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Celebrity Cruises

Modern, design-led, and priced above the mainstream for a real reason.

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.

  • Anyone who wants that without flying. Celebrity's Southampton sailings are all on Celebrity Apex, one of its Edge-class ships, so a British guest who drives to the port gets the line at its best rather than an older ship.

  • Couples who want a suite with its own world attached. The Retreat is Celebrity's ship within a ship, in the same way as MSC's Yacht Club: its own restaurant, Luminae, a private lounge and a private sun deck, with the whole big ship still there when you want it.

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.

  • Anyone who wants a more traditional, destination-led voyage. Princess is Celebrity's closest rival for British guests and has the gentler, more familiar feel. Celebrity is the one to pick for modern design, serious food and a more contemporary atmosphere.

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.

The food will surprise you. So might the drinks bill

The pleasant surprise for most British guests is the standard: food and design that are genuinely unusual for a mainstream line, and at their best on the Edge-class ships. Celebrity delivers what it promises, which is rarer than it should be.

It helps to know what "modern luxury" means here. It is relaxed, high-end resort living, closer to a very good city hotel than to a liner. It is not tuxedos and gala dinners, and if that is the picture in your head, Celebrity will feel more casual than the word led you to expect.

The less pleasant surprise is the extras. Drinks packages cost a good deal more bought on board than booked before you sail, and there is a steady upsell towards the premium areas. Decide on both before you leave home and neither will spoil the week.

What the fare covers

Usually in the fare

  • Meals in the main restaurants, entertainment and the sundecks and pools

  • A Classic Drinks Package and basic Wi-Fi on the All Included pricing

Costs extra

  • On the lowest, cruise-only rates, drinks and Wi-Fi are extra

  • Speciality dining, room service and casino games

Celebrity prices the same sailing with and without drinks and Wi-Fi, so check which one a quoted fare is.

Read from the line's own website, October 2026. What a fare covers varies by sailing and by fare, so check your booking.

Tips and gratuities

Gratuities are not in the fare. A daily gratuity is added to your onboard account, so allow for it on top of the price shown.

A further service charge is added to drinks, spa and speciality dining. The daily gratuity can be changed at Guest Relations before you disembark.

Checked against the line's own website, October 2026.

Where Celebrity Cruises sits

Class

Premium, on our ladder from Mainstream through Ultra-Luxury.

A sample sailing

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

What sails from Britain is one of its best ships

22 of 1,059 sailings worldwide leave from a UK port (2% of the programme), from Southampton only.

Counted 17 August 2026 against live cruise-line inventory. Sailing counts move week to week.

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.

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