samplecd02

I am in an Edge Villa on the Beyond for a July 13  sailing and got my email last week. It seems to be a hit or miss if you receive contact.

I would think you would pay full price as I  have not seen a child's price for this venue. I also would not suggest it. Even though its animation it will not keep a 2 yr old entertained.

Dont remember if it was an extra fee or not but the Forbidden in Eden. Apple shaped glass with a sweet drink. One my faves on Apex.

6 hours ago, Northern Aurora said:

Several of the current Retreat Guests need a great amount of handholding, and one person is very angry regarding her suite; suites are full so they cannot move her.  And they also cannot change the height of the bathroom sink in her suite.

Some of the demands of some people. I dont get it!🤔
I mean get a hobby or life....one or the other or both rather than making things difficult for others on stuff they cannot control.

22 hours ago, WineDown17 said:

How was this experience? Was it worth it? Have an EV booked and debating bidding on the iconic.. would love your perspective having sailed in both. 

I was in  an EV on the Apex in 2022. I LOVED it. The plunge pool, the unlimited restaurants (didnt try the MDR, only got in Blu as a space available for one night), the awesome butler, could go on and on.
Loved it so much I  have it booked again in mid July on the Beyond.
Sorry just realized you were asking about the Iconic, that is still a little above my pay grade. 😁

I have only traveled once on Celebrity and in  a Edge Villa so  my thoughts are limited.
I like the  priority embarkation and disembarkation. I didnt try Luminae more than once  or twice since I had the specialty restaurants included. I loved being able to decide where I wanted to eat based  on  my mood for the day.
Also the 2 story room that had a door directly to the Retreat sundeck and my own private plunge pool was awesome as  well. 😁

Loved the butler and the pampering.

3 hours ago, WrittenOnYourHeart said:

I'm scheduled on an ABC cruise on the Beyond this summer. Looking at it on the website, it's basically full - only a handful of solo IVs and a few suites are available.

 

I had a not super great experience on the Anthem of the Seas in February with a completely full ship, so this is making me pretty nervous. I'm in Aqua, so there's that advantage - BUT Aqua is totally sold out as well. So...

 

Has anyone else been on a totally full Beyond (or Ascent since they're pretty much twins)? How bad was it??

Just curious, which sailing are you on? Im on the July 13th.

I know this doesnt really answer your question but I was in 15101 in 2022 on the Apex and there were no noise at all.

1 hour ago, buncosquad said:

We only sail ICs now, with an occasional EV if it's a short 7-night itin -

 

I have never known butlers to be 1:1. However, for the ICs, it sure feels like it, though the EVs have been very good, too.

 

Every time in both type of staterooms, our butler and room steward have been excellent team members.

 

Balcony hot tubs are always washed, filled, and emptied twice a day. In the ICs, the massive master bathroom tub is prepared each night with the tub light show and jets running when we return to the room after dinner and drinks. A few nights on each cruise they've even set up the electric candles all over the place.

 

However, nothing beats the balcony hot tub at night while under way!!!

I dont know how I "forgot" about the plunge pool!!! It was emptied, cleaned and refilled every night. That was one of the best things about the cruise!

Just now, dcbiker97 said:

I’d be interested to hear other people’s experience.  Ours is that,  while they are dedicated to your suite, they are also dedicated to other suites as well. It’s not a 1:1 ratio. That’s been our experience when sailing in a PH. 

I am too. I have a feeling that Liam had more suites but if he did he never showed it. We will see when we sail on July 13 😁

I just got off the phone with the Retreat team due to being concerned about not having a butler after all these changes and after spending $18k on an Edge Villa. I have been reassured that each of these rooms (EV, PH and IC) have a DEDICATED butler (they only have 1 room per butler). 
When  we were  on the Apex in Sept 2022, we had a butler named Liam that was very attentive to our needs. We only requested breakfast every morning and one load of laundry. The breakfast came hot and exactly how we ordered and not only was our laundry done, but hung up in one of our closets when we got back. He also decorated our room for our anniversary (we did not request that, it just showed up one day) and DEMANDED (in a nice customer service way) to  walk us to our dinner every evening. 
While this sailing, we will not be as "high maintenance" I am glad to hear that we should hopefully be receiving the same level of service as we did.
Wanted to  post this to advise those in the "upper" suites of what I learned today in case there were any concerns.

It was open on my embarkation day on the Apex in  Sept 2022.

Not hard to find but interesting. The mirrored walls in the little hallway to Eden would be interesting.

