LIVE: Celebrity Beyond January 19, 2024 10 Night Ultimate Southern Caribbean

[bnurick]

Celebrity Beyond Final Thoughts

 

Here are my final thoughts on The Retreat on The Beyond and a few nits. Listed as bulletin points to make it easier to read.

 

🔹The Retreat

🔸Too large, making a personalized experience difficult to execute.

🔸Luminae is around 3-4x S-Class size and much less intimate.

🔸When on E-Class The Retreat Lounge Patio is must for us. We had on The Edge.

 

🔹Luminae 

🔸As said, too large to be an intimate experience.

🔸Menu proteins have moved on the cheap side.

🔸Cod is an example for fish. Goto your frozen food section and look at fish sticks. Let me know if you find any Chilean sea bass ones.

🔸Ribeye medallions is an example for meat. Only portions were edible.

🔸The Classics menu shouldn’t be a mystery.

🔸A filet mignon should be available every night.

🔸A simple solution would be a poll to rank proteins. X would see quickly what would appease guests.

🔸We ate at Luminae only 3/10 nights. The menus are that unappealing to me.

🔸On the plus side, our experience improved drastically after talking with the Maitre’d.

 

🔹The Retreat Sundeck

🔸Most want a spot in the shade.

🔸People would take multiple chairs for their party.

🔸Although you are to lose your chair after leaving for a period of time, it’s not enforced.

🔸While this issue is controversial all over the ship and creates drama, X really needs a global solution and to enforce it so everyone would actually be forced to abide by the rules.

 

🔹The Retreat Pricing

🔸At $1,000 a day for an E-Class Sky Suite is about right.

🔸Finally seeing some cruises at this level again on CruisePlum.

🔸Many are paying more than $1,000 a day and the cost/benefit analysis is broken at that level.

 

🔹Butler Service

🔸Our Butler was awesome. By chance, it was our second time with. We were very fortunate.

🔸X needs to return to the original dedicated butler.

🔸While they are in the process of restoring, this invalidates the reasoning behind the Team concept and deems it intellectually dishonest. They did it to simply save money at the expense of the consumer.

 

🔹Cafe al Bacio

🔸We had a great experience.

 

🔹Martini Bar

🔸Was awesome as usual.

 

🔹Specialty Restaurants 

🔸All were very good we tried. Luminae should be more comparable to.

 

🔹OVC Buffet

🔸Ate pizza almost every at sea day. Thought it was very good, overall.

 

🔹Gratuities

🔸Cash tipping staff is better for everyone involved.

🔸I will not prepay on future bookings.

🔸Sad to say, but I do wonder if X actually gives 100% of prepaid amounts, specifically on reservations made say 18 months ago. Again, forgive me for actually thinking this.

 

🔹Premium Beverage Package

🔸Like gratuities, I would prefer this being optional for The Retreat.

🔸I would never purchase a package. $17 a drink credit hasn’t adjusted for inflation, but drink prices have adjusted. Looking at our final invoice, we lost money having the package included.

🔸I recommend going a la carte if you can. I did on one cruise and saved a lot of money. Add cash tipping and service became exceptional. My usual drink simply brought over.

 

🔹Premium WiFi 

🔸Worked well and would always purchase.

 

🔹Future Bookings

🔸Made 4 onboard, all refundable for obvious reasons.

 

I could go on, but the above are the highlights I can recall. I hope I did a decent job of posting so everyone found something actionable for a future sailing.

 

Thank you for following along. Our next X cruise is in July on the Summit.  
 

Cheers! 🥂 

[Reel Love]

You certainly did more than a "decent job" of posting, bnurick!   Thank you so much for sharing your vacation and posting so many excellent pics along with your insight.  Thoroughly enjoyed it.  😊

[JDPCruisers]

14 hours ago, bnurick said:

Celebrity Beyond Final Thoughts

 

Here are my final thoughts on The Retreat on The Beyond and a few nits. Listed as bulletin points to make it easier to read.

 

🔹The Retreat

🔸Too large, making a personalized experience difficult to execute.

🔸Luminae is around 3-4x S-Class size and much less intimate.

