Another Icon Post: Our Surprise Invite To The Naming Ceremony & VIP Cruise

[GetToLivin]

I absolutely love your reviews and I'm so happy your family was chosen to be apart of such a special cruise! 😊

[teddie]

So looking forward to the rest of your report.  Congrats to you and your beautiful family!

 

Teddie

[perfect match]

What an incredibly special time for you and your family! Thank you so much for sharing it with us! 

[kernow]

I'm so glad they chose you to get the invite, like you I have no real desire to sail Icon but loving your review of it all. I've got a far clearer picture in my mind from this review of what it is like than I have from everything else I've seen.

[Sunshine3601]

Congratulations to and your family.   Such a honor to be selected and part of this sailing.    Your girls are all so beautiful😊

[Ocean Boy]

Well, this thread was quite a find this morning. Congrats on that phone call and I'm looking forward to the rest of this.

[RCCL Fan]

Coco Cay Day

 

 

Woke up this morning to the voice on the left side of my head calling me home....    small ships!   Vision of the Seas was parked outside our balcony.  We LOVE vision, and have had some of our best cruises on her.  There was our old friend seemingly waving hi, and with a little disdain as we were cheating on her.   Close your eyes vision!!!

 

 

When we sat home fighting single digit temperatures, the beach seemed like the solution to all our troubles, how much we craved a little time on CoCo Cay.

 

Now we were here, but it was a struggle, do we go soak up the sun, or stay onboard and try to enjoy more of this impressive ship?

 

We couldn't totally skip the Cay, so we headed to the promenade for some starbucks and then down the escalators.

 

 

Ok Can I say I love these?  two flights down escalators  and boom you're at the door.   No more elevator crowding and getting pushed on stairs for deck 2.  This experience was simple, smart, and so perfect.

 

 

Once pierside I was able to truly see Icon for the first time....  holy ship!   Next to Vision she really stood out.

 

 

Our Cococay day was good for us.  New!

 

Our first time here we did the water park, every time after that it was coco beach club.  Its so quiet and serene and that lunch is the best.   We've never really experienced much of the rest of the island.

 

 

My girls are into Volleyball, so they wanted to play a game of sand volleyball which we did and enjoyed at Chill Beach.   I know South Beach is the sports section and we were headed there, but we drove right by this empty volleyball net on the traam and said, chill beach it is. 

 

 

Not going to bore you with cococay details....  i can sum it up as usual.... perfect day,  with a brief passing shower, as it always seems to be.

 

 

Great water, beach, sand, and relaxation time.

 

 

By 2pm we headed back to the ship, the girls immediately went to Thrill Island and I to meet our genie to get a new seapass card.  In 4 visits to Coco Cay, I've lost my sea pass all four times and this was no exception hahaha.   Junior Suites gon't get genies, but they arranged for us to have one anyway.  He was amazing, such a kind and helpful man. 

 

 

My wife and I decided to hit the hideway while the kids were water sliding.  I will say that pool is a little small, but we could only imagine what the view would be like on a sea day with the wake behind the ship.

 

We weren't there long before we felt four eyes glaring on us,  yep the kids found us, and their expressions were like, "oh hanging out in the part of the ship we can't go in, thanks a lot"   We laughed, but took the guilt, and hopped out. 

 

 

I took the youngest to play minigolf, which is a cruise regular for us. There were lots of improvements to the minigolf,  it was more complex with more hazards throughout. 

 

 

I found lots of grown men playing it which was super cool to me, we were behind a late 20's guy and his dad.. and in front of two guys in their 50's laughing drinking and having a ball.  It made me smile.

 

 

Afterwards we tried the snacks at basecamp, wasn't anything I overly liked food wise, but the idea, of basecamp is perfect.  `Food and drinks and comfy seating while the kids slide and minigolf, and you're not hogging a pool chair. Just a smart design all the way around.

 

 

Met back up with the rest of the family at Swim & Tonic, the swim up bar.  The funniest thing was when I first got in I saw these pink floating things in the water and thought a kid had left their toys. 

 

 

I started to gather them up and the group there drinking started laughing.  They had done the exact same things.   It wasn't toys but a menu of drinks available at the bar.   They're designed to float in the pool and you can just grab and pick something nice.

