Are suites worth the $ on non-revolutionized ships?

[Fijalclarkski]

My husband and I are tempted to splurge for a suite on a future Celebrity Eclipse sailing. I know that Eclipse hasn't yet been revolutionized, and one of the things it doesn't include is the Retreat Sun Deck. The price difference between Aqua Class and a Sky Suite is about $166 per person per day ($3,320 total for the entire 10-day cruise). Is it "worth it?" I know Suite class has premium drinks, faster wifi, more on-board credit, access to Luminae, and other benefits, but I wonder if the lack of a Retreat Sun Deck makes the Suite extras not worth the cost. I'm curious to hear from those who may have Suite experience on revolutionized and nonrevolutionized Solstice Class ships. Thanks!

[Sox Fan Cruiser]

Whether it’s “worth it” is up to you and your bank account. But I get the question. We normally stay in Aqua class on non-revolutionized ships. But always in a Sky Suite for the revolutionized one. Just our own preference. To use, the experience isn’t as special and my husband likes Blu. So we follow that rule on cabin choice. 

[jelayne]

We love the Sun Deck on E class ships.   Although not big sun worshipers we do spend a few hour there most days.  Lunch,  a nook to read out of the sun, a drink or 2 at the Sun Deck bar and quieter than the main pool.

 

I don’t care for the Luminae menu, so either order from the kids menu or go to the MDR.   We actually prefer Blu. 

The Retreat Lounge is nice but we spend minimal time there, maybe stop in for 1 drink a day.  We prefer to spend time in the other more lively areas of the ship.

For us, the Retreat would not be worth the $3K plus on a S class ship unless it was a sailing with a lot of sea days where the extra space in cabin is nice. 
 

Edited January 30, 2023 by jelayne
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[Jeremiah1212]

My personal opinion would be in a Sky Suite (or maybe even Celebrity Suite) - no.

 

An upper level suite - more likely for the right price. 

 

Especially if you have been on an E class ship and enjoyed the suite experience, a non-revolutionized S class just doesn't stack up. 

[markeb]

Unanswerable. It probably would be to us, because we love Lumiinae, and liked Michaels before the revolution as much as we love the new Retreat Lounge (Equinox). A lot of the choice if personal preference. If finance was the only driving factor, I don't know that suites would sell anyway!

 

Are you looking at all in final prices? On our upcoming cruise from Alaska, the OBC offer was so much higher (and the fare included premium drinks and Wi-Fi) that what looked like a huge price difference ended up being much closer. Obviously some of that depends on whether you can use the OBC and if you want premium drinks and Wi-Fi

[Fijalclarkski]

3 minutes ago, markeb said:

Unanswerable. It probably would be to us, because we love Lumiinae, and liked Michaels before the revolution as much as we love the new Retreat Lounge (Equinox). A lot of the choice if personal preference. If finance was the only driving factor, I don't know that suites would sell anyway!

 

Are you looking at all in final prices? On our upcoming cruise from Alaska, the OBC offer was so much higher (and the fare included premium drinks and Wi-Fi) that what looked like a huge price difference ended up being much closer. Obviously some of that depends on whether you can use the OBC and if you want premium drinks and Wi-Fi

Yes, I considered the difference in on-board credit and the cost to upgrade to premium drinks and fast wifi and it’s still +$3k different.

 

I understand there isn’t a clear, definitive yes/no answer because so much depends on personal preferences. I guess I’m asking for folks’ personal preferences given the information I’ve shared. 

I just don’t want my first Suite “splurge” to be a moderate disappointment.
 

Very helpful responses so far!

[jelayne]

3 minutes ago, markeb said:

Unanswerable. It probably would be to us, because we love Lumiinae, and liked Michaels before the revolution as much as we love the new Retreat Lounge (Equinox). A lot of the choice if personal preference. If finance was the only driving factor, I don't know that suites would sell anyway!

