​ LIVE! * Harmony OTS * April 7 - 14, 2024 * ATS-2 🤩 ​

[HBCcruiser]

Welcome to my Harmony of the Seas LIVE review. I thought it might be fun to do a live review on the Harmony Star Class experience, especially from a point of view from people who are experiencing it for the first time. When I was researching the experience I found a few great Star Class reviews – thanks to @LittleMissMagic and @A&L_Ont - There were not many reviews that really described the experience in detail. Hopefully I will be able to assist those trying to learn more about Star Class as we experience it for the first time. We have done NLC Haven and really LOVE it. I anticipate that Star class will put the Haven experience to shame. Am I right? 

[HBCcruiser]

I planned this cruise years ago during the Covid cancellation crisis for two reasons; one to celebrate my upcoming retirement (in June), and two, to thank my SIL for taking care of my MIL who suffers from Alzheimer’s. If anyone deserves a cruise, she does! I can’t even imagine what she goes through on a every day. God bless that woman! Because I booked this cruise during the Covid crisis, I was able to get a good price, especially for Star Class. This may be a one and done for Star Class considering current market values! Jeez-o-Pete! 💰💰

 

There are 4 of us on this cruise – my older DD, SIL, a sister-like friend and me. All fun, life-loving, cruise-loving gals! Yup GIRLS CRUISE! Leavin’ the boys at home. 

[HBCcruiser]

Our Cabin:

 

We will be staying in a two-bedroom Aqua Theatre Suite on deck 8. I love the large deck and the ability to watch the aqua shows right from our cabin! Also, being on deck 8 should allow us easy access to the restaurants and bars, including the wine bar, on deck 8. Yes, we adore our wine! I am excited to try some of the wine tasting events there. 

 

Cabin Layout:

 

 

Balcony Location: 

 

[HBCcruiser]

Our Itinerary: Western Caribbean Cruise: 

 

 

[GetToLivin]

2 minutes ago, HBCcruiser said:

Yup GIRLS CRUISE! Leavin’ the boys at home. 

 

This is what I'm doing in Sept with my girlfriends from college (sky class for us). So excited to read about and see the pics from your STAR experience! 🤩

[HBCcruiser]

Excursions:

 

We booked all private excursions because we are snobs like that. Actually, it is cheaper when you book on your own, even through Viator. Our plans are as follows:

 

Roatan – We booked a private tour through Toucan Adventures. They have high ratings on TripAdvisor.

 

 

[HBCcruiser]

1 minute ago, GetToLivin said:

 

This is what I'm doing in Sept with my girlfriends from college (sky class for us). So excited to read about and see the pics from your STAR experience! 🤩

I am glad you are interested in learning about it like we are. I'll try to answer any questions you might have along the way.

[HBCcruiser]

Costa Maya:

 

We wanted to do one day at a Beach Club so we selected Malecon21. It is not too far from the port which helps too.

 

 

 

[HBCcruiser]

Cozumel:

 

We wanted to do an upscale-ish bar crawl, so we hired a private driver from Viator and created the following plan of action:

 

[HBCcruiser]

I have to step into a meeting at work - next up FIRST CONTACT. 🧞‍♀️

[buncosquad]

2 hours ago, HBCcruiser said:

I am glad you are interested in learning about it like we are. I'll try to answer any questions you might have along the way.

Thank you and should be great experience. 

 

I do have a question-

 

I've booked three Star Class suites (Royal Loft plus both Star Lofts) to take my family on same ship and itinerary next month.

 

Any idea how RCL assigns the Genies for the total of ten Star Class rooms on Harmony? Hopefully, I'll have one Genie for my three rooms.

 

TY

[Biker19]

30 minutes ago, buncosquad said:

Hopefully, I'll have one Genie for my three rooms.

When they reach out the week before the sailing, tell them you'd like the same person to handle all three cabins.

[HBCcruiser]

First Contact🧞‍♀️:

 

We first heard from Genie-land on February 1, 2024 when I received the Genie Survey email. They request that you forward their email onto everyone in your party, which I did. 

 

 

[HBCcruiser]

Here is a copy of the survey and the questions we were asked:

 

 

 

 

 

The NEXT button submits the survey.

