What is the Retreat and what does it include? The Retreat is an exclusive, all-inclusive suite experience. It includes a dedicated Retreat team, a private restaurant Luminae, an exclusive loungenand so much more. All guests of The Retreat are treated to a cruise vacation that begins at a reserved pre-boarding area for expedited, escorted service onto your ship. If the ship is not ready for embarkation, there will be drinks and snacks available for all suite guests. Suite accommodations: The Retreat includes all suites Private restaurant: Luminae at The Retreat Exclusive lounge: The Retreat Lounge (or Michael’s Club, on non-revolutionized ships) Exclusive sundeck: The Retreat Sundeck (on Edge Series and revolutionized ships) Retreat Butler and team All Included: Premium drinks and Premium Wi-Fi (all guests in suite) Room Service: Full in-suite breakfast, lunch, dinner service, and daily delights. Early embarkation and priority disembarkation: Priority departure and embarkation at most destinations, including those that require tendering In room Minibar: Complimentary stocked minibar What is Luminae at The Retreat? At Luminae, you will find cuisine not offered anywhere else onboard. The restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch (sea days) and dinner. Opening times very based on itinerary. Please check your Celebrity Today for service hours once onboard. All menus have been expertly crafted by Michelin-starred chefs using globally sourced ingredients. You’ll also enjoy complimentary signature dishes created by the Global Culinary Brand Ambassador, renowned chef Daniel Boulud. Can children dine at Luminae? Yes, all guests of The Retreat may dine at Luminae. Can guests of The Retreat invite friends and family to dine in Luminae? Yes, only guests of The Retreat may invite friends and family to dine at Luminae for an additional fee. Reservations are based on availability only. Speak with the Maitre’d for availability and cost. Is Specialty Dining included for guests of The Retreat? Specialty Dining is included for guests of the following Suites: Iconic Suite, Edge Villa, Reflection Suite, Penthouse Suite and Royal Suite. What is The Retreat Lounge*? The Retreat Lounge is an exclusive lounge for guests of The Retreat. Enjoy complimentary beverages, afternoon tea, evening hors-d’œuvre and desserts. This is a nice place to relax and meet other guests. The lounge is available to you 24/7. You will also have the services of a dedicated concierge who can assist with dinner reservations, spa treatments and more. * Michael’s Club on non-revolutionized ships. Can guests of The Retreat invite friends and/or family members to The Retreat Lounge? Only guests of The Retreat may access The Retreat Lounge, guests are not allowed. The Retreat Sundeck* The Retreat Sundeck is a luxurious outdoor space featuring a spacious lounge area and plush, stylish furniture. This outdoor area rivals any high-end resort. *It is only Available on Edge Series and Revolutionized ships When is The Retreat Sundeck open? The Retreat Sundeck is available 24/7. Service (food and beverage) times vary based on itinerary. The area is open and available to all guests of the Retreat, including children What services are available in The Retreat Sundeck? Retreat Attendants will help with towels, beverages, snacks—whatever you need to completely enjoy your time in the Retreat Sundeck.’ Can guests of The Retreat invite friends to The Retreat Sundeck? Only guests of The Retreat may access The Retreat Sundeck. Passengers staying in an adjoining stateroom are not allowed access. What is The Retreat Concierge? The Retreat experience begins the moment you book your cruise. Simply call 1-877-RETREAT and The Retreat Concierge will assist you with your booking and help plan and arrange every moment of your vacation before you even set sail. Once onboard, The Retreat Concierge will help maximize your time on board with dinner reservations, spa treatments and more. They are happy to assist with anything you need or desire. Is the Retreat Accessible? Accessible suites are available. The Retreat Lounge, Luminae and The Retreat Sundeck*† are accessible on most ships. See below for details. *The Retreat Sundeck is only available on Edge Series and Revolutionized ships. †The Retreat Sundeck on Equinox currently is not Accessible. An alternative accessible space will be provided on the Pool Deck. Is smoking allowed at The Retreat? Smoking is not allowed at The Retreat. There are dedicated smoking areas available onboard. The Retreat Concierge and/or Retreat attendants can assist you once onboard. Guest conduct and smoking policy How many Captain’s Club points will I receive when purchasing a Suite on Celebrity Cruises? Captain’s Club members receive points based on type of Suite and length of stay onboard. For Suites, the points are as follows: Sky Suites, Aqua Sky Suites, Magic Carpet Sky and Sunset Sky 8 points per night. Edge Villas, Horizon, Signature, Royal, Sunset Suites and Celebrity Suites 12 points per night Reflection, Penthouse & Edge Villa 18 points per night Iconic Suite 24 points per night What are the Suite staterooms? Click on each link to learn more about each suite. Not all suites are available on all ships. Sky Suite (includes Magic Carpet Sky Suite and Sunset Sky Suites) Aqua Sky Suite Horizon Suite Celebrity Suite Signature Suite Royal Suite Reflection Suite Penthouse Suite Edge Villa Iconic Suite Whichever suite you choose, you will have an experience above and beyond. Enjoy dining in Luminae, relaxing on the private pool deck and meeting new friends in The Retreat. More information on what is included can be found here: The Suite Life on Celebrity Cruises If you are new to cruising, or even a veteran cruiser, you might find this list helpful. 19+ Useful Items for Your Cruise Cabin Do you have travel insurance for your next cruise? The best day to buy it is the day you book so get it now. Insubuy has policies for all travelers. Have you booked your excursions yet? Check out my recommended provider. Stay up-to-date on all the Cruise News: Join me and other cruisers on Facebook at Zest4Cruising, A Celebrity Cruises Forum, A Celebrity Solstice Cruise Forum, A Celebrity Reflection Cruise Forum, A Celebrity Ascent Cruisers Forum, A Celebrity RETREAT class forum, A Celebrity River Cruises Forum and Alaska Cruise Lover Forum You can also follow me at: YouTube at Travels With Mickey Pinterest at Travels with Mickey Instagram at Travels with Mickey Please visit and follow my Amazon store for more helpful items to make your cruise and travel even moreContinueContinue reading “Celebrity Cruises – The Retreat”
