If you’re considering booking a cruise, congratulations, you’re on the right path to what promises to be a wonderful and stress-free way of exploring the world. If you’re a first-time cruiser, new to seafaring adventures, you’re probably asking the all-important question: “What are cruises like?”
The answer is cruises offer an upmarket vacation experience that stirs the senses. A cruise ship whisks passengers on voyages to exciting destinations, offering a variety of upscale accommodation options, ranging from inside cabins to sumptuous suites.
You’ll find an array of exciting restaurants and bars, dazzling entertainment, a soothing spa, and shimmering swimming pools, complemented by an action-packed program of activities that you can dip in and out of as you please. The great joy is the sheer array of choices you’ll enjoy.
Are cruises fun?
Martini Bar
What are cruises like? They’re inherently fun. A sleek resort where plush accommodation, gourmet dining, and immersive entertainment come together in one destination, cruises are designed with fun, and your comfort, in mind.
Tree of Life at The Theatre
From the Martini Bar, where you can sample innovative cocktails, to the atmospheric Craft Social for craft beers and live music, there’s a bar to suit every taste and mood.
To make your cruise even more fun, you could join an energetic game of pool volleyball, play a leisurely game of pickleball, try your luck at the sophisticated casino, lose your inhibitions at a silent disco, or take your seat for a captivating big-stage production, such as “Tree of Life” or “Rockumentary” at The Theatre.
The Lawn Club
Feel real grass tickling at your feet at The Lawn Club—a swathe of green space on Solstice-Series ships—where you could enjoy a live jazz concert, take part in outdoor games, or settle into an Adirondack chair and sip on freshly made cocktails.
On Celebrity Apex, take in a performance of “Caravan”, a modern take on a vintage spiegel tent show at The Club. For travelers who enjoy immersive performances, another Edge-Series must is Eden, where you’ll encounter a creative fusion of music, imaginative cocktails, and interactive experiences unlike anything else at sea.
Are cruises suitable for families with children?
Pool
Cruises cater for the entire family, including children. You could gather around for a big-screen movie under a moonlit sky, enjoy a splash in the pool, or a family meal in the elegant main restaurant—each ship’s largest dining space—where a dedicated kids’ menu is available every day.
Camp at Sea
If you’re cruising with kids, you could also sign them up for Celebrity Cruises’ age-appropriate kids clubs as part of the Camp at Sea program.
Shipmates (for ages 3-5) could find themselves taking part in creative art sessions and learning new camp songs. Cadets (for ages 6-9) are kept entertained with a nautical-themed program of treasure hunts, movie nights, and exciting campouts, while Captains (10-12) enjoy sports and gaming, as well as specially designed STEM activities.
Teens (for ages 13-17) get a vibrant space to hang out and socialize. Teen-friendly cruise ship activities include video game tournaments, culinary classes, sports, and silent disco parties.
With consent from a parent or carer, teens can also indulge in some quality pamper time at the spa with a soothing massage, facial, or manicure—the perfect preparation for a night at the disco.
Solarium
All activities at Camp at Sea are overseen by an experienced team of counselors, leaving parents and carers free to enjoy some of the more adult-centered spaces onboard.
Choose from enjoying some downtime at the adults-only* Solarium, which is available on all ships, or by soaking up the ocean views from the chic Rooftop Garden (Edge Series), Rooftop Terrace (Millennium Series), or The Lawn Club (Solstice Series).
*Solarium kid’s hours available from 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm on select itineraries – Antarctica, Alaska, and the Baltics.
What kind of people enjoy cruises?
Rooftop Garden
If you’re a fan of the stylish, design-focused ambiance of a luxury hotel, chances are you will enjoy cruising, too. Couples, families, larger groups, and singles from all over the world enjoy cruises. Cruising is a great LGBTQ+ choice, too, with a welcoming, inclusive atmosphere on board.
Cruises tend to attract like-minded travelers—individuals fond of gourmet food, delicious wines, and with a thirst for experiencing new destinations through the eyes of a local.
One of the many great things about a cruise vacation is that you’ll get to meet fellow travelers through engaging onboard activities that spark conversation, be it at a wine tasting event, mixology class, or art workshop.
How is the food on a cruise?
Luminae
Food on a cruise is outstanding and one of the major reasons travelers are drawn to cruising. There are dozens of dining options to choose from. Many restaurants are complimentary, while others—often labeled as “specialty”— carry a cover charge but represent extraordinary value compared to what you would pay for a similar dining experience on land.
With dazzling decor and pristine white tablecloths, the main restaurant on each Celebrity Cruises ship offers both style and substance. Dishes you might find on the menu include an appetizer of wild forest mushroom soup followed by an entrée of pork chop in a cider-raisin sauce.
Or you could order a classic shrimp cocktail followed by a comforting grilled chicken with seasonal vegetables. Dishes are freshly prepared with a range of options to suit different dietary requirements.
Spa Cafe
For healthy dishes, try the light and airy Spa Cafe. If you’re in need of a sushi fix, try Sushi on Five on the Solstice-series ships. For poolside bites take a seat at Mast Grill and for a casual marketplace option, the impressive array of dishes in the Oceanview Café is the answer.
If you’re craving steak with an Italian twist, try Tuscan Grille or the upmarket Fine Cut Steakhouse, depending on your ship.
Magic Carpet
On Edge-Series ships, a mouth-watering selection of seafood and sushi is available at Raw on 5, which opens up to the spectacular open-air Magic Carpet.
More than just a restaurant and lounge space, the Magic Carpet is a moveable platform that occupies different positions on the ship and is wonderfully romantic on a balmy evening.
