Should I still reserve a cabana after upgrading to a Skysuite ?

[mfs2k]

I originally booked a Verandah suite on "Beyond" next year, and reserved 1/2 poolside Cabanas on 2 Sea Days ($150 per day) so we would have some shade and not have to scramble for lounge chairs.

Today I upgraded our cabin to a SkySuite (guarantee) so we will now have Retreat access. (PS, the suite guarantee with "Always Included" wasn't an option online but the Celebrity agent was able to book it for me on the phone.)

 

Here's my question: Should I keep my cabana reservations or cancel them and save $300?

I guess the decision is based on the answers to these questions:

1. Does the Retreat get very crowded on Apex and Edge? 
2. Will we have the shade and not have to worry about lounge chairs if we decide to hang out, up there? 
3. Will we even want to be by the main pool or does the Retreat offer everything for us?  (The "Beyond" hot tubs on the Retreat, cantilevered over the ocean, look amazing.

 

Thanks

[jelayne]

We are on the Edge now and suites are sold out.  Not a problem finding a lounger on the Sun Deck, however there is very little shade.   I just walked past the Cabanas at about 2 pm and no shade.  They face a public walkway, not the  ocean so lack privacy.  Personally I wouldn’t book one even if not in a Suite.

 

whether or not you will want to hang out at the main pool.really depends on hat you are looking for.  Main pool has music and activities (pool volley ball, Aqua fit, line dancing, etc) more people and generally much noisier. There are shaded areas near the main pool.  Retreat Sun Deck doesn’t have activities no live music it is quieter and more relaxing.  

 

[Sailaway1706]

Waste of money. Stay at the Retreat. We had a cabana on the APEX. The whole day people where walking in front of us. We felt like animals in a zoo.

[terrydtx]

The Retreat deck has shade depending on the time of day and location of the sun. It also has a private pool and bar with a limited but good food choices. IMHO no need to waste money on a cabana. 

[Phxazzcruisers]

i agree with most posters.  Don't waste your money.  

The Retreat deck is quieter and nicer and away from the crowd.

The "private" cabanas are not private at all.

[CalTexCruiser]

I don't really understand the setup of the cabanas on the Apex/Edge.  They don't face the pool, and are adjacent a walkway thus providing no privacy.

 

The Retreat sundeck is much nicer, although finding shade at a lounger could be a challenge.  You could always take a break from the sun by moving to the Retreat sundeck bar for a while and chat with the friendly Retreat bartenders, or at one of the 4 tops adjacent the bar.

 

 

[DCPIV]

From what I've seen of and heard about the E-class cabanas, I wouldn't want one even if the Retreat Sundeck were not an option. The term "cabana" is an absurd one.  They aren't much more "cabana" as is a sidewalk table.

 

Save your money and frustration.

[miched]

Don’t waste your money unless you want to flaunt having a lot of money to spend watching passengers walk in front of you all day long looking at you sitting in a area with nothing to look at except them walking by.  
 

My opinion and I am sure others may disagree 

 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸

[mfs2k]

26 minutes ago, miched said:

Don’t waste your money unless you want to flaunt having a lot of money to spend

Sounds like it’s not a great experience. FYI. The cabana (1/2) is $150 and so many people have more OBC than they can use so it’s really not much. I have to spend it on board somewhere. 

[hasentreelake]

WRT OBC....   If there are '50 ways to leave your lover', there are '150 ways to spend your OBC'.
There are a number of threads where folks delve into all the many ways to spend OBC.

For us, it's not a problem finding ways to spend it.  

[Cruising Princess]

The Beyond’s Retreat Sundeck will be 2 stories and have a lot more shaded areas than the Edge and Apex have.  Not enough shade was one of the biggest complaint from suite guests so they are fixing this on Beyond.
So definitely agree don’t waste your money on cabanas by he main pool.  

[mfs2k]

Now that more people have been posting pictures I’ve learned Beyond’s cabanas are facing the pool, unlike the cabanas on Edge and Apex which have their backs to the pool. 
We reserved 1/2 cabana on one of our Sea days using OBC. I will have to remember to report back on the experience. 