 

Are you looking at all in final prices? On our upcoming cruise from Alaska, the OBC offer was so much higher (and the fare included premium drinks and Wi-Fi) that what looked like a huge price difference ended up being much closer. Obviously some of that depends on whether you can use the OBC and if you want premium drinks and Wi-Fi

The OP is deciding between AQ and a Suite as Aqua come with Classic beverage and basic wi-fi so the cost to upgrade  is roughly s30 pp pd day depending on any CC discounts.

[markeb]

6 minutes ago, jelayne said:

The OP is deciding between AQ and a Suite as Aqua come with Classic beverage and basic wi-fi so the cost to upgrade  is roughly s30 pp pd day depending on any CC discounts.

 

Sorry. I wasn't clear. We were also looking at AQ to a SS. It wasn't a break-even by any means, but the OBC made it much less of a difference (well under the $3K they're seeing today). I know I did the math on the upgrades, but that's been a few days!

[bEwAbG]

For someone who hasn't been in any suite class cabin before, I bet you'd be suitably impressed with the product even without the sun deck, but I'm not a pool person or a sun worshipper.  They do work to make you feel pampered in many different ways and the lounge access and Luminae are big parts of that.

 

To me it would come down to whether I wanted the larger cabin and the access to Luminae.  On a S-class, you can kind of mimic upgraded dining by doing specialty restaurants, but you'd have to do that math to see if it was ultimately worth it to you (if dining is even a priority). I had convinced myself after my last X cruise that I could make due with a smaller cabin and eating in specialty restaurants, but the person I travel with always wants the extra cabin space so we end up in suite class. 

 

I look more at the total price of the cruise these days to determine if I'd feel that I was overpaying for the total experience.  At a certain price point, you can end up paying less to go for a better experience on other lines.

[Joker54]

Since most of us in the world have differing tastes, interests along with those things we value enough to spend big bucks on. markb provided the best answer and that is - "it's unanswerable"

 

We have been in a variety of suites on all 3 classes of ships as well as AC rooms.

We prefer the S class over E for a variety of reasons

 

Pay restaurants that we enjoy - Murano, Lawn club, the Porch, Tuscan

 

We prefer Michaels club over the retreat - the retreat is to much library like for us on the Edge and Apex- and have yet to sail on Beyond. Honestly we like the old u-shaped bar in Michaels that has been replaced by small bars on some S class ships. We do enjoy the brighter colors and lighting.

 

On E the Martini bar is central to everything and everyone with not nearly enough seating and the noise level impacts the Fine Cut steak house and Raw on 5.

 

The retreat on the bow is fun, not enough shade. It's great for us in suites. Not so great for our friends not in suites. The S class may not have the same retreat deck but everyone can enjoy the observation lounge.

 

For those of us who enjoy the Sunset bar, its unbearable on a sunny day on the Edge and the Apex, the pictures of the Beyond's Sunset Bar look pretty awesome.

 

We doubt that you will ever see a breakeven between a suite and an AC room even with the perks. Your paying for the special treatment, the space, Butler etc.

 

There is 1 perk that is worth mentioning - Dining times in specialty restaurants. When in a Royal or higher all dining times are pretty much available. They always reserve the better times for the upper level suites.

 

Cheers

 

Steve

 

 

 

[George C]

I would still book a suite , you get suite restaurant, Michaels the suite lounge and it’s very handy to have the concierge and butler. I do love the outdoor retreat on E class, don’t care for the outdoor retreat on M class . I haven’t been on S class that was revolutionize.

[prmssk]

Will you miss having access to the spa?

 

Would you normally upgrade to the premium beverage package and/or premium internet?

 

Both Blu and Luminae give you that specialty dining feel so how much is access to Luminae really worth to you?

 

Would you make use of a butler and/or concierge?

 

Do you want to have access to an exclusive lounge (Michael's) or are you the type to prefer exploring the rest of the ship?

 

Do you like to take advantage of room service (which is still free to suites)?

 

We personally have really enjoyed the Retreat on the Constellation which is not revolutionized but you may be different.  Maybe think through some of these questions to see if the value is there for you.

