Aqua vs Concierge on Apex with MoveUp to Suites in Mind!

[BeachTunes]

Hello from Canada!

 

We are seasoned cruisers considering a return to Celebrity. This is after a 7-year Celebrity hiatus thanks in part to the pandemic but also having discovered other lines pre-pandemic.

 

A little about us for context: 

 

Pre-pandemic my husband and I found ourselves in a pattern of doing one cruise vacation a year plus one or two land-based trips. Between 2014 and 2019 we enjoyed 6 cruises together: 2 x Celebrity (1 in Aqua on The Reflection/1 in a Suite on The Summit), 1 x Paul Gaugin (Life changing! Do it!), and 3 x Crystal which was our preferred line until they ceased operations. We know Crystal has been purchased and a revamp is on the horizon. In the meantime, Celebrity is calling us back! We loved Crystal for its refinement, crew, service, piano bar, cuisine and itineraries. Looking back and ahead, we feel Celebrity would still be a great fit as we enjoyed the food, entertainment, crew and ship design. 

 

We're now looking at a 7-night March 2023 Caribbean itinerary on the Apex. It features two ports and one country we haven't visited which appeals to us. Plus, I'm also loving everything I've been reading and watching online about the Apex and Edge class of ships. I must try Eden, Le Petit Chef and chill on that Rooftop Garden and Magic Carpet! I'm also not opposed to testing out the infamous IV staterooms! LOL!

 

On to my dilemma. (In other words, please convince me to book *something*.)

 

Upon looking at pricing, a standard balcony room plus the three main perks is coming in almost as much as our last Crystal cruise in 2019. (I know, I know! Inflation!) Our interest is still piqued because as mentioned, the Apex's dining and entertainment (along with the itinerary) are alluring.

 

Right now Concierge class rooms are about at par with other "IV" balcony rooms, perks included. For about $1000 Canadian more, we can move up to Aqua Class, which we experienced on the Reflection when she was only a year old. Sky Suites are pricing out at over $13,000 CAD right now. No, thank you!  However, I would like to potentially bid on a suite via MoveUp if the opportunity arises and the "Price is Right"!

 

I'm being ridiculously obsessive about all of this so I appreciate anyone who's still reading right now. Here goes:

 

AQUA PROS:

-BLU (Especially for breakfast)

-Anytime dining (Beneficial especially should we choose to use the 4 MDRs)

-Thermal Spa (Would likely use it twice during the week, at most)

-Bottle of Bubbly (Worth what? $20?)

-Nicer Bathroom

-Cabin Availability - More midship options now

-Potentially lower MoveUp pricing bids to a Suite? (Asking for a friend! LOL!)

 

AQUA CONS:

-Almost $1000 CAD more than concierge

-The 4 MDRS look great. Do we need BLU? (We enjoyed the option on our two previous Celebrity cruises.)

-We may only use the Thermal Spa area once.

-Plan to dine at least 2-3 times in Specialty Restaurants.

 

CONCIERGE PROS:

-Savings of $1000 CAD 

-Embarkation Lunch (We would try to go to Le Grand Bistro otherwise.)

-Could bid on a MoveUp to Aqua or Suite stateroom and potentially break even?

-Pretty much the same space as an Aqua cabin

 

CONCIERGE CONS:

-Cabin Availability - Less options at the moment. Most are on deck 12 under deck 14 or beside "bump out" suites.

-Right now only set dining times are available. We prefer Select. 

-No access to BLU (With the intent to book Eden, Le Petit Chef and maybe Raw on 5, BLU may not be needed?)

 

So having dumped all of the above into this already busy forum, and if you're still reading, what would one recommend we do? Options are:

 

A. Book Aqua (Wistfully hoping that we get a decently priced MoveUp bid to a suite but spending more upfront!)

B. Book Concierge (Forfeiting BLU, The Thermal Spa and having to adhere to a fixed dining time but saving a nice chunk of change! And still hoping my odds for a suite upgrade are possible and remotely reasonable.)

 

Tall order, I know. And yes, I'm usually this long-winded. Thank me later if/when we book and we share a trip report! 😉 Kudos to everyone here for your wealth of info. I'm here because of YOUR input!

 

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH!