[micmacmissy]

The Retreat is full of chair hogs.  All the loungers in shade covered by towels at 7am.  Staff doesn’t enforce the 30 minute rule.

 

So - can you find a spot in the Retreat at any time?  Likely, yes.  Can you find a shady spot?  Definitely not…really wish Celebrity would have Retreat staff enforce the rules…sigh…

[Jeremiah1212]

3 hours ago, mfs2k said:

Now that more people have been posting pictures I’ve learned Beyond’s cabanas are facing the pool, unlike the cabanas on Edge and Apex which have their backs to the pool. 
We reserved 1/2 cabana on one of our Sea days using OBC. I will have to remember to report back on the experience. 

Is the pricing you quoted still the same? For February (Caribbean) it’s $250 for half, $500 for full, no difference port vs sea day. I think the menu price was $300 for a full last time we were on Edge. 

[swjumbo]

4 hours ago, micmacmissy said:

The Retreat is full of chair hogs.  All the loungers in shade covered by towels at 7am.  Staff doesn’t enforce the 30 minute rule.

 

So - can you find a spot in the Retreat at any time?  Likely, yes.  Can you find a shady spot?  Definitely not…really wish Celebrity would have Retreat staff enforce the rules…sigh…

What’s the big deal? Just move the towels. I do.

[hcat]

On 11/10/2021 at 5:24 PM, mfs2k said:

Sounds like it’s not a great experience. FYI. The cabana (1/2) is $150 and so many people have more OBC than they can use so it’s really not much. I have to spend it on board somewhere. 

Because it  is set up  diff than on  EDGE, it may be fun to try..less of a through  walkway for others, and  hopefully not a windtunnel.  More privacy and snacks?

Let us know how it worked out!

[hcat]

7 hours ago, swjumbo said:

What’s the big deal? Just move the towels. I do.

There's Already an active chair Hog thread ..i will try to post the link

[CruiseDoc79]

I agree with others in this thread.  We have sailed in Sky Suites on both Edge and Apex and would definitely avoid the cabanas on those ships particularly as they are not private and don't have a good view either.  Beyond should be better, with cabanas facing the pool and not a walkway, however the Retreat will very likely meet all your needs.  The sundeck on Edge has very very little shade, on Apex there is considerably more shade as they added large umbrellas, and my understanding is there will be even more shade on Beyond.  Plus, with a Sky Suite you will have your real balcony to enjoy.

[wendyam76]

16 hours ago, Jeremiah1212 said:

Is the pricing you quoted still the same? For February (Caribbean) it’s $250 for half, $500 for full, no difference port vs sea day. I think the menu price was $300 for a full last time we were on Edge. 

The pricing has sky rocketed! Fortunately I booked two days on Beyond when it was £110 for the split one - about $140. We’ll get a bottle of Veuve or Grey Goose Vodka for that and be able to do lots of people watching. Yes, we happen to have access to the Retreat but we enjoy people watching.

Wendy

[mfs2k]

20 hours ago, wendyam76 said:

The pricing has sky rocketed! Fortunately I booked two days on Beyond when it was £110 for the split one - about $140.

i booked at the old price also for the 1/2 cabana.  But only for one day. 

[EPTCB]

We booked a full cabana on Beyond for June trip a little while ago at $300 but pricing does fluctuate as last I looked it was listed at $500. Don't know if they play the supply and demand game and bump it up when only a few are remaining. At $300, I think it is a decent value for four on a sea day. At $500, not so much.

[morpheusofthesea]

We bring umbrellas that attach to these lounges. Many times we have found a couple of lounges on deck only to have someone plop down next to us and start hacking. Having our own balcony has its advantages until ones neighbor starts hacking or smoking on their balcony. Which has prompted us to book a suite to have access to a Retreat pool deck and lounges, until another hacker plops down again. Then a cabana for the week as well, just in case....just what every cruise line hopes for its guests to do.