Convince me to upgrade to the Retreat

[Matman1215]

Convince me to upgrade to the Retreat.

I’m currently booked in a Sunset Verandah on the Edge. For $1,000 more per person, I can move into a Sky Suite. Is the price worth it? This cruise will have 3 port days and 3 sea days. During this time of Covid, the Retreat will most likely be sold out, while the rest of the ship will be far less than max capacity. I’ve never been in the Retreat. Is the experience worth $2,000 extra?

[Jim_Iain]

To me it is worth $2,000 more.    Main advantage is Luminae is your  dining room and is more like fine dining than the main dining room.   In my humble opinion the food is much better, service is unrushed and very attentive.  Retreat lounge and sundek are also a plus.    The Concierges in the Lounge are there to take care of all your needs and reservations as well as your butler who will take care of your room dining, reservations etc etc. 

 

Best way to say it --   Coach and First Class on an airline both  get you to the  destination at the same time but comfort and service don't even compare.

 

 

[Host Anne]

There are only two categories of cabins I'd sail in on Edge - Sunset verandas and a Sky Suite to get the retreat.  The Sky Suite on Edge is very nice but the retreat is fantastic!  It's typically far more than $1,000 more than the sunset veranda on Edge so I'd do it in a heartbeat (depending on the price I paid for the SV).  

 

The retreat is a unique and special experience on the Edge class.  If you can swing it, try it!

[LGW59]

52 minutes ago, Matman1215 said:

Convince me to upgrade to the Retreat.

I’m currently booked in a Sunset Verandah on the Edge. For $1,000 more per person, I can move into a Sky Suite. Is the price worth it? This cruise will have 3 port days and 3 sea days. During this time of Covid, the Retreat will most likely be sold out, while the rest of the ship will be far less than max capacity. I’ve never been in the Retreat. Is the experience worth $2,000 extra?

Yes

[terrydtx]

43 minutes ago, Host Anne said:

There are only two categories of cabins I'd sail in on Edge - Sunset verandas and a Sky Suite to get the retreat.  The Sky Suite on Edge is very nice but the retreat is fantastic!  It's typically far more than $1,000 more than the sunset veranda on Edge so I'd do it in a heartbeat (depending on the price I paid for the SV).  

 

The retreat is a unique and special experience on the Edge class.  If you can swing it, try it!

I agree, our Equinox cruise next week has 4 sea days and one port we will not bother getting off the ship for.  For these reasons we booked a Aft facing Sky Suite for the Retreat with the lounge and deck. The Luminae is also a better upgrade too. This cruise is over our 50th anniversary and after the last 2 years we want to be pampered in luxury that the Retreat will provide.

Edited August 21, 2021 by terrydtx

[Ken the cruiser]

1 hour ago, Matman1215 said:

Convince me to upgrade to the Retreat.

I’m currently booked in a Sunset Verandah on the Edge. For $1,000 more per person, I can move into a Sky Suite. Is the price worth it? This cruise will have 3 port days and 3 sea days. During this time of Covid, the Retreat will most likely be sold out, while the rest of the ship will be far less than max capacity. I’ve never been in the Retreat. Is the experience worth $2,000 extra?

We have been in a S2 sky suite on Deck 10 for two weeks now on the Edge and we couldn’t have asked for a better way to be spoiled after waiting 17+ months to go cruising again. But instead of trying to describe the many ways we have been wowed from the dining service in Luminae to our totally awesome cabin up until this point, I’ll just direct you to my ongoing thread and let you draw your own conclusions. The title is “Aug 7th W-E-W Caribbean Edge Cruise - B3B”. 
 

Of course, if you have any questions, please feel free to ask as we have just been cleared with negative antigen tests this morning to continue on with the 3rd leg of our B3B starting tomorrow. 😎

BTW is the $1,000 per person increase associated with a Move Up offer or is it the cost difference to actually book a S2 sky suite where you will also get all of the suite perks to include free gratuities, streaming internet, premium beverage package, $300 OBC per person and 8 Captains Club points per day that goes with it?

 

Edited August 21, 2021 by Ken the cruiser

[cruzzzinma]

The danger is that you will never go back.

 

We love the larger cabin and smaller dining venue. The retreat concierge can fix anything.

 

butlers have been amazing from a cocktail party in a Royal Suite (really cheap upgrade)  on Evening Chic Night to sliced limes for San Pellegrino and anything I wanted to eat while quarantined for Norovirus. 

Edited August 21, 2021 by cruzzzinma

[jelayne]

We upgraded,  but I would never try to convince anyone to spend $2,000.

 

Actually we are booked on a B2B 1 leg in a  Suite and the other in a recently added SV for $2200.   So the upgrade is about the price of another cruise.

