SUMMIT ~ Aqua Class vs Concierge Class

[Je Souhaite]

What are the advantages / differences between these two classes.

 

Are there any disadvantages to the Aqua class other than most cabins being under the hangover?

[terrydtx]

For us AQUA class is the only way to go with Celebrity other than a suite. Major advantage is the exclusive use of the Blu dinning room for breakfast and dinner. Much smaller venue and more intimate than the huge masses in the MDR. On the M class ships we like the aft facing AQ cabins on the 11th deck that overlook the Sunset bar, these are usually the first AQ cabins that get booked, we snagged on for our Infinity cruise nest August. They also have a huge balcony and great aft view.

Edited August 15, 2020 by terrydtx

[dkjretired]

6 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

For us AQUA class is the only way to go with Celebrity other than a suite. Major advantage is the exclusive use of the Blu dinning room for breakfast and dinner. Much smaller venue and more intimate than the huge masses in the MDR. On the M class ships we like the aft facing AQ cabins on the 11th deck that overlook the Sunset bar, these are usually the first AQ cabins that get booked, we snagged on for our Infinity cruise nest August. They also have a huge balcony and great aft view.

 

Just to add to above post, Blu is your assigned Dining room, you do not have a seat in the Main Dining Room and for most people it is a definite advantage.   Most of the perks of Concierge are either fluff or available to everyone on the ship  

[terrydtx]

11 minutes ago, dkjretired said:

 

  Most of the perks of Concierge are either fluff or available to everyone on the ship  

I agree other than paying more there are no real benefits in Concierge class, you still have to dine in the MDR.

[wrk2cruise]

On Summit I have to disagree both Concierge and Aqua cabins are larger than other balcony cabins to me the extra square footage is worth paying more.  Also some Aqua cabins on deck 9 are less desirable than some Concierge cabins due to location.  I agree that Blu is the draw for Aqua class and we have enjoyed Blu on Summit.

[HS2BS]

Blu is the place where everybody knows your name and really cares enough to you get what you want!
No real comparison as concierge is only the cabin(lunch the first day in the dining room) With the mdrm as stated above. 9th floor aft balconies are below the Sunset bar, but still very nice, with great views of the wake.

 

Hal

[terrydtx]

One other thing AQ is limited to only 2 passengers per cabin so very few if any children in the cabins. This also means no kids in Blu which for us older people is enjoyable. The only kids you may see in Blu is if any suite guests are having dinner in Blu which is only allowed on a space available basis. As I said above, we like the aft facing cabins on M class ships just above the Sunset bar where we can sit on the balcony and enjoy any live music from the bar. There is a stairway just outside the cabins that goes directly down to the bar, we use that to buy drinks and then enjoy them from our private balcony.

[Je Souhaite]

Thanks all.
 

So does this mean the Aqua class is the “highest” class before the lowest suite?

we were last minute bookers last year, and took the last two concierge available, with a resident rate, and we were quite happy, except that this had been our first non suite in 15 years.

[Je Souhaite]

3 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

. There is a stairway just outside the cabins that goes directly down to the bar, we use that to buy drinks and then enjoy them from our private balcony.

I used that a couple of times just so I didn’t have to walk through the cafe. 🙂

[terrydtx]

4 minutes ago, Je Souhaite said:

Thanks all.
 

So does this mean the Aqua class is the “highest” class before the lowest suite?

Yes and AQ Class is the reason we switched from HAL to Celebrity. HAL has no non suite class with an exclusive dining venue like Blu. If we were booking a cruise and no AQ cabins were available we would book a standard verandah before Concierge class.

Edited August 15, 2020 by terrydtx

[Laurab23]

7 minutes ago, Je Souhaite said:

I used that a couple of times just so I didn’t have to walk through the cafe. 🙂

We use that stairway every time we can get one of those 5 aft Aqua cabins. Just watch out for that bottom step. It can be a killer after a few drinks. LOL. 

 

Laura

[foodsvcmgr]

We also like the Deck 11 aft cabins but be aware that those on the sides have very minimal cover overhead on the balconies compared to those at the stern over the bar.

[Snit13]

4 hours ago, wrk2cruise said:

On Summit I have to disagree both Concierge and Aqua cabins are larger than other balcony cabins to me the extra square footage is worth paying more.  Also some Aqua cabins on deck 9 are less desirable than some Concierge cabins due to location.  I agree that Blu is the draw for Aqua class and we have enjoyed Blu on Summit.

For those who enjoy the free access to the Persian Gardens/Saunas and the upgraded breakfast menu for room service in addition to Blu it is well worth the extra money if you can afford it.

[terrydtx]

3 hours ago, foodsvcmgr said:

We also like the Deck 11 aft cabins but be aware that those on the sides have very minimal cover overhead on the balconies compared to those at the stern over the bar.

I agree and if the deck 11 aft cabins are not  available when we book, then only the side cabins on deck 9 for us. There is no or very little shade on the deck 11 side cabins.

