Modern cruise ship cabin with a floor-to-ceiling window, illustrating Celebrity Apex cabins to avoid and the best ones

Celebrity Apex Cabins To Avoid (And the Best Rooms to Book)

The Celebrity Apex cabins to avoid are mainly the deck 3 ocean views tucked under the dining rooms and casino, wake-facing rooms on deck 7 directly above Eden, deck 12 rooms beneath the Oceanview Cafe and pool on deck 14, and the partial-view rooms on deck 6 that look onto lifeboats. The best-value picks are midship Infinite Verandas on decks 8 to 10, which have cabins above and below them. If you want a real step-out balcony, look at aft Sunset Verandas on decks 8 to 11.

Celebrity Apex is the second ship in Celebrity’s Edge class. She entered service in 2020 (her first passenger sailings were in 2021) and her layout closely matches her sisters. What makes the choice different on Apex is where she sails: Caribbean and Bahamas weeks from Port Canaveral in winter, and Norway, Arctic Circle and Northern Europe sailings from Southampton in summer. Here is how that changes which room you should book.

Celebrity Apex cabins to avoid at a glance

Location Why it can be a problem Who should skip it
Deck 3 ocean views Sit on the dining deck below the Cosmopolitan, Cyprus and casino level on deck 4; close to the gangway and tender area on deck 2 Light sleepers, anyone who naps by day
Deck 7 aft (wake-facing) Directly above Eden, which runs late-evening entertainment Early sleepers
Deck 12 midship and aft Below the deck 14 pool, Oceanview Cafe and Magic Carpet (there is no deck 13) Anyone who hates early chair-dragging noise
Deck 6 balconies and forward porthole verandas Views down onto lifeboats or framed by a large porthole opening Scenery lovers on fjord cruises
Forward cabins on low decks Most motion in rough seas; near the theatre at the front of decks 3 to 5 Seasickness-prone guests
Rooms by elevator lobbies and crew doors Foot traffic and late-night chatter Light sleepers

Always check the current deck plan before booking, since the cruise line can reassign venues or reconfigure spaces during dry docks.

Noisy Celebrity Apex rooms to avoid

Deck 3: the lowest guest cabins

Deck 3 holds a small run of ocean-view staterooms on the same deck as the Tuscan Grille and Normandie restaurants and the base of the three-level theatre. Directly above, deck 4 holds the Cosmopolitan and Cyprus dining rooms, shops and the casino. You get a window at a lower price, but also service traffic and the clatter of a busy dining deck. Deck 2 below is the Destination Gateway, where you board the ship and catch tenders, so port mornings can start early. If you will mostly be ashore, these rooms are fine. If you value quiet afternoons, move up to deck 6 or higher.

Deck 7 aft above Eden

Eden spans the back of decks 4 to 6 and stays busy late into the evening with performances and music. The wake-view rooms on deck 7 sit right on top of it. Some blog guides name specific aft balcony and Sky Suite numbers in the 7110 to 7115 and 7300 ranges. Treat those lists as a starting point, not a rule. The same aft layouts on decks 8, 9 and 10 have cabins above and below them, which is the simple fix.

Deck 12 under the pool deck

Because Apex has no deck 13, the cabins on deck 12 sit directly under the pool deck on deck 14, including the Oceanview Cafe buffet. Crews set up the buffet and arrange loungers early, and guests on owner groups regularly report scraping noise in the aft 12200s. This matters most on Caribbean sea days out of Port Canaveral, when the pool deck is full from breakfast onward. Forward deck 12 is a different story, since that is where most of the Retreat suites sit.

Lifts, stairs and service doors

A cabin two or three doors from the elevator lobby is convenient but busier. Watch for unmarked crew doors and pantries on the deck plan, which can bring trolley noise at odd hours.

Glass balcony doors opening onto calm blue sea, the kind of view an Infinite Veranda cabin offers
Window placement makes or breaks a cruise cabin view. Photo: Ahmet ÇÖTÜR on Pexels

Infinite Veranda vs a true veranda on Celebrity Apex

Most Apex rooms are Edge Staterooms with Infinite Veranda. Instead of a separate balcony, the outdoor space is part of the room: bifold doors close off the sitting area, and you press a button to lower the top half of the floor-to-ceiling window. Celebrity’s sizing for the standard version is roughly 200 sq ft of living space plus about 40 sq ft of veranda area. Most Concierge Class and AquaClass rooms on this ship use the same design.

  • The good: you get more usable floor space, and the window seat feels comfortable on cool days. On a Norwegian fjords or Arctic Circle sailing from Southampton, you can sit and watch the scenery in shirt sleeves.
  • The catch: if you open the window with the bifold doors open, the air conditioning switches off. On a humid Caribbean week, the room warms up quickly, and you cannot step outside into fresh air the way you can on a traditional balcony.

If outdoor time matters to you, the alternatives with a true step-out balcony are the aft Sunset Verandas (about 89 sq ft of outdoor space), the forward Deluxe Porthole View with Veranda rooms (check the view, as the porthole frame can block part of it), and Sky Suites and above. Cruisers who have switched from Infinite Verandas to Sunset Verandas mostly say the aft position, not the price, is the bigger trade-off. That is why it pays to avoid deck 7 aft and choose decks 8 to 11 instead.

Obstructed views and the Magic Carpet

Deck plan specialists list every outward-facing balcony on deck 6 as looking down on either deck 5 or the lifeboats. They also flag partially obstructed verandas on deck 6 (6128, 6129, 6180, 6182, 6196, 6198) and on deck 11 (including 11122, 11125, 11156, 11158, 11176 and 11182). Celebrity prices some of these as partial-view categories, such as E5 Infinite Verandas and C5 Concierge rooms. They can be good value if you mainly use your cabin to sleep. They are a poor choice for a fjords cruise, where the view is the whole point.

The Magic Carpet is the tennis-court-sized platform that moves up and down the starboard side, serving as a tender gateway on deck 2, a dining extension at Raw on 5, and part of the pool deck on 14. Celebrity has a separate Magic Carpet Sky Suite category for the suites nearest its track. Their side views can be affected depending on where the platform is parked, so ask your agent about the exact sightline before paying suite prices.

Small cabins, connecting rooms and seasickness

  • Inside cabins: standard and deluxe insides run from roughly 180 to 200 sq ft. That is decent by industry standards, but tight for three or four people with luggage. Single Infinite Veranda rooms are much smaller, at around 130 to 140 sq ft.
  • Connecting rooms: the class has about 178 connecting cabins. They are ideal for families, but the connecting door carries sound more than a solid wall, so couples may want to filter them out.
  • Seasickness: choose midship on decks 6 to 8, where most Infinite Verandas sit. Avoid high forward rooms if you are crossing the Bay of Biscay or the North Sea, or taking the spring and autumn transatlantics between Florida and Southampton.
Elegant suite bedroom with large bed and sea-facing windows, similar in spirit to a Retreat suite at sea
Suite guests get extra space and a private Retreat area. Photo: cottonbro studio on Pexels

Best cabins on Celebrity Apex by budget

Concierge Class

Concierge rooms are mostly on decks 9 to 12 and add priority embarkation, a welcome lunch, preferred dining times and a concierge desk. From sailings departing after 21 September 2026, Celebrity replaced Concierge Class canapés with free room service. The usual delivery fee is waived, though a 20% gratuity may still apply, and two welcome waters arrive on embarkation day. Avoid Concierge rooms in the aft part of deck 12 if you want quiet mornings, and check whether a cheap fare is actually a C5 partial view.

AquaClass

About 100 AquaClass rooms sit on decks 9 and 10 and include dining at Blu plus spa relaxation access. They are worth it if you will use both; otherwise the premium goes on perks you skip.

The Retreat suites

From Sky Suites upward, guests get The Retreat lounge and sundeck plus Luminae restaurant. The 146 Sky Suites are spread over decks 6 to 12. Aft Sunset Sky Suites have the best wake views, but again, skip the ones on deck 7. Forward on deck 12 sit the Celebrity, Royal and Penthouse Suites and the two Iconic Suites above the bridge, at about 1,890 sq ft with a huge veranda. The six two-level Edge Villas (decks 15 and 16) have plunge pools and open straight onto the Retreat sundeck. They are lovely, but they are not the place for guests who want total seclusion.

Best value overall

A midship Infinite Veranda on decks 8, 9 or 10 is hard to beat: steady motion, cabins above and below, and an easy walk to the lifts. Compare current fares on our 2027 cruise deals roundup before you lock in a category.

How Apex compares with her sisters

Apex shares her hardware with the first ship of the class, so most of the same rules apply on board. Celebrity’s own changes for Apex focused on entertainment, dining and the spa rather than the staterooms. If you are weighing ships, our guides to Celebrity Edge cabins to avoid and Celebrity Xcel cabins to avoid cover the differences that do exist, and the very different itineraries each ship sails.

To see how Apex compares with the rest of the fleet, read every Celebrity cruise ship ranked.

If you are thinking about a suite, see our guide to whether the Celebrity Retreat is worth it.

FAQs

Which cabin on Celebrity Apex is considered the best?

For most couples, a midship Infinite Veranda on decks 8 to 10 is the best balance of price, quiet and stability. For a real balcony, choose an aft Sunset Veranda or Sky Suite on decks 8 to 11. At the top end, the Iconic Suites and Edge Villas are the standouts.

What are the Celebrity Apex rooms to avoid for noise?

Deck 3 ocean views below the dining and casino level, deck 7 aft rooms above Eden, and deck 12 midship and aft rooms under the pool deck and buffet on deck 14.

Are Infinite Verandas a bad choice on Apex?

Not necessarily. They work well on cooler Northern Europe sailings from Southampton. On Caribbean cruises from Port Canaveral, the air conditioning cutting out when the window is open can make the room humid.

What is the best deck on Celebrity Apex for seasickness?

Low to middle decks midship, roughly decks 6 to 8, where motion is gentlest. Avoid forward and high cabins on rougher routes such as transatlantic crossings.

Is Concierge Class worth it on Celebrity Apex?

It can be if you value priority boarding and the extra service. Since September 2026, free room service delivery replaced the old daily canapés, which many guests see as a better perk.

Princess-Cruises-Vs-Celebrity.jpg

Which Cruise Line is Better?

If you’re after a cruise experience that’s a little more polished and relaxed, Princess Cruises and Celebrity Cruises are two standout choices. Both offer a more refined, grown-up style of cruising, without losing the fun.

A comparison of two cruise ships with 'VS' between them, highlighting the contrast: on the left, a Princess Cruises ship sails near a coast, and on the right, the 'Celebrity BEYOND' ship cruises on the open sea.

Owned by the industry’s two biggest players – Carnival Group and Royal Caribbean Group, respectively – these cruise lines often go head-to-head. They attract similar travellers, visit many of the same destinations, and offer comparable onboard experiences.

But the differences matter. And if you’re deciding between the two, this guide will help you choose the cruise line that’s the best fit for you.

The size of the fleet is one of the many similarities shared between Princess Cruises and Celebrity Cruises.

Princess has 16 ships currently sailing for the cruise line, with Star Princess scheduled to debut in October 2025, taking it to 17. Celebrity has 15 ships currently sailing for the cruise line, with Celebrity Xcel due to debut in November 2025, taking it to 16.

Princess Cruises Ships

The aft view of the 'Sky Princess' cruise ship from Princess Cruises, docked at port during golden hour, with its name and home port 'Hamilton' displayed, ready to embark on another voyage.

