This is my second sailing on the Spectrum of the Seas. I first sailed on this ship in 2023, when she was based in Singapore as her home port. This review focuses on the room I stayed in for this sailing and the perks that came with the Suite.
Check-in at Wusongkou International Cruise Port
Our check-in experience, as a Star Class passenger, was nothing short of amazing. Star and Sky Class have a dedicated check-in area in Wusongkou International Cruise Port. Star Class passengers would check in at the T1 VIP Lounge, located at the far end of the terminal, where everyone alights and completes their check-in in front of the terminal building. There is a manned counter in front of the T1 VIP Lounge entrance, with a blue carpet and huge banners with ‘Sky’ and ‘Star Class’ on each side. Upon confirming our reservation details, the friendly staff quickly took over our luggage and attached the “Star Class” tag to it. We will not see our luggage until we are in our suite. We were then invited into the terminal building, where another staff member offered us a seat and refreshments while she efficiently completed our check-in. Two other staff members, one processing each of our documents, and before we could finish our doughnuts, our check-in was completed. The staff then escorted us to an escalator leading to the security and immigration. After immigration, we met our Royal Genie, who took our passports and escorted us past the other passengers trying to board the ship, into an empty line where we were expedited to board.
The Ship
Spectrum of the Seas is one of the larger cruise ship owned by Royal Caribbean. This ship was specifically built for the Chinese market, which explains the Panda statues outside Seaplex on Deck 15, as well as Chinese restaurants such as Hotpot and Sichuan Red. With a total of 16 decks of activities and accommodations, Spectrum of the Seas has a total of 2,137 cabins, spread across decks 3 to 16. Apart from the 2-storey-high Main Dining Room and a myriad of speciality dining options, the former Silver and Gold dining has been renamed Star|Sky|Sea Dining, catering to suite guests. Spectrum of the Seas is equipped with a FlowRider surf simulator, a rock-climbing wall, an iFly skydiving simulator, swimming pools, a Spa and Fitness Centre, a theatre, a casino and an iconic Northstar observation capsule.
The Ultimate Family Suite
The one-of-a-kind Ultimate Family Suite is the largest and the highest category suite onboard the Specture of the Seas, which comes with Star Class perks. The Ultimate Family Suite has an expansive floor area of 257㎡ interior living spaces across two decks and almost 20㎡ balcony spaces. The suite comprises a living room, an entertainment room, 3½ bedrooms, and 3½ bathrooms.
Lower Deck
Besides the living room, the Lower Floor in the Ultimate Family Suite houses two bedrooms, an entertainment room, a powder room, and a dining area. The balcony is also accessible via the rooms on the lower deck.
Entryway
We got a sense of cheerfulness and a Chinese vibe from the entryway, which is evident in the bright red colour used here. Red represents auspiciousness and cheerfulness in the Chinese culture, which is incorporated into parts of the suite. The entryway’s walls are painted a bright red, complemented by a red carpet and red dripping lighting. From the entryway, we got a glimpse of the living room and the piano staircase that leads to the upper deck of the suite.
Dining Area
The first area after the entryway is the main dining area in the Ultimate Family Suite. Continuing with the auspicious theme, the red seen in the entryway extends to the furniture in the dining area. The dining area is furnished with a large glass-top round dining table topped with a bright red centre and velvet dining chairs. The auspicious theme is further enhanced by the artwork that resembles gold coins dangling from the lighting in the dining area. Despite the suite being able to accommodate up to 10 passengers, the dining table is only furnished with six dining chairs.
Living Room
While the entryway and the dining area are decorated with the auspicious theme, the decor in the living room takes a departure from the red theme. Instead, this area exudes a sense of fun, with its bright colour theme and numerous entertainment options for the young and the young at heart. The right side of the living room, adjacent to the staircase wall, features a LEGO wall for the young ones to explore their imagination while building their LEGO creations on the wall. We also found an air hockey table next to the LEGO wall. One cannot miss the bright orange slide located next to the floor-to-ceiling window, from which occupants of the suite can slide down to the lower deck.
