Cap_D

Strongly disagree. The Luminae staff aren't doing anyone a favor by being open or serving food, it's their job and it's a key feature and cost of Retreat. For thousands of dollars a day the Retreat experience should be built around the passengers and not the other way around. Few resorts would shut down hot breakfast at 9 am, especially on holidays like Easter or weekends (although on a ship there's no such distinction). And, on port days there is no lunch served for Retreat guests at Luminae. Further, early end time is an issue on specific port days when one can't depart the ship until 10 am or later. Even McDonald's serves breakfast to 10:30 am. The Luminae dining room can't handle everyone at opening, too. FWIW, on port days the Luminae staff are assigned to the OVC for lunch, which isn't a break.

Perhaps. For 1600 - 2000k and up per day one of the staff standing around could have easily placed the order, passed me the phone to order room service, or slipped into the active kitchen for a scoop of the oatmeal or a packet of instant. They'd have done that if I asked for an alcoholic drink, or as folks recount on here find a specific spirit if its not at the bar. So, my point is Retreat staff should be hospitable and not indifferent. As it is, the Retreat experience is a bit of a farce, with made up scarcity, and challenges that require solving for by the paying guest.

There's no actual details in the document, except the Chat is new and would help with Butler utilization and convenience. I would add they need to fix the app for updated Android users so that new message alerts are visible, messages that are left on VM also are sent to chat, and have charging/outlets be more widley available. A tablet in the room like some hotels could help, too. But, if Butlers and retreat staff are not empowered, and product design is not oriented for guests (like no self serve coffee with breakfast in the lounge, sundeck menu with precooked burger, premade wrap, and limp salad), Retreat amenities become less useful and smoke and mirrors. Could one chat and ask for dishes from room service to be delivered wherever the guest is (or at least in the Retreat enclave)? If not, that's a good example of the staff still not being able to meet a customer request.

Until they solve for the issue I describe in the below post from earlier today, I call BS on the enhancements. Celebrity should also apologize to every person who purchased Retreat and sailed during the period where Butlers were fired, the paid minibar explicitly enforced, etc. And, one sous vide vacuum packed pre prepared chicken dish from a Boulud commissary doesn't make for an enhancement to the Luminae menu. Also, still waiting for the promised Luminae room service breakfast menu that has consistently been promoted before booking for years and yet is entirely ignored by shipboard staff at all levels.

Beyond March 2024.

Not saying Retreat doesn't have it's positives. It does. Yet, maybe it's cruise ship staffing generally, but even Celebrity Retreat has certain inflexibilities and rigidness that make it at times less hospitable than any other so called premium experience. A great example is Luminae breakfast closed early (9) even on late port days on the cruise I was on. Despite plenty of people still not having received their meals, I was refused seating for what I explained would be a scoop of oatmeal and berries. Easy peasy. I then went to the lounge, which was still presenting food for a short while longer, but was informed by the concierges that they or I could not order oatmeal from room service, and a server couldn't go one floor down (the same kitchen that serves and controls food and servers for the lounge) for a scoop of oatmeal (they already had fruit). I was told I could go to OVC (no berries per a family member that was there earlier, however) or back to my room. We ended up carrying a bowl of oatmeal across the ship from the OVC to the lounge to be reunited with family and some berries I had placed to the side since the display would be broken down while the oatmeal was in transit. This was visible to all lounge staff. Meanwhile we were trying to get organized and plan for when we docked, which at that point we had done so. That's just the opposite of hospitality considering there was undoubtedly a vat of oatmeal in the Luminae kitchen and no issue with consuming in or sitting in the lounge, and plenty of staff. Had I wanted a cocktail, no problem for those that are morning drinkers. In comparison, if for any reason a yogurt or packet of oatmeal was needed at an airline lounge, as an example, someone would grab it for their guest, same for fruit, or anything else everyone knows is in the back if it's available. (These are not hoarding situations, but ones where someone wants to avoid the snack mix, sweets, etc.) I've seen this happen. Same at any hotel from a Hampton Inn to Ritz. And, often the first point of contact would handle it. On Celebrity, two Luminae hosts, and three concierges standing behind a podium all day couldn't help or facilitate a solution like room service. So, when they come around and ask "how is everything" or we all worry about the butlers or praise the bartender for finding the last bottle of alcohol that is actually fully stocked in the storage room, some of it is BS. The crew and their training is to not deviate in favor of hospitality. It's why it's so notable when they do.