There are four classes of ships in the Princess Cruises fleet:

  • Sphere Class – The newest ships, accommodating 4,300 guests
  • Royal Class – Six large ships accommodating 3,560 to 3,660 guests
  • Grand Class – Eight mid-sized ships accommodating 2,600 to 3,140 guests
  • Coral Class – The oldest two ships, each catering for 2,000 to 2,220 guests

The oldest ship in the Princess Cruises fleet is Grand Princess, which was launched in 1998. The newest is Sun Princess, which started sailing in February 2024.

Read more: Princess Cruises Ships by Age

Celebrity Cruises Ships

The Celebrity Apex cruise ship from Celebrity Cruises moored at a quayside during dusk, its sleek design and illuminated windows standing out against the fading light, while the calm waters reflect its presence.

Celebrity has four classes of ships:

  • Edge Class – four ships that accommodate 2,900 to 3,200 guests
  • Solstice Class – five ships that accommodate 2,800 to 3,000 guests
  • Millennium Class – four ships that accommodate 2,200 guests
  • Expedition Ships – not an official class but a separate type of ship; these travel to much smaller ports, including Antarctica. There used to be three ships accommodating 16, 48 and 100 guests; however, only Celebrity Flora remains after Celebrity Xpedition and Celebrity Xploration were sold to Lindblad Expeditions in early 2025.

The oldest ship in the fleet is the Celebrity Millennium, which, appropriately, launched in 2000. The newest ship is Celebrity Ascent, the most recent Edge-class ship.

Read more: Celebrity Ships By Age, Size and Class

How They Compare

There isn’t much to choose between the main Princess Cruises and Celebrity Cruises fleets. Princess does have some larger ships with the new Sphere Class, but they aren’t the mega-ships you’ll find with some other cruise lines.

The main difference is Celebrity’s Expedition ship – if you want a sophisticated cruise blended with a real sense of adventure, on a very small ship that has a very communal feel, then Celebrity would be the choice to make.

Read more: The Best Expedition Cruise Lines

In terms of the available itineraries, both Princess Cruises and Celebrity Cruises have plenty of choices available. With these cruise lines, you aren’t just limited to the most popular cruising regions – you can explore the entire globe in style.

Here’s a look at the itineraries that are offered in each part of the world:

Princess Cruises Celebrity Cruises
Alaska 23 63
Australia & New Zealand 96 28
Bermuda 0 4
Canada & New England 19 4
Caribbean & Bahamas 54 31
East Asia 20 35
Europe 147 136
Galapagos 0 42
Hawaii 8 9
Mexico & Latin America 7 0
Middle East & South Asia 0 2
Pacific Northwest 0 3
Panama Canal 22 8
Repositioning 0 4
South America 19 9
South Pacific 37 3
Transatlantic 37 20
Transpacific 0 10
World 46 0

Princess Cruises Destinations

A Princess cruise ship gracefully navigates through a fjord, with majestic green mountains rising on either side, showcasing the natural beauty and serene experience of a cruise in the Norwegian fjords.

Princess Cruises has a lot of exciting destination options for cruise guests, with a particularly strong focus on Australia and New Zealand – several ships spend a season Down Under, giving guests more variety when exploring this amazing region.

In total, the cruise line offers 30 different embarkation ports, with Sydney being one of the bigger ports, though there are many cruises from Fort Lauderdale and other North American ports too. UK cruisers get a lot of choice of ships, all sailing from Southampton.

Princess also offers some exciting cruisetour options in Alaska. These are special itineraries that incorporate a cruise and a stay in a Princess Wilderness Lodge, along with a beautifully scenic rail journey.

Some Princess cruises in the Bahamas include ports of call to Princess Cays, which is the cruise line’s private resort on Eleuthera. 

Celebrity Cruises Destinations

The Celebrity Summit cruise ship docked at a port, captured from an aerial perspective, showcasing the elegant vessel with its distinctive 'X' funnel next to the marina with clear blue waters extending into the horizon.

Celebrity Cruises offers similar itineraries to Princess, but where you could argue Princess focuses on Australia, Celebrity does a similar job with Alaska – there’s a wealth of cruises to explore this amazing region and its stunning scenery.

With Celebrity, you get even more choice of embarkation ports – 33 in total. 11 of those are across North America and the Caribbean, while there are 9 embarkation ports in Europe, including Southampton again for cruises from the UK.

Celebrity’s destinations also include unique itineraries around South America and the Galapagos Islands on the Expedition ships, with smaller ports that only these ships can access.

How They Compare

Destination likely won’t be a deal breaker if you’re deciding between Princess Cruises and Celebrity Cruises – they have very similar offerings. If you want to cruise to Australia or New Zealand, you might find more flexibility in the Princess options, but you can say the same about Alaska and Celebrity Cruises.

The only major difference is those Expedition ships and the unique itineraries that they offer.

From an accommodation perspective, once again, both Princess Cruises and Celebrity Cruises have very similar options.

You can, of course, choose between Interior, Ocean View and Balcony staterooms across the fleets, with Interior being the cheapest option and Balcony being more expensive. And on every ship across both fleets, you’ll be able to opt for a luxurious suite, offering additional perks and more space.

One area where the cruise lines do differ is in their options for single passengers. Across many of the ships in the Celebrity Cruises fleet, you’ll find a range of solo cabins available. With Princess Cruises, it’s only the most recent Sun Princess ship which has any solo stateroom options, and they are very limited.

Princess Cruises Staterooms and Suites

Here are some of the different types of staterooms or suites you can find on some Princess ships:

Sky Suites

The luxurious Sky Suite balcony on a Princess cruise ship at dusk, featuring a cozy outdoor lounging area, elegant dining setup, and an inviting interior seen through glass doors, all basked in the warm glow of the setting sun.

Available on select Royal-class ships along with the Sphere Class, Sky Suites are truly outstanding accommodation options. The top suite on the ships, where it’s available, the suite itself is beautifully decorated and offers a wealth of space to relax.

But it’s the balcony that’s the real star – one of the most expansive at sea, with great views around the ship and out to the oceans. It even has an outdoor TV, so you can sit back on your decking furniture and relax in complete bliss.

Suggested read: Sun Princess Signature Sky Suite (Floor Plan)

Reserve Collection

Elegant Cabana Mini-Suite on Sun Princess with a neutral color palette, featuring a comfortable bed, a cozy sitting area with a sofa, a flat-screen TV, and access to a private balcony with ocean views.

The Reserve Collection is new for the Sphere Class with Princess Cruises, and it’s a collection of some of the best Mini Suites and Cabana staterooms on the ship, in prime locations.

But it’s not just about the quality of the room, you also get a private restaurant for Reserve Collection guests to use – normally on cruise ships, this kind of feature is exclusive to full suite guests or those who’ve reached the top levels of a cruise line’s loyalty programme.

Signature Collection

The sophisticated Signature Owner’s Suite on Sun Princess, featuring a plush bed, an open wardrobe, a well-lit vanity area, and a modern design that exudes luxury and comfort for guests.

The very best suites on the Sphere Class ships, the Signature Collection offers complete luxury, including the Signature Sky Suites, which have incredible views.

As well as the breathtaking suites, guests also get access to a private sun deck, restaurant, and lounge, away from the bustle of the rest of the ship and with some wonderful menus and drink options.

Celebrity Cruises Staterooms and Suites

These are some of the more unique options you can book on a Celebrity cruise:

Concierge Class

A veranda stateroom on a Celebrity cruise ship elegantly appointed with a comfortable bed accented by an orange throw, a cozy seating area, and a balcony with a view of the ocean, offering guests a private and tranquil retreat.

Concierge Class staterooms are offered across the Celebrity Cruises fleet (except for on the Expedition ships) and they include a wider range of amenities for guests to enjoy.

As well as better room furnishings, you can also get the help of the concierge team on the ship to arrange speciality dining reservations, theatre reservations or anything else you need help with.

AquaClass

AquaClass Sky Suite on a Celebrity cruise ship, featuring a serene and stylish decor with a plush bed, accented with red and beige, a comfortable sofa, and a framed picture of an elegant vintage dress, enhancing the luxurious cabin experience.

AquaClass is another option for staterooms and suites on the Celebrity fleet, which are themed around the spas onboard. This means that, as well as a higher class of cabin, you get additional features themed around health and wellbeing, and priority access to book spa treatments. You also get free access to some of the facilities throughout your cruise.

The Retreat

The Royal Suite on a Celebrity cruise ship, with a modern and inviting design featuring a comfortable bed with a white and teal color scheme, elegant wall lamps, a decorative lattice headboard, and an art piece that adds a touch of sophistication to the room.

The Retreat on Celebrity Cruises is the equivalent of Princess Cruises’ Signature Collection – the very best suites, all kept in one area of the ship.

With Celebrity, you also get access to an exclusive lounge, sun deck and Retreat Restaurant offering an enhanced menu. If you want to have an even calmer and more luxurious area of the ship to enjoy (on a ship which is already pretty special) then booking a suite in The Retreat will guarantee a wonderful experience.

Suggested read: Celebrity Cruises Cabins To Avoid

How They Compare

Both Princess Cruises and Celebrity Cruises offer different stateroom and suite collections with enhanced facilities, or you can just opt to pay for a regular stateroom and still enjoy a comfortable, contemporary room.

There’s very little to separate them here – perhaps if the spa is your priority on a cruise, then you’ll love the Celebrity AquaClass; otherwise, the options are very similar across both cruise lines.

For a lot of people, food is one of the main considerations when picking a cruise line. So, how do these two cruise lines compare?

Princess Cruises Food

Guests enjoying a delightful dining experience at Alfredo's Pizzeria on Royal Princess, with a waiter serving a fresh, hot pizza. The atmosphere is casual yet elegant, as the diners engage in cheerful conversation, with wine glasses and a variety of pizzas on the table, accentuating the restaurant's cozy and inviting ambiance.

Princess offers delicious dining options that are, where possible, inspired by the region where the ships are sailing. Each venue onboard every ship is distinctive and uses authentic ingredients and recipes, blending fine dining with a love of good, wholesome food.

There are several casual options on a Princess cruise, including the popular pizza, which many people say is the best at sea.

Some of the venues have now changed to having a small cover charge, depending on the cruise fare you pay, but there are enough complimentary options that you won’t get bored of the same food.

Celebrity Cruises Food

A family enjoys a meal together in a chic and modern dining area aboard a Celebrity cruise ship. The table is interactive with a vibrant, colorful pattern, and the young boy looks delighted with his dish, as the attentive server presents plates to the guests, creating a warm and memorable dining experience.

Celebrity has a similar approach to food across its fleet. Dining is considered an event, and so the food and service are designed to make every evening (and indeed, every breakfast and lunch) feel special.

There are some casual venues again, but the speciality dining restaurants are where the cruise line shines, with global cuisine prepared to Michelin standards.

Celebrity’s newest ships also have four Main Dining Rooms rather than one – essentially, these are complimentary restaurants where you can enjoy different themes as you cruise.

How They Compare

If you’re a foodie, then you’ll have a tough time choosing between Princess Cruises and Celebrity Cruises. Celebrity offers a marginally more premium experience onboard, which is reflected in some of the top-tier restaurants, but Princess Cruises’ speciality restaurants are still a step above what many mainstream cruise lines have to offer.

Princess and Celebrity are two cruise lines that primarily stick to the traditional style of cruising when it comes to daytime activities. You aren’t going to find roller coasters or epic water slides on these ships, but you will find plenty to keep you entertained when you want to do more than just relax by the pool.

Celebrity ships are a little more innovative and contemporary, but they aren’t anything like the ships you’ll find with Royal Caribbean or NCL, for example.

Princess Cruises Activities

Guests cozily wrapped in plaid blankets on deck chairs enjoy 'Movies Under the Stars' on a Princess cruise ship. The evening atmosphere is enlivened by a large outdoor screen, with the ship's pool and open decks illuminated under the night sky.

