This is how you set yourself apart from other cruisers...you give us an honest opinion with facts to back up your feelings. After watching your Apex video I went on the Celebrity website and compared Aqua class to standard balcony. The cost difference was significant to me and the amenities list was confusing for Aqua class. Thank you for clearing this up. Pro balcony!
@@MisteMiner yes, my hubby uses the steam room and just lays for a cruise long pass, about $170 or so, but I don’t. The other thing we would use would be Blu, as it is lovely. But that is all, so not worth the extra to us.
Some big wig in Celebrity telling an underling ad writer: “Make me a list of 50 things Aqua class offers. No, I don’t care what it says. No, I don’t care if it’s repetitive. Just give me a list!” smh Thanks for your excellent analysis!
Apologies if you find this offensive. It is NOT to everyone's taste. Be Forewarned. Ricky Gervais's Best Top 10 List ruclips.net/video/AKmDy4IW12A/видео.html
We loved Aqua class and booked it twice. We loved loved loved the service in Blu. It was so much more than we were used to and loved the food choices as compared with dining room. We are also spa people as we sailed many many Princes cruises and enjoyed the week long spa packages we used every day We also used the spa on Aqua class every day. The afternoon snacks just made it feel pampered were nice as were the bottles of water as we both drink a lot of water every day. I just booked another Aqua Class on Apex. It just seems to make the cruise feel special. We have also cruised in the Haven on NCL which was also a treat. At the age of 70 and 74 having worked all our lives we just feel lucky we are able to afford AquaClass ( and twice in NCL HAVEN) we are very appreciative of these extra services. And that we can afford them.
There is a "hidden" perk with Aqua class. And, it is a huge one. Access to Persian Garden and Spa gets you access to a shave n shower facility apart from your cabin! Doesn't sound like much, but it can make all the difference with, let's face it, a cramped cabin for two, and a partner needing space and time to "get ready". Carry a subset of toiletries to the spa and problem solved!
Aquaclass is for people who like the spa and want a private dining room that serves cleaner meals. That’s why we booked aquaclass in the past. We have upgraded to the retreat now, it rocks.
You pretty well nailed Aqua. At the normal rates it's certainly not worth it to me. However it's sometimes possible to snag an aqua cabin very close to the cost of a standard balcony cabin. Once I even got it for less than a standard balcony cabin. If I can get a deal on it, it's a no brainer because of Blu. The food is fantastic in Blu. BTW, you can ask for a cheese plate or shrimp cocktails each day instead of the dish of small bites. Concierge class is an even worse deal. You get basically nothing of value with that one other than a fancy gold key card indicating you paid too much lol.
I LOVE Aqua class for the main things you mentioned. Hence I will always go in Aqua class on any Celebrity cruise. The thermal beds are divine and soooo relaxing. The Blu restaurant is the best !!!! I can’t wait for my next Celebrity Cruise later this year
For me Aqua is worth it. The food in Blu is excellent and we like eating in a smaller venue. We also do the fitness classes and go to the thermal spa every day. There is also some preferential treatment in terms of embarkation and disembarkation, useful in itineraries where tenders are used.
Good video. However, its a little bit biased. You kind of made the upgrade seem worthless. I have to agree with you; the Celebrity marketing team went overboard trying to list some things that offer little value or that are not just for the Aqua Class rooms. However, we have made the mistake of not booking Aqua Class in the past to save money and it was something we regretted. My wife and I have cruised with Celebrity 3 times before (twice in the Equinox in the last cpl of years and the Summit, back in 2016) and we have the tried the 3 types balcony rooms (Veranda, Concierge and Aqua). Here is our opinion: We would gladly pay for the Aqua Class for the following: -Blu restaurant for dinner (the food and service is amazing)$$$ -Thermal suite/Sauna (we use it everyday)$$$ -Better bathrooms (nice massage shower, plush robes, heated mirrors, awesome toiletry, aromatherapy)$ -Better mattress and bedding than Veranda (same as Concierge thou)$ -Staterooms are located in higher floors (better view/same as Concierge) -The 2 bottles of water and the snacks they bring in the afternoons are also offered with the Concierge class and its not a big deal for us. -The extended room service menu is not a big deal either. ***This might be just our perception, but the housekeeping staff seems to be better trained (maybe their staff to room ratio is better). The point is that they do treat you better. Nothing wrong with the staff working the Veranda rooms (its Celebrity after all), but it feels like they put their best to work the Aqua and Concierge rooms. Anyway, we love cruising with Celebrity and the rooms are just a matter of preference. We are not rich, but we prefer to save a little more and make the most our of our vacation. We don't waste money at the casinos and we have no interest in the overpriced spa. BTW, you nailed it when you mentioned their ridiculous sales tactics! We did enjoy your video and we will follow your channel. Thanks!
Excellent summary. We cruise aqua or spa class and have had no trouble getting into these great cabins for less than the price of a thermal suite pass most of the time. This was a click bait titled video and I don’t feel the author thoroughly understood the full details on what you get in aqua class. In addition, there was nothing deceptive in Celebrity’s description. In no place does it state or imply everything on that list is exclusive to aqua class. We love thermal suites and use the spa almost every day on every cruise. The exercise classes are a nice way to offset indulging in more calories than normal. The concierge helps to get you priority appointments in spa on busy sea days or prime times. They can help with quite a bit that makes a cruise special. You can ask them to modify your afternoon canapés. We are celebrating our long awaited retirement at 68, and celebrating with a two week transatlantic on the Apex next November as we make our way home in a leisurely fashion after a month of seat of our pants travel to Portugal and Spain. After a month of hiking in hilly terrain, and sleeping on what may well be typically uncomfortable european beds…I anticipate LIVING in the spa for recovery purposes on those six days at sea! For that specific sailing, we were able to get the aqua class cabin for 14 nights for an upcharge of $79 per person during the Black Friday sale via Vacationstogo.com (who has consistently gotten us much better deals than anyone we know in our cruise crazy circle of friends). So when people make a blanket statement such as “aqua class isn’t worth it,” it is a meaningless statement. Isn’t worth what??? Isn’t worth $79 for 14 days of blu (including upgraded blu room service menu) concierge, upgraded bath, bedding and amenities, free thermal suite usage, free exercise classes, priority spa appointments, and concierge benefits for embarkation, disembarkation, tendering, etc?! If you have time, patience, flexibility and diligence there are so many amazing cruise deals to be had. On any cruise there will be people who pay radically different prices for the exact cabin on exact same ship and sailing. You need to know how YOU cruise, and what YOU enjoy to determine value. Concierge class truly does offer little value so we wouldn’t pay more than an extra $10/night. Aqua class for us, especially on Celebrity, is a definite YES for us at up to $25/night. On certain sailings with lots of sea days, we would go higher than that. BUT, we haven’t HAD to pay more than $20/night extra on either norwegian or celebrity. We paid The same price as a regular veranda for aqua class on one sailing! Norwegians breakaway plus ships have a much better thermal suite setup with proper thalassotherapy pool, glorious vistas from the heated loungers, amazing saunas, ice , and steam rooms etc…but no special dining option (and the week thermal pass on NCL was $699 in 2/22 so paying $12/ night upgrade on that was well worth it). Celebrity Infinity had a nice thalassotherapy pool in the solarium. The millennium class ships have bare bones spas so we just use the free sauna on those. Happy cruising to all, and give aqua/spa class a try if you can find a good deal. Find out exactly what you get and make it a point to try all of the benefits of the upgrade. You could be a convert!
Didn't hear you mention that aquaclass also has the drink, tips and wifi package. You have to buy that separately with a veranda room. But I agree with your list of extras and others that are redundant.
We cruised on Apex 11/4-13 in a concierge C-1 cabin. Your umbrellas (2) were in your closet. The only differences were the access to Blue, the Spa extras and the 2 bottles of water daily in your room.
The list is indeed hard to decipher. But THE main $ differential is the access to the thermal suites (complimentary/unlimited to Aqua class guests vs. $69 day pass pp for everyone else - including Retreat guests). Blu, of course, and a few in-room amenities like spa shower head, slippers, heavier robes, and water which were exclusively provided to guests in Aqua class. I agree though the cost outweighs the benefits. It may only be worth it for those who enjoy these amenities or if the itinerary is particularly sea day intensive.
We had a concierge class cabin and received the “snacks” every night, (we had them stopped after day 3) had use of an umbrella, had the upgraded pillows and bed, had the upgraded toiletries and way less cost than aqua class.
