Suite Privilege Program for non suite guests??

[JFontaine]

I think some folks are worrying about nothing.  People in the top suites always had the opportunity to bring guests to Luminae, and those in the penthouse were never turned down.  If you are spending $20,000 a week or thereabouts Celebrity is going to try to keep you happy. I could have put my mom in the living room of the suite and she would have had free access to Luminae - just as some put four in a Sky Suite and they all have access to Luminae.   As I said I passed on this because it made no sense - I would have either given up specialty restaurants - a nice amenity of this suite - or paid three times for my family to eat in them.  This program is three months old and there hasn't been one report of someone actually using it. 

 

[Georgia_Peaches]

14 hours ago, Oville said:

We’re in an RS on Silhouette in November and nothing about this in the email we received a few days ago.

As an aside, we are in a RS on Silhouette in November as well and did not receive an e-mail from them this week.  Do you mind sharing the nature of the e-mail?  I want to make sure I'm not missing something.  Thank you.

Edited October 11, 2019 by Georgia_Peaches

[JFontaine]

9 hours ago, jelayne said:

We talked with the hostess at Luminae on the Edge and were told that Luminae on the Edge seated 176 so it took a full turn to accommodate the Suite guests, and that assumes they show up staggered enough to make it work. Peak times, after the 1st show, were a problem with more folks than they could accommodate. Time will tell if this works, but if you must buy access for a full cruise seems space available might be space available for those in CS and SS suites.  

 

A  number of those folks have free specialty dining, and with all of the good restaurants on Edge, they rarely walk into Luminae.  When  I was on Edge - a full holiday sailing with kids/quads in suites - by 8 pm Luminae was emptying out for the night. 

[MEcruzr]

For those of you saying you didn't know about this option or that X didn't tell you... did you have your reservation linked to a non-suite reservation? If not, there was no reason for you to be told about this offer.

 

We are in a RS on Summit in May 2020 and we are linked with family staying in a verandah cabin. It will be interesting to see if the shoreside concierge offers this to us. We won't do it. They have a premium bev package and we don't like Luminae so we're happy to eat in the MDR together. 

 

For those concerned about Blu being used by suite guests, I can tell you that we've asked twice to eat at Blu and got turned down both times based on "no space available". So they DO keep track and they DO turn down suite guests.

[Oville]

1 hour ago, Georgia_Peaches said:

As an aside, we are in a RS on Silhouette in November as well and did not receive an e-mail from them this week.  Do you mind sharing the nature of the e-mail?  I want to make sure I'm not missing something.  Thank you.

“Expected arrival time
Preferred departure time
Specialty dining requests
Do you have any special needs or preferences”

 

Also a list of liquors to pick two bottles, a list of minibar choices and luggage drop off information.

 

Hope this helps, Katie

 

hope this helps

[dkjretired]

2 hours ago, JFontaine said:

I think some folks are worrying about nothing.  People in the top suites always had the opportunity to bring guests to Luminae, and those in the penthouse were never turned down.  If you are spending $20,000 a week or thereabouts Celebrity is going to try to keep you happy. I could have put my mom in the living room of the suite and she would have had free access to Luminae - just as some put four in a Sky Suite and they all have access to Luminae.   As I said I passed on this because it made no sense - I would have either given up specialty restaurants - a nice amenity of this suite - or paid three times for my family to eat in them.  This program is three months old and there hasn't been one report of someone actually using it. 

 

 

If you put your Mom in the living room why would you have to give up Specialty restaurants

[SeaSharp]

12 hours ago, jelayne said:

We talked with the hostess at Luminae on the Edge and were told that Luminae on the Edge seated 176 so it took a full turn to accommodate the Suite guests, and that assumes they show up staggered enough to make it work. Peak times, after the 1st show, were a problem with more folks than they could accommodate. Time will tell if this works, but if you must buy access for a full cruise seems space available might be space available for those in CS and SS suites.  

 

We were on the Edge about a year ago.  We were staying in a Celebrity Suite and found the Luminae very crowded at whatever hour we went, anywhere from 6pm till 8:30pm.  We ALWAYS had to wait time for a table, usually with a line growing larger behind us.  When we were finally seated, we were extremely close to the next table, thus found it very uncomfortable.  We thought this was the norm, till we went on the Equinox a couple of times shortly thereafter.  WOW, what a world of difference in how they treated Suite passengers.  Equinox's Luminae was NEVER overly crowded, the staff always knew our names, and the dining experience was totally awesome.  Can't say the same for the Edge.  NO, I'm not in favor of this new policy.   Unfortunately, we're finding more and more cruise lines doing the same.  

[MarLieb]

I'm not in favor of this policy at all.  If guests are sailing in PH or RS and want friends or family to have suite perks, those friends and family should book suites.  Problem solved. 