On a Princess ship, you can expect to find a host of daily activities, including dancing lessons, art auctions and culinary classes – perfect for picking up some new skills to make your favourite menu dishes at home.

There’s also a casino on each ship, and you can enjoy Movies under the Stars if you want to kick back with a movie on the deck.

And while not really an activity, there’s one other facility that you’ll find on Princess ships but not on Celebrity – self-service laundry machines. This is much cheaper than using the laundry service onboard, even though it does mean taking more time out of your cruise. Handy for longer itineraries, though.

Celebrity Cruises Activities

Inside the bustling casino on a Celebrity Cruise ship, the space is equipped with vibrant slot machines and gaming tables. The luxurious setting with red and cream decor invites guests for a night of entertainment and chance.

The activities you’ll enjoy on a Celebrity cruise are quite similar to Princess. You’ll find a casino, art auctions, cooking lessons and again, the chance to watch a movie on the pool deck.

There are a handful of more unique activities that you can try on a Celebrity ship, such as:

How They Compare

If you’re looking for a cruise ship that is absolutely packed with things to do during the day, then perhaps neither Celebrity Cruises nor Princess Cruises are the right cruise line for you. That’s not to say the ships are dull – just that they are both more about showcasing the destinations you’re sailing to, and relaxing in your downtime.

If you’re a keen golf player or you’ve taken up the craze of pickleball, then Celebrity might just win you over, but Princess’ activities are varied and engaging too.

Live entertainment rarely makes or breaks a cruise decision, but it’s still handy to compare the options available. So, let’s take a look at what you’ll enjoy if you book a cruise with these two lines.

Princess Cruises Entertainment

Interior view of the Princess Theatre on a Princess cruise ship, showcasing a sea of purple seats facing a large stage with a red curtain and a screen displaying 'Princess Theatre'. The ceiling is dotted with lights, enhancing the venue's vibrant atmosphere.

Princess Cruises offers the expected range of variety entertainment, including comedians, live musicians, and impressive theatre shows, which are described as ‘Broadway-quality’. That’s not just an empty statement, though – the original productions have been created for Princess Cruises by famed composers and directors who’ve worked on big Broadway shows in the past.

Celebrity Cruises Entertainment

The modern interior of a theater on a Celebrity cruise ship, featuring plush purple seating, a spacious circular stage, and ambient lighting. The design is complemented by a large, abstract forest mural, creating an immersive entertainment environment.

Celebrity Cruises takes a similar approach – rather than bringing the classic Broadway shows onto the ships, it has its own range of original shows that are just as good as the ones you know and love from theatres on land. Celebrity’s use of technology helps to enhance the productions even more, giving them a real wow-factor.

How They Compare

Choose Celebrity Cruises if you care deeply about the type of entertainment on the ship and you love an infusion of epic music with cutting-edge technology. The shows really are something special onboard, and you’ll be left wondering just how they achieved some of the effects.

If you end up choosing Princess because of other factors, you won’t feel let down by the entertainment either – it’s bombastic, thrilling and great fun, with very talented artists onboard.

Neither Princess Cruises nor Celebrity Cruises are aimed primarily at families – there are plenty of other cruise lines where younger guests are catered for with epic onboard features. 

But neither is a bad choice for a family either.

Princess Cruises Kids’ Facilities

Children are engaged in video games at Camp Discovery on a Princess cruise ship, comfortably seated on colorful couches in a bright room with a large screen TV and modern, playful décor.

On every Princess ship, the Camp Discovery kids’ clubs offer a range of activities suited to different age groups. Through partnerships with Discovery and Animal Planet, kids will take part in various educational experiences that are still focused on fun, while encouraging new friendships throughout the length of the cruise, too.

The clubs also host kids-only dining events, allowing the grown-ups to enjoy a more sophisticated dinner together while the kids party with pizza and ice cream.

Read more: 7 Reasons Princess Cruises Are Great For Families

Celebrity Cruises Kids’ Facilities

Camp at Sea on a Celebrity cruise ship, showcasing a playful and colorful indoor kids' area with geometric furniture, a whimsical slide and climbing structure, and interactive games for children to enjoy.

While Celebrity Cruises doesn’t have the official partnerships that Princess has for its kids’ clubs, the theming is still the same – educational fun, with a whole host of different games, crafts and more to keep kids stimulated and engaged while they make new friends.

Slumber parties, video game tournaments and more make sure that nothing ever gets too serious.

How They Compare

Kids and teens will have a great time in their respective kids’ clubs on both Princess Cruises and Celebrity Cruises. The experience is broadly the same on both cruise lines – younger kids will love all the games and crafts, while teens will enjoy a more relaxed lounge area where they can hang out, play video and board games, and generally relax in a cool, modern space.

The type of person who typically chooses these cruise lines helps to reveal a little more about the kind of experience onboard.

Princess Cruises Demographics

Princess is considered more of an upmarket traditional style of cruising, and so tends to have a slightly older demographic onboard. There’ll be some families, sure, but a lot of guests will be in their 50s and 60s, with many in their 70s too.

A group of guests enjoying a sociable moment with wine glasses in hand on Princess Cruises, with a couple engaging in a cheerful conversation, embodying the warm, convivial atmosphere of the cruise experience.

Celebrity Cruises Demographics

On a Celebrity cruise, the typical guest is younger, often in their 40s and 50s. Most will be couples, but there will be solo travellers and some families too, though they’ll be in the minority. The reason the guests are younger is that Celebrity is just a bit more of a hip, contemporary cruise line.

Two guests in matching red shirts are taking a selfie onboard a Celebrity Cruises ship, with the distinctive blue and white ship funnel in the background, capturing a joyful moment of their vacation.

Both are stylish and offer a premium style, but with Celebrity, everything just feels a little more modern, and so better attracts a slightly younger crowd.

While both cruise lines vary their pricing depending on the ship and itinerary, here’s how they approximately compare.

Princess Cruises Prices

Princess cruise fares can be quite good value, and a 7-night cruise in the Caribbean can start from as low as £70/$90 per person, per night, even on some of the bigger, more modern ships in the fleet.

Princess does offer different types of fare, where you can upgrade to include drinks, tips, dining and more. While these can add a large sum to your per-day rate, they might offer good value compared to buying each element of the package individually – so you need to determine how much you’d make use of all the inclusions.

Read more: Princess Premier Vs Princess Plus

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Celebrity Cruises Prices

Celebrity Cruises tends to have slightly higher prices than Princess to reflect the slightly more premium feel to the ships. However, they are still very reasonable, with a 7-night cruise in the Caribbean on the new Celebrity Xcel starting from as low as £85/$115 per person, per night.

Celebrity also offers optional fare upgrades if you want a more inclusive package, though you can stick with the cruise-only fare if you prefer.

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The Verdict

There are few competitor cruise lines that offer such similar experiences as Princess and Celebrity. Both offer a more premium style of cruising compared to other mainstream lines, although Celebrity ships are a little more contemporary and state-of-the-art, while Princess still keeps that slightly more traditional feel.

If you’re a younger cruise passenger, you might find that Celebrity appeals to you more, but Princess isn’t just for an older crowd either. 

There’s no clear ‘best’ cruise line, even if Celebrity is considered slightly more luxurious – both offer great food, excellent service and some wonderful itineraries. But based on this guide, hopefully, you now have a feeling for which one feels right for you.

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Large cruise ship sailing on blue ocean, illustrating the Royal Caribbean vs Celebrity cruise comparison

Royal Caribbean vs Celebrity Cruises (2026-27): Which Should You Choose?

Royal Caribbean vs Celebrity comes down to the type of holiday you want. Royal Caribbean builds giant, high-energy resort ships packed with waterslides, shows and family activities, while Celebrity Cruises runs smaller, design-led ships with a calmer, adult-leaning atmosphere and more refined food. Both belong to Royal Caribbean Group, so you can match your loyalty status between them, and choosing the wrong one is more about the vibe than the quality.

Below we compare the two lines as they stand for 2026-27: the newest ships, suite programs, what your fare includes, dining, kids, typical prices and how the shared loyalty perks work.

Same parent company, very different cruise lines

Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises are sister brands within Royal Caribbean Group, which also owns Silversea. They share back-office systems, shipyards and a linked loyalty setup, but they are designed for different travelers. Royal Caribbean is the mass-market “do everything” brand. Celebrity sits a step above in what the industry calls “premium” cruising, between mainstream lines and true luxury.

The biggest practical difference is scale. Royal Caribbean’s Icon-class ships measure roughly 250,000 gross tons and can carry around 7,600 guests at full occupancy. Celebrity’s largest Edge-class ships are about 141,000 gross tons and carry roughly 3,300 guests at double occupancy, so even Celebrity’s biggest ships are a little over half the size.

Who each cruise line suits

Choose Royal Caribbean if you…

  • Are traveling with children or teens, or a multi-generational group with mixed interests
  • Want headline thrills: waterparks, surf simulators, climbing walls, zip lines, ice shows and Broadway-style productions
  • Want short getaways (3 to 5 nights) or a sailing from a port close to home
  • Love private destinations such as Perfect Day at CocoCay and the new Royal Beach Club Paradise Island in Nassau

Choose Celebrity Cruises if you…

  • Are a couple, a group of adult friends or a solo traveler who wants a calmer ship
  • Care more about food, cocktails, spa time and stylish spaces than rides
  • Prefer longer, port-intensive itineraries in Europe, Alaska, Asia or the Galapagos
  • Like the idea of drinks and Wi-Fi bundled into the fare

Royal Caribbean vs Celebrity: side-by-side comparison

Feature Royal Caribbean Celebrity Cruises
Style Mainstream, family resort at sea Premium, modern and adult-leaning
Biggest ships Icon class (Icon, Star and Legend of the Seas), about 250,000 GT Edge series (Edge, Apex, Beyond, Ascent, Xcel), up to about 141,000 GT
Newest ships Legend of the Seas (debuted July 2026); a fourth Icon-class ship is due in 2027 Celebrity Xcel (debuted November 2025); Celebrity Xcite due 2028; first river ships in 2027
Top suite program Royal Suite Class (Sea, Sky and Star Class) The Retreat, with its own lounge, sundeck and Luminae restaurant
Inclusive pricing Base fare plus optional drink, Wi-Fi and dining packages Optional “All Included” fare bundling a classic drinks package and basic Wi-Fi
Kids Adventure Ocean clubs, teen zones, waterparks and huge activity range Camp at Sea kids’ program; far fewer family features
Dining Broad choice from casual to specialty steakhouse and Italian Stronger reputation for main dining room and specialty food
Short cruises Hundreds of 2 to 5-night itineraries Only a handful
Typical price Usually lower base fares, especially on older ships Usually higher per night, but more included if you book All Included
Loyalty program Crown & Anchor Society Captain’s Club

Fleets and newest ships for 2026-27

Royal Caribbean

The headline ship for 2026 is Legend of the Seas, the third Icon-class vessel. She is about 1,196 feet long and 248,663 gross tons, opened with a Western Mediterranean season from Civitavecchia (Rome) in July 2026, and moves to Fort Lauderdale for Caribbean sailings from late October 2026. Sister ships Icon of the Seas and Star of the Seas sail from Miami and Port Canaveral. Royal Caribbean has said a fourth Icon-class ship will follow in 2027, with more planned through the end of the decade, and work has started on a seventh Oasis-class ship.

Older, smaller Radiance and Vision-class ships often sail more varied itineraries at lower prices.

Celebrity Cruises

Celebrity Xcel, the fifth Edge-series ship, entered service in November 2025 and brings new venues including Bazaar, which replaces the Eden space found on her sisters. A sixth Edge-class ship, Celebrity Xcite, is under construction for 2028. The older Solstice-class ships (with their real-grass Lawn Club) and the refurbished Millennium-class ships make up most of the rest of the fleet, plus small expedition ships in the Galapagos.