[cruisin lady ca]

The reasons we book aqua class cabins on M class ships are: dining in Blu, aft facing cabins on deck 11 with oversized balconies (loves our last cabin 1138!), much nicer shower with body sprays (like the aqua class shower on s class ships) and heated/no-fog mirror, captain’s club - 5 points/night (rather than 3 points/night in veranda). On s class ships, the additional huge benefit to AQ is Persian Garden access.  The Persian garden on M class ships pales by comparison - so we didn’t bother using that perk.

[39august]

Am I understanding correctly that the aft facing Aqua cabins deck 11  on M class DO have cover over the balconies? I thought I had read they did NOT have cover. We avoid sitting in the sun so cover is very important to us. Never been on M class but thinking about booking.  Are there Aqua cabins anywhere except decks 9 and 11?

[terrydtx]

48 minutes ago, cruisin lady ca said:

The reasons we book aqua class cabins on M class ships are: dining in Blu, aft facing cabins on deck 11 with oversized balconies (loves our last cabin 1138!)

We have 1138 on our Infinity cruise next August. Our favorite is 1140 in the middle, it has the deepest balcony.

[terrydtx]

31 minutes ago, 39august said:

Am I understanding correctly that the aft facing Aqua cabins deck 11  on M class DO have cover over the balconies? I thought I had read they did NOT have cover. We avoid sitting in the sun so cover is very important to us. Never been on M class but thinking about booking.  Are there Aqua cabins anywhere except decks 9 and 11?

The aft facing cabins are much deeper than the side cabins and are covered about 1/2  of the depth so you sit in either the open or covered area. On M class all Aqua cabins are on deck 9 and 9 only.

[ipeeinthepool]

The Aqua Class cabins are the best marketing scheme I've ever seen.  Celebrity has found a way to sell some of the least desirable cabins at a premium price.  I agree Blu is very nice but most of the cabins are under the pool deck and ocean view cafe, for many that's not very good.  As others have pointed out, the cabins in desirable go very quickly.  Unless I could get a desirable location, I would stick with the veranda cabins because Concierge Class offers virtually nothing that is of interest to me.  

[Northern Aurora]

2 hours ago, 39august said:

Am I understanding correctly that the aft facing Aqua cabins deck 11  on M class DO have cover over the balconies? I thought I had read they did NOT have cover. ......

 

 

We have been in the aft Aqua cabins on the Infinity, the Summit and the Constellation.  All of them have had cover over part of the large balcony.  I have had no problems sitting in the lounger in the shade.

[Northern Aurora]

Sorry for the second post, but the edit function didn't want to cooperate today.

 

The aft M-class Aqua staterooms which have the oversized balconies and are also partially covered are stateroom numbers 1130, 1138, 1140, 1141 and 1133.

[alcpa1]

The deck 11 afts are covered by a heavy canvas tarp providing shade and privacy from deck 12. You still have a gracious open space even in 1130 and 1133 but anyone using the steps on either side have a better view into those two cabin balconies.

We willingly book some deck 9 Aqua cabins if the 11 afts are not available. The cabins aft of 9108 on the starboard and the corresponding cabin on the port side are under the carpeting of the buffet and are quiet. It's our fall back. 

Before the Aqua class was created we stayed in several deck 9 cabins under the pool and they can be noisy. They were concierge class then, now they are Aqua and we avoid them.

 

[wrk2cruise]

18 hours ago, cruisin lady ca said:

much nicer shower with body sprays (like the aqua class shower on s class ships)

 

These were removed on Summit and Millennium during the Revolution when they redid all the bathrooms and added the glass shower door which was very nice.

 

18 hours ago, terrydtx said:

On M class all Aqua cabins are on deck 9 and 9 only.

 

A2 cabins are all on deck 9 and A1 cabins are all on deck 11.  Both A1 and A2 have access to Blu.  Also remember with your captains club 1 category upgrade you can book a deck 11 A1 cabin at the A2 price.

 

[wrk2cruise]

17 hours ago, ipeeinthepool said:

The Aqua Class cabins are the best marketing scheme I've ever seen.  Celebrity has found a way to sell some of the least desirable cabins at a premium price.

 

Yes.  This is how Concierge Class came into existence.  On our first cruise which was on Summit in 2004 we were lured to Concierge Class  which had just been introduced.  At that time it was all the balcony cabins on Deck 9 below the pool deck and Oceanview.  Deck 8 I don't believe was even CC at that time.

 

Almost as good a marketing job as "included perks".

[terrydtx]

18 hours ago, terrydtx said:

The aft facing cabins are much deeper than the side cabins and are covered about 1/2  of the depth so you sit in either the open or covered area. On M class all Aqua cabins are on deck 9 and 9 only.

 I meant to say deck 9 and 11, my typo sorry for any confusion. Deck 11 balcony cabins are exclusively Aqua A1, deck 9 is a mixture of AQ A2 and several other cabin classes including some suites.