Booking a Celebrity Cruise? Be sure to join the Captain’s Club—the cruise line’s loyalty program—which provides exclusive perks and events to loyal cruisers.

Although there are dozens of cruise lines to choose from, many people prefer staying loyal to one brand. Staying loyal to one cruise line allows you to rack up loyalty points more quickly, leading to not only money-saving rewards, but an enhanced onboard experience.

One of the best aspects of Celebrity Cruises’ loyalty program is the reciprocity with Royal Caribbean’s Crown & Anchor Society. You can easily match your status between the two brands. This means that, even if you’ve never sailed with Celebrity before, you may be eligible for one of the top tiers in their loyalty program as a Crown & Anchor Society member.

Everything from onboard discounts to free cruises are rewarded to Captain’s Club members, and we’re sharing everything you need to know about the program.

How do I earn Captain’s Club points?

You earn points in Celebrity’s Captain’s Club based on the stateroom you book and number of nights you sail. Because of this structure, the speed at which you move up tiers in the loyalty program can differ greatly from one passenger to the next.

Here is how many points you will earn per night on Celebrity Cruises:

• Inside or ocean view: 2 points per night
• Veranda: 3 points per night
• Concierge Class and AquaClass: 5 points per night
• Sky Suites and Aqua Sky Suite: 8 points per night
• Celebrity, Signature, Royal, and Sunset Suites: 12 points per night
• Penthouse, Reflection, and Edge Villa: 18 points per night
• Iconic Suite: 24 points per night

Staying in the Iconic Suite—the cruise line’s most luxurious suite—earns a whopping 12x more points than an inside or ocean view cabin. Of course, earning more points per night comes at a higher price point.

At 12 points per night, the Iconic Suite can cost over $30,000 per person on a 7-night cruise! You can find deals on inside cabins, on the other hand, for under $600 per person.

Power Up Points with Celebrity Cruises

Don’t have a cruise booked? You can still earn Captain’s Club points with Celebrity through their Power Up Points program.

Power Up Points are points that can be earned online and converted to Captain’s Club points at a 10:1 ratio. For every ten Power Up Points you earn, you’ll receive 1 Captain’s Club point.

You can earn Power Up Points through participating in online activities like surveys and social media content. Completing an online survey may be worth 20 Power Up Points, for example, so 2 Captain’s Club points will be automatically added to your loyalty account.

To sign up for Celebrity’s Power Up Points program, you can enroll on Celebrity’s website.

Captain’s Club Tier Overview

There are six tiers to the Captain’s Club loyalty program, each of which offers increasingly more coveted benefits:

• Preview (0 Club Points)
• Classic (2-149 Club Points)
• Select (150-200 Club Points)
• Elite (300-749 Club Points)
• Elite Plus (750-2,999 Club Points)
• Zenith (3,000+ Club Points)

The first level, Preview, is for first-time cruisers on Celebrity. Beyond access to the Captain’s Club newsletter, loyalty desk access, and eligibility for Captain’s Club promotions when booking onboard, this tier does not offer any other benefits.

It acts as a starting point for those cruising for the first time to encourage these guests to continue cruising with Celebrity.

More benefits are included in the Classic tier. Starting at 2 Club Points, all cruisers will be at this level after their first Celebrity cruise. Benefits include:

• Special Captain’s Club Welcome Celebration Night
• Access to exclusive events on specialty sailings
• One pre-cruise category upgrade up to AquaClass
• 10% discount on wifi packages
• 25% discount on digital or print photo package
• $100 off The Studio photo packages
• 10% discount on a drink package or premium drink package
• 10% discount at The Spa
• 10% discount off one-time use laundry services
• 10% off any bottle of wine
• 5% discount on small group discovery shore excursions
• 5% discount on Hollywood Hot Glass
• Complimentary scoop of gelato
• Complimentary specialty coffee when dining in a specialty restaurant

Select is the next tier up from the Classic level. The Select level brings additional discounts and freebies, but it doesn’t offer the exclusive benefits you’ll see as you move further up the Captain’s Club.

Nonetheless, in addition to the benefits of the Classic tier, you’ll receive:

• Captain’s Club Wine Tasting
• Captain’s Club Backstage Tour
• 15% off any bottle of wine
• 25% off wifi packages
• 30% off digital or print photo packages
• $150 off The Studio photo package
• Two complimentary pressed laundry items
• One discounted bag of laundry for cruises 12 nights or longer

If you always cruise in inside or ocean view rooms, it will take around eleven 7-night cruises to reach the Select tier. Staying in standard veranda rooms drops this to just seven cruises, whereas cruising in a Sky Suite would have you reaching the Select tier after just three cruises.

