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Travels with Mickey Cruises Disney Planning & Packing About Cruises Disney Planning & Packing About More than 2 results are available in the PRO version (This notice is only visible to admin users) The Retreat on Celebrity Cruises: What to Expect From the Luxury Suite Experience This post may contain affiliate links. This means I may earn a small commission if you purchase through these links, at no additional cost to you. I only share products I personally use, genuinely recommend, or believe will help make your cruise travel easier and more enjoyable. Thank you for supporting Travels With Mickey! Celebrity Cruises® is taking the luxury suite experience to a new level with a collection of premium and personalized enhancements to The Retreat.For guests staying in The Retreat, the experience goes well beyond having a beautiful suite. Celebrity Cruises is focusing on the details that make a luxury cruise feel more personal—from elevated amenities and attentive service to experiences designed around what guests value most.“At The Retreat, the world really does revolve around our guests,” said Laura Hodges Bethge, President of Celebrity Cruises. “We collected extensive feedback from past guests, loyalty members and our trade partners to inform how The Retreat experiences are being reimagined to continue exceeding vacation expectations by delivering on the amenities and experiences Celebrity Cruises guests value most.” What’s Included? Every suite in The Retreat comes with a dedicated butler, and now getting in touch with your butler is easier than ever. With the new Butler Chat feature, guests can send a message directly to their butler for quick, one-on-one assistance—whether they’re relaxing in their suite, exploring the ship, or even enjoying time ashore. Planning your time ashore just got a little easier for guests of The Retreat. A dedicated Retreat Destination Experience Specialist is now available to help guests make the most of each port of call—from planning destination experiences and shore excursions to arranging smooth transfers when exploring Celebrity’s most sought-after destinations.It’s another personalized touch designed to take some of the guesswork out of exploring each destination, so Retreat guests can spend more time enjoying their time ashore. The Retreat experience continues beyond the suite, with added touches designed to make every part of the cruise feel a little more effortless.Before heading out on an excursion, guests can relax in the comfort of The Retreat Lounge. Those booked on Private Journeys excursions will also enjoy a suite-to-car butler escort, adding another layer of personalized service to the experience.The luxury continues at Luminae, Celebrity’s exclusive restaurant for suite guests. Culinary enhancements include new Daniel Boulud Signature dishes, along with a rotating dinner and dessert menu that brings something different to the table throughout the cruise.Back in the suite, guests can enjoy personalized daily delights, selected from the in-suite dining menu, as well as a complimentary stocked minibar.And when it’s time for entertainment, Retreat guests have reserved seating in The Theatre, making it easier to enjoy the ship’s shows without worrying about finding a seat.For guests staying in Royal Suites and above, there’s another welcome perk: complimentary laundry service, including unlimited pressing. Because when you’re enjoying the suite life, worrying about laundry shouldn’t be part of the vacation. In addition to these new enhancements, guests staying in The Retreat continue to enjoy a collection of perks designed to make their cruise experience more convenient and relaxing.Suite dining throughout the day: Enjoy breakfast, lunch, and dinner from the comfort of your suite, with selections available daily from the in-suite dining menu.Complimentary wines: A selection of red, white, and sparkling wines from vineyards around the world is available complimentary in The Retreat Lounge, Luminae, and your suite.Priority luggage service: Express priority luggage drop-off and delivery helps make embarkation day a little easier, getting your bags where they need to be with less waiting. Guests staying in Royal Suites and above will also have access to additional benefits designed to make the experience even more comfortable, flexible, and indulgent.Extend Your Stay: Guests can enjoy more time onboard after disembarkation in select ports with Celebrity’s complimentary Extend Your Stay option. Guests can store their luggage, access public areas, use their Wi-Fi and beverage packages, enjoy lunch, and relax onboard before heading to the airport or their next destination. This option is currently available in Rome (Civitavecchia), Venice (Ravenna), Barcelona, Athens (Piraeus), and Southampton.Complimentary thermal suite access: Relax and unwind with complimentary access to the SEA Thermal Suite on Edge Series ships or the Persian Garden on Millennium and Solstice Series ships.Unlimited specialty dining: Enjoy complimentary, unlimited specialty dining for lunch and dinner throughout the sailing. This is a particularly nice perk for guests who want to experience more of Celebrity’s specialty restaurants without worrying about additional dining charges.Personalized minibar: Before sailing, guests can customize their in-suite minibar experience to have their preferred selections waiting when they arrive.Two complimentary bottles: Guests receive two complimentary bottles of wine or spirits during their sailing.Exclusive sleepwear: Because luxury isn’t just about what you do while you’re awake—Royal Suite guests also receive exclusive complimentary sleepwear. With expansive views and beautifully designed spaces, The Retreat gives guests plenty of opportunities to relax and enjoy a more private side of the ship. From the comfort of their own suite to the exclusive sundeck and private lounge, the experience is designed to create the feeling of having a little corner of the ship all to yourself.And the elevated experience begins before you even step onboard. Guests of The Retreat have access to a pre-cruise concierge, priority check-in and departure, and priority port tendering at available ports of call—making the journey from home to vacation feel just a little more seamless. This video gives you a look at the expanded suite breakfast room service options, along with some of the items your butler can bring you each day.And remember—room service is complimentary all day for suite guests. That means you can enjoy breakfast in bed, a snack in the afternoon, or a late-night bite without having to leaveContinueContinue reading “The Retreat on Celebrity Cruises: What to Expect From the Luxury Suite Experience”

