Everything you need to know about Celebrity Cruises — from the Edge Series and Always Included pricing to The Retreat suite experience and booking with Pavlus Travel.
Celebrity Cruises is a premium ocean cruise line founded in 1989, part of Royal Caribbean Group. They position squarely between mainstream lines like Royal Caribbean and Carnival and ultra-luxury lines like Silversea and Seabourn — targeting sophisticated travelers who want contemporary design, elevated dining, and a refined atmosphere without the stuffiness of traditional luxury cruising. Their flagship Edge Series ships — Celebrity Edge, Apex, Beyond, and Ascent — are widely regarded as some of the most architecturally innovative vessels in the industry. Celebrity’s brand positioning is Modern Luxury, and they deliver on it consistently.
Each line occupies a distinct niche:
Celebrity consistently earns top marks in the premium segment for ship design, culinary quality, and onboard service. The Edge Series ships are celebrated for their architectural ambition — the Magic Carpet, infinite veranda staterooms, Eden restaurant — and genuinely deliver an experience that rivals luxury lines at a lower price point. When you factor in the Always Included package (drinks, gratuities, Wi-Fi), the value equation improves significantly compared to lines that charge for everything separately.
Celebrity Cruises was founded in 1989 by the Chandris Group and acquired by Royal Caribbean Group in 1997. It operates as an independent premium brand within the Royal Caribbean family alongside Royal Caribbean International and Silversea Cruises. Celebrity’s fleet has grown to 16+ ships sailing globally, with the Edge Series representing the latest generation of the brand’s evolution toward premium-luxury positioning.
Celebrity operates globally across nearly every major sailing region:
The Galápagos program is particularly distinctive — Celebrity is one of the very few lines permitted to operate within the national park’s restricted ecosystem.
Celebrity actively courts the solo travel market with dedicated solo staterooms on select vessels — purpose-built single-occupancy rooms priced without a punishing double-supplement. Solo traveler mixers and events are a regular feature of the onboard social calendar. For solo travelers not in a dedicated cabin, single supplements vary by sailing and season; your Pavlus advisor can identify the best-value solo configurations on current deployments and alert you to reduced-supplement promotions.
Celebrity Revolution was a multi-year, multi-hundred-million-dollar program to modernize Celebrity’s older Solstice-class ships — bringing design elements, dining concepts, and cabin finishes closer to the Edge Series standard. Upgraded ships received refreshed staterooms, new restaurant concepts, updated public spaces, and The Retreat suite experience. The program ensures that even older Celebrity vessels deliver a contemporary product rather than a dated one.
Celebrity’s Always Included pricing bundles three amenities into every standard fare:
This is now standard on most Celebrity bookings, meaning the sticker price you see typically includes these three items already. Always confirm with your Pavlus advisor which tier applies to a specific sailing.
Even with Always Included, the following are additional charges:
The Classic Beverage Package covers drinks up to $10 per item, which includes a solid selection of wines, cocktails, and beers. The Premium Package raises the limit to approximately $17 and adds premium spirits, high-end wines by the glass, and specialty coffees. The upgrade typically costs $20–$30 per person per day.
The upgrade tends to pay for itself if you drink two or more premium cocktails or glasses of higher-end wine per day. If you’re satisfied with house spirits and moderately priced wines, the Classic package is sufficient. Your Pavlus advisor can help you assess based on your typical habits.
AquaClass is Celebrity’s spa-focused stateroom category — a middle tier between standard veranda cabins and The Retreat suites. AquaClass guests receive:
The Edge Series represents Celebrity’s newest and most architecturally innovative vessels: Celebrity Edge (2018), Celebrity Apex (2020), Celebrity Beyond (2022), and Celebrity Ascent (2023). Key features include:
The Retreat is Celebrity’s suite-class experience, available on Edge Series ships and select Solstice-class vessels. It is not merely a cabin upgrade — it is a ship-within-a-ship experience. Suite guests receive:
Infinite Veranda staterooms on Edge Series ships feature a floor-to-ceiling glass wall that opens fully via a sliding mechanism, converting the entire lower portion of the room into an open-air space. Rather than a separate step-out balcony, the indoor and outdoor spaces merge into one expanded room when the glass is retracted. When closed, the glass provides panoramic ocean views from inside — making even a closed-up cabin feel dramatically open. The concept effectively adds roughly 23 square feet of usable outdoor space to a standard stateroom without the typical balcony footprint.
