RichYak

We never even found the Carousel Lounge on Meraviglia. We always turned around when we hit the casino thinking that was aft-most. Rookie mistake.

Those who are less physically able will find the separate walk-in shower to be godsent. Thankfully not an issue for us currently. Having stayed in it once given the hype here on CC, I would no longer seek it out.

Great bathroom. The rest of the cabin… meh. Very dark. The only natural light and sightlines to the ocean are the 3 ft wide door to the balcony. IMO this cabin is overrated on CC.

Hire more crew and open Luminae on port days. MSC YC can do it, why can’t Celebrity Retreat.

I imagine someone complained and asked for a credit, to be honest.

This is true. You can go to any specialty when you board. They should be able to make all your reservations from that one spot.

I can think of a few reasons. Some prefer the larger production shows and casinos and the kind of varied entertainment that large ships provide. Seasickness on smaller ships is another reason. Also, the lux lines are more egalitarian which some like and some don't. There are those that prefer to have private, dedicated spaces that the fray cannot access.

Out of curiosity, which ship? I hope you enjoy it!

I read the T&C of the card and the MyCruise points program. I can’t find any language where one can use the points as a statement credit against against general charges to the account.

Well that’s better (still not a good card at 1% earnings) but it begs the question: why would anyone convert the points to obc instead of taking the credit?

No. The card essentially offers 1% cash back (which is bad) in the form of Celebrity OBC (which is terribly restrictive). Using this card is essentially giving money away. There are countless better options. And the post upthread is correct. This isn't a poll, it's just a regular thread.

The B of A Celebrity credit card is a terrible travel card. I can’t think of a number of Captain’s Club points that would overcome that. Certainly not 50 points.

Ah, understood. When we've been in a RS, we've ordered from Sushi on Five via the butler. None of the other specialties do take-out, so I doubt one could order those via the butler. We never felt the need to try. I guess Craft Social falls somewhere in between. I suppose one's butler would be willing to bring food from there to one's cabin and that the cost would be based on that particular butler's ingenuity.

Regular room service is complimentary in all Retreat cabins.

Have you changed your mind yet? 😁

You should avoid the ships with "World" in the name. They are newest, but like Celebrity E-class Retreat, YC space isn't big enough to handle so many YC cabins. I sailed Meraviglia, which was great. I understand that anything with Sea* in the name also has ample space per YC guest. As far as the food, I found the ingredients to be of a higher quality than on Celebrity--better fish, better beef, lobster tails of an acceptable size, etc. YC also has their own buffet, obviously smaller than the main buffet, but plenty of choices. As far as your "packed Carnival cruise ship" comment, I would say if you leave the YC area, you also feel like you're on a packed Celebrity cruise ship, but with more activities going on. These activities create some crowded, but completely avoidable, public areas. We left YC on occasion to have drinks at the champagne bar and the Irish pub style bar. Both were great and never crowded. The real crowds are found on the pool deck and in the main buffet, both of which there is no need to visit. All in all, what I wrote upthread was not hyperbole. The YC experience absolutely blew away any Retreat experience I've had.

What ship did you sail in YC?

For me, MSC Yacht Club blew away the Retreat and it wasn’t close. Food, booze, service, facilities, butler… all better in YC.

Apparently it's not fine to mention.

It's called *****. It's not a travel agency so it's fine to mention.

Sure, I get that, and I've referred to the naming as unfortunate on many occasions. But once inside the stateroom, any reasonable person must realize that the jig is up and there really isn't an exterior space. Thankfully, OP has figured this out prior to sailing while there may still be options.

I don't know what it is about IV cabins that makes some people so delusional.

What you describe was the process I experienced on Meraviglia last month.

Setting realistic expectations shouldn’t require posting on an internet forum. That said, I’m glad that, after comments in this thread, OP’s children suddenly acquired characteristics that will serve them well on Celebrity

Exactly. I don’t know why this is so complicated. Enable wifi calling on your mobile phone, purchase an internet package on board, and you’re always available in case of emergency. It’s simple and responsible.