Retreat lounge on Millennium and other suite questions

[amcb]

Hi All,

 

Can anyone please let me know what types of evening hors d'oeuvres are available in the lounge? Is it the same every night? Also, is there a start/stop time to the evening cocktail hour? I'm showing my suite experience from Royal Caribbean where there is a definite start and stop time, but not sure if it's the same on Celebrity. Also, are drinks always available at the lounge or are you better served by going to a bar elsewhere on the ship? Finally, I'm confused as to what drinks you can have delivered to your cabin vs. stocked in your fridge vs. must go get somewhere else on board. Is this dependent on your butler or is there an actual standard? In addition to cocktails I'm thinking waters, sparkling waters, etc.

 

Thanks as always for the great info and insights.

 

🙂 amcb

[C-Dragons]

Afternoon Tea is served from 3:00 to 4:00 pm in the Retreat. Pastries and other sweets are served, which differ daily. “Happy Hour” starts at 5:00 pm and the hors d'oeuvres served also vary each day .

Bottled water and soft drinks are available 24/7 in the Retreat. On the Edge, wine was also available to self pour all day. The amount of staff available to serve other drinks differs according to the time of day, so if no one is present you might have to visit another bar on the ship to get your drinks. However, at least one Retreat Concierge (there is more than one on the Edge) should be present all day.

 

With the exception of breakfast with coffee and tea every morning on our verandah, we have never had drinks delivered to our cabin, including bottled water. We just drop by the Retreat, get our bottles of water and bring them back to our cabin. I'm sure your Butler would be able to take care of that for you.

 

Edited May 5, 2021 by C-Dragons

[wrk2cruise]

The Retreat lounge is staffed from about 7:30 am to 11 pm or later with drinks of all kinds available the entire time.   Prior to covid the lounge had some very light fare like a charcuterie board and some nuts out during the evening cocktail hour.  Not sure if they will have self serve anything when sailing resumes.

 

Drinks available in Retreat lounge are technically in-line with what's available with the premium beverage package but if there is something you want mention it to the bartender on the first day and if they can they will stock it for you.

 

As far as drinks in the room.  The butler will deliver coffee/expresso but service of other alcohol as room service by the butler is not in their job description.   For lower suites like SS and Celebrity suites where the mini-bar stocking is not an actual perk many butlers have been known to offer to keep it stocked with your favorite waters/soft drinks.   I guess this is probably because people would stop at a bar and pick some things up to store in the mini bar anyway.

 

Remember the butler is probably servicing many other suites as well as yours.

[jelayne]

Keep in mind the beverage package does not include drinks delivered to the suite or the mini bar.  

[amcb]

30 minutes ago, jelayne said:

Keep in mind the beverage package does not include drinks delivered to the suite or the mini bar.  

This is why it gets confusing - Celebrity's website states in their "The Retreat" page:

 

"Premium Drinks

Enjoy your favorite beverages throughout the ship. Whether in your suite, out exploring, or relaxing by the pool, our dedicated butlers will serve your need."

 

This makes you think the premium beverage package is available to you in your suite. Sigh. The webpages are never right.

 

[George C]

26 minutes ago, amcb said:

This is why it gets confusing - Celebrity's website states in their "The Retreat" page:

 

"Premium Drinks

Enjoy your favorite beverages throughout the ship. Whether in your suite, out exploring, or relaxing by the pool, our dedicated butlers will serve your need."

 

This makes you think the premium beverage package is available to you in your suite. Sigh. The webpages are never right.

 

I believe this is new when I booked my suite it said same things , in the past drink package was not included but you could get free drinks all day in the suite lounge. Your butler may offer to get you drinks , fridge is only stocked and replenish on high end suites, but you can get beers or water from suite lounge and bring them to your suite. 

[The Wood Duck]

We have always had our mini bar stocked daily in a Sky Suite by our butler. Suite guests have all perks witch includes the mini bar. In Retreat (Michel's) Lounge, there was a selection of soft drinks, beer and water. There is also an Espresso machine. 

[Momma Rene]

When we were in the NCL Haven, they had a bar in the suite lounge.  For us, it was terrible.  Unless you sat at the bar, you were rarely served by the waiters.  We would find a place to sit and then go to the bar and order a drink.  They would then bring it to us.  

 

Michael's club was wonderful.  You would sit and then someone would come over, get your request and then bring it over.  It was heaven.

 

Will the service on the Millinnium in the new Michael's Club be the same as we had before or has the revolutionized lounge be different.  I thought I saw a bar in the lounge on the Millinnium.  

