Access to The Retreat**

[ScottC4746]

I have never sailed on the X before but it looks amazing.  I am too old for RCCL (don't need the pounding night clubs or pool parties) and almost too young for HAL which we love the service, but a little to sedate for me.  I keep seeing on the suites "Access to The Retreat**," but I cannot find reference to the **.  Does anyone know what the ** is?  Is it select ships?  Is it capacity controlled?

[emmas gran]

If you book the suite class ie Sky suite and above you have access to suite dining restaurant Luminae  and a dedicated lounge with concierge for relaxing drinks . Most ships also have a dedicated sun deck area , the drinks lounge and deck area are called “Retreat” lounge or Retreat deck area.

These areas are for the Suite passengers only.

Edited February 22, 2021 by emmas gran

[Orator]

12 minutes ago, ScottC4746 said:

I have never sailed on the X before but it looks amazing.  I am too old for RCCL (don't need the pounding night clubs or pool parties) and almost too young for HAL which we love the service, but a little to sedate for me.  I keep seeing on the suites "Access to The Retreat**," but I cannot find reference to the **.  Does anyone know what the ** is?  Is it select ships?  Is it capacity controlled?

The Retreat, or Michael's Club on some ships is reserved for those in Suites and designated VIPs. They once allowed, and may at some time in the future allow Zenith members and Blue Chip top tier members to use it. It's a "private club" and not available to the general passenger.

Edited February 22, 2021 by Orator

[Jeremiah1212]

Since the Revolution project that introduced The Retreat concept hit pretty much every roadblock imaginable, the suite-only facilities vary from ship to ship. 

[FlorenceItaly]

This is a nice document listing Suite benefits

 

https://departurelounge.com/wp-content/uploads/CarlsonBinder_WeddingCruise2019/CEL_Suites_FAQs_update.pdf

[emmas gran]

With respect the above document link is 2017 and things have changed, COVID-19 is something that may make further cha;ges

[garyl62]

3 hours ago, ScottC4746 said:

I have never sailed on the X before but it looks amazing.  I am too old for RCCL (don't need the pounding night clubs or pool parties) and almost too young for HAL which we love the service, but a little to sedate for me.  I keep seeing on the suites "Access to The Retreat**," but I cannot find reference to the **.  Does anyone know what the ** is?  Is it select ships?  Is it capacity controlled?

To address your specific question, although my answer is just my opinion as I too could not find the footnote/disclaimer, but the ** probably references that some elements described as Retreat benefits may not be available on all ships.  For example a separate lounge and restaurant are available, but the separate deck area is only available on ships built prior to "The Edge" if those ships have been "revolutionized" and even then, not all elements may have been completed.  Both the Edge and Apes were built with the Retreat deck as an original element so those ships will have everything as advertised.

 

Hope that helps.

[dkjretired]

2 hours ago, garyl62 said:

To address your specific question, although my answer is just my opinion as I too could not find the footnote/disclaimer, but the ** probably references that some elements described as Retreat benefits may not be available on all ships.  For example a separate lounge and restaurant are available, but the separate deck area is only available on ships built prior to "The Edge" if those ships have been "revolutionized" and even then, not all elements may have been completed.  Both the Edge and Apes were built with the Retreat deck as an original element so those ships will have everything as advertised.

 

Hope that helps.

 

Perhaps the biggest example of that is that only Edge ships will have a pool and a hot tub.  The older M and S class ships will only have a hot tub after the revolution. 

[WonderMan3]

As things currently stand...

 

Apex 

-Retreat Lounge on Deck 15 with bar and outdoor deck

-Retreat sundeck on Deck 16 with pool, hot tub and bar

-Luminae suite restaurant on Deck 12 with its own unique menu

 

Edge

-Retreat Lounge on Deck 15 with outdoor deck

-Retreat sundeck on Deck 16 with pool, hot tub and bar

-Luminae suite restaurant on Deck 12 with its own unique menu

 

Silhouette

-Retreat Lounge on Deck 5 with bar

-Retreat sundeck on Deck 14 and 15 with hot tub and bar

-Luminae suite restaurant on Deck 3 with its own unique menu plus ability to order from main dining room menu

 

