Lois Alter Mark
| Special to USA TODAY 10Best
Hotels within hotels have been a growing trend for the past few years, so it was only natural that cruise lines would follow suit. Offering exclusive accommodations and VIP perks, ships within ships are turning massive ocean liners into intimate experiences, letting luxury-seeking guests take advantage of the best of both worlds.
Celebrity Cruises first introduced their ship-within-a-ship concept, The Retreat, with the launch of Celebrity Edge in 2018 (and the intention of bringing it to their entire fleet with a $500 million modernization).
So, when my husband and I decided to reenact our first cruise ever – which we took to Alaska on Celebrity Millennium – we also decided it was time to upgrade the experience and book The Retreat, which didn’t exist when we traveled on the ship 20 years ago. With more private spaces and fewer people (out of a capacity sailing of 2,218 passengers, only about 100 are guests of The Retreat), it seemed like the ideal way to cruise right now.
Apparently, we’re not the only ones who feel that way.
“The Retreat Suites have been the most popular staterooms as we return to sailing,” said Brian Abel, senior vice president of hotel operations for…
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