Since my first cruise on Celebrity Cruises in 1997, it’s been a personal favorite of mine and also the line I’ve cruised the most times on. Since 2019 – I’ve sailed on all 3 classes of Celebrity ships. Celebrity Cruises is considered a premium cruise line (with ship sizes ranging from 2000-3500 passengers) and is owned by the Royal Caribbean Group. It’s one of the most popular choices of my clients and I also planned/escorted numerous large meeting groups on board for many years.
These are 7 reasons I think you should cruise on Celebrity Cruises:
Cutting Edge
Celebrity Cruises hired the first female large cruise ship Captain in 2015 (check out Captain Kate on social media – a great follow!) and also boasts the largest percentage of female officers in the industry! One of their latest innovations on their Edge class ships is the Magic Carpet. This moveable bar, restaurant, and platform protrudes from the side of the ship. The views are incredible and it also makes tendering so much easier – a first of its kind in the industry. It’s one of my husband and my favorite places to hang out for an afternoon or pre dinner drink. Their newest class of ships have received tons of media coverage and well deserved hype.
Entertainment
The nightly entertainment is always top notch on Celebrity – a plethora of choices from productions shows to smaller venues with live music. The theaters on their newest class of ship take it up a notch with their 20 feet tall LED screens. The shows we saw on the Apex with the screens incorporated were the best I’ve ever seen at sea! Eden fuses a bar/restaurant with unique entertainment and rivals some of the best views from the back of the ship! The Martini Bar is always popular in the evening with the bartenders putting on a show stopping display of their bartending skills! During our recent cruise to Iceland and Greenland I was impressed with the naturalist on board. His daily talks on puffins, whales, and northern lights were standing room only.
Ship Culture/Staff
Compared to all the lines I’ve sailed with – I find Celebrity’s staff and crew to be a step above other comparable size lines. The culture on board their ships is evident from the top down; from the friendliness of the crew to the cleanliness of the ships. Even on a large ship they have a way of making each passenger feel special. During 2 of our recent cruises – we’ve been lucky to have Giuseppe as our cruise director (a wizard with languages and an unrivaled energy!) I’ve even had a bartender on the Magic Carpet matching my cocktails to my attire!
Dining
With the older Solstice and Millennium class ships – along with specialty restaurants, they have the traditional main dining room. The Edge class ships have 4 smaller “main” dining rooms to choose from; all with a different theme (French, Italian, and such). The private Retreat suites have an exclusive access restaurant to choose from as well. As with all large cruise lines – the focus in recent years is on their specialty restaurants, but I have found the main dining restaurants on their newest ships to be quite good. Their buffets have numerous made to order choices; and with their different seating areas – this doesn’t give off as much of a cafeteria vibe.
Tours/Destinations
The tours (and departure from the ship) are well organized on Celebrity. I mention the organization of departing the ship, as this sets the tone for your day and I’ve recently cruised on one cruise line that just doesn’t do it well. On our recent cruises with Celebrity – we’ve chosen them due to certain ports we wanted to visit; Cartagena (Colombia), Greenland, Panama, Greece, and Croatia. Celebrity passengers tend to be fairly well traveled and they are adding more unique ports to reflect this.
Accommodations
Balcony cabins are the most popular with my clients and I try to test out as many as possible. I’ve stayed in numerous of their balcony staterooms; including the popular Sunset Verandahs (on the back of the ship) and Infinite Verandahs (like a large window opening from your room). The Retreat is also becoming more popular with my clients who enjoy suites, and more private areas on board the ship.
The Extras
This is another area I believe Celebrity Cruises shines. From the little touches in your stateroom to the much appreciated cold towels and drinks as you’re returning to the ship from a day in port. A personal favorite is when they serve the frozen fruit bites poolside on a hot day and there’s never a shortage of blankets when cruising in cold climates. I also love the clean hand towels and attendants in the public restrooms.
Needs Improvement
From my recent experiences – Celebrity Cruises does have room for improvement in a few areas. The bar service at the Sunset Bars takes way too long (this is a fun spot on the back of the ship to hang out during sail a ways). Their laundry service always takes a day or more longer when it says 24 hours. Also, with so much attention on the up charge restaurants – I’m finding the main dining room food on their older ships (Millennium class) has taken a nose dive in quality the past few years.
If you enjoy cruising – I recommend you give Celebrity a try!
Until the next adventure – bon voyage!
Kris