Yes and also you forgot the upgraded shower perks!! .... the shower head has a hard reach shower hose & upgraded shower jets not found in Concierge or standard cabins. Blu is the best, it's nice to be in a smaller restaurant each day seeing familiar faces.
I have stayed in Concierge Class. Umbrella and binoculars, expanded room service breakfast and afternoon treats are all included in Concierge. No, you do not get water in your room in Balcony or Concierge. You also can get a bottle of welcome sparking. With regards to dedicated spa concierge, again, in Concierge class, we also had a dedicated concierge. The purpose was limited, it was just that you didn't have to go to the general desk for questions, you could go to them instead. They would arrange things like tender passes etc. We used once in about 3 cruises.
The whole spa component is obviously targeted to people who do spend on Spa treatments and you'd be surprised how many do, especially in Aqua Class. Some cruises are indeed rather busy at the spa so priority reservations can be useful. BLU and the Thermal Suite are great features. I usually get my cruises comped by the Casino and Concierge/Aqua is just a $20 surcharge per day over the usual Verandah. I take it.
Sailed on the Edge in Aqua in August. I’d have to agree-the spa wasn’t all that special-the different heated rooms were often only marginally warm and with no hot tub/whirlpool it didn’t really feel like a spa. Blu was a nice experience but it’s location on the ship looking out onto the lifeboats felt like something got lost in the otherwise perfect design of the ship. Edge was special enough without the additional perks. That said, the capacity of the ship was drastically reduced with only 800 or so guests, so maybe if the dining rooms were full blu would have been an upgrade.
Thank you so much for this video, it definitely helps me understand the thought process behind creating The aqua class option for the spa/fitness Enthusiast experience on a cruise.... for us fitness junkies that are out there. I Think this was the best decision for me and my upcoming cruise. I'm definitely someone who will take 2 or 3 fitness classes a day on a cruise plus workout in the gym a couple hours before Really beginning my day And winding down with a good steam room or a dry sauna I definitely think I will make that $600 back pretty easily With the complimentary fitness classes alone.
I agree with you on the value likely not being there for aqua BUT one cool combo Celebrity is launching with Beyond is Aqua Sky Suites, which have all the Aqua amenities plus suite amenities including access to The Retreat and the other suite restaurant, Luminae. I'm excited to book one of those for an upcoming sailing!
And it only costs 3x the cost of a regular IV cabin! I get when you want the exclusive use of the suite restaurant and retreat, but $2500 vs $7500 (pretty much the lowest suite class charge for retreat) (comparison based on cruise we just booked. We went with Concierge for $3500.) You could go to specialty dining every night and rent a cabana every day for less than that $5000.
Thank you for the clarification on the Aqua Class perks (or lack thereof :).. we were considering a booking on Aqua Class but think we will hold off on this one. We also love Celebrity and find a veranda room is more than adequate to meet our needs and wants. Thanks for keeping it real Morgan!
Thank you for your straightforward review! However, we just booked Aqua class on the Summit and the price was less than if we’d booked a standard balcony cabin and then the alcohol package and (even if lousy) internet. I think it’s all timing and how badly they want to fill cabins. Personally, I’m excited and can’t wait for a little pampering, particularly after a dismal crowded Thanksgiving cruise with a crying grandchild on RC.
The afternoon treats are also served to Concierge guests. Pro tip, if you don't like it, you can have them change it to cheese and fruit plates. Not each time or if you don't like it that day. You can change it once, and for the duration of the cruise they'll bring cheese and fruit instead. We prefer that. Sometimes the canape treats are weird.
In fairness without personal experience in a class lower or the Retreat, your analysis isn't exactly accurate. The list never said these features are exclusive to Aqua class. The exclusive perks are mixed in with standard Celebrity benefits. You missed dedicated spa concierge who is someone you can call without waiting at the spa desk to book services (this perk is more valuable on a full ship), spa discounts (although the spa will offer additional discounts throughout the cruise available to everyone), the one free fitness class pass, and the complimentary in cabin bottled water. The umbrella, binoculars, upgraded room service breakfast menu, complimentary sparkling wine, daily canapes, and shoe shines come with concierge and higher cabins. With the thermal suite access and Blu restaurant, these are what sets Aqua class apart for most people. As you said, whether these things make it worth the added cost are completely personal. Most Aqua class devotees simply enjoy the exclusive access to Blu which is open for breakfast as well. I agree that Celebrity needs better proofreaders in the marketing materials, but I don't think they are deliberately misleading.
I don't think Morgan was misleading, the cruise line mixes in "perks" that everyone gets with what is included only for aqua class to make their list look longer. They could easily have that list of "exclusives" posted somewhere but they choose not to because they know most people won't go line by line checking what the regular cabins say and will just assume this is a massive list of exclusives. And some of this stuff is just ridiculous in this day and age...sort of like hotels that still advertise having a TV in the room (wow, is it a COLOR TV too?)
Regarding your video returning to the ship I do not think that you were acting entitled or rude. As you pointed out you were well within the time limit outlined by the cruise line and I thoroughly enjoyed that video
We are doing aqua class on Silhouette in 2 weeks. Paid only about $200 more for it. Have done aqua on Equinox 4 times also. We use Persian Garden daily, love the heated beds. On Solstice class aqua cabins are just below spa.
Agree with your conclusions. In 2021, we took Veranda class on Apex. In 2022, we booked Veranda on Beyonds and then "bid up" to Aqua class (we did not spend an extra $600 per person). You were right about many of the "perk" (e.g., 2 bottles of water per day). Our experience in Veranda was identical to Aqua class. The Therma Spa was great and we plan to use it on our next cruise -- paying the daily rate. We did not like the Blu restaurant. It was very noisy, service and food were nothing special. We had most of our meals in Cosmopolitan. Our only extra snacks were the same chocolates we got in Veranda. The Veranda room on Apex was at the stern of the ship and had a full balcony. I was not impressed with the Infinite Veranda on Beyond; its not a balcony and not much of a "sun room." But it was a shorter walk. We are already booked for 2023. Do not pay more of an upgrade than cost of several visits to the Thermal Spa.
I was expecting your cabin to be bigger than ours. Other than the Infinite Balcony they were basically the same. Ours was a deluxe porthole balcony. We didn't get the water in our cabin. But we had cruise only and not the beverage package No ads at your break, but I did get two random Google ads right when you were reading the comments. I don't think you were rude going back over to Santorini. Hell, I would have gone with you!
In 2019, while still competing with Holland America and Princess, I had a terrible time in Aqua. They ran out of most vegetables, pineapple (while docked in Hawaii), humus, pancake batter, chocolate syrup, etc. The higher price tag corrects these shortfalls I guess, but they're not getting my money again. 12 days with no veggies was too much. We did a 4 night cruise 6 months prior, at the end of 2018, and there was no problem having asparagus in your omelet, or zucchini in your pasta.
We have always wanted to try a class higher than balcony for the amenities sake and we were finally able to do that with Celebrity bc for our sailing (our first time with Celebrity) the veranda, concierge, and aqua were all the same price! Also I was the one who mentioned the 50 minute couple swedish massage price and update... $278 per person! But if you go by yourself it's $150 per person! Why do they do it that way!? We booked Aqua on the Millennium in March for $499/ person. Thank you for this series bc there's not a lot of vlogs about Aqua Class!
Please know that I have sailed Celebrity before, and I found the food to be substandard. On that particular cruise, I was glad we had ordered some specialty dining. So, I am looking forward to cruising in Aqua Class this next go round simply for the Blu restaurant experience, and I will elect NOT to purchase specialty dining. We will see how it goes. Thanks for your comments about Blu. They were helpful.
@@Keep-on-ok I agree and such a shame that they feel like they have to charge such extraordinary prices and then they add on the gratuity and then I always feel bad and give them more so it is very expensive.
Enjoyed your video and your sense of humor. My ad was Electrolux. I agree how redundant their list is. The list is for the amenities of the room, not really spotlighting differences in the room, therefore a lot on the list are the same for all rooms. What they should do is organize the list to show what’s different or special to the category separate from what all cabins get. I am sailing on the Apex next week. We upgraded to aqua class from infinite veranda for $75. I also booked for another cruise in aqua class and the price was the same for veranda,concierge or aqua, so I think it’s worth it. I wouldn’t pay $600 extra. As a fitness/wellness focused person, I am excited to get the yoga mat, classes and thermal suite included. That’s probably worth more than $100, depending on how much used. Also, other vloggers have shown the shower is different in aqua and the room service menu is expanded. Im really looking forward to Blu after how much you’ve said about it in videos. Thanks for the entertaining videos.
