I am just off an eleven day adventure on the Celebrity Edge, sailing far south to the Southern Caribbean and the tip of South America. It was a great adventure, and I even got re-married while onboard.

Innovative, revolutionary, and bold are all words used to describe the first in the new class of ships from Celebrity Cruises, a vast departure from the Solstice class or, for that matter, any other cruise ships out there.

Our extended cruise vacation gave me plenty of time to try out tons of food venues, entertainment, bars, and other fun stuff on the ship.

Having never sailed on an Edge series ship, there was lots to explore. Here is what it was like to sail on the Celebrity Edge on an epic 11 day cruise to the Panama Canal. 

Overview of Celebrity Edge

We booked the Edge more than a year and a half in advance. The Panama Canal itinerary was a big draw, and we were eager to try this class of ships.

Previously, we mainly sailed on Royal Caribbean's Oasis class ships. At 129,500 gross tonnage and a capacity of 2,918, the Celebrity Edge is significantly smaller than Wonder of the Seas, which tops out at 235,600, over 80% bigger, with 5,734 guests. So I wasn’t sure how this ship would feel in terms of space.

The ship is quite different in design from any other ships I have sailed on. I missed the open center design, a signature feature of Oasis-class ships, but there were plenty of beautiful spaces like Eden and a rooftop patio onboard.

I was advised by the crew that we were sailing near capacity for our voyage, and the ship did feel a tad busy on sea days. On a few occasions when it was windy outside, it was hard to find a spot in the solarium.

And, of course, there were chair hogs as usual. I think whoever solves this issue deserves a Nobel peace prize.

My first impression was that the ship was quite modern in design. I don’t necessarily gravitate toward this style. Some of the design elements onboard puzzled me, and I wondered how they would age with time. The chandelier that anchors the Grand Plaza looks like a giant crown gone crazy. I was not sure what to make of this supersized light or whether I even liked it, but it was undoubtedly symbolic of the bold design on the ship.

Cabin

To celebrate our 25th anniversary, we booked a Sky Suite. We were mid-ship on Deck 10, which proved to be a great location, and the cabin was thoughtfully designed. It was evident that the design team carefully considered how each space would be used, and the flow was excellent.

Sky suites run around 320 square feet, which is plenty of space for two. The finishings were top notch, and the bathroom, in particular, was designed well with a separate water closet. It has one large sink with two faucets and a large shower with a tub.

We had tons of closet space and could easily store our suitcases under the bed. The room also included upgraded bedding, bathroom products, robes, slippers, an umbrella, and binoculars, but no coffee maker. Our cabin attendant and butler provided superb service throughout our 11 day journey.

The balcony was a good size with two chairs. I would have loved a lounger, a very minor point. On busy sea days, I did enjoy sitting there, and it allowed for some amazing scenic views when we passed through the Panama Canal. 

Dining Venues

Food is a major part of cruising, and we ate very well onboard the Celebrity Edge.

Oceanview Café, the main buffet, is pretty much similar to other cruise ships. It offered a wide selection of choices and was busy in the morning, lunch, and sea days. There was a large amount of seating, including some outside, and I never had a problem finding a spot. I liked how they had a separate area for pizza and ice cream, which diverted people from the main food area.

We did venture to the Fine Cut Steakhouse onboard. The menu was incredibly similar to Chops on Royal Caribbean, which we have enjoyed thoroughly in the past. Our food was delicious, and the portions were quite large. The restaurant opens to the Grand Plaza area but lacks a little ambiance.

As part of our Sky Suite, we had access to Luminae. It is quite a large space, well decorated in tones of red, which seemed all the more appropriate on Valentine’s Day. They don’t take reservations, just walk-ins, and we never had a problem getting a table.

The service was excellent, and we enjoyed the varied menu throughout our cruise. If you are a foodie, they have dishes designed by famed chef Daniel Boulud.

Main Dining Room 

One of the most significant differences on the Edge is the separation of the main dining rooms into four different themed venues that look like specialty restaurants. Cyprus, Cosmopolitan, Tuscan, and Normandie offer specialties as well as classics such as steak, chicken, and shrimp, as well as signature dishes.

Being smaller than a standard main dining room, I found the restaurants to have more of a specialty dining feel, especially Normandie, which was a bit whimsical in décor with rose colored accents, and some French style chairs that looked like a French King could have used.

I was also impressed with the food, including a a mouth watering beef tenderloin in pastry. It was so good that we went twice, and it actually became quite busy by the end of the cruise as word of mouth got out about its delicious cuisine. Based on this experience, I would recommend skipping the steakhouse and heading to Normandie to satisfy your beef craving.

We also tried Cyprus twice and Tuscan, Both were good, and I enjoyed the freshly made pasta at Tuscan.

Separating the dining rooms into smaller spaces is an exciting idea, and I would say the only downside is that you don't get to know your wait staff as well.

On my previous cruise on Celebrity Equinox, I had excellent wait staff in the main dining room, and toward the end of the cruise, they knew my tastes and preferences and made excellent recommendations for food and wine. I missed this on the Edge.

Eden

Eden is a unique venue. A fine dining restaurant, bar, a spot for casual bites, and a music venue. It is a three-level, multifunctional space at the back of the ship.

A tropical inspired oasis, it is home to what many consider the best restaurant on the ship – Eden. The restaurant was hands down the best meal I ate all cruise. A 7-course tasting meal with impeccable service. My only complaint is that there was too much food! If you only do one specialty restaurant on Edge, please do Eden.

The acoustic music was terrific and well suited to the serene environment. The splashes of green, wicker chairs and plants made you feel like you were in a jungle on a cruise ship.

Entertainment

The Grand Plaza, which opens up from Deck 3-5, is definitely the main hub on Edge. There is a stage in the middle of the Martini Bar, with lots of music throughout the day. Each evening it hosted a lively show where the bartenders' twirled bottles in the air and then jumped up on the counter and poured a magical concoction into a glass. I was impressed with the live music and the diversity of songs throughout the eleven days.  

