Don’t miss your ship. It’s the number one rule of taking a cruise and being in a foreign port.
Don’t let your ship sail away with out you. We explain the biggest reason people miss their ship. Photo Credit: Cruise Fever
And yes, it happens more often than you might think. After recent news of a group of cruise passengers missing their ship in Africa, it put some fear in potential cruise goers.
The group spent tens of thousands of dollars to reunite with their ship, and the story was plastered all over every cruise news website for a week straight.
But why do some cruise passengers not get back to their ship on time? There are a few reasons for this but one big one we will mention below.
The captain of a cruise ship sincerely wants everyone to be on board before the ship sails off to the next port of call. But it’s not fair to all the other passengers to show up late to the next port or run into extra schedule conflicts because a few passengers didn’t show up.
By the way, it’s not the end of the world if you do get back to the cruise port too late. We’ve talked about what happens when you miss your cruise ship before if you’d like to check it out.
In this article we will look at the biggest reason this happens in the first place.
Looking at the wrong time
Always stay on ship time. It might sound strange, but cruise ships will often keep a different time from the port of call they are visiting.
The captain usually makes an announcement about local time versus ship time to remind you to stay on ship time for departure.
But on every cruise, there are inevitably a few passengers who forget. They might use their phone as a watch, forgetting that their phone will switch to local time automatically.
So, when the ship sails away at 4pm but their phone says it’s only 3pm and they have plenty of time… well, we end up with disappointed passengers at the end of an empty pier.
For this reason, I will often use a regular watch (not a smart watch) and keep it on ship time for the duration of the cruise.
Here’s a helpful cruise tip. Ask your cabin steward about local traffic. Especially in more popular ports of call the crew will know all too well what traffic is like around the area.
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After all, if they miss the ship, it’s a pretty big deal and could cost them their job. And because crew members often get familiar with ports of call as they have time to get off the ship and explore, you can benefit from their experiences.
You might look at a map and see that a local beach is only 5 miles away. But with backed up traffic at rush hour when you’re supposed to get back to the ship, it could take 30-45 minutes.
Other issues with public transportation, taxis, or rental car trouble could also delay the expected time to get back.
Underestimating traffic is a major reason some passengers fail to get back on the ship in time.
From what I have seen this is the number one culprit for people missing their ship.
They see an amazing cruise excursion that they can book for 50% off the cruise line price. Sure, it’s 2 hours from the port of call, but it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity, so why not?
You can definitely save money by booking excursions outside of the cruise line. But remember the one problem. A cruise ship will not wait for you if your excursion runs late and you booked through a 3rd party.
If you book an excursion through the cruise line, they will wait for you even if it runs late and will be in communication with the tour operators the entire time.
My recommendation: if you do decide to book an independent excursion, make sure it’s close by the port and that it ends well before it’s time for your ship to set sail.
Final Thoughts
These aren’t the only reasons people miss their ship. They are just the big ones.
A few other reasons could include health emergencies, accidents, or just losing track of time while doing some souvenir shopping. Also, some have the attitude, “Oh, they’ll wait for us so no need to hurry back,” which is not correct.
The truth of the matter is that with 4,000 + passengers on a ship, it could seem like a small miracle that even 99% make it back in time.
And for those who do make it back in time, it has become a cruisers ritual to watch the “pier runners” trying to make it onto the ship as passengers cheer them on from the lido deck above.
Some cruisers will miss their ship from day one as well. I always recommend people fly into the departure port a day ahead of time. This makes the whole day a lot less stressful and gives you a buffer should a flight be delayed.
Sky Suite on Celebrity Ascent. Photo Credit: Cruise Fever
I recently had the chance to enjoy a cruise in a Sky Suite on Celebrity Ascent in stateroom 10187. This was one of the shipâs first cruises out of Port Everglades, and it was the first time I had ever stayed in this cabin category with the cruise line.
It didn’t take long to see why these suites are so popular.
Sky Suites are on all Celebrity Edge-class ships including Celebrity Edge, Celebrity Apex, Celebrity Beyond, Celebrity Ascent, and Celebrity Xcel (coming in 2025).
Each of these ships has 146 Sky Suites, although they are not all identical.
Video Tour of the Sky Suite on Celebrity Ascent
Not only did it have one of the best bathrooms Iâve ever had on a cruise ship â more on the humongous tub later–, but it also came with a bunch of perks that made me want to try this stateroom category again very soon.
Here are 6 things I loved about Celebrityâs Sky Suite.
*I was an invited guest on Celebrity Ascent and the opinions stated here are 100% my own.
1. The Space
One of the first things that struck me when I walked into this suite was the width of the space. Sure, itâs a suite, so itâs supposed to be bigger. But even for an entry point suite it was nice to not walk into a long narrow cabin.
This also meant a wider and more spacious balcony.
With about 319 sq. ft. of space in the cabin and 78 sq. ft. on the balcony, it felt more like a swanky hotel room than a tight and cramped cruise ship stateroom. The square footage of Sky Suites will vary from 254 sq. ft to 362 sq ft.
The bed also faced the ocean views of the veranda which was lovely.
By the way, S1 and S2 category Sky Suites have a bed that faces the ocean (Except the aft S1âs) while S3 Sky Suites have a bed facing the wall.
I really liked the nice long and comfy couch, ample closet space, having plenty of room to stretch my legs, and of course the immense bathroom.
2. The Location
My cabin number was 10187. As an S1 Sky Suite, it was in an ideal location for me: right in the middle of the ship.
It was also in a convenient buffer zone between the resort deck above on deck 14 and the Grand Plaza on deck 5 below.
I usually like to have a passenger deck above and below my cabin as a noise buffer.
There are Sky Suites available on decks 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 as well.
S1âs usually have some of the best locations for this cabin category, and many of the S3âs are underneath the Magic Carpet which acts like an overhang.
The upgrade from a regular balcony cabin to a Sky Suite is worth it JUST based on the bathroom alone. I know it sounds like hyperbole, but Iâve grown tired of cramped cruise ship bathrooms. You simply should not be able to touch every wall in the bathroom while sitting on the toilet.