The biggest new direction is river cruising. Celebrity River Cruises begins in 2027 on the Rhine and Danube, starting with Celebrity Seeker and Celebrity Compass, each carrying 172 guests, out of ten river ships ordered. Royal Caribbean has no river product, so this widens the gap between the two brands.

If you are eyeing an Edge-series ship, check our guide to Celebrity Edge cabins to avoid before choosing a stateroom, as the Infinite Veranda design is not for everyone.

Spacious cruise ship suite with a private balcony overlooking the ocean
Suite programs on both lines add private restaurants, lounges and bundled extras. Photo: Valeria Drozdova on Pexels

Suites: The Retreat vs Royal Suite Class

Both lines run a “ship within a ship” for suite guests, but they are built differently.

Celebrity’s The Retreat covers every suite category, from Sky Suites up to the Iconic Suite on Edge-series ships. Guests get a private lounge, a Retreat sundeck, the suite-only Luminae restaurant and dedicated concierge staff. Retreat fares already include Celebrity’s Premium Beverage Package and Premium Wi-Fi, which is why you cannot add All Included to a suite booking. Gratuities are charged separately (about $23 per person per day).

Royal Caribbean’s Royal Suite Class is tiered. Sea Class suites get upgraded amenities and dedicated check-in, Sky Class adds concierge service and more access to the suite-only Coastal Kitchen restaurant, and Star Class is the top tier, adding the Royal Genie personal butler service and the most generous bundle of drinks, internet, gratuities and specialty dining. On Icon-class ships, suite guests also get the Suite Neighborhood, a private sundeck and The Grove. Because benefits vary by tier and ship, check the exact inclusions for your sailing.

In short, a Celebrity Retreat suite tends to give a more consistent, all-round upgrade at every level, while Royal Caribbean’s top Star Class suites offer the most lavish experience but the entry Sea Class tier is relatively light on extras.

Celebrity All Included vs Royal Caribbean packages

This is where the two lines differ most on price. Celebrity’s optional All Included fare adds the Classic Drinks Package (drinks up to $12 each) and Basic Wi-Fi to your fare. You can upgrade to the Premium Beverage Package (drinks up to $19) and Premium Wi-Fi for streaming. Gratuities are not included and run about $18 per person per day in standard staterooms. Everyone sharing the cabin must choose All Included.

Royal Caribbean sells its packages separately: the Deluxe Beverage Package, Refreshment and soda packages, VOOM internet and specialty dining packages. Prices vary by ship and date, and pre-cruise sales are common, so it pays to watch the cruise planner. Our Royal Caribbean drink package guide explains whether a package makes sense for you.

A useful rule of thumb: if you drink several cocktails a day and want Wi-Fi, compare Celebrity’s All Included total against Royal Caribbean’s fare plus packages, rather than the headline fares alone. Cocktail prices are also higher on Celebrity, roughly $17 to $20 plus a 20% service charge versus around $14 plus 18% on Royal Caribbean, which makes a package more valuable on Celebrity.

Dining: Celebrity vs Royal Caribbean food

Royal Caribbean offers enormous choice: Windjammer buffet, main dining room, casual spots like Sorrento’s pizza and El Loco Fresh, and specialty venues such as Chops Grille, Giovanni’s, Izumi and the immersive Empire Supper Club on Icon-class ships. Quality is solid and reliable, aimed at a broad audience.

Celebrity is generally regarded as a step up in the main dining room, with more adventurous menus, better presentation and stronger wine lists. Edge-series ships have four complimentary main restaurants plus specialty options such as Fine Cut Steakhouse, Le Grand Bistro and Raw on 5. Royal Caribbean wins on variety and casual food; Celebrity tends to win on refinement.

Sunny cruise ship pool deck with loungers and passengers relaxing by the water
The onboard atmosphere is the biggest difference between the two lines. Photo: Ahmet ÇÖTÜR on Pexels

Activities, entertainment and vibe

A Royal Caribbean megaship feels like a floating theme park and city combined, with distinct neighborhoods, nonstop activities and Broadway-style shows, ice shows and aqua theater productions. Expect busy pool decks and a lively crowd.

Celebrity’s ships are designed for relaxing. Highlights include the Magic Carpet platform on Edge-series ships, the Rooftop Garden, the adults-only Solarium, a large spa, live music and the Martini Bar. Production shows are more theatrical and artistic than spectacular. Dress tends to be smart casual, with optional “Evening Chic” nights.

Cruising with kids

For families, Royal Caribbean is usually the easy choice. Adventure Ocean kids’ clubs are free during daytime hours, there are dedicated teen spaces, and the ships are full of waterslides, splash zones, arcades and surf simulators. Celebrity has its Camp at Sea program and welcomes children, but there are far fewer kid-focused features, and most guests are adults. Teenagers in particular may find Celebrity quiet.

Typical prices compared

Royal Caribbean normally has the lower starting fares, especially on older ships and short Bahamas sailings, but newer Icon and Oasis-class ships carry a premium. Celebrity’s per-night fares are usually higher, and its itineraries are longer on average. The fairer comparison is total trip cost: add drinks, Wi-Fi, gratuities and any specialty dining you plan to use, then compare like for like. For many couples who drink and want internet, the gap narrows considerably.

Loyalty: Crown & Anchor and Captain’s Club status match

Because both lines sit under one parent company, your status carries over. Royal Caribbean Group offers an automatic one-for-one tier match across Royal Caribbean, Celebrity and Silversea, so a Diamond member in Crown & Anchor Society is treated as Elite in Captain’s Club. You need to be enrolled in both programs (you can do this through Loyalty Match in the Royal Caribbean app).

The perks are not identical, though. For example, Royal Caribbean’s top tiers include daily drink vouchers, while Celebrity’s Elite tier offers an evening happy hour. Since early 2026, the new Points Choice option also lets you send the points from a Royal Caribbean sailing (departing on or after January 30, 2026) to Captain’s Club instead. Requests must be made before or within 14 days of the cruise, and the exchange rate is set annually.

Still weighing other premium options? Our Holland America vs Celebrity comparison covers another popular alternative.

The verdict

Pick Royal Caribbean for families, first-timers who want lots to do, short breaks and the biggest ships at sea. Pick Celebrity Cruises for a calmer, more grown-up trip with better food, stylish ships, longer itineraries and the option of bundled drinks and Wi-Fi. If you split your time between the two, the shared status match means you will not lose your loyalty perks either way. You can compare current itineraries at royalcaribbean.com and celebritycruises.com.

Royal Caribbean also sells a paid priority package, so check what The Key includes on Royal Caribbean before you compare the two lines on value.

FAQs

Is Celebrity Cruises owned by Royal Caribbean?

Yes. Celebrity Cruises and Royal Caribbean International are sister brands owned by Royal Caribbean Group, which also owns Silversea Cruises.

Is Celebrity more upscale than Royal Caribbean?

Generally, yes. Celebrity is a premium line with smaller, design-focused ships, stronger dining and a more adult atmosphere, while Royal Caribbean is a mainstream, activity-packed family line.

Do my Royal Caribbean points transfer to Celebrity?

Your tier status matches automatically. With Points Choice, points from Royal Caribbean sailings departing on or after January 30, 2026 can be moved to Captain’s Club if you request it before or within 14 days of the cruise.

What is the luxury brand of Royal Caribbean Group?

Silversea Cruises is the group’s luxury line. Celebrity sits in the premium tier between Royal Caribbean and Silversea.

Is Celebrity or Royal Caribbean better for kids?

Royal Caribbean is better for most families, with free Adventure Ocean clubs, teen areas and waterparks. Celebrity welcomes children but has far fewer kid-focused activities.

Captain-Kate-McCue-1.jpg

The Glamorous Cruise Captain Everyone’s Talking About

She’s the first American woman to captain a mega cruise ship – and with her cat, stylish heels, and hilarious posts on TikTok and Instagram. Captain Kate McCue has become a cruise icon.

Captain Kate McCue

From her salary and personal life to fun behind-the-scenes facts, here’s everything you’ve ever wanted to know about the world’s most famous cruise captain. 

1. She’s A Pioneer

Until recently, Captain Kate McCue was the captain of Celebrity Beyond.

This luxury Celebrity Cruises ship is the third ship in the Celebrity’s ‘Edge’ class. Captain Kate had the honour of sailing the ship for its maiden voyage in April 2022 from Southampton, England. However she announced in February 2025 that she was leaving Celebrity Cruises.

Celebrity Beyond

And we now know that she will be helming the inaugural vessel for Four Seasons Yachts from January 2026 – showing that she still is in demand for taking the lead on innovative new ships.

Kate McCue began her career with Celebrity Cruises when she was made captain of Celebrity Summit on September 13, 2015. This made her the first American woman to captain a “mega ship” (she was not the first woman, but she was the first from the USA). 

Kate McCue was actually invited to apply for the position by the CEO of Celebrity Cruises and the fact that she got the most important job on the ship was seen as a sign that longstanding gender divisions in the industry were starting to break down.  

Captain Kate helped take this to the next level when she led the first-ever sailing with an entirely female bridge and officer leadership team aboard the Celebrity Edge (a team of 26, plus Kate). 

Captain Kate McCue with officers on Celebrity Edge bridge

This was a historic moment in maritime history and involved a crew of women from around the world representing more than a dozen different nations. It took place, appropriately, on International Women’s Day on the 8th of March 2020. 

Prior to taking on the command of Celebrity Beyond, Kate McCue had worked as the captain of a couple of other Celebrity Cruises ships. In 2018 she moved from Celebrity Summit to Celebrity Equinox and then in 2019 she became Celebrity Edge captain.

Celebrity Edge

She has been quoted on how excited she is to continue offering the best experiences at sea when she takes the helm of Four Seasons I in 2026.

2. Captain Kate Has A Wealth Of Experience For Her Age

Captain Kate McCue was 47 years old in January 2025. She was born on 6 January 1978 in San Francisco, USA. In her childhood, Kate McCue spent time living in Evans, Georgia and Michigan before returning to San Francisco.

Kate first became a cruise ship captain at the age of 37 after 19 years of training. This not only made her the first female captain of a cruise ship, but also one of the youngest cruise ship captains ever appointed.

Captain Kate McCue

3. Captain Kate Is Married

Captain Kate McCue has been married to her husband, Nikola Petrovic, since 2006. Kate and Nikola met while working onboard a Royal Caribbean ship. They do not have any children although Kate had previously said she considered herself mum to her cat.

Spouses are usually permitted to accompany captains whilst they are on voyages. However, Nikola is not always able to join Kate on her cruises due to his own work commitments. She has a schedule that sees her work for 3 months on the ship and then have 3 months off the ship. Kate describes the time they spend together as being ‘like a honeymoon’.

Captain Kate did have a cat that travelled with her on her voyages. Known as Bug, she was an elf sphynx cat that had her own Instagram account, Bug Naked, with over 80,000 followers of her own. 

Sadly, Bug passed away in late 2024.

4. Captain Kate’s Husband Also Works In Cruising

Captain Kate McCue’s husband Nikola Petrovic has also carved out a very successful career in the cruising industry and currently works as Fleet Chief Engineer for the Royal Caribbean Group, having previously worked for Virgin Voyages. He is originally from Croatia. He also has a popular Instagram account, although he has far fewer followers than his wife.

Captain Kate McCue and Nikola Petrovic perform very different roles within the cruise ship industry but they are both at the very top of their field. It was a love of cruise ships that helped them to discover their love for one another as they met when they were both employed by Royal Caribbean and served on the same cruise ship.

