Suite Smackdown – Who does it better? Celebrity Retreat vs. Norwegian Haven!

[grandgeezer]

52 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

What is missing from the comparison is price!  And there are some huge differences.  For us, a big attraction of the Yacht Club was the pricing (used to be $300 a passenger day but now at least $360) which was significantly less expensive then comparable deals on X.  And keep in mind that the YC folks get an entire section of ship (which is protected by electronic doors) which does give a real ship within a ship experience.  

 

Hank

Good point. In 2019 we spent 14 days in a Sky Suite on the Equinox and two months later we spent 14 days in a Deluxe Yacht Club Suite on MSC Seaside.

The Equinox was about $330 p.p. per day and the Seaside was about $210 p.p. per day. Both cruises we really nice, but overall, the Seaside was a much better value. 

The current pricing on both of them is much more than we would even consider paying. In fact all pricing for all lines is way over priced and we’ll stay on the sidelines. If they never come down, that’s all right too.

[crusinthrough]

16 hours ago, booklady26 said:

I was also very disappointed in the Retreat Sundeck menu. No comparison to the YC's lunch buffets on the Pool Deck - grilled fish, carving station, grilled lamb chops & steaks, pasta station, even lobster at least once during the cruises that we've been on. Only the salad bar leaves a lot to be desired. 

I agree with the disappointment of the lunch menu in the Retreat.  It's a basic menu with 3 or 4 items.  It's really a snack menu. I remember a Cesar salad and Luminae burger.  On the Edge lunch in Luminae was done at 1:00 PM, which is quite early.  

[crusinthrough]

11 hours ago, Hlitner said:

What is missing from the comparison is price!  And there are some huge differences.  For us, a big attraction of the Yacht Club was the pricing (used to be $300 a passenger day but now at least $360) which was significantly less expensive then comparable deals on X. 

Prices for YC have changed.  I found X pricing to be a bit better especially now with the 20% sale.    Maybe when cruising is back 100% and ships are at full capacity (or close)  pricing will go back down.  

[George C]

1 hour ago, crusinthrough said:

I agree with the disappointment of the lunch menu in the Retreat.  It's a basic menu with 3 or 4 items.  It's really a snack menu. I remember a Cesar salad and Luminae burger.  On the Edge lunch in Luminae was done at 1:00 PM, which is quite early.  

Definitely agree also like the breakfast buffet in YC , but bartenders in edge outside retreat were great . Not sure if next cruise I book will be YC or celebrity suite, YC also has a really nice private island with great suite perks and service.

[graphicguy]

22 hours ago, booklady26 said:

I think we should also add MSC's Yacht Club to the comparison. While we have yet to sail in the Retreat, we have done both the Haven and the Yacht Club and MSC is far better in just about any category you could name in our opinion. I'd like to know how the YC compares to the Retreat from people that have done both. 

Oooohhhh...what a good thread.  Thanks, @Seany527 for starting the thread and commenting.

 

I've actually sailed in all 3....NCL Haven, Celebrity Retreat and MSC Yacht Club.  I'll have to give this some thought, but will post as I recall my impressions.

[graphicguy]

At one point, MSC YC was a great value.  This was when MSC was courting the North American market.  I sailed in the YC on what at the time were their newest ships (Divina, Meriviglia).  Once out of MIA and most recently, out of Barcelona 3 years ago.  Now, MSC isn't the "deal" they were back then for the YC.

 

Recently, have sailed the RETREAT twice...both on the EDGE...once in July and once in August.  They were good deals....especially with the AI, premium drinks, tips included, internet streaming.  Outside of gifts from shops on board, I had NO charges on my account at the end of the cruise.  I did not have to spend anything more.

 

NCL Haven had been going way up in price.  While a bit better since they started back up, they're still higher than every other suite (with the exception of RCL, who's comparable Suite Star Class with way crazy high fares).

 

The experiences?  Similarly different.  Again, will have to ruminate on that for a while.

 

 

[Seany527]

Overall Ship Layout for Suite Guests

As I stated earlier, keep in mind this comparison is looking at the line’s newest class of sailing ships.