[39august]

MarLieb: I couldn't agree more!

[Loracpin2]

20 hours ago, morfred said:

My wife and I sail only in Sky Suites (less expensive than others). We sail 3 or 4 times per year. We are not wealthy but we are retired and and this is what we have chosen for our "golden years". We pay the extra money for the total Suite experience. If that experience were to be diminished by overcrowding at Luminae, The Retreat or Michael's Club there would be no point to booking a suite anymore. I would still sail with Celebrity but I would save some money and simply stay in a veranda cabin. 

PERFECTLY stated!!!!!

[Jane2357]

23 hours ago, phoenix_dream said:

Now even Sky Suite passengers are getting downgraded experiences.  Where will it end?!

 

We haven't had a Sky in a while - we do have one booked for next year - can you explain how the experience is being downgraded?  We love the Celebrity suites but thought to save a little $ as we want a Royal for the cruise after.  You have me thinking that maybe we should upgrade now.

[bonedoc7]

We are booked in a suite on the reflection for Feb 2021.  My nephew booked a balcony with his partner,  we were informed that we could pay for his suite perks at $59 pp per day.  Basically access to luminae to join us for dinner and michaels club.  None of the other perks associated with our suite are given.  Ie: They would need to have the drink package to access “free” drinks anywhere besides michaels club.  Apparently there are 16 allotted spots for the suite perks available each sailing.  These are offered from the top suite down, until all are taken.  We are to reserve our “spots” with the shoreside concierge prior to our cruise.  

[wrk2cruise]

Is there a limit on the number of slots offered to each suite?  If PH #1 wants all 16 slots can they take them?

[bonedoc7]

Just now, wrk2cruise said:

Is there a limit on the number of slots offered to each suite?  If PH #1 wants all 16 slots can they take them?

Apparently if the top suite wants all 16, they have first dibs on them.  Again, this is a new program, not sure how it will end up.  I know in the past when we were travelling in the PH but family members were in other staterooms from ocean to sky suite (prior to them having access) the michaels club always welcomed our family members in michaels club, whether they were with us or not.  

[hcat]

Doesn't seem like many, but add 16 people to Michaels or Luminae at prime time and there might be an impact....esp if staffing is not adjusted.  They are really squeezing out every dime they can,,,,,,

[TeeRick]

On 10/10/2019 at 5:38 PM, vtcruising said:

Invited guests can now dine in Luminae on a space available basis for $60/day ($40 on port days since no lunch on port days) - Breakfast is $10PP, Lunch $20 and Dinner $30. Use of the suite lounge would be a new benefit, though I must say we have occasionally brought friends into Michael's/Retreat who were not suite guests, with concierge invitation. We don't make a habit of it, but had the concierge notice that we had friends we were cruising with on one cruise and she invited them to come in - we were in a CS and it was a few years ago - the other times were just one time visits to scope it out to potentially book a suite - we try to respect the space since it can get crowded. I imagine others have had people in as well.

 

This new program probably wouldn't have a huge impact because of the small number of PH's and RS's, but hope they limit it some - if someone in an RS or PH had a family reunion with family in 10 non-suite cabins, for example, it could impact Luminae, suite lounge and suite sundeck. Luminae on the Reflection and the Edge are already very busy, in my experience.

I am in agreement with you about dining.  The policy of allowing any suite guest (even Sky Suites) to bring non-suite guests into Luminae for the prices you mention has always been there.  No change really.  The high end suites also get free specialty dining so they can bring guests to those restaurants and pay for them too- again no change there.  Many of these high end suite guests use specialty dining instead of Luminae anyway.  Also when traveling with non-suite family members there is a tendency to dine in the MDR with them.  I have done this with my family in this situation.  I think people here are concerned about additional crowding in Luminae but I think the impact will be minimal.  I took 8 family members traveling with me into Luminae a couple of times on one cruise and paid for them.  I arranged it in advance with the Maitre 'D and had to select a less busy dining time.  No problem.  As for Michael's Club/Retreat Lounge that would be a change but other than pre-dinner times these places are generally not crowded in my experience.

[dkjretired]

1 hour ago, TeeRick said:

I am in agreement with you about dining.  The policy of allowing any suite guest (even Sky Suites) to bring non-suite guests into Luminae for the prices you mention has always been there.  No change really.  The high end suites also get free specialty dining so they can bring guests to those restaurants and pay for them too- again no change there.  Many of these high end suite guests use specialty dining instead of Luminae anyway.  Also when traveling with non-suite family members there is a tendency to dine in the MDR with them.  I have done this with my family in this situation.  I think people here are concerned about additional crowding in Luminae but I think the impact will be minimal.  I took 8 family members traveling with me into Luminae a couple of times on one cruise and paid for them.  I arranged it in advance with the Maitre 'D and had to select a less busy dining time.  No problem.  As for Michael's Club/Retreat Lounge that would be a change but other than pre-dinner times these places are generally not crowded in my experience.

