2 Bedroom Aqua Theater or Star Loft Upgrade?

[TheBird83]

Hey folks, long time listener, first time caller - and my apologies if this has been covered elsewhere :). I was hoping to get some feedback about a couple different room types. I'm going to make a royal up offer on a future cruise, so this is all hypothetical/wishful thinking. I'm currently booked in an owner suite on Symphony of the Seas, but we have the option of making an offer on a 2 bedroom aquatheater suite as well as a star loft suite. 

 

For the 2 bedroom aqua theater suite, I know we can't pick between the A1 and A2 on the offer so I’m planning worse case for the smaller A2 award (if it even happens). First question is will the living area feel tight, and second did the bathrooms seem small (I’m not saying we spend a lot of time in there but it’s hard to tell from the videos).

 

In regards to the star loft suite, I know it's on deck 17. We're traveling with other extended family and balcony rooms, so how hard will it be for them to access this area to visit us? I imagine there have been others in this situation, so any input is appreciated. Thanks in advance and happy travels!
 

[John&LaLa]

30 minutes ago, TheBird83 said:

Hey folks, long time listener, first time caller - and my apologies if this has been covered elsewhere :). I was hoping to get some feedback about a couple different room types. I'm going to make a royal up offer on a future cruise, so this is all hypothetical/wishful thinking. I'm currently booked in an owner suite on Symphony of the Seas, but we have the option of making an offer on a 2 bedroom aquatheater suite as well as a star loft suite. 

 

For the 2 bedroom aqua theater suite, I know we can't pick between the A1 and A2 on the offer so I’m planning worse case for the smaller A2 award (if it even happens). First question is will the living area feel tight, and second did the bathrooms seem small (I’m not saying we spend a lot of time in there but it’s hard to tell from the videos).

 

In regards to the star loft suite, I know it's on deck 17. We're traveling with other extended family and balcony rooms, so how hard will it be for them to access this area to visit us? I imagine there have been others in this situation, so any input is appreciated. Thanks in advance and happy travels!
 

 

Difference between A1 and A2 is miniscule, especially on Symphony 

 

Master bath is like a JS, other bath is like a balcony cabin.

 

Doors to deck 17 are rarely locked

[TheBird83]

Awesome, thanks!

[SuzD123]

7 hours ago, John&LaLa said:

 

Difference between A1 and A2 is miniscule, especially on Symphony 

 

Master bath is like a JS, other bath is like a balcony cabin.

 

Doors to deck 17 are rarely locked

We are booked in an A1 2-bedroom Aqua Theatre Suite in Jan 2023 (our first time in Star Class) so unfortunately can't share too much there...yet.  Though we have not stayed in a Star Loft (specifically), we were able to sail in a Crown Loft suite on Allure in Feb 2020, right before the world changed.  So what was access like to the loft suites?  Entrance to the loft suite area is "secured" but as John & LaLa shared, the doors (just outside the suite lounge area) seemed to be rarely shut/locked.  Assuming the doors are closed, your guests/family/friends could easily meet you or message you using the Royal App.  As for the location it was amazing (for us anyway).  We LOVED our suite and seldom found ourselves roaming the ship...which was perfect for our long-overdue escape...most everything we needed was in the suite lounge and Coastal Kitchen...steps from our door.  Add Star Class to the equation...I can only imagine.

[karmamule]

We are currently booked for a 1 bedroom ATS on Allure this October, and have RoyalUp bids in for 2 bedroom ATS, Royal Loft, and Owner's Panoramic suites. We'll be happy with any of them, but I'm not-so-secretly hoping we get the 2 bedroom ATS.

 

One caution about Star Loft suites: one of them has a side-facing balcony and the other one a front-facing balcony that overlooks lots of public areas. Are you going to be ok with getting either one of those? We decided we liked the idea of both for different reasons, but just be aware you can't know in advance which one you'll get.

