Celebrity Cruises

1050 Caribbean Way
Miami, FL 33132
(800) 437-3111
www.celebrity.com | View Ships and Itineraries

Company Overview
Celebrity Cruises distinguishes itself by providing a sophisticated classical cruise experience.  The company builds stunning ships full of art and elegant main dining rooms that overlook the wake of the ship. Standard cabins are good size: 172 square feet and beautifully designed to ensure ample closet space and a nice-size bathroom.Suites are enormous balcony cabins with large private veranda and butlerservice.  Food and service are polished and quite satisfying. While children's programs do exist and kids are aboard during the summer vacation period, you won't find the large numbers carried by Carnival, Royal Caribbean and NCL. Celebrity, which is owned by Royal Caribbean, is based in Cape Liberty (Bayonne), New Jersey during the New York cruise season.

The Celebrity Experience
These are primarily ships for adults seeking a more sophisticated level of cruising.  The more elegant touches include a piano lounge plus martini and champagne/caviar bars, the elegant Cova Cafe and, onboard the millennium-class ships, a music library chess area and floral conservatory. While these trappings are sophisticated and the decor subdued, it's still an upbeat atmosphere with the traditional
casino, floor shows, lounges for cabaret and piano bar.   Adding to the stylish elegance is the line's adherence to a traditional dress code with two formal and two informal nights on a seven night cruise.

Celebrity's "Concierge Class" is offered to passengers booking suite accommodations. It includes priority luggage service, butlers and large balcony cabins. Aboard the Millennium-class vessels are the largest spas at sea and boast cybercafes, double deck libraries, martini bars and in-cabin internet access. Celebrity boasts the largest spas afloat, spacious cabins, extra perks such as hair dryers, in-cabin massages and in-cabin dining from the restaurant menus including full breakfast service. Interactive TV enables you to order wine for dinner, book shore excursion or try your luck at games of chance without leaving your cabin.

Amenities for suite passengers are superior to mid-market lines with butlers serving meals in-suite and assisting with unpacking and packing. Celebrity has many Greek staff members, especially the officers, so how could the ships ever be stuffy. We found entertainment to be above average, but not up to the top levels found aboard Royal Caribbean and Carnival.

Fellow Passengers
During one-week cruises, you'll find most passengers in their 40's and 50's plus families during vacation and holiday periods. On longer cruises, including Europe and South America itineraries, passengers tend to be in the 60+ age group.

Taking The Kids
While Celebrity's ships are primarily geared for adults, you'll find excellent activities for children year-round with the Club X program. Youth activities are arranged by age groups, which vary between high and low seasons: Shipmates, 3-6, Celebrity Cadets, 7-9, Ensigns, 10-12 and Admiral T's, 13-15 and 16-17. 18 year olds are welcome to use the teen facilities.

The youth program maintains the same hours whether in port or at sea: 9 a.m. to noon; 2 to 5:30 p.m.; and 7:30 to 10:00 p.m. Group babysitting is available in the youth room for children ages three to 12, from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m., at a fee of $6 per hour  per child. Private babysitting is available in your stateroom for $8 per hour per child (maximum two).

Make arrangements for private babysitting as early in your cruise as possible through Guest Relations or Stateroom Services departments.

A special complimentary service offered to all is "Parents' Nights Out," when youth counselors take  children to a pizza party during dinner on the two formal nights of a seven-day cruise. Note that no pagers, cribs or strollers are provided.

Tipping
Celebrity suggests a per person per day gratuity of $3.50 for the waiter, butler (Suites only) and stateroom attendant; $4.00 for stateroom attendant in Concierge Class; $2.00 for the Assistant Waiter;
.75 for the Assistant Maitre d'and the Assistant Chief Housekeeper. For children under 12 years of age who are the third or fourth person in the stateroom, half the amount is recommended. A 15 percent gratuity is automatically added to all beverage tabs. Gratuities for room service, spa, casino and other staff are at your discretion. A 15 percent gratuity is automatically added to all beverage tabs.

Copyright Anne Campbell, 2008.  All rights reserved