Let’s start with Norwegian and the Haven.  Norwegian offers the true ship within a ship experience. From the moment of boarding, a passenger could essentially never leave the Haven complex if they didn’t want to. Your restaurant, your lounge and your pool/sun deck are all located within 3 decks and with exclusive elevator and stair access. If you book certain Haven cabins, those too are all located within this same area.  Further, if you did want to go to the theater or ashore, you have access via your Concierge to the crew elevators. These elevators will give you direct access to these areas.

In the Retreat, it’s slightly different. Your Retreat dining room, Luminae, is located on one deck. Two decks up, with no exclusive elevator or stair access is the lounge.  From the lounge you can access, via stairs, the sun deck. If you wish to use an elevator, it’s back outside the lounge to the elevator bay and then one deck up, swiping your Retreat SeaPass card multiple times.

More on the overall layout of the Retreat is the awkward position of the spa in-between Luminae and the Lounge decks. If you take the stairs, be ready to be constantly pestered by the workers in the spa. They stand next to the stairs and promote different sales, offerings and treatments. In the beginning, I patiently listened and said no thank you but it didn’t let up during the cruise. I found it extremely annoying

Layout of the suite areas overwhelmingly goes to Norwegian with The Haven.

[Seany527]

22 hours ago, mafig said:

I've always wanted to try the Haven.  However, I kept reading reviews where some cruiser's experience was ruined by large families letting their children run wild.  Not on all ships /sailings obviously, but I was afraid to take the gamble.  Celebrity doesn't cater to children and most of the  suites on MSC's Yacht Club aren't that large.

I have been very lucky that every time I've sailed in the Haven, there have been very, very few children.  I am fortunate enough that I can plan my vacations around school breaks and tend to travel when most children are in school, because I agree, having kids in these suite areas certainly takes away from the experience.  I tried to write this from a subjective point of view because of that.  When I was in the Retreat there were also very few kids, but there were some. They did absolutely nothing wrong, they were kids being kids, but the up and down from their seats at dinner or in and out of the pool can be distracting, but like I said, I tried to be as subjective as possible.

 

It certainly is a gamble.

[Seany527]

15 hours ago, BoundForSea said:

My observations aren’t really which is better, rather than which cruise line does the ship within a ship become more pronounced? When we sail YC or Haven there is a huge sigh of relief from getting away from 4000+ people everywhere. The main pool scene on MSC and NCL is just out of hand. Sun decks on YC and Haven, relaxing and enjoyable. 

 

 

I completely agree and I have made notes to mention this in the upcoming posts.  There is a big difference between regular NCL and Haven NCL compared to regular Celebrity and Retreat Celebrity. 

[jelayne]

The more I read the more I realize the idea of a ship within a ship doesn’t appeal to me.  
We like  to visit different bars at different times of the day.  We enjoy jumping from the Ensemble Lounge, Sky Lounge, Club , Martini Bar depending upon what music or activity is going on.  We spend very little time in the  Retreat  Lounge.  We want to have a good experience throughout the ship.  It sounds like while the Haven or YC are quite nice the total ship experience isn’t one that Is one we , or that those who book Haven or YC, enjoy.

[bigbenboys]

4 hours ago, crusinthrough said:

I agree with the disappointment of the lunch menu in the Retreat.  It's a basic menu with 3 or 4 items.  It's really a snack menu. I remember a Cesar salad and Luminae burger.  On the Edge lunch in Luminae was done at 1:00 PM, which is quite early.  

Celebrity Luminae non-Edge Class, you can order off the MRD menu. Some on CC say you can order off the MDR menu on Edge in 2021. I was told no on the Edge in March 2019. Apex has said no to MDR menu in 2021. The reason given has been that the MDR kitchen is to far away. Normally Luminae is open on sea days for lunch from 12:00 to 1:30. At this time we will not book Edge Class ships.

