Royal Caribbean vs. Celeb Cruises: Which sister cruise line must you select?

Royal Caribbean and Celeb Cruises, that are sister cruise traces operated by Royal Caribbean Group, are each identified for providing ample eating choices and fascinating nightlife. Nonetheless, they’ve totally different onboard vibes and goal various kinds of cruise vacationers.

Royal Caribbean’s fleet of greater than two dozen ships consists of a few of the largest vessels at sea and options groundbreaking improvements and family-friendly sights. Celeb’s 15 not-quite-as-large vessels are extra upscale, adult-focused and design-centric. (Launching in 2025, Celeb Xcel will convey the road’s ship depend to 16.)

Which cruise line must you select? Learn on for a head-to-head comparability of Royal Caribbean and Celeb Cruises, overlaying every model’s onboard expertise, itineraries and passenger profile that will help you determine.

Measurement of ships

Each Royal Caribbean and Celeb function a number of lessons of ships, most categorized as giant. The older ships in each fleets are smaller than the latest vessels however aren’t intimate by any means.

Royal Caribbean‘s older ships carry 2,000 to three,900 visitors, and its latest greater than 7,000, placing it on the forefront of the megaship pattern.

The world’s high 5 largest ships (primarily based on passenger capability) are Royal Caribbean vessels, led by Icon of the Seas, which might carry as much as 7,600 visitors at double occupancy. (Debuting in August 2025, Star of the Seas will be a part of Icon within the high spot, additionally carrying as much as 7,600 passengers.) Utopia of the Seas, Surprise of the Seas, Attract of the Seas and Oasis of the Seas at the moment spherical out the highest 5, carrying as much as 6,988 visitors at double occupancy.

Royal Caribbean’s trendy Quantum Class ships accommodate 4,180 visitors and stand out as a consequence of every ship’s North Star sightseeing capsule, which rises 300 toes above the ocean.

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Celeb Cruises‘ latest and largest ships are its 3,260-guest Edge Class sequence: Celeb Edge, Celeb Apex, Celeb Past, Celeb Ascent and the upcoming Celeb Xcel. Its 5 Solstice Class ships every carry round 2,800 passengers, and its 4 Millennium Class vessels accommodate round 2,200 apiece.

Celeb additionally gives expedition-style cruising on the 100-passenger Celeb Flora within the Galapagos Islands (however we can’t tackle it on this article).

Each cruise traces provide all of the facilities of a floating resort at sea: swimming pools, spas, bars and a number of eating venues. By way of sheer wow issue, although, Royal Caribbean’s activity-packed Icon Class, Oasis Class and Quantum Class ships are onerous to beat, particularly for household cruising.

However, Celeb’s vessels are spacious and designed to dazzle with modern decor and premium facilities.

On each traces, the smallest and oldest ships can have a distinct vibe from the latest and largest vessels, so preserve that in thoughts as you analysis journeys.

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Who’s on board?

With Royal Caribbean, a greater query could be, “Who is not on board?” As a mainstream cruise line, it appeals to a variety of passengers, principally Individuals (no less than on North American itineraries) and lots of of them households.

It is also standard with pals celebrating birthdays or bachelor/bachelorette getaways and {couples} of all ages looking for a energetic shipboard atmosphere at an inexpensive worth. That stated, Royal Suite Class passengers positively have cash, so there is a extra upscale demographic, typically multigenerational.

Passengers additionally differ by itinerary, with three- to seven-night Bahamas and four- to 11-night Caribbean sailings attracting households and teams of pals. The road’s seven- to 12-night Mediterranean itineraries draw extra {couples} and retirees and fewer households, in addition to extra Europeans. (About half of passengers on Royal Caribbean’s European itineraries are Europeans and vacationers from outdoors the US.) Alaska sailings lure multigenerational households and older cruisers.

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Celeb’s ships appeal to a narrower, extra upscale demographic, principally Gen Xers of their 40s and 50s and retirement-age child boomers, with some childless millennials, too.

