jmdlv1 Posted February 24, 2020 #1 Share Posted February 24, 2020 The Retreat concierge sent an email over the weekend answering a couple questions .We are on the 3/08 Edge sailing. DW and I are in a Celebrity Suite while son and family are in Concierge Class. My original question was how much would it be for them to dine with us in Luminae several nights. Her response was $30/pp for dinner. She also sent a new program that Celebrity just introduced that would allow someone sailing with a suite guest to have full access to the Retreat and Luminae just like a suite guest . The cost is $413 pp for a 7 night cruise. We will not be taking advantage of this new program as they will be sailing with their two children and it would not make sense. This may be old news but it was new to me. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George C Posted February 24, 2020 #2 Share Posted February 24, 2020 Thanks for information, we travel in suites and trying to talk some friends into joining us , sounds like a decent deal . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare hcat Posted February 24, 2020 #3 Share Posted February 24, 2020 Great deal but will lead to suite area crowding and ultimately spillover into BLU 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldsmip115 Posted February 24, 2020 #4 Share Posted February 24, 2020 This is horrible. We pay thousands of dollars more for the suite and the related perks including Luminae and the Retreat and now anyone can access both if they are “traveling with a suite guest” and for only $413 pp. So an extend “family” sails with 2 in a Sky Suite and 6 others in inside cabins and they can use the Retreat Lounge and Luminae? This is maddening and another example of bean counters maximizing revenue at the expense of likely pissing off their highest paying customers. BS! 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maggie.1008 Posted February 24, 2020 #5 Share Posted February 24, 2020 Sounds like a very bad idea to me 🤨 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bretty Posted February 24, 2020 #6 Share Posted February 24, 2020 I don’t think at this point, since I’m yet to take my first X cruise, that I have an opinion on this and whether it’s good or bad. It is what it is. Nonetheless, I’ve been following this board long enough to know when to reach for popcorn and a martini and wait for the show to start... 😜 11 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Alsmez Posted February 24, 2020 #7 Share Posted February 24, 2020 55 minutes ago, jmdlv1 said: She also sent a new program that Celebrity just introduced that would allow someone sailing with a suite guest to have full access to the Retreat and Luminae just like a suite guest . The cost is $413 pp for a 7 night cruise. This is a good deal but it would infuriate me if I were a suite guest given current suite pricing. The best thing about Luminae and the Retreat is the lack of crowding and personalized service, both of which could be seriously compromised. I hope that Celebrity is judicious about how many of these upgrades they sell per cruise, or they are going to have a lot of angry suite guests on their hands. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeltaJoe15 Posted February 24, 2020 #8 Share Posted February 24, 2020 I have no problem with that price for a Aqua cabin but the price goes up for every cabin type below to about 1200 per person for an inside cabin. If not more Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alakegirl Posted February 24, 2020 #9 Share Posted February 24, 2020 Looking into our Chrystal Ball, entering into the Land of Unintended Consequences, we see more passengers being allowed into luminae, pushing more passengers out and into Blu; also more passengers in Retreat; complaints all around by those inconvenienced in these venues 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bEwAbG Posted February 24, 2020 #10 Share Posted February 24, 2020 This program has been mentioned on other threads before as being "based on availability." I cannot imagine on most ships that it would be that big of a deal considering how few suites there are. Edge and Reflection have quite a few more, of course, but so far they're the outliers. As long as they are really monitoring total capacity, it shouldn't affect other suite cruisers much. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mafig Posted February 24, 2020 #11 Share Posted February 24, 2020 18 minutes ago, maggie.1008 said: Sounds like a very bad idea to me 🤨 Agree! A very bad idea indeed! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jelayne Posted February 24, 2020 #12 Share Posted February 24, 2020 This was announced a few months ago and it was reported by someone who checked into the program that there was a limit on the number of guests who could purchase access. I believe the number was less than 10. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MEcruzr Posted February 24, 2020 #13 Share Posted February 24, 2020 Yes, this is a real thing. I was told, however, that's it only extended to PH and RS guests who have "linked" reservations and that it's very limited. The shoreside concierge will only offer this (according the person at X my TA talked with) to upper level suite guests IF they are linked to another reservation. So to "do the math" as an example... Summit has 2 PH suites and 8 RS suites for a total of 10. How many of those on any one cruise would have a linked reservation? If the limit is ten then half of the potential suites offered this could actually take advantage of the program. I bet there are more Zeniths and casino "high rollers" in the Retreat and Luminae than you'll ever see from this program. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Georgia_Peaches Posted February 24, 2020 #14 Share Posted February 24, 2020 Well NCL introduced a similar thing not long ago with it's Haven. They sold Haven passes as if it were an excursion. So essentially those sailing in Haven with family/friends outside the Haven could buy a pass and enter. There was such an outcry to this that it was swiftly changed. One of the few changes NCL has actually made based on pure outcry and outrage from other Haven guests. Celebrity may follow suit if there is such an outcry. Not sure I put much stock in the "based on availability" claim. All you have to do is read the thread about Suite passengers in Blu to know that Celebrity isn't too reliable when it comes to enforcing their own policies. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Georgia_Peaches Posted February 24, 2020 #15 Share Posted February 24, 2020 2 minutes ago, MEcruzr said: Yes, this is a real thing. I was told, however, that's it only extended to PH and RS guests who have "linked" reservations and that it's very limited. The shoreside concierge will only offer this (according the person at X my TA talked with) to upper level suite guests IF they are linked to another reservation. So to "do the math" as an example... Summit has 2 PH suites and 8 RS suites for a total of 10. If this is the case, then I suppose it will be easier to monitor and control. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmdlv1 Posted February 24, 2020 Author #16 Share Posted February 24, 2020 34 minutes ago, bEwAbG said: This program has been mentioned on other threads before as being "based on availability." I cannot imagine on most ships that it would be that big of a deal considering how few suites there are. Edge and Reflection have quite a few more, of course, but so far they're the outliers. As long as they are really monitoring total capacity, it shouldn't affect other suite cruisers much. This makes sense to me. I was not suggesting the program is good or bad. Luminae had just been introduced prior to my last cruise and only ate there two of seven nights. i don’t believe that Celebrity is going to reduce the benefits for Suite passengers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Want2Cruise 701 Posted February 24, 2020 #17 Share Posted February 24, 2020 22 minutes ago, mafig said: Agree! A very bad idea indeed! Another for a very bad idea. If parties are traveling together, then they should all book cabins where they can all utilize the same amenities. Inside-Concierge for MDR. Aqua for Blu or Suite for Luminae and Retreat. If not, make reservations in a specialty restaurant where you can all dine together. I should blame Celebrity more for allowing this to happen since they're the ones making the rules, but I'm sure this came about because of so many requests from Suite guests like the OP asking for others to dine with them and enjoy the same amenities. We were booked on a family cruise with 3 other groups of family members. We wanted a Suite but knew the others would not pay the price, so we did not book one since we wanted to all dine together. Never did it cross our minds to ask if they could dine with us. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Want2Cruise 701 Posted February 24, 2020 #18 Share Posted February 24, 2020 I should add that even if they monitor total capacity, Luminae is a small venue that is not conducive to large groups. When you start having tables greater than four, it creates a different noise level that impedes upon the intimate atmosphere usually found there. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George C Posted February 24, 2020 #19 Share Posted February 24, 2020 Last week on infinity luminae always had several empty tables 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Georgia_Peaches Posted February 24, 2020 #20 Share Posted February 24, 2020 I will be in Infinity in April. Not going in a suite this time. Can I entice someone in a PH or RS to adopt me for the trip? I'll gladly pay the up charge 😉 2 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alakegirl Posted February 24, 2020 #21 Share Posted February 24, 2020 Quod erat demonstrandum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NCHPcruiser Posted February 24, 2020 #22 Share Posted February 24, 2020 Non-suite guest have always been able to dine in Luminae with suite guest so this really shouldn’t change things. When our friends area in a suite they have always had their adult children (who were not in a suite) dine with them in Luminae every night. However, the Retreat outdoor pool area on the Edge was packed during our recent cruise so I would definitely not want non-suite guest to have access. Perhaps this won’t be the case on the other ships that don’t have a pool in the Retreat area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmdlv1 Posted February 25, 2020 Author #23 Share Posted February 25, 2020 1 hour ago, MEcruzr said: Yes, this is a real thing. I was told, however, that's it only extended to PH and RS guests who have "linked" reservations and that it's very limited. The shoreside concierge will only offer this (according the person at X my TA talked with) to upper level suite guests IF they are linked to another reservation. So to "do the math" as an example... Summit has 2 PH suites and 8 RS suites for a total of 10. How many of those on any one cruise would have a linked reservation? If the limit is ten then half of the potential suites offered this could actually take advantage of the program. I bet there are more Zeniths and casino "high rollers" in the Retreat and Luminae than you'll ever see from this program. I am in a Celebrity Suite so it is not limited to RS or PH . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George C Posted February 25, 2020 #24 Share Posted February 25, 2020 45 minutes ago, Georgia_Peaches said: I will be in Infinity in April. Not going in a suite this time. Can I entice someone in a PH or RS to adopt me for the trip? I'll gladly pay the up charge 😉 Could always ask on roll call 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MEcruzr Posted February 25, 2020 #25 Share Posted February 25, 2020 2 hours ago, Georgia_Peaches said: Not sure I put much stock in the "based on availability" claim. All you have to do is read the thread about Suite passengers in Blu to know that Celebrity isn't too reliable when it comes to enforcing their own policies. The biggest difference here is that it's the shoreside people who make the decision, not the M'D with a guest standing in front of him getting demanding and a possible promotion on the line. We were originally booked in a CS and it was not an option for us. Once we upgraded to a RS it was offered. We were told it was "VERY limited" and if wanted to participate we needed to do it ASAP... and this was 5 months out. Last October I was sitting at the bar in the Retreat Lounge talking to a woman who was by herself. I asked her if she was traveling solo and she said no... she was with her daughter. She was about my age. I said I was traveling with my mother. We got talking about how nice it was to have the Lounge and Luminae and she said especially nice since she was in an inside cabin. ??? Turns out her daughter was a "high roller" in Vegas and they had suite benefits. The mom didn't gamble. I had no idea. LOL 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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