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

54 minutes ago, jelayne said:

The more I read the more I realize the idea of a ship within a ship doesn’t appeal to me.  
We like  to visit different bars at different times of the day.  We enjoy jumping from the Ensemble Lounge, Sky Lounge, Club , Martini Bar depending upon what music or activity is going on.  We spend very little time in the  Retreat  Lounge.  We want to have a good experience throughout the ship.  It sounds like while the Haven or YC are quite nice the total ship experience isn’t one that Is one we , or that those who book Haven or YC, enjoy.

 

I would definitely give the edge to Celebrity for the total ship experience!  No comparison.  Celebrity wins hands down.

[DaisyV]

We recently spent some time considering a cruise on Norwegian or Celebrity. We looked  closely  at amenities, price and destinations. We decided to book a Celebrity Sky Suite. It seems to be by far the best overall deal for us.

[LGW59]

11 minutes ago, DaisyV said:

We recently spent some time considering a cruise on Norwegian or Celebrity. We looked  closely  at amenities, price and destinations. We decided to book a Celebrity Sky Suite. It seems to be by far the best overall deal for us.

you'll be very pleased, IMO

[Shawnkat]

22 hours ago, pdanza22 said:

thanks for the info, we have our eye on an aft Sky Suite, but not sure if we should pull the trigger yet (it's Mediterranean Aug, 2022)

We booked an Aft Sky Suite on the Reflection for Aug. 26 2022.  With the 20% off promo this week we just got back lots of $$$ from our original fare.  Even though the Reflection has not been Revolutionized yet, we can't wait!

 

[DrKoob]

One comment, one question.

 

Question: If you are going to spend the $$$ to get into The Retreat or The Haven, why wouldn't you just take the same $$$ and go to one of the luxury lines. We (after 20+ Celebrity cruises) are leaving to go to Viking Ocean. Price for a stateroom slightly larger than a Sky Suite is less than that same Sky Suite on most voyages. And on Viking Ocean I never have to worry about a lot of what I see people worrying about on this thread; there are no kids, no upselling in the spa, no smoking, full access to all restaurants, free shore excursions in every port, no gambling, no art auctions, no pushy (and really horrible) ship's photographers. 

 

Comment: This whole ship within a ship thing makes me think you are back on the Titanic with all the folks who aren't in The Retreat or The Haven or the Yacht Club in steerage and god forbid you should ever have to deal with those kind of people. Seriously I hate the way the new caste systems works. I don't mind it if it doesn't affect the "steerage cruisers" cruise but on the Edge ships it does. Unless you are in The Retreat you have nowhere to go for a forward facing view other than the gym. And the idea that the captain stops by to see the "rich people in the suites" and that this is expected kind of bothers me.

[DaisyV]

4 minutes ago, DrKoob said:

One comment, one question.

 

Question: If you are going to spend the $$$ to get into The Retreat or The Haven, why wouldn't you just take the same $$$ and go to one of the luxury lines. We (after 20+ Celebrity cruises) are leaving to go to Viking Ocean. Price for a stateroom slightly larger than a Sky Suite is less than that same Sky Suite on most voyages. And on Viking Ocean I never have to worry about a lot of what I see people worrying about on this thread; there are no kids, no upselling in the spa, no smoking, full access to all restaurants, free shore excursions in every port, no gambling, no art auctions, no pushy (and really horrible) ship's photographers. 

 

Comment: This whole ship within a ship thing makes me think you are back on the Titanic with all the folks who aren't in The Retreat or The Haven or the Yacht Club in steerage and god forbid you should ever have to deal with those kind of people. Seriously I hate the way the new caste systems works. I don't mind it if it doesn't affect the "steerage cruisers" cruise but on the Edge ships it does. Unless you are in The Retreat you have nowhere to go for a forward facing view other than the gym. And the idea that the captain stops by to see the "rich people in the suites" and that this is expected kind of bothers me.

We don't share your same concerns, and that's ok. These things can be very individual. 

We got an excellent price for a 9 night cruise. The higher end lines you mention were about double what we are paying.

 

[grandgeezer]

11 minutes ago, DrKoob said:

One comment, one question.