5. Captain Kate’s Net Worth Is In The Seven-Figure Range

Captain Kate McCue’s net worth is estimated to be between $1 million and $5 million. Captain Kate’s salary is likely to be in the region of $200,000 per year, which is the upper end of what a cruise ship captain can earn. She earns additional income from her social media channels.  

Kate McCue is an experienced captain of a mega cruise ship, so it’s reasonable to assume that she will be one of the highest-earning cruise ship captains.

Cruise ship captains earn an average of $96,000 per year. This is from a low of $50,000 for newly promoted captains on small ships to $200,000 for the highest earners (source).  

Overall, her net worth is estimated to be in the range of one to five million dollars (source).

Captain Kate McCue has over 3 million followers on TikTok and hundreds of thousands of followers on other social media platforms, including Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter. If monetised, this popularity could bring in a significant additional income of several thousand dollars each month. 

6. Captain Kate Has Never Been Fired From A Cruise Role

Captain Kate McCue has never been fired. She is incredibly well-respected within the industry and has broken new ground for women in cruising. She says that the only major criticism she has received in her career is that she smiles too much. 

She smiles a lot since she is happy working her dream job and has fulfilled an ambition she has held since childhood. She has described this in her own words:

“When you’ve wanted something so bad, since you were 12 years old, and your dreams have finally come true, you can’t help but smile.”

I think we all want a job like that!

Captain Kate McCue

7. She Lives In Las Vegas When She Isn’t Sailing

Captain Kate McCue lives in Las Vegas. You might expect that she would choose to live by the sea, but instead, she has chosen to live in a desert. Kate McCue spends three months at a time at sea, so she will only spend half of her time in Las Vegas each year.

When she worked at sea on Celebrity Beyond, she had a room next to the bridge. You can take a tour of her former accommodation and office here.

Kate McCue has moved around a lot during her lifetime. She was born in San Francisco but spent time living in Michigan and Georgia while she was a child. She studied at the California State University Maritime Academy.

The Bottom Line

Captain Kate McCue is a true trailblazer in the Cruising industry. Not only is she the first American female captain of a mega cruise ship, but she has sought to modernise the somewhat stuffy role traditionally played by a ship’s captain.

She has dispensed with the Captain’s table at meal times; instead, she wanders about between tables so that she can meet more of the passengers, rather than just a select few. 

Kate McCue has also sought to give people a greater insight into the life of a cruise ship captain through her popular social media channels. So, she is helping to break down gender barriers at the same time as adapting and modernising the role of the ship’s captain from within. 

Captain Kate has proven that women can successfully take on leadership roles in the industry, even at the relatively young age of 37 (when she first became captain of the Celebrity Edge in 2015). She has helped others to break down barriers, too, when she led the first-ever all-female bridge and senior officer crew in 2020.

She remains the only American female to captain a mega cruise ship, but surely it is only a matter of time before other women follow in her footsteps. 

Captain Kate has fulfilled an ambition that she has had since the age of 12.  She found a cruise ship brochure at home and convinced her parents to take her on a cruise. She spent most of the cruise with the cruise director and decided that was what she wanted to do when she grew up. That was until her father suggested that she might like to drive the ship. The rest, as they say, is history. 

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Are There Celebrities on Celebrity Cruises?

There are people who think that the name ‘Celebrity Cruises’ is literal.

Have you ever wondered if there’s more to the name Celebrity Cruises than just a name? Is it a cruise line that attracts celebrity guests? Do they even hire celebrities to make your cruise feel more special?

Celebrity Solstice sails down the Pacific Coast

Or is it just a name?

Don’t Expect Celebrities on Celebrity Cruises

Celebrity Cruises does have a selection of themed sailings that include celebrities, but they don’t have celebrities on them at all times of the year. Celebrity Cruises are known more for the premium cruise experience, rather than for hosting a lot of celebrity special events.

But there are a handful of carefully curated themed cruises where you can enjoy meeting some major names. Otherwise, you may just have to hope that you spot a celebrity enjoying their own cruise vacation.

There aren’t many tales of celebrities being spotted randomly on Celebrity Cruises or indeed on many cruise ships at all, and yet that doesn’t mean they don’t enjoy a cruise. 

And you could argue that Celebrity Cruises is probably one of the more likely cruise lines for celebrities to choose when enjoying their own vacation. The ships are contemporary and premium, offering a quality experience above the mass-market ships of Royal Caribbean and Carnival.

Suggested read: Royal Caribbean Vs Celebrity Cruises

If a celebrity were to cruise with Celebrity then they would likely book a suite, so that they could enjoy quieter parts of the ship. So even if the ships did have celebrities on board, it would all be very discreet and the chances of you spotting them would be very low indeed.

Celebrity Beyond’s Iconic Suite with ocean view
Celebrity Beyond’s Iconic Suite

Celebrities That Have Sailed With Celebrity Cruises

Celebrities that you’ve been able to sail with on Celebrity Cruises in the past include Gwyneth Paltrow, as part of a special partnership with her company, goop, and various musicians on themed cruises such as Kool & The Gang, The Hollies, and Billy Ocean.

Celebrity Cruises doesn’t tend to pack out their sailings with celebrity entertainers beyond specially-chosen music cruises.

But the cruise line does sometimes partner with elite names in various fields to offer a range of experiences that are suited to the premium customer that sails with Celebrity.

The ‘goop at Sea’ cruise was a great example, where you were able to cruise with CEO and Hollywood actor Gwyneth Paltrow as she held Q&A sessions around her wellness advice, while there were special culinary events held on the ship.

Sometimes there is the opportunity to sail with a renowned chef and enjoy their own tailored menu. These don’t tend to be TV chefs as they often are with some other cruise lines, but instead, they are names more known in the world of fine dining. Daniel Boulud is one such example.

Celebrity Cruises, AVP Food and Beverage Operations, with Chef Daniel Boulud at Daniel
Celebrity Chef Daniel Boulud with Cornelius Gallagher, Celebrity Cruises AVP Food & Beverage Operations

Of course, one of the most famous celebrities in all the world is Santa Claus himself, and there are holiday cruises where you can enjoy a visit from the man himself, with younger guests receiving a gift from him too.

And one recurring cruise that you could argue was a celebrity one – depending on your definition – is the ‘Celebrate with the CEO’ cruise that sees you sail with Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, the President and CEO of Celebrity Cruises. If you’re a cruise aficionado and you love Celebrity Cruises then you may consider Lutoff-Perlo a celebrity.

Similarly, Captain Kate McCue is something of a ‘Celebrity’ with over 400k followers on Instagram and a whopping 3 million on TikTok. She’s the former captain of Celebrity Beyond but has since left the cruise line to join Four Seasons Yachts.

Captain Kate McCue
Captain Kate McCue during her time with Celebrity Cruises

Celebrities on Cruises

It’s hard to say whether celebrities go on cruises for their own vacations. The most famous celebrities will often go to great lengths to hide their plans for their holiday, so that they can relax. Some celebrities have definitely been spotted on cruise ships in the past.

If a celebrity was to cruise, they wouldn’t spend most of their time on the main pool deck surrounded by every other guest. Even on a ship with just 3,000 people, that’s still a lot of others who could pester them for photos or conversation.

Celebrities, whether you like them or not, deserve to have some form of private time on their holiday. A cruise can offer that, especially in suite accommodation where there are many more private spaces to relax.

But then often celebrities will take advantage of their status to enjoy perks such as free cruises, in exchange for some publicity.

List of Cruises with Celebrities Aboard

It’s impossible to give a list of every cruise with a celebrity because they change so often – people may take part in one-off cruises, and plans can change at short notice with celebrities who often have many different bookings.

Of course, the easiest way to guarantee seeing a celebrity is to book one of the special chartered music cruises or other themed cruises where celebrities will appear, perform and attend various events.

These could be Star Trek actors appearing on a special themed cruise on Royal Caribbean’s Navigator of the Seas, or AEW wrestlers performing live on NCL’s Norwegian Pearl, or legendary San Francisco 49ers players on a Royal Caribbean Liberty of the Seas sailing.

These are some of the best cruise lines if you want themed sailings with celebrities on cruises alongside you.

Then there are more regular appearances. P&O Cruises often have Olly Smith or Eric Lanlard on board for special events, as well as dancing cruises that feature Craig Revel Horwood. These are a good bet if you want to cruise with celebrities on a British cruise line.

Olly Smith onboard P&O Cruises
Olly Smith

Mark Ronson doesn’t appear on cruise ships, but he does host some gigs at the private beach club in the Bahamas that is exclusive to Virgin Voyages cruisers.

And Princess Cruises often invites guest speakers and singers onto their European sailings, with past guests including British actress Nina Wadia and singer Gareth Gates.

Singer perfroming on stage

To Conclude

Despite the name, Celebrity Cruises is not the best choice of cruise line for celebrity spotting. They don’t have a massive range of themed cruises featuring celebrity guests, and any celebrities that enjoy their own holiday on board will be sticking to the suite areas away from the crowds.

There are plenty of other options if you want to spot someone famous, but the only way to guarantee it is to choose a special cruise where the celebrity is appearing at a named event. Don’t just hope that you’ll see celebrities randomly, otherwise you may be disappointed.

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Celebrity-Edge-funnel-3.jpg

The Surprising Truth Behind The ‘X’ With Celebrity Cruises

That bold ‘X’ you’ve seen on the funnel of a Celebrity Cruises ship isn’t just a design choice. It actually means something.

Of course it’s not just stamped on the funnels, but it’s embedded in the logo, and practically shouts from the architecture of ships like Celebrity Edge.

But most people have no idea what it actually stands for.

Celebrity Edge funnel

Cruise fans love this little fact, and I’ll give you a spoiler now: it has nothing to do with the letter X.

It’s Greek…

Technically, the Celebrity Cruises logo is not actually an X, but it is the Greek letter chi, which looks like an X. This is a call-back to the history of the cruise line when it was first formed by the Chandris Group, a company based in Greece.

The X formed a part of the original logo for the cruise line and it has been retained even when Celebrity Cruises was bought by the Royal Caribbean Group in 1997. It was originally included to tie the cruise line back to the main group.

Celebrity Cruise ship with X on funnel

Read more: Who Owns Celebrity Cruises?

Celebrity Cruises was a distinct brand originally set up to offer premium cruising so that the Chandris Group could secure lucrative contracts to sail around Bermuda. The Bermuda government had indicated that Chandris Fantasy Cruises could not be awarded the contracts as they were not premium enough.

Romanza
Photo: Chandris Romanza, Wolfgang Fricke, CC BY 3.0

As such, Celebrity Cruises was created, with the X added to the logo so that the brand could remain distinctive and yet still call back to the Chandris owners.

Because of the styling of the logo, some people believe that the cruise line’s name is Celebrity X Cruises. However, it has always been known as simply Celebrity Cruises – the placement of the X in the centre of the wording is simply a design choice.

Celebrity Apex

The X was recently still in use by the cruise line, with the expedition cruises arm of the cruise line adopting it as the first letter for two of its ships, the Celebrity Xpedition and Celebrity Xploration (as well as the former ship Celebrity Xperience). The cruise line is moving away from this though – the latest Expedition ship is called Celebrity Flora.

With Celebrity Xpedition and Celebrity Xploration now being sold, it would almost appear that the cruise line was moving away from it completely, but then the main fleet will gain Celebrity Xcel in late 2025.

Celebrity Flora

All of the ships across the fleet still tend to include the X in some manner, usually painted onto at least one of the funnels. It was originally downplayed when Celebrity Solstice launched in 2008, being missing from the traditional position on the funnel.

But the X has since been restored, and for now remains a fixture across the cruise line.