Youngsters will probably be on board, however not within the numbers that Royal Caribbean attracts. As a premium cruise model, Celeb Cruises usually has larger fares than Royal Caribbean, particularly on its Edge Class ships. Nonetheless, the worth hole between Celeb and Royal Caribbean is narrowing. Notably, fares for Royal Caribbean’s latest ships, like Icon of the Seas, are sometimes on par with Celeb’s choices.

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Cabins and suites

Royal Caribbean gives a dizzying array of cabin and suite choices, particularly on its latest and largest ships. Celeb options fewer general cabin classes however gives nonsuite rooms with additional perks.

Each cruise traces provide quite a lot of cabin kinds and worth factors. You will discover windowless inside cabins, ocean-view rooms with image home windows or portholes, lodging with personal balconies and a variety of suites. There are additionally connecting rooms for households and teams, plus accessible cabins for passengers utilizing wheelchairs or different assistive gadgets.

It is not stunning that Royal Caribbean’s giant Icon Class, Oasis Class and Quantum Class ships characteristic essentially the most lodging sorts throughout the fleet — as much as three dozen cabin and suite classes designed for each households and {couples} with a variety of budgets.

On the inexpensive finish, a few of the windowless inside cabins include a “digital balcony,” a window-mimicking display that shows real-time video of the view outdoors. These can be found on all 5 Quantum Class ships, plus Surprise of the Seas, Symphony of the Seas, Concord of the Seas, Navigator of the Seas, Explorer of the Seas, Utopia of the Seas and Voyager of the Seas.

Oasis Class ships additionally characteristic inside and balcony cabins that overlook the Promenade, Boardwalk and Central Park neighborhoods.

Eleven vessels (Journey of the Seas, Anthem of the Seas, Brilliance of the Seas, Concord of the Seas, Jewel of the Seas, Mariner of the Seas, Ovation of the Seas, Odyssey of the Seas, Quantum of the Seas, Spectrum of the Seas and Serenade of the Seas) provide a restricted variety of cabins designed for solo vacationers. In the meantime, Tremendous Studio solo cabins with balconies can be found on Anthem of the Seas, Quantum of the Seas, Ovation of the Seas, Concord of the Seas, Spectrum of the Seas and Odyssey of the Seas.

The cruise line’s high lodging are suites, various in measurement and a few with loft configurations. Its most lavish digs are the two-story Final Household Suites (discovered on Surprise, Symphony, Spectrum and Utopia of the Seas) and the three-story Final Household Townhouse on Icon of the Seas. They sleep as much as eight visitors and boast kid-friendly facilities, together with a slide, air hockey desk and different video games.

All suites provide unique facilities. Nonetheless, Royal Caribbean’s largest, most costly suites include unique perks, resembling Royal Genie butler service and complimentary specialty eating and beverage packages.

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Celeb’s latest Edge Class ships exchange the usual balcony cabin with Infinite Veranda Staterooms. In these, a floor-to-ceiling window lowers midway to create an open-air veranda throughout the room. This design permits for extra usable area throughout the cabin, no matter whether or not the window is open or shut.

AquaClass cabins embody in-cabin wellness facilities and entry to an unique restaurant and the spa’s thermal suite (with saunas and heated loungers). Concierge Class rooms include a devoted concierge, a pillow menu and an unique welcome-aboard lunch within the eating room with complimentary wine.

Celeb Silhouette gives single inside cabins, whereas Edge Class ships embody some Infinite Veranda Staterooms designed for solo vacationers.

Suite configurations and decor differ by ship class. On Edge Class ships, eight suite classes embody the two-story Edge Villas and the Iconic Suite, the most important within the fleet at 1,892 sq. toes (plus a 689-square-foot terrace). Solstice Class ships characteristic six to eight suite classes, relying on the ship; and the variety of suite classes on Millennium Class ships ranges from 5 to 6.

All suites include devoted attendants and a concierge, plus included perks resembling a premium drink bundle and premium Wi-Fi. Celeb’s suite visitors may also entry unique facilities as a part of The Retreat, together with a personal solar deck, lounge and restaurant.

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Eating

The upside: Royal Caribbean and Celeb ships provide a dozen or extra onboard eating venues, so there are culinary choices to go well with each palate.