Occupying the left side of the living room is the lounging area, furnished with a grey fabric three-seater sofa that can be converted into a queen bed, two bright yellow beanbag-like armchairs, and a small round coffee table. This is where suite occupants enjoy movies and shows from the flatscreen TV mounted on the wall. As a Star Class passenger, all paid movies are made complimentary to the suite guests. I like the design of the feature wall on which the TV is mounted. Instead of the usual plan wall, the suite designers incorporated a wavy pattern on the feature wall, reinforcing the fun theme on what would otherwise be a monotonous wall. In addition to the channels, Royal Caribbean equips the TV area of the Ultimate Family Suite with three gaming consoles: a PlayStation, an Xbox, and a Nintendo Switch.
Powder Room
Housed in the curved wall next to the dining area is the powder room. The amount of space allocated to the powder room is rather huge, and fitting only a toilet and a sink makes the powder room look empty. Having said that, considering the Ultimate Family Suite is designed for 10 passengers, having a powder room here provides its occupants with an additional bathroom.
Entertainment Room
Moving further into the Ultimate Family Suite, the entertainment room is designed next to the powder room. Decked in bright red and white colours, the entertainment room functions as a movie theatre with its curtains closed, with seats arranged in a cinema-like setting in rows of two. To enhance the movie-going experience, Royal Caribbean installed a popcorn machine and stocked the small fridge located in the cabinet at the back of the entertainment room with sodas. The entertainment room also has karaoke functions (this is why I termed this room the entertainment room), a favourite pastime of Asian cruisers.
Bedroom 1
The first bedroom we encounter in the Ultimate Family Suite is situated directly across from the entertainment room. This bedroom has a square layout and is the smaller of the two bedrooms in the lower deck of the suite. There is ample storage space and even a small living area in Bedroom 1. This bedroom is fitted with two double-panelled wardrobes at the entrance to the room, opposite the bathroom that provides generous clothing storage space for passengers. Further into the room, and mounted onto the wall next to the wardrobe, is the TV. Rather than holding the TV, the TV console serves more as a storage space. A small desk sits in the corner next to the TV console. I thought calling this a vanity table was a bit of a stretch, as only one small mirror fitted on this table.
A large king bed is positioned against the wall, facing the TV, in the bedroom. The blue velvet headboard constantly reminded us that we are onboard a cruise ship and not a hotel on land. I briefly tested the mattress on this bed and found it to be firm. I can imagine that sleeping on this bed would make one feel refreshed. Two small single-drawer bedside tables were furnished on both sides of the bed, and power points were fitted on the wall to allow passengers in this bedroom to charge their mobile devices overnight. A small chest of drawers occupies the space between the king bed and the exit to the balcony. This chest of drawers, with its five-drawer storage space and cabinet, allows passengers sleeping in Bedroom 1 to store their small items neatly. Sharing the space with the chest of drawers are two lime-green-coloured armchairs, with a small coffee table in between. Placed in front of the exit to the balcony, these chairs not only provide passengers with a place to sit, but also allow them to enjoy the outdoors without being outdoors.
Bathroom 1
The bathroom in Bedroom 1 sits next to the room’s entrance and is the smallest of the three bathrooms in the suite. We could see the entire bathroom from its entrance. The sink located next to the entrance provides sufficient space for guests to store their toiletries. Like the other cruises we have been on, Royal Caribbean does not provide dental kits or shavers for its passengers. The only bathroom amenity we found at the sink was cotton pads and body lotion. The toilet is between the sink and the walk-in shower. The walk-in shower is only fitted with a regular shower head, where we found the upgraded (MALIN+GOETZ) shower amenities.
Master Bedroom
The entrance to the master bedroom is located next to the TV in the entertainment room and is the larger of the two bedrooms on the lower deck, as well as the largest bedroom in the Ultimate Family Suite. The Master Bedroom has a longer but slightly narrower layout. Right by the entrance of the Master Bedroom is a chest of drawers, identical to that in Bedroom 1 next door, which gave passengers staying in this bedroom a place to stow their belongings out of sight. However, instead of ornaments, Royal Caribbean equips this cabinet with a Lavazza coffee machine and some mugs. Further into the Master Bedroom, we found the same TV console we saw in Bedroom 1 here. Like Bedroom 1, the TV is mounted on the wall facing the king bed, allowing passengers to enjoy shows while lying in comfort. Like Bedroom 1, a small vanity table sits at the corner of the room, next to the window.
