The retreat

[C-Dragons]

2 hours ago, agape01 said:

Just curiously wondering

 

Had anyone tried calling for room service to be delivered to retreat lounge? 🤔😁

 

Or

 

Other than what is available in the lounge is allowed.

 

Reason for my asking is not to disturb my traveling companions just in case they are having a afternoon nap.

 

Not necessary, in our opinion. 😉

The Retreat serves Tea and a variety of very nice “sweets”around 3:30 pm.

Around 5:00 pm they serve assorted “savories” and your choice of beverage. If you need something else just ask the Concierges and they will do their best to accommodate you. However, depending on what you are asking for, they might not be able to accommodate you until the following afternoon.

[agape01]

On 7/10/2023 at 6:16 AM, agape01 said:

Just curiously wondering

 

Had anyone tried calling for room service to be delivered to retreat lounge? 🤔😁

 

Or

 

Other than what is available in the lounge is allowed.

 

Reason for my asking is not to disturb my traveling companions just in case they are having a afternoon nap.

 

Decided to get the firm answer to my question about 4 months ago.

I called 1-877-RETREAT a while ago to get some information on my up coming cruise in Nov where the question would be applied. 

Am I allowed to order Room Service to be delivered to anywhere on the ship, and the answer I got was No. Room Service is only restricted to the room but when I pressed further to ask even to the  Retreat Lounge is not possible? Then came the change in answer and tone. "Absolutely you can order Room Service to Retreat Lounge as there is both Retreat Concierge and a phone line connected there. Available 24/7".

 😁 😁 😁 😁

 

Having said that, I would definitely give this a try and might try to push them on delivery (eg have room service be delivered to Cafe Al Bacio). 

[JDPCruisers]

2 minutes ago, agape01 said:

Decided to get the firm answer to my question about 4 months ago.

I called 1-877-RETREAT a while ago to get some information on my up coming cruise in Nov where the question would be applied. 

Am I allowed to order Room Service to be delivered to anywhere on the ship, and the answer I got was No. Room Service is only restricted to the room but when I pressed further to ask even to the  Retreat Lounge is not possible? Then came the change in answer and tone. "Absolutely you can order Room Service to Retreat Lounge as there is both Retreat Concierge and a phone line connected there. Available 24/7".

 😁 😁 😁 😁

 

Having said that, I would definitely give this a try and might try to push them on delivery (eg have room service be delivered to Cafe Al Bacio). 

This is interesting in that I don't recall seeing anyone do this in the number of Retreats we've done but likely because no one as known that you can. I'm going to ask our Concierge when we go in Dec. 

[agape01]

19 minutes ago, JDPCruisers said:

This is interesting in that I don't recall seeing anyone do this in the number of Retreats we've done but likely because no one as known that you can. I'm going to ask our Concierge when we go in Dec. 

The idea came up to me when I saw a youtube video of someone while on a Silversea cruise and he called his butler to deliver Caviar to him and his mate on the sunset deck/bar during sail away. I'm not sure whether I could still find that video.

[JDPCruisers]

13 minutes ago, agape01 said:

The idea came up to me when I saw a youtube video of someone while on a Silversea cruise and he called his butler to deliver Caviar to him and his mate on the sunset deck/bar during sail away. I'm not sure whether I could still find that video.

That is a good idea! I know our dedicated butler on a number of previous cruises would have done that but I never thought to ask him. He would bring the best pizza's I think we've ever had to our suite even when we didn't request it but he likely knew were in the Martini Bar for most of the evening and we'd get back to the room, doorbell would ring after a few minutes and a host fresh pizza for our late-night snack. I'm sure going to miss that level of service.

[FlyingCruiser2]

On 5/29/2021 at 1:23 PM, talljules1 said:

Is there a list anywhere of what liquors you can choose from?

You tell them what you want.  We asked for Mezcal, assuming it was something they normally stocked on board.  When we got on board, they had put 2 nice-brand bottles in our room.  We noticed, however, that we couldn’t find Mezcal at any bar.  When I asked concierge about it, he told me he had sent someone to the liquor store near the port to get our Mezcal.  

[hcat]

On 7/9/2023 at 8:52 PM, C-Dragons said:

Not necessary, in our opinion. 😉

The Retreat serves Tea and a variety of very nice “sweets”around 3:30 pm.

Around 5:00 pm they serve assorted “savories” and your choice of beverage. If you need something else just ask the Concierges and they will do their best to accommodate you. However, depending on what you are asking for, they might not be able to accommodate you until the following afternoon.

funny..our overbearing BUTLER on Beyond  never informed us about this!

I  discovered some fruit and croissants one morning when I stopped in the R Lounge to ask a question . Never had drinks there other than embarkation day.  Seemed like a fairly sterile space.

 

We had a SS so would not get a Butler nowadays.

[C-Dragons]

1 hour ago, hcat said:

funny..our overbearing BUTLER on Beyond  never informed us about this!

I  discovered some fruit and croissants one morning when I stopped in the R Lounge to ask a question . Never had drinks there other than embarkation day.  Seemed like a fairly sterile space.

 

We had a SS so would not get a Butler nowadays.

That's interesting about your butler, since the butlers took turns serving the Tea and munchies in the afternoon. 😉

It could be fairly quiet in the Retreat at times. But on the plus side, we did meet some very nice people there.