 

[HBCcruiser]

Our next Genie contact was on March 10, 2024. Bertie emailed us our Welcome email because Wendy (our Genie) was on vacation. He let us know that we would be working with him, and that he would be sharing our info with Wendy. 

 

[HBCcruiser]

Bertie sent this second follow-up email on the same day:

 

[HBCcruiser]

We responded to his email listing info on our excursions, our pre-booked events, listed our requests, and asked that he and Wendy book our dining and show reservations based on what they think will work best with our schedule. Because this was our first experience we really just wanted to let them have the freedom to plan what they believed would be best for us. 

 

We had a few back-and-forth emails where we gave dates for events we booked (Chef’s Table and Wine Tasting) to help them plan our itinerary. 

[mac_tlc]

We have done Star class three times, twice in the two-bedroom ATS (8330, on Oasis and Allure) and on Harmony in 4-bdr Villa Suite. You will love it! Our genies (Joyce, Smitha, Raj) were excellent and handled numerous dining and scheduling changes with ease. 

 

I did find that the pre-cruise survey didn't translate to much on board, unless there was a special occasion. We sailed very close to our anniversary so the room was usually decked out. 

 

Be prepard for more food than you can possibly consume -- don't be shy to tell the genie -- ENOUGH 😃.

 

I agree with you on the current prices. We wanted to do the 4-Bdr VS on Symphony in 2025, but it is double -- or more depending on the week -- than the Harmony 4-Bdr was in 2022 (booked in 2020). For our merry band of 8, it's now about 50% or more of the median income in 38 states!!

 

Looking forward to your review and impressions!

 

If I recall, Bertie used to be the Suite Concierge for a few of our sailings --- 

 

 

mac_tlc

Edited April 3 by mac_tlc

[HBCcruiser]

9 minutes ago, mac_tlc said:

We have done Star class three times, twice in the two-bedroom ATS (8330, on Oasis and Allure) and on Harmony in 4-bdr Villa Suite. You will love it! Our genies (Joyce, Smitha, Raj) were excellent and handled numerous dining and scheduling changes with ease. 

 

I did find that the pre-cruise survey didn't translate to much on board, unless there was a special occasion. We sailed very close to our anniversary so the room was usually decked out. 

 

Be prepard for more food than you can possibly consume -- don't be shy to tell the genie -- ENOUGH 😃.

 

Looking forward to your review and impressions!

 

If I recall, Bertie used to be the Suite Concierge for a few of our sailings --- 

 

 

mac_tlc

Thanks! We are so excited we are about ready to explode! 

 

 

Edited April 3 by HBCcruiser

[HBCcruiser]

Our most recent email came yesterday, April 2, 2024 from Wendy:

 

 

[HBCcruiser]

I just love the Genie-speak!! So fun. She attached a wonderful daily itinerary for us to edit if needed. We loved what she had planned and made very few changes. 

[HBCcruiser]

We have never sailed from Galveston before, so that will be a first for use as well. Any hints for this port? 

[HBCcruiser]

We are all flying into IAH on Saturday, April 6th - one day before we board. I booked a large room that con hold up to 5 people at the Home2Suites in Galveston a long time ago, so I got a great rate! This was way before they even know about the solar eclipse on April 8th. In fact, I did not know about this event until after I booked the cruise. We are bringing on the approved eclipse viewing glasses in the hopes that we will be able to watch at least a partial eclipse on our sea day! 

 

Anyhoo – We all arrive in Houston at different times, but within a few hours of each other spanning from 11:45 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. assuming flights are on time. Our plan is to meet at the Marriott in the airport (at the bar, of course) then catch our scheduled car to Galveston. Hopefully we will arrive at the hotel by 5:00. Once we get settled, we plan on precruise-gaming at the Founder’s Bar in the Grand Galvez Hotel. It looks so cool!

 

  
 

[HBCcruiser]

We plan on being up and ready to leave the hotel by 9:30 a.m. I booked an Uber for 9:30. Hopefully we will be at the port a little before 10. I told our Genie, Wendy, that we would be there by 10.  Then let the FUN begin! 

 

 

[HBCcruiser]

Yes, we plan on participating in the Theme Nights. The costumes are packed and ready to go!