Sky Suite or Infinite Veranda?

[samplecd02]

I was going to just get the veranda but looking at a video, I am debating moving up to the Sky Suite. Its a big jump in price, anyone that has sailed in either one that can give their thought?

[Dar & Bob]

45 minutes ago, samplecd02 said:

I was going to just get the veranda but looking at a video, I am debating moving up to the Sky Suite. Its a big jump in price, anyone that has sailed in either one that can give their thought?

Which class of ship?

[hrhdhd]

I was in an IV two weeks ago on Apex. Traveling solo, I didn't love it but being the only person who decided blind up or down or window up or down was okay. It's certainly not a veranda in the usual sense, and my DH, who needs (!) a veranda, would have hated it. (I was upgraded from an OV, so I was happy not having paid more for it. I opened the window twice.)

Edited March 20, 2022 by hrhdhd

[kwokpot]

You need to provide more information in order for people to give you their opinions that are worthwhile to you. Which ship? What's the itinerary? How do you use your balcony, if at all? What kinds of things do you enjoy doing on your cruise? Do you enjoy sitting at a bar and/or lounge and enjoy having a drink? Do you enjoy sunning?  Do you like to be outside around the action, sitting around the main pool, for example, or do you enjoy sunning in a more private, quite location? Do you have any objections to eating dinner at the main dining rooms or would you prefer a more intimate dinner experience? The answers to all these questions will help people give you some feedback that can guide you towards making the right decision in your cabin choice. 

[jelayne]

We have done both a Sky Suite and a Infinite Veranda.  Some dislike the IV others like them!, we don’t dislike and would sail in one again,  but try and  book Sunset  Veranda when Sky Suite prices are too high for us.  (Which is what I’m seeing lately.  

The E class ships are beautiful and the 4 MDRs are excellent, more like a specialty restaurant than the MDRs on the other ships. The public spaces are wonderful.  Eden changes from a place to do puzzles, chill and watch the water, grab a light lunch to a fine restaurant and a venue for shows at night.  Grand Plaza and Club are also multi use.  The pool is large and seems to have more seating than on the S or M class.
 

The Sky Suites are very nice, as is the Retreat Sun Deck.  Luminae has very good service but we find the menu limited so we go to one of the 4 MDRs a few nights.

The Retreat Lounge is a nice quiet place to get away during the day, we have found it pretty dead after about 6- 6:30 and find ourselves going to one of the other bars for pre & post dinner drinks

If having a balcony is a must for you then your choices are Sunset Veranda or a Suite.  If you spend a lot of time hanging at the pool, you would probably enjoy the Retreat Sundeck.  
Either way you really can’t go wrong.

[jelayne]

30 minutes ago, Dar & Bob said:

Which class of ship?

Only E class have Infinite Verandas

[Ipeeinthepools]

1 hour ago, samplecd02 said:

I was going to just get the veranda but looking at a video, I am debating moving up to the Sky Suite. Its a big jump in price, anyone that has sailed in either one that can give their thought?

 

It's a shame that you need to pay so much to get a true balcony. 

[miched]

We have just sailed on the Apex.  We did B2B in a SS and AQ with the infinite balcony.  The first time we had the infinite balcony on the Edge we enjoyed it.  This time we didn’t. 
 

Being in a regular balcony in the SS and then the infinite we wouldn’t book another Infinite balcony again.  AQ is nice for Blu and also was the SS for the extra space in but unless the price wasn’t much more I would book a regular veranda with  a real balcony.  

The menu in the SS,  Luminae, wasn’t that great.   With everything included the retreat lounge and Sundeck was redundant.   

 

Blu was nice but nothing special. 

 

When in AQ we used the spa or what ever it is called 1 time.  The heated lounge beds weren’t comfortable and the rooms were boring.   One room had a salt block in it?   The other was had a Crystal?   Don’t understand the purpose. There was a hot room and steam rooms.   10 minutes is recommend and is enough.  Didn’t do anything for me 
 

We rarely used the Retreat Lounge or sun deck.   Too many other options on board especially with the drink pack

 

The menus in the 4 MDRs actually looked better and the dining room aren’t much bigger than Luminae and Blu.    You get great service no mater where you are on board
 

The MDRs are open for breakfast everyday and actually have a better menu, serve the same pastries and give the same great service.   They also serve lunch on sea days 

 

Unless the cost difference for AQ or a SS is not much more than  a veranda with a real balcony I  would take the veranda.   
 