Elite Tiers in Celebrity’s Captain’s Club

Preview, Classic, and Select are the three lower tiers in the Captain’s Club. Once you reach 300 Club Points, you join the Elite tier and start to see many more benefits.

Celebrity has two elite tiers: Elite and Elite Plus. If you only booked 7-night cruises, reaching the Elite tier would require:

• 22 cruises in an interior room
• 15 cruises in a veranda
• 9 cruises in Concierge Class or AquaClass
• 6 cruises in a Sky Suite or Aqua Sky Suite
• 4 cruises in a Celebrity, Signature, Royal, or Sunset Suite
• 3 cruises in a Penthouse, Reflection, and Edge Villa
• 2 cruises in an Iconic Suite

Exclusive access

Elite members and above in the Captain’s Club are invited to two daily events: the Coffee Lounge and Elite Cocktail Hour.

Each morning for two hours, a private continental breakfast is held in either the Tuscan Restaurant or Tuscan Grille specialty restaurant. Although the breakfast does not have as much variety as the Oceanview Cafe or main dining room, it offers a quieter breakfast option. As a plus, smoothies, mimosas, and other boozy breakfast drinks are complimentary!

Additionally, a cocktail hour is held each evening from 5-7PM, excluding embarkation day. The cocktail hour is not held in a specific venue; instead, guests can order drinks from the cocktail hour menu at most bars and lounges across the ship.

Elite members and above also have complimentary access to the Persian Garden on one port day. The Persian Garden is a thermal suite—available only on Millennium and Solstice Class ships—that features steam rooms, saunas, and hot stone loungers.

Private events

Elite members have access to additional private events compared to those in lower tiers, such as Music + Mixology, which features exclusive cocktail offerings and a live band. The Senior Officer Party is offered as well, where Elite members and higher can mingle with senior officers onboard their cruise ship.

As another plus, those sailing on the Celebrity Apex or Celebrity Beyond can participate in Create & Pour, a paint and sip event led by one of the ship’s artists. If you’re looking to let your creative side shine during a Celebrity cruise, this can definitely be a fun event.

Additional benefits

In addition to the exclusive events and benefits found in the Preview, Classic, and Select tiers are several other perks for Elite members.

If your cruise itinerary includes tender ports, Elite members get priority tender access, which can be a nice benefit when you’re hoping to get on shore as early as possible.

Other benefits include a complimentary dry clean item, one complimentary bag of laundry, and a private shipboard departure lounge.

Discounts increase with the Elite tier as well:

• 20% off any bottle of wine
• 15% discount on drink package or premium drink package
• 30% discount on wifi package and 90 minutes of premium wifi
• 40% off digital or print photo packages
• $200 off The Studio photo package

Elite Plus

The next tier up from Elite is Elite Plus, which you will reach with 750 Captain’s Club points. In comparison to the jump from Select to Elite, there are not nearly as many additional perks given upon reaching Elite Plus status.

One new event Elite Plus members receive access to is the Spa Wellness event. This event includes enjoying sailaway on the Spa Veranda, a guided meditation, and an overview of wellness treatments and mini massages.

Additionally, Elite Plus members receive several increased discounts:

• 15% off specialty dining cover charge
• 20% off regular drink package
• 35% discount on wifi and 240 minutes of premium wifi
• $250 off The Studio photo package
• Two complimentary bags of laundry

Zenith: The Ultimate Tier

The highest tier in Celebrity’s Captain’s Club is Zenith, which you can reach with an impressive 3,000 Club Points.

To put this into perspective, reaching Zenith would require spending 1,500 nights on a Celebrity cruise in an inside room! While this number goes down a bit when staying in a veranda (1,000 nights) and Sky Suite (375), there is no denying that you have to cruise a lot to reach Zenith.

Unsurprisingly, the top tier of the Captain’s Club delivers impressive benefits, including:

• Complimentary unlimited premium wifi package
• Complimentary laundry
• Complimentary premium drink package
• 50% discount on digital or print photo package
• $300 off The Studio photo packages
• 25% off specialty dining cover charge
• 20% discount at The Spa
• Priority seating in the theater
• Access to Concierge Lunch in the Main Dining Room
• Upgraded bath amenities
• Charitable donation on your behalf made by Captain’s Club
• Complimentary 7-night Caribbean or Bermuda cruise upon reaching Zenith
• Complimentary 7-night Caribbean or Bermuda cruise at 6,000 points, and every 3,000 points thereafter

Loyalty matching with other cruise lines

Celebrity’s Captains Club has reciprocity with Royal Caribbean’s Crown & Anchor Society and Silversea's Venetian Society. Though Royal Caribbean and Celebrity previously had a status-matching program in place, it was limited. Those within the highest tiers of each line could only match to Diamond and Elite, respectively. 