It is a lively area throughout the day, and many people sit around and enjoy coffee from Café al Bacio on Deck 5. It serves top not specialty coffees and European-style pastries and desserts. The lounge around popular cafe was always full, and people seemed to love it.

I should note that the coffees are extra or complimentary with a drink package, but the pastries are free.

Even though we were on the ship for eleven days, we did not get to all the events we had planned. I did enjoy trivia and loved the music in the Eden many nights. We did not make it to any shows. We did want to, but after a leisurely dinner, we often chose the options of a post-dinner drink and lively music. It is one of my favorite things.

We attended a captain’s talk while onboard, where we learned more information about the ship and the Panama Canal. We showed up about 10 minutes before the event; apparently, everyone else on the ship did. It was standing room only as we listened to Captain Costas’ funny yet informative session.

Floating Art Gallery

The ship's architectural elements and overall design is nothing like I have seen on any other cruise ship. I was blown away by the number of art pieces, including paintings and sculptures, throughout the ship. This was unexpected and may seem trivial, but I still think about post cruise.

One of the most talked about (and I would say controversial) pieces on the ship was the large scale installation in a hallway on the way to Eden. It was quite a discussion point amongst passengers in our Facebook sailing group. I don't know that pictures do it justice, but it was incredibly dark, with large sculpture pieces that looked like contorted Oscar statues.

The most unusual sounds played as you walked through, which may have been marine in nature, too hard to make out. I walked through it numerous times and remained both puzzled and intrigued.

There were numerous sculptural pieces throughout the ship that held my eye, including a White Pearl piece, which seemed to be a play on the Black Pear from the famous Pirate of the Caribbean movies. There were also wooden sculptures of people, which seemed to stare at me, despite having no faces. Excellent pieces and thought provoking, exactly what art should be, and most unexpected on a cruise ship.

Other fun stuff

There were several upscale shops on the ship, all with standard ones like Tiffany. Although I saw a beautiful watch in Bulgari, by the name alone, I knew it was out of my price range and did not venture in. I can't recall seeing anyone in there or Cartier during the cruise.

I first thought the Magic Carpet would be a bit gimmick, but it was much more. Another multipurpose space -  a bar, a restaurant, and a launching point for tenders. On one of the sea days, we were lucky enough to score a seat there. It has the perfect amount of shade and incredible views. For my next cruise, I would love to try dinner on it.  

I am not much of a gambler, but my husband did enjoy blackjack in the casino, and we met friends for a drink in the Casino Bar, which was often not busy. Big shoutout to Celebrity for a smoke-free casino. I love it.

We happened to be cruising on Valentine's Day, and everyone who wanted was invited to participate in a vow renewal, a fleet wide event. It looked like at least 100 people participated, and we were treated to a glass of bubbly afterward. I even received a certificate before the end of the cruise to reconfirm my marital status. Nice touch, Celebrity.

Itinerary

One of the best perks of sailing on an Edge class series is the size of the ship. Big enough to offer all the modern amenities you expect in a cruise ship but small enough to fit through the Panama Canal. 

I wasn’t expecting the canal to be so quiet. As we entered, I was surprised to see so much jungle around it, and I could hear birds calling out as we entered before 7 am. I had envisioned lots of people working frantically, with machines buzzing around. Not so. A few people onshore, but otherwise exceptionally calm and well organized. Once through the locks, we entered Gatun Lake, which was greenish in color and surprisingly beautiful. The ship was buzzing the whole time we went through the locks, with people traveling around to get different views and enjoy the sites.

We also sailed to the ABC islands, although we were delayed in arriving in Aruba due to a medical emergency. We rented a golf cart in Bonaire, which is an island like none other I have visited in the Caribbean. Such diverse topography and remote in areas. We also visited Curacao, where we wandered around Willemstad having great Dutch coffee and visiting the local museum. Cartagena, Columbia, was a vibrant port and full of contrast. Your first glimpses of the city are towering white high rises, which was very different than our tour of the old town, which was full of well preserved Spanish colonial buildings.

Ship tour 

One of the best things I did onboard was a ship tour. This has been something I always thought of doing, and I was well organized this time and booked it before we boarded. It is kind of genius that cruise lines charge you for this and that they sell out.

There were around 20 of us, and we ventured to the galley (of Normandie, which was a bonus). We visited one of the 40 storage rooms onboard, and apparently, around 2,000 bottles of wine were consumed each day. No wonder they needed so many store rooms.  We also visited the laundry room and the recycling areas. I am incredibly jealous of the ship’s folding machine, which was magical in pressing and putting sheets into beautiful squares.

One of the highlights of a ship tour is the bridge. I have previously visited a bridge on Royal Caribbean ships, and it was pretty similar on the Edge. Sparsely populated with only three people working, it was quite spacious and packed with modern technology and the smallest ship wheel you can imagine. Unfortunately, the Captain was not there, but the Chief Office did an excellent job of showing us around. All in all, this was a great highlight of the tour and a great way to spend some of the five sea days.

The Verdict

Celebrity has definitely pushed boundaries with the Edge. They have reimagined spaces and challenged some of the traditional cruise ship designs. The ship lived up to the hype by providing a well designed ship with great amenities, tasty food, and very good service. These are things we all want in a cruise vacation.

I am not sure I need all of the modern design for a great cruise, but the ship has tons of terrific amenities, and its size means it has a lot of possible itineraries. It will be interesting to see how dated the ship will look in another five years, as modern design changes rather quickly.

Eleven days is a significant amount of time that lets you explore and experience the ship, as well as fantastic ports. A genuinely relaxing cruise vacation. I can say with certainty that I would sail on the Celebrity Edge series again.

Celebrity Cruises is Royal Caribbean’s sister brand that provides a slightly more upscale, refined experience onboard. The premium cruise line’s fleet of 16 ships sail around the world, from the Galapagos to the Caribbean.

Originally formed in 1988 by the Chandris Group in Greece, Celebrity Cruises was acquired by Royal Caribbean Group in 1997. The cruise line remains part of the company today, and even provides a coveted status match with Royal Caribbean’s Crown & Anchor Society.