I couldnât believe the size of the bathtub and shower space in this suite. There were multiple shower heads, including a rain shower, and enough room to spin around and dance if I wanted to.
The extra wide oval-shaped tub was the biggest Iâve had the pleasure of enjoying on a cruise ship.
I also liked that the toilet area was separate and had its own door. It’s those little details that can be a big deal, especially on a 7-night cruise with a partner.
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A very unique feature of this bathroom was above the sink area. Two faucets shared an elegant sink basin, which I guess still counts as a âdouble sinkâ. Right above that was a mirror with a divide in the middle. This allowed it to slide to each side and reveal a window looking out over the rest of the suite.
So, I could brush my teeth while enjoying ocean views or just let some natural light into the space. Pretty cool.
4. The Perks and Amenities
It was a nice touch having access to some upgrades in household type items like premium towels and bathroom amenities. There are also those little things you don’t think about until you need them like binoculars and an umbrella, which were neatly tucked away in the closet.
It doesnât get much better than having a suite on a Celebrity cruise ship. In fact, some cruisers will book this suite just to have access to the perks. Here are just a few of the bonuses Sky Suite guests get.
Access to The Retreat
Premium Wi-Fi
Retreat Butler
Dedicated pre-cruise and onboard concierge.
Priority Check-in, departure, and port tendering
Reserved theater searing on Evening Chic nights
Access to Luminae
Complimentary in-suite dining
Complimentary beverages
Fresh fruit upon request
Premium bathroom amenities and bedding
There are a lot more perks but these are some of the big ones most people ask about.
Also, the picture below shows a few of the design elements and included amenities in my Sky Suite.
Photo Credit: Cruise Fever
5. Luminae
I know I already mentioned this in the point above, but Iâm a big fan of Luminae. The first time I ate at this exclusive restaurant was on Celebrity Silhouette when I booked a suite on the resort deck.
Initially, I planned on eating at different restaurants each night, but after one experience in this restaurant I was hooked and kept coming back.
Luminae. Photo courtesy of Celebrity Cruises
The exclusive menu at Luminae has some amazing dishes, and the service has always been personalized and attentive to every detail in my experience.
One of the best perks about booking a Sky Suite is that you can eat at Luminae as often as you would like.
Any time I book a Celebrity cruise and don’t have a suite makes me really miss this place.
6. The Retreat
Ok, we have to talk about the Retreat for a moment here. This exclusive part of the ship is accessible to every suite guest, including Sky Suite passengers.
The uber cushy loungers, inviting sundeck, and aft pool at the Retreat make for a great place to just relax for a while. And it’s actually in a location that feels away from the rest of the ship and any excess noise from the resort deck.
Having access to this area of the ship included is a nice little perk not to be overlooked.
You can see a short video of the Retreat on Celebrity Ascent in the video at the bottom of this article. The Retreat footage starts at minute marker 7:14 if you want to skip right to it.
One Negative
When you think of a suite you might think of a stateroom with at least two rooms or a divider between two living spaces. With the Sky Suite itâs more like a spacious studio without the separate rooms.
The space is bigger and the bathroom is massive for a cruise ship, but you wonât have multiple rooms that are interconnected like the name might imply.
And this issue is not unique to Celebrity. Many cruise lines have “suites” or even “mini-suites” that don’t adhere to the usual definition of the word. But as long as you know that going on, you can enjoy all the other perks and bonuses of this stateroom category.
Final Thoughts
There are only 146 Sky Suites on each Excel-class with Celebrity, so if you want to try one out you should book as early as possible. I also recommend the S1 category if you can find one available.
S1 suites are in more desirable locations on the ship and S3âs are the least expensive of the three.
If you want access to The Retreat and Luminae, want a spacious bathroom and plenty of space, the Sky Suite might be the perfect home away from home on your next Celebrity cruise.
The Windstar Cruises fleet is unique among cruise lines – it has a distinctive split between two classes of ship, but offers a very similar experience across them all.
If you know a little about Windstar then you’ll know about one of the key defining features of half the fleet, but in this guide I’m going to take you through all of the ships, explaining what makes them unique, and we’ll find out if there’s a single ship that’s the best.
How many ships does Windstar Cruises have?
There are currently six ships in the Windstar Cruises fleet – three ships in the Wind Class that use sails, and three Star Class ships that used to sail for Seabourn, and joined the fleet since 2014. A former Wind-class ship sank in 2003.
Windstar Cruises was known for over 20 years as the cruise line with ships that had authentic working sails. And those ships do still sail for the cruise line.
However, the more recent addition of three sail-less cruise ships doubled the size of the fleet and helped reshape the cruise line to one that is now best known for the luxury experiences onboard.
Here’s a look at all of the Windstar ships by age, from oldest to newest.
Ship
Class
Year Built
Year Joined Windstar
Wind Star
Wind Class
1986
1986
Wind Spirit
Wind Class
1988
1988
Wind Surf
Wind Class
1989
1998
Star Pride
Star Class
1988
2014
Star Breeze
Star Class
1988
2015
Star Legend
Star Class
1990
2015
Star Seeker
Star Class
2025
2025
Star Explorer
Star Class
2026
2026
Of the six ships currently sailing for Windstar, only two were built originally for the cruise line – Wind Star, and Wind Spirit.
The third Wind-class ship, Wind Surf, was actually originally built for Club Med and sailed as the Club Med 1, after being originally built under the name La Fayette. Nine years later, she was sold to Windstar and adopted the name Wind Surf.
How old are the Windstar ships?
The Windstar ships are all more than 30 years old, having been built between 1986 and 1990. However, thanks to careful renovation and consistent maintenance, they don’t show their age – they are still some of the most luxurious ships sailing the world.
That’s helped by their smaller size – it’s easier to maintain the ships of this. So while the ships certainly have a classic feel to them, especially the sailing ships, they don’t feel worn or tired.
Main dining room on Star Legend
What is the newest Windstar ship?
