Royal Caribbean Star Class Genie

Well comparing it to our butler in the Garden Villa on NCL - pretty different. He did it all himself with one guy who seemed to sleep in a closet between the 2 villas and help with the cleaning. But if I ordered room service at 2 am my butler showed up (which bothered me to bother him). Butlers serve you, pick up after you, watch over you.

Genies don't. I keep describing them as super charged personal assistants. They coordinate what you need from each of the ship's departments to watch over you. They have 3 or 4 cabins but we generally felt that when we needed Francesco, he was available either right then or within a reasonable time. But no, he's not going to deliver room service at 2 am.

But he will make sure your reservations are done, problems solved, special needs and requests met. Plus, he was there for the personal touches when needed, such as running our in suite cocktail and anniversary party for our friends.

As to the cabin, we had 2 cabin attendants who were super. There was no need for our Genie to be cleaning up.

I think when you add up all the perks of Star Class - and again, just wait until you have the personal escort off the ship the size of Allure - free drink package, free specialty restaurants, free internet, free almost everything (ok, better to probably say "included" than "free"), I think it works.

I agree that NCL does do the suite thing very well. But I've never been back. As someone else said the "regular" part of an NCL cruise I did not like as much as Royal.

But it's all subjective I suppose.

I'm sorry to read about your experiences you posted. You never mentioned which ship, which cabin and if you choose to answer what was your Genie's name? If we happen to have your genie I want to prepare myself to guiding them in the right direction.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2368253

Above is a thread kjenaz wrote she was going on the Oasis and Margaret would be her genie. Hope this helps.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2368253

 

Above is a thread kjenaz wrote she was going on the Oasis and Margaret would be her genie. Hope this helps.

Thanks for the link. I read that thread when it was originally posted. I didn't realize that the OP was the same as the one didn't answer my questions here. Thanks for letting me know the answers to my questions.

We will be on Allure so there is a very limited chance of getting the same Genie. We got the surveys July 25th and we sail on August 28th so we are headed in the right direction.

... They are not butlers. ...

Good to know. Now three questions:

1- Has RCI has ever offered butler service?

2- Can a suite guest (or any other cabin category) request butler service as an extra?

3- What's the difference between a genie and a concierge?

Thanks for the link. I read that thread when it was originally posted. I didn't realize that the OP was the same as the one didn't answer my questions here. Thanks for letting me know the answers to my questions.

 

We will be on Allure so there is a very limited chance of getting the same Genie. We got the surveys July 25th and we sail on August 28th so we are headed in the right direction.

Yvw..you are always so helpful I am glad I was able to help. My family will be in the Aqua Theater 8730 next July..hoping the kinks will be all ironed out by then.. have a wonderful trip :)

We will be on Allure so there is a very limited chance of getting the same Genie. We got the surveys July 25th and we sail on August 28th so we are headed in the right direction.

Uggg... We are on Oasis on August 27th and I haven't gotten anything as of yet and the waiting and watching my email is killing me. :eek:

We will be on Allure so there is a very limited chance of getting the same Genie. We got the surveys July 25th and we sail on August 28th so we are headed in the right direction.

Uggg... We are on Oasis on August 27th and I haven't gotten anything as of yet and the waiting and watching my email is killing me. :eek:

Sorry to hear that you have yet to get your survey. I did however take screen shots of it prior to doing mine. So in preparation for your cruise you can think of how you might answer the survey when you get it.

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Yvw..you are always so helpful I am glad I was able to help. My family will be in the Aqua Theater 8730 next July..hoping the kinks will be all ironed out by then.. have a wonderful trip :)

Thank-you for the kind words. I'm sure any and all thinks will be worked out by then. Keep your eyes open, there will be a live review with periscopes.

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we sail on 8/21 on the allure (1720) and still have nothing. No email or survey. Our TA keeps telling us "It will come today!" and it doesn't.

Does it come to your email or do you have to log onto your RC account and see it in there somewhere?

I think part of the issue/delay is that they are on board helping current guests. I almost feel like they need 1 person for all Suite guests on land that gets some of this taken care of so people know what to expect and when.

we sail on 8/21 on the allure (1720) and still have nothing. No email or survey. Our TA keeps telling us "It will come today!" and it doesn't.

 

Does it come to your email or do you have to log onto your RC account and see it in there somewhere?

 

I think part of the issue/delay is that they are on board helping current guests. I almost feel like they need 1 person for all Suite guests on land that gets some of this taken care of so people know what to expect and when.

It came by email. When you click on the link it goes to Survey Monkey. I think the pre-cruise survey is automatically generated by a set time of days prior to the sailing. It is my understanding that the genie reaches out to you 2 weeks prior to your sailing.