Also simple Google searches turn up the Hawaii law that is the source of the legal restrictions. Easy to find. To the post above, I realize port changes happen all the time, but here aren't the changes seemingly a direct result of Celebrity/ship's actions? Or were the schedule changes due to weather or known prior to departure?

Has Edge modified the shipboard schedule and food offerings to adjust for the new schedule and any port cancelation(s) (I can't keep track)? Fully realize schedule and port cancelations can occur, but the cause here (unless weather is an issue) is entirely Celebrity.

Eventually requests using U.S. federal and state freedom of information laws may net info from the relevant government agencies since it would seem the ship was well within U.S. waters. This presumes the government gets involved, but does seem there is already Coast Guard records. We can all keep track of Captain Matt the Comedian, and instead of asking trivial questions at the officer talks, Presidents cruise, etc. questions about Hawaii and the Edge bridge team should be asked. Common sense and eyes would have suggested they were too close.

The vibe I get from many of the Celebrity Captains in their public talks is they may not have much supervision and be asked to be too many things. (I should note that they've all been gracious with my family and for a few days are interesting role models for our child) I have no doubt it requires years of commitment like any other profession. Yet, it's not like they are tested and scrutinized like airplane captains. Rather, at least on Celebrity, they become entertainers, tour guides, and vloggers plus all of the standard stuff. Yet, they prominently show french fries in the ads, and likely would delete comments on their social feeds about this situation. The lack of public response speaks volumes.

Having watched a number of the Captain Kate videos where she talks up the bridge crew, the coverage of the bridge, etc. it seems inexplicable that the route and all other movements of the ship were not consciously made, and couldn't be questioned by a crew member (although I'm skeptical that the bridge crew would actually challenge the captain given how they are placed on a pedestal)*. The reports of the flip comment from the Captain in the theater make this more disturbing since at that point he shouldn't be performing on stage as part of the evening entertainment. *Many of the bridge crew on Beyond seem quite inexperienced as feature in Captain Kate's videos. Wonder how much experience is present on Edge.

Happy anniversary. Thanks for the thread. On the CocoCay day, what were the food offerings on the ship? Was the OVC up and running? Just curious, and realize you were not onboard. Also, are any of the pools on the island included or just beaches? I couldn't imagine staying on the ship, but am curious. Everyone, including management, speaks of CocoCay as a moneymaker. I don't question the statements, but where is the revenue coming from with a typical Celebrity passenger and ship? If the drink package works and there is edible included food and decent nonrevenue places to lounge then the revenue would only come from a small number of people that upgrade especially compared to a Royal ship where one has to pay to escape crowds or for decent food. I realize you did the beach club. Fully supportive of stops at CocoCay over any other Caribbean port to better ensure a good beach/pool day, etc. (No cabs and buses to get anywhere, pan handlers, strays, village of Effy and Diamonds International, etc ). Just wish the dates worked better for our calendar.

Agreed. Airline tags will be placed on luggage by the airline, including any status tags, when it arrives at the airport.

It may very well vary and be specified on the menu, but the standard salmon filet tasted and appeared to be farm raised salmon typical of what's found at restaurants, flash frozen at U.S. supermarkets, and Costco/BJs/Sam's Clubs. We had sit down dinners at Rooftop, Eden and Luminae (Retreat). Among those we ate branzino, cod, halibut, corvina (Eden), and likely others. I cannot comment on the MDRs, but the salmon available from room service was probably from the MDR stock, as was a filet I had in Luminae one night when ordering from the "classic" menu.

