Having a Genie

[BubbaBoat]

Hoping we can get some advice on how to utilize our RCL Genie.  How have you put your Genie to work?  Apparently we receive in room dining, do we rub our lamp and the Genie appears ready to take our order?  What type of experiences do they assist with?  How do we get the most out of our Genie?  We're hoping to sail on HOTS in May.

[Milwaukee Eight]

@A&L_Ont might have some insight 

[ryanbarckley]

We absolutely LOVED having a genie. People often express some concern with having a person like that be too intrusive but we found our genie was the perfect level of present without being intrusive. Below are some of the things he handled for us:

 

1. escorted us on board on boarding day (I had messaged him ahead of time that my girlfriend was unaware we had a suite and wanted it to be a surprise. She had never been on a cruise, so she didn’t know anything). He came up to us waiting in the lounge and said there had been an “issue” with our room and he needed to bring us there. 
2. we took part in a cabin crawl and he arranged some snacks to be there when everyone came through.  

3. He made whatever dining reservations we wanted. He always came and visited us at dinner each night to check in and make sure we were all good. 
4. he helped with any issues we had on board (we got charged for something we shouldn’t have, he removed it for us. One day our formal clothes had not arrived in time for dinner, so we called him and they arrived shortly). 
5. He arranged seating for us at any of the shows (not always front row, he said they get us seats where they think is best depending on the show - they can also get us seated wherever we prefer though). 
6. He arranged to have whatever food sent up to our room whenever we wanted. We had breakfast delivered a couple times, and one night I asked for some creme brûlée’ for dessert. 
7. He arranged our tours on the bridge, and they galleys. 
 

any questions you have let me know! I’m happy to answer.  

[TheMastodon]

1 hour ago, BubbaBoat said:

Hoping we can get some advice on how to utilize our RCL Genie.  How have you put your Genie to work?  Apparently we receive in room dining, do we rub our lamp and the Genie appears ready to take our order?  What type of experiences do they assist with?  How do we get the most out of our Genie?  We're hoping to sail on HOTS in May.

 

They will literally do whatever you ask them to.  It's a fantastic !

 

 

[BubbaBoat]

26 minutes ago, ryanbarckley said:

We absolutely LOVED having a genie. People often express some concern with having a person like that be too intrusive but we found our genie was the perfect level of present without being intrusive. Below are some of the things he handled for us:

 

1. escorted us on board on boarding day (I had messaged him ahead of time that my girlfriend was unaware we had a suite and wanted it to be a surprise. She had never been on a cruise, so she didn’t know anything). He came up to us waiting in the lounge and said there had been an “issue” with our room and he needed to bring us there. 
2. we took part in a cabin crawl and he arranged some snacks to be there when everyone came through.  

3. He made whatever dining reservations we wanted. He always came and visited us at dinner each night to check in and make sure we were all good. 
4. he helped with any issues we had on board (we got charged for something we shouldn’t have, he removed it for us. One day our formal clothes had not arrived in time for dinner, so we called him and they arrived shortly). 
5. He arranged seating for us at any of the shows (not always front row, he said they get us seats where they think is best depending on the show - they can also get us seated wherever we prefer though). 
6. He arranged to have whatever food sent up to our room whenever we wanted. We had breakfast delivered a couple times, and one night I asked for some creme brûlée’ for dessert. 
7. He arranged our tours on the bridge, and they galleys. 
 

any questions you have let me know! I’m happy to answer.  

Thanks Ryan!  How far in advance did you give your Genie notice for things like shows, dining reservations, and excursions?  Also, when ordering in room dining is it from the Main Dining Room, Specialty Restaurants or just the Room Service menu?  

Super excited to add this care free component to our journey.

[zekekelso]

46 minutes ago, TheMastodon said:

 

They will literally do whatever you ask them to.  It's a fantastic !

 

 

By any chance do they look like Barbara Eden?

[ryanbarckley]

11 minutes ago, BubbaBoat said:

Thanks Ryan!  How far in advance did you give your Genie notice for things like shows, dining reservations, and excursions?  Also, when ordering in room dining is it from the Main Dining Room, Specialty Restaurants or just the Room Service menu?  

Super excited to add this care free component to our journey.

We exchanged 3 emails Pre cruise (he was not very responsive ahead of time - they spend more time paying attention to people on board, which I understand). 
Once on board he presented us with a full schedule for the week of shows, restaurants and activities (based on what we had said in the survey - but also largely generically planned). It had us at each of the restaurants for dinner at least one, with I think 2 repeats, based on their recommendations for popularity. He made it clear we could change it as we needed. We wound up changing one reservation the night before, and adding in another stop at hibachi the again the night before. Both were handled without any issue at all. 
We never did any excursions with him (I usually do non royal excursions to save $$), but he did offer and I imagine the process would be similar to anything else we had him handle. 
For room service: we were able to order from any of the food venues on board (MDR, Room service, or specialty). The only rule with it was whatever venue we wanted food from had to be open (I.e: I can’t call and order a chops steak at 3 am - I would be limited to the room service menu at that point). For regular room service we could call that line directly to order (which we did order food at 1 am one night, they delivered it along with a plate of chocolate strawberries as a thank you from the culinary team). For food from any of the specialty restaurants we ordered directly through the genie (they give you a business card that has their on board cell phone number). The creme brûlée we ordered through him at one point came from the MDR. He also arranged for some sort of afternoon snack to be in the room each day when we came back. 
 

oh! He also replaced my card on the last morning when I lost it while eating breakfast. We enjoyed our breakfast at coastal kitchen, he arrived at the time we had discussed to get off the boat, showed us one of the other star class rooms we asked if we could see, grabbed me a new card from guest services (ironically that I only had to use to get. 
 