The status matching between these three brands means you can match your Captain’s Club tier level to the Crown & Anchor Society and Venetian Society. 

Those holding Pinnacle Status with Royal's C&A Program can now benefit from Zenith perks when cruising on one of Celebrity's ships. Similarly, Zenith Captain's Club members will hold Pinnacle Status while sailing on a Royal Caribbean cruise. 

There are a few exclusions, however, as certain loyalty benefits are reserved for members who attain the status based on accumulated points and nights sailed within each brand. If you're a Pinnacle Club C&A cruiser, you won't, for instance, qualify for a free Zenith cruise through Celebrity. 

Moreover, points are earned at the individual level and cannot be combined with other loyalty programs, so any cruise points accumulated onboard a Celebrity ship won't help you ascend the ranks of the Crown & Anchor Society. 

Captain’s Club Partnerships

Celebrity Cruises has partnerships with entertainment, hotel, and retail companies throughout the United States. These partnerships provide additional benefits to Captain's Club members, from free upgrades at resorts to discounted production shows.

Celebrity Cruises Night Out

Members of the Captain’s Club have access to discounts at a variety of Broadway shows, production shows, and sporting events across the United States. Depending on the show, you can save between 10-40% off standard ticket prices.

Some offers even include a $25 dining credit to be used at STK Steakhouse at their locations in New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Denver.

Upcoming shows can be viewed at the Celebrity Cruises Nights Out page here.

MGM

Celebrity has a partnership with MGM Resorts and offers a tier-matching program. This leads to great benefits at many MGM Resorts locations, which include waived resort fees, free room upgrades, priority check-in at resort properties, complimentary valet parking, and more.

Preview members are matched to MGM’s Sapphire tier whereas Classic members are matched to the Pearl tier. These tiers don’t give as many benefits as higher tiers in the program, but you can still see benefits like discounts on entertainment and car rentals.

Select, Elite, Elite Plus, and Zenith are matched to MGM’s Gold tier, and this is where most of the benefits kick in.

Hertz Rental Car

Celebrity’s partnership with Hertz gives additional benefits to Captain’s Club members. Depending on your tier level with Celebrity, you will receive a Hertz Gold Plus Rewards membership in addition to weekly rental discounts and free upgrades.

1-800-Flowers.com

As a Captain’s Club member, you get up to 20% off any purchase from 1-800-Flowers.com and its brands, including:

• Harry & David
• Cheryl’s Cookies
• Simply Chocolate
• The Popcorn Factory

Just use the code "CAPTAINSCLUB" when making your purchase. 

Captain’s Club questions

Do Captain’s Club points ever expire?

Captain’s Club points will never expire as long as you have an active account in the loyalty program. Unlike most airline loyalty programs, you won’t have to worry about reaching a certain level of cruising each year to keep your benefits.

How many points do I need for a free cruise on Celebrity?

To earn a free cruise through Celebrity Cruises' Captain’s Club, you must reach the Zenith tier at 3,000 points. Once you reach Zenith, you can book a complimentary 7-night Caribbean or Bermuda cruise. Zenith members are given a veranda stateroom for this free sailing, although they must pay taxes and fees.

You can receive additional free cruises with Celebrity Cruises after every 3,000 Club Points you earn. At 6,000 points, for example, you receive a complimentary 7-night Caribbean or Bermuda cruise, but this time in an AquaClass stateroom.

You would continue receiving complimentary cruises when you hit 9,000 points, 12,000 points, 15,000 points, etc.

Can I link my account to a spouse or partner?

You can link your Captain’s Club account to a spouse or partner, and both members will take the tier level of the spouse/partner with more points.

However, points are still earned by each member individually, so if the accounts are separated, the members will only have access to the points they earned individually.

What is the Captain’s Club phone number?

If you have additional questions about the Captain’s Club, or need to inquire about points that have not yet posted to your account, you can call Celebrity Cruises.