🔸When on E-Class The Retreat Lounge Patio is must for us. We had on The Edge.

 

🔹Luminae 

🔸As said, too large to be an intimate experience.

🔸Menu proteins have moved on the cheap side.

🔸Cod is an example for fish. Goto your frozen food section and look at fish sticks. Let me know if you find any Chilean sea bass ones.

🔸Ribeye medallions is an example for meat. Only portions were edible.

🔸The Classics menu shouldn’t be a mystery.

🔸A filet mignon should be available every night.

🔸A simple solution would be a poll to rank proteins. X would see quickly what would appease guests.

🔸We ate at Luminae only 3/10 nights. The menus are that unappealing to me.

🔸On the plus side, our experience improved drastically after talking with the Maitre’d.

 

🔹The Retreat Sundeck

🔸Most want a spot in the shade.

🔸People would take multiple chairs for their party.

🔸Although you are to lose your chair after leaving for a period of time, it’s not enforced.

🔸While this issue is controversial all over the ship and creates drama, X really needs a global solution and to enforce it so everyone would actually be forced to abide by the rules.

 

🔹The Retreat Pricing

🔸At $1,000 a day for an E-Class Sky Suite is about right.

🔸Finally seeing some cruises at this level again on CruisePlum.

🔸Many are paying more than $1,000 a day and the cost/benefit analysis is broken at that level.

 

🔹Butler Service

🔸Our Butler was awesome. By chance, it was our second time with. We were very fortunate.

🔸X needs to return to the original dedicated butler.

🔸While they are in the process of restoring, this invalidates the reasoning behind the Team concept and deems it intellectually dishonest. They did it to simply save money at the expense of the consumer.

 

🔹Cafe al Bacio

🔸We had a great experience.

 

🔹Martini Bar

🔸Was awesome as usual.

 

🔹Specialty Restaurants 

🔸All were very good we tried. Luminae should be more comparable to.

 

🔹OVC Buffet

🔸Ate pizza almost every at sea day. Thought it was very good, overall.

 

🔹Gratuities

🔸Cash tipping staff is better for everyone involved.

🔸I will not prepay on future bookings.

🔸Sad to say, but I do wonder if X actually gives 100% of prepaid amounts, specifically on reservations made say 18 months ago. Again, forgive me for actually thinking this.

 

🔹Premium Beverage Package

🔸Like gratuities, I would prefer this being optional for The Retreat.

🔸I would never purchase a package. $17 a drink credit hasn’t adjusted for inflation, but drink prices have adjusted. Looking at our final invoice, we lost money having the package included.

🔸I recommend going a la carte if you can. I did on one cruise and saved a lot of money. Add cash tipping and service became exceptional. My usual drink simply brought over.

 

🔹Premium WiFi 

🔸Worked well and would always purchase.

 

🔹Future Bookings

🔸Made 4 onboard, all refundable for obvious reasons.

 

I could go on, but the above are the highlights I can recall. I hope I did a decent job of posting so everyone found something actionable for a future sailing.

 

Thank you for following along. Our next X cruise is in July on the Summit.  
 

Cheers! 🥂 

Thanks for the excellent review and pics. Very helpful as we will be on the Beyond for the first time in a couple of months, so this is good info to know. Like you, we will miss not having the Retreat patio as once of our favorite places, particularly in the morning for continental breakfast. 

[2Long2NxtCrz]

Thank you so much for such a detailed and well balanced review. While we're not Retreat guests, your observations still apply to the dining venues and bars as well as the general service.

 

[bnurick]

5 minutes ago, 2Long2NxtCrz said:

Thank you so much for such a detailed and well balanced review. While we're not Retreat guests, your observations still apply to the dining venues and bars as well as the general service.

 

 

Much appreciated. I sailed Concierge Class on the Silhouette TA and had a blast. No beverage package and saved a nice sum going a la carte. Even did sliders and wings in Craft Social a couple nights. Cheers.

[Arzeena]

If you do not buy a drink package, are the cappucinos, lattes, teas, and non alcoholic coffees and non premium water bottles at Al Bacio free for everyone or only Elite Plus and up?

