From AquaClass to Sky Suite... worth it?

Hello all

We are booked on a 2 weeks TA in April on the Reflection in an AQ stateroom. It was originally booked GTY but our stateroom is now assigned. We were perfectly happy with AQ in the past. However we just noticed that the price of Sky Suite GTY is only $1,000 more in total ($500 pp). I am quite curious about Luminae. Is it way better than Blu? We have been happy with Blu. However I'm getting a little nervous as we sailed twice with Eclipse and I have been reading that Blu is busier on the Reflection due to the extra AQ staterooms.

I'm just wondering if it's worth it to spend that extra 1k to upgrade to Sky Suite GTY.

Thank you! :D

I don't know the answer to your first question, however we were on Reflection last month dining in Blu. You needn't have concern about crowding. We only once had to wait for a table (less than 5 minutes) and that was because we wanted a specific table/waiter. The service was wonderful and the maître d was the best I've met on any ship, very active, accessible, friendly and on top of things.

It's reassuring! Thank you!

Yes there are far more benefits by having a suite. You get a butler than get you access to blu. I have been to both but prefer the Luminaee as there are a limited amount of tables and you can order off there menu which I found limited to four items but you can ask your waiter for another menu from either the main dining room or Blu. I also wanted to go to the aqua lounge and he got us a two day pass for no cost.

We tip the butler $20.00 the first day and usually another $20.00 during the trip.

We have gotten free laundry service, free dinner at Tuscan the steak restaurant, strawberries covered in chocolate each night and all the information you can ask for.

You also get access to Michael’s and small place that you can get a drink enjoy the piano and the best part is only people staying in a suite have access to. You can bring a guest for a fee. We usually stop by there on our way to dinner for cocktails and the make it our last stop.

The only drawback is Luminaee and Michaels don’t have a bathroom nearby you have to walk up or down a few stairs. Not a problem for Michael’s as we only book suites on sixth deck.

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We are now booking mostly Sky Suites. I do like having all 4 perks, but you dont get the perks on TA's. We like Luminae very much. Also like being able to order off the MDR menu. Michael's Club you can get free bottled water, canned soda, coffee, drinks and wine. Afternoon tea and appetizers. I think it is worth the extra $1000.

Yes there are far more benefits by having a suite. You get a butler than get you access to blu. I have been to both but prefer the Luminaee as there are a limited amount of tables and you can order off there menu which I found limited to four items but you can ask your waiter for another menu from either the main dining room or Blu. I also wanted to go to the aqua lounge and he got us a two day pass for no cost.

 

We tip the butler $20.00 the first day and usually another $20.00 during the trip.

 

We have gotten free laundry service, free dinner at Tuscan the steak restaurant, strawberries covered in chocolate each night and all the information you can ask for.

 

You also get access to Michael’s and small place that you can get a drink enjoy the piano and the best part is only people staying in a suite have access to. You can bring a guest for a fee. We usually stop by there on our way to dinner for cocktails and the make it our last stop.

 

The only drawback is Luminaee and Michaels don’t have a bathroom nearby you have to walk up or down a few stairs. Not a problem for Michael’s as we only book suites on sixth deck.

 

 

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The other thing I forgot to mention was room service in our suite. You have a menu with more items to choose from and the best part is you get to choose the arrival time. Typically we would get a phone call and less that a minute there was a knock on the door and our food arrived. They will even deliver and set up your meal. In the staterooms they just deliver it within a pre determined window time and they don’t set it up. Our neighbors one night had dinner in their suite and the three course meal was delivered one course at time.

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Are you saying you got free laundry, Tuscan grill and chocolate covered strawberries because you tipped the butler or is it because you were in a higher suite category?

 

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Yeah, those are not given to Sky Suites. In a Royal or Penthouse Suite, yes,.