They really like to make their answer yes as much as possible so if something crosses your mind, ask! They’re pretty accommodating 

[TheMastodon]

12 minutes ago, zekekelso said:

By any chance do they look like Barbara Eden?

quick google search and the answer is No

[ipeeinthepool]

1 hour ago, ryanbarckley said:

Below are some of the things he handled for us:

 

1. escorted us on board on boarding day (I had messaged him ahead of time that my girlfriend was unaware we had a suite and wanted it to be a surprise. She had never been on a cruise, so she didn’t know anything). He came up to us waiting in the lounge and said there had been an “issue” with our room and he needed to bring us there. 
2. we took part in a cabin crawl and he arranged some snacks to be there when everyone came through.  

3. He made whatever dining reservations we wanted. He always came and visited us at dinner each night to check in and make sure we were all good. 
4. he helped with any issues we had on board (we got charged for something we shouldn’t have, he removed it for us. One day our formal clothes had not arrived in time for dinner, so we called him and they arrived shortly). 
5. He arranged seating for us at any of the shows (not always front row, he said they get us seats where they think is best depending on the show - they can also get us seated wherever we prefer though). 
6. He arranged to have whatever food sent up to our room whenever we wanted. We had breakfast delivered a couple times, and one night I asked for some creme brûlée’ for dessert. 
7. He arranged our tours on the bridge, and they galleys. 
 

any questions you have let me know! I’m happy to answer.  

 

Sounds like my DW already has a Genie

[flyguyjake]

We have loved Star Class on the Harmony & Symphony. Also we sailed on Solstice in the Penthouse and had Butler service which is equivalent to the Genie service. We loved the Genie always making each sailing special. We celebrated my Mom's 60 and my Grandpa's 80th bdays. Genie's really went over the top with making these occasions special such as reserving the rising tide bar just for us during a promenade party and making an entire Thanksgiving dinner for us in a private dinning area (the week before Thanksgiving). They have custom cakes made, they make your dinning and show reservations, they handle your excursions, they order you in room dinning from "any" onboard restaurant, they bring you gifts towards the end of the cruise. They visit you daily in room and at dinner. They visit you on coco cay even lol. We never wanted for anything because even if we did, poof out of thin air there was the genie. FYI they track your movement on/off ship where you use your key card or bracelet so they always know where you are lol. On one of our stops in Alaska it was pouring rain and our butler was at the dock waiting for us to return to the Solstice. She walked us straight to the front and right to our room using their special elevator card passing the huge lines on and off ship. It's money well spent to say the least. You may get a side eye from a fellow passenger, just say  "enjoy your cruise". haha

[flyguyjake]

Anyone can experience Star Class if you go with family or friends and share the cost. A1 is about 12K for 4pax (sleeps up to 8pax adding avg 650-1K each additional pax) we tip $100 ppax/pday to our Genie and $50 pp/pd to the room attendant. Starbucks & Sugar Beach (ice cream) is included not to mention all alcohol, wifi and specialty restaurants. We always have 2 bottles of Chandon on ice in the room and fully stocked mini bar with whatever we want. If you want liquor in room they prefer to just bring per ounce (shots) but they sometimes allow you to have full bottles in room also.

[flyguyjake]

Our favorite Star Class suite is the Villa Suite VS. This 4 bedroom suite sleeps up to 14. AVG price is $14-$16K for 4px and again adding $650-1K each add on. The room is a nice size and the balcony is a dream with an outdoor Jacuzzi, wet bar 4 chase loungers and table that seats 14. The most we've taken in the group is 9 and we've always been more than comfortable. The huge hump deck provides expansive 180* views for sail a ways and docking.

[ownedbypets]

3 hours ago, zekekelso said:

By any chance do they look like Barbara Eden?

 

We had a male Genie and he was much better looking than Barbara Eden!

[lovescats5]

You did not mention which ship you would be on.  Anthem we had the best genie ever.  Every evening we had a note waiting for us with the next day's schedule.  We have had a genie for all cruises we have had since they started the program.  They will reserve show schedules, speciality dining, CK, get you on and off the ship first, surprise you with presents, make sure you have a full bar in your room with your favorite beverage.  We have also asked them to not get us any presents, we have to fly across the country and it is hard to pack some of the things.  They are there for you when you board.  We flew red-eye one time and our genie dropped off pastries and water before he could escort us on.  They will pretty much do whatever you ask.  I know on Oasis we had a special number to call and order breakfast, lunch or dinner sent to the room.  You will love having a genie.