Harmony of the Seas--1b/r Owners Suite

[GeneralTso]

Hi,
Just placed a deposit for a sailing in 2020 for this suite.
After viewing some YouTube videos and Googling, I still have a couple of questions.

We've only sailed on Disney Cruises in the past. This will be the first time with RL.
We were able to book this Concierge level suite for $6,700. Kind of a shock compared to what we pay on DCL.

Does this include priority embarking and disembarking?
Is luggage handled differently?
Do you need to use the Concierge to book the reserved seating for shows?

New to this level of cruising and would love any insights. Thanks in advance!

 

[OKgirl]

We booked a Crown Loft Suite on the Oasis a few years ago and it was amazing! We had priority embarkation/disembarkation and didn't need to make reservations for shows. (There is an area in the balcony for suite guests). I can't remember how luggage was handled - it was just in our room a few hours later. We had My Time Dining and didn't have to make reservations - they just seated us immediately in front of other guests waiting in line. Our butler offered to iron our clothes for dinner on formal nights and checked on us 2-3 times daily to see if we needed anything. We were able to get added in to an excursion which was already "sold out" with help from the suite Concierge team (who is in the Coastal Kitchen for a few hours each day at a concierge desk). In the evenings, you can eat in the Coastal Kitchen or you can just wander in there for early evening appetizers/drinks. They also serve free alcoholic drinks in the Coastal Kitchen lounge so we would order a drink or 2 and then meander down to dinner with our glasses of wine. We didn't find that we needed an alcoholic drink package when we were suite guests - we just paid as needed for drinks by the pool or in the shows. We are paying the same amount to stay in 2 balcony rooms this fall on our first Disney cruise on the Fantasy that we paid for the 2 story suite a few years ago on the Oasis, which pains me. I have a terrible feeling than I may not think it's worth the expense to cruise DCL but I figured I need to try it at least once! That was our last suite on RCCL - we had a 3rd child and most suites only sleep 2-4 unless you get the largest suite on the ship! Have a great trip!

 

[John VN]

A very nice suite for a 1st RCCL with SKY Class Perks.

Does this include priority embarking and disembarking? --- Yes When we sailed Crown Loft on Oasis last year we entered separate door far left and had separate check-in and seating area. Leaving ship you by-pass everybody.

Is luggage handled differently?--- Same drop off but arrived at cabin faster

Do you need to use the Concierge to book the reserved seating for shows? --- No need to use Concierge but that's what you're paying for.

Coastal Kitchen was GREAT as was the Lounge. We never used MDR.

UNLIKE OKgirl, our Crown Loft did not have a butler since it is only a SKY Class and not the STAR Class. Can not recall ever seeing a CL being in STAR.

Pricing for cruising is KRAZY!!! Our Crown Loft for a Western on Oasis was $4,200 total for the week. We have 2 seven night MSC Yacht Club cruises (STAR Category on RCCL and not available with DCL) for same pricing. Just did a last minute Oceania Insignia for a week for even less. ONLY 684 passengers with 400 crew. Ship is ending a 180 day Around the World in 5 days in Miami and then starts short cruises until next January when it begins a 200 Day Around the World.

ENJOY --- You WILL have a blast, of this I'm certain.

 

[OKW Lover]

Does this include priority embarking and disembarking?
Is luggage handled differently?
Do you need to use the Concierge to book the reserved seating for shows?

We have cruised on both DCL (Platinum) and RCL (Diamond). Our RCL cruises are always in the Grand Suite or higher class of staterooms. To answer your questions:

• Yes, you get priority embarkation and debarkation. On arrival at the port, look for the suite guest line, which will allow you to bypass the rest of the crowd. On the last day of your cruise you will be escorted off by the Concierge staff at a specific time.
• Luggage is handled the same as everybody else on embarkation day. At the end of your stay your luggage will be in a separate area and is among the first to be available to debarking guests.
• You don't need to use the Concierge for shows (or dining) but they are happy to do this for you and you won't get shut-out.

Enjoy your cruise on the Harmony!

 

[GeneralTso]

Thanks so much you guys! Tons of great info that's really helpful!

 

[OKW Lover]

Coastal Kitchen was GREAT as was the Lounge. We never used MDR.

Ahh...we aren't the only ones!!! I meant to make a similar comment in my response. We love Coastal Kitchen too! The food is excellent and so are the servers. We had breakfast there every day. Lunch almost every day. Dinner probably 4 out of 7 nights, only hitting the specialty restaurants the other nights. We have never even been in the MDR on our RCL cruises.

 

[GeneralTso]

Soooooo, this begs the question--what's wrong with MDR? Is that the buffet?

 

[OKW Lover]

Soooooo, this begs the question--what's wrong with MDR? Is that the buffet?

MDR = Main Dining Room. Not a buffet. Its a sit down restaurant. What's "wrong" with it is that they cook to serve ~4,000 people each meal. The specialty restaurants only deal with a small fraction of that.

 

[OKgirl]

The MDR has great food! We loved it in there! Coastal Kitchen was great too but the menu is the same for 3-4 days before it changes and has less of a selection. We ate breakfast every morning in the Coastal Kitchen. Don't miss the formal nights in the MDR - lobster night is great! (And I don't remember lobster being offered in Coastal Kitchen but it's been a few years and that may have changed). My 13 year old ate 4 lobster tails that night and I think they said they served nearly 1200 lobster tails at first seating if I remember correctly. But in the Coastal Kitchen, alcoholic drinks are free so we ate there 4 nights as well. We didn't feel the need for any upgraded dining when staying in a full suite. (We did eat one night at Chef's Table and another night at Wonderland when we went on the Harmony last year when staying in a Junior Suite). We won't be staying in a full suite again anytime soon since we have a 3rd child now (and there aren't many suites that will sleep 5). Suite amenities were much better for us on RCCL than when we tried it once on NCL. We felt it wasn't worth the money on NCL but it was an older ship without a Haven section. We haven't tried a suite on Carnival since they don't seem to have much more than a larger room.

 

[OKW Lover]

lobster night is great! (And I don't remember lobster being offered in Coastal Kitchen but it's been a few years and that may have changed).

Yes, lobster is offered in Coastal Kitchen that night. We were last on an Oasis class ship (Allure) in late April

 

[GeneralTso]

Well......LOVE a Lobster Night. Wasn't too impressed with DCL's version. Tails were dry because they were baked or broiled. Crossing my fingers that RC has it down.