Jayestravellingadventures

If you have read my previous post, you’ll known that I have just returned from a Canaries cruise where I tried The Retreat for the first time. Here’s how I got on.

I booked The Retreat before my embarkation date, as it sells out fast. With my P&O loyalty discount, seven days’ access cost me £209.54 (€240.55/$286.42). This is a lot of money so I wanted to test it out so you didn’t have to.

The benefits to The Retreat include a private space with panoramic ocean views, padded sun loungers, endless spa towels, cold flannels, complementary water, tea & coffee, afternoon tea at 1500, a healthy lunch, fruit platters, spa treatments in the privacy of shaded loungers, fresh robes, and more.

The Retreat can vary depending on which ship you’re travelling on. For example, Iona, Arvia and Britannia all have toilets and whirlpools within the area, whereas Azura and Ventura do not, meaning you need to leave the retreat to access these facilities.

Once onboard, I headed straight to the spa, where my cruise card received a bright sticker along with a code to enter The Retreat throughout my stay. On Britannia, you’re given special passes to keep with your cruise card, which can be a bit of a pain to remember.

I went to check it out and enjoy an hour of the amenities. Once seated, I was offered tea or coffee, and you could also order drinks from the bar, which were collected and brought to you.

On P&O cruises, pool towels are kept in your cabin and you’re limited to one per guest. These can only be replenished poolside when you hand in your used towel. It was therefore really nice to have access to more than one towel in The Retreat. I like to have one on the lounger to lie on, one as a pillow, and another to dry off with or cover my head or feet — one towel simply isn’t enough.

As the weather wasn’t great for the first three days (two sea days and Madeira), I didn’t really make full use of The Retreat. I did go up there at times for lunch and a cup of tea, as there were plenty of chairs and shaded options, but I didn’t partake in any cloud bathing.

Once I arrived in Gran Canaria, the weather was stunning. After a day of exploring and spending euros ashore, I loved knowing I had a guaranteed sunbed waiting for me, without having to grab the only one left that would soon be in the shade.

My time ashore was also far more relaxing, as I didn’t have to keep an eye on the time, hoping I’d missed the rush and that everyone was still out exploring. Whenever I visited The Retreat, I was always greeted and offered fresh water, food and a cold towel. Nothing ever seemed too much trouble for the staff.

I did notice, however, that there were times when the area wasn’t manned, with signs stating it was unmanned from around 17:00, depending on when we left port. These times did vary, but you were never kicked out, shut out of the area, or made to feel unwelcome.

The one thing I felt I missed out on was the sail-away parties. When these were happening, I had to head to the midship pool deck to find a seat and get involved. As The Retreat is located at the front of the ship, you can’t hear the pool noise — which is lovely for peace and quiet — but if you want to take part in quizzes or activities, you do need to move elsewhere.

I found that The Retreat was very weather-dependent in terms of how much time I spent there. At the start of the week, I questioned whether it was worth it at all. However, once the weather improved, I absolutely loved having the quiet space and not having to worry about towels or finding sunbeds. That alone was a massive perk. I didn’t have any spa treatments during the cruise, but I still found the experience incredibly relaxing.

Looking at the perks and my overall experience, I would 100% rebook The Retreat on a warm-weather itinerary. I wouldn’t book it for a Fjords cruise or a Christmas cruise, as I don’t think I’d get enough value for the money paid. My advice would be to check the expected weather carefully and consider whether you’re someone who would truly benefit from these perks.

I’m really glad I tried The Retreat — I was pleasantly surprised.

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