Cruising in Style: My Royal Caribbean International (Suite Class) Experience
- Esther
- Mar 23
- 3 min read
Updated: Apr 21
Many family cruises we made on Royal Caribbean International. We have cruised on the Navigator in the Caribbean, Liberty during a crossing Miami to Barcelona, Harmony and the Symphony both in the Mediteranean from Barcelona. They all have their own charm and pro's and cons. My personal favourites are the big ships with shopping street, slides, Abyss and aquatheater, there is so much fun on those ships and the reason why we choose these ships, is because we were with kids. A tip for you: we always took the crossings when our kids were small, they were not in school yet, so we were able to cruise longer outside school vacations. You can combine the city trip before and after to make your vacation a bit longer, but crossing itself was already 14 days.
The Harmony and the Symphony are very similar sister ships, here is everything what you are looking for. Waterslides, Abyss (not a wet slide), Aqua theater were they were play the " Fine Line" one of the best aqua shows of Royal Caribbean to my opinion, Carrousel, Rock climbing wall, Zip line, Botanical garden, Ice skating show, Broadway shows and lots and lots of specialty restaurants and bars around the ship.
In the Symphony we cruised in the Suites, we had an amazing two bedroom Grand Suite 580 sq. ft. (54 m²)which had two proper bedrooms and could hold 8 guests, double size balcony, two bathrooms and a living area. There was a special sun tanning place for suites guests, here was bar service inclusive and snacks and drinks (including alcohol) available all day. No need to put out your towel early. In the suite lounge was a cocktail hour every day between 4.30 pm - 7.30 pm to get snacks and cocktails and the concierges were having their desk there if you had special request for dining or tours, you can easily approach them there. The bar was open in the suite lounge all day from 11.30 am till 11.00 pm, for snacks and drinks. In this lounge was also the private restaurant the Coastal Kitchen, this is were the suite guests can eat breakfast, lunch and diner.
PRO'S
Here are the perks for all suite guests: (Sea, Sky and Star Class)
Exclusive Suite Lounge – A private lounge with free drinks & snacks (Sky & Star Class get free cocktails from 11:30 AM - 11 PM.)
Coastal Kitchen Access – An exclusive restaurant serving upgraded cuisine (Sea Class = dinner only; Sky & Star = all meals).
Priority Boarding & Departure – Skip the lines on embarkation and disembarkation days.
Suite Sun Deck – Private sunbathing area with lounge chairs and a plunge pool.
Luxury Bath Products & Upgraded Amenities – Includes enhanced toiletries, robes, and premium linens.
Concierge Service – Help with dining, excursions, and reservations.
Reserved Seating at Shows – Priority access to entertainment venues.
Happy hour from 4.30 am till 7.30 free drinks and cocktails and Hors 'd Ouvres
Sky class perks:
Concierge Service – Personalized assistance with requests.
Priority Dining Reservations – Early access to book specialty restaurants.
VOOM Surf & Stream Internet – Free Wi-Fi for all guests in the suite.
Suite Lounge with Complimentary Drinks – Free cocktails and hors d’oeuvres daily.
Priority Embarkation & Debarkation – Skip the lines for a faster experience.
Star class perks:
Royal Genie (Personal Butler) – Handles everything from dinner reservations to private excursions.
Complimentary Specialty Dining – Free access to all specialty restaurants.
Complimentary Gratuities – No need to tip; it's covered.
Free Deluxe Beverage Package – Unlimited cocktails, wine, beer, coffee, and more.
Priority Everything – Reserved seats at shows, VIP boarding, and more.
Personalized In-Suite Dining – Enjoy exclusive meal service in your suite.
Exclusive Activities & Experiences – Unique surprises curated by your Royal Genie.
CONS:
You have only acces to limited part of the ship
Your cabin is not always attached to the suite area.
Sun deck is separate from suite area
Free drinks limited times per day
Conclusing is that these ships are lovely and there is so much entertainment, you won't be bored, if you like to be on a lively ship these are the ships for you and now with the Icon and the Star coming up even bigger ships and more fun.
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