 

 

This is as perfect time as any to give you my big complaint with our voyage on icon. There were no blenders in many many bars.  As someone who loves frozen drinks on vacation and consume my weight in frozen mojitos and mudslides anywhere other than certain pool bars didn't have blenders to make frozen drinks.  All the bars were pushing their own unique drinks on their own menu's at each bar.    I was not a fan.   But I later was told by a reliable RCI corporate employee that this was just for the VIP sailing and there would be blenders moving forward.

 

 

While the Swim & Tonic we were intrigued by Munyons Paw Paw and citrus liqueur or some sort.  We had never seen or heard of it, and the bartender made my wife something with it so she could have a taste.

 

 

  I opted for the strawberry sunset, and our bartender made his "famous mocktail" for the girls.  We all hopped in the hot tub and enjoyed them until it was time for sail away and we waved goodbye to vision.

 

 

I mentioned earlier, "The Overlook" which Danny from Harr Travel first told me I had to check out.  I am a huge Viking Crown Lounge fan and have HATED Royal moving away from them on recent ships....  I avoid the Quantum class for this reason, and really missed it on Wonder.   Danny kept saying go to the overlook so we went to check it out but it was closed for a private function. 

 

 

On one side we found a raised seating area, just outside the official overlook that still let us enjoy it, and Danny was right. The Overlook was amazing.  What a view!  It totally had VCL vibes, and I thought it could be a great replacement to the VCL.   I said we'd have to come back when we could take in the full thing.   We were headed out of the Aquadome when we heard our names.  This man embraced us and introduced himself as one of the Board of Directors.   He saw Mr. Bayley introduce us at the naming ceremony and he wanted to connect personally. 

 

 

We talked briefly and he asked why we were leaving.  We told him about the private party, and he laughed.   "It's a board of director's party, and I'm on the board, so I say you come crash it."  He and his wife  took my daughter by the hand, and away we all went. 

 

 

Random us crashing the RCI Board of Directors cocktail party.  We met CEO's of airlines, fast food chains, Mr. Bayley called for Rover to come up to the party to meet the girls. 

 

 

My youngest and Bayley were both loving on the pup.  We heard and saw how much Rover and Bayley love one another.  She ran to him, and he just lit up. 

 

 

 

He told us Rover lived with him for a while when she was a pup and yes, they've become super attached.   It was really sweet.

 

 

We left the board to do board things, and went down to Central Park, which again feels weird to say, as it's an area we never frequented on Oasis, but we got there for dinner at Izumi.   It was typical Izumi fun and yummy hibachi.  We oddly enough dined with relatives of one of the board members and shared stories about our day.

 

 

If everyone hangs out in the pool deck by day, they are all in Central Park and the Promenade by night.   There was live music in both venues and people mingling and talking, laughing and drinking.  I couldn't get over the energy in both to be frank.

 

 

The Promenade is always a hub of activity but the new bar, 1400 adds a lot of energy as does Dueling Pianos.   Its usually Bolaros and the Pub where you hear life in the evening.... well they were quiet on this ship.    The new places were hopping. 

 

 

The cruise directors staff also put on some music shows which were well attended, like a "one hit wonder" party that night.  It had a conga line going....   there was another conga line on the second deck of the promenade from dueling pianos, and people were cheering on the live musician in Central Park.   

 

 

Royal ships can often get quiet at night, but not this one, there was a party atmosphere all evening, and people truly enjoying the ship. 

 

 

This was my first time trying Sorrentos on Icon.  They have new convention pizza ovens, like a whole wall of them and pizzas were being cranked in and out of them like crazy.   The new ovens make a difference, as both my kids agreed the Pizza tasted "much better than normal"

 

 

This was a great day on ship and shore, and we just kept pinching ourselves to really be here.

 

Tomorrow --- Sea Day  --- and time to really explore this ship. 

 

 

 

[RCCL Fan]

Sea Day -- Lets sea it!

 

 

Woke up this morning at Sea to enjoy all things ICON.

 

We decided to get up and explore the ship and find all the stuff we haven't seen yet. We started out with wondering, where the heck is the ice skating rink.  We hadn't seen it.  We realized it was at the very back on the ship, essentially "under" the surfside, and the ultimate townhouse.  

 

 

We ventured back there, and they were preparing for the nights show and not too crazy about the prying eyes. So we left.  This part of the ship was interesting.  You essentially go to the entrance of surfside at the very back of the ship.  On the left was an entrance and hall to a side of the ship where you find the art gallery which was essentially a tiny "booth" and a gift shop, and then playmakers. 

