Beyond LIVE Solo Retreat Review (4/9/23): A One-Woman Suite Show

[DaKahuna]

3 hours ago, GenerationX said:

 

They are crispy like bacon! was expecting the jerky texture but actually ended up loving the crunch!

 

I hope they are not exclusive to the Edge class ships.  They look delicious. 

 

[Mcgeneseo]

5 hours ago, mac_tlc said:

When we went to the casino last night to make our donation, I noticed a different message on the slot screen where you do a room charge to transfer $$ to the machine:

 

 

 

Hmmmmm… 🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔

 

 

mac_tlc

That's interesting...it was only 10% in February.

[Daneenm]

On 4/12/2023 at 7:15 AM, TeeRick said:

Another vote here for the pistachio roll!

Me too!  Could not pass it up any day of our cruise!

[GenerationX]

Hello from happy hour on my veranda as we sail away from Grand Cayman!

 

I mentioned to Elaine this morning that I’d be  starting to enjoy my wine brought onboard from home to night and she brought me a proper Reidel glass for it as well as a nice snack.  

 

I had such a lovely day today in Grand Cayman!  

 

My excursion was the Turtle Conservation Center tour booked through Celebrity. After our tour tendered together to port, it was a bit of chaos in the port area figuring out which excursions were assembling where.  They didn’t have the tall signs with the excursion names that Celebrity usually has to tell you where to go.  I saw people stand in long lines to get wrist bands for one tour only to find out the person was doing wrist bands for a completely different one.

 

I managed to spot someone with a polo on that had the conservation center logo on it and figured that was my best bet on where to head and I was right.

 

After about 10 minutes waiting we were loaded onto a van for about a 15 minute drive. There is sooo much development going on on Grand Cayman these days. 

 

Other than the shuttered margaritaville resort building, you wouldn’t know there was a travel recession at all. Everywhere you look there’s hotels and condos being built.

 

At the sanctuary we were introduced to our guide Benny who showed us around the various turtle tanks and told us about the center’s work with breeding and releasing Green Sea Turtles into the ocean. He said that since the center’s opening they’ve released over 35,000 turtles into the ocean and turtles hatched at the conservation center have been tracked to as far away as Venezuela.

 

He also conveyed the ho so important message of the effect that plastic waste is having on the wild turtle population, as these turtles will often eat the plastic trash that ends up in the sea thinking it’s a jelly fish and get fatally ill as a result.

 

The center seems to take the plastic message very seriously as no plastic products are used anywhere in the gift shop or restaurant.

 

The conservation center also has a pool, playground, water slide, snorkeling area with fish and turtles, aviary and a sit-down bar and restaurant. After our tour ended, we had about 2.5 hours to use any of those facilities free of charge (except for the food and drink at the restaurant) which was extra charge with a 15% gratuity included.

 

I took a quick dip in the pool then air dried while checking out the aviary and then went to check out lunch at the restaurant.

 

I decided to go local with my order and had some conch fritters and a Caribbean mahi-mahi plate.  The beans and rice that came with my fish were kind of bland, but other than that everything was good.  I love a nice sweet heat sauce on fish.  

 

They also had a kids menu with chicken tenders, burgers, plain buttered noodles, etc.

 

Total cost for my 2 course meal including a can of spring water (remember no plastic) and frozen margarita (in a compostable cup) was $54.  I paid that for 2 hot dogs, a soda and a can of Michelob ultra at Universal Studios.

 

After lunch I went to the gift shop to get something for Gen Z and finished shopping with about 20 minutes to kill till our bus pick up time.

 

I decided to sit outside and look at the ocean but then bumped into one of the other tour guides for the center. He told me I was welcome to go just across the street to the dolphin encounter center and that with our admission to the turtle center there was no charge to just go in and look at the dolphins.  There was a small bar there where I grabbed one more beer and watched the dolphins train for a bit before I headed back to meet the bus.

 

I don’t recall seeing it in the tour description but on our way back to the ship we also made a 20 minute stop at Grand Cayman’s famous Hell.  Really, 20 minutes is all anyone every needs there.  You could probably do it in 10.