 

1 hour ago, TeeRick said:

I am in agreement with you about dining.  The policy of allowing any suite guest (even Sky Suites) to bring non-suite guests into Luminae for the prices you mention has always been there.  No change really.  The high end suites also get free specialty dining so they can bring guests to those restaurants and pay for them too- again no change there.  Many of these high end suite guests use specialty dining instead of Luminae anyway.  Also when traveling with non-suite family members there is a tendency to dine in the MDR with them.  I have done this with my family in this situation.  I think people here are concerned about additional crowding in Luminae but I think the impact will be minimal.  I took 8 family members traveling with me into Luminae a couple of times on one cruise and paid for them.  I arranged it in advance with the Maitre 'D and had to select a less busy dining time.  No problem.  As for Michael's Club/Retreat Lounge that would be a change but other than pre-dinner times these places are generally not crowded in my experience.

 

I hope Celebrity is taking into account generous people like you who may bring people into Luminae but not having those people join this new program.  Combination of both could cause a problem. 

Edited October 12, 2019 by dkjretired

[vtcruising]

1 hour ago, TeeRick said:

I am in agreement with you about dining.  The policy of allowing any suite guest (even Sky Suites) to bring non-suite guests into Luminae for the prices you mention has always been there.  No change really.  The high end suites also get free specialty dining so they can bring guests to those restaurants and pay for them too- again no change there.  Many of these high end suite guests use specialty dining instead of Luminae anyway.  Also when traveling with non-suite family members there is a tendency to dine in the MDR with them.  I have done this with my family in this situation.  I think people here are concerned about additional crowding in Luminae but I think the impact will be minimal.  I took 8 family members traveling with me into Luminae a couple of times on one cruise and paid for them.  I arranged it in advance with the Maitre 'D and had to select a less busy dining time.  No problem.  As for Michael's Club/Retreat Lounge that would be a change but other than pre-dinner times these places are generally not crowded in my experience.

I am up for adoption, if interested. 😉

 

It sounds like a fun cruise!

[villauk]

16 hours ago, bonedoc7 said:

We are booked in a suite on the reflection for Feb 2021.  My nephew booked a balcony with his partner,  we were informed that we could pay for his suite perks at $59 pp per day.  Basically access to luminae to join us for dinner and michaels club.  None of the other perks associated with our suite are given.  Ie: They would need to have the drink package to access “free” drinks anywhere besides michaels club.  Apparently there are 16 allotted spots for the suite perks available each sailing.  These are offered from the top suite down, until all are taken.  We are to reserve our “spots” with the shoreside concierge prior to our cruise.  

 

 

May I ask which suite you are in? Only to have an idea at how far they have gone down already for a cruise that isn’t until Feb 2021.

Edited October 12, 2019 by villauk

[bonedoc7]

We haven’t actually booked or reserved the spots for February 2021. This is just the information I received from my celebrity planner.  We will be in the reflection suite, so we will get the two spots we want, I wouldn’t feel comfortable reserving anymore than that. Our kids will already be in our room, so we would have had to pay for my nephew and his boyfriend to join us for dinner anyways.

[hcat]

On 10/11/2019 at 9:51 AM, MEcruzr said:

...?......

 

For those concerned about Blu being used by suite guests, I can tell you that we've asked twice to eat at Blu and got turned down both times based on "no space available". So they DO keep track and they DO turn down suite guests.

Sorry you were turned down but happy they are following guidelines. Space and staff are  limited in BLU, staterooms in AQ class  are limited to 2 guests,,..all  of which is what makes it special.

 

We are taking a break from BLU but after we  try the 4 mdr plan on EDGE, regular mdr on  Summit and then a suite on Conie, we will  try to return to BLU......pricing permitting.  Hope it is still the best fit for us!

[TeeRick]

3 hours ago, vtcruising said:

I am up for adoption, if interested. 😉

 

It sounds like a fun cruise!

LOL!  It was a fun cruise out of Venice on the Connie.  We had several events to celebrate and we had a blast!

[TeeRick]

4 hours ago, dkjretired said:

 

 

I hope Celebrity is taking into account generous people like you who may bring people into Luminae but not having those people join this new program.  Combination of both could cause a problem. 

dkj that is an interesting point to consider.  But I think in general it is still up to the Luminae Maitre'D to make sure it is handled properly even with the newly announced policy.  We had to make our reservations for our group after 8:30 PM and Luminae was near empty.

[miched]

Fantastic

 

Book a inside and become friends with those that are in a Royal or Penthouse suite for the cruise you are on.  

 

Even better if if someone has one of those suites and invites everyone on their roll call to take advantage of the perk

 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

[hcat]

Within the Limit of 16...What a fun party!