Yes there are far more benefits by having a suite. You get a butler than get you access to blu. I have been to both but prefer the Luminaee as there are a limited amount of tables and you can order off there menu which I found limited to four items but you can ask your waiter for another menu from either the main dining room or Blu. I also wanted to go to the aqua lounge and he got us a two day pass for no cost.

 

We tip the butler $20.00 the first day and usually another $20.00 during the trip.

 

We have gotten free laundry service, free dinner at Tuscan the steak restaurant, strawberries covered in chocolate each night and all the information you can ask for.

 

You also get access to Michael’s and small place that you can get a drink enjoy the piano and the best part is only people staying in a suite have access to. You can bring a guest for a fee. We usually stop by there on our way to dinner for cocktails and the make it our last stop.

 

The only drawback is Luminaee and Michaels don’t have a bathroom nearby you have to walk up or down a few stairs. Not a problem for Michael’s as we only book suites on sixth deck.

 

 

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We have sailed in the PH on our last two cruises and dined in Luminae and have only been offered the menu from the MDR, never from Blu.

As a suite guest you can dine in Blu on an availability basis, which can be arranged by your butler.

Also suite guests are not able to bring guests into Michaels club for a fee, they are able to bring guests to dine in Luminae for a fee. This is also at the discretion of the Maitre D' again if there is availability.

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Yes there are far more benefits by having a suite. You get a butler than get you access to blu. I have been to both but prefer the Luminaee as there are a limited amount of tables and you can order off there menu which I found limited to four items but you can ask your waiter for another menu from either the main dining room or Blu. I also wanted to go to the aqua lounge and he got us a two day pass for no cost.

 

We tip the butler $20.00 the first day and usually another $20.00 during the trip.

 

We have gotten free laundry service, free dinner at Tuscan the steak restaurant, strawberries covered in chocolate each night and all the information you can ask for.

 

You also get access to Michael’s and small place that you can get a drink enjoy the piano and the best part is only people staying in a suite have access to. You can bring a guest for a fee. We usually stop by there on our way to dinner for cocktails and the make it our last stop.

 

The only drawback is Luminaee and Michaels don’t have a bathroom nearby you have to walk up or down a few stairs. Not a problem for Michael’s as we only book suites on sixth deck.

 

 

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Just curious as to what ship you were on and what level of suite you stayed in and got all of the extras your butler provided you with?

In several of your previous post you asked for advice about sky suites on the Summit saying you were staying in 6119 and in another post it was 6115 and yet in another it was the Celebrity suite. And yet in another post made 3 days ago you stated you would be going on your 1st Celebrity cruise and was requesting info about cigar shops.

Your statement about no bathrooms near Luminae and Michaels Club is just not true, at least on the Summit. There are restrooms located right outside of Luminae port and starboard and there are restrooms a few steps away from Michaels club.

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Here is the Eclipse deck plan, the gents and ladies rest rooms are right outside Michaels club located on Deck 5 near the Ensemble lounge. It is true though that there are not any restrooms in Michaels itself.

As for Luminae located on deck 3, the ladies is right outside the entrance and the gents across the hallway on the other side

https://www.cruisedeckplans.com/DP/deckplans/Celebrity-Eclipse

There are also some very good cabin plans, for less than $50 per person per day, I would jump at taking a suite gty.

I love TA’s.

The obvious benefits of a Sky Suite are access to Luminae, Michael’s and a butler.

On a TA drinks packages can be limited. This then increases the ‘value’ of access to Michael’s where your premium alcohol is available all day and they will also provide you with sodas and water. The negative on this is you will still pay for drinks at other bars if you don’t like Michael’s. Personally we enjoy Michael’s Club and it’s club like atmosphere. On a cruise with lots of sea days the extra events held in Michael’s like afternoon tea or a private future cruise show can offer added interests. We have not done a TA but we have done a TP and Michael’s was busier (only RS and PH had included drinks packages). It was not uncomfortably busy but certainly busier than on an average cruise. The concierge will also look after any issues you may have which you would normally visit Guest Relations with (overcharge, OBC)....