 

Tourist trap level: Zenith.

 

I didn’t mind the stop as I’ve always thought the place sounded amusing (but not amusing enough to make a dedicated trip out of the way there).

 

I got my obligatory selfie with the rock formation, stamped my passport (so that one day health and budget willing I can prove I really have traveled everywhere, hell included) made a few jokes about how “exit through the gift shop” is still a thing once you go to Hell (even the Prince of Darkness wants your tourist money!), then promptly purchased Jeremy and my retired Marine stepdad (the two biggest “h bomb” droppers in casual conversation that I know) overpriced t-shirts and shot glasses that I know they’ll get a kick out of.  

 

We got back to the port around 4pm and I cooled off on the retreat deck with a glass of bubbly to relax and enjoy anchor raise.

 

Or tried to relax.  

 

Pro tip from Beyond:  if you’re on the Retreat pool deck right as sail away is scheduled to start, be prepared to cover your ears quickly. Being at the very front of the ship and just below the ship’s horn, when Captain D announces his departure, the noise is loud and sudden.  

 

I almost ended up with a Chandon shower. My fight or flight probably wont fully settle back till dinner time.

 

Speaking of which, I suppose I should finish my glass of wine and start getting ready for this evening’s show and second chic night dinner.  

 

TTYL friends!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

I did that tour on the Edge in Feb 2020. I loved the snorkel pool and spent most of my free time there. I love sea turtles of all kinds, so that tour was a no-brainer for me.

 

When we got back on the bus after going to Hell, one of the 2 kids on the tour (with mom and grandma - the girls were well-behaved) said "Hell was boring!" Grandma said "Remember that when you're a teenager." And we all cracked up.

[hcat]

Charla, glad u enjoyed your excursion..Gen X woukd have loved it.. Actually...that's one we have avoided...usually prefer a resort or snorkel trip..

 

As for construction & development  some years ago a friend took a job there in Planning,  & moved his family there...He was supposed to conduct reviews  designed to help curb over- development.. It never worked out as hoped .. too many roadblocks  so he came home...

 

we hardly ever get off at GC.. it's just too congested!

[TeeRick]

Were there any bars on the ship open besides the Pool Bar when you were in GC?

[Mrs_Tiki]

1 hour ago, TeeRick said:

Were there any bars on the ship open besides the Pool Bar when you were in GC?

No disruption of bar service in The Retreat at all. But all of the other bars that we passed during this time, including Eden, World Class, Sunset Bar, and Craft Social, had signs indicating that they were closed due to local customs regulations.
 

Interestingly, when we had lunch at Eden Cafe and asked where I might get a glass of wine, the bartender said that they could go to the Pool Bar and get one for me. I declined because I didn’t want to put him to that trouble. But when he returned with an order for someone else he also brought a glass for me. Bravo!

 

[miched]

Was the price of what you paid for the lunch on Cayman in US dollars?

 

I read in another thread that a group of 4 paid $140 for their lunch and drinks.   They didn’t think it was too bad until they seen their Credit Card charge and it was over $200.   Want they thought was US dollars was the price in Cayman. 
 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

Edited April 15, 2023 by miched

[GenerationX]

It’s funny, it was just yesterday morning that I was thinking back on this cruise and congratulating myself for my considerable late night partying restraint.  

 

I spoke entirely too soon.

 

Ship time jumping forward an hour this morning has also helped matters precisely not at all.

 

Fortunately my Retreat team has really set me up for recovery success.  When I finally crawled out of my room after 9am this morning both Elaine and Randall my stateroom attendant like popped out of a wall or something immediately to wish me good morning and ask if there was anything I needed.

 

I asked Elaine to try and switch my lunch reservation today from Le grand bistro to Raw on 5 (because miso soup and kakiage sounds like a better recovery meal than French cuisine) and Randal got to work on cleaning my room right away so that I can come back and lay down in a freshly made bed before said lunch if I need to. (I will probably need to.)

 

In the meantime I’m rehydrating and taking in fresh air on the retreat deck with Ashok and Christine keeping me in nonstop ice cold bottled waters.

