Question about purchasing limited number of retreat perks for non-suite guests traveling with retreat guests

[Tudy]

Here is the situation. We are traveling with another couple On the Edge in March/April 2024 in sky suites. The daughter of the other couple and her son decided to join us. There are no suites available when they made this decision, so they are booked in a concierge cabin.

 

I am pretty sure that I read on Cruise Critic that some people were able to purchase Retreat perks for family members who were not in retreat class. My friend called Celebrity to inquire and was told that he would not be able to do this until he was onboard.

 

Those of you who have done this, what was your experience?

[cruisestitch]

As I recall, this was not available for passengers in the sky suites, only for those in the upper suites and on a space available basis

[graphicguy]

5 minutes ago, cruisestitch said:

As I recall, this was not available for passengers in the sky suites, only for those in the upper suites and on a space available basis

Correct.  Not available to purchase via Sky Suites.  That said, there are really nice public areas to meet that are relatively quiet all around the ship.  Edge is my favorite Celebrity ship.  Lots of areas to meet up.

Edited June 29, 2023 by graphicguy

[emelle]

In the past this has only been available for upper level suites, with a limited number available for each voyage. I have used the option (not cheap). There is a space available option, with fee, for dining in Luminae as your guest. Not sure if available on your cruise nor exactly who pays, nor price nowdays. You would work this out onboard.

[DiamondSuiteCruiser]

Several years ago while staying in a PH suite (15 night Mediterranean/TA cruise, Silhouette), my MIL was in a Concierge cabin, and Luminae allowed her to go there to eat every day with or without us, but we paid a fee (supposed to be so much per meal, but they gave us a great deal for the entire cruise). The Concierge also let her join us in Michael’s Club ea night, and the Captains table one night. I think it depends on the suite and the ship, but it can’t hurt to ask when you get onboard. Good luck to you!

[cruisestitch]

That was a penthouse suite.   the OP is in a sky suite.  Different experiences for the different level of suites.

[emmas gran]

Imagine if every suite did this , that’s why they have the rules . They may allow them in for dinner one evening but your friend will be charged.

[wrk2cruise]

The charge can be paid by either the suite dweller or the guest.  It has been $30 pp for dinner.   Access to Retreat lounge/sundeck isn't going to happen for Sky Suites.

[Alakegirl]

Since they kicked the zenith guests out of the retreat due to “overcrowding “I can’t see them letting every suite passenger bring guests there

[SusieAV8R]

9 hours ago, DiamondSuiteCruiser said:

Several years ago while staying in a PH suite (15 night Mediterranean/TA cruise, Silhouette), my MIL was in a Concierge cabin, and Luminae allowed her to go there to eat every day with or without us, but we paid a fee (supposed to be so much per meal, but they gave us a great deal for the entire cruise). The Concierge also let her join us in Michael’s Club ea night, and the Captains table one night. I think it depends on the suite and the ship, but it can’t hurt to ask when you get onboard. Good luck to you!

 

7 hours ago, wrk2cruise said:

The charge can be paid by either the suite dweller or the guest.  It has been $30 pp for dinner.   Access to Retreat lounge/sundeck isn't going to happen for Sky Suites.

 

9 hours ago, DiamondSuiteCruiser said:

Several years ago while staying in a PH suite (15 night Mediterranean/TA cruise, Silhouette), my MIL was in a Concierge cabin, and Luminae allowed her to go there to eat every day with or without us, but we paid a fee (supposed to be so much per meal, but they gave us a great deal for the entire cruise). The Concierge also let her join us in Michael’s Club ea night, and the Captains table one night. I think it depends on the suite and the ship, but it can’t hurt to ask when you get onboard. Good luck to you!

Several years ago, which was just after cruising resumed (and with capacity closer to 30% than 60%), granting folks special benefits, like suite guests bringing in non-suite guest friends was not usually a problem. With full or near full capacity, such benefits have become very limited.

[bigbenboys]

I would talk to X or your TA. See photo with sky suite adjoining balcony or inside cabin. My understanding is that these cabins are what you need. Booking together and paying an extra charge for access to the Retreat and Luminae. 

 

[thebutlerdidit]

1 hour ago, bigbenboys said:

I would talk to X or your TA. See photo with sky suite adjoining balcony or inside cabin. My understanding is that these cabins are what you need. Booking together and paying an extra charge for access to the Retreat and Luminae. 

 

This was what came to my mind, too. 

[wrk2cruise]

I think when combined these are considered "Family Suites" and may only be available on select sailings like holidays but yes call and ask.

[NorthStarStateCruiser]

3 minutes ago, wrk2cruise said:

I think when combined these are considered "Family Suites" and may only be available on select sailings like holidays but yes call and ask.

