Cruise Lines · Celebrity Cruises
Celebrity Cruises, Booked by Travel Consultants Who Know the Ships
What Celebrity feels like
Celebrity is contemporary and sophisticated without being stiff. Think of a polished resort at sea: calm public spaces, a strong focus on wellness, and food that foodies will love. The tone is more relaxed and refined than the big family ships, and it shows in the crowd.
Children are welcome, and Celebrity does them well. Camp at Sea runs age-grouped programs for kids and teens from 3 to 17, so younger travelers stay busy and engaged instead of roaming the ship. Kids simply are not the center of the experience the way they are on Royal Caribbean or Carnival. Adults also have the Solarium, a glass-roofed, adults-only pool deck that is one of the most restful spaces on board.
Celebrity is part of Royal Caribbean Group, alongside Royal Caribbean and Silversea. You get the reach and reliability of a large cruise company with a quieter, more grown-up experience on board.
Our favorite ship: Celebrity Xcel
Celebrity Xcel, which entered service in November 2025, is our team’s favorite in the fleet. She is the fifth of Celebrity’s Edge-series ships, and the Edge series is a clear step up from the older Solstice series in design, dining and outdoor space. The Solstice-series ships are still very good ships, and they often reach itineraries the newer ships do not, so we recommend them when the itinerary is the priority.
AquaClass, The Retreat or a veranda?
AquaClass: the sweet spot
For most couples, AquaClass is where Celebrity delivers the most for the money. AquaClass guests get their own restaurant, Blu, for breakfast and dinner, which is one of the best restaurants on the ship. You also get access to the thermal spa suite (the SEA Thermal Suite on Edge-series ships, the Persian Garden on older ships), priority spa bookings and in-cabin touches like a massaging shower panel and a pillow menu. Families can book AquaClass too, but you get suite-level service without The Retreat’s top-tier price, so if a hallway does get noisy now and then, you have not paid top dollar to put up with it.
The Retreat: superb, with one caveat
The Retreat is Celebrity’s suite experience: a private restaurant, Luminae, plus a private lounge and sundeck. The suite-level dining is excellent. It is a big step up in price, though, and suites are open to families, so you can still have children running up and down the hallway in an otherwise high-end space. It does not happen often, but when you have paid Celebrity’s top price, a noisy hallway is a real disappointment. That is the thing to weigh when you choose.
A standard veranda on an Edge-series ship is also a fine way to sail Celebrity, and every dining room on board is very good. We price your options side by side so you can see what each step up costs and what it adds.
Why your cabin choice matters
Cabin selection is where we add the most. Book online or call the cruise line and you get whatever cabin the system offers; nobody looks at where it sits on the ship. We know these ships: which cabins sit beside busy corridors, kids’ areas or late-night venues, where you feel the most motion, and which positions are the quietest. We start with how you like to travel, search what is actually available, and choose the best cabin with you. Getting the cabin right is the first step to getting the whole voyage right.
Dining on Celebrity
Candidly, the food is excellent across the ship, from the main dining room to the specialty restaurants. Two levels stand out:
- Blu (AquaClass guests). Top-level cooking with a lighter, wellness-minded menu, and one of the best reasons to book AquaClass.
- Luminae (Retreat guests). Suite-level dining that lives up to the price of The Retreat.
If you love food, Celebrity is the line we point you to first.
What’s included in a Celebrity fare, and what isn’t
Included in every fare
- Main dining room and buffet
- Coffee, tea, juice and water at the buffet
- Shows and most onboard activities
- Camp at Sea for ages 3 to 17
Extra, or in the All Included upgrade
- Drinks package and basic Wi-Fi: included when you book the All Included fare
- Gratuities: charged separately on every fare, at a daily rate per person that rises with cabin level
- Specialty restaurants (Blu and Luminae are included for AquaClass and Retreat guests)
- Spa treatments and shore excursions
Whether All Included is worth it depends on how much you drink and how connected you need to be. We run the numbers both ways for your sailing. See how inclusions compare across cruise lines.
Inclusions, fares and gratuity rates are set by Celebrity Cruises and can change. We confirm the current terms for your sailing before you book.
Who Celebrity suits
- Couples and friends who want a refined, relaxed ship with excellent food.
- Foodies and wellness-minded travelers, especially in AquaClass.
- Families with older or easygoing kids who want Camp at Sea without a theme-park atmosphere.
- Travelers stepping up from mainstream lines who are not ready for an all-suite luxury line.
Not sure which cruise line fits this trip?
The Celebrity fleet
| Series | Ships | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Edge series | Edge, Apex, Beyond, Ascent, Xcel | Newest and most design-forward. Xcel joined in November 2025; a sixth ship, Xcite, is due in 2028. |
| Solstice series | Solstice, Equinox, Eclipse, Silhouette, Reflection | Very good ships with a classic Celebrity feel and a wide range of itineraries. |
| Millennium series | Millennium, Summit, Infinity, Constellation | Smaller, older ships that reach ports larger ships cannot. |
Celebrity Cruises questions we hear
Is Celebrity Cruises good for families?
Yes, for families who want a calmer ship. Camp at Sea covers ages 3 to 17 in age-grouped programs, and fewer children sail Celebrity than Royal Caribbean or Carnival. Families who want water slides and thrill rides may prefer a more family-focused ship, and we will match you to the right one.
Is Celebrity AquaClass worth it?
For most couples, yes. AquaClass includes Blu, a restaurant reserved for AquaClass guests, plus thermal spa access and priority spa bookings. We consider it the sweet spot between a standard veranda and a suite.
Is The Retreat on Celebrity worth the price?
The Retreat’s private restaurant, lounge and sundeck are excellent. It is a big step up in price, though, and suites are open to families, so you may occasionally hear children in the hallways. It is not a problem most of the time, but it is worth weighing: AquaClass gives you suite-level service at a lower price, so an occasional noisy hallway costs you far less.
Is the Celebrity Solarium adults only?
Yes. The Solarium is an adults-only pool area on most sailings. On some cold-weather voyages, Celebrity opens it to supervised children for limited hours.
Which Celebrity ship is best?
Our favorite is Celebrity Xcel, the newest Edge-series ship. Any Edge-series ship is a step up from the older Solstice series, but the Solstice ships are still very good and often reach itineraries the Edge ships do not.
Does it cost more to book Celebrity through a travel consultant?
No. You pay the same fare as booking direct with Celebrity. Through us you also get Learning Scholar-certified travel consultants who know the ships, a cabin chosen for how you travel rather than assigned by a computer, and Shore Secrets port guides for every stop.
Plan your Celebrity cruise with someone who knows the ships
Tell us how you like to travel, and your Aurévia travel consultant will reply within one business day with ship, cabin and fare options. Let us hold your cabin.