 

[bobmacliberty]

I haven't stayed in either (was in a CLS last week) but would probably choose the Star Loft because it's on deck 17.  It's nice being so close to the SL and to CK.  It's a LONG walk to get back to the AT Suites.  From videos, the Star Lofts have 2 nice bathrooms.  As others have said, shouldn't be a problem for family/friends getting access to deck 17.  Others who have had a Genie can better comment on what a Genie is willing to do for non-Star friends.

[John&LaLa]

8 minutes ago, karmamule said:

We are currently booked for a 1 bedroom ATS on Allure this October, and have RoyalUp bids in for 2 bedroom ATS, Royal Loft, and Owner's Panoramic suites. We'll be happy with any of them, but I'm not-so-secretly hoping we get the 2 bedroom ATS.

 

One caution about Star Loft suites: one of them has a side-facing balcony and the other one a front-facing balcony that overlooks lots of public areas. Are you going to be ok with getting either one of those? We decided we liked the idea of both for different reasons, but just be aware you can't know in advance which one you'll get.

 

 

I think 1724 balcony wraps around

[karmamule]

15 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

 

I think 1724 balcony wraps around

 

From the videos I've seen it does have a nice unobstructed view off to the side of the ship given its height, but doesn't wrap around like an ATS does. The main reason I bring it up is so they're aware that the level of privacy is radically different between the two star loft suites, in case that matters.

 

Having said that, I'd love to win the RoyalUp bid and find out for sure.  😄

Edited September 27, 2021 by karmamule

[mac_tlc]

Have stayed in an A1 twice, and a CL twice, no Star Loft yet.  The A1's are all about the balcony and the view of the Aquatheater. The bedrooms and bathrooms are an after thought. Even the master bedroom is a tight fit between the bed and the drawers/TV.  Second bedroom is even tighter. Living are is excellent. Master bath is smaller then a JS, at least on Oasis/Allure. It has a tub but you better not be over about 6'3". 

 

For us, it depends on how many are travelling. When we have had the A1, we had 8, which fit fine. The walk is long and DW has some mobility issues so its a chore to do it all week. But to get all eight together it is worth it. 

 

If I had only as many people as would fit in the Star Loft, I would pick it every time. Location on Deck 17 is fabulous. 

 

Symphony/Harmony A1's are smaller then Oasis/Allure. 

 

mac_tlc

[Cruising89143]

I would take one of the Star lofts. We did not care for the ATS. Balcony was nice but the interior space felt tight. Bathrooms left a lot to be desired for a suite category that expensive. Have cruised in all three loft categories and our favorite Star was #1724 with the aft view. By the way, the balcony on #1724 did not wrap around but is plenty big enough.

[Bradison]

Our TA just told me that if we bid up on either a 2 bed ATS or a Star Loft we would get it since capacities are so low.  Seems too good to be true.

 

We are in a CLS but would be thrilled with either upgrade.  If we bid on both how do they decided which one to give us?  Was planning to bid just above the minimum bid but the TA has me rethinking.  Thoughts?

[mac_tlc]

There are only 2 Star Lofts. If they are already sold, doesn’t matter if the ship is at 50%. Only 2 A1’s, same issue. If they are full, unless those folks bid up, you won’t get it.Of course there may be cancellations. 
 

I think someone trying to bid up to a CL has a better shot since there are more of them. Or a GS. At the Star Class level, it’s harder.

 

Worth a shot though.

Edited September 30, 2021 by mac_tlc

[karmamule]

18 minutes ago, Bradison said:

Our TA just told me that if we bid up on either a 2 bed ATS or a Star Loft we would get it since capacities are so low.  Seems too good to be true.

 

We are in a CLS but would be thrilled with either upgrade.  If we bid on both how do they decided which one to give us?  Was planning to bid just above the minimum bid but the TA has me rethinking.  Thoughts?