Luminae does have (in my opinion) a limited menu but you can supplement it from the MDR menu. We have never been offered (or asked for) the Blu menu. If you did wish to dine in Blu the odd night get your butler or the M’D to sort, it is on a space available basis.

Butlers are great, they will serve your in suite dining and arrange extra nibbles for you. They are also very proactive if you have any on board issues.

So, I guess you need to calculate how much ‘value added’ you will get for your $....if you don’t have a drinks package just for pre and post dinner drinks, sodas and water I think you may get your money’s worth!

I have done both a Sky Suite and AQ on the Reflection and though both were excellent experiences, I would definitely upgrade to the suite. We had a Sky Suite for a TA and it was wonderful to have the extra space with so many sea days. We love Michael's and Luminae and the butler and Michael's concierges will bring your experience up a notch.

Blu was great, but was crowded on our Sept cruise. It probably varies from cruise to cruise.

And yes, there are restrooms right outside both Luminae and Michael's on the Reflection.

With the rising prices of Sky Suites, this sounds like a great opportunity to try the suite life. :D

You really can't lose, whatever you choose - enjoy your cruise!

We totally enjoyed our experience in a Sky Suite. The extra room in the stateroom is a plus. Our butler was always visible always asking if we needed anything let him know he would be happy to help out. Michael's is another plus. Nice place to go and relax. Priority check in is great. Reserved seating on some show nights was nice. We thought we would eat a few meals in Luminae and possibly go to MDR. Ended up, we were in Luminae every night. It was never crowded. The service is amazing, the food choices were good and the presentation was great. Not sure if all ports do this but at disembarkation, our luggage was in a special area and we were directed to a shorter line to clear immigration/customs. That was also a nice perk.

I would not hesitate..especially on a 2 week cruise. That extra space in the stateroom is well worth the price.

Thank you all for the information. It’s interesting.

One question remain. So if I understand this correctly... in Michael’s club, you get the drinks from a Premium Pack for free?

Im thinking to just get a classic package then. So if I want something fancier, i can simply go there.

The other thing I forgot to mention was room service in our suite. You have a menu with more items to choose from and the best part is you get to choose the arrival time. Typically we would get a phone call and less that a minute there was a knock on the door and our food arrived. They will even deliver and set up your meal. In the staterooms they just deliver it within a pre determined window time and they don’t set it up. Our neighbors one night had dinner in their suite and the three course meal was delivered one course at time.

 

 

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You can chose the arrival time for room service no matter what cabin category and it has always arrived on time for us- 18 cruises on X

Only you know your budget, but for us I would definitely do it for that price. I think it's more than worth it. We love Luminae. The food is better IMO, and the atmosphere is wonderful given the smaller size making it feel more intimate. We like Michaels Club and if you happen to have a great concierge there, the experience is even better there. As for the Butler, it all depends on the Butler. We've had great and not so great. Our last cruise our Butler was pretty non-existent, but it was fine.

Good luck with your choice.

Thank you all for the information. It’s interesting.

One question remain. So if I understand this correctly... in Michael’s club, you get the drinks from a Premium Pack for free?

Im thinking to just get a classic package then. So if I want something fancier, i can simply go there.

Michael's concierge and or bar tender arrive around 9am, and are there until around midnight. During that time you can get water, coffee, soda, mixed drinks, wine, beer, and you don't need a drink package. It's all part of being in a suite. Days in port, you're able to stop by and pick up water to go. Normally you're able to take a drink to go if you're meeting friends, or going to dinner.

Michael's concierge and or bar tender arrive around 9am, and are there until around midnight. During that time you can get water, coffee, soda, mixed drinks, wine, beer, and you don't need a drink package. It's all part of being in a suite. Days in port, you're able to stop by and pick up water to go. Normally you're able to take a drink to go if you're meeting friends, or going to dinner.

So it is not frowned upon to take a drink out of Michael's? I know at the Elite Cocktail party they do not want you taking drinks out of the lounge.