Air filtration, umbrellas and binoculars are standard for veranda rooms on Celebrity. The water is not provided in the room for everyone, but as you mentioned it is available at all the bars
My wife and I will be going on our fourth cruise in October to celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary on Celebrity Equinox. This will be our first experience with Celebrity as our other three cruises were with Norwegian 1993 & 2017 and Carnival 2003. Our travel agent booked us in a Aqua Class A-1 all included package with the basic drinks, wifi and tips and also includes Blu restaurant and spa etc. Our agent saved us 2K as she got us a A-1 Aqua Class cabin deck 11 port side for less than a C-2 Concierge cabin. My wife and i do use the spa services and we like the food that will be offered at blu plus the price our agent got us it was a no brainer especially when our agent saved us money and gave us a nice upgrade to Aqua for less than Concierge. We are looking forward to our first sailing with Celebrity in October!
I am booked on the Apex this coming February. I was motivated to book Aqua class, until I looked at the deck plans and most of the cabins were at the back/aft of the ship. For me that meant farther from the elevators. The deal breaker. I am in the Consignor Class, four cabins away from the elevators. Looks like the only thing I’m missing out on is access to Blu restaurant. I can purchase the Thermal Suites for like $139 for the length of the cruise. I also get savory bites everyday. Don’t remember if I get “water”. I’ll let you know . . .
We were on the APEX In Sept (Concierge Class). Was also tempted to book Aqua but with a port intensive itinerary, just wouldn’t have enjoyed the spa as much. Water was not included in our room, grabbed them at the bar, Cafe Il Bacio, Oceanview Cafe, or even the gym. Whichever was on the way. We will be on it again next week. It’s an amazing ship.
You can get good deals in Aqua Class,at small increase in price,if you're in luck .Bottled water in lower priced cabins has to be paid for.Binoculars are also not standard .I like Blu, but if I wasn't getting a really good deal,I wouldn't use Aqu Class
Seems you’re confusing the list of room features with a list of perks. All rooms have a detailed list of included items, which is the list you’re using for your video. The list of perks exclusive to Aqua Class staterooms is detailed on their website. For example, Aqua class receives priority boarding which is why it’s not listed in the room description. I see your point on the added expense not being worth it but complaining about a complete room description is a bit over the top.
I did have an ad for St Jude. I appreciate the aqua class breakdown. I would love to cruise celebrity bu I can't afford it. Re the comment you were entitled, I don't think you or the others were entitled, just using the time available. Not sure ships can come and go in port at will anyway. The last boat excursion was probably a bit extravagant but cruising is not an environmental exercise.
The major reason I would not book Aqua Class, or, for that matter even use the spa PERIOD is because Celebrity is the only cruise line that does not have a therapy pool in their spas. No hot tub whatsoever. I find this odd considering it's a staple with all other cruise lines, and it's my favorite thing about any spa package.
We upgraded to Aqua on the Edge a few months ago for a really low price. Blu was really nice--as was fancy shower. But we are not spa people and only spent an hour or so to check it out. So unless the upgrade price is really low we would not do again.
The real difference between Balcony, Concierge and Aqua is BLU which is a more exclusive restaurant which serves better food. You may get a slightly quicker check-in in Concierge and that's it unless you really need the attention of the Concierge. The best deal is just Balcony cabin for sure.
Thank you Morgan for your always honest and truthful videos. You give your opinion on what is offered and allow us to make our own choice, and I for one really appreciate that. I always look forward to Sunday Sofatime. Keep them coming! No, I probably would not book Aqua Class.
I once booked a guaranteed balcony cabin on Carnival and got an upgrade to their cloud 9 spa cabin with free spa amenities, never used them once so I definitely wouldn't pay extra. Blue dining would be nice but no where near worth the extra cost. When I started cruising there were not that many extra cost and different "class" upgrades, I'm not a fan of these and basically don't ever pay for them just on principle.
Aqua class is not a good deal financially. Basically all you get is access to another restaurant with an alternative menu that has added choices not avaialble in the regular restaurants. We were just on the Apex and the regular restaurants were fine. Good food nicely presented in a nice atmosphere and good service. Is it worth arguably a $1000 upgrade for a week? Come on. But if you have the money and as I am getting older I realize this, why not?? You cant take it with you. And a grand is meaningless to the typical Aqua class passenger who is similarly situated. Older, affluent and a regular cruiser on lines other than, Carnival and Royal or Norwegian.
Great, informative video! I just got lucky and got upgraded to an Aqua class stateroom after bidding $200/pp and being accepted. I think it's a great value particularly for us since we were in a ocean view room and had no veranda. So, an extra $400 for a veranda plus the 4 things you highlighted (Thermal Suite, Blu, Bubbly, & treats) on a 4 night voyage I think is great. As for the list, yes, it is very redundant. However, it is not a list of things that are exclusive to Aqua class but rather, a list of everything in an Aqua class stateroom, including things available in all cabins. It would be nice to have the items that are exclusive to Aqua listed in a bold and different color so one can see at a glance what separates the 'levels.'
@@VeryunOfficialTravelGuides I bid on a 13-day South America cruise on the Eclipse for $300/pp and got accepted. The only amenities I am interested in are the unlimited use of the Thermal Suites and the exclusive Blu restaurant. For $300/pp on a 13-day cruise, I think it's worth it.
Just love that chipmunk voice you put on! So talented! I agree. The perks don't werks for me either unless they don't cost more than a couple hundred bucks. Blu is the one perk that might entice me, but as long as I get a room with a veranda and remain afloat, it's ships ahoy!
They generally say when the last tender is going and this falls into that category. People have the right to stay until the last tender. Heaven knows we did that on Mystery Island.
The Aqua class cabins are larger than regular Infinite Verandah staterooms, which start at 181 sq ft. They are the same size as Concierge, which also start at 243 sq ft.
I stayed in a regular infinite veranda room on Beyond. The bottle water is not in the room but we can get them at the bar. People from aqua class have light blue colored bottles. We bought the unlimited usage of thermo suite ourselves. They only charge us the price for 7 day cruise $470 for 2 people, for our 10 day cruise.
I enjoy Sofa-Time every week but this edition was especially engaging. Info about Aqua class was very helpful and revisiting your Tender Trip brought back memories of the beautiful sites you shared last week. Keep up the great work! Yep, I love the T-shirt! 😉
Celebrity is not a luxury line, it is the best of the premium lines (includes HAL, Princess). I love aqua class, I prefer it to suite class, but that's me.
Agree! The extra cost for Aqua class is not worth it. Blu is a nice perk, but it better to use that extra money in the specialty restaurants because you won’t get a discount because you re in Aqua Class. I do not like the infinity verandas at all! It basically is an Oceanview cabin with a floor to ceiling window that pretends to be a balcony. I also feel the infinity cabins are narrower than the traditional balcony cabin. I much prefer the traditional cabins, I enjoy the Celebrity reflection! The Apex has some beautiful feature, not all. The martini bar, very disappointing.😢
@@VeryunOfficialTravelGuides I have been several times on the Equinox. Beautiful ship! Regrettably, unless they have added it, it does not have the Lawn-grill restaurant. There is a glass blowing studio instead! Disappointing. Next month I am traveling on the Reflection out of Barcelona to Fort Lauderdale. So far, it’s my favorite Celebrity ship.
Thanks to your videos, I've decided to book concierge class. For me the priority embarkation and pillow menu are worth the extra cost as I have to fly into my embarkation port. I really dislike crowded situations so boarding in a smaller group is a definite perk for me.
I think you may be looking at the website secription of Aquaclass in the wrong way. It is perhaps the wording in the description that is confusing. Let me explain my thinking. Imagine if someone is looking at the website and goes straight to Aquaclass to see the facilities. It lists not only the facilities that are exclusive to that class but to all lower stateroom categories as well. I think they should have two lists. One which is for all categories and one which is exclusively for Aqua Class.
Great insight for some specifics but what about the drink package, wifi and tips that are included with aqua class vs a lower class room? To me those more than make up for the price difference when considering the other values you pointed out
When we looked into it, the Aqua Class was NOT worth the upcharge from the Concierge class. However, we were given the option to bid on an upgrade and we were upgraded for $50/person TOTAL for a 5 night sailing. Definitely worth that. Any more than that, maybe not.
We did Aqua on Reflection and was excellent! Loved Blu! We were never pushed to purchase or do anything on the Spa. We loved the ship so much that we booked it for New Year’s Eve this year, we have another Celebrity in November too. Just love the Cruise line!!!