 

They won't just decide on your bid alone. They'll try to put together upgrades that "chain together" that make them the most money. You could bid more on one of those than someone else, but if that someone else is coming from a cabin that itself is a target of another person's upgrade bid, they may give it to them because then they'll get 2 upgrades rather than just 1. 

[RFerrington]

1 hour ago, Bradison said:

Our TA just told me that if we bid up on either a 2 bed ATS or a Star Loft we would get it

I wish you good luck with the RoyalUp bid but I think it’s a bit irresponsible for your TA to make such a claim.  As others have noted, the SC suites are very few and they are very popular.  There could be literally hundreds of RU bids targeted at these suites.  The chances of getting a SC suite are actually quit slim.  Of course, if there are any SC suites available, someone will get them.  I hope it’s you !

[Bradison]

12 minutes ago, RFerrington said:

I wish you good luck with the RoyalUp bid but I think it’s a bit irresponsible for your TA to make such a claim.  As others have noted, the SC suites are very few and they are very popular.  There could be literally hundreds of RU bids targeted at these suites.  The chances of getting a SC suite are actually quit slim.  Of course, if there are any SC suites available, someone will get them.  I hope it’s you !

Thanks for the positive thoughts.  Would not be the first time she has been wrong about a detail on a cruise.  That is why I was looking for some recent experience as I know it is a completely different environment at this time.

 

FWIW, there are 2 2 Bed ATS showing available if you do a mock booking.  One on deck 8 and one on deck 9.  I have always wanted to be on deck 17 for the convenience to CK/SL but DW is in love with those huge balconies.  Either way we will win as the CLS will still be awesome.  The Genie is a novelty to me but for some reason really excites her.  Maybe she is tired of being my Genie

[vjmatty]

7 hours ago, Bradison said:

Thanks for the positive thoughts.  Would not be the first time she has been wrong about a detail on a cruise.  That is why I was looking for some recent experience as I know it is a completely different environment at this time.

 

FWIW, there are 2 2 Bed ATS showing available if you do a mock booking.  One on deck 8 and one on deck 9.  I have always wanted to be on deck 17 for the convenience to CK/SL but DW is in love with those huge balconies.  Either way we will win as the CLS will still be awesome.  The Genie is a novelty to me but for some reason really excites her.  Maybe she is tired of being my Genie

It comes down to which wow factor you want, the room or the balcony. The SLS, and even the CLS for that matter, have the wow factor in the room with its high windows, but have mediocre balconies compared to the ATS, which have wow factor balconies but mediocre suite layouts

 

I think it really comes down to how much you are into seeing the shows and people watching on the Boardwalk.  Deck 17 is great if you want to spend most of your time in the suite lounge and eat most of your meals in the CK. Last time we had a chance to upgrade to either an OS or CLS, I chose the OS because it was near Central Park and we had booked he UDP. I didn't want to be that far away from the restaurants. Also, I thought having the beverage package would be better than limiting ourselves to the suite lounge because I wanted to enjoy the bars and lounges on the entire ship, and grab a drink wherever I happened to be rather than run up to Deck 17 when my glass was empty. And there's also the stairs factor in the CLS and SLS. God I hate stairs lol. 

Edited September 30, 2021 by vjmatty

[Cruise a holic]

We always book a CLS.  The two bathrooms a real plus.  I would definately books a Star loft suite.  The location near the suite lounge and restaurant a real plus.  Not a fan of the noise from the Aqua theatre suites.  They sometimes in addition to the shows, show late night movies and they are noisy.  We have January cruises booked and I will bid, if available on a  Star loft.  We have had an owner suite- but the lack of the second bathroom a real negative.  