The cruise line now states that the X is a mark of luxury. Rather than acknowledging the history of Greek ownership, the Celebrity Cruises website states that it is “the mark of contemporary spaces that are at once coolly sophisticated and warmly inviting”, as well as standing for other defining characteristics of the cruise line.

You could consider the X as a symbol of what makes Celebrity Cruises different, although that’s just how a logo works really.

And it does work – if you see a cruise ship with X on it, you know it’s a Celebrity ship.

Final Word

The history behind the X in the Celebrity Cruises logo is pretty straightforward. Many experienced cruisers are happy to see the X retained in the logo to this day, with many having fond memories of the cruise line when it was owned by the Chandris family.

For that reason, expect the iconic X to still be included on Celebrity ships that launch for the foreseeable future.

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Celebrity Cruises’ Owners – And Why It Matters To You

Celebrity Cruises might have its own sleek style and identity, but it’s not sailing solo. Like most major cruise lines, it’s part of a much bigger family – and that’s something savvy cruisers should know about.

There are perks you can be taking advantage of if you like to sail with Celebrity Cruises, but also some other cruise lines. And there are also shareholder perks you might be able to take advantage of, too!

Celebrity Apex sailing in the ocean

So who actually owns Celebrity Cruises – and what do you need to look at if you want in on the benefits?

Celebrity Is Part Of One Of The Biggest Cruise Groups

Celebrity Cruises is currently part of the Royal Caribbean Group, and has been since 1997. It was originally formed by Chandris Cruises, a group based in Greece, but the brand was sold to Royal Caribbean in 1997.

This is why it’s important to be careful with naming conventions. The group is called the Royal Caribbean Group, while the cruise line that sounds similar is known as Royal Caribbean International. Celebrity Cruises is a distinct brand that offers a very different cruise experience to Royal Caribbean International.

The other major cruise line that forms part of the Royal Caribbean Group is Silversea Cruises, the luxury cruise line, which was fully acquired in 2020.

The Celebrity Cruises CEO

The President and CEO of Celebrity Cruises is Laura Hodges Bethge. She has been in this position since May 2023, and prior to that, she was the executive vice president of shared services operations for the Royal Caribbean Group.

Laura Hodges Bethge
Laura Hodges Bethge

Her history with the cruise company began in 2000 when she worked on the accessibility program for both Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises. She’s progressed through various senior roles, including a period in Shanghai as the region’s vice president of market development..

Celebrity Cruises History

Celebrity’s history isn’t as confusing as some cruise lines like Princess Cruises – it has only been under two different groups since it was first founded in 1988.

Chandris Group – 1988 to 1997

Celebrity Cruises was a sub-brand created by the Chandris Group specifically for cruises to Bermuda. The cruise line was created because the main cruise brand of the group, Chandris Fantasy Cruises, was seen as being at the lower end of the cruise market.

When some contracts came up for priority berthing in Bermuda during the summer season, the cruise company was originally knocked back as the Government of Bermuda wanted to award the contracts to a more premium cruise line.

As such, Celebrity Cruises was founded, with an existing ship, Galileo rebuilt and renamed Meridian, while a second ship Horizon was then ordered. A third ship, named Zenith, was then delivered in 1992.

Joining Royal Caribbean

The Royal Caribbean Group bought Celebrity Cruises in 1997. At the time, the company was called Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, and so it was renamed Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd and then later renamed Royal Caribbean Group in order to keep the cruise brands separate.

New ships followed quickly, while the older ships were sold off, helping to ensure that Celebrity remained a more premium alternative to the family-friendly cruising offered by Royal Caribbean International.

Read more: Celebrity Cruises ships by Age, Size & Class

Celebrity Expeditions

In 2001, following the success of the premium cruise line for Royal Caribbean Group, a new sub-brand was launched named Celebrity Expeditions, and a new ship, the Celebrity Xpedition, was acquired.

The intention was to offer the same premium on-board experience as Celebrity Cruises, but on smaller ships that could sail to unique, less-travelled destinations. Because the ships were smaller they couldn’t offer all of the same standards of service as the main Celebrity fleet, which is why the distinctive sub-brand was created.

Ultimately there were three ships that formed the sub-brand for expedition cruises, but two were sold at the start of 2025. Only Celebrity Flora remains.

Ship Rebrand

Between 2007 and 2008 the ships were renamed as, up to this point, most did not have the ‘Celebrity’ prefix – so Century became Celebrity Century, and so on.

Through the 2010s, older ships were sold while the new Edge class was launched towards the end of the decade with Celebrity Edge. At the same time, the cruise line became the first to offer legally recognised gay marriages at sea.

Suggested read: The 15 Best LGBTQ+ Cruises

same sex wedding on a Celebrity cruise ship

Celebrity Cruises Net Worth

Celebrity Cruises as a brand does not have its own net worth, but the net worth of the Royal Caribbean Group is $21.85 billion as of November 2023. The revenue of Celebrity Cruises is estimated to be at around $3 billion per year.

Celebrity Cruises Stock Explained

You can’t buy stock in Celebrity Cruises alone, but you are able to buy shares in the Royal Caribbean Group. They are listed on the New York Stock Exchange as RCL and are one of the highest-priced cruise line stocks you can invest in.

If you become a shareholder in the Royal Caribbean Group, you can enjoy shareholder benefits whenever you sail on a cruise with either Royal Caribbean International or Celebrity Cruises. You must own 100 shares or more in order to be eligible.

The shareholder benefits are:

  • $250 onboard credit to spend per stateroom on sailings of 14 nights or more
  • $100 onboard credit to spend per stateroom on sailings from 6 to 13 nights
  • $50 onboard credit to spend per stateroom on sailings of 5 nights or fewer

You have to request the benefit in advance of sailing which you can do through the cruise line’s website and you can use it on every cruise you take, except for any Galapagos Islands sailings with Celebrity Expeditions.

Read more: Celebrity Cruise Stock Benefits Explained

How To Buy Celebrity Cruises Shares

To buy shares in Celebrity Cruises, you’ll need to buy stocks for Royal Caribbean Group (RCL). You can do this through a stockbroker, either on an online platform from your computer or smartphone or in person.

If you are certain that you want to buy RCL stock then you should use a reliable platform, as dealing with a person normally results in higher charges as they bill you for their expertise.

I can’t advise you which is the best, but I personally chose to buy my RCL shares through an online investing platform called etoro. I chose this one because it is one of the most popular platforms with 20 million registered users and has great reviews and low fees.

I’ve been very happy with my share-buying experience and found it really easy to do. But you must bear in mind that investing in any stock is a risk and you have no guarantee of making your money, and you could lose it. So only invest what you could accept losing.

(eToro is a multi-asset investment platform. The value of your investments may go up or down. Your capital is at risk.)

Read more: Royal Caribbean Shareholder Benefits Explained

To Conclude

If you’re someone who regularly sails on either Royal Caribbean or Celebrity Cruises, you might be surprised to see that two cruise lines that are so different in approach are owned by the same company.

Or maybe you can see the similarities. Royal may be family-focused and Celebrity a bit more premium, but both make use of innovative tech to create their unique offerings.

Plus, investing in shares could mean you enjoy free money to spend on-board on every holiday with both of these cruise lines in future – though be prepared to invest heavily as 100 shares won’t come cheap.

Read more: Should you invest in Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd?

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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.

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Celebrity Cruise Stock Benefits Explained

Celebrity Cruises is part of the Royal Caribbean Group – not just one of the largest cruise companies in the world, but one of the biggest travel companies in general. And if you wanted to, you could become a part owner – the company is public so anyone can buy shares in the Royal Caribbean Group and own a part of Celebrity Cruises.

Not only that, but this also entitles you to certain Celebrity stockholder benefits.

Celebrity Beyond's lounge deck

Unless you’re someone who cruises with Celebrity on a very regular basis, the benefit isn’t really justification for investing. However, it’s a nice little perk to have that will make you feel a bit more special for being an owner of Royal Caribbean stock.

Let’s look at what the Celebrity shareholder benefit is, and how you can claim it.

Do Celebrity Stockholders Get Discounts?

Celebrity Cruises shareholder benefits do not include discounts on cruise fares. Instead, anyone who owns 100 or more stocks in the Royal Caribbean Group can claim up to $250 on-board credit every time they cruise with Celebrity, depending on the length of the sailing.

You do have to own 100 shares outright in your own name – they can’t be part of a mutual trust, and joint ownership won’t count either. But as long as you do own 100 Royal Caribbean shares or more then you can claim your Celebrity Cruise shareholder benefit.

To be clear, you can’t buy Celebrity Cruises stock – it doesn’t exist. Royal Caribbean Group stock is what you need.

The benefit is on-board spend that you can use during your cruise.

The amount varies depending on how long you’re sailing:

  • $250 onboard credit to spend per stateroom on sailings of 14 nights or more
  • $100 onboard credit to spend per stateroom on sailings from 6 to 13 nights
  • $50 onboard credit to spend per stateroom on sailings of 5 nights or fewer

You won’t be surprised to learn that, since you’re buying shares in the Royal Caribbean Group, the benefit also extends to any cruises you take on a Royal Caribbean ship as well. The benefit is identical for both cruise lines.

What might be surprising is that the offer doesn’t cover Silversea Cruises, the luxury cruise line that is also owned by the group.

Other cruise corporations, such as NCLH, offer their shareholder benefit on their ultra-luxury lines, so why not Royal Caribbean and Silversea?

It’s a decision on the part of Silversea, and it’s something the cruise line has confirmed it is looking into. Silversea was only fully taken over by Royal Caribbean in 2020 so it may just be taking time to get to shareholder benefits.

Me standing in front of Celebrity Apex cruise ship

How To Buy Celebrity Cruises Shares

To buy shares in Celebrity Cruises, you’ll actually need to buy shares in Royal Caribbean Cruises Limited, as this is the holding company that owns Celebrity Cruises. This is listed as ‘RCL’ on the stock exchange.

To buy shares in any company you’ll typically need to use a stockbroker. This can be either a human being or an online platform. There are various fees involved with this, but an online platform is usually the cheapest and easiest way.

I can’t advise you which is the best, but I personally chose to buy my Royal Caribbean shares through an investing platform called etoro. I chose this one because it is one of the most popular platforms with 20 million registered users and has great reviews and low fees.

I’ve been very happy with my share-buying experience and found it really easy to do.

(eToro is a multi-asset investment platform. The value of your investments may go up or down. Your capital is at risk.)

Read more: Should you invest in Royal Caribbean shares?

Celebrity Apex sailing at sea

How To Claim Royal Caribbean Shareholder Benefits On Celebrity Cruises

If you want to claim your shareholder benefit for your next Celebrity Cruises sailing, you need to request it. Unfortunately, it’s handled separately from regular bookings, so can’t be applied automatically.

And you need to ask for it with plenty of notice – you can’t expect the Guest Services team to add it to your account if you’ve forgotten before you sail.

To claim your credit, you need to provide your details to the company:

  • Your name
  • Your address
  • Your booking confirmation number
  • Your ship and sailing date for your cruise
  • Proof of your share ownership in Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd

You don’t need to send this to Celebrity Cruises, but instead to the dedicated RCL team that looks after the shareholder benefit for both cruise lines.

You can do this four ways:

Just be aware that they need to have your details at least three weeks before you sail, so if you do prefer to use mail, make sure to send it off with plenty of time to spare.

Things To Know About Royal Caribbean Stock Benefits

There are some terms and conditions regarding the benefits for your Celebrity Cruise that you should know about. As you’d expect with offers such as this, it’s not available to anyone who works for the cruise line, or anyone who has booked a sailing under a Friends and Family discount fare.

It doesn’t apply to chartered sailings too, or to any cruises to the Galapagos Islands.