 

Question: If you are going to spend the $$$ to get into The Retreat or The Haven, why wouldn't you just take the same $$$ and go to one of the luxury lines. We (after 20+ Celebrity cruises) are leaving to go to Viking Ocean. Price for a stateroom slightly larger than a Sky Suite is less than that same Sky Suite on most voyages. And on Viking Ocean I never have to worry about a lot of what I see people worrying about on this thread; there are no kids, no upselling in the spa, no smoking, full access to all restaurants, free shore excursions in every port, no gambling, no art auctions, no pushy (and really horrible) ship's photographers. 

 

Comment: This whole ship within a ship thing makes me think you are back on the Titanic with all the folks who aren't in The Retreat or The Haven or the Yacht Club in steerage and god forbid you should ever have to deal with those kind of people. Seriously I hate the way the new caste systems works. I don't mind it if it doesn't affect the "steerage cruisers" cruise but on the Edge ships it does. Unless you are in The Retreat you have nowhere to go for a forward facing view other than the gym. And the idea that the captain stops by to see the "rich people in the suites" and that this is expected kind of bothers me.

We spent time daily, out on the rest of the ship, shows, casino, shopping, bars, etc.

We ate all of our meals in the Y.C. dining room, as well as our quiet time, pool time, and most of our drinks in the Y.C. As far as the captain, we saw him twice in the Y.C. area, that was for a welcome aboard drink the first day of each week of our B2B.

These high end areas is open to anyone who is willing to pay and for the premium price, you should get something for the money.

[graphicguy]

YC....beautiful area on the new(er) MSC ships.  Nice large YC area with large windows.  Always enjoyed the jazz duo/trio that played in the YC Lounge every night.  Particularly enjoyed having the Butler actually taking our bags from us at the curb at checkin and taking them to our cabin.  We didn't touch them again until we were in our cabins.

 

Butler and Concierges are more laid back in the YC.  They don't do much in the way of going over the top.  Same with service in the YC Lounge.  Your server (which is usually one of the Butlers) pretty much leave you alone unless you ask them for a drink.  Concierges were the same way.  They'll make reservations for you, give you internet help, etc.  But, really stay in the background.  

 

Nice YC restaurant.  Food was good, as was the service.  Nice selections every day, also.

 

YC pool area isn't bad.  Maybe a bit of a whine for me, but the water in the YC pool was absolutely frigid...to the point where I never got used to it.  Never many people there, though.

 

YC outdoor area was quite nice.  Again, drink service you had to find someone (unless you were at the bar) to get service.  But, it was not crowded.

 

In general, a more laid back atmosphere than either the Retreat or Haven.

 

Divina and Meraviglia in general are nice ships.  Entertainment was perplexing, at best.  Understood none of the shows (even though they were more or less "language neutral").  Entertainers were all talented.  I just always came away thinking "what did I just see?"

Edited September 20, 2021 by graphicguy

[graphicguy]

Celebrity Retreat-probably splits the difference between the YC and the Haven.  It is more spread out than either the Haven or YC.  That doesn't bother me.  To some, it was a bother.  

 

In the Retreat Lounge, the Concierges and wait staff were all too happy to get you whatever you wanted.  The Concierges also helped with booking dinners, excursions, taking care of billing or internet issues.  At times, I felt a little sorry for them and they would spend an inordinate amount of time listening to some passenger's tail of woe about their health issues, how they can not eat certain foods, etc.  But, they did, and did so while at least feigning interest.  I know sitting next to some of these folks that what I was hearing was something I would fall asleep listening to.

 

Butlers were supposed to do the same as the Concierges.  But overall, mostly what they did was to keep my fridge stocked with the beers, water and soft drinks I wanted.  They also did any special "snack" requests.  They also offered to help me pack and unpack (which I declined as I just find strangers going through my luggage more than a little weird).  When I requested laundry to be done, I asked my butler if they could take the laundry bag I had stuffed and get me a fee schedule of what the charges would be.  On both cruises, my Concierges told me not to worry about the fee schedule and just give my laundry bag to the Butler and they'd take care of the charges, which they did.  Nice touch.