The newest ship sailing for Windstar Cruises is the Star Legend. She’s both the youngest ship, having been built in 1990, and the most recent to join the fleet alongside Star Breeze, when both were transferred from the Seabourn fleet.
Star Legend
That will change when the new Star Seeker and Star Explorer launch.
Windstar Ships By Size
Let’s take a look at the Windstar ships ranked by size, from biggest to smallest.
Ship
Gross Tonnage (GT)
Length
Width
Passenger Capacity
Wind Surf
14,745 GT
187 m / 617 ft
20 m / 66 ft
342
Star Pride
12,995 GT
159 m / 522 ft
19 m / 63 ft
312
Star Breeze
12,995 GT
159 m / 522 ft
19 m / 63 ft
312
Star Legend
12,995 GT
159 m / 522 ft
19 m / 63 ft
312
Wind Star
5,307 GT
134 m / 360 ft
15.8 m / 52 ft
148
Wind Spirit
5,307 GT
134 m / 360 ft
15.8 m / 52 ft
148
The Wind Surf is the largest ship in the fleet, although the identical Star-class ships aren’t too much smaller. It hasn’t been announced whether the newer Star Class ships due to launch will be a similar size to the existing ones or not.
What is the smallest Windstar ship?
The Wind Star and the Wind Spirit share the title of smallest ship in the Windstar fleet. Both are exactly the same size with a volume of just 5,307 GT – that’s around 2% the size of the largest cruise ship in the world. The two ships have a maximum capacity of just 148 guests.
How many people are on a Windstar ship?
Windstar ships don’t accommodate many guests at all – four of the ships carry between 300 and 350 passengers at maximum occupancy, while the two smallest ships in the fleet have space for only 148 passengers.
Accommodation
The experience across the Windstar ships is broadly the same, but there are some differences beyond just the size and age. Let’s look at accommodation options first.
Do Windstar ships have balconies?
The older Wind-class ships in the Windstar fleet don’t have balconies, even for the top-level suites on the ship. On the newer Star-class ships, many of the suites offer balconies, although some are only French balconies with no space to actually sit outside.
Star Legend
This is one of the biggest differences between the ships and is likely to influence your decision most when booking a Windstar cruise. Most modern cruise ships have at least some balcony stateroom or suite options – so for the Wind-class ships to offer none could be a dealbreaker for you.
It’s worth noting that there are no Inside categories across any ship in the Windstar fleet – you will always have some form of ocean view.
Wind Spirit and Wind Star
These identical ships have the fewest choices for accommodation. They each have:
73 x Deluxe Ocean View Staterooms with a picture window
1 x Owner’s Suite, which again has picture windows
The Wind Surf has four different categories of accommodation:
150 x Deluxe Ocean View Staterooms (with a picture window)
10 x Deluxe Ocean View Suites (with picture windows)
2 x Deluxe Ocean View Bridge Suites (with picture windows)
1 x Officer’s Suite (with picture windows)
Wind Surf Officer’s Suite
The Deluxe Ocean View Bridge Suites are, as the name implies, close to the bridge on the ship, while the Officer’s Suite is situated amongst the officer’s quarters. So if you want to stay amongst the action of the ship, these are definitely interesting choices.
Star Pride, Star Breeze & Star Legend
These ships are all-suite – there are no regular staterooms onboard. The options are:
10 x Star Porthole Suites (with a porthole window)
58 x Ocean View Suites ( with picture windows)
21 x Star Ocean View Suites (with picture windows)
36 x Balcony Suites (with French balconies)
22 x Star Balcony Suites (with French balconies)
3 x Deluxe Suites (with French balconies)
2 x Classic Suites (with veranda)
4 x Owner’s Suites (with veranda)
When I cruised on Star Legend, I stayed in a Star Ocean View Suite. The room eas incredibly spacious with a bedroom, living room, walk-in closet and bathroom with two sinks.
Star Ocean View Suite
Dining
Despite their smaller size, all of the Windstar ships offer a choice of dining options. There are at least three restaurants on every ship, along with the option of in-room dining.
But some of the ships have additional, speciality restaurants. Here’s a quick breakdown of the dining options across the fleet:
Restaurant
Cuisine/Style
Open For
Wind Surf
Wind Star & Wind Spirit
Star-class ships
Amphora
Main Dining Room – varied
Dinner
YES
YES
YES
Candles
Speciality – varied
Dinner
YES
YES
YES
Veranda
Buffet*
Breakfast, Lunch
YES
YES
YES
Yacht Club
Sandwich Bar
Breakfast, Lunch
YES
no
YES
Stella Bistro
French
Dinner
YES
no
no
Star Grill
BBQ
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner (occasional)
no
no
YES
Cuadro 44
Spanish
Dinner
no
no
YES
Deck BBQ
BBQ
One Dinner Per Cruise
YES
YES
YES
In-Room Dining
Room Service
24/7
YES
YES
YES
Amphora
Amphora is the main dining room across the Windstar fleet. It only serves dinner, unlike the main dining rooms on many other cruise lines. It offers a wide-ranging menu, though you can also order from the room service menu while dining here.
Candles
Candles is a speciality restaurant serving a good range of dishes, primarily meat- and seafood-based. There’s no cover charge to dine here, but you do need a reservation.
Veranda
Veranda is the main casual dining restaurant on the ships, serving breakfast and lunch. A buffet is provided but there’s also a small a la carte selection you can order from.
Yacht Club
The Yacht Club features a coffee counter that offers a small selection of continental breakfast items, before then offering sandwiches, cookies and cupcakes through the rest of the day.
Stella Bistro
Available only on Wind Surf, Stella Bistro is a speciality restaurant serving French cuisine. Again, there’s no extra charge to eat here but you do need to book a table.
Star Grill
The Star Grill is an outdoor (covered) venue on the Star-class ships offering breakfast, lunch and sometimes dinner. Breakfast is continental and includes English muffin options, while lunch is all about hot dogs, burgers and a buffet of grilled items.
Cuadro 44
This is a Spanish-themed restaurant for dinner, available on the Star-class ships. Dishes are primarily focussed on seafood and pork, with some vegetarian choices too. Tapas are available.