• United States and Canada: 1-844-418-8624
• United Kingdom: 0844 481 7505 (costs 7p per minute)
• Ireland: 1800 932 662 (costs 7p per minute)

Planning a Celebrity cruise? Start here:

• Celebrity Cruises guide: Ships, itineraries, tips & more
• Celebrity Cruises Drink Package Info, Tips, Pros & Cons
• I just spent 11 days on Celebrity Edge—did it live up to the hype?

I just finished sailing onboard Celebrity Cruises for the first time - and I absolutely loved it. 

As a very loyal cruiser with Royal Caribbean, I’ve always been intrigued by Celebrity Cruises. Both owned by Royal Caribbean Group, Celebrity seemed like the cooler and older sister to Royal Caribbean. 

From my research, Celebrity Cruises offered a more grown-up approach to cruising while still being fun and trendy. The cruise line is more destination-focused than Royal Caribbean and aims to provide an accessible approach to luxury for adults. 

While researching spring break cruises, I was shocked to find a relatively cheap cruise onboard Celebrity Silhouette. This cheap sailing was 4-night weekend sailing to Key West and Nassau, with one sea day to explore the ship. 

This cheap cruise was $846 for two people and even included $100 onboard credit. I couldn’t say no to this deal for a more upscale cruise line and easily convinced my sister to join me. We enjoyed a spring break cruise last year on Royal Caribbean’s Mariner of the Seas, so we were eager to compare the experiences on our first Celebrity cruise. 

Here’s how our cheap Celebrity cruise compares to Royal Caribbean. 

When it comes to trying a new cruise line, I think it’s very important to have realistic expectations.

I’m always eager to try a new cruise line, as I firmly believe there is a cruise line out there for everyone. Each cruise line has its own unique style and onboard experience. 

Since I grew up cruising on Royal Caribbean with my family, this has always been an obvious choice when I go to book a cruise. I’ve had wonderful experiences with Royal Caribbean throughout my life. Not to mention, their Crown & Anchor loyalty perks easily persuade me to keep coming back and their cruises are reasonably priced. 

Because Celebrity Cruises is owned by the same company as Royal Caribbean, this cruise line has enticed me more than others. As I’ve gotten older, Celebrity Cruises has appealed to me more because it caters to the adult experience. My husband and I have no children (unless you count our dogs), so it feels like Celebrity is a good fit for this stage in our lives. 

As someone who is very destination-driven when booking cruises, Celebrity’s itineraries to incredible destinations like Antarctica, India and Egypt, are pretty irresistible!

For my first Celebrity cruise, my expectations were heavily influenced by my parents, who just returned from their very first Celebrity cruise together last month. On an 11-night sailing to the Panama Canal on Celebrity Edge, my parents (age 62) said they really enjoyed their experience, but they felt young onboard their cruise!

They warned my sister and I that we might be youngest people onboard our cruise; my sister is 25 years old and I just turned 28 last month.  Our parents said we might even get bored by some of the entertainment since they found most of the performances featured music from their era. 

With this in mind, my sister and I were prepared for a more laid-back and relaxing spring break experience onboard. In all honesty, we can have fun on any cruise ship so we were more excited than anything just to see what Celebrity had to offer. 

Although Celebrity caters more to adults, I was very curious to see what type of demographics would be onboard this cheap spring break sailing.

Anyone who cruises often will tell you that spring break cruises will inherently have more families and kids onboard - but would that hold true for a more upscale, less kid-friendly cruise line?

Much to my surprise, we initially saw quite a few families onboard. I had always envisioned that a Celebrity Cruise would be mostly adults, and my sister and I were prepared to be on the younger side of the demographics.

I knew Celebrity offered childcare, youth programs and teen clubs, but I was under the impression that kids were allowed onboard, but the Celebrity Cruise experience is not catered towards them. 

Without water slides, splash pads, trampolines and zip lines, there really isn’t much for kids to do for fun activities onboard a Celebrity cruise ship when compared to Royal Caribbean.

Bumper cars, rock walls, and FlowRiders are replaced with craft bars, plushy loungers with ocean views and and an open lawn with real grass on Celebrity. 

This is where my expectations were totally wrong. While Celebrity Cruises is adult-focused, it is not exclusively adults-only.

During our 4-night spring break sailing, we saw many families and tons of kids onboard from the start. 

The first people we met in the elevator had two small children - and they said this was their very first cruise! I was shocked that a family with young kids wouldn’t choose to sail on Royal Caribbean instead, which arguably has way more to do for children on almost every ship in its fleet. 