Unlike Royal Caribbean, which focuses heavily on family-friendly experiences, Celebrity cruises provide an adult-focused environment, although kids are still allowed onboard. With elegant dining options, unique hangout spaces, and diverse cabin categories, cruising on Celebrity makes an excellent vacation for any cruiser.

In this guide, we’ll take a look at everything you need to know about cruising with Celebrity, from picking a ship to knowing what’s included and which destinations you can visit around the world.

Let’s jump in!

Celebrity Cruises Fleet

Celebrity Cruises has a fleet of 16 ships, with 13 traditional cruise ships and 3 expedition vessels. These ships belong to four separate ship classes.

Edge Class

Celebrity’s Edge Class cruise ships are what the cruise line is most famous for today. These massive ships are the biggest in Celebrity’s fleet at 130-140,000 gross tons and with a capacity of 3,000-3,200 passengers.

Edge Class ships are known for their sleek, modern designs. The Magic Carpet—a multipurpose deck raised and lowered off the side of the ship—is just one of the record-breaking features found in the Edge Class.

Passengers also love Eden, a lounge spanning three decks that doubles as a restaurant and entertainment venue.

There are four ships in the Edge Class:

• Celebrity Edge (2018)
• Celebrity Apex (2021)
• Celebrity Beyond (2022)
• Celebrity Ascent (2023)

An additional Edge Class ship is planned for Celebrity. The fifth Edge Class ship, Celebrity Xcel, is set to launch in 2025.

Solstice Class

With a capacity of 2,850 passengers and gross tonnage of 122,000, Celebrity’s Solstice Class was a game changer for the cruise line when the first ship launched in 2008.

The ships are most known for The Lawn Club, a half acre grass lawn at sea. On this green outdoor patio, guests can enjoy live music, lawn games like bocce and croquet, and outdoor restaurant and lounge spaces.

Other features on Solstice Class ships include a glassblowing workshop, indoor pool, and larger staterooms (with more balconies) compared to Celebrity’s Millennium Class.

There are five ships in the Solstice Class:

• Celebrity Solstice (2008)
• Celebrity Equinox (2009)
• Celebrity Eclipse (2010)
• Celebrity Silhouette (2011)
• Celebrity Reflection (2012)

Millennium Class

Millennium Class ships are the smallest of Celebrity’s traditional cruise ships, at around 90,000 gross tons and with a capacity of around 2,170 passengers.

Although Millennium Class ships are over 20 years old, they have received refurbishments in recent years, adding new venues and updates to the ships. Celebrity Millennium, for example, received an upgrade in 2019 to revitalize staterooms, update decor and furnishings, and add new lounges.

Millennium Class ships sail around the world, from the Caribbean to Alaska, Europe, Antarctica, and beyond.

There are four ships in the Millennium Class:

• Celebrity Millennium (2000)
• Celebrity Infinity (2001)
• Celebrity Summit (2001)
• Celebrity Constellation (2002)

Expedition Vessel

Celebrity Cruises also has one expedition vessel that sails throughout the Galapagos Islands. As such, Celebrity Flora isn't really in a "class" of ships, as it's one-of-a-kind. 

Expedition ships are small, with space for just 100 guests aboard Celebrity Flora. Given their exotic itineraries and intimate size, cruises on Celebrity’s expedition ships are vastly different from the ships fitting 3,000 passengers.

Celebrity has one expedition vessel:

• Celebrity Flora (2019)

River cruise ships

Celebrity announced that they will launch a fleet of river cruise ships in 2027. Each vessel will hold about 180 passengers and be designed to look like Celebrity's award-winning Edge Class series. 

What’s included on a Celebrity cruise?

There are two ways to book a Celebrity cruise: with the All Included program or with a Cruise-Only rate.

The cruise line launched its All Included pricing program in 2020, which aims to provide a more all-inclusive cruise experience on its ships. This program applies to bookings on all cruises with the exception of Galapagos itineraries.

The All Included program includes the Classic Drink Package and basic wi-fi in the base cruise fare. The Classic Drink Package provides cocktails, wines by the glass, liqueurs, beers, spirits, frozen drinks, sodas, specialty coffees, juice, and bottled water at no extra cost.

The All Included rate used to include tips; however, Celebrity Cruises announced that effective October 4, 2023, they will eliminate prepaid gratuities from its All Included pricing packages. 

If you aren’t interested in the All Included program, you can choose to book a Cruise-Only rate. This rate includes accommodation, dining, entertainment, and onboard activities, but does not include drinks or wi-fi. 

What food is included on a Celebrity cruise?

The majority of food on a Celebrity cruise is included in your cruise fare with the exception of specialty restaurants. Like a Royal Caribbean cruise, you can choose to dine only at complimentary venues, spending nothing extra on food once onboard.

Dining venues vary by ship, but each ship has an Oceanview Cafe buffet, a poolside dining venue, and a main dining room.

Edge Class ships have four separate main dining rooms, each with its own unique style and offerings. Normandie offers French cuisine, Cyprus for Mediterranean, and Cosmopolitan features American cuisine.

The fourth restaurant, the Main Restaurant, creates dishes made from a combination of flavors from around the world.

Outside of food, drinks, and wifi, there’s a lot more included in a Celebrity cruise fare:

• Theater shows and entertainment
• Continental breakfast room service
• Casino entry
• Fitness center
• Sundeck and pools
• Live music, bars, and lounges
• Kids programming and clubs
• Daytime activities

Celebrity Cruises cabins

Like all cruise ships, Celebrity cruise ships feature a variety of cabin categories, from budget-friendly inside cabins to extravagant suites. The cruise line’s expedition vessels offer more limited cabin categories due to their small size, so we will first focus on Edge, Solstice, and Millennium Class ships.

Nearly all cabins will include the following features and amenities:

• Two twin beds that can be connected into a king bed
• Desk and vanity area
• Private bathroom
• Dressers and/or closets
• Nightstands
• Television and phone
• Mini fridge

The majority of cabins are designed for double capacity, and solo travelers will incur a single supplement fee. Connecting cabins, accessible rooms, and staterooms with occupancy for up to four people are found across the fleet as well.

