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Surcharges for drinks in Retreat Lounge

TrueCruiseaholic

By TrueCruiseaholic,
in Celebrity Cruises

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willsears94

willsears94

Posted
Posted

NCL did this ~5 years ago. With the Edge class gaining popularity, it feels like they are just regurgitating and churning what happened with NCL in the past.

 

NCL then retracted the premium (plus) limit and updated menus to state the included premium (plus). It's only a matter of time before Celebrity does too.

 

Now goal posts are just moved by taking the wines from the lower drink package to the higher one (both Celebrity & NCL).

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JDPCruisers

JDPCruisers

Posted
Posted
On 12/18/2023 at 8:20 PM, TrueCruiseaholic said:

Saw a report about surcharges for drinks in Retreat Lounge above Premium package limit. In the past, I have seen countless guests get more expensive drinks in Retreat Lounge for no surcharge.

 

Certainly different ships will apply policies differently, but the official Celebrity policy is to surcharge in Retreat Lounge now. 

 

Anyone else experiencing this?

Just off Constellation in Michaels Club and we did not experience or witness anyone else experiencing this. Any drinks being ordered were served if they had not it available. 

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CruiseRQA Great Review Rare

CruiseRQA

Posted
Posted

Just checked my Apex reservation (sailing Jan 20).  The premium drink package is currently "on sale" for $69.99/day.   Directly from the website it states that:

 

  • Champagnes and favorite wines such as Conundrum White and Red Blends, Decoy Cabernet Sauvignon, J&H Selbach Riesling Kabine, Mouton Cadet Bordeaux Blend, and Edmeades Zinfandel

If I'm paying $70/day and then have to pay $2.40 more for Decoy Cab, I would say that it's not included.  

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HMR74

HMR74

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, CruiseRQA said:

Just checked my Apex reservation (sailing Jan 20).  The premium drink package is currently "on sale" for $69.99/day.   Directly from the website it states that:

 

  • Champagnes and favorite wines such as Conundrum White and Red Blends, Decoy Cabernet Sauvignon, J&H Selbach Riesling Kabine, Mouton Cadet Bordeaux Blend, and Edmeades Zinfandel

If I'm paying $70/day and then have to pay $2.40 more for Decoy Cab, I would say that it's not included.  

That J&H Selbach Reisling? I buy it for 15 a bottle in its generic name. But now that they have the really cheap Chateau St Michelle moved from classic to premium, I am concerned that the J&H will  be the 2.40 more. Win win for X, the cheap bottle is in the premium meaning an upchage of you want resiling while on ship and only have the classic, or the upcharge for the $15 bottle in the premium.

 

When X or any vendor or supplier starts insulting me I stop doing business with them. This is my first cruise with X since late 2019, so I need to find out for myself if the magic is still there. It was for a family Oasis cruise last year, in that food and service and the attitude of the crew was great. And that last X, I also observed the maintenance and cleaning crews doing their jobs spit shine good like the military (or like that used to be),andfood , service and attitude exceeded high expectations. Small stuff and details matter.

 

Ya have to walk around ship at 2 AM to see that in action. I'll stay up late reading a book somewhere, hopefully at the sunset bar if weather permits. 

 

 

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jelayne

jelayne

Posted
Posted
7 minutes ago, richczarnecki said:
The response I got today from lhodgesbethge@celebrity.com:
 
Please know that what is served within the Retreat is included in the premium package.
 

Laura Hodges Bethge

President, Celebrity Cruises

Office: 305.982.2520

Mobile: 786.553.8961

lhodgesbethge@celebrity.com

In other words, there will not be any Decoy, etc available in the Lounge.

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Rmoosh

Rmoosh

Posted
Posted
29 minutes ago, richczarnecki said:
The response I got today from lhodgesbethge@celebrity.com:
 
Please know that what is served within the Retreat is included in the premium package.
 

Laura Hodges Bethge

President, Celebrity Cruises

Office: 305.982.2520

Mobile: 786.553.8961

lhodgesbethge@celebrity.com

That’s good to know and hope it continues!

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Julma

Julma

Posted
Posted

Being from Boston and the anniversary of the Boston Tea Party just passing, maybe we should start our own "tea party".  Ask for glass, take a sip, not like it and ask for something else.  That should get old for Celebrity pretty quick.  (of course, just kidding).

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Moby Jones

Moby Jones

Posted
Posted

We sail on Beyond on the 8th of January. I've just logged into the app and have found that within our 'Premium' package there are just four whites and three reds available within this package. 

