Celebrity Cruises Reviews (Updated 2019)

If we had to choose one word to describe Celebrity Cruises, it would be “style.” Sailing some of the classiest ships in the premium segment of the market (and three expedition ships), Celebrity stands out for its appeal to nearly all age ranges and walks of life.

The line got its start in 1989 as a project of the Chandris family, who’d operated cargo and passenger ships in Greece and beyond since 1915. Celebrity made such a splash, so quickly, that it was bought by Royal Caribbean International just nine years later. It has operated as a sister line to Royal Caribbean ever since, while the trademark “X” in the line’s logo is a reminder of it’s origins: It’s really the Greek letter chi, for Chandris.

On the Cutting Edge: The Futuristic Celebrity Fleet

From the beginning, Celebrity has been known for high-end design, cutting-edge contemporary art, superior cuisine, and great spas. Fleetwide, the line offers a glamorous, exciting experience while also keeping its prices within reach of the mainstream crowd.

The line jettisoned the last vestiges of the 1990’s Celebrity when it transferred the former Celebrity Century out of the fleet in 2015, leaving only ships built since 2000 in the line’s primary fleet. Celebrity has also been hard at work updating its Millennium-class ships (think Celebrity Infinity , Celebrity Millennium, Celebrity Constellation and Celebrity Summit) with features found aboard the line’s larger, newer Solstice-class vessels that include Celebrity Solstice, Celebrity Equinox, Celebrity Eclipse, Celebrity Silhouette and Celebrity Reflection.

Of course, these renovations are all part of The Celebrity Revolution, a half billion dollar renovation project that will update every ship in the line’s fleet – with the exception of the upcoming Celebrity Apex and new Celebrity Edge and Celebrity Flora.

Technologically Sophisticated Cruising

“Modern” is another word you could use for Celebrity. On the Solstice-class ships, you can check out an iPad from the guest services desk and take a self-guided tour of your ship’s art collection. iPads are also used as menus at the Qsine specialty restaurants aboard several of the Celebrity ships, and can even be bought duty-free on several Celebrity ships at the Celebrity iLounge, a high-style space where you can also take classes from Apple-certified staff, browse the web on MacBook Pro laptops, and buy other Apple gadgets. On Celebrity Edge you will find a control panel in each stateroom to control the lights.

Celebrity has also released a relatively new app. Though the app has been released, some of the features are still in development. With the finished product, guests will be able to use a chat feature to message each other, use their phone to unlock their staterooms, book services and excursions, and more.

Activities On Celebrity Cruises

Fleetwide, the onboard atmosphere balances enriching experiences with others that are just plain relaxing and fun. Foodies can sign up for culinary tours, wine and mixology events, and “Food as Art” demonstrations. Guests interested in fitness and health can take a seminar on Chinese herbal medicine or acupuncture; get an actual acupuncture treatment at the spa; or take a yoga, spinning, Pilates, or tai chi class at the gym.

There are also stargazing sessions, language-learning workshops, and talks by visiting experts from Smithsonian Journeys, tailored to the cruise region: archaeologists or art historians on Mediterranean cruises, marine biologists on Bermuda sailings, naturalists on Alaska sailings, etc.

And then there’s pure fun: dance classes, game-show-style trivia contests, karaoke, video game sessions, silent discos, and pool games — including pool volleyball matches between guests and the ship’s officers, who sometimes play fully clothed in their uniforms.

Evening Entertainment & Kids Programs

At night, Celebrity offers all the popular cruise entertainments, including Vegas-style musical revues, comedians, and passenger talent shows, but it’s the smaller touches that tend to stand out, like the a cappella singing groups that walk around the ship in the evening, performing in various lounges.

Lounges in particular are a high point for the line, which offers plenty of quiet spots to get away from it all during the evening hours. While the older ships have a clubby feel to them, the line’s newer vessels are futuristic and modern. Both, however, feel very soothing at night, thanks to some clever design touches like recessed lighting and backlit accents.