This is my opinion and I am sure others may differ.   It is.based on my recent experience and telling it like it is.  
 

Hope it helps    You have to evaluate the costs between the categories.  We booked a cruise in a SS and the cost was less than a veranda with all the perks and AQ.  The base price for those categories were less but when adding the same perks it was more.   Depends on what you want.

 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[kwokpot]

18 minutes ago, miched said:

We have just sailed on the Apex.  We did B2B in a SS and AQ with the infinite balcony.  The first time we had the infinite balcony on the Edge we enjoyed it.  This time we didn’t. 
 

Being in a regular balcony in the SS and then the infinite we wouldn’t book another Infinite balcony again.  AQ is nice for Blu and also was the SS for the extra space in but unless the price wasn’t much more I would book a regular veranda with  a real balcony.  

The menu in the SS,  Luminae, wasn’t that great.   With everything included the retreat lounge and Sundeck was redundant.   

 

Blu was nice but nothing special. 

 

When in AQ we used the spa or what ever it is called 1 time.  The heated lounge beds weren’t comfortable and the rooms were boring.   One room had a salt block in it?   The other was had a Crystal?   Don’t understand the purpose. There was a hot room and steam rooms.   10 minutes is recommend and is enough.  Didn’t do anything for me 
 

We rarely used the Retreat Lounge or sun deck.   Too many other options on board especially with the drink pack

 

The menus in the 4 MDRs actually looked better and the dining room aren’t much bigger than Luminae and Blu.    You get great service no mater where you are on board
 

The MDRs are open for breakfast everyday and actually have a better menu, serve the same pastries and give the same great service.   They also serve lunch on sea days 

 

Unless the cost difference for AQ or a SS is not much more than  a veranda with a real balcony I  would take the veranda.   
 

This is my opinion and I am sure others may differ.   It is.based on my recent experience and telling it like it is.  
 

Hope it helps    You have to evaluate the costs between the categories.  We booked a cruise in a SS and the cost was less than a veranda with all the perks and AQ.  The base price for those categories were less but when adding the same perks it was more.   Depends on what you want.

 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Your experience is exactly why I said the OP needs to give more information. 

[George C]

We would never consider anything but a suite on celebrity, love there suite perks.

[goofysmom99]

If you're cruising in Europe (saw your comment about testing before disembarking in Amsterdam), either Baltic or Norway, book the suite.  The breathtaking forward views sailing INTO  Stockholm or the fjords can only be see from The Retreat on an E-class ship.  Not quite the same from aft viewpoint.  I've sailed in and out from both vantage points.

[mfs2k]

Sky suite for all the perks   you'll enjoy out of the cabin. 

[lv2cruisgrl]

We like the IV, but we love the size and amenities of the Sky suites. To us it's worth the $$

[samplecd02]

9 hours ago, samplecd02 said:

I was going to just get the veranda but looking at a video, I am debating moving up to the Sky Suite. Its a big jump in price, anyone that has sailed in either one that can give their thought?

Thanks guys, I originally posted this in the middle of the night and didnt think to give more info.
I am on a 10 night British Isles sailing from Amsterdam on the Apex. Hubby and I are quiet people that like our privacy which is why I thought to book the SS. My biggest concern is the veranda, hubby likes to go to quiet places to chill. I wanted to give him a variety of places, plus the idea of having a specialty area just for us sounds awesome with the retreat. It is a big jump for me, almost double the cruise fare and am looking for honest opinions for those who have sailed both or even just one of those types.

[Cruise a holic]

without doubt  a sky suite.  The infinite veranda is like a windowed cabin.  Small   The sky suite gives you access to the retreat- IMO well worth it- the deck , lounge and restaurant are wonderful!  We spent most of our time on the suite pool deck.  