The bed in the Master Bedroom is identical to that in Bedroom 1. The only difference is that the king bed here is positioned next to the exit to the balcony, allowing passengers to catch a glimpse of the sea while lying in bed. The two bedside tables here are identical to those in Bedroom 1, with power outlets fitted onto the wall for passengers to charge their mobile devices. Unlike Bedroom 1, armchairs in the Master Bedroom are furnished in the middle of the room. These blue velvet armchairs provided passengers with a space to sit and sip coffee from the coffee machine located on the chest of drawers opposite them. The wardrobe in the Master Bedroom is fitted on the left of the entrance to the bedroom, opposite the bathroom. There is ample storage space in these two double-panel wardrobes. We also found another in-room safe on top of the drawers in one of the wardrobes. I like how Royal Caribbean has provided ample hangers in each of these wardrobes, enabling passengers to hang all their clothing.
Master Bathroom
The bathroom in the Master Bedroom occupies the space to the left of the room’s entrance, opposite the wardrobe. Similar to the bathroom in Bedroom 1, this elongated bathroom houses the toilet, sink and walk-in shower. The sink features a generous countertop space for guests to place their toiletries and other personal items. Like in Bedroom 1, we did not find any bathroom amenities other than cotton pads and body lotion. The walk-in shower, fitted with only a regular shower head, sits beside the sink. Despite the bathroom’s narrower layout, I found the space in the walk-in shower to be rather generous. The walk-in shower here also has the upgraded (MALIN+GOETZ) shower amenities. The toilet sits on the other end of the bathroom, on the left side of the sink.
Balcony
The balcony in the Ultimate Family Loft Suite is the largest onboard the Spectrum of the Seas and runs across the entire length of the suite. This balcony space is not just a place for passengers to get some fresh air; it is also a space for suite passengers to hang out and enjoy the outdoors. The balcony is furnished with a small dining table for four, allowing passengers to enjoy meals with a stunning view of the sea. The other corner of the balcony, under the shelter, is where passengers can relax and enjoy the sea breeze on the outdoor sofa or the armchairs. There is even a hanging chair at the corner of the balcony for passengers to sway with the gentle waves. In addition to the outdoor furniture, the Ultimate Family Suite features a large jacuzzi tub on its balcony, allowing families to soak in the sea breeze.
Upper Deck
Compared to the lower deck, the upper deck of the Ultimate Family Suite primarily serves as a sleeping area. It comprises only a bedroom, an antechamber, and a massive master bathroom. The main feature of the Ultimate Family Suite is the slide within the suite. The first thing we spot on the upper deck is the hole that enabled us to slide down to the lower level.
Antechamber
An antechamber sits beside the staircase, a small area just before the bedroom on the upper deck of the suite. At the time of our sailing, the antechamber was configured into a bedroom with a bunk bed set-up (hence the ½ bedroom in the Ultimate Family Suite). Blackout curtains are installed here to block out the light for better night sleep. We also found a single and a double panel wardrobe at the back of the bunk beds for occupants of this half-bedroom to store their clothing. Though not as large as the wardrobes we saw in the two bedrooms in the lower deck, I reckon there is sufficient storage space in these wardrobes. A drop-down TV is installed in the antechamber, providing the same entertainment as any of the bedrooms in the suite.
Bedroom 3
Bedroom 3 is the main bedroom on the upper deck, decked in bright and cheerful colours that lift one’s spirit the moment one enters the room. This bedroom has a lot of natural lighting as one side of the wall is fitted with glass panels. The presence of this glass wall treats the occupants of this room to an expansive view of the sea. However, as the king bed faces the TV mounted on the wall, only one passenger sleeping in this room can get a sea view from the bed. Blackout curtains are installed at the glass panel wall for better sleep at night. There are two entrances to Bedroom 3, one via the wooden door from the antechamber and another via the glass door from the upper deck walkway. In the centre of Bedroom 3 sits a light grey fabric-framed king bed, which is extremely comfortable to sleep on, enhanced with the foam pillows that our Royal Genie had organised for us prior to our boarding. In addition to providing us with ample space to charge our mobile devices overnight, the two bedside tables also offered space to store smaller items in the two drawers fitted here.