The benefit is a perk offered on a ‘per stateroom’ basis. Two shareholders sharing a stateroom can’t claim the benefit twice. But by the same token, any solo cruiser can claim the benefit without needing to own twice as many shares.

You can’t transfer your onboard credit to another cruise or to another person either – you have to use it, and on the sailing that you claim it for. 

There is a dedicated support email address for any other questions you have about the shareholder benefit: [email protected].

Couple sharing a glass of champagne  on Celebrity Cruises balcony

To Conclude

If you were already considering investing, either in Royal Caribbean Group or into any travel company, then it’s nice to know you can enjoy some free onboard credit with every future sailing.

Having said that, buying stock just for the onboard credit is a serious investment to undertake and you can’t forget about the risk of losing money if the value of the cruise line drops. Which, as the global shutdown in 2020 showed us, is possible.

But owning part of one of the world’s biggest cruise lines is a nice statement to be able to make, and with the shareholder benefits, you could treat yourself a little bit more every time you sailed.

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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.

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Large cruise ship sailing on open blue ocean, the kind of voyage that earns Celebrity Captain's Club points

Celebrity Captain’s Club 2026: Levels, Points & Benefits Explained

Celebrity Captain’s Club is Celebrity Cruises’ free loyalty programme. You earn Club Points for every night you sail, between 2 and 24 points a night depending on your stateroom, and they move you up six tiers: Preview, Classic, Select, Elite, Elite Plus and Zenith. Since 2026 there are also new milestone rewards at 1,500, 2,250, 6,000 and 9,000 points, and a “Points Choice” option that lets you send your points to Royal Caribbean or Silversea instead.

Below you’ll find how Captain’s Club points work, what each level actually gets you, how the status match with Royal Caribbean and Silversea works, and a realistic idea of how long each tier takes to reach. Benefits change from time to time, so check the details on Celebrity’s official Captain’s Club page before you book on the strength of a particular perk.

How Celebrity Captain’s Club works

Joining costs nothing. You create a Celebrity guest account online or in the Celebrity Cruises app, enrol in Captain’s Club and add your membership number to your bookings. If you enrol before your first cruise you start as a Preview member with zero points. When your first cruise ends you become Classic.

Points post to your account after you sail, and Celebrity says this can take up to 14 days. According to Celebrity’s FAQs, points do not expire, and there is no yearly sailing requirement to keep your tier. That makes Captain’s Club very forgiving if you only cruise every couple of years.

How you earn Captain’s Club points

Celebrity is unusual because it pays points per night by stateroom category. Royal Caribbean’s Crown & Anchor Society, by contrast, uses a much flatter per-night model. On Celebrity, suites earn points several times faster than an inside cabin.

Stateroom type (ocean ships) Club Points per night 7-night cruise
Inside or Ocean View 2 14
Veranda 3 21
Concierge Class or AquaClass 5 35
Sky Suite, Aqua Sky Suite or Panoramic Suite 8 56
Celebrity, Signature, Royal or Sunset Suite 12 84
Penthouse, Reflection Suite or Edge Villa 18 126
Iconic Suite 24 168

Celebrity’s Galapagos sailings have their own scale, from 8 points a night in a Sky Suite with veranda up to 18 in the Royal Suite and Penthouse. Celebrity has also published a points scale for its upcoming river cruises. If you’re weighing a suite partly for the points, our guide to Celebrity Retreat suite perks explains what else the higher fare buys.

Bonus points and Power Up points

  • Solo travellers earn double points when they pay the full single fare.
  • Go Green (reduced housekeeping): choosing reduced stateroom servicing earns one extra night’s worth of points, according to Celebrity’s tiers page.
  • Power Up Points come from activities on land, such as surveys and webinars. Every 10 Power Up Points convert into 1 Club Point. They’re useful for a small top-up, but they won’t move you up a tier on their own.

Some sailings earn nothing. Celebrity lists complimentary cruises, Seminar at Sea, travel agent rates and employee rates as not earning points.

Private cruise ship veranda with two chairs overlooking calm blue sea, the cabin type that earns 3 points a night
Veranda staterooms earn three Club Points a night, one more than inside and ocean view cabins. Photo: Diego F. Parra on Pexels

Captain’s Club levels and benefits

Your tier depends on your total lifetime Club Points. Each level includes the perks of the one below it, usually with bigger discounts. Here is a summary of the main Celebrity Captain’s Club benefits, based on Celebrity’s published tiers and benefits chart.

Tier Points needed Headline benefits
Preview 0 (enrolled, not yet sailed) Member newsletter, Loyalty Desk access, onboard booking promotions
Classic 2-149 Welcome event, one pre-cruise category upgrade (up to AquaClass, subject to availability), 10% off Wi-Fi and drinks packages, photo discounts
Select 150-299 25% off Wi-Fi, 10% off the spa (excluding MedSpa and retail), wine seminar, priority on excursion wait lists
Elite 300-749 Daily breakfast in a members’ lounge, free Captain’s Club menu drinks 5-7pm, 30% off Wi-Fi plus streaming minutes, a free laundry bag, private departure lounge
Elite Plus 750-2,999 Free speciality coffees around the ship, 15% off speciality dining, 35% off Wi-Fi plus 240 streaming minutes, two laundry bags per sailing
Zenith 3,000+ Free premium drinks package, unlimited premium Wi-Fi (one device), free laundry, priority theatre seating, Concierge Lunch, free 7-night Caribbean or Bermuda cruise

Where the real value starts

For most cruisers, Elite is where Captain’s Club becomes noticeably rewarding. The 5-7pm drinks hour and the members’ breakfast can save a couple without a drinks package a real amount over a week. Zenith is a step change: a free premium drinks package and unlimited premium Wi-Fi on every sailing are worth hundreds of dollars a cruise. On top of that comes the complimentary 7-night veranda cruise when you reach the tier (taxes and fees are extra).

The Classic upgrade is worth knowing about. It is a one-off, applied at booking, and it depends on what’s available. Don’t count on it, but it’s free to ask.

New for 2026: milestone rewards and “Double” and “Triple Zenith”

In June 2026 Celebrity added a set of milestone rewards to the Captain’s Club levels. They fill the long gap between Elite Plus at 750 points and Zenith at 3,000 points, and they reward members who keep sailing after reaching Zenith. Cruise news sites quickly started calling the top two “Double Zenith” and “Triple Zenith”.

  1. 1,500 points: 480 minutes of Premium Wi-Fi per sailing, 20% off speciality dining cover charges, one complimentary photo and a surprise in-room amenity on the milestone sailing.
  2. 2,250 points: 720 minutes of Premium Wi-Fi, 25% off speciality dining, two complimentary photos, a surprise amenity and “Extend Your Stay” on disembarkation day where available.
  3. 3,000 points (Zenith): existing Zenith perks, plus reported upgrades including 35% off speciality dining and three complimentary photos.
  4. 6,000 points: a complimentary 7-night Caribbean or Bermuda cruise in AquaClass, a speciality lunch on embarkation day of every sailing, a speciality dinner on the milestone sailing and a champagne amenity.
  5. 9,000 points: a complimentary 7-night Caribbean or Bermuda cruise in a Sky Suite, a speciality lunch on any day of every sailing, a speciality dinner on the milestone sailing and champagne.

Exact wording and conditions sit in Celebrity’s terms and benefits brochure, so check them if a particular milestone matters to you.

How long does each tier really take?

This is the question most guides skip. Here’s a worked example for a couple who each book a 7-night cruise in the same cabin type every time. Each person earns their own points.

Cabin booked Points per 7-night cruise Cruises to Elite (300) Cruises to Zenith (3,000)
Inside / Ocean View 14 22 215
Veranda 21 15 143
AquaClass / Concierge 35 9 86
Sky Suite 56 6 54
Celebrity / Royal Suite 84 4 36

The honest takeaway is that in standard staterooms, Select and perhaps Elite are realistic goals, while Zenith is a lifetime achievement. Suite guests climb dramatically faster. Long voyages also help, because a 14-night Veranda cruise earns 42 points in one go. If you want to plan which ship to collect those nights on, see our ranking of Celebrity cruise ships from best to worst.

Couple relaxing together on a cruise ship deck at sunset, reflecting linked Captain's Club accounts for partners
Partners can link their Captain's Club accounts and both enjoy the higher member's tier. Photo: KoolShooters on Pexels

Linked accounts: sharing status with your partner

Captain’s Club lets a spouse or partner link accounts. Once linked, both people enjoy the points and tier of whichever member has more Club Points. Each person still earns points individually, though. If the accounts are later separated, each person goes back to their own balance and tier. This is a generous rule if one of you sails much more often, for example on solo or work trips.

Status match with Royal Caribbean and Silversea

All three Royal Caribbean Group lines offer a one-for-one tier match. Celebrity’s loyalty match page aligns the tiers roughly like this:

Celebrity Captain’s Club Royal Caribbean Crown & Anchor Silversea Venetian Society
Classic Gold 1 VS Day
Select Platinum 15 VS Days
(no equivalent) Emerald 50 VS Days
Elite Diamond 100 VS Days
Elite Plus Diamond Plus 250 VS Days
Zenith Pinnacle Club 500 VS Days

Some points to keep in mind:

  • You need to be enrolled in each programme, which you can do through the Celebrity or Royal Caribbean app or website. Preview and pre-Gold members can’t match into Venetian Society.
  • The match gives you the tier, not the points. Each line still delivers its own version of the perks.
  • Some reporting suggests certain headline rewards, such as the free Zenith cruise, may not apply when you hold the tier only through a match. Read the Loyalty Status Match terms before relying on one.

Points Choice: moving points between lines

The biggest structural change of 2026 is Points Choice. For sailings departing on or after 30 January 2026, you can ask for the points from a cruise to go to Captain’s Club, Crown & Anchor or Venetian Society, whichever line you actually sailed with. The main rules:

  • Submit a request in the app or online, before the cruise or up to 14 days after it ends. Each sailing needs its own request.
  • You must already be enrolled in the receiving programme.
  • If you do nothing, your points stay with the line you sailed.
  • Points convert at exchange rates the lines publish once a year. As an example, Royal Caribbean Blog reports that a 7-night Royal Caribbean balcony cruise worth 7 base points converts to 21 Captain’s Club points.
  • Points can’t be moved between people, and casino programmes such as Blue Chip Club aren’t included.

For loyal Royal Caribbean Group cruisers this matters a lot. You no longer have to split your nights across three separate programmes. Our comparison of 8 cruise line loyalty programmes shows how unusual that flexibility is.

How to find your Captain’s Club number

  • Emails: Celebrity says your number appears in past emails from the line, such as booking confirmations and cruise documents.
  • Your guest account or app: sign in to see your tier, points and past cruises. If you haven’t linked your membership yet, use the “Captain’s Club member?” field near your name and enter your number. Changes can take up to 24 hours to show.
  • Names must match: linking fails if the surname on your guest account doesn’t exactly match your Captain’s Club record.
  • Still stuck? Call Celebrity’s customer support, or ask your travel agent, who can usually see the number on your booking.

Quick checklist: getting the most from Captain’s Club

  1. Enrol before your first cruise and add your number to every booking, including bookings made by a travel agent.
  2. Link your account with your partner if one of you is further ahead.
  3. Check the new milestone thresholds. You may be closer to a reward than you think.
  4. If you also sail Royal Caribbean or Silversea, decide where your points do the most good and submit a Points Choice request within 14 days of disembarking.
  5. Pick Go Green housekeeping where it suits you, for an extra night of points.
  6. Check your points after each cruise and chase anything missing early.

Wi-Fi discounts are one of the most useful loyalty perks, and our guide to Celebrity Cruises Wi-Fi packages shows how they compare with buying a package outright.