18 minutes ago, lasvegastraveler said:

Wondering is The Retreat area has a mini buffet area serving snacks and hot food? This is such a great option when you want a quick breakfast/lunch or snack without fighting the buffet crowd.  ( they have this mini buffet setup in MSC Yacht Club ).  

Not that I saw on Apex, it was snacking items.

I was advised by a Celebrity representative that yes for the regular menu but the tastings menu is extra.

I have been on 6 cruises with 2 of them Celebrity with one in 2021 and one scheduled for July 2024.
In my 1st celebrity I was in an Edge Villa on the Apex, this was 11k per person for 10 night British Isles with 800 OBC with prepaid grats. While on the ship I was very impressed, the butler answered the phone when I called, provided whatever I needed within the hour (though I only called him a few times over the 10 days), had twice a day room cleaning, was treated like royalty and was even walked to my dinner reservation  by the  butler most nights. 
This type of treatment led me to rebook again in Edge Villa on the Beyond for July 2024. I didnt know it at the time of booking but I booked it before the Oct change, which means I got  600 OBC and prepaid grats. It is costing almost 9k per person.
I am hopeful that being in an "upper suite" means that my previous experience will not change in any noticeable ways, but I can say that if it does, I will not be booking a EV and probably not a suite again.
I just checked the available rooms for my sailing, there is only the Celebrity Suites left at 6k per person, does not include prepaid grats, OBC or any of the speciality restaurants like what is included in the EV. I do not believe that the Celebrity suite is not worth only a 3k per person difference. Celebrity's pricing for suites have definetly gone in the stratosphere.

I have only flown into and out of FLL once and that was in 2006 so not sure how much it has changed.
My ship (Celebrity Beyond) is scheduled to arrive at 7am on July 21, 2024 (its a Sunday) at FLL cruise port. Barring any crazy issues like arriving late, wreck on the highway, etc., can I make a 11:31am flight out of FLL? I have Sky Priority through Delta, will be taking my own luggage off the ship, and will grab the first transportation available at the  port (whether Taxi or Uber). Those who do this more often than once  every 18 years, please advise if this  is doable. 😁
Thanks!

7 hours ago, samplecd02 said:

FYI, I just called the Shore Concierge and for those traveling in Edge Villas like myself, Le Voyage is part of the free unlimited special dining package.

Clarification because I forgot there are 2 options in Le Voyage. The regular Le Voyage is complimentary for EVs. The tastings is not.

FYI, I just called the Shore Concierge and for those traveling in Edge Villas like myself, Le Voyage is part of the free unlimited special dining package.

On 10/1/2023 at 4:14 PM, Trent0341 said:

Yes!  I'll have my family with me (wife and two daughters) but would be happy to meet.  this will be our first time on Beyond (we were on the Edge last time) so I'm assuming the Villas are basically the same.

Its just me and my hubby celebrating our 25th anniversary. Feel free to stop by or leave a note/message on board.

15 hours ago, Trent0341 said:

 

I am also on the July 13th sailing!  I called the concierge and booked it for the night I wanted.  They didn't mention it not being included and sent me an email confirmation that it was booked (again, no mention of it not being included).  If they charge me it is what it is.  I would have booked it anyway.

Im in 15102. We should arrange a meet!

On 9/10/2023 at 7:15 PM, Trent0341 said:

I wasn't last time (2022 Italy, France Spain, in an EV) which is part of my concern as I've read this can fill up fast.  This is only our fourth cruise (3rd on Celebrity) so I don't have a lot of experience here.

I am wondering the answer to your question as well. I am also in  an EV on the Beyond in July 2024? which sailing are you on? I am July 13

I was on the Apex for my first Celebrity cruise last September in an Edge Villa. I came home very impressed with the  service  provided by the butler.
I have just rebooked for another cruise in July of 2024 for my 25th anniversary in another Edge Villa and am reading about the changes with  Celebrity and especially with their butler service. Has anyone been in an "upper suite" since the changes and can advise if they felt the  service was lacking or not?
Thanks!

Had that menu in September. Loved it!

2 hours ago, barbeyg said:

Yes, they were! Tada was a hoot.  I asked for some kind of strawberry martini, any kind of strawberry martini, and after glaring at me for a while, he made one (and another different one later).  When I asked what they were, he would only say “Tomato”. 😂

He is a great guy. We would go in  and tell him just to make us a martini any flavor as long as it was fruity. He had this one that tasted like an orange creamsicle that we used to eat in  our youth. He was an excellent bartender.