Based on personal experience two weeks ago, it is possible to sail (in our case 10 days), enjoy a variety of food, and not gain a pound on the trip. (I had a recent scary cardiac issue and recovery has pushed me to recently drop weight and watch my intake of salt and saturated fat). We stuck to the same portions and types of foods we now eat at home. The suggestions above are excellent. Ability to eat healthy and tasty, with convenience, is also one of the top reasons we enjoyed our recent cruise despite some light popping and creaking in the cabin and some other hiccups (and Celebrity's yoyo on various cutbacks, advertising issues, etc) A few tactics we had: There are a lot of sauces, possible butter use, and salting, so we always asked for entrees without the three. This made it into my profile so often waiters knew in advance. Most calorie savings were done by sticking to oatmeal and berries at breakfast. We then avoided most of the breads, especially when one sees them over and over at different venues. We also avoided all the cold cuts and cheeses. With regard to the salads and vegetables, we often asked for a double order at restaurants (and would add salmon or chicken). We would also avoid the soups. At least on Beyond, for a few dinners, the evening vegetables and salad bar at the buffet with a small taste of other items was sometimes preferable to us versus Luminae. We also would grab apples for snacks. For recent medical reasons we had to cut out most alcohol and sugared drinks. We didn't hesitate to ask for some drinks, like a sparkling water, to be tossed in the blender with a dash of flavored syrup for taste. If we were splurging it was calculated like a bite of pizza from a slice that was hot and fresh, a portion of a good looking steak (no sauce), the ice cream flavor that I like and not because it was available, etc. Eden and Rooftop were accommodating. Eden Cafe seemed healthier than the Spa cafe offerings that were premade. We avoided the Mast Grill, but were in line during a food gap and needed lunch. We got out when the grill cook dripped sweat all over place. We said something to him (he was a manager) and got salmon from room service. I also did a lot of exercise each day, though I did take some elevators and many were visibly doing a lot more than me.

You may have a great time, and it may fit your needs. I find it hard to justify some of the pricing when the ships are 10-20+ years old and untouched in meaningful ways, e.g., same decor, cabin, etc. as 20 years ago. Hotels would usually update, discount, or rebadge to signify they aren't at the level any longer. Celebrity seems to march forward, and 20 years from now we'll still be wondering if the next Beyond drydock will fix the noise issue, dated decor, and maybe the magic carpet (which I like, but could see being permanently abandoned (such is the way of cruise lines and hotels with revolving restaurants) if maintenance is needed). Recent threads on here have had reports of older ships breaking down like Summit, rusting on various ships, and ancient cabins (fixture, cabins, carpet, HVAC systems, etc.). For some video on cabins that may fall into the needs work category: And None are the ship you're looking at, but they cause me to think most of the older ships are left with whatever it had on opening day and a friendly crew. One would need to do the analysis, but most do not seem substantially discounted compared to E Class for comparable itinerary and dates. (I don't see discounts happening where the older ships are being sold at budget prices out of the gate. Perhaps only if it's a shoulder period, they don't sell, a block is released, etc.).

