Is The Retreat on Celebrity Cruises Worth It?
The Retreat is worth it on Celebrity Cruises for couples and small families who would otherwise buy the drink package, pay for upgraded Wi-Fi, and want a quieter ship. Once you add up what a Sky Suite folds into the fare, the gap between a Concierge Class veranda and the entry suite is often smaller than the brochure price makes it look.
It is a harder sell if you drink little, eat happily in the main dining room, and spend most of the cruise ashore. Then you are paying for a lounge and a restaurant you will barely use. I quote The Retreat for Celebrity clients every week, and the right answer depends far more on how you cruise than on the size of the suite.
The Celebrity Retreat: Key Facts at a Glance
| Feature | What Celebrity lists for The Retreat (October 2026) |
| Who gets it | Every suite guest, from Sky Suite up to the Iconic Suite |
| Restaurant | Luminae at The Retreat, breakfast, lunch, and dinner |
| Lounge | The Retreat Lounge, open 24/7 with drinks, bites, and afternoon tea |
| Sundeck | Edge Series and revolutionized ships only |
| Service | Retreat Butler and team for every suite |
| Drinks and Wi-Fi | Premium Drink Package and Premium Wi-Fi for all guests in the suite |
| Crew gratuities | Charged separately (beverage gratuities are built into the drink package) |
| Specialty dining | Included only for Signature Suite and above |
What The Retreat on Celebrity Cruises Is
The Retreat is Celebrity's suite class. Book any suite and you get access to a private restaurant, a private lounge, and on most of the fleet a private sundeck, plus a butler team that handles reservations and requests. It works like a ship within a ship, though it is lighter on walls and gates than some competitors. If you have read my breakdown of The Haven on Norwegian, The Retreat is the closest Celebrity equivalent, with the main difference that Retreat guests spend more of their day in the public areas of the ship.
Celebrity's suite lineup on Celebrity Beyond shows the range. The Sky Suite and Aqua Sky Suite are 319 square feet with a 79 square foot veranda. The Celebrity Suite is 401 square feet, the Royal Suite 687, the Edge Villa 739, the Penthouse Suite 1,378, and the Iconic Suite tops out at 1,892 square feet with a 689 square foot veranda. On the Solstice-series Celebrity Reflection, the Sky Suite is 300 square feet and the top Reflection Suite is 1,636. My balcony vs. suite comparison covers what that extra space feels like day to day.
Celebrity Retreat on Edge Series vs. Older Ships
The Edge Series ships, including Celebrity Beyond and Celebrity Ascent, were designed with The Retreat built in. Celebrity lists a pool, hot tub, and bar service on the Beyond Retreat Sundeck and the Edge Series ships add the Edge Villa as a suite category. On the Solstice and Millennium ships, The Retreat was added during the line's modernization program. Celebrity says the sundeck exists only on Edge Series and revolutionized ships, and it notes the Retreat Sundeck on Celebrity Equinox is not currently accessible. My guide to Celebrity ships by size shows which ship sits in which class.
Pro Tip: If The Retreat is the whole point of the trip, book an Edge Series ship. The suite count, the sundeck, and the overall design all favor the newer hardware, and I steer suite clients there first. If you want help matching a ship to the suite, send me the sailing you are considering.
What The Celebrity Retreat Costs
Celebrity prices suites by sailing, so there is no flat surcharge to quote. As of October 2026, the jump from a Concierge Class or AquaClass veranda to a Sky Suite varies widely by ship, season, and itinerary length. On some Caribbean sailings it is modest; on peak Europe and Alaska dates it can be a big multiple of the veranda fare. The general cost picture is in my Celebrity cruise cost guide.
The fair comparison is the all-in number. A veranda fare plus a Premium drink package for two, Premium Wi-Fi, and a couple of specialty dinners is the real price you are weighing against the Sky Suite fare. My Celebrity drink package guide covers what the Classic and Premium tiers include. Crew gratuities are on top for everyone, including suite guests, and my Celebrity gratuities guide has the current daily rates.
What Is Included With The Celebrity Retreat
Celebrity's All Included pricing gives non-suite guests the Classic Drink Package and Basic Wi-Fi. Retreat guests get a step up on both. Here is how the three upgraded classes compare.
| Perk | Concierge Class | AquaClass | The Retreat |
| Drinks (All Included fare) | Classic | Classic | Premium |
| Wi-Fi (All Included fare) | Basic | Basic | Premium |
| Private restaurant | No | Blu | Luminae |
| Private lounge and sundeck | No | No | Yes (sundeck on most ships) |
| Spa thermal access | No | SEA Thermal Suite or Persian Garden | Not part of the package |
| Butler | No | No | Yes |
Concierge Class perks were reshuffled this year, and I covered what changed in Celebrity's 2026 Concierge Class changes. For the base fare inclusions every guest gets, see what's included on Celebrity.
