The Celebrity Retreat is usually worth it if you would otherwise pay for the drinks package, Wi-Fi and a few specialty dinners, and if you value quiet space and personal service. It is harder to justify on short sailings, port-heavy itineraries or older ships without a Retreat Sundeck, where the premium over a veranda cabin can roughly double your fare.
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The Retreat is Celebrity Cruises’ suite area: every suite booking, from the entry-level Sky Suite to the two-storey Edge Villas and Iconic Suites, comes with a private restaurant, a lounge, a sundeck on most ships and a butler. Here is what is included at the time of writing (November 2026), what it really costs and how it compares with AquaClass and Norwegian’s Haven.
What Is the Celebrity Retreat?
Instead of selling suites as just a bigger cabin, Celebrity groups them into a ship-within-a-ship called The Retreat. You get your own places to eat, drink and sunbathe, plus staff who look after a fairly small number of guests. Because every suite category belongs to The Retreat, the core perks are the same whether you book a Sky Suite or a Penthouse. What changes as you move up is space and a set of extras for Royal Suites and above.
On the Edge Series ships (Celebrity Edge, Apex, Beyond, Ascent and Xcel, which entered service in November 2025) The Retreat is at its most complete, with the Sundeck and the largest suites. A sixth Edge Series ship, Celebrity Xcite, is due in 2028. If you are choosing a specific suite on these ships, our guides to Celebrity Edge cabins to avoid and Celebrity Xcel cabins to avoid point out noisy or awkward locations.
Celebrity Retreat Benefits for All Suites
These are the main Celebrity Retreat benefits listed by the line for every suite category:
- Luminae at The Retreat: a suites-only restaurant open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, with its own menu and complimentary signature dishes from chef Daniel Boulud.
- The Retreat Lounge: a private lounge with free drinks, snacks, afternoon tea and a dedicated concierge. On a few older ships the space is called Michael’s Club.
- The Retreat Sundeck: a private outdoor deck with loungers, a pool or hot tubs and attendants handing out towels, drinks and snacks. It is on Edge Series ships and refitted older ships, but not on every ship.
- Butler and Butler Chat: a butler team for your suite, which you can message from anywhere on board or ashore.
- Premium drinks and premium Wi-Fi: included in standard suite fares, with Wi-Fi covering everyone in the suite. Some special fares and MoveUp upgrades below Signature Suite do not include Wi-Fi, so check the fare rules.
- Shore day help: a destination specialist for excursions and transfers, a pre-excursion lounge, and escorts to your car on Private Journeys tours.
- In-suite extras: a stocked minibar, daily picks from the in-suite menu, welcome bubbles, robes, a pillow menu and premium bath products.
- Reserved theatre seating for the main shows.
Extra perks for Royal Suites and above
Royal, Signature, Penthouse, Reflection, Edge Villa and Iconic Suites add more. Celebrity lists unlimited specialty dining (dinner nightly and lunch on sea days), daily laundry and pressing, a personalised minibar with two bottles of wine or spirits, SEA Thermal Suite or Persian Garden spa access, special sleepwear and a complimentary Extend Your Stay on disembarkation day in selected ports such as Barcelona, Athens (Piraeus) and Southampton. Sky Suites and Celebrity Suites do not get these.
What is not included
Gratuities are the big one. Celebrity stopped including prepaid gratuities in suite fares for bookings from October 2023, and in July 2026 it raised the Retreat rate to $24.50 per person per day. On a 7-night cruise that is about $343 for two. Shore excursions, spa treatments, casino play and drinks above the package’s per-drink price limit are also extra, and Sky Suites pay for specialty restaurants.
How Much Does the Celebrity Retreat Cost?
Prices move a lot by ship, season and how early you book, so treat these as rough guides and check live fares. Past published examples show a Sky Suite costing around 80 to 100 percent more than a standard veranda on the same sailing. One 10-night Caribbean example from early 2024 listed a Sky Suite at about $5,560 per person against $3,025 for a veranda. On a 7-night Caribbean sailing you will often see Sky Suites somewhere between about $3,500 and $7,000 per person.
The fairer comparison is with a veranda cabin plus the extras you would buy anyway. Here is a simple way to work it out for two people on 7 nights:
- Take the veranda fare and add the cost of a premium drinks package, if you would buy one, and Wi-Fi for both of you.
- Add two or three specialty dinners and any spa thermal access you would pay for.
- Compare that total with the Sky Suite fare. Remember both options pay gratuities, although the Retreat rate is $5 a day higher than the standard rate.
- If the gap is a few hundred dollars per person, the suite usually wins on value. If it is $1,500 or more per person, you are paying mainly for space and exclusivity.
Many Celebrity fares in the US already bundle drinks and Wi-Fi with standard cabins, so check what your veranda fare includes before you compare. Celebrity also runs suite-specific promotions during big sales, and last-minute suite deals sometimes appear on repositioning cruises.
