Suite: No self serve beer fridge in E-class Retreat lounge?

[fstuff1]

I'm currently on Apex in a suite.

 

Pre-covid, I had access to the Retreat lounge when I was in an Oceanview because of my casino tier level.

 

I was on S-class (Silhouette,I think?).

They had several tall self serve beer fridges next to the tall self serve soda/water fridge, which was very convenient.

 

They don't have that in the Apex Retreat lounge. 😢

I was surprised (and saddened).

Why didn't they keep that feature in E-class Retreat lounges?

 

# 1st world (Suite) problems 

[adolfo2]

"It's all about the money" 😞

[WestLakeGirl]

They had an idea that self-serve was less “fancy” than being served by a waiter.  Just one of the many blunders they made when they designed the e class ships

[canderson]

I have this recollection that since the lounge itself is open 24/7 (though services are not available 24/7), there was an issue of some younger folks coming in at odd hours and snagging beer from the case -- or something along those lines.  Can anyone confirm if that rings any bells, or am I misremembering this altogether?

 

[DaKahuna]

It was done in other classes of ships as well, not just the E-Class.  

 

I inquired about this on the Millennium and was told beer was removed due to abuse by teenagers.  Seems underage kids were sneaking the beers out of the self service refrigerators so Celebrity eliminated the problem by removing beers from the self service refrigerators.  

 

[jelayne]

1 hour ago, DaKahuna said:

It was done in other classes of ships as well, not just the E-Class.  

 

I inquired about this on the Millennium and was told beer was removed due to abuse by teenagers.  Seems underage kids were sneaking the beers out of the self service refrigerators so Celebrity eliminated the problem by removing beers from the self service refrigerators.  

 

We were told the same thing.  Another example of how some ruin things for others.  Just like both people must have the same drink package.

[markeb]

2 hours ago, canderson said:

I have this recollection that since the lounge itself is open 24/7 (though services are not available 24/7), there was an issue of some younger folks coming in at odd hours and snagging beer from the case -- or something along those lines.  Can anyone confirm if that rings any bells, or am I misremembering this altogether?

 

 

2 hours ago, DaKahuna said:

It was done in other classes of ships as well, not just the E-Class.  

 

I inquired about this on the Millennium and was told beer was removed due to abuse by teenagers.  Seems underage kids were sneaking the beers out of the self service refrigerators so Celebrity eliminated the problem by removing beers from the self service refrigerators.  

 

 

37 minutes ago, jelayne said:

We were told the same thing.  Another example of how some ruin things for others.  Just like both people must have the same drink package.

 

That's my memory as well. But it's nowhere near as fun as some vast conspiracy to shaft all the people in the Retreat...

 

(It seems that when they first did this it was for North American departures, not European departures with a different drinking age. But I could be wrong and even if I'm not it may no longer be true.)

[Mrs_Tiki]

2 hours ago, canderson said:

I have this recollection that since the lounge itself is open 24/7 (though services are not available 24/7), there was an issue of some younger folks coming in at odd hours and snagging beer from the case -- or something along those lines.  Can anyone confirm if that rings any bells, or am I misremembering this altogether?

 

That is also my understanding for the change. 

[phoenix_dream]

So since you have to scan your room key to enter, where are the parents of these "young kids"?!?  I don't recall the youngest you can book a cabin yourself, but I think it is 21?  Or maybe 18?  

[markeb]

17 minutes ago, phoenix_dream said:

So since you have to scan your room key to enter, where are the parents of these "young kids"?!?  I don't recall the youngest you can book a cabin yourself, but I think it is 21?  Or maybe 18?  

Same thing on M and S classes where there’s no swiping. Fairly routine to see teenagers and younger by themselves grabbing a soda. It would have been pretty easy to grab a beer with no one around. 
 

21 unless a married couple or US or Canadian active duty military. (Oddly doesn’t include NATO allies.) Then it’s 18. 

[1Virgo]

Also heard people were going down with small coolers/bags and loading up. That prevents staff from knowing that underage are not being served and people with no drink packages are getting “free” beer.    

[DaKahuna]

7 hours ago, phoenix_dream said:

So since you have to scan your room key to enter, where are the parents of these "young kids"?!?  I don't recall the youngest you can book a cabin yourself, but I think it is 21?  Or maybe 18?  

 

 On the M & S Class ships I do not believe you need to scan your room key.  I know on Millennium you did not and do not remember doing in on Silhouette, Equinox, or Reflection. 

 

[DaKahuna]

7 hours ago, markeb said:

21 unless a married couple or US or Canadian active duty military. (Oddly doesn’t include NATO allies.) Then it’s 18. 

 

Is this a change?  I know for sailing out of the US Royal Caribbean and Celebrity follows US Law and that is 21 or it was the last time I checked. 

 

[canderson]

17 minutes ago, DaKahuna said:

 

 On the M & S Class ships I do not believe you need to scan your room key.  I know on Millennium you did not and do not remember doing in on Silhouette, Equinox, or Reflection. 

 

I think @phoenix_dream was speaking to the OP's experience on Apex.

[markeb]

4 hours ago, DaKahuna said:

 

Is this a change?  I know for sailing out of the US Royal Caribbean and Celebrity follows US Law and that is 21 or it was the last time I checked. 

 

Youngest age you can book by yourself. Still can’t drink on a North American departure. 

[fstuff1]

16 hours ago, DaKahuna said:

It was done in other classes of ships as well, not just the E-Class.  

 

I inquired about this on the Millennium and was told beer was removed due to abuse by teenagers.  Seems underage kids were sneaking the beers out of the self service refrigerators so Celebrity eliminated the problem by removing beers from the self service refrigerators.  

They could have locked the beer fridges when the bartender leaves for the night?

[1Virgo]

4 hours ago, fstuff1 said:

They could have locked the beer fridges when the bartender leaves for the night?

That may solve a teen invasion.  But guests would be upset.  Then what happens during the day?  Hard to supervise when people come in with small bags and stock up.  The staff then have to deal with irate customers.  As I mentioned previously that is what we heard was problematic   Easiest.  Remove easy access

[cruisestitch]

9 hours ago, DaKahuna said:

 

 On the M & S Class ships I do not believe you need to scan your room key.  I know on Millennium you did not and do not remember doing in on Silhouette, Equinox, or Reflection. 

 

That is correct. You do not swipe your key to enter the lounge. It is a muster station and must be open and unlocked at all times.

[phoenix_dream]

10 hours ago, canderson said:

I think @phoenix_dream was speaking to the OP's experience on Apex.

exactly

[phoenix_dream]

18 hours ago, 1Virgo said:

Also heard people were going down with small coolers/bags and loading up. That prevents staff from knowing that underage are not being served and people with no drink packages are getting “free” beer.    

But at any time anyone can go to various bars and order multiple beers (asking they not be opened) and spread them around to their underage friends or friends with no drink package.  There is no limit to what you can order on Celebrity.  More difficult but can be done

[DaKahuna]

1 hour ago, phoenix_dream said:

But at any time anyone can go to various bars and order multiple beers (asking they not be opened) and spread them around to their underage friends or friends with no drink package.  There is no limit to what you can order on Celebrity.  More difficult but can be done

 

Yes, that can be down but if caught your drink package will be immediately revoked.  

 

 There are a lot of things you can do but just because you can does not make it right to do so.