Celebrity Cruises, one of the industry’s most successful premium cruise lines, is making a bid to compete with luxury market ships via its forthcoming “Suite Class” experience. Debuting on Celebrity vessels in April of 2015, the brand-new Suite Class offering will highlight several perks, including an exclusive restaurant for Suite Class guests and a VIP lounge where complimentary premium beverages are served.
So just how will Celebrity's Suite Class service compete with those all-inclusive luxury lines? Customers can expect priority check-in to speed up the embarkation process, and to have a butler on hand to greet guests, unpack luggage, and assist with any reservations or plans that need to be made. If you enjoy traditional afternoon tea, for instance, your butler will serve it in your cabin daily.
Suite Class will also include access to a dedicated private restaurant that will serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The chef will prepare unique meals that aren’t available anywhere else onboard, and can even customize a special dish upon request. Plus, the ship’s head sommelier will offer the perfect wine pairing from a selection of more than 450 bottles. However, Suite Class passengers aren’t limited to dining just at this exclusive enclave; in fact, they’ll have dining privileges at all specialty restaurants on the ship.
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On the beverage front, Suite Class guests will have access to unlimited premium beverages, and cruisers in the Royal, Penthouse, and Reflection suites will also get a private bar setup complete with water, soda, and beer.
Guests will also be granted other useful perks like unlimited complimentary Internet access and reserved theater seating. Individuals staying in Celebrity, Signature, Royal, Penthouse, and Reflection suites will also have access to Michael’s Club, a VIP lounge serving food by Celebrity’s James Beard-featured chef.
Ultimately, Suite Class could be a real game changer, convincing many luxury cruise enthusiasts to switch their allegiance and give Celebrity Cruises a try.
Andrea M. Rotondo is a freelance writer based in New York City. She covers cruise news and luxury travel trends for Fodors.com, Condé Nast Traveler, CruiseCritic, and other websites and magazines. Her latest book is Tom Petty: Rock ‘n’ Roll Guardian. Follow her on Twitter: @luxtravelmavens.