Celebrity has an “always included” policy, but what does that really mean? And what if you don’t want what is “always included”? What else is included other than those specific items they name as part of this policy? Keep reading to find out what is included on a Celebrity Cruise!
We enjoyed the included items on our Celebrity Edge cruise, but we did feel like they increased the cost of the cruise.
Before I get too far into my personal opinions, let’s look at some facts.
First of all, you can opt out but only if booking within a certain time window (within 90 days of departure) and only if you do not want to pick your specific stateroom. Other than that, always included is…always included.
What does “always included” on Celebrity include?
Classic Drink Package
The Classic Drink Package gets you any drink under $9. This includes fun drinks by the pool, prosecco (but not real champagne), wines and some beers. It also allows you to pay the difference if you want a drink that costs more than $9. You can also get coffees, sodas and bottled waters. The fact that pretty much everyone had the same level of drinks really gave the whole cruise a more all-inclusive feel. Of course, it is more expensive, but isn’t that upscale atmosphere worth the increased price?
Wifi
Wifi strong enough to search the web and get on social media is included. If you want to have streaming abilities you have to upgrade.
Tips
On many cruise lines, tips are something you have to budget for at the end of your cruise or add on before you go. Not with Celebrity. Tips are completely taken care of and you don’t have to think about them (or hear about them). You just know that the great crew are taken care of.
Check out Celebrity’s website for more about what is included in the Always Included.
Other than the “Always Included”, what else is included?
Whichever Stateroom You Have Chosen
There are major price differences between those inside rooms, balconies and suites so you can choose what works best for your budget and your cruising style. We’ve actually never stayed in an inside room. We prefer balconies, but we have friends who swear by inside rooms. We make a point to use our balcony – I probably spend an average of two hours a day out there. I know there is plenty of deck space, but there is something nice about hanging out in your own space.
Food
There are many specialty restaurants on board Celebrity, but there is also a lot of food that is included. The Oceanview Café (the buffet) is open for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. The main dining room (or dining rooms) are open for lunch and dinner every day with sit-down service and open for lunch on sea days. There is also the Mast Grill open all afternoon with burgers and hot dogs (not the best burgers at sea, but not the worst). Café al Bacio has complementary pastries (and if you are on the Classic Package with your Always Included the espresso drinks are also included). And of course, pizza is open all afternoon, evening and into the morning hours.
Some Drinks
Again, if you have gotten the Always Included and have the Classic drink package, most drinks are included. If somehow you managed to sneak around the Always Included, water, teas and juices are your free choices. Coffee is always at the beverage stations and included in the dining room. I thought Celebrity’s regular coffee was slightly better than most cruise ships. Maybe it’s better because it has to compete with Café al Bacio, which is very popular.
Daytime Entertainment
There is daytime entertainment like trivia, but Celebrity also includes their Behind the Podium series, which includes talks that relate to the ports of call. I know learning at sea is not for everyone, but they put these on the TV channel and I really enjoyed watching them in the evening.
There is also more live music than on most cruise lines, including live music on the main pool deck during the daytime.
There are daily pool-side activities. These pool-side activities included multiple volleyball games and other athletic events that chose certain guests to complete and divided the deck in half to cheer for their side. All of these activities were very popular on our sailing, despite them taking up valuable pool space.
Nighttime Entertainment
Nighttime Entertainment onboard Celebrity Cruises includes the main theater production shows. These are traditional cruise ship productions with singing and dancing to a particular theme or genre of music.
The Martini Bar should be considered a show by itself because the bartenders are jugglers and are in the business of entertainment as well as drinks.
We really enjoyed the Silent Disco, which happened twice on our Celebrity Edge sailing. Click here to read more about the Silent Disco. It was the most entertaining evening activity I have been to in a long time on a cruise ship – and we don’t normally go to the club!
Celebrity is definitely a more upscale cruise line than some. You can feel that from the prices you pay and the atmosphere on board. It is fun – there are daily and nightly activities designed to keep you engaged. The Always Included is a nice touch. The fact that all guests have these same amenities gives the cruise a more luxurious feel.
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