In terms of wardrobe space, Bedroom 3 is furnished with two wardrobes, one by the wooden door and the other next to the bedside table. Like those on the lower deck, these wardrobes provided us with ample space to unpack our luggage fully. The three-tiered drawers inside the wardrobe further enhance storage. Opposite the king bed sits a grey cushioned TV console that increases the storage capacity in Bedroom 3. Like the other bedrooms, the TV is mounted on the feature wall in the bedroom, providing entertainment while lying in bed. A small vanity desk is tucked into a corner of the bedroom beside the glass wall.
Upper Deck Bathroom
Unlike the bedrooms on the lower deck, where the bathroom is inside the bedroom, the bathroom on the upper deck is outside Bedroom 3. This is the biggest bathroom in the suite and, in fact, the biggest on the entire ship. The bathroom on the upper deck looks bright and airy thanks to the white tiles, the white lighting, and the floor-to-ceiling windows. The dual sinks, fitted by the wall, stretch from the entrance to the toilet cubicle. There is plenty of storage space on the sink countertop due to the relatively small dual sinks on top of the countertop. There is more storage space in the cabinets at the marble sink countertop, where towels are mainly placed. Like the other two bathrooms we saw on the lower deck, the only bathroom amenities we found here were cotton pads and body lotion. Royal Caribbean does not provide the standard bathroom amenities, such as toothbrushes and razors. The toilet is housed in a small cubicle at the end of the sink countertop.
The highlight of this bathroom, other than the incredible amount of space, is the bathtub. Granted, this bathtub does not have a jacuzzi function, but the placement in front of the window allows one to relax in the tub with a sea view. It is thoughtful that Royal Caribbean installed a frosted window feature, which can be activated with the flick of a switch to enhance privacy for occupants of this bathroom. Another highlight in this bathroom is the spacious walk-in shower. On top of a regular shower head, the walk-in shower is fitted with a rain shower and five octopus tentacle-like body jets. The only flaw in this walk-in shower is the lack of a ledge for us to place our toiletries. However, this can be easily resolved by unfolding the chair in the walk-in shower. Like the bathroom on the lower decks, Royal Caribbean also provides the upgraded (MALIN+GOETZ) shower amenities in this walk-in shower.
The Perks
Royal Caribbean offers three class tiers for guests booked into suites onboard: Sea Class, Sky Class, and Star Class. These suite classes offer passengers additional perks compared to Balcony, Ocean View, and Interior cabins. Our Ultimate Family Suite, being the largest suite onboard Spectrum of the Seas, naturally comes with the highest Royal Suite Class—Star Class, which is packed with numerous perks.
Our Royal Genie
The greatest perk of the Star Class is access to the Royal Genie, a personal butler who takes care of everything we want onboard, from making reservations for dining, shows, and activities to attending to our requests regarding the configuration and beverages we want to stock in our suite. Prior to our sailing, we received email communication from two groups of Royal Genie. About one month before sailing, we received an email from the corporate royal genie, who sent us a survey regarding our preferences for drinks and activities. About four days before sailing, we received an email from James, our Royal Genie onboard, who helped us plan activities and provided very detailed instructions for boarding, as well as recommendations on how to spend our time onboard. During boarding day, James received us at the port after immigration control. With James around, boarding the ship was a breeze; we were being led to bypass the long lines and head directly onto the ship without having to stand in line. It took us only 15 minutes from meeting James at the pier to sitting in the Star & Sky dining room enjoying our lunch, including attending the muster drill. After lunch, James escorted us to our Ultimate Family Suite and had a lot of snacks and finger food set up to welcome us. He even took the liberty of arranging for a birthday cake for me. James took the liberty of planning our daily activities, made the necessary bookings at restaurants and activities, and was present at every venue onboard to ensure we were well cared for by his colleagues.
We felt protected by James, having him around, who always took us to our venues using the shortest route. James was around when we went on the iFly, helping us take pictures and videos for memory. When it comes to seat reservations at the Royal Theatre or 270 for shows, James always snags the best seats in the house for us to enjoy the performances. He even went above and beyond to get us drinks and snacks for the shows. James would always communicate our dietary restrictions to his speciality restaurant colleagues before we could utter a word. During our sea port day, James got us off the ship before everyone else so we could enjoy more time in Fukuoka. Having a Royal Genie like James around certainly makes the cruise experience more enjoyable.