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Everything You Need to Know About Back-to-Back Cruises
Back-to-back cruises are a great way to extend your cruise vacation. They can be a cruise traveler’s dream, but many people wonder what to expect. There are many reasons to consider this type of cruise vacation. The most obvious is to prolong your vacation. Back to back cruises allow you to maximize the value of your airfare if flying into the port. Airfare is expensive and doing a back-to-back means you get more time on the ship to justify the flight cost. In addition, doing a back-to-back cruise can expand the ports you visit. It is not uncommon for a ship to sail one itinerary and then follow it up with a different itinerary. This is very common in the Caribbean….many ships often alternate between Western and Eastern Caribbean itineraries. A back-to-back allows you to do both. There are itineraries where cruise lines do a one-way cruise….you board in one city and disembark in another. By doing a back-to-back, you can avoid having to deal with flying to and from different cities….just disembark back in the original port after sailing the return cruise. How does a back-to-back cruise work? The procedure for a back-to-back cruise is pretty much the same for all cruise lines. It’s a good idea to stop by Guest Relations during the first cruise to confirm you on the consecutive cruiser list. If you aren’t, they will expect you to leave at the end of the first cruise. This is not necessary for back-to-back (B2B) cruisers. A few days prior to the end of the first sailing, B2B passengers will receive a letter in their stateroom with details about the process on turnaround day (disembarkation day for the rest of the passengers). This letter will instruct the passengers to report to a venue onboard at a specific time and give details about what to bring. Your passport or identification papers you used when joining the ship will be required. When you arrive, a crew member will take your name and stateroom number and sign you in. This indicates that you are technically “off the ship”, so you must remain in the venue until the ship has reached a zero passenger count. At this time, guests staying onboard will be escorted by a crew member to the gangway. You will scan your old SeaPass card and will then be given a new SeaPass card which you will scan to begin the next sailing. We recently did a B2B in Alaska. We met in the Sky Lounge at 9am where we showed our old sea pass cards and were given new ones. They had us scan them in the venue….we did not have to leave the ship. This is not always the process. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) of the country you are in dictates the process for consecutive cruisers. It will vary by port. How do you book a back-to-back cruise? If you want to book a B2B cruise, you need to do some leg work….or hire a travel agent to do it for you. You have to book two separate cruises…..one after another. Sometimes you are able to find the same cabin on each cruise, but not always. If not, don’t worry…your cabin steward will help you move your belongings. You do not need to book each cruise at the same time. You can always book another cruise, as long as there is space available. Be sure to ask if there are any discounts available when booking. Cruise lines usually offer a small discount, typically $100-$200/cruise. If changing cabins, what happens to my luggage? If you are staying in the same cabin, you do not need to do anything. If you are changing cabins, you must pack clothing and personal items that were in drawers and the bathroom. Be sure to check the safe for valuables! Hanging garments can remain in the wardrobe and will be moved on a rolling hanger rack by your cabin steward. (There have been reports that some cruise lines are now requiring all items must be packed. Details for your cruise will be in the information letter) Leave your luggage in your cabin. It will be moved to your new cabin for you. DO NOT PLACE THE LUGGAGE TAGS FOR DISEMBARKATION OR PUT THEM OUTSIDE THE CABIN ON THE LAST NIGHT!! If you do, your bags will be removed from the ship and you will need to retrieve them shoreside and go through the normal luggage delivery process. Talk with your cabin steward prior to the last day of the cruise. They will instruct you on the best and easiest way for them to assist in moving your luggage for you. Is muster drill required for the 2nd sailing? YES! Maritime law requires all passengers to conduct the mandatory safety drill on each cruise. It MUST be done prior to the ship sailing for all passengers onboard, including consecutive cruisers. Each cruise is a separate sailing and the Coast Guard makes no distinction between consecutive cruisers and passengers just joining the ship. We like to be among the first to check in as soon as they open, then we are free to enjoy our day. Of course, if you plan to disembark and explore the port, be sure to complete this as soon as you re-board. The ship cannot sail until everyone has completed this task. What can I do on turnaround day? You are welcome to remain onboard and enjoy the quiet of an almost empty ship. The pools will be available but bars and food venues will be closed until embarkation begins. Some cruise lines offer a special lunch for B2B cruisers. Be sure to take advantage of this if offered! You are also free to leave the ship and explore the port until the all aboard time. Be sure to verify this time when leaving the ship. You will not have to go through the embarkation process again at most ports. Ask the port agents where consecutive cruisersContinueContinue reading “Everything You Need to Know About Back-to-Back Cruises”