Royal Caribbean Star Class Genie

Hey Everyone! I am sailing on June 2nd on Anthem of the Seas in Suite 8722 a Sky Loft, endless to say we are more than a little excited. We are only 18 days away from sailing and have yet to hear from our Genie. When have others heard from them, and/or did you have to reach out to them first?

Thanks!

Hey Everyone! I am sailing on June 2nd on Anthem of the Seas in Suite 8722 a Sky Loft, endless to say we are more than a little excited. We are only 18 days away from sailing and have yet to hear from our Genie. When have others heard from them, and/or did you have to reach out to them first?

 

Thanks!

Welcome to cruise critic. :)

Hey Everyone! I am sailing on June 2nd on Anthem of the Seas in Suite 8722 a Sky Loft, endless to say we are more than a little excited. We are only 18 days away from sailing and have yet to hear from our Genie. When have others heard from them, and/or did you have to reach out to them first?

 

Thanks!

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

Since the Genie, as well as some of the other amenities, are a new addition to the suite perks there have not been much info available to CC.

Hey Everyone! I am sailing on June 2nd on Anthem of the Seas in Suite 8722 a Sky Loft, endless to say we are more than a little excited. We are only 18 days away from sailing and have yet to hear from our Genie. When have others heard from them, and/or did you have to reach out to them first?

 

Thanks!

The timeline that I experienced seems to be the averaged based on the little information on CC for the new program.

You'll receive 1) a "get to know you" and preferences survey about two weeks before your sail date, and 2) a personal communication from your Genie about a week before, including an email with instructions on how to use Loop (the mobile website where you can text message with your Genie before and during the cruise).

Hope this helps!

The timeline that I experienced seems to be the averaged based on the little information on CC for the new program.

 

 

 

You'll receive 1) a "get to know you" and preferences survey about two weeks before your sail date, and 2) a personal communication from your Genie about a week before, including an email with instructions on how to use Loop (the mobile website where you can text message with your Genie before and during the cruise).

 

 

 

Hope this helps!

Exactly this. That was our experience exactly.

Literally just off the boat and sitting in FLL waiting to fly home now.

Good luck and enjoy your cruise. You will absolutely LOVE it.

Hey Everyone! I am sailing on June 2nd on Anthem of the Seas in Suite 8722 a Sky Loft, endless to say we are more than a little excited. We are only 18 days away from sailing and have yet to hear from our Genie. When have others heard from them, and/or did you have to reach out to them first?

 

Thanks!

Hi, my husband and I are in the same suite for 9 nights on the Anthem, 8722, in October. I am interested to know what you thought of the new suite perks and how they worked. I haven't been able to find any reviews or information that was distributed by RCCL.

Thanks!!

I am not surprised that you have not seen many reviews related to the Genies. We have been home for a week from our Star Class trip, and I am waiting for RCCL to attempt to correct many problems we had. I normally write very detailed reviews, but on this one I am going with "If you haven't got anything good to say - Don't say anything". At least not until customer service attempts to correct the numerous over charges.

I am not surprised that you have not seen many reviews related to the Genies. We have been home for a week from our Star Class trip, and I am waiting for RCCL to attempt to correct many problems we had. I normally write very detailed reviews, but on this one I am going with "If you haven't got anything good to say - Don't say anything". At least not until customer service attempts to correct the numerous over charges.

We are sailing star class next year. I would really appreciate your review. Good or bad.

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I am not surprised that you have not seen many reviews related to the Genies. We have been home for a week from our Star Class trip, and I am waiting for RCCL to attempt to correct many problems we had. I normally write very detailed reviews, but on this one I am going with "If you haven't got anything good to say - Don't say anything". At least not until customer service attempts to correct the numerous over charges.

I hope you get the problems resolved. And please do a review when you have time.

Here's my review of the Star Class experience. From Allure Sky Loft at end of May:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2361632

When you accept that they act as your super charged personal assistant, and are not waiting on you hand and foot so to speak, you're fine. They are not butlers. The perks were great. The best being getting on and off the ship so effortlessly. I mean effortlessly.

As to communication. You should hear one to two weeks out. If you got the questionnaire, trust me - they read it. At least ours did. But you could board and meet them for the first time and I bet they'd still make it all work. Don't stress.

Each genie is different. We never used loop. He preferred email ahead of time and the portable phone on board.

As for over charges. Not everything is included. There are certain items not included. Not many, but some. Scoops comes to mind. Starbucks snacks. Wine pairing menu at 150CP. Our genie came to us the last day with our bills to specifically go over any charges that should not have been there and got them corrected.

Hope you have a wonderful experience !

I had several communications with Matt on CC before our departure and he is correct that they are NOT butlers, ours made that very clear from the moment we met her. My hopes were for the experience that Matt had. We did not receive any email from our Genie until 5 days before our trip. Never did get the questionnaire. I replied with the schedule that our group of 6 had decided on. She replied with an email that told me what she couldn't do from the list. That was fair, but she never did reply that she had actually made the reservations for us. She did make about half of our show reservations for us, but we don't believe she did that until we were on board, so many of what we wanted were full and she would repeatedly tell us the night before that she was not able to fit us in. We are very experienced cruisers and believe that we could have had better service from the Concierge.

