Planning a Celebrity cruise and trying to figure out exactly what you’re getting for your money? You’re not alone. Celebrity is a premium cruise line, which means the experience on board is genuinely elevated compared to many mainstream options. What it doesn’t mean is that everything is automatically included in your fare.
Whether you’re a first-time Celebrity cruiser or a returning Captain’s Club member, the inclusions have changed enough over the last couple of years that it’s worth a proper refresher. There are differences depending on your fare type, your cabin category, and even which ship you’re sailing on, so let’s break it all down clearly.
What’s Included in Every Celebrity Cruise Fare
The Ship Itself
One of the things that sets Celebrity apart is just how beautiful the ships are. Every public space on board is yours to enjoy at no extra charge, and on Celebrity, that really means something. You’ll find stunning lounges, multiple bars, outdoor resort-style pool decks, and an indoor adult-only Solarium pool.
On the Edge-class ships, which includes Edge, Apex, Beyond, Ascent, and now Xcel, the rooftop garden is a particular highlight. These ships consistently draw praise for their design, and the spaces genuinely feel like somewhere you want to spend your time.
Your Cabin
Your accommodation is included, of course. Celebrity offers inside cabins, ocean view cabins, Veranda cabins (their name for balcony cabins), and suites. Even the interior cabins on Edge-class ships come with a sitting area built in, which is a nice touch. Standard Veranda cabins are well-sized and comfortable.
In terms of in-cabin amenities, you can expect daily housekeeping including an evening turndown service, a bathrobe available on request, umbrellas to borrow during the cruise, and toiletries including hand wash, lotion, and separate shampoo and conditioner. It’s a well-appointed setup across all standard categories.
Food and Dining
This is where Celebrity really shines, and there’s more included food than many first-time cruisers expect.
Your main dining room is included in every fare. On Edge-class ships, you actually get four main dining room-style restaurants all at no extra charge: Normandy (French), Cyprus (Greek), Tuscan (Italian), and Cosmopolitan.
Each shares a core classic menu but also has dishes unique to that venue. The theming and decor in each space make dinner feel like a genuinely different experience each evening.
For casual dining, the included options are generous. The Ocean View Cafe buffet is genuinely impressive, with grilled items, shrimp and seafood, cheese and charcuterie, fresh fruit, and a dessert selection that doesn’t disappoint. There’s also the poolside Mast Grill for burgers and hot dogs, and the Aqua Spa Cafe for lighter fare near the Solarium.
One spot that trips a lot of people up: Cafe Al Bacio is included. Many guests assume it’s a specialty venue and skip it, but the pastries, donuts, muffins, and savory treats available throughout the day are all complimentary.
The coffee at Cafe Al Bacio is an extra charge, unless you have a beverage package, but everything you can eat there is covered. If you haven’t spent time there, check out 7 reasons you’ll love Cafe Al Bacio before your cruise.
Room Service
This one is a partial. Celebrity used to include full room service, but a few years ago they changed the policy. There is now a $9.95 delivery fee per order for room service from standard cabins. The exception is continental breakfast, which is still included. A card in your cabin allows you to place an order for the door, or you can call.
If you’re in the Retreat (Celebrity’s suite class), room service is fully included with no delivery fee.
Basic Drinks
Without any beverage package, the drinks included in your Celebrity fare are: basic tea and coffee, tap water (which is safe to drink on board), juice in the mornings at the buffet and restaurants, and a flavored drink and iced tea. That’s the baseline, and it’s fairly minimal for anyone who likes a cocktail or a specialty coffee.
Kids and Teens Club
Celebrity leans toward an adult audience, but the kids and teens clubs are solid, especially during holiday sailings and school breaks. If you’re cruising with family, the programs are included in your fare.
Towels and a Few Nice Extras
Pool towels are provided on the chairs or at unmanned towel stations with no checking in or out required. On recent sailings, sunscreen has also been available at the pool area, though this isn’t guaranteed to be a permanent feature on every sailing.
Transportation between destinations, as part of the cruise itinerary itself, is of course included.
What’s Not Included: The Extras to Budget For
Specialty Dining
With so much good food in the included venues, specialty dining is genuinely optional on Celebrity. That said, a night or two at a specialty restaurant can really elevate the experience. Fine Cut steakhouse is a popular choice, and on the Edge-class ships, Eden is consistently praised both for the food and for the experience of the space itself. The Rooftop Grill is another option if you enjoy dining outdoors.
Pricing for specialty restaurants varies by sailing, so it’s worth keeping an eye on any promotions that come through your email or the app once you’ve booked. You can also read a full review of the Celebrity Tuscan Grille if you’re trying to decide whether specialty dining is worth it for your trip.
The Beverage Package
This is probably the biggest decision point for most Celebrity cruisers. Wi-Fi and the drink package are both extras unless you’re booked on a specific fare type (more on that below).
Celebrity currently offers a few tiers:
- Classic Drinks Package: Covers alcoholic drinks up to $12, plus specialty coffee and tea, bottled water, and other non-alcoholic beverages. Prices have been reported in the range of $65 to $85 per person per day.
- Premium Drinks Package: Covers drinks up to $19, which catches the martinis and premium cocktails Celebrity is known for. Generally $100 or more per day.
- Non-alcoholic package: For those who don’t drink alcohol.