Here are the different types of cabins on Celebrity cruise ships:

Inside cabins do not feature a window, balcony, or view of the outdoors, and are the cheapest cabin option available on Celebrity. They make a great option for budget travelers or those who would prefer to save money for other purchases like shore excursions, drink packages, and spa treatments.

Ocean view cabins have a porthole to the outdoors, which provides natural light to the stateroom. They do not provide a private balcony but are a nice middle ground between an inside and balcony cabin.

Veranda is Celebrity’s name for balcony cabins. As the name implies, veranda cabins feature a private, outdoor balcony, and are among the most popular cabins on Celebrity cruise ships. There are several types of balcony cabins available, from smaller basic balcony cabins to Sunset Verandas, which feature views of the ship’s aft.

Infinite veranda cabins are also available. Unlike a traditional balcony cabin, infinite verandas feature a window that can be raised and lowered, converting indoor space into an outdoor balcony. These cabins are only available on Edge Class cruise ships.

Suites on Celebrity cruise ships offer the most luxurious accommodations the cruise line has to offer. There are 10 distinct types of suites available to book, from a 1-bedroom Sky Suite to the panoramic Iconic Suite, the largest in Celebrity’s fleet.

Beyond a bigger, more opulent stateroom, the suite experience on Celebrity—known as The Retreat— provides unparalleled benefits.

Retreat guests have access to Luminae, a suites-only restaurant included in the cruise fare. In addition, guests staying in suites on most ships can access The Retreat Sundeck and The Retreat Lounge, two exclusive spaces only for Retreat guests.

Also included in the suite experience is concierge service, premium drinks, and complimentary wi-fi.

Concierge Class and AquaClass

Celebrity also offers Concierge Class and AquaClass, which provide added benefits and amenities to veranda cabins.

Concierge Class includes a dedicated concierge, priority embarkation and disembarkation, exclusive lunch, priority dining times, and sparkling wine and snacks upon request.

AquaClass offers a wellness experience, with access to the health-focused Blu restaurant, a spa concierge, thermal suite access, a fitness pass, preferential rates on spa packages, and bottled water included in the cruise fare. You do not have to book an All Included package, either. Instead, AquaClass staterooms can be booked with a cruise-only fare.

Are Celebrity Cruises family-friendly?

Celebrity’s brand may not be as family-focused as Royal Caribbean, but that doesn’t mean the ships aren’t kid-friendly. Sure, you won’t find waterslides, bumper cars, and surfing simulators onboard, but kids are welcomed on every Celebrity cruise ship.

Camp at Sea is Celebrity’s complimentary kids programming for ages 3-12. It focuses on age-appropriate, fun activities for kids, including arts and crafts, sports, and treasure hunts.

Camp at Sea is broken into the following age groups:

• Shipmates: ages 3-5
• Cadets: ages 6-9
• Captains: ages 10-12

Teens aged 13-17 can participate in Celebrity’s Teen Club, where they can enjoy teen-only parties, sports competitions, silent discos, video game tournaments, and much more. The teen space follows a “come as you wish” structure, where teens are welcome to enter and exit the Teen Club as they wish with their new friends.

How much does a Celebrity cruise cost?

Despite offering a more adult-oriented atmosphere compared to Royal Caribbean cruise ships, Celebrity cruises are still reasonably priced. It’s common to find a weeklong Caribbean cruise for around $700-1,000 per person before taxes and fees.

A 7-night cruise on one of Celebrity’s new Edge Class ships may cost between $1,250 and $2,500 per person in a balcony room. The cost can vary greatly depending on the time of year you sail, destination, cabin choice, and whether or not you select Celebrity’s All Included option.

Cruise prices are lower during the off-season, which varies by destination. Hurricane season in the Caribbean and shoulder season in Alaska and Europe, for example, will see lower prices than the peak summer months or during the holiday season.

Of course, booking early is an easy way to ensure you find a great cruise fare, but don’t forget to check for last-minute deals if your travel schedule is flexible.

Captain’s Club

Captain’s Club is Celebrity’s loyalty program, and it offers excellent benefits to loyal cruisers. The program is free to join and consists of 6 tiers, each of which offers increasingly better benefits, including:

Preview (0 points): complimentary access to the Captain’s Club loyalty desk and a Captain’s Club newsletter

Classic (2-149 points): complimentary access to welcome event, exclusive onboard premium offers, 10% off wifi packages, 10% off drink packages, and one category upgrade through AquaClass

Select (150-299 points): discounted laundry services, 10% off drink packages 10% spa discount, and 25% off wifi packages

Elite (300-749 points): access to daily breakfast and evening cocktail hour, 30% off wifi packages, 15% off drink packages, complimentary access to Persian Garden on 1 port day, 1 complimentary bag of laundry

Elite Plus (750-2999 points): access to daily breakfast and evening cocktail hour, 15% off specialty dining, 15% spa discount, 35% off wifi packages, 20% off drink packages, and 2 complimentary bags of laundry

Zenith (3000+ points): complimentary 7-night cruise in veranda stateroom upon reaching Zenith, 25% off specialty dining, complimentary laundry, complimentary Premium Drink Package, complimentary premium wifi

You can earn Captain’s Club points in a variety of ways. Most points are earned on a daily basis onboard based on the type of stateroom you booked:

• Inside and ocean view cabins: 2 points per night
• Veranda cabin: 3 points per night
• Concierge Class and Aqua Class: 5 points per night
• Sky Suites and Aqua Sky Suite: 12 points per night
• Penthouse, Reflection, and Edge Villa: 18 points per night
• Iconic Suite: 24 points per night

Aside from earning points during a cruise, Captain’s Club members can earn points through Celebrity’s Power Up Points program. This program allows members to earn points when not on a cruise ship by participating in online surveys and social media contests.

10 Power Up Points are equal to one Captain’s Club point. Once registered for the Power Up Points program, Celebrity will send emails whenever new questionnaires or programs are available.

Crown & Anchor Society status match with Captain’s Club

One benefit to take advantage of before planning a Celebrity cruise is to match your status in Royal Caribbean’s Crown & Anchor Society with the Captain’s Club. The Loyalty Match program allows you to match your Royal Caribbean or Silversea status to Celebrity at no extra cost.

