The Retreat

[Bedruthen]

We will be on Britannia for a 14 night cruise and are considering trying to book the Retreat once onboard. I have asked my travel agent to find out the cost beforehand, but all she can give me is the cost of £25 per day. However I believe that it can be booked for the complete duration of the cruise at a discounted price. Can anyone confirm this and does anyone have recent information on the cost? Thank you. If anyone has used The a Retreat, I would welcome your view on whether it was worth the additional charge.

[berlingo]

Hi there

Sorry I don’t know about the cost but can tell I love the Retreat. 

We tend to use it on sea days on warmer cruises. It is lovely knowing that you have sunbed waiting and you will not have to wander the ship looking for one. We also book the afternoon only if we can. We are late risers so booking a whole day is a bit of a waste.

On other days we love the Serenity Pool area on Britannia. But go early on in the cruise before everyone finds it😉

[rumbalizw]

I have only used the Retreat on the Azura. The Britannia, is nicer. 

We booked for the entire cruise , at the spa desk on our embarkation day. Yes it is massively discounted for entire cruise. You cannot book pre-cruise, however should you pre-book a Spa Package, then the day of your treatments, includes the Retreat for that day.

As the previous poster stated, it can also be booked day by day, but it is subject to availability, and only on the morning of the day you wish to book. 

 

We did enjoy it, very much. On a sea day, if you book, you wont be searching round for a free sunbed, amongst the crowds. Enjoy 🙂

 

[annarack]

On Azura last month it was £120 per couple for the full 7 night cruise.  The thermal suite was the same cost.  There was a further discount if you bought both.

[Tablelamp]

RETREAT ON AURORS

Does the Aurora have a retreat and does anyone know the price by day/week.  It is a 30 night cruise.

[FangedRose]

35 minutes ago, Tablelamp said:

RETREAT ON AURORS

Does the Aurora have a retreat and does anyone know the price by day/week.  It is a 30 night cruise.

Don’t think you'd get much use from it in the North Atlantic. 

 

Can't see one on deck plans, downloaded from their website. 

 

GIYF (Google is your friend) 

Edited August 14, 2019 by FangedRose

[Tablelamp]

Does it have an outside area with sun (or not) sunbeds.

[terrierjohn]

1 minute ago, Tablelamp said:

Does it have an outside area with sun (or not) sunbeds.

Aurora has plenty of sunbeds on the sun deck, but no retreat, although it does have a section for suite passengers.

[Tablelamp]

42 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

Aurora has plenty of sunbeds on the sun deck, but no retreat, although it does have a section for suite passengers.

 

As you say, plenty of sunbeds and plenty of people on the sun deck.  A shame that you cannot use the Retreat, even though you may need to pay extra.   As a solo traveller, it is hardly worth me having a suite, a balcony cabin is perfect.  Solo travellers already pay a huge supplement,  this is something I may suggest to P and O.

[FangedRose]

52 minutes ago, Tablelamp said:

 

As you say, plenty of sunbeds and plenty of people on the sun deck.  A shame that you cannot use the Retreat, even though you may need to pay extra.   As a solo traveller, it is hardly worth me having a suite, a balcony cabin is perfect.  Solo travellers already pay a huge supplement,  this is something I may suggest to P and O.

But if topic drift incoming.

 

As solo travellers we are paying the same (or less) for a cabin as a couple does. But... we don't have to share it with anyone 😁. Win, win in my view.

[Tablelamp]

1 hour ago, FangedRose said:

But if topic drift incoming.

 

As solo travellers we are paying the same (or less) for a cabin as a couple does. But... we don't have to share it with anyone 😁. Win, win in my view.

 

Lots of extra space and nobody to please but ourselves.

[Cruising Nomads]

Never seen a private section on Aurora for suite passengers.

[jeanlyon]

I can always find a quiet place to sunbathe and read on Aurora.  Never had a problem yet.

[Chill Pill]

Can I ask if anyone has been on Britannia and how does it compare? Just my worry is that it may be a little manic in the school holidays and spending out on the Retreat may be a small blessing. Thnx.

