The Retreat versus Concierge Class and adding Specialty Dining

[bnurick]

I know there has been A LOT of discussion regarding changes to all booking levels.  It seems the new normal is here to stay and like others we are shopping around now.  Below is the math for a January 2025 10 night cruise on the Beyond at a difference of $5,666 or 38%.  Which option would you chose Sky Suite/Concierge Class?

   

[BettyCruiser]

How do you measure the loss of the Retreat Sun Deck and Lounge. Did you include the cost of upgrading the drink package to premium for CC? And the suite also offers better wifi doesn't it? And the size of the room and an actual balcony. 

 

Edited August 1, 2023 by BettyCruiser

[basenji56]

1 minute ago, BettyCruiser said:

How do you measure the loss of the Retreat Sun Deck and Lounge. Did you include the cost of upgrading the drink package to premium for CC?

 

I am not a pool person.  What are the benefits of the Retreat Sun Deck other than exclusivity?  Is it a salt water pool?  Quieter?  No kids?  Just curious.

 

[bnurick]

Just now, BettyCruiser said:

How do you measure the loss of the Retreat Sun Deck and Lounge. Did you include the cost of upgrading the drink package to premium for CC?

 

I did the full add-on’s for CC.  The difference would be the cost for The Retreat experience.  I’ve cruised 9 times in The Retreat and 1 time in CC.  Trying to figure out if it’s worth $5,666 more.

[neverlaysup]

The price for All Included Concierge Class is $6331. The upgrade on drinks and WIFI would be about $600 for a total cost of just under $7,000. An S2 is $14059- $800 OBC for a net of $13259. The prices you have been quoted don't look correct. I just looked at X's web site. All of that being said, if you book the Retreat, you are paying for Retreat amenities such as a private lounge, restaurant and sundeck. Is it worth the extra money.....I'll leave that up to you. You could certainly have a smaller room and specialty dine every night and not have access to the Retreat for thousands less.....It all depends on what is most important to you!

[bnurick]

1 minute ago, basenji56 said:

I am not a pool person.  What are the benefits of the Retreat Sun Deck other than exclusivity?  Is it a salt water pool?  Quieter?  No kids?  Just curious.

 

I’ve never been in one of the pools, now that I think of it.  It’s exclusivity and comfortable seating.

[Lena11033]

As a solo traveler it's hard for my to justify a suite - I have one coming up but when I booked it the price wasn't much more than what I was paying for Aqua.

My next two after that are just verandas, one is a solo room and another is a sunset veranda.

[BettyCruiser]

1 minute ago, bnurick said:

I did the full add-on’s for CC.  The difference would be the cost for The Retreat experience.  I’ve cruised 9 times in The Retreat and 1 time in CC.  Trying to figure out if it’s worth $5,666 more.

 

For me the Beyond could maybe be worth it since I will not cruise in an infinite veranda I'd rather just have a window if that were the case. And the Retreat amenities on Beyond (E class ) are nicer than S or M class. 

 

But at the rate things are going who knows what the amenities of the Retreat will be in 2025.

[bnurick]

1 minute ago, neverlaysup said:

The price for All Included Concierge Class is $6331. The upgrade on drinks and WIFI would be about $600 for a total cost of just under $7,000. An S2 is $14059- $800 OBC for a net of $13259. The prices you have been quoted don't look correct. I just looked at X's web site. All of that being said, if you book the Retreat, you are paying for Retreat amenities such as a private lounge, restaurant and sundeck. Is it worth the extra money.....I'll leave that up to you. You could certainly have a smaller room and specialty dine every night and not have access to the Retreat for thousands less.....It all depends on what is most important to you!

I did the pricing on X website. That’s the math it showed at the final screen earlier today, so perhaps it changed?  IDK, but the difference would be in that $5,000+ range, so it’s materially close enough.  I’m struggling justifying at that amount.

[BettyCruiser]

9 minutes ago, basenji56 said:

I am not a pool person.  What are the benefits of the Retreat Sun Deck other than exclusivity?  Is it a salt water pool?  Quieter?  No kids?  Just curious.

 

It's quieter, has nice cushy loungers and sofas. Has a bar and table service lunch. Don't remember what kind of water is in the pool. If there are kids in a suite there will be kids. 

[RichYak]

22 minutes ago, bnurick said:

Which option would you chose Sky Suite/Concierge Class?

Honestly, neither. $450+ pp/pn for what is effectively an oceanview cabin even with specialty dining every night is too rich for me.

[neverlaysup]

2 minutes ago, bnurick said:

I did the pricing on X website. That’s the math it showed at the final screen earlier today, so perhaps it changed?  IDK, but the difference would be in that $5,000+ range, so it’s materially close enough.  I’m struggling justifying at that amount.

If you struggle to justify it, you know the answer. At that price point, I may opt for AquaClass and if you want to upgrade the drinks and WIFI, it would be about $7500 total. That would give you BLU and the Thermal Suite plus the AQ room amenities.