Hi - was room service included? Did you get priority embarking? Oh and did you eat at Blu enough to make it worth it? What about eating on shore? Thanks!
We ate every night at Blu, except for one night that we went to Le Petit Chef, if we didn’t like something on the menu, one can get the main dining room food, we don’t like room service, because we don’t like to eat in the cabin. We got Aqua because this was when all the cancellations were happening and we got cancelled twice, so they kept upgrading us, because prices were going down, so instead of a refund they upgraded us.
Booked an 40th anniversary cruise on the Summit for next June, 2023. We have cruised in veranda and port window rooms before on the Summit and never added premium drinks or wi-fi. The difference between a veranda suite with no perks and aqua class was $4200.00. Your video made me reconsider. I have not rebooked a veranda rate yet, but the xtra cost would add up to another cruise next year.
We have cruised Aqua and Sky Suites in The Retreat category and here’s our take. Aqua is good if you are a healthy, vegan, WFPB eater as Blu is the healthy choice restaurant. If you aren’t into healthy cuisine skip Aqua and Concierge and just go with a verandah. If you want to eat healthy put your money towards a sky suite and enjoy Blu and the perks of The Retreat. It’s so worth it!!
Aqua gives you 3 of the fitness classes that have a cost, included. If you are not Aqua, you pay for them. When you itemized the Aqua benefits, you didn't include the free classes. Those are like $50-60 each if I recall. That's 3 per person btw. My companion didn't take any classes and I couldn't use their benefit to take more than 3.
Hi, I am going on first Celebrity cruise in Aqua Class in February. We chose Aqua mainly for Blu as I don’t eat meat and it seems to offer more variety for me than MDR.However I would be keen to know what the complementary exercise classes are that you refer to. Do you recall which ones were complimentary? Thanks.
We are booked for an early August cruise on the Celebrity Reflection. We have our adult kid's in a conceirge cabin - and we are in a suite. the cabin for them was almost as much as a regular cabin. But I would not pay that much extra just for Blu. We sailed on the Edge and hated our "infinate veranda" - somebody said it is like a bus window.
Great breakdown! We just got off the Summit in Aquaclass & totally agree with you! We have sailed the Summit before and it was the same veranda cabin size. So we shall Not yearn for a higher class stateroom again. Lol
Same as concierge class but you have access to blu restaurants….to be healthier..lol . I like concierge which is above veranda because we can do select dining and pick out restaurants daily. And they bring snacks daily , too. We get the wine, on requests.
I believe the standard cabin appointments are for people who haven’t stayed in a cruise cabin so that they have an idea what to expect as a new cruiser
Wow! Great review! I agree... I would rather put the $$$ towards the next cruise. We no longer go to the spa on a cruise. We don't enjoy the sales pitches in the spa. -- last week's sofa time was amazing I shared it all over the place. What an amazing experience!!
A very helpful post. My husband and I just booked aqua class on the Apex so we will see if it's worth it to us. We've loved the Edge and wanted to try the 'upgrade' to Aqua.... I'm sure we will love the Blu and the included spa....which we could have paid for separately. Anyway thanks for your fun presentation and a big hello from San Diego. Stu
I am on the Equinox right now (watching you while cruising yay 🙌) and booked concierge and beside access to the Spa & Blu, my amenities are quite similar. Just started my cruise so not sure if it would be worth booking that class ship again. Thanks for your videos Morgan
We sailed on the Celebrity Summit in Concierge Class and got everything listed except access to the spa thermal suite. I’m definitely doing at least Concierge Class on the Apex but now am debating Aqua Class. Thank you.
You have to pay for exercise classes. Price ranges on how many classes to the type of classes. So that is a great deal with the Aqua classes if you do this on the cruises. I do, as a former fitness instructor. I use it to get ideas on how others do their classes and the meeting other like minded individuals. Thanks for the video. I am trying the Aqua class soon to see if I use the thermal suite. And the dinning room that is healthier.
I also don't think the Aqua class is worth it, but let us tell you what you are really getting per day, not the difference. You should compare The daily difference is $87 a day, which you get a Upgraded resturant included that is the most difference $45 a person. Going to Blu is no "Included" with that price. If you ate there like the Retreat you would find it is worth it besides the fancy soaps etc. IMO getting a veranda and doing 2 SPAs advetures ($400) is still cheaper. The rooms are the same period. So IMO you are just including BLU to your room.
Don't you get access to private pool areas, decks, priority dining, VIP at shows and stuff. For me if it keeps me away from crowds and packed pool areas for nice quiet, it would be worth it.
We all most appreciate all this videos on RUclips and the reasons are : we learn how to be smarter at the time of selecting a cruise line and the rooms. We recently booked 2 cruises 🚢 winter and next summer with Celebrity, 3 days later after we paid for the entire cruise $$$$ very expensive , we realize they changed the itinerary to places we don’t care to visit , we called their client service ( all working from Home ) expect delay 1-2 hours on the phone , they are rude not happy of answering the call obviously I am sure clients calls interrupted their Netflix movie and no option they don’t care about helping or reschedule. This is a really bad start with Celebrity and unfortunately we was to emotional and already booked two expensive cruises with them. Sad .
Nice breakdown, the only perk I could see myself using is Blue, but I don’t think I would eat there enough to justify staying in aqua class unless it is just a small cost increase
Ads: Sprouty Pod and ZenB Pasta. Banner ad for Capital One. A game or something that seems to feature options to play a variety of world-changing disasters and a Japanese soap/shampoo. I appreciate you taking a hit for the team so we can know if we want to book Aqua Class! 🤣
You've done a good job here highlighting Celebrity's need to modify their class description web pages. A simple addition of "includes everything from blah blah class, in addition to:" would solve that problem. Because, you're right, listing MDR makes it seem like no lower perk level has access to the MDR. And we all know how silly that would be.
@@VeryunOfficialTravelGuides Not yet, but only bc the closest port to us is outside our one-day driving range. One day, though!! 👍🏻 I'm a new subscriber & binge-watched all your past cruise vlogs - looking forward to your next series! 😊
They brought us a foam waffle pad for the bed. We were disappointed in the room size. There was no room in there to do yoga. No shelf in the shower for shampoo. We paid for an upgrade, complained and got a nice future cruise credit. We never used the spa. We were on the Solstice.
This is how you set yourself apart from other cruisers...you give us an honest opinion with facts to back up your feelings. After watching your Apex video I went on the Celebrity website and compared Aqua class to standard balcony. The cost difference was significant to me and the amenities list was confusing for Aqua class. Thank you for clearing this up. Pro balcony!
Yeah, unless you're planning on using the thermal spa everyday or reeeeeally love Blu restaurant it's prob not worth it.
@@MisteMiner yes, my hubby uses the steam room and just lays for a cruise long pass, about $170 or so, but I don’t. The other thing we would use would be Blu, as it is lovely. But that is all, so not worth the extra to us.
Blu is THE reason to book Aqua class. If you're not interested in the dining, it's not worth it. Period, the end.
Periodt!
Some big wig in Celebrity telling an underling ad writer: “Make me a list of 50 things Aqua class offers. No, I don’t care what it says. No, I don’t care if it’s repetitive. Just give me a list!” smh Thanks for your excellent analysis!
That’s exactly how it happens.
Yes, that's probably it!
Apologies if you find this offensive. It is NOT to everyone's taste. Be Forewarned.
Ricky Gervais's Best Top 10 List
ruclips.net/video/AKmDy4IW12A/видео.html
We loved Aqua class and booked it twice. We loved loved loved the service in Blu. It was so much more than we were used to and loved the food choices as compared with dining room. We are also spa people as we sailed many many Princes cruises and enjoyed the week long spa packages we used every day We also used the spa on Aqua class every day. The afternoon snacks just made it feel pampered were nice as were the bottles of water as we both drink a lot of water every day. I just booked another Aqua Class on Apex. It just seems to make the cruise feel special. We have also cruised in the Haven on NCL which was also a treat. At the age of 70 and 74 having worked all our lives we just feel lucky we are able to afford AquaClass ( and twice in NCL HAVEN) we are very appreciative of these extra services. And that we can afford them.
Hi! I would like to ask if you need to pay when dining in blu or you need to pay extra? Thanks
@@nicoleryantamonan1399 no Blu is included in Aqua Class
There is a "hidden" perk with Aqua class. And, it is a huge one. Access to Persian Garden and Spa gets you access to a shave n shower facility apart from your cabin! Doesn't sound like much, but it can make all the difference with, let's face it, a cramped cabin for two, and a partner needing space and time to "get ready". Carry a subset of toiletries to the spa and problem solved!