Correct.  On Edge class ships, there are Celebrity Family Suites (combination of Celebrity Suite and Concierge Class) and Sky Family Suites (combination of Sky Suite and Sunset Veranda).  According to the doc linked below, they are only available "seasonally".  Interestingly, there's no category for these Sky suites connecting to either the concierge or interior rooms.  They only list Sky suites connected to sunset verandas.

 

https://www.celebritycorporatekit.com/content/uploads/2017/07/Edge_Fact_Sheet.pdf

[RICCruisers]

17 hours ago, SusieAV8R said:

 

 

Several years ago, which was just after cruising resumed (and with capacity closer to 30% than 60%), granting folks special benefits, like suite guests bringing in non-suite guest friends was not usually a problem. With full or near full capacity, such benefits have become very limited.

Your estimate of the capacity % once cruising resumed is fairly accurate for the whole ship. It’s way off on the % in suites. Suites ran at.close to 100% in the months following resumption of cruising. There were a lot of cruise credits and unused travel budgets to spend. That may be part of the reason suite pricing has escalated significantly during the past year.  

[SusieAV8R]

5 hours ago, RICCruisers said:

Your estimate of the capacity % once cruising resumed is fairly accurate for the whole ship. It’s way off on the % in suites. Suites ran at.close to 100% in the months following resumption of cruising. There were a lot of cruise credits and unused travel budgets to spend. That may be part of the reason suite pricing has escalated significantly during the past year.  

5 hours ago, RICCruisers said:

Your estimate of the capacity % once cruising resumed is fairly accurate for the whole ship. It’s way off on the % in suites. Suites ran at.close to 100% in the months following resumption of cruising. There were a lot of cruise credits and unused travel budgets to spend. That may be part of the reason suite pricing has escalated significantly during the past year.  

I

 

5 hours ago, RICCruisers said:

Your estimate of the capacity % once cruising resumed is fairly accurate for the whole ship. It’s way off on the % in suites. Suites ran at.close to 100% in the months following resumption of cruising. There were a lot of cruise credits and unused travel budgets to spend. That may be part of the reason suite pricing has escalated significantly during the past year.  

When cruising resumed, the cruises we were on (September & November 2021 & August 2022) did not seem to have all suites full.   Luminae initially was not very busy (granted we generally eat lunch at 1 p.m. and dinner at 8 p.m.).and the Retreat Lounge  was frequently empty. DH & I were often the only paz in the Lounge.  During that time frame, folks in Sky & Celebrity suites were apparently having shoreside concierge pre-arranging requests and Butlers getting requested items which I understand are practices that are no longer ongoing for them; only for the RS and PS. Suites.  Luminae were very full during Xmas/NYE 2022/2023 and our April  2023 cruise.   As of last week, there were a lot of suites available for our upcoming September cruise.  I am just giving another perspective to the OP.

[CHEZMARYLOU]

Our next 2 cruises, September 2023 on Equinox and March 2024, have suites fully booked.  Except for suites and aqua there is a lot of availability.

 

Our last 3 cruises since the pandemic, can't remember all the dates, also had suites fully booked.  I know on Edge, even though bookings were at 50% suites were at 100%. We only ate in Luminae 2 or 3 times and the last night there was a long line. We wondered, after we were seated in the full dining room, why we didn't just go to a specialty because the would not have been full.

 

I totally understand why luminae and blu would be limited as would passes for the retreat for non retreat guests.

 

 

[Jim_Iain]

I can confirm that when traveling in an Upper Suite I was able to buy the program for my SIL and BIL traveling with us in a Aqua.   There is a very limited number available and must be arranged and paid for prior to the cruise.   In my case I booked it 9 months prior to the cruise.   The cost is $100 pp per day for the entire cruise.     We were on an 11 day cruise so was $2,200 extra.   Don't recall if we had to also pay extra gratuities or not. 

 

I was hoping to get them upgraded to a SS but my bid of $2,600 was rejected - 

 

It was a British Isles Cruise and was really unusual -   Except for the night they had the Officers Party where most suite passengers arrived for dinner at the same time -  other nights there was never more than about 50% occupancy in Laminae.   It may have been that it was an extremely port intensive cruise with only 3 sea days.  

Edited July 1, 2023 by Jim_Iain

[terrydtx]

Your friends may be able to bid for a move up offer to a Sky Suite for their kids. If they get the bid they would have access to all Retreat facilites.

 

The only retreat benefits I have seen for non-suites passengers is dining as a guest of a suite's passenger in Luminae on a space available basis. Most cruises are now sailing at almost 100% capacity in the Retreat.

[Tudy]

Thanks everyone for your replies. I know the number of these passes is very limited. The suites are sold out for our cruise so we will just have to wait and see how everything shakes out.