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 15, 2022 by BeachTunes

[Miaminice]

We are huge fans of Aqua. But if you want to try the MDRs - and you should - on a 7 night cruise the value of Blu is a different calculation.

 

CC is a waste of money. No more words needed IMHO.

 

Stick to a regular IV stateroom and enjoy Apex. She’s fabulous.

 

BTW: the dining times early/late are still on the computer but don’t apply to E-Class anymore. It’s always anytime dining.

[BeachTunes]

@Miaminice: Thank you very much for your insight! I truly appreciate it! I do agree that the value of Aqua/BLU on such a short cruise with 4 fabulous MDRS is indeed a different calculation. Also wonderful to hear that Anytime Dining is now across the board on Edge class ships. Music to my ears! 🙂 

 

 

[zanderblue]

Perhaps I can add a little bit more info.

We are on Apex in a month or so and are currently booked in Concierge. I reckon sailing is between 80-90% booked.
Move up minimum bid amounts are:

$200 to Aqua

$650 to Suite (recently had 20% discount)

$1900 to Celebrity Suite

 

Now I do appreciate you can’t directly compare one cruise move up bids to another, but at least you can get a feel for what they may be.

 

Whatever you do, I’m sure you’ll enjoy Aoex. 

[BeachTunes]

@zanderblue: Thank you so much for sharing your experience with MoveUp pricing. While I know it will vary from cruise to cruise, it is helpful having some ballpark figures in mind.

 

And yes, no matter where we end up on board, I know we'll love the Apex! I can't wait to cruise again. We have enjoyed a few land-based vacations over the past year but there is something magical about being at sea!

Edited November 15, 2022 by BeachTunes

[jelayne]

If you plan to do 2-3 specialty restaurants then I agree with @Miaminiceto book a standard IV. 
 

I read the traditional dining times were eliminated on the Beyond but had not heard or read that traditional dining was eliminated on all E class ship.  We were on the Beyond a few weeks ago and the ship was short of staff

The elimination of traditional dining was to reduce the long wait times that were occurring for dinner.  

[Miaminice]

31 minutes ago, jelayne said:

I read the traditional dining times were eliminated on the Beyond but had not heard or read that traditional dining was eliminated on all E class ship.  We were on the Beyond a few weeks ago and the ship was short of staff

The elimination of traditional dining was to reduce the long wait times that were occurring for dinner.  

With us it was Apex. I overheard a conversation at the guest relations desk where a couple next to us wanted to change from late to early seating. They were told not to worry and to go whenever they like because fixed times were eliminated on E-class.

[BeachTunes]

@jelayne: Thank you for your input! I'm thinking it may not make financial sense to spend more on Aqua based on the many opinions here, especially considering we plan to go to at least 2 specialty restaurants for dinner. This is a good problem to have to solve! 😉

[someguyfl]

I’ll also add that if you are concerned about move up… most likely the algorithm considers if your category is sold out and has others bidding on it. 
 

if for example aqua is totally sold out, but all categories below are not… and there are move up bids for aqua … and two sky suites available … and two people have equal bids of day $1000 for sky suite, one from aqua, and one from concierge … and someone else is bidding $1100 from an inside … likely the winners would be the 1000 in aqua and 1100 in inside. 

 

if aqua, concierge, and lower all have availability, it will likely just look at bids. 

[LB_NJ]

I would not figure move-up biding into any calculation of room to get now.  On any particular cruise the suites may be completely booked and therefore no chance of move-up.  Also, the category you book now may not be full at sailing and therefore Celebrity would not want to move you.

 

All that means is book the category you want NOW and look at the move-up as a lottery ticket with low odds.

[wineoclock]

I know you want to try the IV but what about an SV? Sure no Blu but MDR & speciality restaurants. That’s what we just booked for May 2024. Our last cruise on Apex was in a CS. We liked Luminae but weren’t blown away & we loved Eden & the steakhouse. So we will still have our cruise at a cheaper fare. Only issue is if you are in SV I’ve been told you can’t utilise move up. 
 

Nice decisions to have. Whatever you choose will be wonderful I’m sure. 

[someguyfl]

1 hour ago, wineoclock said:

Only issue is if you are in SV I’ve been told you can’t utilise move up. 
 

 

I've never been in a SV, but they look like great rooms on the E class ships. Was there any soot / pollution from the ship exhaust?