By matching your status, you can begin receiving coveted benefits of the Captain’s Club on your first Celebrity sailing!

Here is the status match you can expect when linking your Crown & Anchor Society/Silversea account with Celebrity Cruises:

• Gold/1 VS Day: Classic
• Platinum/Emerald/100 VS Days: Select
• Diamond/250 VS Days: Elite
• Diamond Plus/350 VS Days: Elite Plus
• Pinnacle/500 VS Days: Zenith

Gratuities

No matter what fare you book for your Celebrity cruise (i.e., cruise-only or "All Included) or cabin category (standard stateroom, Concierge or AquaClass, or The Retreat), you will have to pay for gratuities. 

Below are the gratuity rates for all classes of staterooms as of August 2023: 

$18.00 USD per person, per day for Inside, Ocean View, and Veranda staterooms$18.50 USD per person, per day for Concierge Class and AquaClass staterooms  $23.00 USD per person, per day for guests of The Retreat

If you don't prepay for your gratuities ahead of time, they will be added to your onboard account to be settled at the end of your cruise vacation. 

Where can I visit on a Celebrity cruise?

Celebrity Cruises offers itineraries around the world and to a far wider range of destinations compared to Royal Caribbean. In fact, you can embark on a Celebrity cruise ship from over 25 ports around the world, from Valparaíso to Mumbai and everywhere in between.

Here is an overview of the destinations you can visit on a Celebrity cruise:

Caribbean

Caribbean cruises are, of course, a primary focus of Celebrity, and they offer year-round sailings to the Eastern, Western, and Southern Caribbean.

While Celebrity does not have its own private island in the Caribbean, itineraries may include a port stop to Royal Caribbean’s private destination of Labadee, Haiti or Perfect Day at CocoCay. 

Alaska

Interested in visiting Alaska? Celebrity offers Alaska cruises each summer season visiting the state’s most scenic destinations including Hubbard Glacier, Juneau, and Skagway.

Related: Alaska cruise guide

Cruises to Seattle depart from either Seattle, Washington or Vancouver, British Columbia. Cruise Tours are available to Alaska’s interior, too, visiting destinations such as Denali National Park & Reserve and Talkeetna.

Canada & New England

Each fall, cruises from the northeast are offered to New England and Canada. These itineraries visit both big cities and small towns, including Boston, Quebec City, and Charlottetown, and if you book an itinerary in October, the sailing will align perfectly with peak fall foliage.

Europe

Celebrity offers European itineraries year-round, although the vast majority of cruises in Europe occur from April to October. In the winter months, 11 and 12-night itineraries from Barcelona visit Spain, Portugal, the Canary Islands, and Morocco. Itineraries to Egypt and Israel are also offered throughout the year.

Read more: I Sailed the Greek Islands With Celebrity Cruises and Found the Upscale Cruise Line to Be the Perfect Summer Escape

South America and Antarctica

South America is a popular destination for Celebrity cruises, with itineraries visiting countries throughout the continent, including Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil, Peru, and Chile. Antarctica cruises are available, too, which include scenic cruising days off the continent’s coast and port stops in Patagonia.

Expedition cruises are offered to the Galapagos on Celebrity’s expedition ships: the Celebrity Flora (100 passengers), Celebrity Xpedition (48 passengers), and Celebrity Xploration (16 passengers).

Asia

In Asia, you’ll find cruises to Japan, China, Thailand, Vietnam, India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, and Malaysia, among other countries. Cruises are offered year-round with itineraries between 11 and 14 nights.

Australia, New Zealand, and the South Pacific

Celebrity’s Australia cruise season runs from November to April each year, and itineraries are offered to Australia, New Zealand, and South Pacific islands.

Australia itineraries include visits to Tasmania, the Great Barrier Reef, and southern Australia.

New Zealand cruises include scenic cruising days of Milford, Doubtful, and Dusky Sounds along with port stops in towns such as Dunedin, Picton, and Christchurch.

South Pacific itineraries visit the breathtaking islands of French Polynesia, New Caledonia, Vanuatu, Fiji, Tonga, and Samoa.

Booking a pre- or post-cruise hotel just got easier for Royal Caribbean's sister brand.

Celebrity Cruises announced its new Hotels by Celebrity option, where guests can book a four- or five-star hotel along with their cruise. There is no limit to the duration of how many nights you can book.

While the program is now available for Celebrity Cruises only, it may be coming to Royal Caribbean too. Jessica Suchman, Celebrity's Sales Training and Development Specialist, told travel agents in a webinar, "this will be a tool for all of our brands at Royal Caribbean Group, but we're beginning here with Celebrity Cruises."

In order to book a hotel through the program, you need to have a Celebrity Cruises reservation number.

The program offers refundable hotel booking options. 

You may reserve up to 9 rooms at a time, provided they all have the same check-in and check-out dates. For a booking of 5-9 rooms a different name for each room is required.

Within the results, guests can view the amenities for each specific hotel, and even filter by amenity and star level to further refine the search.

Offering hotels for before or after their cruise is an addition to the pre-existing option to book airfare for cruise guests.

Royal Caribbean Group has offered airfare booking through the cruise lines for years via the Air2Sea website. 

With added health protocols, spending a night or two in the departure city before the cruise begins has never been more important, and offering a hotel booking option offers a more complete vacation planning tool for guests.

Read more: Why you shouldn't fly to your cruise the same day it begins

You can use the Hotels by Celebrity website here.

Just two days after announcing Celebrity Cruises would require kids to be vaccinated, the cruise line has put the change on hold.

On Tuesday, Celebrity Cruises announced children 5 years and older would have to be fully vaccinated in order to go on their cruise ships, beginning February 1, 2022.

In an email to travel advisors, Celebrity Cruises on Thursday, the cruise line said the change was paused.

"The below protocol has been postponed until further notice, while we continue to monitor global situations and lead our industry forward safely," the message said at the top of the email in conjunction with the previous policy announcement.

No other information was shared, nor an explanation as to why the planned change was paused.