Edit: there might be people on shore doing this part of the survey work, but I suspect it is computer generated. I suspect the information extrapolated from this gets passed onto the Genie by email.

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It came by email. When you click on the link it goes to Survey Monkey. I think the pre-cruise survey is automatically generated by a set time of days prior to the sailing. It is my understanding that the genie reaches out to you 2 weeks prior to your sailing.

 

 

Edit: there are people on shore doing this part of the survey, if not computer generated. The information extrapolated from this gets passed onto the Genie by email.

 

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THANK YOU! So did you get yours 2 weeks out? I thought I saw you are sailing the week after me? But I could be wrong :)

THANK YOU! So did you get yours 2 weeks out? I thought I saw you are sailing the week after me? But I could be wrong :)

I got the survey this Monday, July 25th. It comes from RC and not personally from the Genie. We sail on August 28 on Allure. I doubt the ship makes a difference regarding the generated survey.

From what I have read from Matt the more personal email and introduction from the Genie comes 2 weeks prior to your sailing date.

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Loved our experience with our genie on the Allure last May. I wish we could have taken Daniel home with us.

As a result of that cruise, I have 3 more star class cruises booked.

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Good to know. Now three questions:

 

1- Has RCI has ever offered butler service?

 

2- Can a suite guest (or any other cabin category) request butler service as an extra?

 

3- What's the difference between a genie and a concierge?

I've been sailing Royal suites since 2002 (and lots of regular cabins :)) and no. No butlers ever. Celebrity does have them.

You don't need a butler on deck 17. Your cabin attendants - 2 per cabin - are the best in the fleet. The genie coordinates the rest.

The 2 concierges are handling all of the Sky class suites - and there are many - plus any Pinnacle members on board. Your Genie has 3-4 cabins max. He or she is your personal assistant.

Hope that helped.

So surprised to read that Margaret on Oasis was the potential problem Genie on Oasis.

Before the official launch she had a Facebook page as a genie (Royal made her take it down) and was incredibly helpful and responsive to my questions. Plus her background is as a chief stew on mega luxury yachts. She would have a lot of experience dealing with some of the most demanding people around. But I guess everyone can have a bad day or week? [emoji848]

We sail August 13th on Oasis in star class. We got the survey on July 7th and our first personal email from our Genie (Israel) on July 27th. He has been VERY responsive to every request and email. I plan on doing a review once we are back. So far, I'm quite impressed!

Looking forward to the review

So surprised to read that Margaret on Oasis was the potential problem Genie on Oasis.

 

Before the official launch she had a Facebook page as a genie (Royal made her take it down) and was incredibly helpful and responsive to my questions. Plus her background is as a chief stew on mega luxury yachts. She would have a lot of experience dealing with some of the most demanding people around. But I guess everyone can have a bad day or week? [emoji848]

I too am surprised.

We sail August 13th on Oasis in star class. We got the survey on July 7th and our first personal email from our Genie (Israel) on July 27th. He has been VERY responsive to every request and email. I plan on doing a review once we are back. So far, I'm quite impressed!

Israel has been a long time concierge with Royal and is beloved by many on here. You should have no issues.

Israel has been a long time concierge with Royal and is beloved by many on here. You should have no issues.

I always enjoyed him in the CL and then SL.

We also fall into the category of not having received anything yet from RC. We sail on the Anthem on Aug 11.

The funny thing is that after logging in and looking at the options, etc, RC sent and e-mail advising that we must have missed signing up (read paying for) for the Ultimate Beverage Package but there was still time. It's obvious that one hand doesn't know what the other is doing as this is included in with the Star Class suites. I guess I shouldn't be surprised that we haven't received anything yet.

Taking it a step further, our TA called RC 3 times while making our reservation and none of the RC agents she spoke with knew anything about the ultimate drink package, included specialty restaurants or included gratuities as part of the Star Class suite packages! As far as they were concerned these things were not included.

This is our first RC sailing and I hope this is not indicative of what happens on the ship as well. :rolleyes:

Well - we thought it was pretty special. But obviously there's always going to be variances, better and worse. As I've said a dozen times - the escorted 10 minute embark and disembark, curb to cabin and cabin to curb, was worth every penny just on its own.

 

Then having someone on call to make what you need come to be, and even some surprises. Well it worked for us. I hope you have the same experience. But, as I've also said a dozen times, if you expect a butler then you definitely won't be happy.

 

Enjoy, have fun !