As far as move up from SV ... They certainly allowed Move Up bidding *TO* SV for my sailing ... and considering it was sold out, that must mean they allowed pax in SV to bid for an upgrade as well.

[wineoclock]

Hmm that’s interesting as agent told me SV are in their own category. Maybe for E class only?
 

We haven’t sailed in one yet - have booked it for May 2024. On hold till tomorrow. At a similar price as Aqua on Silhouette this upcoming May 🤷🏻‍♀️ Which I’m now beginning to find ridiculous actually….

[BeachTunes]

@someguyfl: Very interesting info! Your algorithm analysis makes perfect sense. Funny enough, flight upgrade bids do not, it seems. We bid on a business class upgrade for a 5 hour flight a few months ago and was rejected. When we went to checkin online, we were offered to upgrade for $100 p/p less than what we bid! The airline's loss was our gain! 🙂 

 

@LB_NJ: Yes, good point! We should book what we know what we'll be happy with. There's no guarantee we'll receive a MoveUp offer. Now I'm flipping back and thinking about Aqua so we have the best of all dining options. 

 

@wineoclock: The SV category was not available a few days ago but one opened up yesterday. It's currently priced at $200 more per person than Aqua! I know those proper aft balconies are coveted, but not sure I'd want to spend that much without any other extra perks.

 

At the moment regular IV cabins are only about $100 less per person than Concierge and Concierge is only around $350 less than Aqua. Aqua is looking more appealing all the time... 

 

Thanks so much everyone! 

[drakes2]

18 minutes ago, BeachTunes said:

@wineoclock: The SV category was not available a few days ago but one opened up yesterday. It's currently priced at $200 more per person than Aqua! I know those proper aft balconies are coveted, but not sure I'd want to spend that much without any other extra perks.

I just got off a 10 night on Equinox in October and snagged an SV concierge for an extra $100 over a regular obstructed balcony.  Traveled solo and had more than enough space but enjoyed it immensely. 

[BeachTunes]

@drakes2: That does look lovely! There is something special about sitting on the balcony taking in the views and sea-scented air! Also, we're "neighbours"! I think my profile says Toronto but we're actually in Mississauga! 🙂

[Nashna]

On our January Edge 11-night sailing, the minimum, cost to upgrade to a suite is $2100.00 per person.  Up to a whopping $12,500.00 pp for the top suite.  We are currently in a Sunset Veranda.  When we add in the price that we paid for the SV, upgrading at a minimum of $4200.00 for the cruise would put our total cost over $10,000...almost exactly what the cost would be if we purchased the suite today. Plus, the increase in tips and insurance.  So, we will pass.  The minimum bid to upgrade co Concierge or Aqua started at $150.00.  

[drakes2]

44 minutes ago, BeachTunes said:

@drakes2: That does look lovely! There is something special about sitting on the balcony taking in the views and sea-scented air! Also, we're "neighbours"! I think my profile says Toronto but we're actually in Mississauga! 🙂

@BeachTunesI did really enjoy it great sunrise and sunset views from balcony also sailaway. Had breakfast outdoors most mornings. Total relaxation. Where are you in Mississauga? I'm off Mavis close to Heartland. 

[BeachTunes]

@Nashna: Thank you for sharing your MoveUp experience. It certainly wouldn't make sense to move up to a suite at those prices! Enjoy your your countdown to January 11th! 

 

@drakes2: We're in the Clarkson/Lorne Park area! 🙂

 

[Basil52]

Having been on a recent Apex cruise and on AquaClass..I say book it!   Loved, loved, Blu and enjoyed it every day for breakfast and dinner with the exception of one evening at Eden.    The food was exceptional.  Also....if you see something on the MDR menus, you can always order it from Blu.  

[Cruise a holic]

On 11/14/2022 at 11:38 PM, BeachTunes said:

Hello from Canada!

 

We are seasoned cruisers considering a return to Celebrity. This is after a 7-year Celebrity hiatus thanks in part to the pandemic but also having discovered other lines pre-pandemic.