Edited January 31 by Arzeena

[bnurick]

5 minutes ago, Arzeena said:

If you do not buy a drink package, are the cappucinos, lattes, teas, and non alcoholic coffees and non premium water bottles at Al Bacio free for everyone or only Elite Plus and up?

 

I paid for them on my Silhouette cruise without a package. Have to drink a lot to be at the cost of a package per day.

[Arzeena]

2 minutes ago, bnurick said:

 

I paid for them on my Silhouette cruise without a package. Have to drink a lot to be at the cost of a package per day.

Thanks. Makes a lot of sense to go a la carte for drinks.

I am specifically asking about non alcoholic drinks such as cappucino, latte, tea and bottled water at Bacio. Does one have to pay for those if no package and not Elite Plus.

[abbydancer2003]

Just now, Arzeena said:

Thanks. Makes a lot of sense to go a la carte for drinks.

I am specifically asking about non alcoholic drinks such as cappucino, latte, tea and bottled water at Bacio. Does one have to pay for those if no package and not Elite Plus.

Yes.  The pastries are free, the drinks are not.

[smeck]

I cannot agree more with your post. Luminae was in one word terrible, it was a struggle to find anything to fit my Palate.  We found Blu more appealing or the buffet.  Also very hard to find deck chairs in the retreat your paying a fortune for benefits as simple as a deck chair and yet I had to do a search and destroy mission to find one especially on sea days.  

[bnurick]

3 minutes ago, smeck said:

I cannot agree more with your post. Luminae was in one word terrible, it was a struggle to find anything to fit my Palate.  We found Blu more appealing or the buffet.  Also very hard to find deck chairs in the retreat your paying a fortune for benefits as simple as a deck chair and yet I had to do a search and destroy mission to find one especially on sea days.  

It’s frustrating on both items. Luminae, just have popular proteins and almost simplify. On the Retreat Sundeck, enforce the rules X has. I almost felt you needed a chair reservation system.

[mac_tlc]

Thanks for your review. As we were on the Ascent while you were on Beyond, it was interesting to compare along the way. Great summary. Our view of Luminae is more positive.  This was the first time in many cruises that we did not do a future booking. It seems no cruise line has developed a chair hog policy that works. They are way too afraid to offend someone. 

 

 

mac_tlc

[Stem to Stern]

Thank you for your wonderful report as well as your timely FB posts.😀
You provided very helpful info as we look forward to our first cruise on Beyond.

After following I am somewhat grateful to not be booked in The Retreat.

We had a wonderful experience in The Retreat on board Summit recently.

[gfkcruiser]

On 1/19/2024 at 10:35 PM, smeck said:

I’m on the same sailing as you I would agree  about the menus. Besides that minor complaint I have to give the cruise so far an A+. Our cabin is all the way forward on deck ten just short of the bridge.  Already I've had a few interactions with Capt. Kate via sign language from our balcony to  the bridge. 

Would you share your cabin number?  We in that area also next month. 

[smeck]

11 minutes ago, gfkcruiser said:

Would you share your cabin number?  We in that area also next month. 

Cabin 10100 as forward as you can get, starboard side. 

[gfkcruiser]

5 minutes ago, smeck said:

Cabin 10100 as forward as you can get, starboard side. 

I hope it was a good one without any issues. Says it  5% obstructed. Surprised a suite would be offered with an obstruction.  We did move up and got that cabin from IV.  First time in a suite on Celebrity. 

[abbydancer2003]

1 minute ago, gfkcruiser said:

I hope it was a good one without any issues. Says it  5% obstructed. Surprised a suite would be offered with an obstruction.  We did move up and got that cabin from IV.  First time in a suite on Celebrity. 

We were in 10101 on Apex, the obstruction is the bridge right in front of you.  Friends further back in a not obstructed room said that they couldn't see much forward either.

[gfkcruiser]

4 minutes ago, abbydancer2003 said:

We were in 10101 on Apex, the obstruction is the bridge right in front of you.  Friends further back in a not obstructed room said that they couldn't see much forward either.