 

 

She is really tucked away back here.   I would have never found it.  Which, after being on about 5 ships with a playmakers I still haven't eaten or drank there.  We tried on odyssey, but left due to the wait.

Anyway you have the art gallery, gift shop, playmakers, and behind that, the sunken ice skating rink.  Its funny because I always heard it had to be low and center but they put her a little higher and all the way aft

 

 

On the other side of surfside is Adventure Ocean which my kids have zero interest in anymore. My oldest always loved it, but during the pandemic, they made my daughter sit on her little circle and not move off of it for personal space reasons and that was it, has refused to go back ever since.

 

 

So we made our way down to Surfside to check it out. This is the one area I questioned on ICON. It was almost entirely "little kid" centric. They have a kids cruise director type guy down there, and it's very like pre school aged focused. 

 

 

My 9 year old found it comical.  Candy store, merry go round, arcade, and the kiddy fill the bucket and dump it on you just didn't really appeal to my little.  Perhaps it's just that she's not so little anymore. 

 

 

 This area of the ship didn't have a lot of people in it, and I started thinking about it.  Would I be content sitting back here all day long with my kids when they were super little.  I really didn't think so. I needed some more adult stuff mixed in to make me be cool with sitting back here on kid duty while the rest of the family explored the ship.

Perhaps if I was in a chair drinking I would have thought differently. 

 

 

Here's the beauty of it, my wife couldn't disagree with me more.  She said if she had the littles she would LOVE hanging out here all day.  She said there was plenty to keep them busy, nice drinks for her,  food for the littles, and stuff she would eat too.  I have to admit the kid buffet was very well done and decorated so well. She thought every mom of littles would be totally cool down here for the day.  Shows you what I know.

 

 

To bolster my point, my kids live for the arcade, and they didn't go down there once this trip, I they needed another one upstairs near base camp for the older kids.  Because they were just tool cool for that spot. My oldest has never gone to the teen club, but I didn't see it. I'm sure it was around her somewhere.

Anyway back inside to explore the ship.   We broke apart, with me the oldest voyagering around this time.   She remarked that we didn't spend much time in Schooner Bar, which is a small ship staple for us.  I told her big ships, just have too much to do, you don't sit with the same people night after night singing tunes.... and to be honest, dueling piano may have out performed schooner in the sing along department.

 

 

We headed up to the pool deck and enjoyed some of the oversized loungers and sat and talked.  My oldest said the naming ceremony was really moving for her.  She said thinking about me and my grandma sailing when I was a kid,  me and her mom having one of our first dates on Oasis, married on Indy, and the memories with them is crazy.  She said, "I can never ever see me not cruising Dad"  We talked about whatever guy she meets is going to have to love it too.  I talked about how special it will be when she and her sister both have their own families, and both come aboard with their spouses and kids and I'm grandpa, paying the bills and having my big family together.    We both got a little misty eyed.   We're both pisces...   emotional, sentimental, and sensitive.  haha.

 

After that our genie texted, time for a tour of the bridge.  Oh!  how exciting!!

 

 

He met us in our cabin, and walked us up to the bridge. He said he was as excited as us as he had just been there once briefly, and he was really excited to get up there, especially while we were out at sea.    He took us in and first thing we noticed was Rover had the coolest dog house up on the bridge, apparently the bridge crew loves having her up there. 

 

 

One of the officers showed us around, we've done these tours before where we looked around and took photos but this officer truly took the time to show us what certain things did, how they worked, how the computers were programmed and us on our route, It was really impressive to learn so much about the process involved plotting our course and keeping her on track.   We learned we were due to meet the pilot at 2am that morning and head back in.

 

 

Afterwards, it was time to head for desserted, the place with the crazy milkshakes.  We had stopped by before because the kids were super excited for this spot, but they were only giving out small samples.   But have and genie and well all doors open.   Victor brought us in, waved his magic wand and two oreo cookie mega milkshakes were delivered.

 

 

My wife and I swapped kids again, and I took little to the outdoor area behind the Pearl to enjoy the sea air and her big ole dessert. 