Royal Caribbean announced no change to its vaccine policy since Celebrity's announcement.

On a webinar with travel agents yesterday, Royal Caribbean's Senior Vice President, Sales, Trade Support and Service, Vicki Freed, said Royal Caribbean was monitoring the situation, but has not made any decision.

"At this time, we have not made any decisions on the vaccine requirements for children 5 to 11."

".But should we make a change to our protocols and require this, we will give you plenty of notice so that families can get their children vaccinated."

Royal Caribbean's current policy is to require all guests 12 and up to be fully vaccinated. Children below the age of 12 can sail with additional testing.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended last month that children 5 to 11 years old be vaccinated against Covid-19.

Celebrity Cruises announced on Tuesday it will require children 5 years and older to be fully vaccinated in order to go on their cruise ships.

In an update to travel agents, Celebrity Cruises Senior Vice President of Sales and Trade Support & Service Dondra Ritzenthaler announced the policy change that affects guests between the age of 5 and 12.

Effective February 1, 2022 all guests 5 years of age and older must be fully vaccinated, at that time unvaccinated children between the ages of two and four years old will be required to bring a negative Antigen or PCR test conducted within three days of boarding. 

Previously, children between the ages of two and eleven years old were required to bring a negative Antigen or PCR test conducted within three days of boarding.

There has been no change to the Royal Caribbean International vaccination policy.

"The COVID-19 global pandemic has not only changed the way we all do business, it has altered operating protocols and safety expectations in almost every aspect of the travel industry," Ms. Ritzenthaler explained in an email.

"Since the beginning of this crisis, Celebrity Cruises has kept one goal tantamount above all others: to offer the safest cruise vacation options in the industry. That's why we enlisted a panel of experts to advise up on adjusting our already exemplary health and safety protocols to new industry-leading standards. That's why we continually update our protocols to ensure we are staying ahead of global situations. It's all in an effort of leadership in safety, ensuring our guests and your clients will enjoy their bucket list vacation with zero worries. With these enhanced protocols, we've transported hundreds of thousands of guests across the globe safely."

Celebrity joins Disney Cruise Line in requiring kids to be vaccinated in order to cruise.

Starting on January 13, 2022 guests on Disney Cruise Line between the ages of 5-11 must be fully vaccinated to be eligible to cruise.

Celebrity was already requiring 95% of its passengers be fully vaccinated in order to sail, which is a step beyond what Royal Caribbean required.

Royal Caribbean did not require that many passengers to be vaccinated so that it could allow families to cruise with them.

In April 2021, the CDC gave cruise lines two choices: skip test cruises if 98% of crew and 95% of passengers are fully vaccinated, or conduct simulated sailings first.

Royal Caribbean decided to go with the simulated sailings because of its commitment to families.

Earlier this summer, Royal Caribbean International's senior vice president of Hotel Operations, Mark Tamis, said the decision to allow families to cruise was an easy one, "Once there were two clear paths, 95% or under 95%, it wasn’t even really a consideration."

According to Tamis, more than 1 million children sail on Royal Caribbean ships each year, "We're the largest family cruise brand in the world, so it was pretty obvious that we would just go down this path."

Will Royal Caribbean change their vaccine requirements?

No change has been announced by sister company Royal Caribbean International regarding their vaccine policy for kids.

As of right now, Royal Caribbean only requires guests age 12 and older must present proof of COVID-19 vaccination, with the final dose of their vaccine administered at least 14 days before sailing. Kids age 5 to 11 who have been vaccinated may present proof of full vaccination and follow the protocols for vaccinated guests.

Guests under age 12 who are not vaccinated will complete additional COVID-19 testing requirements depending on the length and departure port of their sailing.

Two weeks ago, Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley was asked about a policy change during a question and answer session.

"if and when we do make the changes, we need to give everybody time. So when we announce we give people obviously plenty of time."

"What we do know is that for 12 to 17, where we we do say that everybody has to be vaccinated, still in the United States, only 48 percent of 12 to 17 year olds have been vaccinated."

"From 5 to 12, everything that we've learned and seen statistically is only currently thirty five percent of parents are going to get there five to 12 year old vaccinated, currently. We think that's going to change. So we want to move to five and up. We're just kind of looking at the data and we'll probably continue to look at the data for a little bit longer before we make the decision."

"We're watching it and as soon as we think we've got a sensible way forward, we'll obviously down everybody, you know, we'll give everybody time as well."

UPDATE: Royal Caribbean's Senior Vice President, Sales, Trade Support and Service, Vicki Freed, said on December 1 there is no update to Royal Caribbean's policy.

During a webinar, she reiterated that no change in policy has been made, "At this time, we have not made any decisions on the vaccine requirements for children 5 to 11."

"We are still just in a wait and see, we're evaluating it....no decision has been made."

Celebrity Cruises will accept mixed series of Covid-19 vaccines of many kinds for cruise ship passengers.

Following the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) update to its policy last week, the Celebrity Cruises website has been updated to reflect it will accept mixed series of any two of the following vaccines, with a minimum of 28 days between doses, as fully vaccinated: 

• Pfizer
• Moderna
• Johnson & Johnson,
• AstraZeneca
• Sinovac
• Sinopharm

Prior to this update, Celebrity Cruises did not accept mixed dosages of non-mRNA vaccines, such as AstraZeneca.

Earlier this summer, most cruise lines changed their policy to prohibit mixed vaccines due to the CDC update.

Celebrity stated in its policy the change was a result of the CDC's change in stance, "The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has clarified their position regarding mixed vaccinations and provided Celebrity Cruises with updated guidance."

You can view the updated policy on Celebrity's website.

The issue of mixed vaccines affects residents of certain countries where the practice was encouraged by their governments, such as Canada.

Read more: What you need to know about going on a cruise if you're Canadian

Thus far, Royal Caribbean International has not updated their policy to match yet, but Celebrity has been usually quicker to update their policies than Royal Caribbean International, including the many updates to mixed vaccines.

When the mixed vaccine policy was changed earlier this summer, Celebrity was always a day or two ahead of Royal Caribbean in posting the new policy.