[Momma Rene]

On 5/7/2021 at 11:05 AM, The Wood Duck said:

We have always had our mini bar stocked daily in a Sky Suite by our butler. Suite guests have all perks witch includes the mini bar. In Retreat (Michel's) Lounge, there was a selection of soft drinks, beer and water. There is also an Espresso machine. 

Was there a charge on your bill for your mini bar?  We would probably like vodka in the mini bar.

[TrulyBlonde]

15 minutes ago, Momma Rene said:

 

 

Michael's club was wonderful.  You would sit and then someone would come over, get your request and then bring it over.  It was heaven.

 

Will the service on the Millinnium in the new Michael's Club be the same as we had before or has the revolutionized lounge be different.  I thought I saw a bar in the lounge on the Millinnium.  

The old Michael's was wonderful. The new one on Millennium is cold, sterile, and not set up the same. The bar is at the back in a separate area. Not inviting at all for mingling and conversation. Never saw a piano either:(

[wrk2cruise]

On 5/7/2021 at 2:05 PM, The Wood Duck said:

Suite guests have all perks witch includes the mini bar

 

This is not true.  In RS and above they will stock the mini bar with beer.   We have had the butler stock our sky suite mini bar with water and soda as a convenience as you could do this yourself with your premium beverage package by just stopping by the Retreat or any other lounge.  

 

However it is not a standard perk of the stateroom.

[amcb]

With the Always Included package in the suites, do people think the utilization of the Retreat Lounge will diminish?  For us, sailing on RC in suites, one of the major perks was being able to go to the suite lounge or concierge lounge and have cocktails and snacks before dinner. With the ability to get your preferred drink from anywhere on the ship, what is the benefit of the Retreat Lounge?

 

[davekathy]

3 minutes ago, amcb said:

With the Always Included package in the suites, do people think the utilization of the Retreat Lounge will diminish?  For us, sailing on RC in suites, one of the major perks was being able to go to the suite lounge or concierge lounge and have cocktails and snacks before dinner. With the ability to get your preferred drink from anywhere on the ship, what is the benefit of the Retreat Lounge?

 

My Magic 8 Ball says, "no". 

[wrk2cruise]

Most suite passengers have had 4 perks included in their fare for a few years now.  Not everyone uses the Retreat lounge but many do for the relaxing environment and superior service as well as socializing with fellow passengers.

 

I don't think the usage will change.

[amcb]

1 hour ago, wrk2cruise said:

Most suite passengers have had 4 perks included in their fare for a few years now.  Not everyone uses the Retreat lounge but many do for the relaxing environment and superior service as well as socializing with fellow passengers.

 

I don't think the usage will change.

That's actually good to know. I didn't realize that. Thanks for sharing. I know that we don't know what will happen yet, in terms of self-serve, etc., but historically, were there snacks available during the hours before dinner?

[Momma Rene]

5 hours ago, TrulyBlonde said:

The old Michael's was wonderful. The new one on Millennium is cold, sterile, and not set up the same. The bar is at the back in a separate area. Not inviting at all for mingling and conversation. Never saw a piano either:(

We always loved going there for the superior service.  Frankly, that is why I booked Celebrity.  They will lose the suite passengers if they do not provide good services in the lounge.

[wrk2cruise]

1 hour ago, amcb said:

That's actually good to know. I didn't realize that. Thanks for sharing. I know that we don't know what will happen yet, in terms of self-serve, etc., but historically, were there snacks available during the hours before dinner?

 

On the Revolutionized ships they installed a hot bar where they would have light snacks pre dinner.  It was self serve so I expect that won't be that way now.   Prior to that they would have served bites so maybe they will go back to that.

 

Also the butlers server tea time in the Retreat I think at 3 or 3:30 daily.

[ian441672]

18 hours ago, wrk2cruise said:

 

This is not true.  In RS and above they will stock the mini bar with beer.   We have had the butler stock our sky suite mini bar with water and soda as a convenience as you could do this yourself with your premium beverage package by just stopping by the Retreat or any other lounge.  

 

However it is not a standard perk of the stateroom.

We had a SS on our Caribbean Cruise 2 years ago, and our butler filled up our fridge / mini bar with both soft and alcoholic drinks daily.  He said because we had the Premium package, we might as well be able to access it in our room.  Guess it depends on the butler perhaps, but it was very good to have that.

[wrk2cruise]

Yes it depends on the butler.  Just don't want people to expect it as a given perk of the suite.

[C-Dragons]

Just now, wrk2cruise said:

Yes it depends on the butler.  Just don't want people to expect it as a given perk of the suite.

Exactly, and especially the part about stocking the fridge with alcohol.