Le Petit Chef™ and Friends
Also on Edge-Series ships, you could step inside the chic Le Grand Bistro, its décor and menu inspired by classic French bistros, complete with antiqued mirrors, faded chalkboards, and aged billboard signage.
Here, you can enjoy anything from warm, flaky croissants, made fresh on board, to delicate macaroons, served with coffee from a signature copper espresso machine. In the evening, Le Grand Bistro transforms into a romantic restaurant serving French classics.
Something you won’t want to miss is Le Petit Chef™ and Friends, an enchanting dining experience unlike anything else at sea. You’ll be magically transported on an awe-inspiring journey around the world as four tiny chefs from Italy, Spain, France, and Japan whimsically whip up delicious specialty dishes from their homeland, creating theater on your plate while bringing your whole table to life.
Read: The Complete Guide to Dining Options on Celebrity Cruises
Where do cruise ships sail?
Hubbard Glacier, Alaska
You can travel just about anywhere on a cruise vacation. If Australia is on your bucket list, take a cruise to witness the sensational sights of Sydney, Melbourne, and the Great Barrier Reef.
Perhaps the glistening waters and snow-capped mountains of Alaska are on your radar? Or an expedition voyage to marvel at the extraordinary wildlife of the volcanic Galapagos islands?
You could pick a voyage that focuses on one destination, such as Alaska—one of the best cruise destinations for kids—where you’d get to explore places like Ketchikan, Skagway, and Juneau. Or a voyage that will whisk you to multiple islands or countries, such as the Caribbean or Baltic Sea.
Santorini, Greece
From the culture-filled cities of the Mediterranean and the Caribbean’s pristine tropical shores, to the British Isles and Norway fjords, you can sail to just about anywhere in the world.
Read: What Is a Tender Port?
What can I do while I’m on a cruise ship?
Spa
Since cruise ships are designed to cater to all, you can do just about anything on board. Start your day with breakfast in bed, a yoga class, or a refreshing dip in the pool. If you’re in the mood for a spot of pampering, head to the cruise ship spa for a relaxing treatment.
The spa on each ship also offers a soothing thermal suite in which you can drift off on a relaxing heated lounger. Or stretch out on a padded lounger at the chic Solarium, an adults-only space on all ships.
The Alcoves
There are some gorgeous private spaces onboard, including The Alcoves on Solstice-Series ships. You can hire an Alcove out for the entire day, or on Edge-series ships, a Cabana, which works well as a romantic daytime activity for couples and adds a real VIP atmosphere as you snack on fresh fruit and sip champagne.
Cellar Masters
If you prefer more active pursuits, you could ramp things up with an endorphin-releasing fitness class. If you’re a wine enthusiast, sign up for a class to learn about wines from around the world or join a food and wine pairing session.
Onboard Celebrity Equinox, Celebrity Eclipse, and Celebrity Solstice, you could even learn the art of glassblowing. Taught by an onboard instructor at a dedicated glass blowing studio at The Lawn Club, you could create a colorful vase or objet d’art to take home as a token of your cruise vacation.
It’s easy to keep track of what’s happening on board with the Celebrity Cruises app, which includes the daily activity schedule to ensure you don’t miss any of your favorite events. The app also allows you to make dinner reservations, reserve onshore experiences, unlock your cabin, and chat with fellow cruisers via the in-app chat.
Why are cruises better than other types of vacations?
Celebrity Summit
Cruises are better than other types of vacations because they offer such an easy way of traveling, particularly if you’re keen to explore multiple and sometimes hard-to-reach destinations.
A cruise vacation removes the logistical challenges of organizing numerous flights, trains, ferries, and car hire, which can often leave you feeling more burnt out than blissed out.
With a cruise vacation, all you need to do is arrive at your embarkation port on time and your cruise line will do the rest for you. Another reason to find out what it is like on a cruise ship: You’ll only ever need to unpack and pack once.
Read: Essential Cruise Packing Tips
Celebrity Apex Stateroom
A cruise vacation also offers fantastic value for money. Your cruise fare doesn’t just cover the cost of your accommodation. Your fare covers every meal onboard with plenty of complimentary restaurants to choose from, plus kids’ clubs and a range of entertainment, including Broadway-quality shows at the theater.
Other types of vacations simply don’t compare to the great value offered by a cruise.
What are the best things about cruising?
St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands
Nothing truly compares to the joy of waking up in a new destination each day. One of the best things about cruising is that it offers a stress-free way of discovering multiple destinations on one trip.
In the Southern Caribbean, you could search for sea turtles, seahorses, and reef sharks on a dive off the silky-white shores of St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
You could immerse yourself in island life in Antigua by visiting artists’ homes and local farms, and, in Grenada, you could drink in the vibrant colors, tastes, and smells of island-grown spices at the markets of St George’s.
Singapore
Some itineraries also offer overnight stays in port. This means while your ship stays in port for the night, you’ll get even more time to immerse yourself in the destination. You could visit a vibrant night market; explore a more off-the-beaten-path neighborhood to sample authentic cuisine, and soak up the local nightlife by taking in some live music.
Cruises offer a harmonious blend of time spent in a destination and luxurious days at sea. Once you’ve walked barefoot on the beaches of St. Lucia, you can share the adventures of your day over cocktails with friends as the sun dips on the horizon—from the comfort of the Sunset Bar onboard.
Read: Insider’s Guide to Celebrity Beyond
Celebrity Millennium
Now that you’ve learned about what cruises are like and why a cruise vacation beats other types of getaways, explore the many exciting itineraries offered by Celebrity Cruises to pick the ship and destination to suit you.