As for the bill, I knew exactly what was included in the Star Class. The bill included charges for the Chef's table, multiple drinks (We never ordered anything that exceeded the Ultimate drink package), the Luggage valet (Should not have been a charge - We flew first class and I put that on the form), and popcorn that she had went and gotten for us. I had checked my bill the last sea day and was surprised to see over $500 in charges. I contacted her and she said not to worry that she would sit down with us and review. The last day we spent a lot of time on the balcony, and went to see Cats. When we arrived she said she didn't have us down for that day so we had to find seats for ourselves with 2 wheelchairs. She had ample opportunity to find us after the show, but never did come to see us to review the bill. I did call her before dinner to again ask about the bill. She again told me very politely that it was her job to take of us such things and not to worry about it. That was the point where I had had enough and gave up. She had told us to be up in the Concierge lounge at 9am and she would take us off at 9:30. We were in the lounge from 8:45-9:45 and a gentleman told us we should be in the Champagne lounge so we headed for the elevator about 9:50 assuming that I got the message wrong. Luckily we ran into another Genie who I asked about meeting place and she said we were in the correct location. She then called our Genie who said she would come and get us. I had to push mothers wheelchair myself and my 93 year old step father had to walk off the ship even though I asked her several times if she could get him a wheelchair. It was very apparent she just wanted us gone. I still had hopes that she would have corrected the charges before they hit my credit card, but buy Monday the charges had posted. A RCCL customer service is currently reviewing the bill with hopes of removing those that were incorrect. I certainly hope that everyone that sails in Star Class is able to receive the very high level of service that Matt received, but please do not slam me for sharing my experience, or assume that I didn't understand. I know what we to be expected and I deserve to post our experience. As another posted noted, there has been no recent reports from Star Class, which made me wonder if after the first month the service has deteriorated to the level that we received. I still do plan to post a review that includes the positives and the negatives after resolution with RCCL customer service. I have relied on CC for many years to help us make decisions, and I feel that my post based on our trip, was in answer to the original question.

I hope you don't think I was trying to slam you. I'm really sorry you had such an opposite experience to ours. And I do hope your situation gets resolved so that you get some satisfaction. I mentioned the over charges just to clarify for others.

Andrew (A&L_ont) has a Star Class cruise coming up in a few weeks and he will be doing a live review I'm sure. We'll see if his experience shows any deterioration since launch.

I am not surprised that you have not seen many reviews related to the Genies. We have been home for a week from our Star Class trip, and I am waiting for RCCL to attempt to correct many problems we had. I normally write very detailed reviews, but on this one I am going with "If you haven't got anything good to say - Don't say anything". At least not until customer service attempts to correct the numerous over charges.

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.

We have 4 Star Class cruises booked over the next 2 years so I am watching and reading carefully of all experiences. I have read a few great ones, a good one and your poor one. I wish you had a better experience.

We have sailed numerous times in Star Class cabins, prior to the class existing. I can't wait to experience it first hand. Hopefully our experience isn't the same as yours.

I recently experienced the Star Class and its amenities on Anthem and loved the whole new Genie program. Today I went to Royal's website and couldn't find the list of amenities for the Star Class suites and the genie overview. Anyone know if it still on the RCCL website or am I just being dense and can't find it? I even did a search on their website and nothing came up under the FAQ's.

Anyone know where to find that info on their website?

Thanks,

Swiss

I recently experienced the Star Class and its amenities on Anthem and loved the whole new Genie program. Today I went to Royal's website and couldn't find the list of amenities for the Star Class suites and the genie overview. Anyone know if it still on the RCCL website or am I just being dense and can't find it? I even did a search on their website and nothing came up under the FAQ's.

Anyone know where to find that info on their website?

Thanks,

Swiss

http://creative.rccl.com/Sales/Royal/Suites/16049781_RSC_Trade_Flyer.pdf

Kjenaz - thanks for posting. When I think of upgrading from Sky to Star for more than double the price, I will remember all of your needless aggravation. Hope your next cruise is better.

Thanks, Bob, for the link. I wonder why there is nothing on RC that is easily found.

I always appreciate your response with answers.

Swiss

Thanks, Bob, for the link. I wonder why there is nothing on RC that is easily found.

I always appreciate your response with answers.

Swiss

I don't think it's a mistake that certain things are so hard to find on Royal's website.

Thanks for the kind words.

Does anyone have a copy of their questionnaire that they are willing to share? We have a group sharing a suite and would like to plan ahead of time as to what to fill out. Thanks!

It's an online thing. Like one of those surveys. So unless someone did screen shots not sure you will find it. But maybe someone did.

It asks some odd questions like - if you could have dinner with anyone from history living or dead - who would it be. And then some straight forward ones like what kind of devices do you use, Apple or Android, iPad, tablets. Or what special celebrations might there be such as birthday or anniversary.

In our case our Genie actually read it and used the info to come up with a very special gift for us.

Thanks for the reply MattinFLL.

kjenaz, I really hope we don't get the same Genie, making me nervous!

I better stop reading all these Star Class/Genie comments. We leave in 2 weeks and it's making me nervous. At the price we paid, I was expecting an over the top, exceptional, phenomenal, super duper experience. Now I'm not sure.

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 !

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 !

Hi Matt

Can I ask you a couple of question about the butler/genie service. I know that you said they are not the same and I think even that your genie pointed this out. Recently I was searching for information on their roles and found a few news articles (probably around the launch of the service) that described them as being pretty much the same. I guess it all depends on how RC played it up. I even saw a job call for a genie which described the job much like a butler (at least in my opinion).

What would say are the differences between the two, or what would a butler do that the genie would not. Who's making that afternoon cocktail or delivering afternoon snacks, etc? Thanks for your feedback.