The draw back: Each cruise traces provide only a handful of complimentary eating places — a buffet, banquet-style eating rooms, a poolside grill and some informal eateries — which means passengers should pay additional for steakhouses, Italian or French eating places and sushi bars.

Royal Caribbean’s complimentary choices embody informal choices such because the Canine Home for a world sizzling canine menu, El Loco Contemporary for burritos and quesadillas, Sorrento’s Pizza for grab-and-go slices, and Park Cafe for deli-style sandwiches — though choices do differ barely by ship.

Additional-fee eating on Royal Caribbean covers many of the bases — Chops Grille for steak, Izumi for sushi, Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen and Jamie’s Italian for Mediterranean classics and Hooked Seafood for fish and shellfish.

Wonderland mixes artistic flavors and distinctive displays, and 150 Central Park is good for a particular celebration; the latter two can be found solely on Oasis Class and Quantum Class ships. Themed Nineteen Fifties diner Johnny Rockets (on greater than a dozen ships) is an inexpensive, kid-friendly favourite.

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Like Royal Caribbean, Celeb gives a proper essential eating room on Solstice Class and Millennium Class ships. Nonetheless, on Edge Class ships, 4 smaller themed eating places exchange the one banquet-style eating corridor.

Every includes a collection of unique menu objects — new American in Cosmopolitan, Mediterranean in Cyprus, French in Normandie and Italian in Tuscan — together with choices from the Celeb Signature menu.

Every venue’s distinctive atmosphere and distinctive menus serve quite a lot of tastes on a complimentary foundation — however solely for dinner. As well as, visitors who e-book suites in The Retreat can dine at Luminae, whereas these in AquaClass have entry to health-focused Blu, freed from cost.

Further fleetwide complimentary eating consists of the buffet-style Oceanview Cafe; the Mast Grill, an informal poolside eatery serving burgers and wraps; and the Spa Cafe, providing more healthy, lighter choices for breakfast and lunch.

Celeb’s extra-fee eating additionally varies by ship class. On Edge Class ships, visitors can take pleasure in Fantastic Minimize Steakhouse for prime cuts and seafood, Eden Restaurant for contemporary international delicacies, Le Grand Bistro for traditional French, Rooftop Backyard Grill for yard favorites, Uncooked on 5 for sushi and Japanese specialties and Magic Carpet for small bites and cocktails.

Celeb’s most elevated eating expertise is Le Voyage by Daniel Boulud, the acclaimed French chef’s first restaurant at sea, accessible aboard Celeb Past, Ascent and upcoming Xcel.

Celeb’s Solstice Class and Millennium Class ships characteristic Tuscan Grille for steak and Italian specialties, Le Petit Chef for traditional French with enchanting tabletop leisure and Sushi on 5 for Japanese. The road’s Solstice Class ships have a further restaurant, Murano, for elevated French tasting menus.

Two Celeb ships, Reflection and Silhouette, additionally provide two alfresco eateries: Garden Membership Grill and The Porch seafood restaurant.

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If you happen to’re in search of culinary selection with out paying additional, Royal Caribbean’s a number of complimentary informal eating venues, specifically on its latest and largest ships, give it an edge for households.

Celeb’s Edge Class ships’ quartet of complimentary eating places gives a nightly change of surroundings and menus, preferrred for {couples} and teams of grownup pals.

If you’re prepared to pay additional for a couple of dinners, Celeb’s roster of specialty eating places can be a notch above Royal Caribbean’s by way of high quality and atmosphere.

Onboard sights

Royal Caribbean’s give attention to adrenaline-rush actions makes it the clear alternative for household enjoyable, whereas Celeb’s chicer vibe is a draw for {couples} looking for to chill out.

Royal Caribbean is a frontrunner in providing amusement park-style sights resembling waterslides, zip traces, browsing and sky-diving simulators and escape rooms. Celeb would not go there in any respect. Relatively, its onboard sights are designed for grown-ups, with swimming pools, sizzling tubs and classy top-deck leisure areas, resembling The Garden Membership on Solstice Class ships and The Rooftop Backyard on Edge-series ships.