 

 

After that it was time to do Crown's Edge. We had an appointment and oh my goodness. There was like never a chance in heck I would do this.  If I have one phobia, it's falling.   It's weird heights don't bother me.  I love planes, and tall buildings.  Love a glass elevator going up but hate it going down.   Roller coasters anything where I fall fast is a hard no.   So the part where the floor gives way made this a heck no for me. 

 

 

All three girls signed up, even the little,  but bad news.  Even though she was tall enough, they didn't have a harness small enough for her.  She was just too tiny for the smallest one, and couldn't do it.  She was sad.

 

 

While her mom and sister did their safety briefing we found this cool table soccer game.  You take a seat, and kick the ball and try to get into the other person's goal.  I could have done this all day we were having so much fun, people were stopping to take pics.  I was convinced we needed one for home, until I looked it up and saw it was like 5 grand.  I'm not the handy type, but I was like I can totally make this with some artificial grass and pvc pipe for $100 bucks. hahaha

 

 

The girls did amazing on Crowns Edge we cheered them on and they both loved every minute of it.

 

After this we got ready for what stood to be a busy night.  We were invited to the corporate cocktail party. It was again at the overlook which is I think my favorite spot on this ship....  total Viking Crown Replacement. 

 

 

Michael Bayley and Jason Liberty threw a party to thank all the employees who had worked so hard on the ship.   We showed up, and he again recognized us and thanked us for being there. 

 

 

 

We got photos and got to meet many people from the company and talk about RCI.  Everyone from the Food & Beverage VP to loyalty.  They genuinely wanted to hear our thoughts of their respective departments and it just felt so welcoming.   

 

 

 

My wife who worked as a corporate HR director before becoming a stay at home mom said that she loved seeing the way in which employees looked at their leaders.  You could tell they genuinely liked them and liked working for them.  It made our hearts feel good and again but so thankful to be here. 

 

 

We left the party early for dinner.  We had reservations at Pier 7 for dinner tonight, the new specialty restaurant in Surfside, but the girls really wanted Giovanni's again.   Youngest craving pizza and the oldest a filet.  My wife and I were game as we weren't sure Pier 7 was going to be for us. Thankfully Victor was able to make it happen and we swapped for us.

 

 

Dinner was great, and we got a text from Danny Harr from Harr Travel who was wrapping up a meeting and was going to meet up at Giovanni's.  He pulled up a chair and we talked and talked for the longest,  So much so that we were going to miss our appointment at the ice show.   They had planned to have our kids take part some how,  but everyone was enjoying dinner so, we really wanted to stay.  I apologized profusely and they totally understood.

 

 

After dinner we did keep our spots for The Wizard of Oz in the main theater.  Victor had saved us seats and walked us right in, before show time.  The show was amazingly impressive.  Nick Weir told us ahead of time that they had not ever had all the parts, and props in place to do the whole show as intended until tonight.  So we were going to get to see the whole thing for the first time.  

 

It was impressive, very very well done.   I highly recommend it.   A little hit if you like the Wright Brothers plane scene on Wonder, you'll love this one even more.

 

 

After the show, we went to the bar in the Promenade, 1400.  We had the new cool martini's with the big bubble on the top, because why not.  It was super cool to see happen.  Although, I don't know that I loved the martini so much.

 

My oldest and I went to hit up the logo store, our last night tradition on board.  Of course we keep the tradition even though they're always sold out of everything by the time we get there.  There was a sweatshirt we both wanted, and they were all sold out.   We got one little thing, and said oh well!  Hopefully we can get our hands on a sweatshirt again down the line.

 

 

While we shopped my wife and youngest were out on the walking track burning off some energy before bed, and guess who came running down the track but Rover.   She was out for a night walk too and saw Cailyn and ran towards her, almost as if to say, "Hey, I know you!"  They played together and it made little's night and trip.

 

After that we headed to bed for our final sleep and exiting Icon in the morning.   

 

I'll do one more short post with my final thoughts. 

 

 

[RFerrington]

Incredible trip !  I don't know how I missed that you were Star Class until this final entry !  Pretty sweet !

[RCCL Fan]

Leaving the ship was a breeze.

 

The usual windjammer breakfast.  It was only a 3 night so didn't bring a lot of stuff and decided to carry our luggage off the ship.

 

Royal had arranged our driver who direct drove us to MIA for our flight home.

 

 

My takeaways

 

***ICON is impressive, really really impressive.  I was NOT thinking she was for me based on number of passengers and some of the amenities, but I was wrong.