 

In case you were wondering how I came to this sorry state, if you ask me the blame lies entirely with the Jazz Club speakeasy show, cruise director Luigi’s Latin dance party and the late night DJ and bartenders in the Club.

 

Full report on the earlier part of my late night to come, but sharing some pics from the hours between 11pm and 3am when the most damage was done.  They must have amped up the fire suppression systems on Beyond because this is the first time I’ve seen fire bartending at sea.  We called these the bravo bravo bravo shots.

 

Today’s Beyond pro-tip: don’t miss that Jazz show in The Club and get there early to get a seat near the front.

It’s a very cool immersive show/party hybrid experience and the Eden cast really puts on a performance.  In my case it was especially immersive as I was delivered a rose by a simply gorgeous pair of acrobats who dropped from the ceiling on bunge cords.   

 

More to come once my Tylenol kicks in.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 15, 2023 by GenerationX

[DaKahuna]

@GenerationX  oh, that flaming shotglass brings back some memories.

 

When I was younger and much braver someone dared me to drink a "flaming hooker" - this is a shot of Bacardi 151 which is set on fire.  The trick to it is to drink it quickly and all at once so you do not burn your fingers or your face.  I got lucky but never again.  

 

Were you guys drinking them or just watching the bartender put on a display with them?  I am surprised they permitted an open flame like that on the ship.  Wish I could have been there. 

 

[GenerationX]

17 minutes ago, miched said:

Was the price of what you paid for the lunch on Cayman in US dollars?

 

I read in another thread that a group of 4 paid $140 for their lunch and drinks.   They didn’t think it was too bad until they seen their Credit Card charge and it was over $200.   Want they thought was US dollars was the price in Cayman. 
 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

 

Yes that is a very good point. The prices for everything at the turtle center were in US dollars, but it can definitely vary around the island. I know some of the bars and restaurants around 7 mile beach do prices in Cayman dollars so if the menu or price tag doesn’t specify it’s definitely a good idea to ask and confirm.

[GenerationX]

10 minutes ago, DaKahuna said:

@GenerationX  oh, that flaming shotglass brings back some memories.

 

When I was younger and much braver someone dared me to drink a "flaming hooker" - this is a shot of Bacardi 151 which is set on fire.  The trick to it is to drink it quickly and all at once so you do not burn your fingers or your face.  I got lucky but never again.  

 

Were you guys drinking them or just watching the bartender put on a display with them?  I am surprised they permitted an open flame like that on the ship.  Wish I could have been there. 

 

 

Yikes!  I insisted that the bartender “extinguish” my shot before I took it because I don’t have super quick reflexes and I rather like having eyebrows. 😂

 

For that tower drink the couple who ordered it did drink it while it was still flaming with long straws the bartender gave them. I was so scared the man’s hat was going to catch fire!

 

I was also surprised that a flame like that was allowed.  But the bartenders had several of those cooking torches behind the bar like it was something that happens on the regular and is stocked for, and there were at least 2 ship security guards in the club at the time who didn’t seem at all concerned.  
 

Maybe they’re hiding a bunch of fire extinguishers behind the bar or something.

[DaKahuna]

1 minute ago, GenerationX said:

 

Yikes!  I insisted that the bartender “extinguish” my shot before I took it because I don’t have super quick reflexes and I rather like having eyebrows. 😂

 

For that tower drink the couple who ordered it did drink it while it was still flaming with long straws the bartender gave them. I was so scared the man’s hat was going to catch fire!

 

I was also surprised that a flame like that was allowed.  But the bartenders had several of those cooking torches behind the bar like it was something that happens on the regular and is stocked for, and there were at least 2 ship security guards in the club at the time who didn’t seem at all concerned.  
 

Maybe they’re hiding a bunch of fire extinguishers behind the bar or something.

 

Was it 151 rum or something else?  

 

I am now sad that they will not be having anything like that on my next cruise.  I'd love to see it, but not sure I would want to drink it while it was burning.  

 

If it's a regular thing you'll simply have to take one for the team and post a video, similar to the one you did of the young lady at the martini bar, for us.  That would be exciting to see. 