Deck BBQ
Once per cruise (itinerary dependent) there will be a BBQ served on deck with a party atmosphere. Steaks, chicken and more will be grilled to order for you.
In-Room Dining
Each of the ships offers 24/7 in-room dining, with a wide range of choices including salads, snacks and meals.
Entertainment
Entertainment is one area where the ships aren’t really that different. Windstar Cruises keep the evening entertainment fairly relaxed, with live music and dancing in the lounges, and the crew showing off their range with their own talent show too.
Crew line dancing show
Daytime entertainment across the ships tends to include lectures from guest speakers across varied topics, many of which will be tied into the itinerary or the local culture.
There are also cooking demonstrations on cruises too, where guests can learn tips on preparing the gourmet quality food that they’d be served at dinner.
Each of the ships also has a watersports platform, offering lots of fun opportunities to try kayaking, snorkelling and more. The platform is only used on certain itineraries but guests can still borrow the snorkelling equipment when they go ashore as well.
There are also lots of board games, chess and jigsaws that guests can use throughout the day.
The only real difference between the ships is in the size of the venues – the Wind Surf and the Star-class ships have bigger lounges and more spacious bar areas. But the entertainment program is essentially the same.
Destinations
Here’s a breakdown of the destinations visited by every ship. Bearing in mind that these could change for future cruise seasons.
Wind Surf
The Wind Surf is scheduled to sail in the Mediterranean for the next couple of summers. Some itineraries are focussed across the Med while others primarily sail around Italy. In the winter months, the ship crosses the Atlantic to offer exciting Caribbean sailings.
Wind Star
The Wind Star is another ship that cruises around Europe during the summer, but she instead sails mostly around the Greek Isles, with some port visits to Turkey. During the winter she crosses the Atlantic but her sailings are focused more on Central America including the Panama Canal.
Wind Spirit
The Wind Spirit is another ship to offer a variety of sailings around the Greek Isles, but some of her cruises also head to the Adriatic Sea and explore Italy, Croatia and Montenegro. During winter months she sails the Caribbean from Barbados.
Star Pride
Star Pride has a great selection of cruises to choose from. Some are purely focussed on Iceland, sailing around the country to explore smaller ports. She also heads across the Atlantic for Canada & New England sailings, before travelling down to the Caribbean and Central America.
Star Breeze
Most of the Star Breeze’s sailings are based around Tahiti and other islands in the South Pacific. But before she bases herself there long-term, she has cruises available in Alaska, East Asia (primarily Japan) and then Australasia.
Star Legend
The Star Legend is another ship with lots of varied cruise itineraries to choose from. She has cruises across Europe (including the Greek Isles, the Med, Northern Europe and the UK), along with cruises around the Middle East.
Do Windstar Ships Actually Sail?
The Wind-class ships in the Windstar fleet – Wind Surf, Wind Star and Wind Spirit – do have working sails and they do use them in favourable conditions. But sometimes the ship relies on typical engine power.
Guests have described the experience under full sails as magical, and explained how the ship is super-quiet, making for a really peaceful experience.
What Is The Best Windstar Ship?
The best Windstar ship depends on what you’re looking for. If you want the classic sailing ship experience, choose a Wind-class ship – Wind Surf is the biggest but carries twice as many guests. If you want the most modern ships, choose the Star-class ships.
Some passengers will prefer the very small ships of the Wind Star and Wind Spirit, but others may prefer the wider range of dining choices on the other ships. And if you want a balcony for your room, you’ll need to choose a Star-class ship – and make sure you get a top suite if you want a full veranda.
The best way to book a Windstar cruise
Want expert help to plan your perfect cruise?
Summary
While the newer Star-class ships don’t have the classic sails of the Wind-class, they have been renovated to offer the same onboard experience as the other ships in the Windstar fleet. As such, the typical experience you’ll have with Windstar doesn’t vary greatly regardless of the ship you’re on.
If you really want to try the sailing experience then go for a Wind-class ship, but otherwise all six offer fantastic food and service, so the destination, date and price might be the biggest factors in your decision.
I recently cruised on Star Legend and had a wonderful time. Read my Windstar Cruises review to see what it was like.
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Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays.
While a lot of people like to switch off from the world when on a cruise and use the time to enjoy something of a digital detox, for others, that’s either uncomfortable or simply not an option.
There could be all kinds of reasons you need an internet connection on your cruise – checking in with family/pet-sitters, managing your banking accounts, an occasional check of those work emails…
So, if you’re sailing on Celebrity Cruises, how do you avoid those astronomical roaming prices while at sea? What are the WiFi options on your ship, and is there a way to get online free?
Celebrity Cruises Internet Packages
Celebrity Cruises has two internet packages, although you can’t actually book them in the same way anymore. There’s the Basic package, and the faster Premium one.
Basic Vs Premium Wi-Fi
Basic Wi-Fi with Celebrity Cruises is designed for simple, low demand tasks such as checking emails and sending messages – provided you’re not attaching photos or video clips. If you want full internet functionality, you’ll need the Premium Wi-Fi package.
Here’s what each package can be used for:
Task
Basic Wi-Fi
Premium Wi-Fi
Access Emails
YES
YES
Browsing the Web
YES
YES
Texting/Messaging
YES
YES
Sharing Photos
No
YES
Sharing Videos
No
YES
Sending Files/Attachments
No
YES
Posting Photos/Videos to Social Media
No
YES
Video Chats
No
YES
Streaming Media
No
YES
Casting Streamed Media to Stateroom TVs
No
YES – Edge-class ships only
The package you need depends on what you plan on using the WiFi network for.
If you want to just check in with emails or keep tabs on the news and sports headlines, the Basic Wi-Fi will be sufficient. Otherwise, upgrading to Premium might be the best plan.
Celebrity Cruises Wi-Fi Is Pricey
You can’t buy the Basic Wi-Fi Package as a standalone package anymore, only Premium Wi-Fi. (If you booked it before 1st June 2023 then you’ll still get it, even if your cruise departs in 2024 or 2025.)