All Royal Caribbean ships characteristic mountain climbing partitions, outside film screens and arcades. All however Radiance Class and Imaginative and prescient Class ships have FlowRider surf simulators, and all however Radiance Class, Imaginative and prescient Class and Quantum Class ships have minigolf programs.

Royal Caribbean’s Icon Class, Oasis Class and Quantum Class ships characteristic essentially the most thrills within the fleet — even perhaps at sea. Oasis Class vessels are identified for his or her assortment of waterslides and the Final Abyss dry slide that drops riders 10 decks by way of a spiral tube pulsing with gentle. These ships even have an ice skating rink, zip line, escape room, pop-up laser tag and a carousel.

Icon of the Seas has the most important water park at sea, with six slides, and an exciting ropes course alongside the facet of the ship.

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Royal Caribbean’s Quantum Class ships do not characteristic waterslides however are distinguished by their North Star sightseeing capsule, which lifts visitors excessive above the ship for 360-degree views. Different thrills embody RipCord by iFly (a sky-diving simulator) and the multipurpose indoor SeaPlex providing bumper automobiles, basketball and Xbox gaming consoles.

Freedom Class and Voyager Class ships provide some thrill actions, however not as many because the newer ships. These can embody varied waterslides, laser tag and escape rooms, so examine every ship’s choices. Older and smaller Radiance Class and Imaginative and prescient Class ships characteristic swimming pools however no waterslides or different kid-friendly sights.

What Celeb’s ships lack in thrills, they make up for with eye-catching modern design and funky locations to hang around. Solstice Class ships characteristic a half-acre Garden Membership with actual grass; it is the setting for jazz live shows and outside video games. Edge Class vessels have a Rooftop Backyard with reside vegetation, trendy sculptures, cozy seating nooks and a grill restaurant. Cabana-lined pool decks characteristic elevated sizzling tubs formed like martini glasses.

Each Royal Caribbean and Celeb characteristic adults-only Solarium swimming pools. Additionally they provide enjoyable spas with salons, thermal suites and health facilities for all of your self-care and wellness wants.

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Youngsters actions

Each Royal Caribbean and Celeb welcome households and have complimentary children golf equipment, however solely Royal Caribbean has the onboard sights and thrills that attraction to lively youthful kids and youths.

Royal Caribbean’s Journey Ocean youth program has areas and actions (science and artwork tasks, video games and events) designed for youths ages 3-12. This system is free throughout the day and early night; an hourly charge applies after 10 p.m.

Onboard nurseries accommodate kids ages 6 to 36 months for drop-off babysitting (for an hourly charge). Teenagers can hang around, dance or chill with new pals at every ship’s teen membership or attempt to get a excessive rating on the arcade.

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Celeb’s Camp at Sea children program caters to kids in three age teams (3-5, 6-9 and 10-12). Programming focuses on recreation, hobbies and learning-based actions within the arts and sciences. Its Teen Membership retains 13- to 17-year-olds entertained with sports activities competitions, silent discos and online game events.

Royal Caribbean is the hands-down winner right here, a cruise line designed with household enjoyable in thoughts. Some older teenagers may take pleasure in a transition from Royal Caribbean to Celeb. Nonetheless, households with lively tweens and youthful children looking for onboard thrills are higher off with Royal Caribbean.

Leisure

Royal Caribbean pulls out all of the stops by way of leisure, so if energetic, in-your-face nightlife is essential to your trip bliss, go for one in every of its newer, bigger ships.

Celeb’s leisure lineup pushes boundaries in additional sudden methods however primarily on its newer Edge Class ships; its Solstice Class and Millennium Class ships provide extra conventional leisure.

Each cruise traces characteristic inviting bars and lounges. Celeb’s nightlife scene is decidedly extra upscale and stylish, whereas Royal Caribbean’s is livelier and extra informal.

Love a Broadway present? Royal Caribbean levels variations of award-winning musicals resembling “Grease,” “Cats,” “Hairspray” and “Mamma Mia!” on choose ships, in addition to authentic productions on all vessels. The road’s largest and latest ships additionally provide dazzling ice skating exhibits, daring high-dive AquaTheater performances and/or implausible high-tech multimedia dance exhibits.