 

I always pack on Liquid IV in my backpack for mornings like the ones it sounds like you are having.  Works wonders.  

 

[GenerationX]

 

Well there’s good news and there’s bad news…

 

The good news is after a good lunch and a much needed second nap I am back in cruise fighting shape.

 

The bad news is, after lunch I could tell that the last thing my body was going to tolerate yet was the taste and smell of more alcohol, so I skipped the premium wine tasting event.

 

I also regret to report that Captain D seems quite adamant about continuing to make knotts back towards port Everglades and kicking me off the ship tomorrow.

 

I’m recovered enough to have one more seaside margarita, my last for quite a few months, before I head down to make tipping envelopes and pack.

 

When Herbert brought me my drink he mentioned that tomorrow’s cruise is expected to be a sell out full capacity.  He and several other crew members who we’re supposed to head home at the end of this cruise have been asked to stay one more week to help with the workload.

 

Which reminds me, an interesting note on the crew to share:

 

Most crew members I’ve talked to are scheduled to either go home in the next few cruises or end their contracts sometime in June/July.

 

Counting back the months that makes sense as the hundreds of brand new crew members who joined the ship with my early November sailing would have their 9 month contracts wrapping up sometime in July. To me this suggests if you’re planning to sail Beyond in late summer/early fall, you may want to pack patience and somewhat adjusted expectations for service levels, as many of the crew may be new to the ship, replacing this well seasoned crew that is heading home.

 

While I’m enjoying my last few hours of paradise (yay!) and checking in for my flight home (boo hiss!) sharing about the rest of my night last night.  So before I started behaving like I’m half my age, I started the evening with a pre-dinner rye old fashioned at world class bar, then headed to the theatre for the last production show, Stage Door.

 

This one is a performance of numbers from popular Broadway musicals both new and classic, and I kind of went into it hesitantly.  But it turned out to be so much better than just another corny Broadway revue.  

 

Celebrity definitely took it above and beyond (ha!)

 

To start, the musical accompaniment for the show was done by the London Palladium orchestra.  The music track was recorded live especially for this Celebrity show and the video of the orchestra playing for the score recording plays behind the singers and dancers on the big screen at many points (if you look close in the video, on some of the musicians music stands, you can actually see the cover of the music sheet that says Celebrity Cruises on it, kinda cool).

 

But wait, there’s more.  In between numbers, there are interview videos that play of members of the Broadway cast for the shows the next song comes from talking about why they feel the show and their character is special.  The music theatre nerd in me had tears in my eyes.

 

I don’t want to spoil one of the best parts of the show for anyone but I’ll also just drop the hint that the show includes one of the coolest duet performances I’ve ever seen.

 

After seeing all the performances, I’m thinking that another place where Beyond beats out S and M class (and even to some extent her older E class sisters) for me is the production shows.  

 

I am DYING to see how they plan to top these acts on Ascent.  I mean are they going to like resurrect Siegfried and Roy (rest their souls) and fly in Idina Menzel to sing while a white tiger does an aerial act? 

 

Then again, to afford something like that they’d have to start charging non-Retreat guests to use the aft elevators or something. (Let me hush, I don’t want to give them any ideas.)

 

After the great show I headed to Luminae for dinner.  If you’ll be in Luminae on Beyond and are lucky enough to have Adash as your server, his ordering recommendations are on point.  I was thinking of a different order, but then I remembered what my stepdad always taught me:  “A big part of being an intelligent person is being smart enough to know when someone else probably knows better than you.”

 

Adash KNOWS the Luminae menu and takes the time to get to know your personal dietary needs and preferences.  I trusted the man and he did not steer me wrong.

 

I had an excellent Tuscan kale and sausage soup followed by a surf and turf of those (tiny but delicious) Celebrity micro scallops and the herb crusted lamb chops.  I’m normally a more rare lamb person but Adash suggested these have more flavor at chefs suggested medium and I had no complaints. The only thing underwhelming on the plate was the olive oil mashed potatoes which were underseasoned and a little dry.  But I’ve had more than enough yummy carbs in my life this week so skipping one scoop of potatoes didn’t bother me too much.