You can still get Basic Wi-Fi through the all-inclusive cruise fare.
Premium Wi-Fi – From $26.99 per day
Premium Wi-Fi packages with Celebrity cruises start at $26.99 per device, per day, although the price will vary depending on your ship and the popularity of the itinerary.
The newer the ship, the more you will likely pay, with prices starting at $32.99 on the newest ships.
You do get a discount if you purchase a second device, which is typically 20%. So you can expect to pay just under $50 per day for two devices on most cruises on the older ships in the fleet, and just under $60 per day for two devices on the Edge-class ships.
You can also get discounts by booking your Wi-Fi package in advance. Often, there will be special offers saving you at least 10% on the price, but it may be more during sale periods. You should always make sure you’re checking My Celebrity Cruise, the online account section of the Celebrity website where you can book packages and excursions, to get the best deal.
Basic Wi-Fi – Free with ‘All-Included’ Rate
Since June 2023 you can no longer buy the Basic Wi-Fi package as a standalone internet package, but that doesn’t mean it’s no longer available.
If you booked your cruise before 1st June 2023 and chose the Basic Wi-Fi package, then that’s still what you’ll get. Otherwise, the Basic Wi-Fi is included when you choose Celebrity’s All Included cruise fare.
Celebrity Cruises used to be an all-inclusive cruise line, but that changed in 2022 and the cruise line began to offer the option of choosing a Cruise-Only fare, or opting for the All-Included package.
This package originally included the Basic Wi-Fi package, a Classic Drinks Package, and your daily gratuities. In late 2023, the gratuities were removed from the package and must now be paid separately.
This is the only way guests can enjoy Basic Wi-Fi now, by choosing the All-Included fare.
The cost of All Included can vary, but it should cost less per day than the combined cost of a Classic Drinks Package ($89 per person, per day) and the added cost of WiFi. On average, it costs around $80 per day for All Included.
It’s important to note that, if you choose a suite in The Retreat, you’ll get a more premium version of the All Included fare automatically, which includes the Premium Wi-Fi package and a Premium Drinks Package.
The Retreat Sun Deck
Upgrading From Basic Wi-Fi to Premium Wi-Fi
It is possible to book a Basic Wi-Fi package by choosing an All Included cruise fare, and then paying an upgrade fee to enjoy Premium Wi-Fi. This costs $9.99 per person, per day.
You can do this before you sail, or once you’re onboard, though if you upgrade while onboard you’ll have to pay for the full length of the cruise and the upgrade cost will be higher.
This makes sense if you want a Classic Drinks Package but faster WiFi, since you will likely pay a total of around $90 per day extra compared to your regular cruise fare (average of $80 per day for All Included, and $10 extra for the Premium Wi-Fi upgrade), which is the same price as buying the Classic Drinks Package on its own.
You Can Use The Celebrity App Without Wifi
You don’t need to purchase a WiFi package to use the Celebrity app. It’s designed to work on the free guest WiFi network that’s on the ship, so you can still use it to manage your excursions, your dining reservations and more.
However, you should download it before you travel. It’s possible to download it on the ship but the connection will be slow and it’ll take time, and depending on your app store it might fail a few times.
If you aren’t interested in using the internet for any other purpose, you can just use the app via the guest WiFi network to manage your cruise, and skip paying for an internet package.
How To Get Free Wi-Fi On Celebrity Cruises
There are a few ways you can enjoy Wi-Fi internet access without having to pay for it separately on a Celebrity cruise.
Before diving into these, a quick note – there are typically a couple of computers that guests can use in the internet cafe or library onboard their Celebrity ship, but the internet on here isn’t free. You can usually access the Celebrity Cruises website on them, and maybe a couple of other unblocked sites for downloading travel documents, but you can’t use them freely.
1. Book the All Included Cruise Fare
Booking the All Included cruise fare is one way to get ‘free’ Wi-Fi. Of course, it’s not really free, since you’re paying the extra for that fare. But it does mean that you don’t have to worry about paying extra for your internet access or your tips when you’re onboard the ship, and can use them as much as you want.
Remember that this only gets you the Basic Wi-Fi package though. You will still need to pay the upgrade fee if you want to share photos, stream movies or video call your family.
2. Book a Suite in The Retreat
Guests who stay in The Retreat, the exclusive suite area found on all of the main Celebrity Cruises fleet (excluding the Expedition ships that are much smaller) will automatically get Premium WiFi and Premium Drinks included.
Again, it isn’t truly ‘free’ because you’re paying a much higher price to enjoy suite accommodations, compared to a regular stateroom. However unlike choosing between the Cruise Only and All Included packages, this isn’t a different fare. The Retreat doesn’t give you the option, so it is automatically included.
You also get a lot more benefits than just the Premium Wi-Fi and Premium Drinks when booking a suite in The Retreat.
Celebrity Retreat Deals
I recommend booking with luxury specialists Panache Cruises for the best service.
3. Be a Zenith Member of the Captain’s Club
The Captain’s Club is the loyalty programme for Celebrity Cruises. The more that you cruise with Celebrity, the more points you accrue and the higher up the tiers you progress, with each unlocking additional perks.
The top tier is the Zenith tier, and once you reach this you’ll have free Premium Wi-Fi on every subsequent cruise you take with Celebrity.
It’s no small feat though – you need 3,000 Club Points or more to be in the Zenith tier, which is the equivalent of cruising for 1,500 nights in a regular Inside or Ocean View stateroom.
The better a class of stateroom you book, the more points you gain – you ‘only’ need 125 nights if you book the very best Iconic Suites for your cruises to reach that milestone.
Some of the other tiers in the Captain’s Club do offer WiFi perks as well:
Preview (0 to 1 points) – No WiFi perk
Classic (2 to 149 points) – 10% off Premium Wi-Fi packages
Select (150 to 299 points) – 25% off Premium Wi-Fi packages
Elite (300 to 749 points) – 30% off Premium Wi-Fi packages plus 90 minutes of free Wi-Fi access
Elite Plus (750 to 2999 points) – 35% off Premium Wi-Fi packages plus 240 minutes of free Wi-Fi access
So you don’t quite need to get to Zenith – as long as you reach Elite, you will get some free internet, just not much.