Luminae at The Retreat
Luminae serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with a menu Celebrity says you will not find elsewhere on board, including complimentary signature dishes from Daniel Boulud. Kids in the suite can dine there too. You can invite friends from outside The Retreat for a fee, based on availability. For most suite guests, Luminae is the perk that gets the most use, because it can replace the main dining room for every meal of the cruise.
The Retreat Lounge and Sundeck
The Retreat Lounge is open around the clock with complimentary drinks, small bites, afternoon tea, and the concierge desk. Only Retreat guests can enter; you cannot bring friends from other cabins. The Retreat Sundeck is also guests-only, with attendants bringing towels, drinks, and snacks. On a sea day, that private deck is the single biggest quality-of-life upgrade over a standard cabin.
Specialty Dining and Suite Tiers on Celebrity
The Sky Suite and Celebrity Suite do not include specialty restaurants. Celebrity includes them only for the Signature, Royal, Penthouse, Reflection, Edge Villa, and Iconic suites. Loyalty points also scale by tier: as of October 2026, Celebrity's Retreat FAQ listed Captain's Club points per night rising from the Sky Suite to the Penthouse, Reflection, and Iconic suites. My Celebrity loyalty program guide explains what those points unlock.
When The Celebrity Retreat Pays Off
The Retreat makes the most sense on longer sailings with several sea days, where the lounge and sundeck get real use. It also pays off for two adults who both want the Premium drink package, since the upgrade from Classic to Premium for two people adds up quickly over seven nights or more. Guests who work from the ship or stream video at night get value from Premium Wi-Fi, which Celebrity says supports video chat and streaming. My cruise Wi-Fi guide explains why that tier difference is noticeable.
It also suits couples marking a big trip. Celebrity already ranks high on my list of the best cruise lines for couples, and The Retreat makes the ship feel smaller and calmer.
When to Skip The Celebrity Retreat
Skip it on port-intensive itineraries where you leave the ship early every morning. Skip it if one of you drinks little, because the Premium package value drops by half. Also look hard at the Sky Suite if you want specialty dining included, since that perk starts a tier higher. In those cases, I would book AquaClass for the Blu restaurant and spa access, or a Concierge Class veranda, and spend the difference on excursions.
Pro Tip: If you love spa days, compare the price of a thermal suite pass for the sailing against the AquaClass fare. AquaClass includes thermal access; The Retreat does not.
How to Book The Retreat on Celebrity Cruises
In my experience, suites on the Edge Series ships sell out well before the veranda categories, so book early. Choose the All Included fare if you want the Premium drinks and Wi-Fi built in, and confirm which fare type you are on before final payment. If you want a second opinion on the category, send me your dates and I will price the Sky Suite against AquaClass and Concierge Class side by side.
If you are comparing suite programs across lines, see my guides to MSC Yacht Club and Royal Caribbean Star Class.
Is The Celebrity Retreat Worth It: Frequently Asked Questions
Does The Retreat on Celebrity include gratuities? Beverage gratuities are built into the Premium Drink Package, but Celebrity charges onboard crew gratuities separately, including for suite guests.
Can kids use The Retreat on Celebrity? Yes. Celebrity says all Retreat guests, including children, can use Luminae and The Retreat Lounge.
Can I invite friends into The Retreat Lounge? No. Only Retreat guests may enter the lounge or sundeck. Friends can join you at Luminae for a fee, subject to availability.
Is a Sky Suite enough to get the full Retreat experience? A Sky Suite gets Luminae, the lounge, the sundeck, the butler team, Premium drinks, and Premium Wi-Fi. It does not include specialty dining, which starts at the Signature and Royal Suite level.
Is The Retreat better than AquaClass on Celebrity? For drinks, Wi-Fi, and private space, yes. AquaClass is the better pick for spa lovers who want thermal suite access and a smaller fare jump.
Booking The Celebrity Retreat With Jackson Jetsetting
The Retreat is one of the better-value suite programs at sea when you would buy the extras anyway. My pricing matches booking direct, and you also get access to group rates and promotions that are not always on Celebrity's website, plus a person to call when plans change. Send me your dates and I will find the suite that fits the sailing.
