Moving on up to a Suite on Silhouette - any tips

[SusiejaneUK]

Hi, we have been lucky enough to win an upgrade to an Horizon Suite on Silhouette.  We were originally in Aqua and this is our first experience in a suite.  If anyone has been on a cruise in a similar position of being upgraded to a Suite can you tell us what we will be able to enjoy as Suite passengers bearing in mind that although we paid for the upgrade, when we booked, we booked as Aqua ?  Thank you 

 

[leaveitallbehind]

Here is a link to the Celebrity website with the MoveUp terms and conditions:

 

https://www.celebritycruises.com/bid-on-cruise-room-upgrade

 

The FAQ's at the bottom of the page will explain what you will and will not be entitled to with the upgrade.

Edited October 7 by leaveitallbehind

[thebutlerdidit]

You’ll dine in Luminae and have access to the Retreat Lounge and the Retreat Sun Deck. Drinks in the Retreat Lounge are included, but you’ll either need a drink package or need to pay by the drink in Luminae.
 

 Congratulations and enjoy! 

[1Virgo]

whatever you booked in original booking transports with you. If you stayed Classic beverage on original booking, that is what you get - you will not be  upgraded to premium  .  oh. your gratuities will be extra. Bonus. priority disembarking, Luminae restaurant and Retreat Lounge   Invited to extra events.   hey benjoy

[leaveitallbehind]

1 hour ago, thebutlerdidit said:

You’ll dine in Luminae and have access to the Retreat Lounge and the Retreat Sun Deck. Drinks in the Retreat Lounge are included, but you’ll either need a drink package or need to pay by the drink in Luminae.
 

 Congratulations and enjoy! 

If the OP had a drink package (and other promo's) included with the original Aqua booking that will follow with the upgrade.  But only that which was originally booked.

 

Edited to add: Sorry for the duplicate post @1Virgo was finishing typing as you posted.

Edited October 8 by leaveitallbehind

[Shadow9612]

Congratulations!   

[Stu UK]

Remember you will lose access to the thermal suite if that was important to you. 

[SusiejaneUK]

Thank you for all your responses and advice..  Don’t want to sound ungrateful at all (and after all we have paid for the upgrade) but if we have paid for Wi-Fi,  drinks package that is ported with us, but the thermal spa isn’t ?? To be honest this was our first Aqua experience so never experienced the thermal spa but doesn’t seem equitable that one element you have paid for is excluded when you paid for it with your original booking,

 

 

[Stu UK]

6 minutes ago, SusiejaneUK said:

Thank you for all your responses and advice..  Don’t want to sound ungrateful at all (and after all we have paid for the upgrade) but if we have paid for Wi-Fi,  drinks package that is ported with us, but the thermal spa isn’t ?? To be honest this was our first Aqua experience so never experienced the thermal spa but doesn’t seem equitable that one element you have paid for is excluded when you paid for it with your original booking,

 

 

It’s just the way it works. 

[hcat]

57 minutes ago, SusiejaneUK said:

Thank you for all your responses and advice..  Don’t want to sound ungrateful at all (and after all we have paid for the upgrade) but if we have paid for Wi-Fi,  drinks package that is ported with us, but the thermal spa isn’t ?? To be honest this was our first Aqua experience so never experienced the thermal spa but doesn’t seem equitable that one element you have paid for is excluded when you paid for it with your original booking,

 

 

You bid to get suite perks so u are no longer getting Thermal Suite included  You can buy a pass

.  Suite guests can enjoy BLU  suject to avaiability..so you still have that!

 

[jelayne]

1 hour ago, SusiejaneUK said:

Thank you for all your responses and advice..  Don’t want to sound ungrateful at all (and after all we have paid for the upgrade) but if we have paid for Wi-Fi,  drinks package that is ported with us, but the thermal spa isn’t ?? To be honest this was our first Aqua experience so never experienced the thermal spa but doesn’t seem equitable that one element you have paid for is excluded when you paid for it with your original booking,

 

 

You trade off the Aqua Class amenities (Thermal spa access) for the amenities of a Suite:   a Butler, Luminae, the Retreat Lounge and Retreat Sun Deck, priority boarding, priority tendering, etc.

You can dine in Blu on a space available basis.  

The only Sky Suites that have access to the Thermal spa are the Aqua Sky Suites.  

[Stu UK]

5 hours ago, jelayne said:

You trade off the Aqua Class amenities (Thermal spa access) for the amenities of a Suite:   a Butler, Luminae, the Retreat Lounge and Retreat Sun Deck, priority boarding, priority tendering, etc.

You can dine in Blu on a space available basis.  

The only Sky Suites that have access to the Thermal spa are the Aqua Sky Suites.  

Also Royal and above have thermal access

[jelayne]

1 hour ago, Stu UK said:

Also Royal and above have thermal access

Since the poster moved to a Sky Suite I restricted my reply to the Sky Suite category. 

