Mrs_Tiki

That is brilliant! Ordering one for our next cruise. X has priced us out of The Retreat butler service, so we will be grabbing our own from Cafe Al Bacio.

Nice review, glad you had a good time!

We sailed in an IV on Apex for a Caribbean cruise and didn’t hate it at all. The AC issue was problematic in hot weather, but we loved the extra space and seating with a floor to ceiling window. I think it would be great for a cooler weather sailing. Cabin location is important to me. If I were you, I would keep the IV and not take a chance on a guarantee.

After my prior issues, I am not sure that I am the one to ask! I don't see them on the app. I printed mine from my laptop.

I did not see that - thank you for pointing me in the right direction! It is not often that I have two booked at once. And bonus points - now my Xpress Pass is showing, too. Thank you for your help!

Is anyone else having issues with the app? I have two upcoming cruises - one in 9 days and one in October - but only the later cruise is showing on the app. (I have never been able to pull up my boarding pass for that one on the app.) Happily, both are showing up in my Celebrity account when I log in on my laptop, or I would be in a real panic right now! Anyone else having similar issues? Any advice? (I have already removed the app and downloaded and signed in again.)

I have had mixed experiences with embarkation at Terminal 25 at Port Everglades for post-shutdown sailings, usually arriving 11:00 - 11:30. One time (Apex, November 2022), there was strict enforcement of lines for various boarding times, on others (Beyond 2023, Ascent 2024), there were no lines at that time and pax could enter the terminal as soon as they arrived. Not sure of wait times once in the terminal, as we were in the Retreat and had separate check-in. For my upcoming cruise in AquaClass on Silhouette, I will likely arrive at the port around 11:30 for an assigned 1:30 check-in time. I plan to hangout outside until lines abate, then politely ask port workers if I might check-in ahead of my assigned time, provided there aren’t people waiting.

I think that you were smart to go ahead and book the AQ on Eclipse. The ports are much better, and Blu’s location and views on the S-class ships are superior to those on E-class.

Yes, agree that it is a placeholder. We had it booked for our January 20 cruise on the Ascent, but it was cancelled and our account was credited. Hope you get to have that experience!

I can’t speak to the PH on S-class, but DH and I did sail in the RS on Edge in March 2022. And we did have some lovely sunset cocktails on an M-class PH balcony (thank you, @l_n_m!) I agree with others that the balcony in the RS on E-class ships is very disappointing, especially compared to the PH on M-class, which was phenomenal! The rest of the suite was lovely, especially the luxurious bathroom. Although we have no experience with The Retreat amenities on other class ships, we have really enjoyed the dedicated facilities on E-class, especially the Retreat Lounge and Sundeck. I would miss them on other ships. As to dining, our experiences in Luminae have been mixed. On our last cruise on Ascent in The Retreat, we opted to ah e several dinners and breakfasts in Blu. Happily, we were easily accommodated.

Another vote for Pan Pacific. We had a wonderful experience there this past October. Because our room was not ready for early check-in as promised, we were upgraded to a harbor-facing suite. Since we were traveling from the east coast, we were up early the day of our sailing. It was a spectacular sight to watch our ship sail in and dock at Canada Place as the sun was rising. And so, so easy to have the bellman pick up your bags and deliver to the ship!

@mac_tlc, we hope you and DW have a great cruise!

I am so sorry to hear this. There is a way to politely address issues - no excuse to be rude!

It is done and posted! And I agree that Jeremy’s sacrifice is indicative of a beautiful marital partnership.

Thank you for that context. It makes sense, but I wish that they would re-think this for departures where the entire ship embarks at once!