By Elite Plus you have four hours, which you can spread across the cruise as you need it. You just need to remember to disconnect to avoid letting the minutes run out.
While not technically ‘on’ your Celebrity cruise, the best way to get truly free WiFi access without booking loads of cruises is to find it in port.
There are often lots of bars and restaurants in ports that offer free WiFi, so if you can limit your access to when you’re ashore then you can enjoy it without paying.
It’s a good idea to ask the crew for advice – they don’t get free internet on the ship either, so they tend to know the best places in port to get free WiFi access.
Depending on where you’re sailing, look for chains such as Starbucks or McDonalds as you’ll typically get free WiFi here.
About The Wi-Fi On Celebrity Cruises
Since Celebrity Cruises upgraded to using Starlink satellite internet access, the general consensus is that the Premium Wi-Fi package is pretty good. Cruise ship internet has traditionally been quite slow, but the Premium Wi-Fi can deliver on its promises of video calls and streaming services.
The Basic Wi-Fi package is less reliable – this is less likely to be a limitation of Starlink, but instead due to the speeds being throttled by Celebrity Cruises to make sure the Premium upgrade is worth paying for.
However, Starlink is not available on the Expedition ships – Celebrity Flora, Celebrity Xpedition and Celebrity Xploration. There’s some conflicting information on this online, but I’ve checked with the cruise line directly. So the WiFi on those ships will be slower.
Celebrity Flora
Of course, those cruises aren’t really aimed at those who want to spend most of their time online anyway – it’s more about exploration and adventure. It just means waiting until you get home if you want to upload all the amazing photos you take with any speed.
Final Word
The Wi-Fi package on Celebrity Cruises is very fast and reliable – provided you choose the Premium package. If you decide to book on an All Included fare, then it might be worthwhile upgrading to Premium for the extra daily fee, particularly if you plan on using the internet a lot.
If you only need to occasionally check in with emails, you can save money by making use of the free WiFi you’ll find in your ports of call. And if you continue cruising with Celebrity, you’ll eventually climb the tiers of the Captain’s Circle enough to enjoy some free minutes on each sailing, and a pretty good discount on buying the package too.
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Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays.
When planning a cruise, it’s wise to make sure that you’re covered financially should you fall ill, miss your flight, lose your luggage or your cruise be cancelled.
But do you need special cruise travel insurance? Or will your usual annual travel insurance policy do the job?
This guide to cruise travel insurance explains exactly what you need and when.
Never cruise uninsured!
Travel insurance for a cruise is strongly recommended. A standard travel insurance policy that also covers cruises is sufficient, but for extra protection you can get specialist cruise cover that includes things like missed port of call or confinement to your cabin.
Travel insurance is not a legal requirement for any kind of travel. However, it’s always wise to get it, because unforeseen costs due to medical emergencies, cancellation and lost luggage while travelling can be very high.
If you’re taking a cruise, then medical bills can be even higher than usual, particularly if you need to be taken ashore for medical treatment. One British grandmother was hit with a bill for £50,000 after she was airlifted to hospital from a cruise ship in Mexico.
Not all insurance is equal…
There are three kinds of travel insurance:
Travel insurance with no cruise cover – Standard travel insurance that excludes cruises
Travel insurance with cruise cover – Standard travel insurance that covers you for things like medical treatment and lost luggage, including during your cruise
Cruise travel insurance – Specific cover for cruises. As well as the standard cover for medical bills etc, this may include extra cover for cruise-specific things like missed ports or confinement to your cabin
If you’re taking a cruise, you’ll need to get a policy that falls into one of the second two categories.
My Recommendation
My recommendation for cruise insurance depends on where you live.
These are trusted price comparison sites that will quickly get you lots of quotes to match your exact needs.
Policies that describe themselves as ‘cruise travel insurance’ could fall into either of those last two categories, so it’s important to understand exactly what you’re getting.
Whilst specialist cruise travel insurance is good to have as it covers you for more things, it’s not completely necessary – standard travel insurance that includes cruise cover may be enough for what you need.
What Does Cruise Travel Insurance Cover?
If you take out extra cruise cover, you’ll be insured for things that could only happen on a cruise, that someone taking a land holiday wouldn’t need.
Things covered by specialist cruise cover:
Confinement to cabin for medical reasons
Missing a port due to bad weather
Rejoining your cruise ship after an illness
Things covered by standard travel insurance:
Medical expenses
Lost or stolen luggage
Holiday cancellation
Most cruise travel insurance policies exclude extreme sports and activities like skydiving or bungee jumping, so if you plan on doing anything like this during your holiday, you may need to take out extra cover.
Some cruise ships offer rock climbing, zip-lining, indoor skydiving, trapeze classes and trampolining on the ship. These will likely be covered by your travel insurance, but it’s worth reading the small print to check.
What is Cruise Cover Insurance?
Cruise cover insurance can mean a general travel insurance policy that includes (or doesn’t exclude) cruises, or it can mean specialist cruise cover for specific things that could only happen during a cruise.
Cruise travel insurance can be a standalone travel insurance policy, or it can be a specialist cruise cover that you add on to your existing travel insurance policy.
You can buy cruise cover for a single cruise, or as an annual policy that covers all your travel during a 12-month period.
What is the Best Cruise Insurance?
The best travel insurance for cruises is a policy that includes cruise-specific features such as confinement to your cabin and missed ports.
However, this could cost more than standard travel insurance that includes cruises.
To work out which type of cruise insurance cover is the best value, think about:
The price of the policy
How much you are covered for for cruise-specific problems
The chance of a cruise-specific problem
How much the excess is
For example
Let’s say it costs £20 extra to be covered for missing a port of call.
Let’s say the payout for a missed port is £50.
The chance of a port being cancelled depends on the itinerary.
The excess is £60.