That’s a great tip!
I think you're talking about the locker room. Everyone has access to the locker room
Aquaclass is for people who like the spa and want a private dining room that serves cleaner meals. That’s why we booked aquaclass in the past. We have upgraded to the retreat now, it rocks.
I agree.
The veranda room doesn't include the drink, tip, wifi package.
@@RAINYDAYS00505 It pays to book the retreat if you can. We cut down to 2 cruises per year just so we could afford the retreat.
Exactly, we're spa people and love Blu so it's very much worth it for us!
You pretty well nailed Aqua. At the normal rates it's certainly not worth it to me. However it's sometimes possible to snag an aqua cabin very close to the cost of a standard balcony cabin. Once I even got it for less than a standard balcony cabin. If I can get a deal on it, it's a no brainer because of Blu. The food is fantastic in Blu. BTW, you can ask for a cheese plate or shrimp cocktails each day instead of the dish of small bites. Concierge class is an even worse deal. You get basically nothing of value with that one other than a fancy gold key card indicating you paid too much lol.
Not true, by the way. Concierge and Aqua not that different apart from no access to Blu and the spa access. The rest is pretty much the same.
I LOVE Aqua class for the main things you mentioned. Hence I will always go in Aqua class on any Celebrity cruise. The thermal beds are divine and soooo relaxing. The Blu restaurant is the best !!!! I can’t wait for my next Celebrity Cruise later this year
For me Aqua is worth it. The food in Blu is excellent and we like eating in a smaller venue. We also do the fitness classes and go to the thermal spa every day. There is also some preferential treatment in terms of embarkation and disembarkation, useful in itineraries where tenders are used.
Good video. However, its a little bit biased. You kind of made the upgrade seem worthless. I have to agree with you; the Celebrity marketing team went overboard trying to list some things that offer little value or that are not just for the Aqua Class rooms.
However, we have made the mistake of not booking Aqua Class in the past to save money and it was something we regretted.
My wife and I have cruised with Celebrity 3 times before (twice in the Equinox in the last cpl of years and the Summit, back in 2016) and we have the tried the 3 types balcony rooms (Veranda, Concierge and Aqua).
Here is our opinion: We would gladly pay for the Aqua Class for the following:
-Blu restaurant for dinner (the food and service is amazing)$$$
-Thermal suite/Sauna (we use it everyday)$$$
-Better bathrooms (nice massage shower, plush robes, heated mirrors, awesome toiletry, aromatherapy)$
-Better mattress and bedding than Veranda (same as Concierge thou)$
-Staterooms are located in higher floors (better view/same as Concierge)
-The 2 bottles of water and the snacks they bring in the afternoons are also offered with the Concierge class and its not a big deal for us.
-The extended room service menu is not a big deal either.
***This might be just our perception, but the housekeeping staff seems to be better trained (maybe their staff to room ratio is better). The point is that they do treat you better. Nothing wrong with the staff working the Veranda rooms (its Celebrity after all), but it feels like they put their best to work the Aqua and Concierge rooms.
Anyway, we love cruising with Celebrity and the rooms are just a matter of preference. We are not rich, but we prefer to save a little more and make the most our of our vacation. We don't waste money at the casinos and we have no interest in the overpriced spa. BTW, you nailed it when you mentioned their ridiculous sales tactics!
We did enjoy your video and we will follow your channel.
Thanks!
Excellent summary. We cruise aqua or spa class and have had no trouble getting into these great cabins for less than the price of a thermal suite pass most of the time.
This was a click bait titled video and I don’t feel the author thoroughly understood the full details on what you get in aqua class. In addition, there was nothing deceptive in Celebrity’s description. In no place does it state or imply everything on that list is exclusive to aqua class.
We love thermal suites and use the spa almost every day on every cruise. The exercise classes are a nice way to offset indulging in more calories than normal. The concierge helps to get you priority appointments in spa on busy sea days or prime times. They can help with quite a bit that makes a cruise special. You can ask them to modify your afternoon canapés.
We are celebrating our long awaited retirement at 68, and celebrating with a two week transatlantic on the Apex next November as we make our way home in a leisurely fashion after a month of seat of our pants travel to Portugal and Spain. After a month of hiking in hilly terrain, and sleeping on what may well be typically uncomfortable european beds…I anticipate LIVING in the spa for recovery purposes on those six days at sea!
For that specific sailing, we were able to get the aqua class cabin for 14 nights for an upcharge of $79 per person during the Black Friday sale via Vacationstogo.com (who has consistently gotten us much better deals than anyone we know in our cruise crazy circle of friends).
So when people make a blanket statement such as “aqua class isn’t worth it,” it is a meaningless statement.
Isn’t worth what??? Isn’t worth $79 for 14 days of blu (including upgraded blu room service menu) concierge, upgraded bath, bedding and amenities, free thermal suite usage, free exercise classes, priority spa appointments, and concierge benefits for embarkation, disembarkation, tendering, etc?!
If you have time, patience, flexibility and diligence there are so many amazing cruise deals to be had. On any cruise there will be people who pay radically different prices for the exact cabin on exact same ship and sailing.
You need to know how YOU cruise, and what YOU enjoy to determine value. Concierge class truly does offer little value so we wouldn’t pay more than an extra $10/night.
Aqua class for us, especially on Celebrity, is a definite YES for us at up to $25/night. On certain sailings with lots of sea days, we would go higher than that.
BUT, we haven’t HAD to pay more than $20/night extra on either norwegian or celebrity. We paid The same price as a regular veranda for aqua class on one sailing!
Norwegians breakaway plus ships have a much better thermal suite setup with proper thalassotherapy pool, glorious vistas from the heated loungers, amazing saunas, ice , and steam rooms etc…but no special dining option (and the week thermal pass on NCL was $699 in 2/22 so paying $12/ night upgrade on that was well worth it). Celebrity Infinity had a nice thalassotherapy pool in the solarium. The millennium class ships have bare bones spas so we just use the free sauna on those.
Happy cruising to all, and give aqua/spa class a try if you can find a good deal. Find out exactly what you get and make it a point to try all of the benefits of the upgrade. You could be a convert!
Didn't hear you mention that aquaclass also has the drink, tips and wifi package. You have to buy that separately with a veranda room. But I agree with your list of extras and others that are redundant.
We cruised on Apex 11/4-13 in a concierge C-1 cabin. Your umbrellas (2) were in your closet. The only differences were the access to Blue, the Spa extras and the 2 bottles of water daily in your room.
The list is indeed hard to decipher. But THE main $ differential is the access to the thermal suites (complimentary/unlimited to Aqua class guests vs. $69 day pass pp for everyone else - including Retreat guests). Blu, of course, and a few in-room amenities like spa shower head, slippers, heavier robes, and water which were exclusively provided to guests in Aqua class.
I agree though the cost outweighs the benefits. It may only be worth it for those who enjoy these amenities or if the itinerary is particularly sea day intensive.
We had a concierge class cabin and received the “snacks” every night, (we had them stopped after day 3) had use of an umbrella, had the upgraded pillows and bed, had the upgraded toiletries and way less cost than aqua class.
Yes and also you forgot the upgraded shower perks!! .... the shower head has a hard reach shower hose & upgraded shower jets not found in Concierge or standard cabins. Blu is the best, it's nice to be in a smaller restaurant each day seeing familiar faces.
Oh ya: the shower!
I have stayed in Concierge Class. Umbrella and binoculars, expanded room service breakfast and afternoon treats are all included in Concierge. No, you do not get water in your room in Balcony or Concierge. You also can get a bottle of welcome sparking. With regards to dedicated spa concierge, again, in Concierge class, we also had a dedicated concierge. The purpose was limited, it was just that you didn't have to go to the general desk for questions, you could go to them instead. They would arrange things like tender passes etc. We used once in about 3 cruises.
The whole spa component is obviously targeted to people who do spend on Spa treatments and you'd be surprised how many do, especially in Aqua Class. Some cruises are indeed rather busy at the spa so priority reservations can be useful. BLU and the Thermal Suite are great features. I usually get my cruises comped by the Casino and Concierge/Aqua is just a $20 surcharge per day over the usual Verandah. I take it.
May I ask how do you get your cruises comped? Any tips or advice?
Sailed on the Edge in Aqua in August. I’d have to agree-the spa wasn’t all that special-the different heated rooms were often only marginally warm and with no hot tub/whirlpool it didn’t really feel like a spa. Blu was a nice experience but it’s location on the ship looking out onto the lifeboats felt like something got lost in the otherwise perfect design of the ship. Edge was special enough without the additional perks. That said, the capacity of the ship was drastically reduced with only 800 or so guests, so maybe if the dining rooms were full blu would have been an upgrade.