If you’re considering a package, it’s smart to purchase before your cruise when prices tend to be lower. For tips on getting the most from any drink package, this guide on drink package mistakes to avoid on a cruise is a helpful read before you sail.
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi is not included in standard fares. Purchasing it separately typically runs around $20 to $35 per person per day, depending on the plan. One thing worth knowing for new cruisers: the Celebrity app works on board without Wi-Fi, so you can use it for messaging, scheduling, and ship navigation even if you don’t purchase a package.
Daily Gratuities
Automatic daily gratuities are added to your onboard account per person. At the time of filming, these range from around $18 per person per day in standard cabins up to $23 per person per day in suites. You can prepay these before your cruise if you’d prefer to have it settled in advance.
It’s worth noting that Celebrity’s gratuities include twice-daily cabin housekeeping. To understand how cruise tipping works across the board, the ultimate guide to cruise gratuities covers everything you need to know.
Shore Excursions and Spa
Shore excursions aren’t included, as is the case with most cruise lines. The thermal spa package and any individual spa treatments are also extras. Keep an eye on promotions leading up to your sailing, discounts on excursions, spa packages, and onboard purchases often appear via email or the app after you’ve booked.
The All-Included Package: What’s Changed
Celebrity offers an all-included fare that bundles the classic drink package and basic Wi-Fi together. It’s essentially a Wi-Fi and drinks bundle. A word of caution here: gratuities are no longer included in this package, which is a change from a couple of years ago. Some cruisers who sailed under the old structure have found this surprising, so it’s worth factoring those daily gratuity charges into your total budget.
For a 7-night Caribbean cruise, the all-included fare has been coming in at around $575 per person as a reference point, though this varies by sailing. If you book the all-included package and then see an upgrade offer, it’s sometimes possible to move to the premium drinks package at a discounted rate, so watch for that in your emails.
For more background on how Celebrity’s inclusive pricing model has evolved, the post on Celebrity Cruises Always Included goes through the history and details.
Cabin Categories and What Each Includes
Standard Cabins (Inside, Ocean View, Veranda)
All standard cabin categories include everything covered in the sections above. The main difference between them is the view and layout of the room itself. If you’re considering a Veranda cabin on an Edge-class ship, the Celebrity Beyond Infinite Veranda cabin review walks through what the experience is really like, including the honest pros and cons.
Aqua Class
Aqua Class is a standout category for anyone who loves a spa-focused experience. You get a standard Veranda cabin, but with these added inclusions:
- Thermal spa access for the full duration of your cruise
- Complimentary fitness classes
- A spa concierge
- Two water bottles delivered daily to your cabin
- Use of yoga mats
- Access to the Blue Restaurant, an Aqua Class-exclusive dining venue with a healthier menu and main dining room options available too
The thermal spa access alone can represent significant savings if you were planning to purchase a spa package anyway. The Blue Restaurant is a smaller, more intimate space, which means the service tends to feel a little more personal.
Concierge Class
Concierge Class is an upgraded Veranda cabin with a set of perks that are more service-oriented than experience-oriented. You get a personalized concierge, an embarkation day lunch, daily treats delivered to your cabin, a bottle of sparkling wine on request, a pillow menu, and priority dining time requests based on availability.
The perks are real, but they’re more subtle than what you get with Aqua Class or the Retreat. If the price difference is small, it’s a nice upgrade. If it’s significantly more expensive, Aqua Class tends to offer better tangible value.
The Retreat (Suite Class)
The Retreat is Celebrity’s ship-within-a-ship concept, and it genuinely delivers on that promise. Suite guests get a completely different level of service and access. On a recent visit to Celebrity Apex, the Retreat sun deck was stunning, complete with a pool, hot tub, outdoor restaurant and bar, and plush loungers with incredible views.
Here’s what’s included with the Retreat:
- Luminae restaurant (a dedicated suite-only dining venue)
- Retreat Lounge and sun deck access
- A butler, retreat host, and dedicated concierge team
- Priority embarkation and disembarkation
- Full room service at no charge
- The premium drinks package and premium Wi-Fi are included
The premium package is a meaningful upgrade from the classic package and it covers drinks up to $19 and provides faster internet. When you’re pricing out suite options, factor in the value of those inclusions, as they can offset a portion of the price difference.
For a deeper look at what Celebrity does particularly well across all cabin types, 12 reasons you’ll love cruising with Celebrity captures a lot of the finer details that make the line stand out.
A Few Final Tips Before You Book
Celebrity is often compared to other premium lines when cruisers are deciding where to invest their vacation budget. If you’re still deciding whether Celebrity is the right fit, these side-by-side comparisons can help: Celebrity vs Holland America and Celebrity vs Carnival lay out the key differences clearly.
Once you’ve booked, watch your email for promotions. Celebrity regularly offers pre-cruise deals on shore excursions, spa packages, and drink package upgrades that can represent real savings. Logging into the app and your account periodically in the months before sailing is worth making a habit of.
For a broader sense of what to expect on board in terms of atmosphere and dress codes, the guide on what to wear on a Celebrity cruise is a great read, especially if this is your first time sailing with the line.
Celebrity is a cruise line that genuinely rewards a little research before you sail. Knowing what’s covered and what isn’t makes it much easier to budget accurately and enjoy the experience without any surprises on your final onboard bill.