Apologies for the delay in completing this comparative review. We had a full day in the car driving home on Thursday, then piles of laundry and work to tackle yesterday! Beverage Addendum: (point to Ascent) I realize that I addressed included wine but did not talk about cocktails. Although I said I only drink wine, I do sometimes enjoy a poolside cocktail, and pre- or post-dinner martini or "fancy" cocktail. Pool (point to Ascent) - The pool bar service on Ascent was much better, as well as the readily available signature cocktails. The Retreat cocktail is my favorite - just don't look at all that is in it! On MSC, after one margarita on the rocks made with yucky mix from a bottle and well tequila, I learned to order Silver Patron and soda. On Ascent, bar servers circulated and ensured that they were there when you needed a refresh. On Seashore, we always had to get in line at the bar to get a drink. Topsail Lounge/Retreat Lounge (point to Seashore) - As I mentioned previously, it was sometimes hard to find a server in the Retreat Lounge, but Topsail's servers circulated about to ensure that everyone had what they needed. DH very much enjoyed a craft cocktail recommended by the bartender. Bars Outside Retreat/YC (point to Ascent) - Again, the win goes to Ascent, because we enjoyed visiting other areas of the ship and had no desire to leave YC on Seashore. We had fun times chatting with other pax and delicious cocktails in the Martini Bar and World Class Bar on Ascent. The bartenders in World Class Bar are truly artists and made a wonderful off-menu drink for me - "Something Special." I think they say that to all the girls! 🤭 Entertainment: (too little data to judge) I'm not going to try to name a winner here, as entertainment is not a big deal for us, and we did not do much on either ship. I will just share my impressions based on the entertainment in which we did partake. Ascent: We enjoyed one show in the main theater, Residency: Las Vegas, but as others have said, arrive early to get seats! I believe that reserved seats for Suite guests are limited to Evening Chic nights. The live music in the main atrium is always enjoyable to us. Seashore: It was a real plus that there was live music in the Topsail Lounge in the evenings vs. none in the Retreat Lounge. We ventured out to Cabaret Rouge (kind of like The Club on Ascent) one evening and were fortunate to arrive at exactly the right time to get a front-row seat. It was a variety show with singing, dancing, and a juggler and was entertaining. However, we decided to duck out just as the main theater show was getting out, and it was muster drill all over again! The light show on the lighthouse at Ocean Cay was very fun! That was night 9 of the combined cruises, and we were pretty tired of getting dressed for dinner. Our balcony had a perfect view, so we ordered a salad and pizza from room service and had a lovely night in. Disembarkation: (point to Seashore) The only reason that Seashore gets this point is that the proximity to the parking garage at Terminal 10 allowed us to drag our own bags there rather than for me to wait in the crazy private car pickup line at Port Everglades while DH retrieved the car. We were able to simply cross the street, enter the parking garage surface lot, and there I stayed on the sidewalk with the bags until DH could bring the car down. Easy-peasy! On both ships, escorts were provided to the card scanners just ahead of the gangway, luggage retrieval was well-organized, and facial recognition made the immigration lines move quickly. And the winner is..... If pricing were no issue, we would probably default to X Edge-Class Retreat Class. But we were glad that we tried Yacht Club again and will likely return in the future due to the much better price point. As well as the fact that they have one of their newer ships at Port Canaveral, which is a much easier drive from our home near Atlanta than Port Everglades. As with any review, this was all just my opinion based on the sailings that we were on and our personal preferences. YMMV! PS - Thanks for the inspiration to try my first "semi-live" review, @mac_tlc and @GenerationX. I am so excited to get my first CC badge. Was that you, @Host Anne?

Oh my gosh, another @GenerationX live review! It is taking all of my self-discipline to make myself finish my comparison of the Ascent and MSC Seashore before I dive into this delightful escape.

I really don't know. My comment was based on the observations of me and my fellow Ascent cruisers last week. Between 3 CC members in Sky Suites, we had 2 different butlers. Not a statistically significant sample size for sure, but we inferred from this that butler service for Sky Suites had expanded beyond one Head Butler as in the initial iteration of the Retreat Team concept. Another CC member in an Edge Villa heard from his butler that X was adding back butlers as quickly as they could get them on the ships. So, I guess I am guilty of sharing hearsay and speculation. That's why I said, "It seems....," since I do not have any official word from X, just what I experienced last week. Hopefully, you have found the thread on this topic: It includes info from people have been in touch with X on the subject.

@1Virgo, red wines in TopSail Lounge in Seashore are Oberon Cabernet Sauvignon and Missou Pinot Noir. The bartender says there are additional wines available in the restaurant, but I have never seen a list. Kendall Jackson Chardonnay is available at either location, but KJ Sauvignon Blanc only upstairs at the restaurant. Go figure.