 

Pool and bar area just outside the Retreat was a nice respite.  I liked the area quite a lot.  I would be able to take a dip in the pool (much shallower than on the YC), go to one of the mini cabanas, read a while, and repeat.  Before and after dinner I would go to the Retreat bar area for cocktails.  Plenty of stories to tell...all of them surrounding some of the "interesting" folks I met there.  Always fun.  Bartenders were wonderful.

 

Entertainment.....Very good.   Smaller in scale compared to NCL, but good nonetheless.  Never missed a main show as a result.

 

Martini bar...hub of the ship.  Always something fun happening there.

 

Luminae...liked it more than the Haven Restaurant, but not as good as the YC restaurant.  A bit limited in their menus.  Menu changed for dinner every evening, and they offered to get me anything from the MDRs that I might want.  Service was over the top.  They could not have been any more accommodating.  

 

Specialty restaurants were excellent.  Raw on 5 had some of the freshest seafood I'd ever eaten.  EDEN was flat outstanding.  Even the few times I decided to eat in the  many MDRs, it was good.

 

For sailaway, for afternoon cocktails on sea days, etc Magic Carpet was my go to.  Nice couches with attentive waitstaff and a bar.  Not part of the RETREAT, but loved in nonetheless.

[graphicguy]

HAVEN-as many foibles as NCL has, no one does the "ship within a ship" as well as NCL.  Are there differences here and there?  Yeah, but overall, the Haven is still the standard bearer (not by much, though).  As an aside, I've only been in the Havens on the Breakaway and the Getaway.

 

The Haven is more compact.  The layout makes more sense and is more convenient.  If you get a Haven Spa cabin, you're near the spa.  If you're in a Haven Aft cabin, you're aft (and probably the furthest away from the Haven proper.  Then, there are the Haven Cabins that are close to the Haven hub. You choose. Personally, I'd rather be a little ways away from the Haven proper.  Some want to be "right there".  To each their own.

 

In the Haven proper, everything is together....the bar, the restaurant, the pool area...they're all close to each other.

 

Pool are is small, but never crowded.  And, if you really want to be secluded, the area above the pool there's hardly anyone ever there.

 

Want a massage?  No need to go to the Spa.  The masseuse will come to you, as the Haven has a private massage area.

 

Haven bar....always activity going there.  Haven folks tend to meet there, for whatever reason. And, I've been there well into the wee hours, too.  Never crowded (except maybe on embarkation day).  Haven mixologists are the best in the biz.  They're creative, entertaining, and engaging.  You want exotic?  That's their specialty.

 

Haven restaurant...probably my least favorite between the YC and Retreat.  The food they have there is good.  The staff is very accommodating.  But, the menu is limited, and never changes.

 

But, the specialty restaurants (included in the alleged "free" promotions) make up for that.  Every specialty I've dined has been great.  And, to make it even better, regardless of when you want to dine in them, or how crowded they are, the Concierges seem to get you in whenever you want....like magic.

 

Speaking of Concierges, again Haven has the best in the industry.  No matter what you want, what your issue is...billing, entertainment or excursion booking, internet problems, last minute Cagney's dining...anything, turn it over to them and they seem to magically get it done.

 

Butlers....I don't use Butlers much, as you can tell by now.  They bring snacks.  They ask how I'm doing.  I really don't dine in the cabin.  So, not that they're not good.  I just don't require much of them.

 

Entertainment....no one does entertainment like NCL...period.  Choir of Man, Million Dollar Quartet, Blue Man Group, Kinky Boots, etc.....NCL puts on big productions that are Vegas and Broadway worthy.

 

Can't think of much more to share.  I can't imagine anyone being disappointed in the YC, the Retreat or the Haven.  Book the one that's the least expensive and enjoy.

 

 

[LGW59]

20 hours ago, DrKoob said:

One comment, one question.