 

The 4 MDRs are getting excellent reviews and with cruises being less than full capacity the pool deck and bars won’t be jammed.  
We sailed on the Edge in 2019 in AQ and regretted spending the extra $ for Blu because the 4 MDRs got such great reviews. 

 

 

[miched]

$1000 extra pp is more than we would spent for 7 days.  That is and extra $300 per couple per day.   You can get a dining package for the whole cruise for less than that and get the drinks plus package that gives you the premium pack and limited stocked mini fridge 

 

We have sailed in SS many times but often chose a lesser category as to us the so called extra benefits aren’t worth it. 
 

It is your money.  Don’t let anyone else try to convince you to spend it.  It depends on what you value and how you want to use it   If you think it is worth it and don’t have any other use for it than do it. 

 

Happy cruising🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

[Miaminice]

Currently we could upgrade on Apex for around $550 pp. 
Not gonna do it! Looking at the vacant staterooms, the Retreat and Luminae will be packed while the rest of the ship will be one huge empty lounge space. Why would I pay extra?

PS: No, the points are of no value to us.

Edited August 21, 2021 by Miaminice

[Redtravel]

Extra $2000 for a week cruise?  Maybe you should think about sailing on an all suite ship.  

[swjumbo]

10 hours ago, LGW59 said:

Yes

Disagree with this ‘yes’.

It should be YESSSSSSS!!!!!

[TeeRick]

Strange title to your post.  I have no idea what it would take to "convince" you since I don't know your needs, likes and budget.    Why should anybody need to convince you to spend your own money?

[Denny01]

Agree with TeeRick. when friends/associates say they’d not cruise, I don’t try to ‘convince’ them they should, I may ask them what their concerns are and address the issues.  The Retreat isn’t for everyone; cruising isn’t for everyone. Convincing infers trying to get someone to do what they wouldn’t on their own. 

 

I haven’t tried Retreat yet, going Sky Suite on our upcoming TA because of the length of time at sea, but standard Veranda’s have met our needs on 40+ cruises up to now (well a few of the starter cruises and older ships were Oceanview).

 

And yup, I sweat the: Once you’ve been there, you Never Go Back!

 

den

Edited August 21, 2021 by Denny01

[bigbenboys]

We have only cruised on the Edge once in a S1 mid ship. Love the sky suite. What I did like was the Retreat pool and bar, but needs more shade. The Retreat Lounge does not have a bar like MC. I really did not like Luminae on the Edge. Luminae reminded me of a Bistro restaurant. It is large and at time noisy. The food is limited as you don't have access to the MDR menu. The ambience seem much better in Blu than Luminae.

Two things to come to my mind. Suites will be full and the rest of the ship might not be. Save the $2000 and book a suite on Millie, Summit or Silhouette.

[txtechmk]

We decided the year my husband retired, we would upgrade to the suite experience on a cruise that year.  It was wonderful.  And like Denny01 said, once you do this, you will never go back.  Yep, that's us.  We have booked two more cruises for next year, both in suites.  We love the casual and

quiet atmosphere in the Retreat Lounge.  We have met several people and enjoy visiting with others in this lounge. And the Luminae restaurant is very nice and has good food; quieter than the main dining room.  

 

But the choice is yours.  

[baldilocks]

We are scheduled to go on the Constellation in January. The ship will not be upgraded when we sail. We have an ordinary balcony stateroom. With all the talk about how wonderful 'The Retreat' is, I wonder if it is much of an upgrade for the cost $800 on a ship that is still in its original configuration. The way Celebrity sounds off about 'The Retreat', if you don't have it, there is not much for you to do being a 'peasant' cruiser.

[canderson]

22 minutes ago, baldilocks said:

We are scheduled to go on the Constellation in January. The ship will not be upgraded when we sail.

Luminae already exists on Constellation.  The old Michael's is now the Retreat Lounge.  The only thing missing that I can think of is the Retreat Sun Deck - not yet available on that ship.

[LGW59]

31 minutes ago, baldilocks said:

We are scheduled to go on the Constellation in January. The ship will not be upgraded when we sail. We have an ordinary balcony stateroom. With all the talk about how wonderful 'The Retreat' is, I wonder if it is much of an upgrade for the cost $800 on a ship that is still in its original configuration. The way Celebrity sounds off about 'The Retreat', if you don't have it,

The way Celebrity sounds off about 'The Retreat'  Have you read any of the reviews on this board about people who are actually cruising right now?  How about their personal VERY positive experience in being in the Retreat, I love they way they sound off and cannot wait to experience it again.

