Celebrity Cruises may be Royal Caribbean’s premium brand, but that doesn’t mean you have to leave your kids at home to sail with the cruise line. In fact, Celebrity Cruises has an award-winning Camp at Sea Kids Club where children participate in age-appropriate activities in areas for Shipmates (ages 3-5), Cadets (ages 6-9) , the captains club (10 to 12 years old) and Teen Club (13-17).
Beyond the kids’ clubs, there are many more for families and children. The spa on board Celebrity cruise ships offers treatments for teens like facials, manicures and pedicures, makeup classes and two-on-two massages for teens and their parents can book together. Families can participate in game shows together, catch a live show, or watch a movie under the stars on the pool deck. This is a far cry from saying that if you think family cruises are all about crowded swimming pools, chicken fingers, and fairy tale-based shows, you should think again.
Here are my picks for the best Celebrity cruises for families in 2024.
1. Perfect day at CocoCay
During cruises, my family loves stopping at a cruise line’s private island. It takes everything we love about the onboard experience and transfers it to an idyllic seaside getaway. In summer 2023, Celebrity Cruises brought Perfect Day to CocoCay in the Bahamas for the first time.
This private island destination was previously the exclusive domain of Celebrity’s sister brand, Royal Caribbean. Now two Celebrity ships, Celebrity Beyond and Celebrity Reflection, also call at this private island.
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Perfect Day at CocoCay is where you’ll find Thrill Water Park with the tallest water slide in North America; Oasis Lagoon, the largest freshwater pool in the Caribbean; Up, Up, and Away, a helium balloon that rises 450 feet into the air; a 1,600-foot zipline course; And much more. In early 2024, Hideaway Beach opened on the island for families with young adults (18+) or for an adults-only getaway while little ones enjoy the kids’ club.
2. Rise of celebrities
Celebrity Cruises’ newest ship, Celebrity Ascent, set sail on its maiden voyage from Fort Lauderdale in December 2023. Ascent is the fourth of Celebrity’s innovative Edge-class ships. Each of these Edge-class ships features a movable “Magic Carpet” deck that levitates up and down the exterior of the ship.
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The Magic Carpet transforms into different venues depending on its location that day and can be anything from a bar to a live music lounge to a restaurant. It even serves as an embarkation point for Ascent’s port offerings. Celebrity Ascent offers alternating cruises to the Eastern and Western Caribbean during the first part of the year, then to the Mediterranean in the summer and fall.
3. Reflections on celebrities
Want to see if your kids are ready to “upgrade” to a more luxurious cruise line? Celebrity Reflection offers the brand’s first long weekend itineraries (three- to four-night ships), many with a stopover at Perfect Day at CocoCay.
While Reflection’s premium style may not initially seem kid-friendly, it does have one feature that kids are sure to love: grass. The Lawn Club has nearly half an acre of real lawn (it’s much bigger than the postage stamp park at my house, for example) and places to play lawn games like bocce or bocce. croquet.
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At dinner time, families will love Le Petit Chef, which uses on-table projection mapping to create a lively culinary dinner show. Take a quick three-day cruise from Fort Lauderdale to Key West, and if you find that your kids aren’t having the “perfect day” on Celebrity Reflection, there’s still plenty of time left in your family vacation week to enjoy the beach or theme parks nearby.
4. Celebrity Beyond
Launching in 2022, Celebrity Beyond is also based in Fort Lauderdale and offers Caribbean cruises with some itineraries stopping at Perfect Day at CocoCay. Celebrity Beyond is best suited for families with older children who are used to traveling abroad and trying fancier dishes.
This Edge Class ship features the ‘Magic Carpet’ where you can dine, relax or fly over the hull of Celebrity Beyond. Le Petit Chef returns to Grand Bistro, and the high-tech animated meal is sure to entertain and satisfy. In addition to Perfect Day at CocoCay cruises, Celebrity Beyond offers a number of Southern Caribbean itineraries, including Panama Canal sailings with stops in South America.
5. Celebrity Apex in Northern Europe
The Celebrity Apex was the second of the Edge Class ships with, you guessed it, the “Magic Carpet” deck cantilevered over the side of the ship. In summer, Apex travels to Europe and offers a series of cruises in Norwegian fjords, Scandinavia and Northern Europe.
Our family loved the Norwegian Fjord cruise we took and it was one of our best vacations. The scenery and scenery of Stavanger, Lysefjord, Pulpit Rock and Geirangerfjord are some of the most beautiful we have ever seen. Other notable Celebrity Apex itineraries include a cruise to Ireland, Iceland and Scotland and a 13-day getaway around the Iberian Peninsula.
6. Celebrity Edge in Alaska
Celebrity Edge is the ship behind Celebrity Cruise’s revolutionary ‘Magic Carpet’ design, launched in 2018. Since then, three other ships have positioned the innovative deck on the side of the ship.
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During the summer of 2024, the Celebrity Edge is making a round trip from Seattle to Dawes Glacier, Alaska, and this levitating deck serves as an observation deck for spectacular Alaska scenery and observation of the wildlife. In addition to the “Magic Carpet,” Celebrity Edge has launched a new cabin design: Infinite Verandas. These cabins open the entire wall to the veranda, expanding the interior space and allowing guests to walk directly outside. This extra space is perfect for families needing a little extra space or taking in the Alaskan scenery right from your bed.
7. Holiday Cruises
During the winter holiday season, Celebrity Cruises pulls out all the stops with holiday-themed shows, pop-up dance performances, Christmas carolers and Santa’s grotto. Families can enjoy the festivities and decorate the Christmas tree while sailing to beautiful locations and feasting on traditional holiday foods. For New Year’s Eve, guests can ring in the new year during the grand countdown which includes a live band, noisemakers and champagne.
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