Zenith access to Retreat Lounge

[hcat]

19 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

Zeniths get Free Premium Drink Package (so that is not the issue),  they also get free premium Internet and Free Laundry.    Now if you are Zenith in a Suite you are forced to pay for all the same perks in your fare as oppose to the past when you could book without perks that we already have

 

Some of you may have the same feeling shortly when some of the airlines like Delta start dropping access to their lounges for many that currently can access them.

We felt  like that with Royal C when Diamond level  guests (Elite on X) were no longer given access to the lovely well stocked lounge which became "suite guests only".

 

It was  more disappointing when the Celebrity Elite lounge (used am and pre- dinner, mostly in Michaels) was summarily taken away for use by suite guests only.  The new Cap Club  lite breakfast.,usually in Tuscan was fine but the Cap Cocktail Party upstairs in the Nightclub was not the same cozy get together it had been.  It was open to all  levels of Cap Club Members, many coming just  for the free drinks.  I think now it is available at most bars so hardly a cozy gathering at all anymore. The Retreat area is now that same type of venue.

 

With the shifting focus to suites, and other marketing programs,  accumulating loyalty points to achieve higher Cap Club levels is no longer a great incentive or benefit.  We appreciate our E + perks but all the focus is now on suites...sadly, the SS guests are now losing some of their perks.  Who knows what's next.? Seems fickle!

[zitsky]

So as a SS passenger will I even notice a difference in the lounge?
 

[TommyD3]

2 hours ago, sunnyBGI said:

The official announcement “materialized”. Nice 🙂 

Definitely good news, especially the line about opening auxiliary lounge spaces to accommodate the large numbers as opposed to the rumor of no access if crowded !!! Still waiting for my formal notice !!!

[mac_tlc]

Coupled with the upcoming option to book Aqua with no perks, this gives Z’s an option to not pay for their perks as is the case with a suite. It’s just restoring what they had pre-Covid — and it was supposedly taken away because of Covid. 
 

The times we have been in the lounge there was space for more folks. 
 

BTW, I am E+ with little or no chance of ever becoming Z, especially given Celebrity’s current pricing, so this change doesn’t benefit me. 
 

 

mac_tlc

 

 

[hcat]

Not sure where we stand on our slow crawl to Z.

 

I think it will be useful on the transatlantics where there may get more ZENITHS??? 

 

 On our one time only Retreat cruise on  BEYOND ,  lounge was a ghost town...other than sailaway day

 

Wonder if they will be able to leave with bottles of water or soda, esp those without bev packages?

Edited September 26, 2023 by hcat

[cruisestitch]

Zeniths have beverage packages

[billc23]

44 minutes ago, hcat said:

 

 On our one time only Retreat cruise on  BEYOND ,  lounge was a ghost town...other than sailaway day

 

IMHO the retreat lounge/Michael Club on S/M class ships are much nicer social spaces than the E class and used by more people. The E class sun deck with bar is great and people tend to utilize that space instead of the retreat lounge. The M/S class sun deck - on the revolutionized ships - is not very appealing and is not used very much. So the "ghost town" feel varies according to ship class and some may enjoy the solitude anyway.

[phoenix_dream]

On 9/25/2023 at 4:42 AM, Georgia_Peaches said:

There’s no way I’d ever let them do my laundry!  Free or not. Just no. 

Not sure why not. Been having them do my laundry for years. No issues.  Sometimes I am away from home for weeks at a time.  No way am I packing 3 or 4 weeks of clothes in a suitcase, or 3.

[phoenix_dream]

21 hours ago, markeb said:

 

I don't know where you're flying. Rooms sometimes. Seats almost never. I've seen sold out flights with 50 elite flyers on the upgrade list (United)...

DH just got upgraded to First Class yesterday.  He and I both got upgraded on each leg of a round trip last week. I confess it doesn't happen as often anymore.

[phoenix_dream]

19 hours ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

 

I believe they only care about bookings, don't really care if they're brand new or Zenith although probably prefer new so they don't have to give away free benefits.  They claim to have strong bookings and on the RCI side, claim their newest ship still being built, the IoS, has possibly broken every booking record in the book.  I'm extremely curious to see what's next after the E-class

And new cruisers are much more likely to spend onboard for shops, shore excursions,  photo packages etc., than seasoned cruisers 

[NutsAboutGolf]

49 minutes ago, phoenix_dream said:

And new cruisers are much more likely to spend onboard for shops, shore excursions,  photo packages etc., than seasoned cruisers 

 

You're right.  Another thing he mentioned in the earnings call was that they found that short cruises are a (his term) "on-ramp" for new cruisers.  I'm sure the majority of their earning call covers RCI but X has progressively increased their short sailings since their restart

[zitsky]

2 minutes ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

 

You're right.  Another thing he mentioned in the earnings call was that they found that short cruises are a (his term) "on-ramp" for new cruisers.  I'm sure the majority of their earning call covers RCI but X has progressively increased their short sailings since their restart

On ramp?  Maybe for people wanting a booze cruise.  Is that the direction they’re going in?  I guess it is.