Personally, I would recommend Royal Caribbean to any family looking to take their first cruise, as their cruise ships have much more to do for children of all ages. I had wonderful experiences as a kid on Royal Caribbean growing up. 

The first night at dinner, we were seated at a table for two in the main dining room. A family of ten sat directly next to us with kids as little as five. The table on our other side had a very fussy toddler - every single night of the cruise.  

Dinner involved many screams from the kids we were surrounded by. I never thought I’d be hearing an entire table sing Baby Shark on a Celebrity Cruise nor did I think we would hear screaming toddlers during our dinner. My sister and I laughed as we recalled our parents saying we would be the youngest people onboard!

I truly didn’t expect these demographics on our cheap Celebrity cruise - and my sister and I were far from the youngest onboard. 

Given the cheap price of the cruise and the subsequent timing with spring break, this definitely attracted more families than expected. I noted that Celebrity does not offer these 4-night sailings year round and only features these itineraries during the winter and spring break. 

More than likely, our spring break cruise attracted more families and kids than a normal Celebrity cruise. Luckily, we only found the kids to be a little bit distracting of our experience in the main dining room. 

I wish the tables around us had taken advantage of Celebrity’s childcare options so everyone in our area of the main dining room could enjoy a distraction-free meal. 

My sister and I really enjoyed the more laid-back and chill vibes onboard Celebrity Silhouette.

Celebrity Silhouette had plenty of activities happening throughout the ship, but overall we really enjoyed the laidback, chill vibes onboard. My sister and I aren’t big partiers or major drinkers, so this cruise style was the perfect fit for us. 

We were impressed by all of the thoughtfully designed spots onboard Celebrity Silhouette to relax and chill. The Solarium had big plushy loungers with towels perfectly folded; we spent almost every day in the Solarium relaxing. 

Throughout the ship, you could find daybeds and large loungers to sit in. I didn’t feel like there was a problem with chair hogs and the staff seemed pretty attentive with enforcing the 30-minute policy. 

Last year on Mariner of the Seas during our spring break cruise, we struggled to find chairs near the pool. And you could forget about snagging a coveted daybed in the Solarium! This was never the case of Celebrity Silhouette. We were always able to find chairs and even the luxurious seating was available throughout the cruise. 

We enjoyed sunset cocktails at Sunset Bar, which was arguably our favorite place onboard. Sunset Bar has a European flair with tons of cool spots to chill. We listened to live music as the ship sailed off into the sunset from Nassau. 

The Lawn Club, which features real grass, was another lovely spot on Celebrity Silhouette. If we were looking to enjoy open-air or peace and quiet, we could always rely on The Lawn Club. The nearby Lawn Club Grill would have been a cool place to have dinner one night, but a 4-night cruise simply isn’t long enough to enjoy everything. 

I joked that the grass looked a bit like my own yard while my husband was gone on his last deployment with a few patchy spots, although I don’t have the excuse of keep grass alive on a moving cruise ship. 

The food and service onboard Celebrity Silhouette felt top-notch, regardless of the type of sailing we were on. 

Even though this sailing was just a 4-night spring break itinerary, we still felt like Celebrity brought top-notch service and food, leaving us really impressed. 

During other spring break cruises I’ve taken, these sailings have always felt a bit more chaotic. I think a party crowd can lead to more chaotic cruise experience in general, especially when cruise ships are sailing at full-capacity, which is typically during spring break. 

Last year, our sailing on Mariner of the Seas was super packed and we noted that food and service took a small hit because of it. This didn’t dampen our experience of course, but it was certainly something we noted.

We felt that the food served throughout Celebrity Silhouette, whether that was breakfast in the Oceanview Cafe buffet, dinner in the main dining room, or grabbing a snack at the legendary Cafe al Bacio, everything tasted delicious and high-quality. 

I never felt like our ship was overly crowded and the crew members did not appear to be overwhelmed. Celebrity Silhouette felt appropriately staffed, which has not always been the case in a post-pandemic sailing. 

Celebrity Silhouette had stellar entertainment onboard that perfectly fit our demographics.

In the evening after dinner, we listened to fabulous live music while sipping on martinis from the Martini Bar. The bartenders are known for all the tricks they can do with the martini glasses and shakers. 

We noted that Celebrity Silhouette had wonderful live musicians and seemed to perform music that everyone would enjoy. 