Celebrity’s Solstice class comprises five ships built between 2008 and 2012: Celebrity Solstice, Celebrity Equinox, Celebrity Eclipse, Celebrity Silhouette, and Celebrity Reflection. These 2,850-guest ships have been modernized through the Celebrity Revolution program, giving them updated staterooms, new dining concepts, and refreshed public spaces. The Solstice class remains highly regarded for its layout, spa facilities, and overall elegance, though the Edge Series ships represent a generational leap in innovation.
Celebrity’s cabin hierarchy from entry to premium:
All Celebrity fares include:
AquaClass guests also receive Blu restaurant for breakfast and dinner at no extra charge. Suite guests in The Retreat receive Luminae for dinner.
Celebrity’s specialty dining varies by ship, but commonly includes:
Celebrity handles most dietary needs with advance notice. The culinary team accommodates:
Inform your Pavlus advisor of any dietary requirements at booking so they are properly documented in your reservation.
Celebrity operates Select Dining in the Main Dining Room — an open-seating format where guests may dine at any time the dining room is open (typically from 5:30 or 6:00 pm through 9:30 pm). There are no fixed-time assigned seatings. You can request a table for two, join a shared table, or make a reservation for a specific time.
AquaClass guests dine in Blu with a similarly flexible open-seating format. The Retreat suite guests have Luminae. Specialty restaurants require reservations.
Celebrity offers a full entertainment program across their fleet:
Celebrity ships feature Canyon Ranch Spa (on older vessels) and the Spa by Celebrity (on newer ships), offering:
Celebrity operates a Camp at Sea youth program for children ages 3–17, divided into age-appropriate groups:
Celebrity is not as family-centric as Royal Caribbean or Norwegian, but the programs are solid. School-holiday sailings tend to have more families and more active children’s programming.
The Magic Carpet is one of the most innovative features in modern cruise ship design — a cantilevered platform that extends 13 feet off the starboard side of the ship and can be elevated or lowered between Deck 2 and Deck 16 using the ship’s existing infrastructure. At different positions it serves different purposes:
The Magic Carpet weighs approximately 900 tons and can accommodate roughly 90 guests at a time. It is one of the most photographed features in contemporary cruise travel.
Yes — Celebrity deploys multiple ships to Alaska each summer (May through September), operating Inside Passage and Gulf of Alaska itineraries departing from Seattle and Vancouver. Celebrity ships access Glacier Bay National Park, Hubbard Glacier, Tracy Arm, Skagway, Juneau, and Ketchikan.
For Alaska, Celebrity offers a premium-quality experience at a mid-range price point. Their naturalist programs and ship quality are strong, though for the most immersive Alaska experience, Holland America’s deeper land+sea partnerships may appeal to some travelers. Celebrity Alaska sailings are ideal for those who want premium onboard quality alongside strong port access.
Celebrity operates two dedicated Galápagos vessels: Celebrity Flora (100 guests) and Celebrity Xploration (16 guests). These are purpose-built small-ship expedition vessels permitted to operate within the Galápagos National Park — a designation that limits commercial operators and ensures an intimate, up-close wildlife experience.
Itineraries last 7 nights and circle the islands with Zodiac landings, snorkeling, and naturalist-guided hikes daily. Celebrity Flora is particularly renowned for its design quality and culinary program — luxury expedition cruising at its best. Demand is high; book 12+ months in advance for prime departure windows.
Celebrity deploys a significant portion of their fleet to Europe each spring and summer, covering:
Deposits typically range from $100–$500 per person depending on sailing length, cabin category, and promotion. Suite bookings carry higher deposits.
Final payment is due 75 days before departure for sailings under 5 nights, and 90 days before departure for most other sailings.