[RFerrington]

We started our Star Class journey in the ATS.  As @vjmattysaid, the balconies are the draw for those suites.  The rest of the suite (particularly the bathrooms !) are not particularly impressive but the views on the ATS balconies are awesome.  After a few trips to the ATS ((2 X Deck 8 and 1 X Deck 9) we decided that we didn't like the long walk all the way aft so we began exploring Deck 17.  We have stayed in both versions of the Star Loft Suites as well as the Grand Loft Suite (Oasis only).  The 2-level views from the SLS are breathtaking and we definitely prefer deck 17 now but I really hate the stairs.  Our absolute favorite though, is the GLS on Oasis as it has both the beautiful views and the lovely bathrooms plus no walking and no stairs.  The only down side to the GLS is the very small balcony - but there is a hot tub so that kinda makes up for the small balcony. We have the Owner's Loft Suite (Oasis) booked for Jan 2022 and that will leave only the Grand Panoramic (Oasis only)  Suite and the Royal Loft Suite as the only SC suites we have not stayed in.

[vjmatty]

6 hours ago, RFerrington said:

We started our Star Class journey in the ATS.  As @vjmattysaid, the balconies are the draw for those suites.  The rest of the suite (particularly the bathrooms !) are not particularly impressive but the views on the ATS balconies are awesome.  After a few trips to the ATS ((2 X Deck 8 and 1 X Deck 9) we decided that we didn't like the long walk all the way aft so we began exploring Deck 17.  We have stayed in both versions of the Star Loft Suites as well as the Grand Loft Suite (Oasis only).  The 2-level views from the SLS are breathtaking and we definitely prefer deck 17 now but I really hate the stairs.  Our absolute favorite though, is the GLS on Oasis as it has both the beautiful views and the lovely bathrooms plus no walking and no stairs.  The only down side to the GLS is the very small balcony - but there is a hot tub so that kinda makes up for the small balcony. We have the Owner's Loft Suite (Oasis) booked for Jan 2022 and that will leave only the Grand Panoramic (Oasis only)  Suite and the Royal Loft Suite as the only SC suites we have not stayed in.

I forgot about the extra bathroom….but it’s usually just the two of us and hubby’s not a bathroom hogger. And while we’re on the subject, why couldn’t they put a tub in the downstairs bathroom?

[Cruise a holic]

29 minutes ago, vjmatty said:

I forgot about the extra bathroom….but it’s usually just the two of us and hubby’s not a bathroom hogger. And while we’re on the subject, why couldn’t they put a tub in the downstairs bathroom?

On the harmony, the crown loft has a bath tub in the upstairs bathroom 

[vjmatty]

21 minutes ago, Cruise a holic said:

On the harmony, the crown loft has a bath tub in the upstairs bathroom 

Ah, so it doesn’t have the mega shower like Oasis? Ideally if a suite has two bathrooms I’d want one of each 

[DaKahuna]

Received a similar upgrade bid offer.  Not sure what we really want to do.  We stayed in the two story crown loft on Allure and we’re not fans of having to go up and down the stairs all the time nor the facts that it overlooked the sports court.  We like sitting on the balcony watching the waves go buy.

 

My current thoughts are that we’ll put in a bid for the Aqua Theater suites.  

[luckyinpa]

On 9/30/2021 at 6:15 AM, Cruise a holic said:

We always book a CLS.  The two bathrooms a real plus.  I would definately books a Star loft suite.  The location near the suite lounge and restaurant a real plus.  Not a fan of the noise from the Aqua theatre suites.  They sometimes in addition to the shows, show late night movies and they are noisy.  We have January cruises booked and I will bid, if available on a  Star loft.  We have had an owner suite- but the lack of the second bathroom a real negative.  

 

regarding aqua suites. do you mean you heard noise even inside with the door closed. id expect lotta noise on the balcony any time day or nite with all going on but hope inside with doors closed it's quiet

[RFerrington]

During the AT shows you can still hear the “noise” even with the doors shut but it isn’t overwhelming.

[Cruise a holic]

9 hours ago, RFerrington said:

During the AT shows you can still hear the “noise” even with the doors shut but it isn’t overwhelming.

However after the shows, they showed movies in the theatre which were very noisy-  I am a light sleeper.