Is the Celebrity Retreat Worth It?
It depends on how you cruise. These points tend to decide it.
It is usually worth it if
- You sail on an Edge Series ship, where the Sundeck and Lounge are at their best.
- You are on a longer sailing with plenty of sea days, so you actually use the private spaces.
- You dislike crowds at the buffet, pool and theatre, and want a calm place to eat every meal.
- You would buy the premium drinks package anyway, or you book Royal Suite or above, where free specialty dining and laundry add real value.
It may not be worth it if
- Your itinerary is mostly port days and you will be ashore from morning to evening.
- Your ship has no Retreat Sundeck, which removes one of the main reasons to book.
- You barely drink alcohol, so the drinks package means little to you.
- You mostly want a bigger room. On a tight budget, a larger veranda or Concierge Class may be enough.
One thing many guides skip: the Sky Suite gets the same Luminae, Lounge, Sundeck and butler as far more expensive suites. If the shared spaces matter more than the suite itself, the cheapest suite category is usually the best value in The Retreat.
Celebrity Retreat vs AquaClass vs Concierge Class
If The Retreat feels too expensive, Celebrity has two cheaper upgrades. Concierge Class is a veranda cabin with small extras such as priority service, a welcome lunch and better bedding. From sailings after 21 September 2026 Celebrity replaced its afternoon canapés with free room service delivery, as covered in our report on the Concierge Class room service change. AquaClass adds the Blu restaurant and spa access.
| Feature | Concierge Class | AquaClass | The Retreat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cabin | Veranda | Veranda near the spa | Suite, from Sky Suite up |
| Private restaurant | No | Blu (dinner, breakfast) | Luminae (all meals) |
| Private lounge or deck | No | No | Retreat Lounge and Sundeck (most ships) |
| Butler | No | No | Yes |
| Spa thermal access | No | Yes | Royal Suite and above, plus Aqua Sky Suites |
| Drinks and Wi-Fi | Depends on fare | Depends on fare | Premium drinks and Wi-Fi included |
| Daily gratuity (per person) | $20.50 | $20.50 | $24.50 |
Celebrity Retreat vs Norwegian’s The Haven
Norwegian Cruise Line’s The Haven is the closest rival. Both offer a private restaurant, lounge, butler and concierge. The main differences:
- Outdoor space: most Haven ships have an enclosed courtyard with a pool and hot tubs, while Celebrity’s Sundeck sits on the top deck with sea views.
- Atmosphere: The Haven sits on larger, busier ships with families, waterslides and big shows. The Retreat feels more grown-up and quieter.
- Inclusions: Celebrity includes premium drinks and Wi-Fi in standard suite fares. Norwegian’s drinks and Wi-Fi depend on its current package offer, so compare the full price, not just the cabin.
Pick The Retreat for a calmer, food-focused trip. Pick The Haven if you want the energy and activities of a big resort ship with a private hideaway.
Tips for Booking The Retreat
- Check your ship has a Retreat Sundeck before you pay the premium.
- Read the fare rules: special or upgrade fares can drop Wi-Fi or other inclusions.
- Compare a Sky Suite with a Royal Suite. On longer sailings the free specialty dining and laundry can close more of the gap than you expect.
- Prepay gratuities before you sail to lock in the rate shown at booking.
- Call Celebrity’s Retreat team (1-877-RETREAT in the US) or a travel agent for help with suite choice and dining.
FAQs
Are gratuities included in The Retreat?
No. Prepaid gratuities were dropped from suite fares for bookings made from October 2023. Retreat guests are charged $24.50 per person per day at the time of writing, unless a promotion says otherwise.
Do Sky Suites get the full Retreat experience?
Sky Suites get the core Retreat benefits: Luminae, The Retreat Lounge, the Sundeck where the ship has one, butler service, premium drinks and Wi-Fi. They miss the Royal Suite and above extras such as free specialty dining, laundry and spa access.
Which Celebrity ships have The Retreat Sundeck?
The Sundeck is on the Edge Series ships (Edge, Apex, Beyond, Ascent and Xcel) and on refitted Millennium and Solstice Series ships. Celebrity said in 2024 that Solstice, Eclipse, Reflection, Constellation and Infinity do not have one, and the Sundeck on Equinox has had access limits, so check your ship.
Can non-suite guests visit Luminae or The Retreat Lounge?
The Retreat Lounge and Sundeck are for suite guests only. Celebrity says Retreat guests can sometimes bring friends or family to Luminae for a fee, depending on space.
Is The Retreat better than AquaClass?
They suit different people. AquaClass is a cheaper spa-focused upgrade with Blu restaurant. The Retreat costs much more but adds a private lounge, sundeck, butler and premium drinks. If you only want a better dining room, AquaClass is usually the better value.