FAQs

How many points do you need for Zenith on Celebrity?

Zenith starts at 3,000 Club Points. That’s about 143 seven-night Veranda cruises, or around 36 seven-night cruises in a Celebrity or Royal Suite.

Do Celebrity Captain’s Club points expire?

No. Celebrity’s FAQs say points don’t expire, and there’s no annual sailing requirement to keep your tier.

Does Celebrity Elite match to Royal Caribbean Diamond?

Yes. Under the Royal Caribbean Group status match, Celebrity Elite aligns with Crown & Anchor Diamond, Elite Plus with Diamond Plus, and Zenith with Pinnacle Club.

Can I transfer my Royal Caribbean points to Celebrity?

For sailings departing on or after 30 January 2026, yes. Through Points Choice you can ask for that cruise’s points to go to Captain’s Club, before the sailing or within 14 days after it. They convert at a published exchange rate.

Do solo cruisers earn more Captain’s Club points?

Yes. Solo travellers who pay the full single fare earn double Club Points for the sailing.

Cocktails on a bar counter by the sea, the kind of drinks a Celebrity drink package covers

Celebrity Classic vs Premium Drink Package: Prices, Caps and Which Is Worth It

The big difference in the Celebrity Classic vs Premium drink package comes down to the price cap. Classic covers drinks costing up to $12 each, and Premium covers drinks up to $19. Bought on its own, Premium usually costs about $13 to $25 more per person per day. On an All Included fare, Celebrity lists the upgrade at around $20 per person per day. If most of your drinks are beer, house wine and standard cocktails, Classic is enough. If you order martinis, top-shelf spirits or the better wines by the glass, Premium often pays for itself.

Below you’ll find what each package includes, what they cost as of November 2026, the rules that catch people out, and a break-even table so you can work out which tier suits how you actually drink.

Celebrity Classic vs Premium drink package at a glance

Both packages work in the main restaurant, the specialty and casual restaurants, and every bar and lounge on board. Each one also includes non-alcoholic drinks. What separates them is how expensive a drink you can order before you start paying extra, plus a few extras on the non-alcoholic side.

Feature Classic Premium
Per-drink cap Up to $12 Up to $19
Typical spirits Standard brands such as Absolut, Bacardi, Jim Beam, Beefeater Adds top shelf such as Grey Goose, Patrón, Bombay Sapphire, Courvoisier VSOP
Wine by the glass House and everyday labels Adds a wider, pricier by-the-glass list, including Champagne
Beer Mainstream lagers and imports Adds craft and premium imports
Specialty coffee and tea Yes Yes
Fresh-pressed juices Generally not included Included
Bottled water Standard bottled water Premium brands such as Evian, Acqua Panna, San Pellegrino
Zero-proof cocktails, alcohol-free beer and wine Yes Yes
Discount on wine by the bottle 15% 20%
Typical pre-cruise price About $55-$90 per day About $70-$105 per day
20% service charge Added on top Added on top

Brand line-ups change from time to time and can differ between ships, so treat the names above as typical examples, not a guarantee.

What the Celebrity Classic beverage package includes

The Celebrity Classic beverage package covers beer, spirits, cocktails, liqueurs, frozen drinks and wine by the glass, as long as the menu price is $12 or less. In practice, that takes in most draught and bottled beers, the house wines and many of the standard cocktails on bar menus. The non-alcoholic side includes specialty coffees and teas, soft drinks, bottled water, zero-proof cocktails and alcohol-free beer and wine.

What Classic tends to miss is the signature stuff. That means many martinis, cocktails made with named premium spirits, and the higher-priced wines by the glass. It’s also the drinks you’ll see at the destination bars on the newer ships. Order something above $12 and Celebrity charges you the difference plus a 20% service charge.

What the Celebrity Premium drink package adds

The Celebrity Premium drink package raises the cap to $19 per serving. In practice, that covers nearly everything on a standard bar menu: top-shelf vodka, gin, tequila and cognac, a wider choice of craft and imported beers, and most premium wines by the glass. Premium also adds fresh-pressed juices, premium bottled water and energy drinks. For coffee drinkers who also like a morning juice and a bottle of Evian by the pool, those extras add up.

Premium still isn’t unlimited. Rare whiskies, cognacs and Champagnes priced above $19 still cost the difference, and wine by the bottle only gets 20% off. If you’re staying in a suite, the Retreat fare already includes Premium. You can read more on that in our look at whether Celebrity Retreat is worth the price.

Bartender pouring a cocktail at a ship bar with bottles of spirits lined up behind the counter
Spirit brands and cocktail prices decide which drinks package suits you. Photo: Szymon Shields on Pexels

Celebrity drink package prices in 2026

Celebrity prices its drink packages dynamically. The price changes with the ship, the itinerary, the sail date and any sale running at the time. A short European sailing on an older ship can cost much less per day than a Caribbean cruise on one of the Edge-class ships. Here are typical ranges at the time of writing, per person per day, before the 20% service charge:

Package Pre-cruise (Cruise Planner) Onboard (newest ships)
Classic About $55-$90 Up to about $100
Premium About $70-$105 Up to about $125
Zero Proof (non-alcoholic) About $40 About $45

Buying pre-cruise is nearly always cheaper. You can buy in the Cruise Planner up to 48 hours before departure, and you can cancel there for a full refund up to two days before sailing. Members of Captain’s Club, Celebrity’s loyalty programme, usually get a further percentage off at the higher tiers. Whichever way you buy, the 20% service charge is added on top. It covers the bar gratuity, so you won’t be asked to tip on each covered drink.

Buying separately vs the All Included fare

Most Celebrity sailings are now sold with an “All Included” fare option. It replaced the earlier “Always Included” branding. All Included bundles your cruise fare with the Classic drink package and Basic Wi-Fi for everyone in the stateroom. Retreat suites get the Premium package and Premium Wi-Fi instead. Two points are worth knowing:

  • Crew gratuities are no longer bundled. Since October 2023, newly booked All Included fares have left out daily staff gratuities. The beverage service charge is still covered. You can prepay the daily tips separately.
  • Single guests don’t get extra value. A solo traveller paying a single supplement doesn’t receive a second drinks package or Wi-Fi.

Before you book, compare the All Included price with the standard fare plus a separately bought Classic package for the same sailing. Sometimes the bundle is clearly cheaper. On other sailings a sale on the stand-alone package brings the two close together.

How much it costs to upgrade from Classic to Premium

If you’ve booked All Included, you can upgrade to Premium in the Cruise Planner before you sail. Celebrity’s All Included FAQ lists the pre-cruise upgrade at $20 per person per day, beverage service charge included. Upgrading on board is possible but costs more. If you’re buying packages separately, the gap between Classic and Premium usually runs about $13 to $25 a day depending on the ship. Celebrity has raised upgrade pricing before, so check the figure for your sailing in the Cruise Planner.

The non-alcoholic Zero Proof package

Celebrity’s only alcohol-free package is the Zero Proof (non-alcoholic) package, at roughly $40 to $45 a day plus the service charge. It includes specialty coffees and organic teas, fresh-pressed juices and smoothies from the Spa Café, premium still and sparkling water, Red Bull, Vitamin Water, soft drinks and zero-proof cocktails. Heavy coffee drinkers who also want juice and bottled water may find it good value. If you only want a couple of lattes a day, paying per drink is usually cheaper.

Teens get this package when an adult in the cabin buys an alcoholic package. That means ages 13 to 20 on US sailings, and 13 to 17 on sailings from Europe, Asia and Australia. Children 12 and under don’t need one.

Two people raising glasses of white wine on a sunny ship deck overlooking the sea
Every adult in the cabin needs the same drinks package. Photo: Emre Ayata on Pexels

Rules to know before you buy

  • Everyone in the cabin must match. If one guest of legal drinking age buys Classic or Premium, every guest of legal drinking age in that stateroom must buy the same tier. Upgrading one person means upgrading everyone. Exceptions apply for pregnancy and for medical reasons, including recovery from alcoholism. Those guests get the Zero Proof package instead.
  • There’s no daily drink limit. You may have seen a 15-drinks-a-day cap mentioned online. Celebrity’s FAQ says there is no daily limit on its drink packages.
  • One drink at a time. You can only order one drink per package at a time. A second drink ordered at the same time is charged at bar prices.
  • No sharing. Packages are for the holder only. Ordering for a friend without a package can get your package cancelled.
  • Not covered: room service, the minibar and gift-shop purchases. Packages aren’t sold on Galapagos sailings or on some 2-3 night Southampton cruises.
  • Over the cap, you pay the difference. On Classic, a $16 cocktail costs you $4 plus 20%, or $4.80.

There are a few legitimate ways to get more value from a package, such as ordering at the main dining room or bringing your allowed bottles of wine on board. Our roundup of cruise drink package loopholes that still work covers what’s allowed.

Is the Celebrity Premium drink package worth it? Break-even examples

The simplest test for All Included guests is this. Add up what you’d pay in over-cap charges on Classic each day, then compare the total with the roughly $20-a-day upgrade. Each example below includes the 20% service charge on the difference.

Your typical sea day Extra cost on Classic Better choice
Coffees, 3 beers, 2 glasses of house wine (all $12 or less) $0 Classic
3 cocktails at $14 $7.20 Classic
4 premium cocktails at $16 $19.20 Roughly even
2 martinis at $17, 2 glasses of wine at $16, plus a fresh juice $19.20 plus the juice Premium
5 top-shelf drinks at $18 $36.00 Premium

A few things push the decision toward Premium. Port days, when you drink less on board, push the other way. Keep in mind that everyone in the cabin has to upgrade, so a couple pays roughly $40 a day between them. On a 7-night cruise that comes to about $280 before any onboard sale. If one of you mostly drinks beer, Classic for both is often the better deal.

If you’re buying separately rather than on All Included, start with the plain break-even. Divide the daily package price, including the 20%, by the average price of your usual drink. On a $70 Classic package that works out to $84 a day, or about seven $12 drinks. On a $90 Premium package it’s $108 a day, or six drinks at $18. To see how Celebrity’s packages compare with other lines, read our guide to cruise drink packages compared.

Our verdict: Classic or Premium?

Choose Classic if you mostly drink beer, house wine, standard cocktails and coffee, or if your cruise is port-heavy. Choose Premium if you like named spirits, martinis or the better wines by the glass, or if you’d use the fresh juices and premium water every day. On the newest ships, where many cocktails cost more than $12, Premium is more likely to pay off. For anyone who doesn’t drink alcohol, Zero Proof or paying as you go is the sensible choice. Whatever you pick, buy pre-cruise and compare the All Included price before you book.

FAQs

What is the difference between Celebrity Classic and Premium drink packages?

Classic covers drinks up to $12 each and Premium covers drinks up to $19. Premium also adds top-shelf spirits, more wines by the glass, fresh-pressed juices, premium bottled water and a 20% (rather than 15%) discount on bottles of wine.

How much does it cost to upgrade to Premium on Celebrity’s All Included fare?

Celebrity lists the pre-cruise upgrade at $20 per person per day, beverage gratuity included, when you upgrade in the Cruise Planner. Upgrading on board costs more, and every adult in the cabin must upgrade.

Is there a daily drink limit on Celebrity drink packages?

No. Celebrity says there is no daily limit, but you can only order one drink at a time and packages can’t be shared.

Do both adults in a cabin have to buy the Celebrity drink package?

Yes. Every guest of legal drinking age in the stateroom must buy the same package tier. Pregnant guests and those with a medical reason not to drink can take the Zero Proof package instead.

Does the Celebrity drink package include gratuities?

The 20% service charge on the package covers the bar gratuity on included drinks. It doesn’t cover daily crew gratuities, which are charged separately, even on All Included fares booked since October 2023.