[Lastdance]

For me, no it is not worth it at all.  Go big on E or just AQ on S.  There is a huge difference, IMHO, if you like new ships with a little glitz.  However, that's my personal opinion and I love the (sweet) suite life on E-class with all the bells and whistles, especially for 10 days; 7 days really isn't long enough and Europe is my favorite place to cruise.  If you have any doubts at all, just do what is in your heart and make your vacay very, very special.

[Mark_K]

On 1/30/2023 at 12:53 PM, Fijalclarkski said:

My husband and I are tempted to splurge for a suite on a future Celebrity Eclipse sailing. I know that Eclipse hasn't yet been revolutionized, and one of the things it doesn't include is the Retreat Sun Deck. The price difference between Aqua Class and a Sky Suite is about $166 per person per day ($3,320 total for the entire 10-day cruise). Is it "worth it?" I know Suite class has premium drinks, faster wifi, more on-board credit, access to Luminae, and other benefits, but I wonder if the lack of a Retreat Sun Deck makes the Suite extras not worth the cost. I'm curious to hear from those who may have Suite experience on revolutionized and nonrevolutionized Solstice Class ships. Thanks!

A lot of it depends on the itinerary and how much you enjoy “sunning”.   We hardly used the sun deck on our Panama Canal cruise.

[Georgia_Peaches]

Totally worth it to me!  I'm not a fan of the revolutionized ships, though.  Were I on one with a Retreat sundeck, I'd still hang out in the solarium because it's climate controlled and there's plenty of shade.  I like access to a suite dining room, butler, concierge, premium drinks package, wifi, priority boarding/tendering/debarkation...extra space in the room.  I can look past dated décor for all of the aforementioned.

[DCPIV]

We find it worth it, but I might not be the best person to answer this question because the Retreat Sundeck might be what we find least valuable about staying in a suite.  We've never spent more time on a Retreat Sundeck than it took to pass through and decide it wasn't for us. Now, we've never sailed on an E-class ship, but (from what we've heard) I don't think that would change our opinion.  While my wife enjoys hanging out by the pool at times, neither of us are sun worshippers and are plenty happy at the Sunset Bar if we care to have our cocktails outside.

 

When it comes to where we find value in suites, the first thing is having access to our butler and other Retreat staff.  While it isn't quite "ask and ye shall receive" sort of travel, it's most certainly the "easy button."  Related to that are having a premium breakfast brought in (and set up if desired), afternoon canapes, and other little goodies like that also are very nice to have.

 

Second for us probably is Luminae.  I know many don't care for it, but we tend to love it.  There have been times when we've cancelled specialty reservations because we would rather be in Luminae, and that's when we've been in higher suites where specialty dining is included.

 

A close third (or even tie for second) is Michael's (since we're talking pre-revolutionized).  We prefer Michael's over the Retreat Lounge. Like some others, we like the setup and feel in it more than the revolutionized lounge.  The latter feels more made for photos than comfort, and half of it feels more like an underscale airport lounge or break room.

 

When it comes to anything above the Sky Suite, we're adding in (a great deal of) value for the separate bedroom!  That doesn't matter what ship you're on.

[SusieAV8R]

4 hours ago, George C said:

I would still book a suite , you get suite restaurant, Michaels the suite lounge and it’s very handy to have the concierge and butler. I do love the outdoor retreat on E class, don’t care for the outdoor retreat on M class . I haven’t been on S class that was revolutionize.