Equinox

-Retreat Lounge on Deck 5 with bar

-Retreat sundeck on Deck 14 and 15

-Luminae suite restaurant on Deck 3 with its own unique menu plus ability to order from main dining room menu

 

Solstice, Eclipse, Reflection

-Michael’s Club on Deck 5 with bar

-Luminae suite restaurant on Deck 3 with its own unique menu plus ability to order from main dining room menu

 

Summit, Millennium

-Retreat Lounge on Deck 4 with bar

-Retreat sundeck on Deck 12 with hot tub

-Luminae suite restaurant on Deck 4 with its own unique menu plus ability to order from main dining room menu

 

Infinity, Constellation

-Michael’s Club on Deck 4 with bar

-Luminae suite restaurant on Deck 4 with its own unique menu plus ability to order from main dining room menu

[emmas gran]

No one knows if the ability to order from other menus will still be viable when cruising re starts.. Anything that is unsure is not something I would quote a available 

[WonderMan3]

8 minutes ago, emmas gran said:

No one knows if the ability to order from other menus will still be viable when cruising re starts.. Anything that is unsure is not something I would quote a available 

Please share the information you have that says that the Luminae restaurants that are positioned next to the MDRs will no longer allow diners to order from the MDR menu. Links to articles or posts stating this would be helpful.

[emmas gran]

If you re read my post it says

 

No one knows if the ability to order from other menus is viable —- nothing about restaurant positions or secret information, just stating we do not know if we are able to do it in the future. If you are going to query my post please quote me correctly. I will not respond further to argue.

Edited February 22, 2021 by emmas gran

[ECCruise]

Just now, emmas gran said:

If you re read my post it says

 

No one knows if the ability to order from other menus is viable —- nothing about restaurant positions or secret information, just stating we do not know if we are able to do it in the future. If you are going to query my post please quote me correctly. I will not respond further to argue.

I thought the same thing as you did.  No one knows (and you said exactly that) how things will shake out when cruising resumes.

It's like people saying "Suite guests can dine in Blu with the approval of the Maitre D'.  Or, no problem for suite guests to get a table in the MDR, they will seat you with those with reservations.

No one knows this until sailing resumes.  I dislike the term "new normal," but that is what we will be confronting.  To rehash things from the past does not make sense.

[WonderMan3]

1 minute ago, emmas gran said:

If you re read my post it says

 

No one knows if the ability to order from other menus is viable —- nothing about restaurant positions or secret information, just stating we do not know if we are able to do it in the future. If you are going to query my post please quote me correctly. I will not respond further to argue.

By this logic we should discuss none of the services provided on board as “we do not know if we are able to do it in the future” and because any service could be changed at anytime by the cruise line. Also if you don’t want people to reply to your posts then you shouldn’t post on a public message board.

[WonderMan3]

Just now, ECCruise said:

I thought the same thing as you did.  No one knows (and you said exactly that) how things will shake out when cruising resumes.

It's like people saying "Suite guests can dine in Blu with the approval of the Maitre D'.  Or, no problem for suite guests to get a table in the MDR, they will seat you with those with reservations.

No one knows this until sailing resumes.  I dislike the term "new normal," but that is what we will be confronting.  To rehash things from the past does not make sense.

This a long established option for diners so

unless the poster has some inside information from the cruise line about changes then all we can go on is how things operated before Covid. Of course we cannot see into the future, that is obvious. But to say that means again that we cannot discuss pretty much any service option onboard as anything could be changed by the cruise line at any moment so this is just silliness and feels like arguing for the sake of arguing.

[Orator]

Things will certainly be different as social distance policies are required. My guess is that there will be more spacing between tables in all venues and you will be limited to your assigned venue. The menu should still be posted and you will tell the waiter what you'll have. The Retreat will have limited seats and that's why Zeniths no longer have access. We can guess whatever we want to guess, but all lines will need to change to protect the future of the cruise industry. 

[WonderMan3]

4 minutes ago, Orator said:

Things will certainly be different as social distance policies are required. My guess is that there will be more spacing between tables in all venues and you will be limited to your assigned venue. The menu should still be posted and you will tell the waiter what you'll have. The Retreat will have limited seats and that's why Zeniths no longer have access. We can guess whatever we want to guess, but all lines will need to change to protect the future of the cruise industry. 

