doubtful.  

17 minutes ago, Mikew0805 said:

It's still exclusive. It doesn't say "exclusive to suite guess only."

 

[Milwaukee Eight]

1 hour ago, John&LaLa said:

 

I doubt Royal cares what CC thinks

I agree. It was in reference to the OP and their posts. 

 

In my opinion

[Snowbird_in_training]

I don’t know how many Pinnacles we had on our sailing.   We were going to the C&A event but dozed off on deck.  That event, by the way, ended up being opened to the entire ship.   That evening, we overheard a bit of grumbling about that in SL.   

[Mikew0805]

1 minute ago, Snowbird_in_training said:

True.  It also doesn’t say that you won’t be able to use the SL because it’s overcrowded with Pinnacles either, does it?    Royal wants the Suite business.  They also like the bragging rights they have by saying, look at John and Mary Doe, they like us do much they’ve been cruising with us over 2500 nights.  Royal wants both business. With the current SL/CK model, it seems they’ll run out of space.    Can everyone share that space?    Of course.   Can it be shared without the eye rolls, bullying and clustering?   Doubtful.  

Well I think that is just it. Royal's fault. Royal, Royal, Royal... so why blame the Pinnacles that have the same right as the suite guests. Royal lists them both as "Exclusive access to the suite lounge." It comes down to.. if one doesn't like that, then cruise with someone that has what you want. I know that is what I would do if I didn't like a policy, that I felt affected me.