 

Wonder for example felt so OVERCROWDED to me when I was on her,  I was like I don't know what's going on with these ships, but I feel like they're packing too many people in them, where Oasis never felt crowded when I first sailed her Wonder was claustrophobic at times for me.  So hearing they were adding more passengers, and seeing the photos of ALL THAT STUFF.  I was like, nope.

 

I was SO WRONG.  Much like when Oasis came out, you can't let the numbers scare you.  This ship handles crowds so well.  I know we weren't sailing anywhere near full capacity, but she felt so empty, I wasn't concerned thinking about sailing with another thousand plus people.   The ship is so well laid out to maximize the space and draw people to the areas of the ship that aren't normally busy, I really see it handling the crowds well.

 

***ICON is for families, but NO that doesn't mean it's a ship for small children, far from it, she's a ship for everyone.  There are so many spots for adults that aren't kid friendly. If you're a person who isn't a big fan of little humans, there are plenty of places for you on ICON, i think she will surprise you.   What RCI means by  she's designed for families, is there are places for the little humans, and places for the big humans.   Separation is considered, as together areas.  Is she a celeb ship where everyone's reading books, and quietly sipping wine, NO.   But does she have sections that appeal to people of different backgrounds and wishes, absolutely.

 

***Food Quality is amazing.  If you saw my review of Vision last year, you know Royal lost major points from me with the quality of food.  While I never ate a single meal in the main dining room this trip, I can tell you that my windjammer meals, and grab and go meals in other parts of the ship were so well prepared, so tasty, and so the Royal I've always known.

 

****My love affair with the viking crown.   There's just something so "iconic" about the Viking Crown,  It's how you spot a RCI ship from anywhere. It's the crowning achievement, and in my view a requirement of all their ships. Even though they stopped calling them Viking Crown on the newer Oasis class ships, they were still physically there, and I loved seeing them.    The Quantum class ships well, I've never been a fan, they're celeb Solstice class ships with a Royal badge on them in my opinion.  So, I missed the VCL and was so disappointed to see the cruise line felt she wasn't a part of their future.   As someone who loves the promenade, loves the big ships with all the stuff,  I also love the water, being at Sea, and need to feel the connection to her.  Never do I feel that more than that view from VCL.   The overlook may not be a VCL but she gives me those same feels, those same views of the ocean,  she's quiet, calm, sea connecting, relaxing, and just peaceful.    I wish they'd just call her the VCL  because she is.  lol

 

***Direction challenged   Another VCL beauty to me was she helped me always know which way was front or back on the ship.  I looked to her when on the pool deck to help me find my way.    There's some art that purports to do the same, but it's harder on Icon.   I found myself never quite knowing which was was forward and which is aft.   My family never can figure it out and always ask me, I have a good sense of those things and could always answer with 95% accuracy.  Not on icon, I was turned around a lot.  Both atriums were too similar, it was hard ti discern one from the other and be able to tell which one was the "little one" up front, and which one was the "big one" in the back.   Yes there are signs, but man, you kinda just want to know.    There are also less views from the atrium out so it's harder to look outside for bearings.   On the Promenade, I like to use the Rising Tide as my direction finder.  If I see her, I know which way is aft,  I know where the "big atrium" was but without her I was always lost as to which way was forward and back.

 

*****Staterooms     Some I loved, some I hated.    As I shared JS are our go to cabin, similar to a hotel room, space for the four of us, and double C&A points.   Thats where we always start.   It won't be on Icon, the layout , while aesthetically pleasing, does not work for space and we were so on top of each other in that room. I couldn't do it again.    No way.    For our family, I think the infinite family balcony with bunkbeds looks like a good choice, plenty of space there for everyone, even though it has the infinite balcony which I don't like at all.   Even better the connecting balconies are awesome.  The new design, puts one door outside and lets you walk between the two cabin doors is very very appealing and may be choice for us in the future.   Suites.... honestly... the sunset balcony are amazing.   I'd get those in a heart beat, may still be a little small for four, but still a beautiful room I could make work.    The others I didn't really think were anything amazing especially when the most expensive one having views of the pool deck more than the ocean. 

 

We loved the ship, we'd sail her again and again.   Not at the current prices, but when they calm down we'll be back. 

 

I encourage all of you on the fence to roll the dice, give her a while, I think you'll really like her.  As small ship lovers, even we all agree, she is our favorite ship.