[markeb]

8 minutes ago, zitsky said:

On ramp?  Maybe for people wanting a booze cruise.  Is that the direction they’re going in?  I guess it is.

Maybe for people who don’t have a lot of time off? Why does it have to be a booze cruise?

[wrk2cruise]

Actually well written and clear communication, unusual for Celebrity.  Specifically stating that it's lounge only and doesn't include sundeck or Luminae which is what it has always been.

[Mark_K]

34 minutes ago, zitsky said:

On ramp?  Maybe for people wanting a booze cruise.  Is that the direction they’re going in?  I guess it is.

I would sooner think an “on ramp’ for people new to cruising who want to try it out.

[DaKahuna]

 We have no problem with Celebrity restoring access to the Retreat Lounge/Michael's Club to Zenith members.  We enjoyed a number of conversations with Zenith members when sailing in a suite on cruises prior to COVID.   We received valuable information about the various ships and itineraries and helped us make choices for upcoming cruises.  In our cruises post COVID the only times we have found the lounge to be crowded was for special events, e.g. magician show, senior officers event, prior to disembarkation in ports, and of course debarkation day.   As many have reported most of the times the lounges have been very underutilized, in our opinions.

[Jim_Iain]

Just received the official e-mail

 

[DaKahuna]

 She also just announced that it was 'effective immediately' on the Webinar and told members who were currently on board to 'run to the lounge right now.'

 

[zitsky]

1 hour ago, markeb said:

Maybe for people who don’t have a lot of time off? Why does it have to be a booze cruise?

Don’t ask me.  Just ask people in the RCI forum what their short cruises are like.

[DaKahuna]

4 minutes ago, zitsky said:

Don’t ask me.  Just ask people in the RCI forum what their short cruises are like.

 

I have noticed recently that Celebrity has been emailing me offers of numerous 3 to 6 day Caribbean cruises.  I wish they would go back to doing more 12 - 14 day cruises.  

[zitsky]

11 minutes ago, DaKahuna said:

 She also just announced that it was 'effective immediately' on the Webinar and told members who were currently on board to 'run to the lounge right now.'

 

I’m waiting for my next SS cruise where they will tell me that “our” Retreat lounge is in the overflow area.  What used to be called the buffet.  Here are your food and drink tickets.  The soda machine is included.  😭

 

🙂

[DaKahuna]

1 minute ago, zitsky said:

I’m waiting for my next SS cruise where they will tell me that “our” Retreat lounge is in the overflow area.  What used to be called the buffet.  Here are your food and drink tickets.  The soda machine is included.  😭

 

🙂

 

 Wrong cruise line - there are no soda machines on Celebrity !
 

[excitedofharpenden]

Just had the official email and am delighted to see this Zenith perk back. The underhanded way the removal was done had me walking away from Celebrity, but am very happy that the new President of Celebrity has seen sense. Definitely now an option again. 

 

Phil 

[jagoffee]

5 hours ago, hcat said:

We felt  like that with Royal C when Diamond level  guests (Elite on X) were no longer given access to the lovely well stocked lounge which became "suite guests only".

 

It was  more disappointing when the Celebrity Elite lounge (used am and pre- dinner, mostly in Michaels) was summarily taken away for use by suite guests only.  The new Cap Club  lite breakfast.,usually in Tuscan was fine but the Cap Cocktail Party upstairs in the Nightclub was not the same cozy get together it had been.  It was open to all  levels of Cap Club Members, many coming just  for the free drinks.  I think now it is available at most bars so hardly a cozy gathering at all anymore. The Retreat area is now that same type of venue.

 

With the shifting focus to suites, and other marketing programs,  accumulating loyalty points to achieve higher Cap Club levels is no longer a great incentive or benefit.  We appreciate our E + perks but all the focus is now on suites...sadly, the SS guests are now losing some of their perks.  Who knows what's next.? Seems fickle!

A Zenith member not purchasing a suite (and purchasing a Cruise Only rate) has a very generous and valuable list of nice benefits IMO.

[Jeremiah1212]

2 hours ago, zitsky said:

On ramp?  Maybe for people wanting a booze cruise.  Is that the direction they’re going in?  I guess it is.

 

If you need new or more customers you have to give them a shorter option. New to cruising and new to brand people almost always start with short cruises. That's been proven time and time again for years if not decades.