When it comes to innovative design details, Celebrity Cruises stands out from the crowd. The line’s modern ships resemble floating resorts. The funnels of all the oceangoing ships are marked with a large X to designate the Greek letter chi, representing the first two letters of the company’s founding Chandris family. Ships come in four types — Edge, Solstice, Millennium and Galapagos — and sail to more than 300 destinations around the globe.
Celebrity is known for its design-led ships, and the newest and biggest Edge-class vessels, which carry up to 3,620 passengers, are well suited to solo travellers, couples and groups of friends. While all ships have the Camp at Sea children’s club, the Edge vessels are best for families with older children and teens. The five Solstice-class vessels, also carrying more than 3,000 passengers each, are the largest group in the fleet and sail to the most destinations — but if you prefer a more intimate environment, look at the older Millennium ships, carrying fewer than 3,000 guests, or the trio of small Galapagos yacht-style vessels. I love Celebrity Apex for its whimsical design details such as the pink ostrich-feather “trees”, yellow chairs shaped like giant flowers and a walk-through art installation resembling a hall of mirrors filled with white sculptures. Here are 12 of the best Celebrity ships.
This article contains affiliate links, which may earn us revenue Living up to its name, this cutting-edge ship was one of a kind when it launched in 2018. The standout feature is the “Magic Carpet”, which was originally conceived as a platform for passengers to get on and off tenders before the designers realised it could be put to other uses. Surrounded by glass on three sides and moving to different decks on the side of the ship, it is variously used as a bar, lounge, extension to the Raw seafood restaurant and venue for extra-special dinners — usually held once or twice on each sailing. Launched in 2019, and the newest of the trio of Celebrity ships based in the Galapagos Islands, Celebrity Flora is very different from the line’s mainstream ocean vessels. Designed to sail in one of the world’s most incredible destinations, the 100-passenger Flora has a team of naturalists leading excursions to see the region’s unique giant tortoises, blue-footed boobies, iguanas and much more. It’s one of the most luxurious ships in the Galapagos as all rooms are suites, with two swish penthouse rooms spanning the width of the vessel. • Best Galapagos cruises Carrying 3,046 passengers, Celebrity Reflection is the biggest of the five Solstice-class ships. Based in the Caribbean, Reflection is sailing on three and four-night short-break cruises from Fort Lauderdale, featuring Perfect Day at CocoCay, the private island resort in the Bahamas owned by parent company Royal Caribbean. This is a great option if you want to add a cruise to a land stay in Miami, which is only a 30-minute drive away. CocoCay has everything from chill-out beaches to an adrenaline-pumping waterpark with North America’s highest waterslide. The fourth and final Edge-class ship has been shaped by a team of land-based interior designers including Britain’s Tom Wright, best-known for Dubai’s landmark Burj Al Arab hotel. Accommodation includes clever Infinite Veranda cabins — first introduced on Celebrity Edge — where the floor-to-ceiling window lowers halfway to create the feeling of a balcony inside the cabin and maximises the use of space. Celebrity Ascent has the widest range of rooms in the fleet, including balcony cabins for solo travellers (a rarity on most cruise ships). While it has been eclipsed by many other ships since, Celebrity’s first Solstice-class vessel was the largest ship built at a German shipyard when it launched in 2008, weighing in at 122,000 gross tons. The 2,850-passenger Celebrity Solstice was also the first to feature the Lawn Club — and to this day Celebrity is the only line where you can sink your toes into half an acre of real grass at sea. The lawn — also on Celebrity Eclipse, Equinox, Silhouette and Reflection — is the perfect spot to play deck games, catch some live jazz or simply soak up the sun with a picnic. Launched in 2000 — as the name implies — Celebrity Millennium is the namesake ship in the Millennium class and the oldest in the fleet. However, don’t be put off, as the 2,218-passenger ship, known as Millie to fans, had a bow-to-stern makeover in 2019 and looks fresher than other ships of a similar vintage. Celebrity Millennium is based in Asia, with itineraries including Japan’s cherry blossom and a popular 12-night round-trip Tokyo voyage that visits Mount Fuji, with an optional excursion to bathe in thermal springs. • Best budget cruises in the Caribbean This is another vessel that underwent a major facelift as part of the multi-million Celebrity Revolution refurbishment programme. In 2020 the Solstice-class ship emerged from dry dock with shiny new features, including updated cabins, restaurants and the cool and casual Craft Social Bar serving artisan beers and co*cktails, all of which belie the 2011 launch date. As well as sailing in the Caribbean, Celebrity Silhouette can be found closer to home on cruises to Scandinavia, the Mediterranean and British Isles. Forget cookery classes and try a very different hands-on experience: a hot-glass class on Celebrity Equinox. Earn some bragging rights and go home with a unique souvenir from the glassblowing studio where you’ll craft a sparkling piece of art, such as a starfish, bowl or vase. Once your masterpiece has cooled it will be carefully wrapped up to take home. Glass studios are also on Celebrity Solstice and Eclipse. Also on Equinox, the lawn area plays host to live concerts — complete with glow sticks and a pop-up bar — and films under the stars. You don’t have to get on a plane to experience Celebrity’s Edge-class ships. From May to November 2024, Celebrity Apex is coming to UK shores for the first time. Sailing out of Southampton, journeys include sailings to the Mediterranean and a new 12-night itinerary to the fjords of Norway and the Arctic Circle. Soak up the views from Eden, a three-storey entertainment, dining, bar and lounge space with floor-to-ceiling windows, where tempting co*cktails include Forbidden — served in a glass apple. Eden can be found on all the Edge ships. • Best cruises from Southampton The fourth ship in Celebrity’s Millennium Class, “Connie” was launched in 2002. It’s one of the vessels where you can savour one of the most enchanting dining experiences at sea. In Le Petit Chef, the adventures of a tiny animated cook and his sidekicks are projected onto the table and plate as he prepares your meal from different ingredients. When he’s finished each course, waiters replace the cartoon food with the real thing. Le Petit Chef, which costs extra, can be found on Celebrity Ascent, Apex, Beyond, Eclipse, Edge, Equinox, Infinity, Millennium, Reflection, Silhouette, Solstice and Summit. If you’re a sun-worshipper and want to splash out on a suite then this Edge-class ship and its identical twin Ascent have the largest private sun decks. They’re 40 per cent larger than the ones on the earlier ships Edge and Apex. Access to the sun deck is among the perks for passengers booking the Retreat packages, which also include a lounge with complimentary drinks and nibbles plus the option to dine in the elegant Luminae restaurant that’s exclusively for suite guests. This twin-hulled catamaran carries just 16 passengers and feels more intimate than the rest of the Celebrity fleet. Acquired by the line in 2016, it was given a top-to-toe refit to offer the Celebrity experience — including suites with balconies — albeit on a much smaller scale. There’s a cosy lounge where naturalist briefings take place, and a sun deck for whale-watching, relaxing by day and stargazing at night. With its intimate atmosphere, Celebrity Xploration is an ideal way for families and groups of friends to explore the Galapagos. • Biggest cruise ships in the world Sign up to the Times Travel newsletter for weekly inspiration, advice and deals here.1. Celebrity Edge
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2. Celebrity Flora
3. Celebrity Reflection
4. Celebrity Ascent
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5. Celebrity Solstice
6. Celebrity Millennium
• Best all-inclusive cruise linesAdvertisem*nt
7. Celebrity Silhouette
8. Celebrity Equinox
9. Celebrity Apex
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10. Celebrity Constellation
11. Celebrity Beyond
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12. Celebrity Xploration
• Best cruise lines for first-timers