The Edge class ships offer a different style of entertainment – with a focus on immersive theatre. Celebrity Edge does offer the traditional nighttime entertainment option of a main stage production, however it does so with a twist. The stage in The Theatre protrudes into the audience, allowing for guests to feel more like a part of the production than like observers. Guests on Edge can also find entertainment in The Club and in Eden.

Read more about Celebrity Edge’s entertainment: Let Celebrity Edge Entertain You

For kids and teens, the line offers a supervised program with different activities for the various age groups. There’s also group babysitting in the playroom, both late nights and for a couple of hours on port days.

Dining On Celebrity Ships

Dining-wise, Celebrity offers a stylish experience, with modern touches spicing up menus that, on the whole, are on par with other mainstream lines like Royal Caribbean and Holland America. Dining service is excellent, and the line’s main dining rooms are uniformly stunning across the fleet. Guests can opt to either dine traditionally — at a fixed time, with the same companions every night — or choose “Celebrity Select Dining,” which lets you vary your dining time day by day.

In terms of specialty dining, the newer Solstice-class ships win the prize, supplementing their main restaurants and buffet with four specialty options each: the high-end Tuscan Grille for steaks and pastas; the European-themed Murano, featuring table-side cooking, carving, and flambé; Blu, a spa-cuisine option for guests occupying the ships’ AquaClass staterooms; and either an Asian restaurant or Qsine, which serves an eclectic international menu with super-creative presentations.

Along with style, Celebrity is known for its service, which rarely disappoints. In the restaurants, waiters and sommeliers are poised and professional, while cabin stewards are both friendly and precise. If you book a suite, you also get the services of a tuxedo-clad butler, who’ll bring you afternoon tea, shine your shoes, and otherwise make sure you don’t have to lift a finger.

Celebrity Cruises – The Fleet

Celebrity sails a fleet of ships that range from the Millennium Class — Constellation, Millennium, Infinity and Summit — to the new Solstice class: Celebrity Solstice, Celebrity Eclipse, Celebrity Equinox, Celebrity Silhouette, and  Celebrity Reflection.

Celebrity also has a dedicated expedition ship that sails year-round in the Galapagos Islands – Celebrity Xpedition. It was joined by Celebrity Flora in 2019.

Celebrity Cruises Reviews

These People Will Love Cruising With Celebrity

• Those desiring a “taste of luxury.” Celebrity Cruises positions itself in the “premium” category, meaning that pricing is significantly below the “luxury” category and quality of service and amenities is slightly above the “contemporary” category. Still, Celebrity aspires to deliver “tastes of luxury.” On a Celebrity cruise, guests can expect chilled towels upon return from shore excursions, fresh sorbet served poolside, elegant tea service, 24-hour butler service in every suite and more.
• Classy Folk. Available only in certain categories of veranda-class staterooms, Celebrity Cruises’ ConciergeClass includes everything from priority embarkation, fresh flowers and champagne on ice upon arrival to a pillow menu, plush duvets and Frette robes.
• Spa Lovers. Celebrity Cruises’ AquaSpa offers an array of treatments inspired by rituals from exotic cultures. Celebrity cruise lines also delivered the first-of-its-kind experience, Acupuncture at Sea.
• Healthy Diners. Celebrity Cruises AquaSpa Café offers light, healthy fare in a relaxing environment.
• Lifetime Learners. Celebrity Cruises’ Discovery Enrichment Series program features lectures that range from finance and astronomy, to wine education and politics, to history and culture. Computer Training At Sea offers workshops and instruction help passengers enhance their computer skills.

Destinations Served By Celebrity Cruises

Celebrity Cruises currently serves destinations around the globe, with an emphasis on Europe, Alaska, and the Caribbean, the latter of which became a year-round destination for the line in 2017.Celebrity also provides year-round, expedition-style cruises to the Galapagos Islands.

• Alaska
• Asia
• Australia & New Zealand
• Bahamas
• Bermuda
• Canada & New England
• Caribbean
• Europe
• Galapagos
• Hawaii
• Panama Canal
• South America
• Transatlantic
• Transpacific

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