Can anyone onboard or who has sailed in December confirm if this is correct? Or will there be additional bottles available that are currently not showing on the app? 

Thanks in advance. 

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TourDeCruise

TourDeCruise

Posted
Posted
On 12/23/2023 at 12:09 PM, DingoMom said:


I was on the second sailing of the Ascent, and Mer Soleil was an up charge in Luminae and I THINK in the Retreat Lounge. Will be on the Beyond with you in January, so we’ll find out together! 

 

Was your cruise the December 10th Ascent cruise? And you will be on the January 8th Beyond cruise? We are heading up to Retreat right after boarding and putting luggage in cabin and see if they upcharge for Mer Soleil. If so, the Steel Chardonnay is good and on the Premium package and we have a few more wines that we like too on the Premium package without an upcharge.

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jelayne

jelayne

Posted
Posted
53 minutes ago, hcat said:

thanks..  that may be better than by the glass

Looked at bottle prices.  Decoy is $70 so with a 20% discount and a 20% gratuity comes out to $67.  You could pay the $2.40 upcharge on about 28 glasses for the cost of 1 bottle.  

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hcat "Live from...." Rare

hcat

Posted
Posted
14 minutes ago, jelayne said:

Looked at bottle prices.  Decoy is $70 so with a 20% discount and a 20% gratuity comes out to $67.  You could pay the $2.40 upcharge on about 28 glasses for the cost of 1 bottle.  

thanks... that's crazy!   

 

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TourDeCruise

TourDeCruise

Posted
Posted (edited)
44 minutes ago, 39august said:

I  have read  the Mer  Soleil is only to be sold by the bottle. It will be very interesting if you can get a glass at any price. 

 

We always get it by the glass unless something changed since December 10th when we debarked Ascent (same on other X ships too).

Edited by TourDeCruise
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Jim_Iain "Live from...." Rare

Jim_Iain

Posted
Posted
On 12/24/2023 at 10:31 AM, HMR74 said:

specialty dining you bought before the cruise adds the  gratuity of 20%.

 

My wifes question last night was if you order a drink in the premium package for example, and there is an upcharge, when do you learn of the upcharge. When you order or when a chit is presented for you to sign. Not necessarily the money but more the irritation. (I trade stocks and options now and pennies per share are important-better in my pocket than someone elses).

 

keep in mind that if you have the same server and asst each night, they usually do not ask for the card after the first night.

 

 

 

 

My recommendation is to ask the server at point of order.  There should not be a surprise.    Simply asking is this covered under my *** Package?

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DaKahuna Great Review Rare

DaKahuna

Posted
Posted
18 minutes ago, jelayne said:

Looked at bottle prices.  Decoy is $70 so with a 20% discount and a 20% gratuity comes out to $67.  You could pay the $2.40 upcharge on about 28 glasses for the cost of 1 bottle.  

 

 Decoy is currently showing at $55.99, a "10% pre cruise saving" for our May 2nd Millie cruise. 

 

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TourDeCruise

TourDeCruise

Posted
Posted (edited)
4 hours ago, jelayne said:

In other words, there will not be any Decoy, etc available in the Lounge.

 

4 hours ago, 39august said:

I think Jelayne is correct, That just means no drinks that are above the premium price will be served in the Retreat Lounge. 

 

4 hours ago, richczarnecki said:
The response I got today from lhodgesbethge@celebrity.com:
 
Please know that what is served within the Retreat is included in the premium package.
 

Laura Hodges Bethge

President, Celebrity Cruises

Office: 305.982.2520

Mobile: 786.553.8961

lhodgesbethge@celebrity.com

 

The way I interpret LHB's reply is what is stocked in Retreat will be included without an upcharge. May be Premium package only, and if we are lucky, some of the wines at $19 for which they would not surcharge us. If they have to bring it to Retreat per your request, you would be surcharged. This is how I am interpreting LHB's reply.

 

 

4 hours ago, HMR74 said:

That J&H Selbach Reisling? I buy it for 15 a bottle in its generic name. But now that they have the really cheap Chateau St Michelle moved from classic to premium, I am concerned that the J&H will  be the 2.40 more. Win win for X, the cheap bottle is in the premium meaning an upchage of you want resiling while on ship and only have the classic, or the upcharge for the $15 bottle in the premium.

 

On the December 3rd Ascent Maiden Voyage, I requested and was served the J&H Selbach Reisling without an upcharge. Sometimes I was told it was not available. I looked at the bottle before they poured, and it was Selbach. Hope it stays that way that there is no upcharge for the Selbach Reisling.

Edited by TourDeCruise
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