 

If you can afford it- go for a sky suite- if not consider an aft balcony cabin- a true balcony.  Enjoy your cruise

Edited March 20, 2022 by Cruise a holic

[Moby Jones]

4 minutes ago, samplecd02 said:

Thanks guys, I originally posted this in the middle of the night and didnt think to give more info.
I am on a 10 night British Isles sailing from Amsterdam on the Apex. Hubby and I are quiet people that like our privacy which is why I thought to book the SS. My biggest concern is the veranda, hubby likes to go to quiet places to chill. I wanted to give him a variety of places, plus the idea of having a specialty area just for us sounds awesome with the retreat. It is a big jump for me, almost double the cruise fare and am looking for honest opinions for those who have sailed both or even just one of those types.

I think pretty much everyone would always prefer a suite. The real question is it worth the much higher charge. Celebrity have been really ramping up suite pricing recently. So it's a question only you can answer. 

If you and hubby enjoy the privacy and sea breezes whilst sailing then go for the suite. An IV won't give you a real feeling of being "connected to the sea" as the marketing rubbish suggests. During inclement weather which is very likely here in the UK,the captain can and will lock the windows! This would annoy me greatly. 

Luminae is a great restaurant and is well documented. As is the Retreat Lounge and Sundeck. So you need to read about those and assign a value to yourselves to see if it's worth the extra fare. If booking the Always Included you'll receive OBC, premium drinks and faster internet. But again,only you can decide how much real value these perks have to you. We always upgrade to premium and need fast internet. Others don't drink alcohol and hate the idea of looking at a computer whilst on holiday.....

The suite experience on an E class ship is more of a complete package than on the older Celebrity ships though. They were designed and built around Retreat Class. As a result I'm sure you'd have a great time if you do book a sky suite. 

Your retreat host (butler) will also provide extra services to add to your experience. They'll make specialty dining reservations for you. Book excursions, and deal with any minor issues you may have. So no need to stand in any lines at guest relations or the shore excursion desks etc.

It's  true that Luminae has a smaller menu than other restaurants but bear in mind, you can order other items from the MDR menus and they will make you dishes that are on none of the menus at your request as long as these are reasonable and you give them a days notice. 

I'd say spluge a little. Try Retreat class for yourself so then you can decide on your own personal experience for future bookings. 

[Alakegirl]

26 minutes ago, Moby Jones said:

It's  true that Luminae has a smaller menu than other restaurants but bear in mind, you can order other items from the MDR menus 

This is true on the other classes of ships but not on the E class ships because the Luminae is so far from main dining room kitchens

[Moby Jones]

6 minutes ago, Alakegirl said:

This is true on the other classes of ships but not on the E class ships because the Luminae is so far from main dining room kitchens

So how come we were ordering MDR dishes from the MDR menu in Luminae just last month? I've seen this statement a lot and in our experience it isn't true. Our head waiter also mage it clear that they could if required order dishes from the Blu menu which is also a long walk away. He alsomadeit clear there would be a delay due to the time required to fetch them. 

There are also a number of standard items that can be ordered daily in Luminae which are classed as MDR items. 

[bigbenboys]

1 hour ago, Moby Jones said:

So how come we were ordering MDR dishes from the MDR menu in Luminae just last month? I've seen this statement a lot and in our experience it isn't true. Our head waiter also mage it clear that they could if required order dishes from the Blu menu which is also a long walk away. He alsomadeit clear there would be a delay due to the time required to fetch them. 

There are also a number of standard items that can be ordered daily in Luminae which are classed as MDR items. 

Were you on a E-class ship? When I was on the Edge dining in Luminae I was told we cant order off the MDR menu. Here on CC I have heard different answers to this same question. Edge in the Caribbean were able to order off the MDR menu in Luminae. Apex in the Med were told no items from the MDR menu in Luminae. What you can order on the E class ships in Luminae are the classic items, but the items are not listed on the Luminae menu. When I sail on E class ship in suites I must lower my expectations of food options. If we book E class ship I plan on using OBC to book specialty restaurants or book a suite RS or above.

If you were sailing on M class or S class ships you can order off the MDR menu in Luminae or Blu.

[LGW59]

2 hours ago, samplecd02 said:

Thanks guys, I originally posted this in the middle of the night and didnt think to give more info.
I am on a 10 night British Isles sailing from Amsterdam on the Apex. Hubby and I are quiet people that like our privacy which is why I thought to book the SS. My biggest concern is the veranda, hubby likes to go to quiet places to chill. I wanted to give him a variety of places, plus the idea of having a specialty area just for us sounds awesome with the retreat. It is a big jump for me, almost double the cruise fare and am looking for honest opinions for those who have sailed both or even just one of those types.