Booster shots

In addition to mixed vaccines, the Celebrity Cruises website lists a policy about booster shots.

Guests who have received 3 or more doses of a COVID-19 vaccine, due to booster regimens, will be considered fully vaccinated if at least one of these conditions is satisfied:

• At least 2 of the doses are mRNA vaccines administered at least 28 days apart. The final dose must be completed at least 14 days before sailing.
• At least 2 of the doses are AstraZeneca administered at least 28 days apart. The final dose must be completed at least 14 days before sailing.
• At least 1 dose is Johnson & Johnson, completed at least 14 days before sailing.

Ever since Celebrity Cruises announced restart plans for cruises from the United States, the big question has been how will the cruise line get around Florida's vaccine passport ban.

Florida passed a law that prohibits any business from asking anyone to provide proof of a Covid-19 vaccine.  

Under Florida law, it is impermissible for any business operating in Florida to require patrons or customers to provide documentation certifying Covid-19 vaccination or post-infection recovery “to gain access to, entry upon, or services from” the business.

The new Florida law goes into effect on July 1, and carries with up to a $5,000 fine per violation. 

Celebrity Cruises told travel agents on a webinar on Tuesday that they will not require passengers to show proof of vaccination, but someone that prefers or opts out of showing proof will be held to a different set of protocols onboard, as well as additional costs to incur to confirm they are healthy.

During a webinar with travel agents, Dondra Ritzenthaler, Celebrity Cruises Senior Vice President of Sales and Trade Support & Service, informed travel agents of their plan for U.S. cruises so they can sail and comply with Florida's laws.

Celebrity still intends to sail with at least 95% vaccinated guests, but it will optional to show proof of being vaccinated or not.

Celebrity requires its passengers from the United States who are age 16 and above to be fully vaccinated.  As of August 1, 2021, all guests age 12 and older must be fully vaccinated.

"Florida is a little bit different," Ms. Ritzenthaler explained. "We will still go out with 100 percent of our crew and 95 percent of our guest vaccinated."

"In Florida, we will not require you to have to show proof of vaccination, because we are doing this exactly the right way, but we will go out with 95% of our guests still vaccinated."

If you choose not to show proof of vaccination, then there are additional steps required to fulfill in order to sail.

According to Celebrity, guests who do not show proof of vaccination will be considered unvaccinated and will require a SARS-COV-2 test at the terminal at their own expense.

Guests that do not meet the requirements will be denied boarding. Unvaccinated passengers may be also be restricted in certain ports, depending on the local laws.

"Guests who do not provide documentation of full vaccination will be considered unvaccinated and will require a Covid test at the terminal at their own expense. Guests that do not meet the requirements will be denied boarding."

What was not made clear during the webinar is how exactly Celebrity will ensure a 95% vaccinated minimum of guests onboard, if they are not certain how many guests will not provide proof of vaccination at check-in.

This question came up again, and Ms. Ritzenthaler assured travel agents they would stop selling certain room categories depending on vaccine status.

"Our President and CEO, Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, right before this call said, Dondra, you reassure every travel adviser on this call that we will sail with 95 percent of our guests vaccinated. Guys, the way we're going to do that is we're going to manage the sailing, right?

"We're going to make sure that we open some cabin categories. We closed some cabin categories. We are going to make sure that 95 percent of our guests are vaccinated. That is on us, not you. But you know, you can trust me. You can trust this brand. We will go out at ninety five percent vaccinated on our ships."

Protocols onboard

Masks will not be required for vaccinated guests and children 15 and younger.

Unvaccinated adult guests are required to wear a mask at all times, except while eating or drinking or in their stateroom.

Shore excursions

Guests are not restricted to cruise line excursions, although unvaccinated guests may face restrictions based on local laws.

Returning home

On cruises longer than 4 nights from the United States, unvaccinated guests will be required to take a SARS-CoV-2 test prior to disembarkation, which will be at their own expense.

The disembarkation test will be administered by Celebrity at no cost for children or other persons unable to be vaccinated.

We now know what will be the second cruise ship that will restart operations in the United States from Celebrity Cruises.

The Celebrity Equinox will begin sailing from Fort Lauderdale on July 25, with itineraries that visit Cozumel, Costa Maya, and Nassau, Bahamas.

According to the cruise line, Equinox has been approved by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to sail.

Celebrity Cruises does not need to operate test cruises because they will mandate at least 95% of its cruise passengers will be fully vaccinated, which means the CDC fast-tracks the ship to restart sooner.

Celebrity made headlines when they announced Celebrity Edge would be the first major cruise ship to sail from the United States at the end of June.

Edge will sail beginning on June 26 on 7-night cruises.

Celebrity Equinox joins eight ships in the Celebrity fleet that have been announced as part of its phased summer restart, including:

• Celebrity Millennium, which began sailing seven-night Caribbean itineraries from St. Maarten on June 5; and will reposition to Seattle to sail seven-night Alaska Dawes Glacier cruises beginning July 23. Celebrity Summit will then sail the remaining St. Maarten season through August, followed by plans to sail a new series of four- and five-night sailings from Fort Lauderdale to the Western Caribbean through late October.
• Celebrity Apex – sailing seven-night Greek Isles itineraries from June 19;
• Celebrity Edge – sailing a rotating schedule of Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries from Fort Lauderdale, beginning June 26;
• Celebrity Silhouette – sailing the UK coastline as of July 3;
• Celebrity Flora – returning to the extraordinary Galapagos islands as of July 3, followed by the award-winning Celebrity Xpedition and intimate 16-passenger Celebrity Xploration on July 24, and September 18, respectively.

Celebrity Cruises President and CEO  Lisa Lutoff-Perlo shared her thoughts about the new restart plans, "It is so exciting to announce yet another ship on the heels of Celebrity Millennium leading the industry’s Caribbean comeback to rave reviews just this past Saturday. From the outpouring of comments and emotion from our guests and crew on that sailing, it’s clear that people are ready to cruise back to normal."

"We’ve all been waiting for the day we could get away, again, to the places we’ve been dreaming of and that ‘someday’ is here."

