Celebrity Cruises, reviewed honestly

Who Celebrity Cruises genuinely suits

People who want boutique-hotel design, a strong food programme and an upscale, relaxed atmosphere, without the old-world formality of a traditional premium line.

When you'd be better off elsewhere

Families wanting a full resort-style kids' scene. Celebrity leans adult and couple-focused rather than family-built, so a Royal Caribbean or P&O newest-ship search usually serves that brief better.

What the ships are actually like

The Edge-class ships (Edge, Apex, Beyond, Ascent) are the design flagship: sleek, glass-heavy architecture and an outward-facing deck built around the view. The older Solstice and Millennium classes are a more traditional premium ship, still well finished, just less design-forward.

"Modern luxury" is a real description here, not just a marketing label

Celebrity delivers what it promises, which is rarer than it should be: no gimmicks, high culinary standards, and ship design that has clearly had a hand on it throughout. The only thing worth settling before you book is what the phrase actually means here. Modern luxury is relaxed, high-end resort living, closer to a very good city hotel than to a liner. It is not tuxedos and gala dinners. If that is the picture in your head, you will find Celebrity more casual than the word luxury led you to expect, and the disappointment will be about the label rather than the ship.

Where Celebrity Cruises sits

Class

Premium, on our ladder from Mass Market through Ultra-Luxury.

A sample sailing

Celebrity Apex, 7 nights: Italy & the Greek Isles from Rome, guide price from £1,650pp.

Where Celebrity Cruises boards in the UK

In the UK, Celebrity Cruises sails from Southampton. Our guide covers who it suits, what actually sails and how to reach it.

Cruises from Southampton

Ready to sail?

See what Celebrity Cruises actually has available

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