 

A little about us for context: 

 

Pre-pandemic my husband and I found ourselves in a pattern of doing one cruise vacation a year plus one or two land-based trips. Between 2014 and 2019 we enjoyed 6 cruises together: 2 x Celebrity (1 in Aqua on The Reflection/1 in a Suite on The Summit), 1 x Paul Gaugin (Life changing! Do it!), and 3 x Crystal which was our preferred line until they ceased operations. We know Crystal has been purchased and a revamp is on the horizon. In the meantime, Celebrity is calling us back! We loved Crystal for its refinement, crew, service, piano bar, cuisine and itineraries. Looking back and ahead, we feel Celebrity would still be a great fit as we enjoyed the food, entertainment, crew and ship design. 

 

We're now looking at a 7-night March 2023 Caribbean itinerary on the Apex. It features two ports and one country we haven't visited which appeals to us. Plus, I'm also loving everything I've been reading and watching online about the Apex and Edge class of ships. I must try Eden, Le Petit Chef and chill on that Rooftop Garden and Magic Carpet! I'm also not opposed to testing out the infamous IV staterooms! LOL!

 

On to my dilemma. (In other words, please convince me to book *something*.)

 

Upon looking at pricing, a standard balcony room plus the three main perks is coming in almost as much as our last Crystal cruise in 2019. (I know, I know! Inflation!) Our interest is still piqued because as mentioned, the Apex's dining and entertainment (along with the itinerary) are alluring.

 

Right now Concierge class rooms are about at par with other "IV" balcony rooms, perks included. For about $1000 Canadian more, we can move up to Aqua Class, which we experienced on the Reflection when she was only a year old. Sky Suites are pricing out at over $13,000 CAD right now. No, thank you!  However, I would like to potentially bid on a suite via MoveUp if the opportunity arises and the "Price is Right"!

 

I'm being ridiculously obsessive about all of this so I appreciate anyone who's still reading right now. Here goes:

 

AQUA PROS:

-BLU (Especially for breakfast)

-Anytime dining (Beneficial especially should we choose to use the 4 MDRs)

-Thermal Spa (Would likely use it twice during the week, at most)

-Bottle of Bubbly (Worth what? $20?)

-Nicer Bathroom

-Cabin Availability - More midship options now

-Potentially lower MoveUp pricing bids to a Suite? (Asking for a friend! LOL!)

 

AQUA CONS:

-Almost $1000 CAD more than concierge

-The 4 MDRS look great. Do we need BLU? (We enjoyed the option on our two previous Celebrity cruises.)

-We may only use the Thermal Spa area once.

-Plan to dine at least 2-3 times in Specialty Restaurants.

 

CONCIERGE PROS:

-Savings of $1000 CAD 

-Embarkation Lunch (We would try to go to Le Grand Bistro otherwise.)

-Could bid on a MoveUp to Aqua or Suite stateroom and potentially break even?

-Pretty much the same space as an Aqua cabin

 

CONCIERGE CONS:

-Cabin Availability - Less options at the moment. Most are on deck 12 under deck 14 or beside "bump out" suites.

-Right now only set dining times are available. We prefer Select. 

-No access to BLU (With the intent to book Eden, Le Petit Chef and maybe Raw on 5, BLU may not be needed?)

 

So having dumped all of the above into this already busy forum, and if you're still reading, what would one recommend we do? Options are:

 

A. Book Aqua (Wistfully hoping that we get a decently priced MoveUp bid to a suite but spending more upfront!)

B. Book Concierge (Forfeiting BLU, The Thermal Spa and having to adhere to a fixed dining time but saving a nice chunk of change! And still hoping my odds for a suite upgrade are possible and remotely reasonable.)

 

Tall order, I know. And yes, I'm usually this long-winded. Thank me later if/when we book and we share a trip report! 😉 Kudos to everyone here for your wealth of info. I'm here because of YOUR input!

 

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH!

 

 

 

 

 

Welcome back to Celebrity!  We will also be on the Apex in March.  We are booked in a sky suite, but it has become pricey.  If I didn't book a sky suite, I personally would opt for an aft balcony cabin as you get a true balcony.  I am not a great fan of blu and would, with the money saved, have dinners in SP restaurants.  Blu on the S and M class ships is better located- on the Edge class it is off a busy hallway and open with the exception on a unusual shade- you can see into and out of the restaurant.  Also, with CC and balcony class you get to dine if you desire my time dining. The concept of three restaurants is great.  Enjoy your cruise.  

Edited November 28, 2022 by Cruise a holic