Edited October 6, 2023 by C-Dragons

[phoenix_dream]

10 hours ago, FlyingCruiser2 said:

You tell them what you want.  We asked for Mezcal, assuming it was something they normally stocked on board.  When we got on board, they had put 2 nice-brand bottles in our room.  We noticed, however, that we couldn’t find Mezcal at any bar.  When I asked concierge about it, he told me he had sent someone to the liquor store near the port to get our Mezcal.  

You must have been in a high level suite?

[FlyingCruiser2]

4 hours ago, phoenix_dream said:

You must have been in a high level suite?

The poster I quoted was asking about how you choose what two bottles are in the bar in your room.  I know that applies to PH and RS,  not sure if also other Retreat cabins too.

[buncosquad]

2 hours ago, FlyingCruiser2 said:

The poster I quoted was asking about how you choose what two bottles are in the bar in your room.  I know that applies to PH and RS,  not sure if also other Retreat cabins too.

Iconic Suites and Edge Villas, as well. Excellent service in both. Iconics are memorable, though EVs hold their own.

[Cap_D]

If Celebrity were up to modern practice, they would allow one to order through the app (or traditional methods), from any open venue, and deliver wherever you ask within reasonable area (like the Retreat deck or lounge).  That's not the case, but would help offset the reduction in personnel that Celebrity has implemented despite marketing butlers and the 2:1 ratio.  What are all the staff doing if they are restricted in their service?  But, Celebrity does not want paying customers to have access to food and service beyond the most basic level.  The food quality has been so downgraded it may not matter or be desirable, too. 

 

Apparently some Princess ships have an order to your location of a RFID band type gimmick, but I don't know if that continues or worked.

[Traveling Fools]

On 4/11/2021 at 3:15 AM, chemmo said:

 

 

Not one thing it is the ‘package’ that makes booking a suite worthwhile for us.

 

The room...we love to have space to enjoy both inside and on the balcony.We usually book RS or PH and like the nicer bathrooms and having  room to comfortably dine in if we want to. Nice to have a bar set up and a butler who will provide any extras we want.

 

Higher service level. This starts, for us, pre cruise when we are contacted by the shoreside concierge. Before boarding we will have chosen pillows, booked our dining, sorted out room requests. When we get to our suite the fridge will already be stacked with our preferred beers and soda. This higher service level continues at check in with the ‘Special Delivery’ service. Taxi, luggage drop off, escorted through security and check in and on board can take less than 15 minutes...As we are sipping our first champagne in the retreat lounge the concierge will introduce themselves and remind us if there is anything we want simply to ask...Bar service will be perfect, we know when we walk in the next day we will be greeted by name and if we have asked for a specific brand of something to be stocked there we know if they have any on board it will be!

 

Dining is for us our main ‘evening entertainment’. We know in Luminae the service and ambiance will be excellent but generally we will cruise in the speciality restaurants. Tuscan on nights when we can watch the ship leave port as we sip on our first drink other restaurants visited and enjoyed. As ‘regulars’ in the speciality restaurants they will know and respond to our preferences. They will know we like a quiet spot, enjoy having our wines paired to courses...

 

On ships with the retreat deck there is the extra pleasure of more comfortable and spacious deck area...

 

When we were younger cruising to us was more sightseeing focused...Many of the things I have listed would have been less important. Now it is far more about the ship, we do spend time in our suite...Whilst priority check in and being escorted on board is nice it is valued even more if you are less mobile than you were!

 

I totally understand guests who see many of the perks as ‘fluff’ and unnecessary to enjoy a cruise but we enjoy it!

 

I echo Chemmo.  The first time we booked a suite was in 2011. Booked a CS and CC.  CS for us and CC foe DD, her hubby, and our almost 2YO GD.  Enjoyed several dinners ensuite and breakfasts every morning for all of us.  

 

We liked having a separate living/dinning room; especially in the mornings when one of us woke up before the other.  Didn't have to tip toe around the cabin trying not to wake up DW, or her waking me up.  

 

DW and I have booked that category of suite ever since.  If we are sailing on a special occasion, we will even upgrade to a higher level.  We have been taking the Grands on cruises and 6-8 week cross-country RV trips ever since they were infants.  The extra room in a suite gives us all room to stretch without bumping into one another.  And, given the Grands' ages we either didn't have to pay a fare for them, or if we did it was a reduced rate.  The extra room with dinning table enabled us to have breakfast ensuite every morning and eliminated roping cats before going to and after reaching the MDR or buffet for breakfast.  We really appreciate the extra room on cruises with multiple sea days.

 

The expedited boarding and debarkation privileges are also a great perk!  As are the extra points earned in the relative loyalty program. In respect to those two perks and some of the snarky comments made about them...they are the same perks afforded to airline passengers,,,early boarding and disembarkation and extra points. Or, loyalty programs offered by hotels, car rental agencies, etc.  It is something we have paid for and you too can earn/have them if you chose.  I dislike cruise lines that have a single tier loyalty point system and that factor can be a deal breaker when booking a cruise.

 

We have had excellent butlers that make you feel like a rock star; and we have had butlers that really suck.  The room attendants, who are really the workhorses, have always excelled.  We have had some mediocre consigners and some that were really great.  If you are fortunate to have both an excellent pre-cruise consigner, on-board consigner, and butler and know how to utilize their skills it really enhances your cruise vacation experience!