[happy v]

We were on two weeks before the main school holidays a couple of years ago.

The pool was so full you couldn't see the water, and as you say quite manic.

[Chill Pill]

3 hours ago, happy v said:

We were on two weeks before the main school holidays a couple of years ago.

The pool was so full you couldn't see the water, and as you say quite manic.

 

Thnx happy v, torn between heart and head, but am leaning towards the Retreat due to that situation. Want to try to get the first cruise as right as possible. May be cheaper to get daughter to change professions!

[Clodia]

20 hours ago, Chill Pill said:

Can I ask if anyone has been on Britannia and how does it compare? Just my worry is that it may be a little manic in the school holidays and spending out on the Retreat may be a small blessing. Thnx.

I went on Britannia during the school holidays in April; I hadn't realised when i booked that the schools would be out! I was nearly always able to find a quiet space to read or sunbathe near the Serenity Pool up on Deck 17, until the Hoggers discovered it in the second week of the cruise. The area on Deck 16 with the 2 pools I christened "The Zoo". Great for families with young children, but a nightmare for adults. I suspect it's quieter during term time. On reflection I think I would book the Retreat if I cruise on Britannia again.

[Chill Pill]

38 minutes ago, Clodia said:

I went on Britannia during the school holidays in April; I hadn't realised when i booked that the schools would be out! I was nearly always able to find a quiet space to read or sunbathe near the Serenity Pool up on Deck 17, until the Hoggers discovered it in the second week of the cruise. The area on Deck 16 with the 2 pools I christened "The Zoo". Great for families with young children, but a nightmare for adults. I suspect it's quieter during term time. On reflection I think I would book the Retreat if I cruise on Britannia again.

 

Thanks Claudia, I had finally decided to go for it, but this is such helpful confirmation. Now to arrive early enough to book it, but not too early as to be rude to the suite passengers. 24hrs to go........ 🤪🥳🤪🥳

The irony is that I've reached the age when my children are grown up, and I can avoid the school holidays at last, but eldest has decided to teach!

[emam]

I was surprised at how close the beds are together. Plus in the photo it looks like there are ash trays for the smokers. Is there two separate parts, one for smokers and one for non smokers. I was wondering whether to book and so the photo was taken with the camera round the side of the ship. I thought that there would be more room in-between the beds, but it's just as close as on the decks. Granted the beds are wider though.

[emam]

Is this also a first come first served for the beds. I see that at the back there is seating, so does that mean there are only a few beds. Do people ever put towels on these to reserve them?

[FangedRose]

They only sell the same numbers of passes as there are sunbeds. 

In effect buying a pass reserves the sunbed for you for the period of the pass. 

[wowzz]

58 minutes ago, emam said:

I was surprised at how close the beds are together. Plus in the photo it looks like there are ash trays for the smokers. Is there two separate parts, one for smokers and one for non smokers. I was wondering whether to book and so the photo was taken with the camera round the side of the ship. I thought that there would be more room in-between the beds, but it's just as close as on the decks. Granted the beds are wider though.

Reminds me of a school dormitory,  with all those beds close together. Think I'll stick to my balcony !

[Tablelamp]

1 hour ago, wowzz said:

Reminds me of a school dormitory,  with all those beds close together. Think I'll stick to my balcony !

 

But why, when you have paid for a balcony to sit on,  is the sun is always on the other side of the ship and you are left shivering!

[wowzz]

2 minutes ago, Tablelamp said:

 

But why, when you have paid for a balcony to sit on,  is the sun is always on the other side of the ship and you are left shivering!

That is the problem of course! To be honest, when the sun isn't on the balconey, we do venture into the public areas, and normally manage to find somewhere quiet, away from the seried rows of loungers.

[Bedruthen]

7 hours ago, emam said:

I was surprised at how close the beds are together. Plus in the photo it looks like there are ash trays for the smokers. Is there two separate parts, one for smokers and one for non smokers. I was wondering whether to book and so the photo was taken with the camera round the side of the ship. I thought that there would be more room in-between the beds, but it's just as close as on the decks. Granted the beds are wider though.

The Retreat is a non smoking area, thankfully.