You’ve booked your dream cruise to the Caribbean. Now the big question…what to pack! While you might think all you need to throw into your suitcase is a couple of swimsuits and a pair of sandals, there are many other things to consider. A Caribbean cruise vacation offers so much more than just pristine beaches…though there are plenty of those too! Different islands offer different types of excursions…. relaxing beach days to zip-lining over treetops, hikes up mountains, diving/snorkeling and catamarans. Important Note: This post contains affiliate links, if you click and buy a product, I may make a commission, at no cost to you. Please see my disclosure policy for details. This chart provides a general idea of what temperatures to expect each month. Don’t forget to factor in humidity also. Of course, things can change but this will give you a starting point. If you’re planning on participating in any of these activities during your cruise, you’ll want to make sure to bring along the appropriate activewear and shoes. Good walking shoes are a must. Also, beach footwear is essential. Water shoes are highly recommended….many beaches are rocky or have coral. I’ve been using these and find them very comfortable and easy to wear. Comfortable sandals are a must have item. I have found a pair by Dreampairs that are made for women. The fit is perfect and they have great support. They can also stand up to the occasional rain showers that are so common in the Caribbean. No matter how long your vacation, there are many accessories and items you might not consider important, but that actually go a long way in making your cruise as comfortable as possible. See my curated list in Cruise Packing 101 Here is a quick list of things to not forget: Swim suit! Nothing worse than arriving onboard and realizing you forgot to pack one! Beach cover up….sometimes it’s nice to have something more than your bathing suit if you want to get food or sit at the bar. This one comes in several colors too! Shorts and t-shirts are great for daytime. I wear skorts, as I don’t like shorts. Capris or leggings are also a good choice. Most important, be comfortable! For evenings onboard, dresses or skirts are a great option or nicer slacks. On formal nights, I love wearing something sparkly….it’s the only chance I get to really dress up! A light weight sweater or wrap is a good idea to pack. The ship can be cool at night. This evening wrap is well priced and comes in lots of colors. Don’t forget to add a good hat to your packing. This will protect your face from the sun. These are the ones I use: A cooling towel. The Caribbean can be HOT! A cooling towel will help you stay more comfortable. We live in Florida and visit DisneyWorld often….this is a MUST for us! Sunscreen. Please choose one that is Reef Safe. A waterproof case is useful if you are uncomfortable leaving your valuables on the beach while you are in the water. There is also a waterproof case if you want to snorkel with your phone. Want to snorkel? We always bring our own gear…that way we know it is well taken care of and clean. These are the snorkel masks and fins we use. Got a sunburn anyway? This sunburn relief spray will help calm and soothe your skin. If you like going to the pool or the beach, keeping your towel on the chair can be challenging. I found towel band or clips to be really useful and always have them packed and ready to add to the suitcase! We use this lock box at the beach or pool. It easily attaches to any beach chair and provides a secure place for your phone, id and money. Of course, a good beach bag to carry everything is super helpful. I like this one…lots of pockets to keep items organized and it is waterproof too! A good beach blanket is a necessity. We love this one…it comes with stakes to keep it in the sand, four attached zippered pockets and the carry pouch is attached, so it won’t fly away. Removing sand from your legs after being at the beach all day is always challenging. I love this sand removal tool. Just wipe it on and the sand disappears, leaving you skin feeling fresh and clean. Protect sensitive areas from the humidity. No one wants to talk about it, but chub rub happens and is very uncomfortable. This Chafing Relief Powder Gel is safe to use under arms, on inner thighs and other sensitive areas. Another good option is Gold Bond Stick Defense. . Cruise Approved Power Bar Ships have limited places to plug in your phone, computer, tablet etc Most cruise ship cabins have only a few electric plugs. You’re going to need additional outlets to charge electronic items like phones, computers, tablets, kindles, etc. USB ports are also useful. VERY IMPORTANT – Cruise lines don’t allow a regular surge-protected power bars from home (they will confiscate them). I recommend using one that plugs directly into the outlet without a cord. Many ports are confiscating those with cords, as they consider them extension cords. This is the one we travel with. If you need plugs, this is a good option too. Many cruise lines are really cracking down on any outlet extender that provides multiple plugs. This is a great option for charging multiple devices at once. Available in others colors. There is no need to pack beach towels, shampoo/conditioner, soap etc. Those will all be provided by the ship in your cabin. DO NOT pack irons or steamers…those are not allowed onboard. To learn what is not allowed to be brought onboard, read What NOT to bring onboard! Downey wrinkle release has worked very well for us in the past. Mosquitos can be a problem in the tropics. Use these patches to keep them away….just place on your clothing! The tropics are known for afternoonContinueContinue reading “Ultimate Guide: What to Bring on Your Caribbean Cruise”