 

there is not much for you to do being a 'peasant' cruiser.  Are you suggesting there is not much to do on board if one is not on the retreat?  If so, why would you cruise, if not, just because someone is not in the retreat, how do you equate that to being a peasant?  🙄

[Lane412000]

I would upgrade for the Retreat access, but not so much for Luminae 

[KKB]

18 hours ago, Matman1215 said:

Convince me to upgrade to the Retreat.

I’m currently booked in a Sunset Verandah on the Edge. For $1,000 more per person, I can move into a Sky Suite. Is the price worth it? This cruise will have 3 port days and 3 sea days. During this time of Covid, the Retreat will most likely be sold out, while the rest of the ship will be far less than max capacity. I’ve never been in the Retreat. Is the experience worth $2,000 extra?

I had the same option for our 7/31 cruise.

I chose NOT to do it for the reasons you stated above: 

Retreat is running FULL & the rest of the ship is 50% at best.

$2K extra would get us a bigger room (we are hardly in it anyway) & another restaurant--for about $100/nt I could eat in the specialty restaurants. Yes, and the retreat area--again, when the rest of the ship is 1/2 capacity, this loses value. 

Plus Mom had never been on this ship & I knew she would want to try all 4 MDRs--which were very good to excellent. 

I'm not criticizing others who feel the value is good for them--we just determined for THIS trip it wasn't a great value for us.

 

[bajathree]

8 hours ago, Miaminice said:

Currently we could upgrade on Apex for around $550 pp. 
Not gonna do it! Looking at the vacant staterooms, the Retreat and Luminae will be packed while the rest of the ship will be one huge empty lounge space. Why would I pay extra?

PS: No, the points are of no value to us.

There is some truth to this but for $550/pp I defiantly think it's worth it. I sailed the first edge sailing June at 35% capacity. The Retreat and suite areas defiantly were busier than any other area on the ship. We loved having the retreat however the pool was honestly more crowded than the main pool at times. Also depends if you have families sailing....we had a few families that literally took over the retreat pool when an event was going on in the main pool. Even though many people complained about kids jumping in and out of the pool and taking over the hot tub annoying everybody the retreat staff wouldn't do anything or say a word to the guests. The suite lounge was never busy...always plenty of space. As for Luminae..it was pretty much always full and had a wait a few times. So yes...currently the ship is at like 40% capacity and is a great experience while Suites were at close to 100% capacity and like normal cruising. Service and food was Wonderfull in the retreat and Luminae.

[phoenix_dream]

Without knowing your cruising style or your finances I can't tell you what is best for you.

 

If it were me, the answer is no.  I love sailing in suites, but they are usually out of my price range.  We are retired and cruise very often (pre-Covid at least) so for us very good (in our case Aqua Class) is better than excellent (suites) so that we can afford to cruise more often.  Depending on the cruise, I might make a bid on a MoveUp of $500-$700 pp for a suite, but never $1000.  

[Denny01]

4 hours ago, baldilocks said:

We are scheduled to go on the Constellation in January. The ship will not be upgraded when we sail. We have an ordinary balcony stateroom. With all the talk about how wonderful 'The Retreat' is, I wonder if it is much of an upgrade for the cost $800 on a ship that is still in its original configuration. The way Celebrity sounds off about 'The Retreat', if you don't have it, there is not much for you to do being a 'peasant' cruiser.

I guess my earlier 40+ cruises as a ‘peasant’ were quite boring and just sat and watched the Suite people enjoying the cruise.  In reality, until I booked a Sky Suite or when we did a Cabin Crawl and talked to a few of the Suite people, I don’t really remember much about Suites even being of interest or discussion point.. Celebrity Retreat isn’t the ‘Ship Within a Ship’ approach from all I’ve read and heard from consistent Suite bookers that you see so much with NCL and MSC. 

 

Yes, X has done more commercial focus on them, but that’s just a press for money issue, in my opinion. And unless I asked someone, I do not remember Anyone ever mentioning what their SR status was., Inside or The Imperial Presidential Grand Suite.   

 

The point, for me, going Suite is a larger SR, an interesting dining experience, and maybe hanging out a bit in the lounge. That’s it. the rest of every X class ship is way too interesting and enjoyable. I even hesitated going Retreat on the E-Class because the 4 MDRs are a homerun for me (yes, I love baseball!). Heck, I’ve booked Concierge that so many think is a complete waste. 

 

By the way, for the Connie, I always thought the old Michaels Club was a neat place to have a drink or so, and enjoy a cruise conversation which is the Suite lounge, and would be neat. 

 

enjoy, but don’t worry about the Upper Crust/Peasant issue. It doesn’t exist at least on X. 

 

den

 

Den

Edited August 21, 2021 by Denny01

[zitsky]

Are Sky Suites located in a specific area?  Looking ahead to a possible 2023 South America cruise where we want something stable.  It would probably be on the Infinity.

Edited August 21, 2021 by zitsky