Cancellation penalties increase as the sailing date approaches:
The Captain’s Club is Celebrity’s loyalty program with five tiers based on cruise points earned per sailing:
Points accrue based on nights sailed and stateroom category (higher categories earn more points per night). Always attach your Captain’s Club number at booking — your Pavlus advisor will ensure it’s properly linked.
Celebrity has moved to a relaxed dress standard compared to traditional luxury lines:
Celebrity deliberately dropped mandatory black-tie evenings — "Evening Chic" is their modern take on a special evening without the pressure of full-formal attire. The casual pool and buffet areas have no dress code restrictions during the day.
Celebrity’s Always Included fare covers one device per guest for the voyage. The included tier is a standard browsing package sufficient for email, social media, and light streaming. A premium faster package is available for upgrade if you need video calls or faster streaming.
Wi-Fi at sea is improving but still depends on satellite connectivity — expect variability in speed especially in remote regions like Alaska or the South Pacific. Suite guests in The Retreat receive the upgraded Wi-Fi package automatically. Additional devices can be added for a daily fee.
The easiest way to book is to call our Celebrity specialists directly at 800-528-9300. Our advisors can search available sailings in real time, compare cabin categories and pricing tiers, apply promotions, and complete your deposit — all in a single call. We can also research and hold a sailing while you finalize your travel plans.
If you have a sailing in mind, have the following ready: your preferred departure date(s), ship or destination, number of guests, cabin preference, and Captain’s Club number(s) if you have them.
Pavlus Travel offers a savings advantage over booking direct — typically a discount, cash back, or onboard credit — that is over and above, and fully combineable with, all Celebrity promotions. There are no booking fees or service charges. What you gain:
Yes — as a high-volume Celebrity booking agency, Pavlus frequently has access to exclusive onboard credits (OBC), cabin upgrade priority, and value-added amenities that are not available when booking directly through Celebrity’s website or call center. These benefits vary by sailing, promotion period, and cabin category.
The best way to find out what is currently available on your specific sailing is to call us at 800-528-9300. Our advisors check available amenities at the time of booking and apply everything that qualifies for your reservation.
Yes — Celebrity allows bookings to be transferred from direct to a travel agency within 60 days of the original booking date, provided the sailing has not been paid in full. To transfer, call us at 800-528-9300 with your existing booking confirmation number. We’ll handle the transfer paperwork with Celebrity directly.
After transfer, you may become eligible for Pavlus-exclusive onboard credits or amenities that were not available on your original direct booking — making the transfer worthwhile even if your original fare doesn’t change.
No — you will pay less. Pavlus Travel provides a savings benefit on top of any current Celebrity promotions, typically in the form of a discount, cash back, or onboard credit. You receive all Celebrity deals plus additional Pavlus savings. There are no booking fees or service charges — Celebrity compensates Pavlus through their agency commission system, not through any fee charged to you.
Pavlus advisors bring deep Celebrity expertise to every booking. Our team is:
Many Pavlus advisors have sailed on Celebrity ships personally — their recommendations come from firsthand experience, not just brochure reading.
Call Pavlus at 800-528-9300. As your booking agency, we act as your advocate with Celebrity and can escalate issues through our agency relationships that may be difficult to resolve as an individual caller. Common issues we assist with include pricing discrepancies, cabin assignment changes, dining reservation problems, and pre-cruise logistics. We are available during business hours and will document and pursue any issue that requires Celebrity’s direct attention.
Yes — Pavlus monitors Celebrity promotions and will proactively alert clients when a price drop or better promotion applies to their existing booking. Celebrity’s own price protection policy allows fare reductions to be applied in many circumstances prior to final payment. After final payment, savings may come as onboard credit rather than a cash refund, depending on the promotion type.
If you see a lower price advertised for your sailing, call us immediately at 800-528-9300. The earlier you call, the more options are typically available.
To make your booking call as efficient as possible, have the following on hand:
If you’re open on destination or dates, that’s fine too — our advisors are happy to recommend itineraries based on your interests and travel history.
For most Celebrity sailings, booking 9–12 months in advance gives you the best selection of cabins and the most competitive pricing. Key timing considerations:
Calling Pavlus early costs nothing — we can hold a sailing while you decide, and early booking protects you from inventory and price changes.
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