 

Send your questions, I'll do my best to answer!

[GetToLivin]

@RCCL Fan What I love most about you bringing us along on your family vacations are the sweet sentiments shared between you and your girls. I took DS (now 16) on his first cruise two years ago and he immediately fell in love with the sea and it has been such a bonding experience to share that with him ever since. The appreciation he shows for our trips along with his excitement for the sea, ship, and discovering ports, is something I too hope we'll continue to share for many, many years (loved the comment about future family cruises with grandbabies, I know we're both a ways off from that, but I felt it!). Anyway, your family is just precious and your appreciation for this special invite came through in your review, very well-deserved! Looking forward to your next review 😄

[RCCL Fan]

On 1/29/2024 at 9:21 PM, GetToLivin said:

I absolutely love your reviews and I'm so happy your family was chosen to be apart of such a special cruise! 😊

Thanks my North Texas neighbor!

 

  It's so weird to go back and look at past ones and see how my girls have "grown up" cruising.  Truly nice to know so many others enjoy our impressions and opinions. 

 

Appreciate you sticking around.

[soremekun]

@RCCL Fan Do you feel as if you (or family members) are spoiled by Icon?  Do you think you'll be able to enjoy the smaller ships in the fleet?  What are your favorite three Royal Caribbean ships (Icon is first)?

[RCCL Fan]

3 minutes ago, soremekun said:

@RCCL Fan Do you feel as if you (or family members) are spoiled by Icon?  Do you think you'll be able to enjoy the smaller ships in the fleet?  What are your favorite three Royal Caribbean ships (Icon is first)?

 

Ha,  I just answered something very similar on another thread.

 

Here are our class choices as a family.

 

1) ICON  -- she's so well done

2) Voyager -- not too big, not too small.  she's the perfect balance of both worlds

3) Vision   -- Small ships hit different. love them  bring us to new islands and know us by name!

4) Oasis  --  she offers a lot but has gotten too crowded on some of the newer ships especially. (Wonder was too crowded for me)

5) Radiance -- same as vision, they could both be in 3rd place honestly

6) Freedom -- not a fan because she's just the voyager with more people, I'll take voyager instead

7) Quantum --  feels like an after thought ship stolen from celeb, small ship trying to be big, no VCL,  ugh

 

 

But yes we were spoiled by Icon, I meant to add that in my summary.  I've fallen in love with having a genie.   They can keep the suite, just let us buy the genie service hahaha.

 

But it was impossible not to be spoiled on this ship,  partly for the ship herself, and party because of the treatment we experienced.   

[Norwich Cruiser]

Thank you so much for once again taking the time and trouble to write such an amazingly honest review.

 

Your thoughts by the way on Quantum class are exactly the same as all our families.

 

Thanks again.

[Another_Critic]

3 hours ago, RFerrington said:

Incredible trip !  I don't know how I missed that you were Star Class until this final entry !  Pretty sweet !

They were not Star Class (stayed in JS).  They were treated as VIPs.

[RFerrington]

5 minutes ago, Another_Critic said:

They were not Star Class (stayed in JS).  They were treated as VIPs.

Thanks.  Hmmm....never heard of this before.  Still, a nice touch !

[RCCL Fan]

Just now, RFerrington said:

Thanks.  Hmmm....never heard of this before.  Still, a nice touch !

 

  Sorry for the lack of clarity.

 

Remember this was not a revenue sailing.

 

This the was cruise BEFORE in the inaugeral.

 

Basically on board you had

 

1) travel agents  to have a chance to see the ship they would be selling

2) media and vloggers to cover the naming ceremony

3) Employees of RCI

4) RCI Board Members

5) Selected and invited  guests

 

 

We were in the fifth category.

 

Guests invited onboard.

 

As we said from the second we got the call, we would have been thrilled to sleep in a lifeboat and shower in the gym, we were just thrilled to be there.

 

This all happened very last minute, many  people found out their cabin when they arrived at the pier, some a few days before.

 

We got our room assignment on the Saturday before our Monday flight to Miami.  

 

We were originally assigned  a surfside family suite.  We had never had a boardwalk  facing room, we're ocean lovers.  but again  lifeboats,  totally thrilled.

 

The morning of the cruise as we were leaving the hotel we looked at the app and saw our room assignment had changed to a junior suite.