[Iamcruzin]

16 hours ago, SusiejaneUK said:

Thank you for all your responses and advice..  Don’t want to sound ungrateful at all (and after all we have paid for the upgrade) but if we have paid for Wi-Fi,  drinks package that is ported with us, but the thermal spa isn’t ?? To be honest this was our first Aqua experience so never experienced the thermal spa but doesn’t seem equitable that one element you have paid for is excluded when you paid for it with your original booking,

 

 

 Next time before you bid call Celebrity and ask how much it would cost to upgrade directly. You will pay the difference for the cost of what you booked and what the going rate for the higher category is. In my case it was only $88 total compared to the lowest bid of $210 each to go from Concierge to Aqua. I didn't get the Concierge lunch on embarkation day even though I was booked in Concierge originally.  I wasn't expecting it because that isn't offered in Aqua Class. You will be able to pick your room and get all of the perks that come with the room. You would still lose the spa unless you upgraded to an Aqua suite in which case you would also have the choice of Blu in addition to Luminae. As it stands Blu is only available to you if there is room.

Edited October 11 by Iamcruzin

[chemmo]

20 hours ago, SusiejaneUK said:

Thank you for all your responses and advice..  Don’t want to sound ungrateful at all (and after all we have paid for the upgrade) but if we have paid for Wi-Fi,  drinks package that is ported with us, but the thermal spa isn’t ?? To be honest this was our first Aqua experience so never experienced the thermal spa but doesn’t seem equitable that one element you have paid for is excluded when you paid for it with your original booking,

 

 

For some guests the thermal spa can be a ‘once and done’ experience…I never used it at all last cruise despite having access. Other guests, however, love and visit almost daily and prefer Blu to Luminae.
 

If you chat to the concierge once on board he/she will be able to arrange a day pass for you (fee payable) for the Spa and to dine one evening in Blu (no fee but you need to be willing to be flexible with day/time as it is subject to availability).
 

It is worth you doing this to enable you to decide if you would on future cruises want a suite again or would be happy in Aqua or perhaps don’t find the Spa that big a draw or Blu that much better than the MDR…

 

Much as the suite experience is a great match for many guests and they thoroughly utilise all the suite areas, the butler and enjoy Luminae this isn’t true for all. Some guests find that they prefer to enjoy drinks at the Martini bar, never used the butler and would rather dine in a mix of MDR and Speciality restaurants than dine in Luminae. Next cruise they may simply choose a standard veranda and use their saved $$$ to upgrade their drinks package or buy a dining package or simply save money towards the next cruise.

 

You obviously were interested in Aqua initially so try to get a taste of it while enjoying your suite experience!

 

Sincere best wishes for a wonderful cruise!

[Sox Fan Cruiser]

Suite spaces are so much better than the thermal spa. Enjoy that on a future cruise. Dont worry about it for this one. 

[H2O_traveler]

Congratulations on your move up! We have sailed in Aqua class several times and then on our last cruise, won a move up bid to a suite. We both said at the end of the cruise, it would be really hard to go back to aqua class or lower after experiencing the suite life. No, you won’t get the thermal suite access or Blu but the perks of the retreat experience far out weigh it. As someone else mentioned, the thermal suites are short lived in a day, but the suite life is throughout the entire cruise. 
 

For us, it felt like a cruise within a cruise. The retreat lounge had a cappuccino machine you could access throughout the day and provided a lovely quiet area to escape the busyness of the ship. We had only been eating in Luminae and so hasn’t realized how full the ship was until one day we decided to try the buffet..We were shocked by all the people. Lol.. we didn’t go back to the buffet. 

 

Embarkation and disembarking was made you feel like royalty being escorted on and off past the other guests. Our butler went above and beyond our expectations and having the bigger room was fabulous. Overall, you are just going to be treated like a VIP so enjoy!  
 

Tips- take advantage of the reserved theater seating on chic nights because they will serve you drinks in your seats and any friends you make in the retreat lounge, will be in your area too. Also, get to know the retreat hosts. They are fabulous and will go out of their way to make sure you have a fabulous cruise. Last tip.. If you want to have friends over for some wine or just to meet before heading out somewhere, let your butler know and he’ll set it up by chilling the wine, bringing extra glasses and providing some food plates (cheese, shrimp, crackers, etc.)

 

[Asleep-In-The-Desert]

Don't miss this small but sweet detail - At the embarkation terminal choose the, "Retreat Guests" cordoned line.  You'll be whisked to a private lounge with goodies, seating, doting and priority boarding.  Don't be shy, you paid for it.

[SusiejaneUK]

Thank you so much again for all your, extensive and informative comments. 
 

We are on the cruise currently enjoying the suite experience very much and putting into practice all of your tips and advice !

 

We are having a truly wonderful time ! 

[miched]

The thermal spa isn’t that great.    A room with a salt block, or crystal.  Sit in a hot room. The heated loungers aren’t that comfortable and hard to get into.   Those on the S class are more comfortable and not in the sun.  If you want salt air, humidity, and heat sit on your balcony. 
 

Enjoy the Retreat Perks and don’t try to chase after what others like or don’t like.   Make  friends with your butler and Retreat Hosts.   They can do a lot of nice things for you but don’t be demanding or “bribe” them with a TIP upfront.  It insults them, and please  don’t give them a list of what you want and etc.   This really  insults them.    They are professionals and take pride in their position.

 

Remember they have feelings and are not your slave.  Treat them with respect and kindness.  It goes a long way.   I know from experience.  

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