Indeed. Not sure what that would have to do with the ordering off the MDR menu though. Until Celebrity highlights specific changes it’s all just conjecture so we really can only go by how things were operating as of the last time they cruised. 

[keesar]

The ability to order from the MDR menu varied by ship.  It was not a universal fleet wide policy.  The same was true in the Blu dining area.

[WonderMan3]

2 minutes ago, keesar said:

The ability to order from the MDR menu varied by ship.  It was not a universal fleet wide policy.  The same was true in the Blu dining area.

 

The only ship you couldn't do it on was Edge which was because the Luminae on that ship is not located near the MDR. Those differences are outlined in my list posted further up.

[ECCruise]

1 hour ago, WonderMan3 said:

This a long established option for diners so

unless the poster has some inside information from the cruise line about changes then all we can go on is how things operated before Covid. Of course we cannot see into the future, that is obvious. But to say that means again that we cannot discuss pretty much any service option onboard as anything could be changed by the cruise line at any moment so this is just silliness and feels like arguing for the sake of arguing.

The poster clearly said "no one knows."  And, like I thought, it is foolish to quote things as they were as if they are gospel, which you did, without the caveat that things may change. 

 

Arguing for the sake of arguing?  I can agree but not as you may assume. 

[WonderMan3]

10 minutes ago, ECCruise said:

The poster clearly said "no one knows."  And, like I thought, it is foolish to quote things as they were as if they are gospel, which you did, without the caveat that things may change. 

 

Arguing for the sake of arguing?  I can agree but not as you may assume. 

 

And yet you persist....Why would I need to state that "things may change" when that is a given? I clearly said "as things currently stand" which means as things were operating when cruising went on pause. I did not say "as things currently stand and will be into the future". So this is a straw man argument. Please have it with someone else.

[Arizona Wildcat]

3 hours ago, emmas gran said:

If you re read my post it says

 

No one knows if the ability to order from other menus is viable —- nothing about restaurant positions or secret information, just stating we do not know if we are able to do it in the future. If you are going to query my post please quote me correctly. I will not respond further to argue.

Of course.  Everything from the brand of shampoo to the restaurant setup is subject to change.   Every reasonable poster already knew that.

[BigAl94]

4 hours ago, WonderMan3 said:

As things currently stand...

 

Apex 

-Retreat Lounge on Deck 15 with bar and outdoor deck

-Retreat sundeck on Deck 16 with pool, hot tub and bar

-Luminae suite restaurant on Deck 12 with its own unique menu

 

Edge

-Retreat Lounge on Deck 15 with outdoor deck

-Retreat sundeck on Deck 16 with pool, hot tub and bar

-Luminae suite restaurant on Deck 12 with its own unique menu

 

Silhouette

-Retreat Lounge on Deck 5 with bar

-Retreat sundeck on Deck 14 and 15 with hot tub and bar

-Luminae suite restaurant on Deck 3 with its own unique menu plus ability to order from main dining room menu

 

Equinox

-Retreat Lounge on Deck 5 with bar

-Retreat sundeck on Deck 14 and 15

-Luminae suite restaurant on Deck 3 with its own unique menu plus ability to order from main dining room menu

 

Solstice, Eclipse, Reflection

-Michael’s Club on Deck 5 with bar

-Luminae suite restaurant on Deck 3 with its own unique menu plus ability to order from main dining room menu

 

Summit, Millennium

-Retreat Lounge on Deck 4 with bar

-Retreat sundeck on Deck 12 with hot tub

-Luminae suite restaurant on Deck 4 with its own unique menu plus ability to order from main dining room menu

 

Infinity, Constellation

-Michael’s Club on Deck 4 with bar

-Luminae suite restaurant on Deck 4 with its own unique menu plus ability to order from main dining room menu

Retreat sundeck on Equinox and Silhouette is deck 15 and 16

[WonderMan3]

1 hour ago, BigAl94 said:

Retreat sundeck on Equinox and Silhouette is deck 15 and 16

Thanks.  I see that now. I was going by the photo captions at the link below. But now when I scroll through that thread I see that info was corrected by someone further down the thread.

 

[Shadow9612]

5 hours ago, Orator said:

Things will certainly be different as social distance policies are required. My guess is that there will be more spacing between tables in all venues

I would welcome that change 🙂 - I hope you are correct.