Appreciate the info. I was thinking it might be window washing machinery in front of veranda. 

[Cap_D]

@bnurick did you make a chart of the Luminae menus to help you select your specialty dining days? Would you share them?  I think I recall you writing about that for a prior cruise last year.  I have a bunch of Eden and a Rooftop reservations for our March cruise, but they were built around the discontinued menu.  Thanks. 

[abbydancer2003]

2 minutes ago, Cap_D said:

@bnurick did you make a chart of the Luminae menus to help you select your specialty dining days? Would you share them?  I think I recall you writing about that for a prior cruise last year.  I have a bunch of Eden and a Rooftop reservations for our March cruise, but they were built around the discontinued menu.  Thanks. 

I'd like the same thing, since we have a 3 night dining package, and want to decide what are the best nights to skip.  Thank you

[bnurick]

@Cap_D @abbydancer2003 I followed the current cruise on the App to see the current Luminae menus. They did change over time. An example is filet mignon night moved to the last night. Lobster/Rack of Lamb night is the second Chic night which is usually the second to last night. Once I didn’t see roasted turbot, things got easier because we just planned to go elsewhere. After this last cruise, we would still dine at Eden first/last night (assuming E-Class, Murano on S-Class) and once we spoke to the Maitre’d I would request our filet night simply be something we could agree on. Lastly, I will say the Filet Mignon and Rack of Lamb were excellent at Luminae, very high quality. Hope this helps and here is our plan for an upcoming July Eclipse Cruise.

 

1. Murano

2. Sushi or Luminae (would ask for a filet or MDR menu)

3. Tuscan
4. Sushi or Luminae (would ask for a filet or MDR menu)
5. Tuscan

6. Luminae Lobster/Rack of Lamb

7. Murano

[abbydancer2003]

1 minute ago, bnurick said:

@Cap_D @abbydancer2003 I followed the current cruise on the App to see the current Luminae menus. They did change over time. An example is filet mignon night moved to the last night. Lobster/Rack of Lamb night is the second Chic night which is usually the second to last night. Once I didn’t see roasted turbot, things got easier because we just planned to go elsewhere. After this last cruise, we would still dine at Eden first/last night (assuming E-Class, Murano on S-Class) and once we spoke to the Maitre’d I would request our filet night simply be something we could agree on. Lastly, I will say the Filet Mignon and Rack of Lamb were excellent at Luminae, very high quality. Hope this helps and here is our plan for an upcoming July Eclipse Cruise.

 

1. Murano

2. Sushi or Luminae (would ask for a filet or MDR menu)

3. Tuscan
4. Sushi or Luminae (would ask for a filet or MDR menu)
5. Tuscan

6. Luminae Lobster/Rack of Lamb

7. Murano

Thanks.  I started switching things out (mostly filet instead of their odd roasted steaks, and chicken for other poultry) when on the Apex.  

 

I'm meeting my picky eater sister in a couple of days, so maybe we'll look at the current cruise menus and pick the nights we'll use our package.

[bnurick]

1 minute ago, abbydancer2003 said:

Thanks.  I started switching things out (mostly filet instead of their odd roasted steaks, and chicken for other poultry) when on the Apex.  

 

I'm meeting my picky eater sister in a couple of days, so maybe we'll look at the current cruise menus and pick the nights we'll use our package.

We are to the point we just book specialty restaurants and cancel them as needed and get a credit on our account. This way, we have the reservation times we want if Luminae gets all menu weird.

[abbydancer2003]

5 minutes ago, bnurick said:

We are to the point we just book specialty restaurants and cancel them as needed and get a credit on our account. This way, we have the reservation times we want if Luminae gets all menu weird.

We usually eat pretty late, so I can use talk to the restaurant or concierge and get a reservation.

[smeck]

7 hours ago, gfkcruiser said:

I hope it was a good one without any issues. Says it  5% obstructed. Surprised a suite would be offered with an obstruction.  We did move up and got that cabin from IV.  First time in a suite on Celebrity. 

No issues at all great cabin none of the creeping you have been hearing about. One nice thing about the forward cabin you can watch the Captain guide the ship into port.