The Exclusive Retreat on Celebrity Millennium: Casual Luxury

Sailing in the Retreat on Celebrity Millennium is an experience not to be missed. The surroundings are elegant but welcoming, and the service is impeccable. From the moment you set foot onboard, you will be welcomed like an old friend and treated like royalty.

Luminae Restaurant

Luminae, the suites restaurant on Celebrity Millennium, is lovely, delivering delicious global cuisine and outstanding service. Located on Deck 4 next to the Metropolitan Restaurant, it serves three meals a day unless the ship is in port. The service is stellar, as your waiter, assistant waiter, sommelier, and maître d’ all cater to your every need.

From the moment you set foot in the exclusive restaurant for suite guests, Luminae, you will feel special. After being welcomed by your hostess and maître d’, you will be seated at a private table adorned with a fresh orchid and set with exquisite tableware.

Within seconds, your waiter, assistant waiter, and sommelier will come by to introduce themselves, set you up with bread and butter, and hurry away with your drink order while you peruse the menu.

The dinner menu at Luminae changes each night, while the breakfast and lunch menus remain the same. You will have plenty of choices, though, and over a seven-night cruise will not have to have the same meal twice.

Two things you need to know about dining at Luminae are:

• There is a secret menu not listed on the printed menu that is available each night for dinner. This Classic menu includes appetizers, entrees, and desserts that you can order if there is nothing to your liking on the evening’s regular menu.
• You can order as many items on the menu as you like, whatever your heart desires. My husband has tested this several times and enjoyed himself immensely, cleaning every plate.

The food, globally inspired cuisine, is fabulous. Each meal is approached with the same attention to detail as the one before it.

Retreat Lounge

For guests traveling in The Retreat on Celebrity Cruises, the Retreat Lounge is a serene oasis where you can escape the hustle and bustle of the rest of the ship. Here you can get a cocktail, have a quick snack, consult with your concierge, or just sit back and relax.

We recently traveled on Celebrity Millennium, where the Retreat Lounge is on Deck 4 forward, near the theater. As you step inside, you’ll be greeted by a concierge by name and welcomed. Immediately, you’ll notice the spacious and contemporary design, creating an ambiance that whispers, “Welcome, relax, and enjoy.” Soothing colors and plush furnishings set the stage for a relaxing experience.

The concierge desk is located in the Retreat Lounge, where a concierge or two is always waiting to help you with any issues. Need to book a table for dinner, have a problem with a charge, lost your keycard, have questions about an excursion, or need advice about an upcoming port? The concierge is your go-to person to help.

The Retreat staff are incredibly intuitive and accommodating, happy to chat with you if you’re lonely or to give you your space if that’s what you prefer. Either way, they’re there for you, from morning until night.

Plentiful seating in various sizes of groupings is available, providing you with conversation opportunities or privacy, whichever you want. Whether you’re seeking solitude or eager to connect with others, the Retreat Lounge caters to your preferences. Take time to unwind with a good book, make a connection with a fellow traveler, or simply let yourself be in the moment.

Warm touches abound, inviting you to relax and feel at home. Relax against a pillow and sip a cocktail while munching on crunchy treats provided in the afternoons.

A small buffet is set up with snacks at various times during the day. Cocktail parties are sometimes held in the Retreat Lounge, with drinks and hors d’oeuvres, or a private performance by a musical artist onboard. The concierge may even set up a private trivia quiz with prizes, just for Retreat guests.

If you’re a guest within The Retreat, be sure to check out the Celebrity Retreat Lounge. It will soon become your own little haven.

Retreat Sundeck

When you reserve a suite in The Retreat on Celebrity Millennium, one of the many exclusive suite benefits is access to the Retreat Sundeck. From the moment you step onto the Sundeck, you will feel like a celebrity yourself. Reserved exclusively for suite-class guests, this private oasis takes luxury to new heights. With stunning panoramic views of the ocean, you will be surrounded by a sense of tranquility and opulence.

One of the first things you will see when you swipe your keycard and pass through the gate is this large seating area. Designed for relaxing conversation, it is the perfect place to catch up with friends while catching some rays and enjoying a frosty cocktail. Three large sofas surround a cocktail table, providing plenty of seating for you and a dozen of your closest friends.

Next is an eating area, partially shaded by a gazebo-like awning, where you can order food and drink from the attendant. A limited menu offers sandwiches, burgers, salads, and the like from Luminae, the Retreat restaurant, during lunchtime. In the afternoon, the attendant will offer canapés or cool refreshments. This is also a nice area to enjoy the sun while playing cards or games.

Three types of seating are available for relaxing: padded loungers, loveseats, and cabanas. Comfy and luxurious, they offer just the right amount of sun or shade, whichever you prefer. The cabanas on the Celebrity Retreat sundeck are first-come, first-served, so plan to come early on a sea day if you want to claim one. Another good time is on port days.

We finished an early excursion one day and headed to the sundeck, only to find that we had the entire sundeck all to ourselves for a while. So, we ordered lunch from an attendant and had a little picnic in our cabana. Eventually, people started streaming in once they had returned from their excursions, but for a while, it was heavenly.

The round loveseats have a clamshell-like shade that can be raised or lowered as the sun moves, and provide a romantic place to snuggle up and watch the sunset.

Want to take a soak in a hot tub? Your Retreat Sundeck has one. On newer Celebrity ships, there is also a plunge pool—large enough to dip into to cool off but not large enough to swim in.

Forget your towel? No problem. Attendants keep a good supply on hand for you.

Celebrity Millennium’s Retreat sundeck is a fabulous place for Retreat guests to soak up the sun, unwind, have a cocktail, and maybe order a snack. It is spacious and quite luxurious, a perfect complement to the other Retreat amenities. The sundecks on other revolutionized ships in the Celebrity fleet will be just as nice, or even more wonderful.