Thank you so much for this video, it definitely helps me understand the thought process behind creating The aqua class option for the spa/fitness Enthusiast experience on a cruise.... for us fitness junkies that are out there. I Think this was the best decision for me and my upcoming cruise. I'm definitely someone who will take 2 or 3 fitness classes a day on a cruise plus workout in the gym a couple hours before Really beginning my day And winding down with a good steam room or a dry sauna I definitely think I will make that $600 back pretty easily With the complimentary fitness classes alone.
Oh ya. I think this is perfect for you. Have a great time!
I agree with you on the value likely not being there for aqua BUT one cool combo Celebrity is launching with Beyond is Aqua Sky Suites, which have all the Aqua amenities plus suite amenities including access to The Retreat and the other suite restaurant, Luminae. I'm excited to book one of those for an upcoming sailing!
They are adding the aqua sky suites to apex in April 2023!
And it only costs 3x the cost of a regular IV cabin! I get when you want the exclusive use of the suite restaurant and retreat, but $2500 vs $7500 (pretty much the lowest suite class charge for retreat) (comparison based on cruise we just booked. We went with Concierge for $3500.) You could go to specialty dining every night and rent a cabana every day for less than that $5000.
This list is like hotels that list everything in the room like it’s a feature “ in room Remote , tv , bed and you own bar of soap “ 😂
Thank you for the clarification on the Aqua Class perks (or lack thereof :).. we were considering a booking on Aqua Class but think we will hold off on this one. We also love Celebrity and find a veranda room is more than adequate to meet our needs and wants. Thanks for keeping it real Morgan!
Thank you for your straightforward review! However, we just booked Aqua class on the Summit and the price was less than if we’d booked a standard balcony cabin and then the alcohol package and (even if lousy) internet. I think it’s all timing and how badly they want to fill cabins. Personally, I’m excited and can’t wait for a little pampering, particularly after a dismal crowded Thanksgiving cruise with a crying grandchild on RC.
The afternoon treats are also served to Concierge guests. Pro tip, if you don't like it, you can have them change it to cheese and fruit plates. Not each time or if you don't like it that day. You can change it once, and for the duration of the cruise they'll bring cheese and fruit instead. We prefer that. Sometimes the canape treats are weird.
In fairness without personal experience in a class lower or the Retreat, your analysis isn't exactly accurate. The list never said these features are exclusive to Aqua class. The exclusive perks are mixed in with standard Celebrity benefits. You missed dedicated spa concierge who is someone you can call without waiting at the spa desk to book services (this perk is more valuable on a full ship), spa discounts (although the spa will offer additional discounts throughout the cruise available to everyone), the one free fitness class pass, and the complimentary in cabin bottled water. The umbrella, binoculars, upgraded room service breakfast menu, complimentary sparkling wine, daily canapes, and shoe shines come with concierge and higher cabins. With the thermal suite access and Blu restaurant, these are what sets Aqua class apart for most people. As you said, whether these things make it worth the added cost are completely personal. Most Aqua class devotees simply enjoy the exclusive access to Blu which is open for breakfast as well.
I agree that Celebrity needs better proofreaders in the marketing materials, but I don't think they are deliberately misleading.
Agree.
I don't think Morgan was misleading, the cruise line mixes in "perks" that everyone gets with what is included only for aqua class to make their list look longer. They could easily have that list of "exclusives" posted somewhere but they choose not to because they know most people won't go line by line checking what the regular cabins say and will just assume this is a massive list of exclusives. And some of this stuff is just ridiculous in this day and age...sort of like hotels that still advertise having a TV in the room (wow, is it a COLOR TV too?)
Exactly this. I felt it was a negative review for that sake of being negative
Agree
Regarding your video returning to the ship I do not think that you were acting entitled or rude. As you pointed out you were well within the time limit outlined by the cruise line and I thoroughly enjoyed that video
hahahahahahaha --- "The Cabin has a window!" --- you slay me, Morgan - You give the best amenity list reads on YT!
We are doing aqua class on Silhouette in 2 weeks. Paid only about $200 more for it. Have done aqua on Equinox 4 times also. We use Persian Garden daily, love the heated beds. On Solstice class aqua cabins are just below spa.
Agree with your conclusions. In 2021, we took Veranda class on Apex. In 2022, we booked Veranda on Beyonds and then "bid up" to Aqua class (we did not spend an extra $600 per person).
You were right about many of the "perk" (e.g., 2 bottles of water per day). Our experience in Veranda was identical to Aqua class.
The Therma Spa was great and we plan to use it on our next cruise -- paying the daily rate. We did not like the Blu restaurant. It was very noisy, service and food were nothing special. We had most of our meals in Cosmopolitan. Our only extra snacks were the same chocolates we got in Veranda.
The Veranda room on Apex was at the stern of the ship and had a full balcony. I was not impressed with the Infinite Veranda on Beyond; its not a balcony and not much of a "sun room." But it was a shorter walk.
We are already booked for 2023. Do not pay more of an upgrade than cost of several visits to the Thermal Spa.
Thanks for coming over and sharing your thoughts!
“It’s going to be a long video?” YES PLEASE! I’m down for that.
I was expecting your cabin to be bigger than ours. Other than the Infinite Balcony they were basically the same. Ours was a deluxe porthole balcony.
We didn't get the water in our cabin. But we had cruise only and not the beverage package
No ads at your break, but I did get two random Google ads right when you were reading the comments.
I don't think you were rude going back over to Santorini. Hell, I would have gone with you!
Not worth it unless you're going to really to want those few things. I love traditional balcony. $600 saved for next vacation. Love your honesty.
In 2019, while still competing with Holland America and Princess, I had a terrible time in Aqua. They ran out of most vegetables, pineapple (while docked in Hawaii), humus, pancake batter, chocolate syrup, etc. The higher price tag corrects these shortfalls I guess, but they're not getting my money again. 12 days with no veggies was too much. We did a 4 night cruise 6 months prior, at the end of 2018, and there was no problem having asparagus in your omelet, or zucchini in your pasta.
We have always wanted to try a class higher than balcony for the amenities sake and we were finally able to do that with Celebrity bc for our sailing (our first time with Celebrity) the veranda, concierge, and aqua were all the same price! Also I was the one who mentioned the 50 minute couple swedish massage price and update... $278 per person! But if you go by yourself it's $150 per person! Why do they do it that way!?
We booked Aqua on the Millennium in March for $499/ person.
Thank you for this series bc there's not a lot of vlogs about Aqua Class!
Please know that I have sailed Celebrity before, and I found the food to be substandard. On that particular cruise, I was glad we had ordered some specialty dining. So, I am looking forward to cruising in Aqua Class this next go round simply for the Blu restaurant experience, and I will elect NOT to purchase specialty dining. We will see how it goes. Thanks for your comments about Blu. They were helpful.
We avoid the Spa and the Salon because we cruise to relax and NOT to be pressured to buy stuff. Been there, done that.
I hate that too. You go for an already very expensive massage or facial and they harass you to buy very expensive products.
@@gartnsu1 I use to get my hair done for formal nights but it just is not worth the hassle!
@@Keep-on-ok I agree and such a shame that they feel like they have to charge such extraordinary prices and then they add on the gratuity and then I always feel bad and give them more so it is very expensive.
Enjoyed your video and your sense of humor. My ad was Electrolux. I agree how redundant their list is. The list is for the amenities of the room, not really spotlighting differences in the room, therefore a lot on the list are the same for all rooms. What they should do is organize the list to show what’s different or special to the category separate from what all cabins get. I am sailing on the Apex next week. We upgraded to aqua class from infinite veranda for $75. I also booked for another cruise in aqua class and the price was the same for veranda,concierge or aqua, so I think it’s worth it. I wouldn’t pay $600 extra. As a fitness/wellness focused person, I am excited to get the yoga mat, classes and thermal suite included. That’s probably worth more than $100, depending on how much used. Also, other vloggers have shown the shower is different in aqua and the room service menu is expanded. Im really looking forward to Blu after how much you’ve said about it in videos. Thanks for the entertaining videos.
Air filtration, umbrellas and binoculars are standard for veranda rooms on Celebrity. The water is not provided in the room for everyone, but as you mentioned it is available at all the bars
No binoculars in standard Infinity verandahs. Umbrella 🌂 yes no binoculars. Robes, yes no slippers.
My wife and I will be going on our fourth cruise in October to celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary on Celebrity Equinox.
