NORTH PALM BEACH LIFE
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ultimate
​ family suite

This Fun and Funky Space Comes With Its Own Royal Genie

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Royal Caribbean's Laura Hodges, VP-Guest Experience, and Mark Tamis, SVP-Hotel Operations, talk about the work and planning that went into creating "The Ultimate Family Suite."
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A perfect place to
watch the sunset



​Photos by North Palm Beach Life
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By GERRY BARKER
North Palm Beach Life


ABOARD SYMPHONY OF THE SEAS_As VP of Guest Experience for Royal Caribbean, Laura Hodges and her innovation team are charged with coming up with new ideas for the cruise line's promise of "the ultimate family vacation."

Since onboard accommodations are paramount to the vacation experience, why not create the Ultimate Family Suite?

The result can be seen on Symphony of the Seas -- Suite 1733. It's pretty much everything any family could ask for, and more, starting with the two-story orange slide that connects the two-level suite together.

Driven by customer feedback, Hodges talked about how every color, every feature, every fabric  was debated and tested. After touring the result, their attention to the smallest detail was evident.

Along with the slide, there are two bedrooms upstairs -- one for the adults and one for the kids. Downstairs is a media room space, featuring an 85-inch TV and nearly every game console on the market. There's a floor-to-ceiling LEGO wall, table tennis, and on the spacious balcony overlooking the zip line and minature golf course, a hot tub and climbing feature for the kids.

The suite comes with the services of a Royal Genie, an onboard attendant who personalizes your cruise even before it starts based on your preferences. On the cruise, they take care of your every need.  The Genie has been specially trained "to curate your experience," said Hodges. 

Of course, all the fun and features also comes at a steep price.  Depending on the cruise, the cost for claiming this almost 1,400-square foot space, accommodating up to eight people, ranges from $30,000 to $80,000. And right now, it's pretty much sold out.

The concept has been so successful, Hodges noted it will be included on future ships. Apparently, the cost of making memories on the ultimate family vacation is priceless.

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The bathroom in the
kids bedroom features
​ a built-in TV in the mirror.
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View from the entrance of the big orange slide
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Adults sleep here ...                                         ...and the kids here
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Colorful stair crawl spaces
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Shower, anyone?





​A stylish
workspace
in the master
bedroom
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The spacious balcony features its own hot tub
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It's fun for all ages in the media room space
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The view from the balcony of the Ultimate Family Suite
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Contact us: [email protected]

© COPYRIGHT  2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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  • Home
    • Weather >
      • Hurricane Readiness
  • Cruise/Travel
    • Cruise Reviews and Stories
    • Victory I Great Lakes Cruise
  • Gigi in the 561
    • Gigi's Wine Shelf
    • Gigi in the 561 Interviews
    • Cora
    • My Father's Tales >
      • My Father's Tales - Photo Album
    • Travel Bistro
  • Blogs
    • Gerry Pronounced Gary
    • Rock and Roll Rewind
    • Susan Goldfein -- Blog >
      • Susan Goldfein
  • Video
  • Explore
    • October Odyssey >
      • Cartagena, Columbia
      • Panama Canal
      • Antigua, Guatemala
      • Cabo San Lucas
      • Birds and Bees Speakeasy in Los Angeles
      • We Love LA
      • Coast Starlight
      • Napa Wine Tour
      • California Zephyr
      • California Zephyr Part Two
      • Chicago
      • Amtrak Capitol Limited
      • Washington DC
    • Pam - Traveling in Style
    • Road Trip! >
      • Road Trip! -- Tucumcari, New Mexico
      • Road Trip! -- The Painted Desert
      • Road Trip! - Sedona, Arizona
      • Road Trip! - Sedona Wineries
      • Road Trip! Tonto Natural Bridge State Park
      • Road Trip! - Mogollon Rim
      • Road Trip! - Verde Canyon Railroad
      • Road Trip! - Jerome, Arizona
      • Road Trip! - California
      • Road Trip! - Palm Springs Celebrity Tour
      • Road Trip! - Palm Springs Aerial Tramway
      • Road Trip! - Festival in Palm Springs
      • Road Trip! - Willcox, Arizona and Apple Annie's Orchard
      • Road Trip! Willcox Wineries
      • Road Trip! Chiricahua National Monument
      • Road Trip! Tombstone, Arizona
      • Tombstone, Part Two
      • Road Trip! - Epilogue
    • Traveling With Joe >
      • Beartooth Highway
      • North Cascades National Park
      • A Visit to the Philippines
      • Grand Canyon National Park
      • Glacier National Park
      • Yellowstone National Park
      • Hiking in Bear Country
      • Crater Lake National Park
      • Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta
      • The Kerrville Folk Festival
      • Building Hope in the Rio Grande Valley
      • Yellowstone Camping Tales
    • Unknown Yellowstone >
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Heart Lake
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Summit Lake
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Shoshone Lake
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Grizzly Lake
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Riddle Lake
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Pelican Cone
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Mt. Washburn
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Specimen Ridge
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Avalanche Peak
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Divide Creek
  • Contact
    • Media Kit
    • Pamela Barker - Author
    • The Story of StarText
  • Search