The 2 dozen bars and lounges on Royal Caribbean’s ships vary from the panoramic Viking Crown Lounge to the gimmicky Bionic Bar, which options robotic bartenders. On Utopia of the Seas, the Bionic Bar is changed by the Pesky Parrot, a Caribbean-themed bar that includes a energetic animatronic parrot. A sports activities bar (Playmakers Bar & Arcade), piano bar (Schooner Bar) and Latin-style lounge (Boleros) are different standard choices.

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Passengers may also sing karaoke, watch a poolside film underneath the celebrities and hit the dance flooring to the tunes of a reside band or DJ. The larger the ship, the larger the leisure choices.

Celeb’s leisure philosophy general is extra conventional, with nightlife centered round ingesting, hanging out in lounges and having fun with authentic exhibits within the ship’s theater. Bars and lounges additionally characteristic reside music, and there is a silent disco get together no less than as soon as per cruise.

If you happen to’re in search of one thing just a little totally different, the Edge Class ships provide artistic and interactive performances in Eden and The Membership, a multipurpose area that includes DJs and themed late-night performances.

All Celeb ships are identified for the Martini Bar, the place flamboyant bartenders create a spectacle with shaker tosses and colourful cocktail towers, and the Sundown Bar, situated aft and providing terrific sailaway views. Solely Celeb Past and Ascent characteristic a chicly reimagined, two-level Sundown Bar by designer Nate Berkus (it is a one-story venue on different ships). Craft Social is the place to seize a craft beer and bar bites, whereas World Class Bar is the go-to for curated cocktails.

Each cruise traces’ ships characteristic giant casinos and provide participatory sport exhibits (“Love & Marriage” and “Battle of the Sexes” on Royal Caribbean and “Deal or No Deal” on Celeb).

Itineraries

Royal Caribbean’s ships cruise to greater than 300 locations worldwide, however the coronary heart of its enterprise is the Caribbean and the Bahamas.

Most of its vessels spend the months from November to March within the islands, crusing three- to 12-night cruises from ports in Florida and Galveston, Texas, with some round-trip itineraries from San Juan, Puerto Rico. Nonetheless, yow will discover a number of ships cruising the Caribbean year-round. Many itineraries name on Royal Caribbean’s activity-packed personal Bahamian island, Good Day at CocoCay.

Seasonal itineraries in Europe, together with the Mediterranean, Greek Islands and the British Isles, are additionally standard, as are cruises to Alaska. Royal Caribbean additionally gives sailings to Bermuda, Hawaii, Canada and New England, Mexico, Latin America, Australia, New Zealand, Asia, the Panama Canal and the South Pacific. Transatlantic and transpacific cruises can be found seasonally as nicely.

Celeb ships name on greater than 300 cruise ports. Most ships spend November to March cruising the Caribbean from Fort Lauderdale and Miami on three- to 11-night sailings and April to October in Europe on six- to 14-night itineraries within the Mediterranean, Greek Islands, Adriatic, British Isles, Iceland and Northern Europe.

Seasonal cruises are additionally accessible to Alaska, Hawaii, Mexico, Bermuda, New England and Canada, South America, Australia, New Zealand, the South Pacific, South America and Asia. Celeb additionally gives itineraries to Antarctica from Buenos Aires.

With each cruise traces, most itineraries final fewer than 19 nights. The exception is Celeb’s 110-night Grand Voyage (although it is made up of 9 shorter sailings strung collectively).

For a summer season cruise within the Caribbean, Royal Caribbean has way more choices, whereas each traces provide a wide selection of summer season sailings in Europe. Both line is an efficient alternative for Alaska in summer season or the Caribbean in winter, relying on whether or not you are touring as a pair or a household.

Backside line

Royal Caribbean is the apparent alternative when you crave a energetic and stimulating cruise expertise with 24/7 leisure and actions that wow each adults and children. It is also typically the extra inexpensive possibility.

Celeb is the cruise line for you if you need a extra upscale large-ship expertise with a grown-up vibe (however nonetheless appropriate for youths and youths). What Celeb’s ships lack in adrenaline-rush thrills, they make up in terrific eating and ingesting venues.

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