The headliner shows were fabulous onboard as well, including the main production show Cosmopolitan. We sang along to all of the music, which ranged from Rihanna to Eminem. I laughed aloud when the performers quoted an iconic line from The Devil Wears Prada, “By all means, move at a glacial pace, you know how that thrills me”.

I belted out the words to Miley Cyrus’ Wrecking Ball and become unexpectedly emotional during the closing song of On Top of the World by Imagine Dragons, which always reminds me of my semester abroad experience. 

Everyone loved the performance. I thought some audience members might personally know a few of the performers with how they were dancing and cheering for everyone. It was a really fun atmosphere. 

Late into the evening, Celebrity Silhouette hosted headphone disco and full-moon parties on the top deck. 

Two of the evenings, my sister and I went to the top deck of the cruise ship to check out the big parties happening late into the night. The headphone disco was packed with people dancing around all of the pools as the DJ bumped tunes. 

The second party was a full-moon party, which featured one of our favorite bands onboard playing live music. Nothing was rowdy or wild by any means, but everyone was having a fabulous time dancing under the stars as Celebrity Silhouette sailed through seas that resembled sheets as glass. 

As the nights came to a close, we found solace in our spacious inside cabin.

To cash in on our cheap deal, we ended up booking an inside guarantee cabin for this sailing on Celebrity Silhouette. We were shocked by how spacious and modern our inside cabin was compared to any inside cabin we’ve had on Royal Caribbean. 

One evening, we even returned to a beautiful, fresh rose from our wonderful stateroom attendant. We found our inside cabin to be functional and stylish. The beds, which we ended up separating, were very comfortable as well. 

Unfortunately, we were located at the very front of the ship, directly next to a ‘Crew Only’ door. I was worried about the ship's motion since this cabin was pretty far forward on the ship, but I really should have been worried about noise.  

Being this close to a mysterious ‘Crew Only’ door meant we were woken up at 5:30 each morning by a slew of different thumps and clinks. A little white noise and earplugs helped with this, although I definitely didn’t sleep as well as I had hoped. 

We loved our first Celebrity cruise and already can’t wait to plan another one. 

Our quick 4-night sailing was just a taste of what Celebrity Cruise has to offer and we really loved what we experienced onboard Celebrity Silhouette!

At the end of the day, 4-nights really isn’t enough to get a full-picture of a cruise line. Each sailing can be different depending on when you sail, where your itinerary is going and how long your sailing is. Longer sailings normally attract more retirees because they don’t have to worry about being away from work while shorter cruises tend to cater to a younger demographic. 

I was still surprised to see as many families and kids onboard as we did. I did anticipate a more lively atmosphere because it was a short weekend cruise during spring break, but I was shocked by the number of kids onboard. 

I have a feeling this was an anomaly experience given the timing of our cruise and the price of the sailing, but I am eager to see what a different Celebrity cruise would be like! I loved having a more adult-focused cruising experience with a flair of luxury. 

A Celebrity Cruises beverage package offers the choice to enjoy an unlimited amount of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks for a fixed daily price for the duration of your cruise vacation.

Your base cruise fare includes entertainment, accommodations, transportation between ports of call, and select food and beverages. Unless you book Celebrity's "All Included" fare (more on that later), you will find that there are some things you have to purchase separately, including alcohol. 

What is a Celebrity Cruises drink package?

Many cruise lines offer beverage plans that allow you to pay a specific amount upfront to receive either a fixed or unlimited number of beverages each day of your cruise.

When sailing on any Celebrity ship, you can purchase a drink package at a fixed daily cost, so you can budget your beverage costs in advance. Saving money, however, is not always guaranteed.

Once a package is purchased, the benefits become available on your SeaPass card. From there, any waiter or bartender can easily verify that you have one. 

The drink packages allow guests to get unlimited drinks at nearly every restaurant or bar on a Celebrity cruise ship or private destination (i.e., Perfect Day at CocoCay and Labadee, Haiti).

Those who have booked a Celebrity cruise and want to purchase a drink package can do so either prior to their cruise through the Cruise Planner or once onboard their ship.

When you are purchasing it in advance, you must pay for the package for the duration of your cruise, whether that is 5-, 7-, or 14-nights. Per Celebrity's website, all packages are sold on a per cruise basis and do not include beverages sold in gift shops, mini-bars, or room service. 

Will I save money if I purchase a drink package?

When buying a package, the most important thing you want to consider is whether it will save you money or not. Depending on your drinking habits, you might not break even with an unlimited package!