 

For dessert I had the good but very rich chocolate bars which were served with an even richer peanut butter gelato.

 

Needless to say I plan to be generous in Adash’s thank you envelope.

 

Well, looks like it’s about time for me to go down and accept the reality of my impending departure.

 

At least I’ll have Elaine’s afternoon delivery to cheer me up while I pack.

 

Then it’ll be time to get ready for one last decadent dinner in Eden!
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[TravelBluebird]

28 minutes ago, GenerationX said:

I am DYING to see how they plan to top these acts on Ascent.  I mean are they going to like resurrect Siegfried and Roy (rest their souls) and fly in Idina Menzel to sing while a white tiger does an aerial act? 

 I do think is is my favorite paragraph ever written on Cruise Critic. 😂  But then, I’m a giant theater nerd too. 

[hcat]

great review.sorry it will end soon..great photos, stories and your fashions!

 

We love the CLUB we have enjoyed so many cool shows, great music  and activities there..and agree that Celebrity has really stepped up with the quality of shows and musical diversity  on E Class..someone is getting it right!

[GenerationX]

Ugh…the bags are packed and put out. The tip envelopes are made.  While I sit here salty drinking a passion fruit martini, sharing some info from my room on general and retreat disembarkation.  You may need to zoom in on the pics to read it properly but wanted to make sure I got the whole thing in one shot.
 

Interesting that they don’t have the suites/zenith luggage tags and are just doing suites in the first set of tag numbers.  I guess it doesn’t really matter much.

 

Also sharing some info from the theatre last night about the principal cast of Celebrity’s entertainment team.  It’s no wonder the shows have been so good.  These folks have some impressive resumes.  

 

At least to a woman whose greatest personal theatrical achievement was being cast as a tree in my ballet school’s production of Swan Lake.

 

After dinner I think I’ll make one last attempt to force the casino to pay off (yes, I’m familiar with the definition of insanity, thank you, now isn’t the time to try me, trust me) then perhaps see the last Eden show and take one last in suite bubble bath before bed.

 

More to come later from my last night on Beyond!
 

 

 

 

 

 

[GenerationX]

3 hours ago, TravelBluebird said:

 I do think is is my favorite paragraph ever written on Cruise Critic. 😂  But then, I’m a giant theater nerd too. 

 

Awe thank you!  I mean I would cheerfully empty our savings account and blow 5 figures on an inside stateroom just to see that particular performance of Defying Gravity. 😂

[TravelBluebird]

2 minutes ago, GenerationX said:

Awe thank you!  I mean I would cheerfully empty our savings account and blow 5 figures on an inside stateroom just to see that particular performance of Defying Gravity. 😂

 

I would completely join you in that! 🤣

[SkystheLimit]

I get that theatre envy.  My starring role was a street urchin in The Roar of the Greasepaint and the Smell of the Crowd.  Thank you so much for this review.  We have been reluctant to sail on the Edge class.  You have changed our minds. 

 

[GenerationX]

Quick suggestion for a best life ending to your cruise day when sailing Retreat on E class:

 

If you dine in Eden, after you order your dessert course they give you a little tower of sweet canapés and chocolates that, if you’re like me, is just too much to really appreciate right then after a full meal with your actual dessert coming too.

 

Instead of letting it go to waste, ask your server to wrap the sweet canapés tower to go. Then you can enjoy them a little later on in a nice bubble bath (my go to is a French lavender foam) with a good book and a glass of wine before bed.  
 

Not only will you feel like Marie Antoinette (pre-Revolution of course) during said bath, but you’ll also sleep like a baby after.

 

 

[saltycat]

Perfect! You are my hero! Thanks for taking us along! Safe travels😎

[LizikinsLivesToCruise]

Thank you very much, @GenerationX, for yet another riveting review. Safe trip home, and here's wishing your AA flight is uneventful.

[dock]

Enjoyed your report. 
Counting down till our Equinox cruise in July.

 

It’s been a loong few years without cruising and your reports have hit the spot everytime. 
 

Safe travels home and I will be watching out for your next live. 
Take care.