In this scenario, the cover is cheap and the payout for a missed port is decent. However, the excess is higher than the payout.
So it would only be worth it if you missed two or more ports. Missing one port happens from time to time, but missing two is very unlikely, so it wouldn’t be worth it.
However, if the same insurance policy also paid out £100 for each day that you are confined to your cabin, then that could be worth it in case of illness.
My Recommendation
My recommendation for cruise insurance depends on where you live.
These are trusted price comparison sites that will quickly get you lots of quotes to match your exact needs.
Cruise insurance is more expensive than regular travel insurance
Travel insurance that includes cruise travel can be more expensive than travel insurance that doesn’t include cruise travel because the medical expenses if you’re taken ill at sea are usually higher.
If you have a heart attack in a hotel, you’ll be taken to the hospital in an ambulance. If this happens at sea, you may need a helicopter.
In addition, specialist cruise insurance is generally more expensive than general travel insurance that includes cruises because more is covered. You can claim for things like missing a port of call that could only happen on a cruise.
If you want cheap cruise insurance, look for a policy that doesn’t include cover for all the extras. The main things you’ll need to be covered for are your medical bills and your possessions.
How Much is Cruise Insurance?
The price of cruise insurance varies depending on:
The destinations
The length of the cruise
Your age
Your pre-existing medical conditions
The cheapest cruise insurance policies could cost as little as £9 for a single trip.
Those who are over 80 or have certain pre-existing medical conditions could find that cruise cover is much more expensive. In some cases, the price of insurance could cost more than the cruise. It’s always worth spending some time shopping around for the best price.
If you struggle to get affordable cover because of your age or medical history, then you might then want to look for specialist providers.
Annual Travel Insurance Including Cruise Cover
Even if you only plan to cruise once in a year, it could be worth taking out an annual cruise travel insurance policy. This will cover you for other kinds of travel including air travel abroad and UK hotel stays.
If you’re not sure, get a quote for a single trip and an annual multi-trip policy and compare the prices. You may be surprised to find that an annual policy doesn’t cost much more.
How to Add Cruise Cover to Holiday Insurance
If you already have an annual travel insurance policy and you want to book a cruise, the first thing to do is to check what is covered by your existing annual policy. If it doesn’t cover cruise travel, you should contact your travel insurance provider and ask if they can add on cruise cover.
It’s usually cheaper to add cruise cover to an existing travel insurance policy. If for any reason you cannot do this, then you could take out a single trip cruise insurance policy to cover your cruise.
Is Cruise Insurance Worth It?
Cruise insurance is definitely worth getting, because while you are unlikely to use it, the money it will save you if you do need to will be extremely valuable. Medical costs alone can be very high.
I understand that buying travel insurance cruise cover is another expense, and you might be on a budget for your cruise. But you’ll regret it even more if you don’t take out a policy and something goes wrong.
Don’t try to save money by refusing to get a policy. Instead, shop around for cheap cruise travel insurance so that you only pay what you need to, for the cover that you require.
My Recommendation
My recommendation for cruise insurance depends on where you live.
These are trusted price comparison sites that will quickly get you lots of quotes to match your exact needs.
Conclusion
It’s strongly recommended that you take out travel insurance when you book a cruise. You’ll need to make sure that your policy includes cruise cover, as not all of them do.
In addition to your standard cruise holiday insurance policy, you can purchase additional cruise cover for things like missed ports of call or confinement to your cabin.
Whether you decide to go for the standard or specialist cruise cover, or to buy a single or annual policy, the most important thing is that you read the details carefully to make sure that you’re covered for everything you need.
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Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays.
Royal Caribbean has announced a new technology that has been installed on Icon of the Seas, offering assistive listening features.
The system works through the ship’s WiFi network, allowing guests to use their smartphones to connect directly to an audio network on the ship.
The main use for the tech is to help people who use hearing aids, especially in the Royal Theatre. But it also has practical uses for those without hearing impairments too.
One example would be the option to tune into sports commentary for the game of guests’ choice while in Playmakers Sports Bar, or to choose their perfect playlist while enjoying a silent disco.
The technology is called Listen EVERYWHERE and has been developed by Listen Technologies Corporation. It’s easy for guests to use – they just need to download the Listen EVERYWHERE app to their smartphone and then connect to the ship’s network.
Royal Caribbean is renowned for providing outstanding guest experiences with the latest technologies and services that raise the bar on travel and offer next-level vacations.Listen Technologies is proud to have Royal Caribbean select our audio over Wi-Fi assistive listening solution to offer guests exceptional hearing and engagement experiences onboard its ships.
The system has low latency, meaning there is no perceptible delay between the sound through the main speakers and that coming through the app – so guests can enjoy the theatre performances without disjointed sound and visuals.
It can also be used for translations, which makes Icon of the Seas even more appealing to non-English speaking guests and can help improve safety, with announcements provided in different languages as they are made in English.
The cruise line has announced plans to introduce the technology across the entire fleet, though no timeline has been given.
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Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays.
MSC World America, a new 200,000 gross ton cruise ship that will offer cruises from Miami, has entered its final stage of construction.
MSC World America is MSC Cruises’ second World class ship. The vessel just moved to its final stage of construction at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard. Now that the ship has been floated out, the interior of the vessel will be completed.
MSC World America will sail from PortMiami starting in April 2025. MSC Cruises is currently building the largest cruise terminal in North America to accommodate the ship.
The ship will be MSC’s largest to offer cruises from the U.S. and all sailings will visit the cruise line’s private island in The Bahamas, Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve. You can see itineraries and prices for the ship here.
MSC World America will have 22 decks, more than 2,600 staterooms, and 420,000 square feet of public space.
Pierfrancesco Vago, Executive Chairman of MSC Cruises, gave the following statement:
“MSC World America is another example of the incredible professional partnership between us and the Chantiers de l’Atlantique with whom we have designed five distinct and innovative prototypes – the most recent being the ground-breaking World Class platform. With each and every ship we strive to improve and enhance not only the environmental technology but also new features that enrich the experience for the guest as we design for the future holiday experience. MSC World Asia continues in this tradition and with this important milestone of the steel cutting we are pleased to confirm that she will offer even more advanced new features in terms of future-proof marine and onboard hospitality technologies as well as guest experiences.”