For that price it would be a no-brainer for me to upgrade to the Sky Suite. For a long cruise it will be very nice to have the larger accommodations. I do find Luminae to be a significant step-up from Blu (food quality, service and ambiance) ad Michael's is such a great perk. You are also more likely to receive various extra non-guaranteed perks such as bridge tours, trips to the helipdad for a sail-a-way in a suite vs. in Aqua Class. While I do not utilize the butler a lot, some do - and it is nice to have their service available if needed. Other perks that come in handy involve tender ports; very quick and smooth process for suite guests as well as very smooth debarkation at your final port (and generally faster boarding the day you board the ship for suites). Significantly more Captain's Club points as well if you are trying to move to another level. Since Micahel's offers complimentary drinks pretty much all day and evening, you may not even need a beverage pack; just grab drinks at Micahael's (can get nice teas, coffee and bottled water in addition to wine/beer/cocktails) when convenient and pay a-la-carte when not convenient (will quite possibly save some $$$ versus buying a package). Celebrity has really made staying in suites a wonderful, pampered experience; so long as the price is not outrageous we now gravitate towards suites - and in your case this price difference is an incredible bargain!

So it is not frowned upon to take a drink out of Michael's? I know at the Elite Cocktail party they do not want you taking drinks out of the lounge.

I've never had a problem. I've had the bar tenders make sure I have a drink or glass of wine to take to dinner. I suppose it all comes down to the concierge, but again I've never had a problem.

So it is not frowned upon to take a drink out of Michael's? I know at the Elite Cocktail party they do not want you taking drinks out of the lounge.

I have been in a suite since the Michael's Club perk started on both Summit and Infinity. On both of these taking drinks out was permitted. On Infinity it was even encouraged; often when heading to dinner the bartender would offer to top off our glasses (if drinking wine) and when heading to the suite at the end of the evening would ask if we wanted to bring any beers and/or bottled water to enjoy in our suite. This is something that is not a guaranteed perk (taking beverages out of Micahel's) - so it really depends on the staff there during your sailing, but it seems like it is permitted far more often than forbidden.

Yes there are far more benefits by having a suite. You get a butler than get you access to blu. I have been to both but prefer the Luminaee as there are a limited amount of tables and you can order off there menu which I found limited to four items but you can ask your waiter for another menu from either the main dining room or Blu. I also wanted to go to the aqua lounge and he got us a two day pass for no cost.

 

We tip the butler $20.00 the first day and usually another $20.00 during the trip.

 

We have gotten free laundry service, free dinner at Tuscan the steak restaurant, strawberries covered in chocolate each night and all the information you can ask for.

 

You also get access to Michael’s and small place that you can get a drink enjoy the piano and the best part is only people staying in a suite have access to. You can bring a guest for a fee. We usually stop by there on our way to dinner for cocktails and the make it our last stop.

 

The only drawback is Luminaee and Michaels don’t have a bathroom nearby you have to walk up or down a few stairs. Not a problem for Michael’s as we only book suites on sixth deck.

 

 

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You must be referring to M-class. Michael's and Luminae on S-class has very close restrooms.

Thank you all for the information. It’s interesting.

One question remain. So if I understand this correctly... in Michael’s club, you get the drinks from a Premium Pack for free?

Im thinking to just get a classic package then. So if I want something fancier, i can simply go there.

The drinks in Michael's are part of your suite fare. They serve a menu of typical drinks, but not the fancy specialty drinks from say the Martini bar that many people purchase the premium drink package to access.

So it is not frowned upon to take a drink out of Michael's? I know at the Elite Cocktail party they do not want you taking drinks out of the lounge.

You can order and take your drinks out of Michael's. Michael's also has a cooler stocked with water bottles and cans of soda that you can take with you.

You must be referring to M-class. Michael's and Luminae on S-class has very close restrooms.

There are restrooms close to Luminae and Michael's Club on M-Class. as well.