While sailing on the naming ceremony of Celebrity Beyond, Celebrity Cruises‘ newest Edge Class ship, I attended a press conference with Captain Kate, Lisa Lutoff-Perlo (President & CEO, Celebrity Cruises), and Jason Liberty (President & CEO, Royal Caribbean Group). One of the journalists asked during the Q&A what sort of luxurious experiences can Celebrity offer their guests, unlike other cruise lines. Here is what Lisa offered up as options.
What Luxury Experiences Does Celebrity Cruises Offer?
Private Journeys, a Private Shore Excursion Experience
What’s more luxurious than a private shore excursion curated just for you? As far as I’m concerned, nothing!
Making sure your trip is as unforgettable off the ship as it is on, Celebrity Cruises offers guests Private Journeys; unique shore excursions created specially for you. Whether it’s you and your partner, or a small group of friends, Private Journeys will add that personalized touch to help make your vacation one you will never forget.
Learn more about Private Journeys here.
The Retreat
I believe Lisa described The Retreat as a resort within a resort. In this case, referring to how a Celebrity Cruises experience already resembles a high-end resort, with the added ability to take you places around the world. Captain Kate even chimed in and shared her recent experience at a 5-star hotel on land where she and her husband felt it didn’t live up to the same quality standards Celebrity Cruises provides. Both the Captain and CEO may be a bit biased, but I don’t think they’re wrong.
This brings me to The Retreat. As Celebrity states on their website: “The Retreat® isn’t a place. It isn’t an amenity. It isn’t a service. It’s all of this and more. The Retreat includes stunning accommodations, a private restaurant, and exclusive lounge and sundeck that rival any high-end resort. Your dedicated team of attendants, concierges, and your butler will do everything to ensure you never have to lift a finger on vacation.”
I’ve yet to personally experience what The Retreat has to offer but hope to someday soon. I have, however, toured some of the suites and can tell you they are truly special. The overall prices of The Retreat can seem steep upfront, depending on what you’re used to spending on a vacation, but when you compare it to a high-end resort or 5-star hotel experience, it’s second to none.
Learn more about the luxurious experiences offered to The Retreat guests here.
Custom Launches
Lisa pointed out what they call “Custom Launches,” which is an appropriate way to describe their tender experience. Noting they only tender roughly 20% of their sailings, Lisa wanted to hammer home the importance of creating an experience in their tenders as magical as the cruise ship itself.
I’ve had the pleasure of tendering on various cruise lines in the past and have yet to have an experience I would describe as “luxurious.” That is until today. While on Celebrity Beyond, I jumped at the chance to join their Tender Launch Experience to see what all the fuss was about. The tender boats are immaculate, and so are the crew that works them.
More in cruise news:
- Raw on 5 on Celebrity Beyond review (YouTube Short)
- Chef’s Table on Princess Cruises’ Discovery Princess
- First Look at Icon of the Seas, Royal Caribbean’s newest ship