I agree with your comments, George C.  That said, for 15 years and 24 cruises, we've only sailed in Celebrity, Royal & Penthouse suites on M-class & S-class.  DH & I enjoy the Retreat Lounge (formerly Michaels Club) because it is generally a quiet time (outside of the evening hours of 5:30- 7:00 p.m; miss the single or duo entertainment during that time) to really meet a few fellow passengers at a time, voice concerns/have problems solved by the Retreat Concierge and chat with the very interesting Bartenders.  There are almost always snacks to enjoy there.  Luminae (the suite restaurant) is what one wantst to make it.  We watched a fellow passenger on our cruise last August request a vegetarian pizza for his wife because she could not eat meat.  No problem.  Luminae staff worked with the situation.  I had special  meal requests in Luminae over our recent  Xmas/NYE cruise which staff tried to accommodate.  I personally enjoy Luminae because the noise volume is far lower than the level we've encountered in the specialty restaurants or MDR (pre-Luminae cruising).  Whether the ship is revolutionized or not is not a factor for us because we don't lay out in the sun. (Benefit:  nobody I meet believes I am closer to 70 at 69 than 50...:) ). Sorry George C...I used your post to try to give the original poster some additional information.  🙂. 

[DaKahuna]

 We are in agreement with others about finding suits worth the price.  We've sailed in Veranda, Concierge, Aqua, Sky and Celebrity Suites.  

 

 The one thing we enjoy that I do not remember seeing mentioned is that on port days you can enjoy lunch on the Retreat Sundeck on Revolutionized ships.  Having done a number of sailings in the Caribbean on Royal and Celebrity there are some ports where we will only walk off, spend an hour or so window shopping in the area around where the ship is docked or where you disembark/embark on tenders, and then go back to the ship, usually in time for lunch onboard.   Since Luminae is closed on port days we find this very convenient and an acceptable alternative to OVC or Room Service. 

 

[Cruise a holic]

We enjoy most meals at Luminae.  But mix it up with specialty restaurants.   On  the S or M class ships.  Restaurant seating vs a crowded dining hall,  and excellent service. Found AQ restaurant Blu much too crowded and the cabins are balcony cabins with some IMO useless frills.  

 

The size of the suite, even entry level is so much larger.  The retreat lounge/michaels club is also wonderful. You also get other perks.  If you can afford it- try it-   The experience on the Edge class ships is of course fabulous.

[go.without.you]

I like Luminae and if I'm on S class I sometimes order for the MDR. One of the big perks for me is having the same waitstaff for every meal.

 

I love the Retreat deck and was able to find chairs with shade on Silhouette, Edge and Equinox. I sailed Reflection over Thanksgiving, which doesn't have the Retreat deck, and I won't make that mistake again. Mostly because we were sailing at 90% capacity and there were a lot of kids on board. Even the Solarium was very full so I would've enjoyed the serenity of the Retreat Deck and not having to stand in the long line at the Mast Grill for lunch on a port day. I avoid the OVC at all costs because of the guests that act like they've never seen a buffet before. (If you are in front of me and inspect every.single.piece.of.lettuce before putting it on your plate, I will go John Wick on you) 

[asnaleah]

We will be finding out the answer for us, but not until December. We are booked in a SS, (or maybe it’s now a Sunset Sky?) and for us I believe it will be worth it for Luminae, upgraded beverage package and the wonderful Retreat concierge staff! We do love the revolutionized Silhouette and enjoy the sun deck, bar and lunch. 

[Orator]

I really prefer Blu and the Persian Gardens so I personally would book Aqua Class. It's your personal choice based on your preferences.

[freshjive1479]

I normally sail in AQ with a PP beverage upgrade on all of the ships but we got a fantastic deal on a SS on the Solstice for our next cruise and didn't hesitate to book it. X then offered a very reasonable Move Up to a CS which we bid on and won. I have zero regrets and certainly won't be upset about missing the Retreat Sun Deck. It's really up to the individual and what is important to them. Cheers!!

Edited February 1, 2023 by freshjive1479

[britestar]

We were on Solstice last week, we enjoyed our corner aft SS  and found it worth the price. We spent hours on the the balcony relaxing , dining  and whale watching . We also appreciated the larger room. 

[Fly and Sail]

Depends on how you value access to the Persian Garden vs Michael's Club. You could always pay for the Persian Garden separately. I think the price for the Suite is reasonable and the additional benefits make up for it.