DH and I are really glad that we gave MSC another try. I think that a lot of our impressions of the Seascape trip in March were affected by the fact that it was Spring Break and YC was filled with unruly kids. There are a few young men traveling with their parents this cruise who have been nothing but extremely bored!

Muster Drill: (extra credit point to Ascent) I would not normally include this as a category in a review, but this was a major win for Ascent. Being able to watch the safety video in our cabin and do the mandatory check-in at our muster station on Ascent at our leisure was a huge plus. On Seashore, you watch the safety video in your suite and verify that you have by dialing 881 on the phone. So far, so good. But then, all 5,500 passengers have to report to the muster stations at the same time to check in. It was a complete melee. Our suite is on 16 and our muster station on 7, and we were fortunate to have been allowed to use the elevator due to DH's bum knee. It was shocking to me that others ignored the instructions of the crew members monitoring the elevators and shoved their way in to join us. Another reminder of those extra 2,000 passengers on Seashore and not a pleasant way to start our trip!

Yes, there are. But we have not felt it as long as we stay in YC. That reminds me to talk about muster drill, thank you!

Butlergate: (plot twist - point to Ascent) This subject has been discussed thoroughly on @mac_tlc's "Live From" thread for Ascent's January 21 sailing. It seems that X is bringing back some sort of butler service for Sky Suites beyond the one head butler. DH and I were lucky to be assigned Edwin, who was a rock star. We saw him frequently, and he provided our requested fruit and cheese plate each afternoon. Also, he was proactive in checking in to ensure that our Retreat Host (aka stateroom attendant) was providing good service. Our butler on Seashore is kind to greet us each morning and provide information on the evening shows but has failed to follow through on requests, such as the bottle of wine included for our suite. It is cool that the butlers are always available to escort YC patrons to other areas of the ship, like the reserved seating in the theater or to the gangway. But I don't think that it is a plus for Seashore that this is even necessary. Retreat Host/Stateroom Attendant: (point to Seashore) I had to separate this as its own category due to the contrast in performance between the butler and cabin attendant on the two ships. Our Retreat Host on Ascent was adequate but failed to keep water bottles replenished. (But no fear, Butler Edwin to the rescue!) She seemed to forget that we had sent a bag of laundry, and we had to make multiple requests to get it back days later. It was obvious that she was overwhelmed with the number of cabins she was assigned. our cabin was rarely serviced before lunchtime. Our stateroom attendant on Seashore is like a ninja. After the first day, he learned our habits and serviced our cabin while we had our morning work catchup session in the YC lounge. He does have the advantage of technology working in his favor. Seashore has a set of lights that indicate whether we have requested service or do not disturb, as well as a set that indicates whether we have inserted the card by the door to activate lights/electricity. One small gripe - we are in a Grand Deluxe Suite (slightly wider than a standard suite), which provides an elongated area in the hall to park the attendant's supply cart. It remains there all day, everyday. This contributes to some noise from the hallway, but I guess it could help us locate our cabin if we are overserved. 🙂

Food & Beverage: (tie) Ascent advantages: Ability to dine in Blu or Luminae - we checked menu online and picked the one that appealed the most. Restaurants are quieter. We were seated in the same area with same waitstaff each time we dined in Blu or Luminae. We had no hesitation about leaving the Retreat to try other venues like Eden Cafe and Cafe al Bacio. Seashore advantages: YC restaurant and pool grill open every day for lunch. (Except when Ocean House on Ocean Cay is open - it was not our trip, as our arrival was delayed and lunch served in the restaurant onboard.) Pasta and pizza are phenomenal! Breakfast items were well-prepared and delicious. Omelets have been works of art and waffles were amazing! (@Texed) (I had a couple of breakfast items in Luminae that were dreadful - whole wheat crepe and egg white bake with spinach and sweet potato.) A more expansive lunch service on pool deck, and snacks available all day in the lounge. Lobster Roll Showdown: Potato Roll on Ascent for the win, but Seashore's was pretty darn good, too!

Thank you!