Cruise-only, all-inclusive, AquaClass or The Retreat?
When booking a cruise holiday with Celebrity Cruises, at first glance, their various cruise fares and classes can seem a little confusing, especially if you are new to cruising. Frequent questions we get asked when looking at Celebrity Cruises fares are:
Which of the Celebrity Cruise fares is best? Do Celebrity Cruise prices include flights? And what drinks are free on a Celebrity Cruise?
Recently, Celebrity Cruises updated their packages, leading to even more questions from guests when booking. So, in this article, we aim to give you the lowdown on the latest Celebrity Cruises fares and answer many of these key questions.
What is the cruise-only Celebrity Cruises fare?
When reviewing your options for a holiday with Celebrity Cruises, one of the first choices you’ll need to make is whether to opt for cruise-only fare or the all-inclusive option.
The cruise-only Celebrity Cruises fare provides a straightforward cruise package with standard cabin accommodation. You’ll still get to enjoy fantastic food, live entertainment and many onboard activities. So, if you don’t need any of the extras, this option could be good for you.
With the Celebrity Cruises cruise-only fares, amenities, such as drinks (other than those free with dining, e.g. tea, coffee, water and juice), basic Wi-Fi and tips are not included. You’ll also have to pay extra for speciality dining, room service and shore excursions.
Gratuities and travel insurance are the only ‘extras’ that are compulsory when on your cruise; for the others, you can choose to opt in or out.
Is cruise-only the cheapest Celebrity Cruise fare?
The price of cruise-only Celebrity Cruises fare is their lowest available and is available across all stateroom categories other than The Retreat and AquaClass.
When deciding if the discounts for the Celebrity Cruises cruise-only fare offer value, you’ll need to factor in the money you may or may not spend on the extra amenities on your holiday.
Depending on how many of these you think you’ll purchase will determine whether the cruise-only Celebrity Cruise fare is the cheapest for you overall.
What’s included in Celebrity Cruises’ all-inclusive fare?
With Celebrity Cruises’ all-inclusive fare, you get everything that’s included in the Celebrity Cruises cruise-only fare. However, the difference between cruise-only and all-inclusive on Celebrity Cruises is that standard drinks, basic Wi-Fi and tips are included.
When looking at what drinks are included with Celebrity Cruises’ all-inclusive fares, you can choose from their Classic drinks package, which consists of a selection of beers, wine by the glass, spirits, cocktails, frozen drinks and non-alcoholic beverages.
The all-inclusive benefits on Celebrity Cruise ships also extend to the basic Wi-Fi package, which enables you to check email, use messaging apps and browse the internet. All gratuities are covered, too, although you can also tip ad-hoc if you wish.
Celebrity Cruises claim that the all-inclusive package could save you up to $115 per person, per day. With the basic drinks package costing $69, Wi-Fi $20 and a range of tips required across the ship, opting to have these covered in the all-inclusive package could make this the cheapest Celebrity Cruises fare.
What’s included in AquaClass on Celebrity Cruises?
If you have decided all-inclusive is the way forward, but are looking for something extra special, Celebrity Cruises AquaClass fare could be for you.
Celebrity AquaClass cruise fare offers a luxury wellness experience for your cruise holiday with a range of other fantastic perks. The main AquaClass cruise benefits are the upgraded stateroom accommodation, spa facilities and exclusive dining options.
You’ll also still get to access all of the all-inclusive amenities described above as standard.
Unlimited access to the Sea Thermal Suite is undoubtedly one of the key benefits for AquaClass Celebrity Cruises guests. Here, you can enjoy complimentary fitness classes, a dedicated spa concierge and discounts on spa treatments.
In your stateroom, you can enjoy the spa shower, an aromatherapy diffuser and a private veranda. Furthermore, Celebrity Cruises AquaClass guests benefit from deluxe bedding, bath amenities, floor-to-ceiling sliding doors, spacious sitting areas and yoga mats.
You can also dine in the AquaClass exclusive restaurant, Blu and access priority boarding and debarkation, as well as a range of other luxury touches.
Celebrity Cruises AquaClass benefits do vary slightly from ship to ship, but you can always be guaranteed a luxury experience focused on health and wellness.
When weighing up the AquaClass cruise cost, it’s worth considering how much you are likely to use these facilities and the difference it will make to your cruise holiday experience.
For those seeking a luxury spa experience as a prominent part of their cruise holiday, what’s included in AquaClass on Celebrity Cruises is worth the additional cost.
What is The Retreat on Celebrity Cruises?
The Retreat on Celebrity Cruises is the premium all-inclusive package, offering a choice of impressive luxury suite accommodations, exclusive access to Celebrity Cruises’ fine dining restaurant, Luminae, and to The Retreat Sundeck and Lounge, and a dedicated concierge service.
When it comes to the extra services and amenities, here’s what is included in The Retreat Celebrity Cruises package:
Premium drinks, including a wider choice of beers, wines and spirits
Premium unlimited Wi-Fi, including video streaming, no matter where you are on the ship
Prepaid gratuities
Onboard credit to spend as you choose
Butler, pre-cruise and onboard concierge
Priority check-in and boarding
24/7 in-suite dining option
How much is The Retreat on Celebrity Cruises?
Working out how much The Retreat costs on Celebrity Cruise ships varies depending on the suite you select, the time of year, the destination etc.
As a rough guide, on average, you could expect to pay an additional $2,000 to $3,000 per person. However, this price can go up significantly with the larger suite options.
As with AquaClass, considering whether the cost of The Retreat on a Celebrity Cruises holiday is worth it is a personal choice. With the information provided beforehand on what’s included in The Retreat, you can make an informed decision.
Do Celebrity Cruise prices include flights?
Celebrity Cruises do offer fly-cruise holidays from selected airports in the UK. You can also sail directly from Southampton, as part of a no-fly cruise, to a range of locations in Northern Europe, the Mediterranean and Scandinavia.