Star & Sky Dining
One of the perks of the Star Class tier is access to the Star & Sky Dining reserved for passengers sailing in Star and Sky class cabins. The Star & Sky dining is located on Deck 16 forward, just behind the Balcony. We were ushered to the Star & Sky Dining on embarkation day by our Royal Genie to grab a bite. This is the time we appreciated the tranquillity the restaurant offers, where only ⅓ of the restaurant was occupied. The food was of high quality and came in large portions; we were already full by the time we reached dessert. Our server encouraged us to return to Star & Sky Dining for dinner, where the menu is exclusively prepared for the restaurant. Unfortunately, our schedule for the rest of the cruise was filled with lunch and dinner reservations in speciality restaurants that we did not have spare stomach space to return to Star & Sky Dining for dinner. Having said that, we had our breakfast mostly delivered from Star & Sky Dining to our suite. Except for disembarkation day, when we returned to Star & Sky Dining for breakfast and to bid our server farewell.
The Balcony
On the other Quantum Class ships, the Suite Sun Deck is an exclusive space reserved for passengers in the Sky and Star Classes and Pinnacle members. But onboard Spectrum of the Seas, there is The Balcony, an outdoor space reserved for these passengers. Located on the forward part of the ship on Deck 16, just above the bridge, The Balcony allows eligible members to chill out in this outdoor space. Unlike the Suite Sun Deck, which is designed for passengers to sunbathe, The Balcony is configured for chilling out with the outdoor sofas furnished in this area. We were able to capture an expansive view of the sea from above the bridge at The Balcony. Unfortunately, we only came here once during embarkation to take a look.
Speciality Dining
Eat and drink till you drop is what we experienced as a Star Class passenger onboard Spectrum of the Seas. One of the perks of being a Star Class passenger is almost complimentary in the paid speciality restaurants. We tried most of these paid restaurants during this sailing. Although most restaurants are covered under our Star Class perk, there are a couple of speciality dining options, such as the Chef’s Table and Teppanyaki, which attract an additional fee of USD 50 per person for the Chef’s Table and USD 15 per person for Teppanyaki. Throughout our time onboard, we tried Jamie’s Italian, Sichuan Red, Chops Grille, Izumi, Wonderland and Teppanyaki. I had high expectations of Wonderland, but the experience fell short. The food was great and the service was excellent, but the dining experience wasn’t as mind-blowing as what I had seen on YouTube. Of these speciality restaurants, we thought Chops Grille and Sichuan Red were worth paying the extra to dine in. We found the food in these restaurants to be tastier and enjoyed the dining experience more than in other restaurants. Not that the others are bad, we just felt the food in these two restaurants won us over.
Complimentary Minibar and Deluxe Beverage Package
We arrived in our suite to find a fully stocked minibar, complete with sodas and beers of our preference, which is one of the perks of staying in a Star Class suite. We even spotted a bottle of Moët & Chandon champagne waiting for us in the living room, along with the soda. All the fridges in the suite, including the one in the entertainment room, were stocked with a variety of drinks, ranging from sodas to still and sparkling water. Royal Caribbean stocked our suite with Evian still water and Pellegrino sparkling water, in addition to the more generic local branded still water. There is so much to drink outside the suite that we did not even finish the drinks our Royal Genie had prepared. One thing to note is that only the still and sparkling water were replenished daily, not the sodas. However, that did not bother us, as one of the perks of being a Star Class passenger is the complimentary deluxe beverage package, which allows us to grab any drinks (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) that would normally be chargeable from the many bars dotted around the ship. We could even grab Starbucks coffee, Häagen-Dazs ice cream and even bubble tea from the many cafes onboard. To further take advantage of the beverage package, we visited the Bionic Bar daily for at least three drinks.
Onboard Activities
Laser tag, iFly, and NorthStar are the paid activities (costing between USD 30 and USD 50 per session) made available to us at no charge as a Star Class perk. Our Royal Genie has arranged these activities for us, and all we need to do is show up at the specified time to enjoy them. NorthStar is a capsule fixed to a crane that launches us about 90m from the ship. From the highest point, we could get a great view of the sea and the ship below us. This is a great experience, especially for those who have never tried it. The iFly is a skydiver simulator, essentially a wind tunnel that simulates skydiving, allowing us to float weightlessly in the air. Our Royal Genie even arranged two iFly sessions on different sea days for us to enjoy the ride. Unfortunately, our laser tag session had to be cancelled due to a lack of sign-ups.