This will be our first experience with Celebrity as our other three cruises were with Norwegian 1993 & 2017 and Carnival 2003.
Our travel agent booked us in a Aqua Class A-1 all included package with the basic drinks, wifi and tips and also includes Blu restaurant and spa etc.
Our agent saved us 2K as she got us a
A-1 Aqua Class cabin deck 11 port side for less than a C-2 Concierge cabin.
My wife and i do use the spa services and we like the food that will be offered at blu plus the price our agent got us it was a no brainer especially when our agent saved us money and gave us a nice upgrade to Aqua for less than Concierge.
We are looking forward to our first sailing with Celebrity in October!
I am booked on the Apex this coming February. I was motivated to book Aqua class, until I looked at the deck plans and most of the cabins were at the back/aft of the ship. For me that meant farther from the elevators. The deal breaker. I am in the Consignor Class, four cabins away from the elevators. Looks like the only thing I’m missing out on is access to Blu restaurant. I can purchase the Thermal Suites for like $139 for the length of the cruise. I also get savory bites everyday. Don’t remember if I get “water”.
I’ll let you know . . .
We were on the APEX In Sept (Concierge Class). Was also tempted to book Aqua but with a port intensive itinerary, just wouldn’t have enjoyed the spa as much. Water was not included in our room, grabbed them at the bar, Cafe Il Bacio, Oceanview Cafe, or even the gym. Whichever was on the way.
We will be on it again next week. It’s an amazing ship.
Aquaclass cabins are near the spa
You can get good deals in Aqua Class,at small increase in price,if you're in luck .Bottled water in lower priced cabins has to be paid for.Binoculars are also not standard .I like Blu, but if I wasn't getting a really good deal,I wouldn't use Aqu Class
Seems you’re confusing the list of room features with a list of perks. All rooms have a detailed list of included items, which is the list you’re using for your video. The list of perks exclusive to Aqua Class staterooms is detailed on their website. For example, Aqua class receives priority boarding which is why it’s not listed in the room description. I see your point on the added expense not being worth it but complaining about a complete room description is a bit over the top.
I did have an ad for St Jude. I appreciate the aqua class breakdown. I would love to cruise celebrity bu I can't afford it. Re the comment you were entitled, I don't think you or the others were entitled, just using the time available. Not sure ships can come and go in port at will anyway. The last boat excursion was probably a bit extravagant but cruising is not an environmental exercise.
The major reason I would not book Aqua Class, or, for that matter even use the spa PERIOD is because Celebrity is the only cruise line that does not have a therapy pool in their spas. No hot tub whatsoever. I find this odd considering it's a staple with all other cruise lines, and it's my favorite thing about any spa package.
We upgraded to Aqua on the Edge a few months ago for a really low price. Blu was really nice--as was fancy shower. But we are not spa people and only spent an hour or so to check it out. So unless the upgrade price is really low we would not do again.
The real difference between Balcony, Concierge and Aqua is BLU which is a more exclusive restaurant which serves better food. You may get a slightly quicker check-in in Concierge and that's it unless you really need the attention of the Concierge. The best deal is just Balcony cabin for sure.
Thank you Morgan for your always honest and truthful videos. You give your opinion on what is offered and allow us to make our own choice, and I for one really appreciate that. I always look forward to Sunday Sofatime. Keep them coming! No, I probably would not book Aqua Class.
I once booked a guaranteed balcony cabin on Carnival and got an upgrade to their cloud 9 spa cabin with free spa amenities, never used them once so I definitely wouldn't pay extra. Blue dining would be nice but no where near worth the extra cost. When I started cruising there were not that many extra cost and different "class" upgrades, I'm not a fan of these and basically don't ever pay for them just on principle.
Aqua class is not a good deal financially. Basically all you get is access to another restaurant with an alternative menu that has added choices not avaialble in the regular restaurants. We were just on the Apex and the regular restaurants were fine. Good food nicely presented in a nice atmosphere and good service. Is it worth arguably a $1000 upgrade for a week? Come on. But if you have the money and as I am getting older I realize this, why not?? You cant take it with you. And a grand is meaningless to the typical Aqua class passenger who is similarly situated. Older, affluent and a regular cruiser on lines other than, Carnival and Royal or Norwegian.
Great, informative video! I just got lucky and got upgraded to an Aqua class stateroom after bidding $200/pp and being accepted. I think it's a great value particularly for us since we were in a ocean view room and had no veranda. So, an extra $400 for a veranda plus the 4 things you highlighted (Thermal Suite, Blu, Bubbly, & treats) on a 4 night voyage I think is great. As for the list, yes, it is very redundant. However, it is not a list of things that are exclusive to Aqua class but rather, a list of everything in an Aqua class stateroom, including things available in all cabins. It would be nice to have the items that are exclusive to Aqua listed in a bold and different color so one can see at a glance what separates the 'levels.'
That is an AMAZING deal you got! I'm happy for you. Enjoy it and make sure to make the most of it. Things like that don't happen every day!
@@VeryunOfficialTravelGuides I bid on a 13-day South America cruise on the Eclipse for $300/pp and got accepted. The only amenities I am interested in are the unlimited use of the Thermal Suites and the exclusive Blu restaurant. For $300/pp on a 13-day cruise, I think it's worth it.
Just love that chipmunk voice you put on! So talented! I agree. The perks don't werks for me either unless they don't cost more than a couple hundred bucks. Blu is the one perk that might entice me, but as long as I get a room with a veranda and remain afloat, it's ships ahoy!
They generally say when the last tender is going and this falls into that category. People have the right to stay until the last tender. Heaven knows we did that on Mystery Island.
Wife n I did Aquaclass cabin @ Christmas 2019 on Silhouette …mainly for Blu & Thermal Suite access …for us (older couple) we ❤️ Aquaclass….
The Aqua class cabins are larger than regular Infinite Verandah staterooms, which start at 181 sq ft. They are the same size as Concierge, which also start at 243 sq ft.
I stayed in a regular infinite veranda room on Beyond. The bottle water is not in the room but we can get them at the bar. People from aqua class have light blue colored bottles. We bought the unlimited usage of thermo suite ourselves. They only charge us the price for 7 day cruise $470 for 2 people, for our 10 day cruise.
I enjoy Sofa-Time every week but this edition was especially engaging. Info about Aqua class was very helpful and revisiting your Tender Trip brought back memories of the beautiful sites you shared last week. Keep up the great work! Yep, I love the T-shirt! 😉
Celebrity is not a luxury line, it is the best of the premium lines (includes HAL, Princess). I love aqua class, I prefer it to suite class, but that's me.
Blu makes all the difference.
Agree! The extra cost for Aqua class is not worth it. Blu is a nice perk, but it better to use that extra money in the specialty restaurants because you won’t get a discount because you re in Aqua Class. I do not like the infinity verandas at all! It basically is an Oceanview cabin with a floor to ceiling window that pretends to be a balcony. I also feel the infinity cabins are narrower than the traditional balcony cabin. I much prefer the traditional cabins, I enjoy the Celebrity reflection! The Apex has some beautiful feature, not all. The martini bar, very disappointing.😢
We are cruising in a "normal" balcony cabin on the Equinox in a few weeks so I am looking forward to compare!
@@VeryunOfficialTravelGuides I have been several times on the Equinox. Beautiful ship! Regrettably, unless they have added it, it does not have the Lawn-grill restaurant. There is a glass blowing studio instead! Disappointing. Next month I am traveling on the Reflection out of Barcelona to Fort Lauderdale. So far, it’s my favorite Celebrity ship.
My favorite is the Sky Suite . I have been in aqua class and you are absolutely right
Thanks to your videos, I've decided to book concierge class. For me the priority embarkation and pillow menu are worth the extra cost as I have to fly into my embarkation port. I really dislike crowded situations so boarding in a smaller group is a definite perk for me.
I think you may be looking at the website secription of Aquaclass in the wrong way. It is perhaps the wording in the description that is confusing.
Let me explain my thinking.
Imagine if someone is looking at the website and goes straight to Aquaclass to see the facilities.
It lists not only the facilities that are exclusive to that class but to all lower stateroom categories as well.
I think they should have two lists. One which is for all categories and one which is exclusively for Aqua Class.
Great insight for some specifics but what about the drink package, wifi and tips that are included with aqua class vs a lower class room? To me those more than make up for the price difference when considering the other values you pointed out
I just returned home from Edge C class and we had the beverage package and basic free wifi.
