It’s not just the restaurant and lounge that impress me, but also the cashmere-topped mattresses, comped minibars, and binoculars inside the suite itself. These extra perks are expected on the pricy cruise lines, but are more rare on ships of this size.
I’m far from the only passenger obsessed with my newfound enclave. Fellow guests I befriend at the lounge say they hardly ever leave The Retreat; they have sailed with Celebrity many times before, and it gives them the level of service and exclusivity at a fraction of the cost of what other small-ship luxury lines charge. They’ve also sampled the Silverseas and Seabourns of the world—some prefer the more laid-back vibe of Celebrity, and others are traveling with extended family, some of whom don’t want to upgrade to The Retreat.
Part of The Retreat’s appeal is being able to mix and match small ship and big ship amenities. I can slip out of The Retreat for a Broadway-style show and return for a complimentary nightcap in the lounge. I can order whatever included drinks I prefer by the pool here, and then hit the splashy buffet later. And when compared with more expensive luxury lines, The Retreat tends to draw a younger demographic.
Access to bottled water, soda, and an open bar at any time adds to the fun, but it is the concierge team’s magic wand that I end up valuing the most. Not wanting to take a larger tour that left just after sunrise, the staff negotiate a deal with a private driver to drive me to the ruins at Olympia when we docked in Katakolon, Greece.
This small-ship attention to detail on a big ship for a fraction of the cost of luxury lines makes The Retreat on Celebrity Cruises one of the best travel hacks I’ve encountered on my 50+ voyages, spanning mega ships, smaller luxury vessels, Galapagos expeditions, river cruises, and more.