Priority Queues
As a Star Class passenger, we have reserved queues for some of the activities onboard. We were only interested in playing on the bumper cars and only used the priority queue for the ride. For bumper cars, there is a small section cordoned off with seats for Star Class passengers to rest while waiting for our turn at the bumper cars. We usually didn’t have to wait for too long and were given priority to enter the rink. Due to this priority queue, we were able to ride the bumper car several times in a single session, which we thoroughly enjoyed.
Laundry and Pressing Services
Being a Star Class passenger, we also got complimentary same-day laundry and pressing services. We just had to leave our clothing in one of the laundry bags found in the wardrobe in our suite by 11 am, and our cabin attendants would pass them to the laundry department. Our clothes were already delivered clean and pressed by 6 pm on the same evening.
VOOM Internet Services
Being able to stay connected out at sea is important in this day and age. Royal Caribbean offers Starlink internet to all guests onboard at a fee. Depending on the length of the sailing and whether a discounted rate is available (which can occur from time to time on Royal Caribbean’s website), internet charges can add up. Royal Caribbean offers complimentary internet for one device per passenger booked into Sky and Star Class suites. The internet speed onboard is quite fast and reliable, and we rarely encounter any internet blind spots in our suite or throughout the ship.
Expedited Boarding and Departure
Passengers sailing with Royal Caribbean are required to select a boarding time slot when checking in online, which I thought was great as it disperses the crowd. The cruise company will only allow passengers to board at their selected time slot. As part of the Star Class privilege, we were not confined to a particular boarding time slot. Since we had a separate check-in area, we could simply show up at any time and check in. Similarly, we were also accorded priority departure during disembarkation day, which meant that we did not have to queue up the night before for a disembarkation time slot. We also did not have to stand in line with other passengers at a time slot to disembark the ship. Our Royal Genie escorted us off the ship, skipping all the queues during disembarkation day.
Service On Board
The service we got from the other crews on Spectrum of the Seas were also amazing. It is a stark difference from our first experience on the ship, when she home-ported in Singapore. Most of the crew were welcoming and had the biggest smiles on their face, ready to render any assistance to us (we are not sure if it is the Star Class band we had on our wrist). The servers in the speciality restaurants were very welcoming and took the time to go through the menu with us, recommending their personal favourites. They were always very cheerful and certainly brought joy to our dining experience. Our cabin stewards, Denoi and Herry, were amazing. They were warm, friendly and sincere and would always strike up a conversation whenever we bumped into them along the corridor. They would always keep our cabin clean daily, and we would always return to the suite in the same condition we found it in when we first boarded. During a conversation, we mentioned how we liked the Indonesian instant noodles. Denoi and Herry left us some of theirs, which they had brought from home, as a very nice gesture. Denoi and Herry always greet us with the warmest smile whenever we bump into them along the corridor.
Walking into the Star & Sky Dining is like returning home, where the staff at the door greeted us with the biggest smiles and remembered our preferences, despite having met us only once. They would strike up a conversation, asking where we were from and our food preferences. Nothing seemed too small for them to fulfil, and they always did their job with the utmost professionalism. On both occasions we visited the Star & Sky Dining, we were served by Mark, a great conversationalist who provided us with a very good introduction to the menu. We enjoyed both visits to the Star & Sky Dining. We were fortunate to have met iFLY instructors Jessica and Chen Li. They were very encouraging and made us feel safe during the flying session. They even gave everyone a pat on the back for doing iFLY.
Overall
We had a wonderful time onboard the Spectrum of the Seas. We enjoyed the ample space in the Ultimate Family Suite and the numerous facilities it offered. The sleep quality on the bed in the suite was excellent, leaving us feeling refreshed every morning. We enjoyed the many perks that come with the Star Class. We felt very well taken care of by our Royal Genie, James, who took the time to plan our activities onboard and made all the reservations in the speciality restaurants. The other ship crew we met onboard were welcoming and friendly, and also contributed to our enjoyment of the cruise.