When we looked into it, the Aqua Class was NOT worth the upcharge from the Concierge class. However, we were given the option to bid on an upgrade and we were upgraded for $50/person TOTAL for a 5 night sailing. Definitely worth that. Any more than that, maybe not.
the daily delivery of savories is definitely worth the thousand or so upcharge from a regular balcony cabin (LOL)
We did Aqua on Reflection and was excellent! Loved Blu! We were never pushed to purchase or do anything on the Spa. We loved the ship so much that we booked it for New Year’s Eve this year, we have another Celebrity in November too. Just love the Cruise line!!!
Hi - was room service included? Did you get priority embarking? Oh and did you eat at Blu enough to make it worth it? What about eating on shore? Thanks!
We ate every night at Blu, except for one night that we went to Le Petit Chef, if we didn’t like something on the menu, one can get the main dining room food, we don’t like room service, because we don’t like to eat in the cabin. We got Aqua because this was when all the cancellations were happening and we got cancelled twice, so they kept upgrading us, because prices were going down, so instead of a refund they upgraded us.
@@mercyrodriguez5780 Acqua is starting to sound worth it to me!
Great video, like always!!! My ad was unfortunately a political ad, I completely with you that it’s seems celebrity overstates aqua class
Booked an 40th anniversary cruise on the Summit for next June, 2023. We have cruised in veranda and port window rooms before on the Summit and never added premium drinks or wi-fi. The difference between a veranda suite with no perks and aqua class was $4200.00. Your video made me reconsider. I have not rebooked a veranda rate yet, but the xtra cost would add up to another cruise next year.
Well, either way I am sure you're going to have a great time. Congrats on 40 years!
We have cruised Aqua and Sky Suites in The Retreat category and here’s our take. Aqua is good if you are a healthy, vegan, WFPB eater as Blu is the healthy choice restaurant. If you aren’t into healthy cuisine skip Aqua and Concierge and just go with a verandah. If you want to eat healthy put your money towards a sky suite and enjoy Blu and the perks of The Retreat. It’s so worth it!!
The best part of Aqua class is the priority embarkation, luggage and disembarkation. I think you forgot about that perk.
And priority tenders, and expanded room service from Blu.
The worse hour of my life - was a spa HARD-sell. Tip - Don't be suckered into a "free" gift for attending a spa meeting.
Aqua gives you 3 of the fitness classes that have a cost, included. If you are not Aqua, you pay for them. When you itemized the Aqua benefits, you didn't include the free classes. Those are like $50-60 each if I recall. That's 3 per person btw. My companion didn't take any classes and I couldn't use their benefit to take more than 3.
Hi, I am going on first Celebrity cruise in Aqua Class in February. We chose Aqua mainly for Blu as I don’t eat meat and it seems to offer more variety for me than MDR.However I would be keen to know what the complementary exercise classes are that you refer to. Do you recall which ones were complimentary? Thanks.
We are booked for an early August cruise on the Celebrity Reflection. We have our adult kid's in a conceirge cabin - and we are in a suite. the cabin for them was almost as much as a regular cabin. But I would not pay that much extra just for Blu. We sailed on the Edge and hated our "infinate veranda" - somebody said it is like a bus window.
OMG Yes! A bus window!
Wonderful breakdown of the value of the aqua class.
Great breakdown! We just got off the Summit in Aquaclass & totally agree with you! We have sailed the Summit before and it was the same veranda cabin size. So we shall
Not yearn for a higher class stateroom again. Lol
Same as concierge class but you have access to blu restaurants….to be healthier..lol . I like concierge which is above veranda because we can do select dining and pick out restaurants daily. And they bring snacks daily , too. We get the wine, on requests.
This review was AMAZING!!!! Omg...it helped me make my decision!
I'm glad I could help! Enjoy!
I believe the standard cabin appointments are for people who haven’t stayed in a cruise cabin so that they have an idea what to expect as a new cruiser
“Free Consultation “ is marketingspeak for Sales Pitch.
Thanks for picking this up
Exactly!
Wow! Great review! I agree... I would rather put the $$$ towards the next cruise. We no longer go to the spa on a cruise. We don't enjoy the sales pitches in the spa. -- last week's sofa time was amazing I shared it all over the place. What an amazing experience!!
Going April 7th. Went with aqua and friends did lower class room. I will give you feed back when we return
A very helpful post. My husband and I just booked aqua class on the Apex so we will see if it's worth it to us. We've loved the Edge and wanted to try the 'upgrade' to Aqua.... I'm sure we will love the Blu and the included spa....which we could have paid for separately. Anyway thanks for your fun presentation and a big hello from San Diego. Stu
I am on the Equinox right now (watching you while cruising yay 🙌) and booked concierge and beside access to the Spa & Blu, my amenities are quite similar. Just started my cruise so not sure if it would be worth booking that class ship again. Thanks for your videos Morgan
Enjoy your cruise!
We sailed on the Celebrity Summit in Concierge Class and got everything listed except access to the spa thermal suite. I’m definitely doing at least Concierge Class on the Apex but now am debating Aqua Class. Thank you.
You have to pay for exercise classes. Price ranges on how many classes to the type of classes. So that is a great deal with the Aqua classes if you do this on the cruises. I do, as a former fitness instructor. I use it to get ideas on how others do their classes and the meeting other like minded individuals. Thanks for the video. I am trying the Aqua class soon to see if I use the thermal suite. And the dinning room that is healthier.
I also don't think the Aqua class is worth it, but let us tell you what you are really getting per day, not the difference. You should compare The daily difference is $87 a day, which you get a Upgraded resturant included that is the most difference $45 a person. Going to Blu is no "Included" with that price. If you ate there like the Retreat you would find it is worth it besides the fancy soaps etc. IMO getting a veranda and doing 2 SPAs advetures ($400) is still cheaper. The rooms are the same period. So IMO you are just including BLU to your room.
Funny, we got an ad for celebrity cruises.
By the way, my wife, Cheryl decided to give up her hallmark Christmas movies just to watch you.
Holy crap! That puts a lot of pressure on me! Lol
Don't you get access to private pool areas, decks, priority dining, VIP at shows and stuff. For me if it keeps me away from crowds and packed pool areas for nice quiet, it would be worth it.
We all most appreciate all this videos on RUclips and the reasons are : we learn how to be smarter at the time of selecting a cruise line and the rooms. We recently booked 2 cruises 🚢 winter and next summer with Celebrity, 3 days later after we paid for the entire cruise $$$$ very expensive , we realize they changed the itinerary to places we don’t care to visit , we called their client service ( all working from Home ) expect delay 1-2 hours on the phone , they are rude not happy of answering the call obviously I am sure clients calls interrupted their Netflix movie and no option they don’t care about helping or reschedule. This is a really bad start with Celebrity and unfortunately we was to emotional and already booked two expensive cruises with them. Sad .
Nice breakdown, the only perk I could see myself using is Blue, but I don’t think I would eat there enough to justify staying in aqua class unless it is just a small cost increase
I upgraded infinite veranda via Move Up for $200 more, but I agree with your asssesement it's not worth $600 more
Ads: Sprouty Pod and ZenB Pasta. Banner ad for Capital One. A game or something that seems to feature options to play a variety of world-changing disasters and a Japanese soap/shampoo.
I appreciate you taking a hit for the team so we can know if we want to book Aqua Class! 🤣
You've done a good job here highlighting Celebrity's need to modify their class description web pages. A simple addition of "includes everything from blah blah class, in addition to:" would solve that problem. Because, you're right, listing MDR makes it seem like no lower perk level has access to the MDR. And we all know how silly that would be.
Thanks, Laura! I guess great minds think alike, right? :-P. Have you cruised with Celebrity?
@@VeryunOfficialTravelGuides Not yet, but only bc the closest port to us is outside our one-day driving range. One day, though!! 👍🏻 I'm a new subscriber & binge-watched all your past cruise vlogs - looking forward to your next series! 😊
Yes, we got 2 bottles of water delivered daily in Aqua class. We also had 2 umbrellas. Storage is lacking!
They brought us a foam waffle pad for the bed. We were disappointed in the room size. There was no room in there to do yoga. No shelf in the shower for shampoo. We paid for an upgrade, complained and got a nice future cruise credit. We never used the spa. We were on the Solstice.
I love how you explain everything great 👍 info. Tk I subscribed.
Brilliant review ! Articulate and delivered with good humour.
Thanks for the clarifications, very helpful. I would just go with a balcony cabin unless aqua class was on super special.
The best thing about this review was that you were super funny but you keep it really 🙂
Thank you for this. You are so brave to write this for us. Most cruise reviewers are such sycophants What a breath of fresh air