Guests sailing on a Celebrity ship restarting operations this summer can expect a myriad of health protocols:

• Staggered Arrivals and Departures – Terminal arrivals and departures will be staggered by appointment, with guests having the ability to select their preferred times based on travel plans.
• Contactless Transactions – Celebrity’s digitally advanced mobile app* transforms the decades-old large-group-gathering Muster safety drill into a personal eMuster experience that guests can complete on their mobile device or interactive stateroom TV, avoiding large group gatherings. The app also expedites the boarding process; and allows guests to read menus and book dining reservations and shore excursions via their smartphone.
• Appropriate Face Coverings – All guests 2 years of age and older will be required to wear an appropriate face covering in the Terminal. Once onboard, and unless otherwise stipulated by local governments in the destinations being visited, masks will not be required of vaccinated guests in accordance with CDC guidance for sailings with vaccinated crew and guests.

All Celebrity ships will sail with a vaccinated crew. U.S. guests ages 16 and older must be fully vaccinated and, as of August 1, 2021, all U.S. guests ages 12 and older must be fully vaccinated.

For the first time since March 2020, a cruise ship is sailing with paying passengers somewhere in North America.

Celebrity Cruises' Millennium departed St. Maarten on Saturday, and became the first cruise ship since to start cruises in the Royal Caribbean Group in the Western Hemisphere since Covid-19 shutdown the entire cruise industry.

While cruise ships have been able to slowly restart in other places in the world, no major cruise ships have been able to sail from North America, primarily due to regulatory hurdles.

Royal Caribbean Group announced in March 2021 plans to offer cruises from outside the United States this summer, and Celebrity Millennium is the first to return.

Celebrity Millennium is sailing a 7-night Caribbean cruise that will visit Aruba, Curaçao and Barbados.

Celebrity will offer cruises from St. Maarten to Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries through August.

Celebrity Cruises President and CEO Lisa Lutoff-Perlo celebrated the return of cruises, "Today, we sail again! This is such a significant moment for our company, our industry and the Caribbean. That this day has finally arrived for our guests and our crew is truly special – beyond words, really." 

"I am so happy to have our crew back onboard doing what they love and providing amazing vacations and service to our guests. I also am extremely grateful to the leadership of the St. Maarten government for their vision and support to make this moment happen. What an honor to now be the first to enthusiastically say, once again – ‘Welcome Aboard!’"

Our sister site is offering a live blog from Celebrity Millennium that you can follow along with!

New protocols

As you might imagine, there are a variety of requirements and new protocols related to this cruise to make it protect against Covid-19 onboard.

The ship is sailing with far less passengers than the ship's capacity so that it can naturally foster social distancing.

Celebrity has leveraged technology to create new arrival, departure and muster safety drill procedures; and updated onboard and shoreside experiences to reflect new standard health and safety practices; all with the well-being of guests, crew and the communities visited by Celebrity ships at the forefront of the planning process. 

In addition, Celebrity is requiring at least 95% of its guests be fully vaccinated against Covid-19.

Some other protocols include:

• Staggered Arrivals and Departures – Terminal arrivals and departures will be staggered by appointment, with guests having the ability to select their preferred times based on travel plans. 
• Contactless Transactions – Celebrity’s digitally advanced mobile app* transforms the decades-old large-group-gathering Muster safety drill into a personal eMuster experience that guests can complete on their mobile device or interactive stateroom TV, avoiding large group gatherings. The app also expedites the boarding process; and allows guests to read menus and book dining reservations and shore excursions via their smartphone. 
• Appropriate Face Coverings – During the Terminal check-in and check-out process, all guests 2 years of age and older will be required to wear an appropriate face covering. Once onboard, and unless otherwise stipulated by local governments, masks will not be required in accordance with recent CDC guidance for sailings with vaccinated crew and guests.  

Cruises returning to the United States next

While Celebrity is back in the water from the Caribbean, all eyes remain firmly on the United States.

Before that happens,the newest cruise ship in Celebrity's fleet, the Apex, will sail from Greece on June 19.

And then at long last, Celebrity Edge is scheduled to sail from Ft. Lauderdale, FL on June 26, marking the first cruise ship to sail from the United States.

A variety of other ships will return to service over the following months: Celebrity Silhouette – sailing the UK coastline as of July 3; Celebrity Flora – returning to the extraordinary Galapagos islands as of July3, followed by the award-winning Celebrity Xpedition and intimate 16-passenger Celebrity Xploration on July 24, and September 18, respectively; and sailings to Alaska from Seattle begin July 23.  

Celebrity Cruises announced it will change the ship sailing summer cruises from St. Maarten.

An email sent to travel agents on Thursday indicated Celebrity Millennium will be swapped out for July and August sailings with Celebrity Summit.

This change does not affect the first sailings on Celebrity Millennium beginning this weekend.

Why the change? The recent bill which was signed into U.S. law to allow cruise ships to visit Alaska this year is the reason.

According to Celebrity, the legislation inadvertently listed the Celebrity Cruises ships originally scheduled to sail in Alaska, which did not include Celebrity Summit.

The Alaska Tourism Restoration Act specifically listed all the ships the new law applies to, and sure enough, Millennium is listed, but not Summit.

As a result, Summit would not legally be able to sail to Alaska this year without visiting Canada.

After evaluating the situation, Celebrity decided that in order to comply with the new law, Celebrity Millennium must sail roundtrip from Seattle in Alaska.

This means bookings will be transferred to Celebrity Summit and itineraries will remain the similar. It will take Celebrity a few weeks to complete all transactions.

When Millennium gets to Alaska, some visits to Skagway, Alaska will be replaced with Icy Strait Point, Alaska at the end of the cruise season.

Summit will change the port order of the itinerary. On Monday, Summit will now visit Bridgetown, Barbados, followed by a sea day on Tuesday, Willemstad, Curacao on Wednesday and Oranjestad, Aruba on Thursday.

Likewise, the sailings on Summit for Alaska will be altered to make way for Millennium.

Celebrity Millennium arrived at St. Maarten on Tuesday in preperation for her first cruise on June 5, 2021.