[BettyCruiser]

Dining would be $876 assuming they don't raise the price from now, remember they add those gratuities when purchasing a dining package. 

[Barb1403]

Did you price the MC Suite (Magic Carpet Suite)?  We have booked 4 of them and have 2 more booked!  Better price than an S2 and all the same amenities with a bigger balcony (2 loungers, 2 chairs and a table!

[neverlaysup]

4 minutes ago, Barb1403 said:

Did you price the MC Suite (Magic Carpet Suite)?  We have booked 4 of them and have 2 more booked!  Better price than an S2 and all the same amenities with a bigger balcony (2 loungers, 2 chairs and a table!

I just looked and it was only $100 less.

 

[tigervixxxen]

I still really don’t get the point of concierge class. But the question at hand I am also thinking about but with the suites closer to 10-11k on a transatlantic next fall if that would be worth it at that price point as we’ve never sailed in a suite and that’s close to what we paid for Aqua class one time. But 5k more is also tough to swallow. I could go either way. 

[prmssk]

When I did the comparison recently for our Apex cruise, I used a IV for comparison to a Magic Carpet Suite as the price between the IV and CC was too big to justify CC at current prices.  I like the CC embarkation day lunch but that is only worth so much.  No matter how I looked at the numbers, I couldn't justify the Retreat.

 

I also did a comparison to Aqua Class and I was even struggling to justify that one compared to an IV at current prices for that cruise but it was a lot closer to maybe being worth it than the Retreat.

[Silvery Seas Cruiser]

I really dislike infinite balconies. But you don't have to choose a suite to avoid that balcony style. On the Beyond  and Apex, we chose sunset balconies which have traditional door openings, plus our balconies were generously sized, certainly far better than infinite balcony size. I really enjoyed those balconies.

As to specialty dining, we wanted to do that on those ships, but couldn't get in the ones we wanted at the early times we wanted. That was a disappointment. We often ended up in the inferior buffet, a huge cutback from the sumptuous buffets of Celebrity's pre-pandemic past. 

No question that suites are luxurious, have more specious rooms, have attractive amenities, and whatever else one might desire, but $5000 could mean another cruise for us, so because we have plenty of time, we choose the more economical and less luxurious option.

[wineoclock]

For me on E class I cruise in a suite or I’d have a SV. I use my balcony way too much to be happy with an IV. Shame X didn’t have a few more traditional balconies as well. 

[phoenix_dream]

With so many people considering booking lower (than suite) classes and choosing to book specialty restaurants, I wonder what that will do to the ability to book those restaurants at the times you would prefer (or at all), especially on M class ships with so few to offer.  I guess time will tell.

[bikerunner]

2 hours ago, neverlaysup said:

The price for All Included Concierge Class is $6331. The upgrade on drinks and WIFI would be about $600 for a total cost of just under $7,000. An S2 is $14059- $800 OBC for a net of $13259. The prices you have been quoted don't look correct. I just looked at X's web site. All of that being said, if you book the Retreat, you are paying for Retreat amenities such as a private lounge, restaurant and sundeck. Is it worth the extra money.....I'll leave that up to you. You could certainly have a smaller room and specialty dine every night and not have access to the Retreat for thousands less.....It all depends on what is most important to you!

I would take the Concierge, The room is just that to me, sleep and store clothes, Im fine with either a balcony or the infinity verandah, I actually like how it makes the room bigger.  The availability to go to a speciality each night is intriguing, tho I know one or more nights probably would be Buffett depending on the day I had out and about.  The suite is nice, has lots of extra special touches but Im fine with out it.  I think it's just my mindset from running many hotels and resorts that I dont need it overall.  Great analysis. 

[hcat]

2 hours ago, basenji56 said:

I am not a pool person.  What are the benefits of the Retreat Sun Deck other than exclusivity?  Is it a salt water pool?  Quieter?  No kids?  Just curious.

 

It must be mostly exclusivity and service.  Pool itself is small, often crowded and monopolized by some folks all day unless a port day.  Not always  a quite space.  There are nice comfy  loungers in  shaded areas  with attendants.  Bar is  crowded, lunch menu limited w slow service. 

 

 It was  enjoyable on a port day but so was the big pool!

 

[TommyD3]

3 hours ago, RichYak said:

Honestly, neither. $450+ pp/pn for what is effectively an oceanview cabin even with specialty dining every night is too rich for me.

You think $700+ pp/pn is worth it for a Sky Suite ???

[RichYak]

5 minutes ago, TommyD3 said:

You think $700+ pp/pn is worth it for a Sky Suite ???

No. Was “neither” too big a word for you?

[TommyD3]

13 minutes ago, RichYak said:

No. Was “neither” too big a word for you?

Basically was concentrating on the $450 pp.pd and ocean view cabin comments.