Start by roughly determining how many drinks per day that you can and will drink over the duration of your cruise. If you are only planning on 3 or 4 per day, you might be better off skipping the package, while those who think that they can reasonably average 8 to 9 beverages per day will at least break even. 

If you drink enough, a Celebrity drink package can save you money. On the other hand, some people do not care about breaking even or getting their money's worth so much as paying one price upfront for all their glasses of wine, beer, cocktails, and other included drinks. 

2024 Celebrity Cruises drink package overview

Celebrity Cruises offers a few drink packages for guests to choose from, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, that provide guests with an unlimited number of the specific beverages their package includes. Drink packages range from $30 to $109 per person, per day prior to the 20% added gratuity. 

Classic Package

Celebrity's Classic Package is their lowest tiered alcoholic package. Starting at $89.00 per person, per day, you can choose from select beers, spirits, cocktails, liqueurs, frozen drinks, and wines by the glass up to $10 per serving. You will also get 15% off all wines by the bottle. 

If you order a beverage that is over $10, you will be charged the difference. If, for instance, you were to order a $17 martini, you would see a $7 + 20% gratuity charge reflected on your onboard account. 

To at least "break even," you would need to drink about nine $10 beverages per day. Note that this package does include the same non-alcoholic beverage options as the Zero Proof Package. 

Premium Package

The Premium Package is more inclusive than the Classic Package. With that, however, comes a higher price. You can expect the Premium Package to start at $109 per person, per day. Each guest that purchases this package will get specialty coffees and teas, craft and artisanal beers, spirits, cocktails, frozen drinks, Coca Cola products, premium bottled water, and wines by the glass up to $17 per serving. 

Instead of a 15% discount off of all wines by the bottle, the package includes a higher 20% discount. 

Just like the Classic Package, if you would like to order a drink that is more than $17, you will be charged the difference plus gratuity. 

Since the included threshold is higher, you would have to consume seven $17 drinks per day to break even, rather than the Classic Package's nine $10 drinks. 

Zero Proof Drink Package

Celebrity only offers one non-alcoholic package, the Zero Proof Drink Package, which costs $30 per person, per day and includes premium bottled water, specialty coffees and organic teas, Vitamin Water, Red Bull, bottled ice teas, frozen smoothies, zero proof cocktails, and Coca Cola products, as well as offerings from Aqua Spa Fresh Juice.

There are no age restrictions on this package. 

Pros and cons of getting the drink package on a Celebrity Cruise

All drink packages have their fans and critics. Some do not see why anybody should be drinking that much, while others prefer to let loose while on vacation. That being said, buying a drink package has pros and cons, and all sides should be considered before getting one!

Value

If you are looking to splurge while on your vacation, you might get an exceptional value by purchasing a drink package, rather than paying for each drink à la carte. The catch is that you really have to be someone that enjoys having a lot of drinks (i.e., at least a half-dozen) each day. 

If you are thinking that you will only indulge in that many drinks one or two days out of the cruise, you might save money by buying each drink individually. There is no point in buying a drink package if you know that you will not be drinking enough to break even. 

As of March 2023, cocktail prices range from $9 to $17 each. Below is a list of a few cocktails, wines, and beers onboard Celebrity ships and how much they cost:

• Bud Light ($7)
• Corona Extra ($7.50)
• Pomegranate Mojito ($9)
• Prosecco, Zonin ($9)
• Pinot Grigio Corte Giara ($10)
• Rum Mule ($10)
• Elderflower Blush ($11)
• Celebrity Bloody Mary (11)
• Stella Artois ($11)
• Caribbean Cobbler ($13)
• Mixi-Cali Martini ($17)

Depending on your preferred drinks, you might get more value out of the Premium Package than the Classic. It is not worth it to pay for cheaper package if you will not be able to get your favorite drinks or be constantly uncharged. 

Convenience

One of the biggest pros of a drink package is the convenience. You don't have to worry about racking up any large sums on your onboard account or think about if you actually want to spend the money on a drink in that specific moment. 

You also have the freedom to order a drink even if you are unsure if you will like it or not. If it ends up not being for you, you can simply order something else without feeling as though you wasted $10+. And if you do end up liking it, you were able to be more adventurous with the package, rather than sticking to your tried-and-true favorites. 

Drink fatigue

"Drink fatigue" is what happens when guests drink more than they normally do just for the sake of utilizing the drink package. If you have a package, it is important to ask yourself if you really want a drink, or if you are getting one just because of the package. 

If you are on a shorter cruise, getting a drink package might make more sense than on a longer cruise. Ordering 6+ drinks per day for 3 or 4 days is much easier than for 7 days. 