 

Our contact in Mr. Bayley's office told us when they originally assigned us the surfside room they didn't realize the pullout couch in that section was designed for very small kids and wouldn't have worked for our oldest.    So the morning of the sailing they tried to find us something else still open and that's how we got then junior suite.

 

They had so many VIP's on board, who were being booked by department heads at the company, not reservations people,  they were trying to make it work and cater to everyone's needs, and they did an amazing job, especially  considering it's not what they do!

 

Having the JS was great because again it's our normal choice, and it was good to see how it compared on Icon, and we got our oceanview, with a traditional balcony, not the infinite one.

 

 

The "class" system didn't really mean anything, because of the special voyage.  The suite area was open to everyone onboard.  Drinks, Voom,  Lounges, were all free.  None of the specialty restaurants were taking reservations, you were chosen by Royal whether you got one or not.

 

Everything was predetermined by the cruise line.

 

Because we were "invited guests of Mr. Bayley"  we were given what was called an "angel"; which was the same as a "genie".  

 

There weren't enough genies for the number of VIP's onboard.  Our "angel"  worked at Guest Services, but totally and completely took on a genie role for us in additional to his normal duties.

 

I just didn't explain all that in the review.   

 

[soremekun]

@RCCL Fan I'm happy for you and your family to have had this experience.  I hope it happens again in the future.  Do you have any idea as to why you were invited or how you may have been selected?  I will understand if you aren't allowed to tell.

 

You mentioned "they wanted to honor a family, who regularly sails them and has a multi generational connection to Royal, and we had been chosen to be that family" and you're a long time Cruise Critic poster, but I wanted to know if there is anything more such as maybe there is a pool of names they cycle through.

Edited February 5 by soremekun

[GetToLivin]

16 hours ago, RCCL Fan said:

Our contact in Mr. Bayley's office told us when they originally assigned us the surfside room they didn't realize the pullout couch in that section was designed for very small kids and wouldn't have worked for our oldest.    So the morning of the sailing they tried to find us something else still open and that's how we got then junior suite.

 

I've been really curious about this: in the photos/videos people have posted I thought to myself the couch looked to be half the size of a regular couch, thought at the most that room would fit two adults and a teenager, or a couple small kids, due to the couch size.

[mets07]

Enjoyed your experience summary, @RCCL Fan

 

Here is to more happy cruising days ahead. ☘️

[RCCL Fan]

11 hours ago, soremekun said:

@RCCL Fan I'm happy for you and your family to have had this experience.  I hope it happens again in the future.  Do you have any idea as to why you were invited or how you may have been selected?  I will understand if you aren't allowed to tell.

 

You mentioned "they wanted to honor a family, who regularly sails them and has a multi generational connection to Royal, and we had been chosen to be that family" and you're a long time Cruise Critic poster, but I wanted to know if there is anything more such as maybe there is a pool of names they cycle through.

 

I don't know anything more than what they shared with me about the multi generational connection.   I can't imagine being chosen again for anything like that, was kinda a one time thing.  I don't think they know anything about me and cruise critic.

[RCCL Fan]

11 hours ago, GetToLivin said:

I've been really curious about this: in the photos/videos people have posted I thought to myself the couch looked to be half the size of a regular couch, thought at the most that room would fit two adults and a teenager, or a couple small kids, due to the couch size.

 

We said we would go check out that cabin to see it for ourselves, and we never made it back there.    The way it was described to me is that it wouldn't fit a teen, just very small children

[RCCL Fan]

On 1/29/2024 at 12:20 AM, Ashland said:

 Does that TV swivel so it can face the bed?

 

I'm assuming it does, we never once watched TV in the room, so I have zero clue!

[cynt]

@RCCL Fan thanks for the excellent recap. OMG how cool to be invited to this special naming ceremony. ICON is on my radar once the crazy cruise prices fall. $8K+ for a balcony. NOPE! I'll wait. 

 

You have me all in my feelings with your grandmother stories and your daughter and future grandkids stories. Love it! My DF passed away 2022. Thank God for 52 years with him. I introduced him to cruising and he fell in love with it too. He was my cruising buddy. His last cruise was Alaska before covid. He was 3 months from our Symphony cruise before he passed away. Symphony was a tough cruise but I knew he would want me to go so we did.

 

Enjoy every moment with your daughters.