Sounds to me that you have posted all the reasons that you and your husband should at least try the Sky Suite.  As you note, it is more expensive, but after weighing the inclusions, special areas only for suite guests, as you say small quiet areas and the balcony, IMO you can't go wrong and at least you will have tried it to make future cruise decisions.  Personally, I would rather cruise once a year in a Sky or upper suite, than 2-3 times a year in an IV etc.  For us it is well worth our vacation dollars, and as very near to retirement those dollars are more and more precious every day.  Good luck with your decision and I hope you let us know what you decide.  

[samplecd02]

19 minutes ago, LGW59 said:

Sounds to me that you have posted all the reasons that you and your husband should at least try the Sky Suite.  As you note, it is more expensive, but after weighing the inclusions, special areas only for suite guests, as you say small quiet areas and the balcony, IMO you can't go wrong and at least you will have tried it to make future cruise decisions.  Personally, I would rather cruise once a year in a Sky or upper suite, than 2-3 times a year in an IV etc.  For us it is well worth our vacation dollars, and as very near to retirement those dollars are more and more precious every day.  Good luck with your decision and I hope you let us know what you decide.  

We have decided on the SS. We will only be able to cruise once every 5 years or so, so I might as well go all out. 🙂

 

[LGW59]

3 minutes ago, samplecd02 said:

We have decided on the SS. We will only be able to cruise once every 5 years or so, so I might as well go all out. 🙂

 

GOOD on you and I truly hope (know) you will enjoy it!!!

Edited March 20, 2022 by LGW59

[Moby Jones]

2 hours ago, bigbenboys said:

Were you on a E-class ship? When I was on the Edge dining in Luminae I was told we cant order off the MDR menu. Here on CC I have heard different answers to this same question. Edge in the Caribbean were able to order off the MDR menu in Luminae. Apex in the Med were told no items from the MDR menu in Luminae. What you can order on the E class ships in Luminae are the classic items, but the items are not listed on the Luminae menu. When I sail on E class ship in suites I must lower my expectations of food options. If we book E class ship I plan on using OBC to book specialty restaurants or book a suite RS or above.

If you were sailing on M class or S class ships you can order off the MDR menu in Luminae or Blu.

Apex 19th and 26th of February. 

I too have read that you cannot order from the Blu or MDR menu (Other than some set items) on E class ships due to the locations of the restaurants. I'm not sure how many people have been told "no" to their face in Luminae and how many people are repeating,'parrot fashion' what they have also read online. 

I can only comment on my own experience, but our wait staff were happy to do this if we accepted there would be a small delay. 

Then again I've found Celebrity to be inconsistent ever since we started sailing with them and Luminae is no exception. :) 

[jelayne]

2 hours ago, bigbenboys said:

Were you on a E-class ship? When I was on the Edge dining in Luminae I was told we cant order off the MDR menu. Here on CC I have heard different answers to this same question. Edge in the Caribbean were able to order off the MDR menu in Luminae. Apex in the Med were told no items from the MDR menu in Luminae. What you can order on the E class ships in Luminae are the classic items, but the items are not listed on the Luminae menu. When I sail on E class ship in suites I must lower my expectations of food options. If we book E class ship I plan on using OBC to book specialty restaurants or book a suite RS or above.

If you were sailing on M class or S class ships you can order off the MDR menu in Luminae or Blu.

 We were told no to ordering the MDR daily specials on the Edge.  Only the everyday items, sirloin, chicken, salmon and things like shrimp cocktail, Caesar salad, French onion soup were available. 

[kwokpot]

4 hours ago, Moby Jones said:

So how come we were ordering MDR dishes from the MDR menu in Luminae just last month? I've seen this statement a lot and in our experience it isn't true. Our head waiter also mage it clear that they could if required order dishes from the Blu menu which is also a long walk away. He alsomadeit clear there would be a delay due to the time required to fetch them. 

There are also a number of standard items that can be ordered daily in Luminae which are classed as MDR items. 

We were on the Apex December 11-20 and was told we couldn't order MDR entrees in Luminae.