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In addition to the float out of MSC World America, the cruise line also cut the first piece of steel for their third World class ship, MSC World Asia.
MSC World Asia will enter service in 2026 and will feature signature design touches, experiences and features inspired by its continental namesake.
Laurent Castaing, General Manager, Chantiers de l’Atlantique commented:
“We are very proud to begin construction on MSC World Asia. The third ship in the World Class series will feature cutting-edge technologies, making it one of the cleanest, most energy-efficient ships in the world. She embodies MSC Cruises’ and Chantiers de l’Atlantique’s long-term partnership and commitment toward the environment.”
Both cruise ships will be powered by LNG and will offer one of the lowest carbon footprints in the industry. They will also be able to connect to shore power where it is available.
MSC Cruises is currently the world’s third largest cruise line with 22 ships in their fleet. They have three more ships scheduled to debut by 2027.
Windstar Cruises, one of the leaders in small-ship cruising, has announced two new ships joining the fleet in 2025 and 2026 respectively.
Star Seeker and Star Explorer will be all-suite motor yachts, joining the existing Star Class for the cruise line. Star Seeker is currently under construction and is due to launch in December 2025, with Star Explorer following one year later.
Each ship will have just 112 suites, all of which have a private veranda and infinity windows for an amazing view of the stunning destinations where guests will sail. Each ship will also feature a new Owner’s Suite, perfect for hosting private dinners or evening parties.
The iconic watersports platform from Windstar’s existing fleet is still present, with new staircase access, while guests will also be able to enjoy the Yacht Club cafe and lounge, a forward whirlpool on the bow of the ship, and a spacious open deck area that’s perfect for sunbathing.
Our goal was to ensure these ships are unmistakably Windstar, and a significant amount of effort has gone into achieving this. We are thrilled for this expansion, building on the success of our game-changing Star Class in small-ship cruising with guests and travel partners, while offering new experiences. This growth reflects the dedication of our incredible crew and team, allowing us to broaden our destination portfolio and even bring one of our Wind Class sail ships back to Tahiti.
Windstar Cruises’ President Christopher Prelog
Both ships will have ice-strengthened hulls to allow for exciting new itineraries in more remote locations, along with the latest in safety, propulsion and navigation tech.
The expansion will also allow Windstar to relocate one of the classic Wind-class ships, Wind Star, back to Tahiti where the cruise line already operates Star Breeze.
Full itineraries for the new Star Seeker are due to be announced in June 2024.
The best way to book a Windstar cruise
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Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays.
Windstar Cruises, a small ship cruise line, has announced a new class of cruise ships that will first debut in 2025.
In total, the cruise line ordered two Star class ships. Star Seeker will debut in December 2025 with Star Explorer coming out a year later in late 2026.
Each ship will have 122 suites with either a private balcony or infinity windows. There will be two Owner’s Suites with wrap-around balconies at the ship’s aft.
They will have a capacity of 224 guests and feature a crew to guest ratio of 1:2.
Guests will also enjoy access to several newly added Windstar guest favorites, including the brand’s iconic Watersports Platform with all-new staircase access, the cozy Yacht Club café and lounge, a two-story spa and fitness facility, an intimate forward whirlpool on the bow, and a spacious open deck perfect for sunbathing and Windstar’s famous deck barbeques.
Both ships will have ice-strengthened hulls to allow the cruise line to visit more destinations than ever before.
They will also be able to connect to shore power where it is available.
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Windstar Cruises’ President Christopher Prelog, gave the following statement about this new order two new ships.
“Our goal was to ensure these ships are unmistakably Windstar, and a significant amount of effort has gone into achieving this. We are thrilled for this expansion, building on the success of our game-changing Star Class in small-ship cruising with guests and travel partners, while offering new experiences. This growth reflects the dedication of our incredible crew and team, allowing us to broaden our destination portfolio and even bring one of our Wind Class sail ships back to Tahiti.”
These two new cruise ships will allow Windstar Cruises to bring back Wind Star to Tahiti in 2027 to help meet guest demand for cruises to the South Pacific.
Itineraries for Star Seeker will be announced in June 2024 when the cruises open for bookings.
Next summer, Carnival Cruise Line will open a private port built specifically for their cruise ships on Grand Bahama Island called Celebration Key.
As Celebration Key gets closer to opening day, Carnival Cruise Line is giving more details on this new port that is promising to be a huge hit their their guests.
Carnival has announced that they retail part of Celebration Key will be called Lokono Cove. It will be one of five portals at the port that offer difference experiences for cruisers.
It will be the gateway to Grand Bahama outside of Celebration Key. It will be the departure point for guests looking to explore the island.
Lokono Cove will have a variety of stores and shops. It will also have an authentic Bahamian artisan market that showcases local craftsmanship.
This area will have everything from music to painted murals by Bahamian artists.
Christine Duffy, the president of Carnival Cruise Line, gave the following statement about Lokono Cove:
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“Lokono Cove will be a treasure trove – a place for our guests to immerse themselves in the spirit of The Bahamas and find locally-inspired keepsakes, symbols of paradise they can share with loved ones, or cherish for themselves for years to come. Honoring the beauty and culture of the Bahamas is integral to our plans for Celebration Key, and that will be on display throughout Lokono Cove. It’s a special honor that locals from Grand Bahama have contributed already in an impactful way, giving this portal its name.”
Lokono Cove is the third portal on Celebration Key that Carnival has announced. The first two were the welcome area, Paradise Plaza, and the adult friendly Calypso Cove.
The last two portals will be announced at a later date. One will be a family friendly one and the other an adults-only private retreat.
Celebration Key is scheduled to open in July 2025. The port will have a private pier that will be able to accommodate two ships at once with a future expansion to hold four ships.
Carnival Cruise Line currently has 500 cruises on 18 ships to Celebration Key open for bookings.
