Cruising Star Class on Harmony of the Seas: Our Mother’s Day Sailing
This May, we set sail on Harmony of the Seas out of Galveston, Texas, cruising in a Star Class 2-Bedroom Aqua Theater Suite. This was our first time sailing Star Class on this ship, and it ended up being one of our most seamless and personalized cruise experiences ever.
Pre-Cruise Travel: From Newark to League City
We flew from Newark to Houston on May 10th, right in the middle of a major United Airlines operational meltdown. Thousands of passengers across the country were affected by canceled and delayed flights due to crew scheduling issues, but somehow, we got lucky and made it to Houston with zero problems.
Once we landed at IAH, we took an Uber to League City, where we booked a hotel for the night.
Why League City? It's close to Galveston but much more affordable. Even with the cost of the Uber to the port the next day, it was still cheaper than staying in Galveston or hiring a private shuttle. We spent the afternoon walking around local shops, stopped at Walmart, and grabbed lunch at Red River BBQ & Grill—because when in Texas, you’ve got to have barbecue.
No visit to Texas is complete without a stop at Buc-ee's, so we made the short pilgrimage to the Texas City location. For first-timers to the South, this is a must-see. Buc-ee's was exactly as advertised—massive, spotless, and full of energy. We grabbed some food, stocked up on snacks, bought a few souvenirs, and stood in awe of the 100+ gas pumps outside. It’s the largest convenience store we’ve ever seen and absolutely worth the detour.
Our Travel Group
We were traveling as a group of seven:
Myself, Ashley, and our daughter Abby (10)
My brother-in-law Bill and his wife Sharon
Bill’s adult daughter Destiny and her 4-year-old son (in their own stateroom, not Star Class)
We pre-scheduled our Uber from League City to the cruise port and had zero issues with pickup. The only minor hiccup was that our Royal Genie, Berty, accidentally gave us the wrong street address for the terminal, but we quickly figured it out and updated the Uber destination.
Embarkation: The Star Class Advantage
Upon arrival, port staff tagged all our bags as Star Class, and despite Destiny not being in Star Class, she and her son were allowed to enter with us. We were escorted into the terminal, breezed through security and check-in, and met our genie all in under 10 minutes curb to ship.
When we reached our suite, Berty had arranged a full brunch spread complete with a Mother’s Day cake for Ashley. After a short Star Class orientation, he left us to enjoy the food and relax.
Suite 10730: Our Aqua Theater Home Base
We stayed in room 10730, a Deck 10 2-Bedroom Aqua Theater Suite in the Star Class category. The suite features two full bedrooms, a large living and dining area, two bathrooms, and a massive balcony with a front-row view of the Aqua Theater. This view made all the difference throughout the cruise.
One evening, Berty set up an ice cream sundae bar in our suite timed perfectly with the Aqua Show. We enjoyed the show from our balcony while building custom sundaes—one of the most unique and fun moments of the trip.
He also arranged a surprise birthday celebration for Bill, complete with suite decorations and a custom cake. It was a great way to make the trip extra special and showed just how attentive and thoughtful Berty was throughout the week.
Exploring the Ship and the Western Caribbean Itinerary
Even though this was our third time on Harmony and Bill and Sharon’s second, it was Destiny’s first. We took the kids to get registered at Adventure Ocean, then wandered the ship to reacquaint ourselves with all the amenities.
This itinerary included stops in Roatán, Honduras, Costa Maya, and Cozumel, Mexico classic Western Caribbean ports. Since we’ve visited these ports multiple times before, we spent most of this trip focusing on the Star Class experience rather than heavy touring. It was all about maximizing relaxation and service.
We also took advantage of two tours offered onboard. First was the Behind the Scenes Theater Tour, which is open to all guests. It was packed with information and gave us a new appreciation for what goes into the production shows. Seeing the stage lifts, lighting systems, and costume racks backstage was fascinating.
We also took the Galley Tour, which is exclusive to Star Class guests unless you pay extra. Seeing the scale of the ship's kitchen operations firsthand was eye-opening. The logistics of feeding over 6,000 guests daily is something else. The tour gave us a real appreciation for how polished and efficient Royal Caribbean’s service teams are.
Dining in Star Class Style
Here’s how our dining schedule looked for the week:
Sunday (Embarkation): Chops Grille
Monday: 150 Central Park
Tuesday: Jamie’s Italian
Wednesday: Izumi
Thursday: 150 Central Park
Friday: Jamie’s Italian
Saturday (Final Night): Chops Grille again
Every meal was excellent. Dining in Star Class meant no upcharges for premium items, so at Chops, our waiter brought multiple lobster tails for the table to share without us even asking.
One of the most memorable food moments came later in the week. During a casual conversation, we mentioned to Berty that we love Indian food. He surprised us by arranging a custom Indian lunch on the last sea day, delivered right to our suite. It ended up being one of the best meals we’ve ever had on a Royal Caribbean ship.
Entertainment, Crew, and Service
The ship was in great shape and the crew was outstanding across the board. The bar service, especially poolside, was quick and friendly. Special shout out to Rudy at the poolside bar his service and energy were unmatched and made our sea days even better.
Our room attendant was also absolutely spectacular. With five people in the suite, keeping everything in pristine condition was no small task. Every time we returned, the space felt spotless and refreshed. They also handled our laundry throughout the week with care and efficiency, which made the trip feel even more like a true vacation.
Berty made sure we had reserved seats at all the shows, including Grease, the ice show, and the comedy show. Each show offered something different Grease brought Broadway-level production to the middle of the ocean, the ice show left us speechless with its athleticism and precision, and the comedy show had us laughing nonstop. Having guaranteed front-row or prime-view seats took all the stress out of show nights and made us feel like VIPs at every performance.
But truly, the real GOAT was our genie Berty. He was always available, always on top of every detail, and made sure everything was effortless. From reserved seats at shows to room service to coordinating dining, he delivered the full Star Class experience.
Disembarkation and Return Travel
On disembarkation day, Berty walked us off the ship and straight to passport control. We opted for the Royal Caribbean shuttle back to IAH, which cost $35 per person. While Uber/Lyft can be hard to find in Galveston on disembarkation mornings, the shuttle was smooth, efficient, and took about 90 minutes.
Final Thoughts
This cruise wasn’t about the itinerary it was about the experience. Sailing Star Class on Harmony of the Seas was smooth, relaxing, and filled with thoughtful extras that made it worth every penny. Between the suite, the food, the service, and of course, our genie Berty, it was the perfect spring getaway for our multi-generational crew.
We’ve cruised a lot but this one raised the bar.