May I clarify something Matt regarding the embarking (and disembarking) process? I think I read (and it may have been you that said it), your genie meets you upon entering the terminal, they take you and your luggage through security and then onto the ship and your suite. Your luggage also immediately goes to your suite. Is this correct and if yes, does a porter escort you and the genie with your bags from the time the genie meets you or do you carry your own bags until passing through security and then a porter (or equivalent) takes your bags?

I assume someone "with an I Pad" has to identify you first so that they know that you are in a suite with genie privileges???

Typically the first thing you do upon entering the terminal is drop off your luggage. How would someone know not to do this if the genie is also organizing luggage transportation? Or is luggage dropped off at this terminal after you meet the first staff member who starts the check-in process?

I'm very used to the NCL butler/concierge process at the Manhattan terminal so I'm just trying to understand this in advance. It may determine how many bags we take :).

Thanks for all your feedback.

This is the concept: you arrive with your bags and you do not give them to the usual baggage handlers. You instead immediately inform someone that you are star class, and they get your genie, your Genie comes down and meets you and makes sure the Porter gets your bags through security and you, and then you go straight to your suite. You do not see your Porter after security because they will hand them off to a ship person who brings your bags directly to your suite. So if you want to tip your Porter, make sure you do it before your genie takes you on board.

Fort Lauderdale and Bayonne are different. In Fort Lauderdale they actually have to check you in at a desk and give you your Sea pass card. Which, by the way,takes less than a couple of minutes. In Bayonne you have the iPad people who check you in with your paper sea pass and your Sea pass cards will be waiting for you in your suite.

What ever the exact process turns out to be, it's the same result. Don't give your bags to the regular curbside people, and don't worry because someone is going to carry them away for you to your suite. And you are basically going to go curbside to your suite in a very short amount of time, bypassing everyone else, unless you have arrived at the terminal way too early and boarding has not begun. But, your genie should contact you prior to boarding day and set a time for your arrival to make sure it goes smoothly.

As to your other concern about what RC agents may have said to your travel agent, I really wouldn't worry about it. Unfortunately, there are lots of issues with regular RC agents not really understanding new programs or even programs that have been around for a long time. The ship experience is completely different. Rest assured your ultimate beverage package, your specialty restaurants, and your gratuities are included. And while every trip will have its hiccups, ship staff are generally on the ball.

This is the concept: you arrive with your bags and you do not give them to the usual baggage handlers. You instead immediately inform someone that you are star class, and they get your genie, your Genie comes down and meets you and makes sure the Porter gets your bags through security and you, and then you go straight to your suite. You do not see your Porter after security because they will hand them off to a ship person who brings your bags directly to your suite. So if you want to tip your Porter, make sure you do it before your genie takes you on board.

 

Fort Lauderdale and Bayonne are different. In Fort Lauderdale they actually have to check you in at a desk and give you your Sea pass card. Which, by the way,takes less than a couple of minutes. In Bayonne you have the iPad people who check you in with your paper sea pass and your Sea pass cards will be waiting for you in your suite.

 

What ever the exact process turns out to be, it's the same result. Don't give your bags to the regular curbside people, and don't worry because someone is going to carry them away for you to your suite. And you are basically going to go curbside to your suite in a very short amount of time, bypassing everyone else, unless you have arrived at the terminal way too early and boarding has not begun. But, your genie should contact you prior to boarding day and set a time for your arrival to make sure it goes smoothly.

 

As to your other concern about what RC agents may have said to your travel agent, I really wouldn't worry about it. Unfortunately, there are lots of issues with regular RC agents not really understanding new programs or even programs that have been around for a long time. The ship experience is completely different. Rest assured your ultimate beverage package, your specialty restaurants, and your gratuities are included. And while every trip will have its hiccups, ship staff are generally on the ball.

Thanks Matt. I'm not really worried about the process happening, as much as what the process actually is. Without someone like you providing the insight, how is anyone to know, especially when there has been no RC correspondence. I know we'll get on the ship one way or another.

We are pretty low maintenance guests and typically don't take advantage of all the butler or concierge services. I'm just trying to figure out what I can (should??) expect via the genie.

Even the drinks, dining and gratuities are not worrying me. I know we are entitled to them, even if some RCI staff don't know it. It just surprises me that so many don't and I would prefer not to have to argue about it once on board.

I will post a review about our experience when I get back.

We sail August 13th on Oasis in star class. We got the survey on July 7th and our first personal email from our Genie (Israel) on July 27th. He has been VERY responsive to every request and email. I plan on doing a review once we are back. So far, I'm quite impressed!

Israel has been a long time concierge with Royal and is beloved by many on here. You should have no issues.

Agree with Matt. Israel is a gem and was a much loved Concierge. Enjoy!