 

Question: If you are going to spend the $$$ to get into The Retreat or The Haven, why wouldn't you just take the same $$$ and go to one of the luxury lines. We (after 20+ Celebrity cruises) are leaving to go to Viking Ocean. Price for a stateroom slightly larger than a Sky Suite is less than that same Sky Suite on most voyages. And on Viking Ocean I never have to worry about a lot of what I see people worrying about on this thread; there are no kids, no upselling in the spa, no smoking, full access to all restaurants, free shore excursions in every port, no gambling, no art auctions, no pushy (and really horrible) ship's photographers. 

 

Comment: This whole ship within a ship thing makes me think you are back on the Titanic with all the folks who aren't in The Retreat or The Haven or the Yacht Club in steerage and god forbid you should ever have to deal with those kind of people. Seriously I hate the way the new caste systems works. I don't mind it if it doesn't affect the "steerage cruisers" cruise but on the Edge ships it does. Unless you are in The Retreat you have nowhere to go for a forward facing view other than the gym. And the idea that the captain stops by to see the "rich people in the suites" and that this is expected kind of bothers me.

to your Question: maybe because they are happy with the line they sail on, like you seem to be with your "luxury" lines, for many people maybe NCL/Celebrity are luxury to them.

 

to your comment:  why do you insert "steerage" and "rich people suites".  I am neither steerage or rich, just a guy who saves for a vacation and decides what works best for me. 

[Sykes]

22 hours ago, DrKoob said:

One comment, one question.

 

Question: If you are going to spend the $$$ to get into The Retreat or The Haven, why wouldn't you just take the same $$$ and go to one of the luxury lines. We (after 20+ Celebrity cruises) are leaving to go to Viking Ocean. Price for a stateroom slightly larger than a Sky Suite is less than that same Sky Suite on most voyages. And on Viking Ocean I never have to worry about a lot of what I see people worrying about on this thread; there are no kids, no upselling in the spa, no smoking, full access to all restaurants, free shore excursions in every port, no gambling, no art auctions, no pushy (and really horrible) ship's photographers. 

 

Comment: This whole ship within a ship thing makes me think you are back on the Titanic with all the folks who aren't in The Retreat or The Haven or the Yacht Club in steerage and god forbid you should ever have to deal with those kind of people. Seriously I hate the way the new caste systems works. I don't mind it if it doesn't affect the "steerage cruisers" cruise but on the Edge ships it does. Unless you are in The Retreat you have nowhere to go for a forward facing view other than the gym. And the idea that the captain stops by to see the "rich people in the suites" and that this is expected kind of bothers me.

It's pretty straight-forward for us--we want "big ship" amenities, but a bit of extra space and improved service. IMO, unlike NCL, I think Celebrity does a pretty good job of NOT creating a "caste system" as you describe it. On our last sailing, we really loved the food and service in Luminae, but we ate most of our meals in the specialty restaurants or Oceanview Cafe. We really appreciated having the Retreat sundeck and pool available and went there when we needed a bit of quiet, but we spent most of our time at the Martini Bar or on the main pool deck. We never once saw Captain Kate at Luminae--instead we ran into her at a MDR, the Martini Bar, or the nightclub.

[DrKoob]

4 hours ago, LGW59 said:

to your comment:  why do you insert "steerage" and "rich people suites".  I am neither steerage or rich, just a guy who saves for a vacation and decides what works best for me. 

Because I believe that the entire ship should be open to all. The idea that there is not a front facing view for all but the suite guests on Edge class ships is just wrong. And to think that they were going to take Edge through the Canal...one of the most fantastic experiences you can have cruising—with 80% of the ship not able to watch it happen...is just wrong.

[LGW59]

16 minutes ago, DrKoob said:

Because I believe that the entire ship should be open to all. The idea that there is not a front facing view for all but the suite guests on Edge class ships is just wrong. And to think that they were going to take Edge through the Canal...one of the most fantastic experiences you can have cruising—with 80% of the ship not able to watch it happen...is just wrong.

Obviously nothing wrong with what you believe and you have made your decision to sail on luxury lines as a result.  Folks can and do make their own decisions and if they book in steerage or rich people suites, hopefully they have done THEIR homework and know where their cabin location is.