Celebrity Cruises: The Complete Guide

Celebrity Cruises is known for its amenity-rich onboard experience.

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With sailings that run the gamut from the Caribbean to Alaska to Europe, Celebrity Cruises offers a ton of options throughout the world. The cruise line has 300 itineraries to all seven continents, many from the line’s home base in Miami.

Before you book a cruise with Celebrity, a line that’s part of the Royal Caribbean family, here’s everything you need to know.

About Celebrity Cruises

Here are a few key features of Celebrity Cruises to help you decide if the line is right for you.

  • Cabin types: Depending on the cruise and ship, different cabins may be available — ranging from interior staterooms to suites with private balconies. The most premium option available, The Retreat, includes exclusive and expansive suites, dining, drinks, lounges and more.

  • Main U.S. routes: If you're planning to depart from the U.S., there are a number of destinations, including Alaska, the Caribbean, New England, Mexico and more. Many begin from ports in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Seattle, Boston and New York.

  • Points currency and loyalty program: The rewards program is called Captain’s Club and you can earn Club Points with every sailing after signing up.

Celebrity Cruises destinations

Celebrity Cruises can take you all over the world, from Alaska to Asia, the Mediterranean to Mexico, and other places in between. And for every destination, there are just as many options for trip length. Sail to the Bahamas for three nights, around Australia for nine or enjoy a transpacific cruise to Tahiti for 18.

Celebrity Cruises prices

Just like with most other cruise lines, price depends on the destination and duration of the trip. A 12-night cruise in New Zealand, for example, might be $943 per person, while a four-night cruise to the Bahamas could be $259. The final cost depends on the cabin you choose, of course. On that Bahamas cruise, an interior room may be as low as $259, but a room with a veranda costs $399 and if you opt to book The Retreat, the price tag is a whopping $2,096.

What’s included in the price?

Most Celebrity Cruises offer two booking options: Cruise Only or All Included. With Cruise Only, you can expect the following for no extra cost:

  • Accommodations.

  • Food.

  • Entertainment, including theater and live music.

  • Room service (anytime for Retreat bookings, breakfast only for all other rooms).

If you opt for the All Included package, you also get:

  • Basic Wi-Fi.

  • Tips.

  • Classic Drinks Package. 

» Learn more: The best cruise lines

What is the best Celebrity Cruises ship?

As of fall 2023, there will be 16 Celebrity Cruises ships in the line’s fleet, including three smaller expedition ships that sail only to the Galapagos Islands. But one of the best according to some Celebrity Cruises reviews may be the Celebrity Apex, which offers itineraries from Portugal to Egypt to Scandinavia. Between the spa, 29 restaurants, two-story villa-style cabins and a photo-ready pool deck, it’s certainly a contender.

What is the newest Celebrity Cruises ship?

The newest ship, the Celebrity Ascent, sets sail out of South Florida in November and may be the poshest ship in the fleet. An Edge Series ship that’s already won numerous awards, it will start by sailing to the Caribbean before cruising to Europe and will feature more expansive views, at least 30 dining options, live entertainment, a full spa and even a rooftop garden.

Celebrity Cruises loyalty program: Captain’s Club

Six tiers

The six tiers of status in the Captain’s Club rewards program are, in order from lowest level to highest level:

Elite status level

Club Points required

Best benefits

Preview

This is the introductory membership. You earn it just by signing up.

  • Access to the Captain's Club Loyalty Desk service center.

Select

150-299 Club Points.

  • Slightly discounted spa and laundry services.

  • A discount on Wi-Fi.

Elite

300-749 Club Points.

  • One free bag of laundry.

  • Spa discounts.

  • Access to an exclusive daily coffee house-style breakfast and evening cocktail hour.

Elite Plus

750-2,999 Club Points.

  • Spa, Wi-Fi, and drinks package discounts.

  • Access to evening cocktail hour and coffee-house style breakfast.

Zenith

3,000+ Club Points.

  • One complimentary 7-night Caribbean or Bermuda cruise upon reaching status.

  • Free premium beverage package.

  • Free Wi-Fi.

  • Free laundry.

How to earn Captain’s Club points

Points are earned based on the category of your cabin (larger more expensive cabins earn more points) and the length of your cruise. So the more you spend, the more you earn. For example, you could earn anywhere from two to 24 points per night just based on the suite you book.

Power Up Points

In addition to sailing, you can earn more points through Power Up Points. You will have to sign-up for the program, then Celebrity will email you with opportunities to participate via sharing social media posts or taking surveys. You’ll get one Club Point for every 10 Power Up Points you earn, which will automatically be added to your Captain’s Club account.

Celebrity Cruises Visa Signature Card

The Celebrity Cruises Visa Signature Card also offers a way to earn MyCruise points that can be redeemed for Celebrity cruises, upgrades, and onboard credits. Sign up and score 25,000 bonus points after making at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of your account opening.

How to redeem Captain's Club points

How you redeem your Captain’s Club points will depend on what you’re redeeming them for. For discounts on drinks packages, you’ll have to pre-pay before your cruise starts by calling 800-760-0654, while dining discounts will be taken onboard. But many benefits can be viewed and managed from your Captain’s Club account.

Note that because Celebrity Cruises is part of the Royal Caribbean family, status reciprocity exists across the two brands, meaning your status and benefits will be acknowledged on either line you’re currently cruising with whether you earned status with Captain’s Club or Royal Caribbean's Crown & Anchor Society.

Frequently asked questions

Wi-Fi is available on all ships except for the Galapagos Expedition cruises, but you’ll pay for it: Basic and Premium Wi-Fi packages are available, though cost varies.

Various drinks packages are available on Celebrity Cruises, from a Zero-Proof nonalcoholic package that includes tea, coffee and smoothies for $30 per day, a Classic Drinks Package that starts at $89 per day and includes alcoholic drinks up to $10, to a Premium Package that includes drinks that cost up to $17 and costs $109+ per day.

For most Celebrity sailings, proof of vaccination against COVID or a negative test aren’t required. There are a few exceptions when traveling to destinations with strict regulations, so check with Celebrity before booking to find out.


How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are some of the best travel credit cards of 2024:

Cards for Cruises from our Partners
Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Card

on Chase's website

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
5.0
NerdWallet Rating
Rewards rate

1x-5x

5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases.

Points

Intro offer

60,000 Points + $300 Travel Credit

Get up to $1,050 in Chase Travel℠ value. Earn 60,000 bonus points after $4,000 in purchases in your first 3 months from account opening. That’s worth $750 when redeemed through Chase Travel. Plus, get up to $300 in statement credits on Chase Travel purchases within your first year.

Bank of America® Premium Rewards® Credit Card

on Bank of America's website

Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card
4.2
NerdWallet Rating
Rewards rate

1.5x-2x

Earn unlimited 2 points for every $1 spent on travel and dining purchases and unlimited 1.5 points for every $1 spent on all other purchases.

Points

Intro offer

60,000

Receive 60,000 online bonus points - a $600 value - after you make at least $4,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening.

Points
See more cards for cruises
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