Vacation budget

By pre-purchasing a drink package via the Cruise Planner or once you get onboard, you know exactly how much you will be spending in alcoholic (or non-alcoholic) beverages. You won't have to count every drink that you have. In other words, you can more appropriately budget for your vacation, especially if you are really unsure about how much you are going to drink. 

Of course, there are tons of other things that you can choose to spend your money on instead of a drink package, such as shore excursions or spa treatments. If you would rather allocate your vacation money towards other incidentals, that is fine, too. 

Celebrity "All Included"

When you are booking your Celebrity cruise vacation, you have two options for fares. The first is a standard fare that includes accommodation, transportation between ports, entertainment, and select food and beverages. The second is known as "All Included," which adds the Classic Beverage Package and Basic Wi-Fi to your rate. 

The price difference depends on how long your sailing is. On a 3-night cruise from Fort Lauderdale to the Bahamas, for instance, the cheapest fare starts at $162 per person based on double occupancy for an interior cabin. The "All Included" rate for the same sailing and cabin is $457 per person.

There is more of a gap between the pricing on longer cruises. The cheapest rate on a 7-night Pacific Coastal cruise is $409 per person. The "All Included" rate jumps up to $966. 

If you want to upgrade from the Classic Beverage Package to the Premium, you can do so for $24 per day. You can save 5% if you book pre-cruise. 

Note that while this package used to include tips, Celebrity Cruises announced that effective October 4, 2023, they will eliminate prepaid gratuities from its All Included pricing packages, meaning that you'll have to pay them in addition to the higher rate. 

Below are the current gratuity rates 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.

Purchasing a drink package through the Cruise Planner

If you do not book the "All Included" rate, you can always buy a drink package later through the Cruise Planner. This is where you will also find links to shore excursions, specialty dining venues, and other cruise add-ons that you may want to purchase to enhance your vacation. 

You can purchase any add-ons up to 48 hours before your sailing. You may also call Celebrity Cruises directly if you would prefer to speak to a representative. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Does every person in the stateroom have to purchase a package?

Purchasing a drink package is completely optional. You are not required to have one to sail. That being said, if one person opts to get a package, all other guests of legal drinking age in the same stateroom are required to do so as well. 

If you purchase an alcoholic package and are sailing with guests between the ages of 13 and 20, they must get the Zero Proof Drink Package. Guests 12 and under do not have to get any package. 

Additionally, if you are sailing with a pregnant guest, recovering alcoholic, or someone with another medical issue that does now allow for alcohol consumption, they may get the Zero Proof Drink Package, rather than an alcoholic one.

Do Celebrity drink packages come with a daily beverage limit?

No! There's no limit on Celebrity drink packages in terms of how many drinks a guest may consume in a single day or throughout the duration of the cruise. 

When placing an order, however, you cannot get two drinks at a time, as you are only allowed one. If multiple people are wanting to order a drink, each will need to present their SeaPass card to the bartender or waiter. 

Do Celebrity drink packages include gratuity?

Yes. All gratuities are included in the final purchase price, meaning that you do not have to tip onboard unless you choose to do so. 

How to cancel a Celebrity drink package?

If you purchased your package in advance via the Cruise Planner, all you have to do is log back into your account and search through your order history. From there, you can easily cancel your package for a refund to your original payment method. 

If you wait to cancel until you are on the ship, your refund will be credited to your onboard account. 

Are drink packages available fleet wide?

If you are sailing on an Expedition vessel to the Galapagos, you will not be able to purchase a drink package, as they are not offered. 

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 Vessels

Celebrity Cruises also has expedition vessels which sail throughout the Galapagos Islands. These ships all serve a similar purpose, but they are not technically a “class” of ships as the amenities, layout, and passenger capacity varies from ship to ship.

Expedition ships are small, with space for only 16-100 guests on each vessel. 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 three expedition vessels:

• Celebrity Xpedition (2001)
• Celebrity Xploration (2017)
• Celebrity Flora (2019)

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 their All Included pricing program in 2020, which aims to provide a more all-inclusive cruise experience on their 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, poolside dining venue, and main dining room.

Edge Class ships have four separate main dining rooms, each with their 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, 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 offer 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 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 account with Celebrity Cruises:

• Gold: no status match
• Platinum: Select
• Emerald: Select
• Diamond: Elite
• Diamond Plus: Elite
• Pinnacle: Elite

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.

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.

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.