I generally agree. Cruising is a bubble, and my take is many customers tolerate issues and react to things differently than they would on land. In our case, our room had a tolerable amount of noise and nothing as bad as what others have reportedly experienced most of the time. It's relative, but we all slept through the noise except on the rough sea days that increased the noise and sloshing. With that said, we still complained, questioned senior officers and had other issues. We had a good trip but that was despite the room noise and other issues. We probably would not go back on Beyond. Apex and Edge were more solid builds. The older ships, and for now, the 10 - 20 year old cabins and reports of rotting older ships don't do anything for us. As someone that has and does travel extensively (non cruises) there is a unique psychological effect that seems to take hold of customers being on an advanced booked, prepaid cruise experience where there is no choice or options once onboard. Few want to admit or believe a bad time. Plus Celebrity creates its own alternative universe and may actively try to keep public info on the issue quiet. The effect of everything is that customers are muted, they want to have a good time (and may have mitigating factors at play, like an unlimited drink package, love of a certain food item, fast friends with crew, etc) and that the cruise lines take advantage. On top of that, for some reason many cruise passengers tolerate the rigid excuses given that impinge on what one usually expects for reasonable hospitality (like a Retreat lounge that won't serve snacks except at fixed times, and they are straight from the OVC, butlergate, food cutbacks, perks listed that are illusory or already included, concierge lunch that happens before assigned check in times, etc) and the accepted cruise industry practice of building hotel cabins and spaces with no intent or plan to keep them fresh or renovated. It's even accepted that the senior officers get to gawk at the passengers in the plaza and become the entertainment (like the q and a or pool volleyball), but not acknowledge actual issues.

I've brought it up. They claim the shipyard has a team investigating. When asked what the status is they said it was ongoing, and its a big ship. The company doesn't care.

Glad it was a good experience. We did the catamaran excursion too, three weeks ago. It was well done, and we found the crew careful with our 6 year old. Off topic of the excursion, we had a similar rocky start and some rain for the start of the cruise until the first port day, and while the shipboard noise didn't dissipate the rest of the trip was mostly smooth sailing.

Fwiw-Over three trips to FLL, we have consistently had to cancel Lyfts and go with Uber when ordering a premium SUV. For some reasons the Lyfts were never Suburbans or equivalent without curved cargo areas.

This dates the cruise as being for an older demographic.

I hope this works out. I know there is a lot of love for this ship and the design. But, it's 23 years old based on an older design. Does Celebrity charge less per day/room for an equivalent sized room as it would for the other classes or ships?

Would enjoy hearing more about specific differences and observations in the experience. Hope you and @PinkSandGirl have great cruises and vacations.

Two thumbs up for the luggage valet service for certain flights from FLL (or MIA). We took advantage of the service when disembarking the Beyond. It was awesome, and would not hesitate to use it again. For those that value the convenience of a cruise, this adds to that rating. The short version for anyone not familiar with it: You enroll, agree to the service fee and any baggage fee from the airline, return the form to your room attendant or concierge, and then if elgible, affix the provided tags to your luggage when setting out your luggage the evening before disembarking. You then see your luggage again at your final airport destination. The service will affix actual airline luggage check tags for you, including any priority labels. It was about 30 USD per person, charged to the account (not sure if OBC could be used). Well worth the cost, and made the return experience a breeze. Port Everglades and FLL is already easy. Only drawback is not supporting a porter through a tip, as they have always been terrific during our prior cruises.

Nothing comes close to the popping and creaking on the Beyond, regardless of Captain Kate or whomever is the captain the other half of the year. We are fans of Captain Kate, but after being on Beyond two weeks ago we found her to be more remote than other captains when it came to being physically around. If announced, she would be mobbed. Her ability to speak clearly and communicate is a huge plus while on the ship. (On the other ships, if the captains can't speak clearly and provide relevant information they should find somebody who can. It's almost never a problem on major arlines, and shouldn't be too much to expect a premium cruise. And Captain providing a garbled message and seeming like he would prefer to be doing anything else is a turn off.) It was nice to see her on the gangway saying goodbye but it would have been better if she had said hello when we arrived, and throughout the stay. Perhaps even better if she acknowledge the noise issues. Her Instagram post are fantastic, educational, and self-aware. The advertising campaign got off to an odd start when the email from the Captains Club had a woman eating french fries! Also, for what it's worth, there were two new ads that ran during WWE Monday Night Raw on USA Network yesterday. We have noticed the ads in past weeks too. We don't know if that's because we are the viewers and the ads are targeted, or if everybody's seeing them.