Celebrity Cruises has 16 cruise ships. These range from large cruise ships that can accommodate over 3,000 guests, to small expedition yachts with a guest capacity of just 16.
In this article, we’ll look at the different Celebrity Cruises ships, to help you narrow down your options for your next cruise. You’ll find lists of the Celebrity ships by age and size, as well as explanations of the different classes of vessels in the fleet.
Whether you’re a regular cruiser or are considering your first cruise with Celebrity, I hope that you find this guide to Celebrity Cruises ships ranked by age and size to be useful!
All the Celebrity ships by age – newest to oldest
The following table shows all of Celebrity Cruises ships ordered by year of launch, including which is the newest Celebrity ship…
| Ship | Launch date |
|---|---|
| Celebrity Xcel | Due November 2025 |
| Celebrity Ascent | December 2023 |
| Celebrity Beyond | April 2022 |
| Celebrity Apex | June 2021 |
| Celebrity Flora | June 2019 |
| Celebrity Edge | November 2018 |
| Celebrity Xploration | March 2017 |
| Celebrity Reflection | October 2012 |
| Celebrity Silhouette | July 2011 |
| Celebrity Eclipse | April 2010 |
| Celebrity Equinox | August 2009 |
| Celebrity Solstice | November 2008 |
| Celebrity Xpedition | June 2004 |
| Celebrity Constellation | May 2002 |
| Celebrity Summit | October 2001 |
| Celebrity Infinity | March 2001 |
| Celebrity Millennium | July 2000 |
Celebrity Ascent is the newest ship (for now)
The newest Celebrity Cruises ship is Celebrity Ascent. This ship made her maiden voyage in December 2023 in the Eastern Caribbean.
Before Celebrity Ascent, Celebrity Beyond (2022), Celebrity Apex (2021) and Celebrity Edge (2018) were the newest mainstream cruise ships in the Celebrity Cruises fleet. Two small Galapagos expedition ships, Celebrity Flora (2019) and Celebrity Xploration (2017) are also relatively new.
There’s then a five-year gap in the construction of new ships, with Celebrity Reflection being built in 2012.
Read more: The Newest Celebrity Cruise Ships (In Order)
Ships that have sailed on
There are several ships that Celebrity Cruises used to operate that have been sold on. Meridian was the oldest, which also sailed as Sun Cruises once sold. She sank in 1999.
Horizon was sold in 2005, and Zenith in 2007. Both ships have since been scrapped.
But there are three older ships that are still sailing on. Celebrity Galaxy, Celebrity Mercury and Celebrity Century have all have several names since leaving the Celebrity fleet, and now operate for Marella Cruises as Marella Explorer, Marella Voyager, and Marella Explorer 2 respectively.
From big to small – Celebrity ships in order of size
When it comes to comparing the size of cruise ships, the best way is to consider the Gross Tonnage. This is a measurement of the internal volume of a ship. Length, guest capacity and the number of decks that are accessible to passengers may also be considered.
The following table shows the Celebrity Cruises ships ordered from largest to smallest…
| Ship | Tonnage | Length | Guest Decks | Guests | Crew |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Celebrity Xcel | 140,600 | 327m | 16 | 3,937 | 1,416 |
| Celebrity Ascent | 140,600 | 327m | 16 | 3,937 | 1,416 |
| Celebrity Beyond | 140,600 | 327m | 16 | 3,937 | 1,416 |
| Celebrity Edge | 129,500 | 306m | 16 | 2,918 | 1,320 |
| Celebrity Apex | 129,500 | 306m | 16 | 2,910 | 1,319 |
| Celebrity Reflection | 126,000 | 319m | 13 | 3,030 | 1,293 |
| Celebrity Silhouette | 122,000 | 319m | 13 | 2,902 | 1,285 |
| Celebrity Equinox | 122,000 | 317m | 13 | 2,852 | 1,290 |
| Celebrity Eclipse | 122,000 | 317m | 13 | 2,850 | 1,286 |
| Celebrity Solstice | 122,000 | 315m | 13 | 2,850 | 1,284 |
| Celebrity Constellation | 91,000 | 294m | 11 | 2,184 | 1,022 |
| Celebrity Millennium | 90,940 | 294m | 11 | 2,218 | 1,024 |
| Celebrity Infinity | 90,940 | 294m | 11 | 2,170 | 1,024 |
| Celebrity Summit | 90,940 | 294m | 11 | 2,158 | 1,027 |
| Celebrity Flora | 5,739 | 102m | 6 | 100 | 80 |
| Celebrity Xpedition | 2,842 | 90m | 4 | 48 | 58 |
| Celebrity Xploration | 316 | 30m | 3 | 16 | 12 |
The occupancy refers to how many passengers each ship can accommodate based on having two guests in each room. As some staterooms have extra beds for third and fourth passengers, the maximum occupancy will be higher.
Celebrity Ascent and Celebrity Beyond are the biggest in the fleet
The largest Celebrity Cruises ship is Celebrity Ascent, along with her twin sister Celebrity Beyond. These cruise ships have a volume of 140,600 GT and a length of 327 m, making the ships 12% larger than the next biggest ships in the Celebrity Cruises fleet. Celebrity Xcel will be a similar size.
The biggest Celebrity Cruises ships at sea previously were sister ships Celebrity Edge and Celebrity Apex which have a volume of 129,500 GT and 16 passenger decks. However, Celebrity Reflection is 13 meters longer at 319m in length and can accommodate around 100 more guests despite having three fewer decks.
Why are some ships so small?
Celebrity Xploration, Celebrity Xpedition and Celebrity Flora are small ships, accommodating 16, 48 and 100 guests, respectively. In fact, Celebrity Xploration is the smallest cruise ship in the world!
These ships cruise to the remote Galapagos Islands off the coast of Ecuador and so they need to be small to access the ports, sometimes via Zodiac boat.
The four Celebrity classes explained
Celebrity Cruises has four classes of ships, which are referred to as ‘series’. Each class of ships has something different to offer, whilst the ships within each class will be relatively similar.
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Celebrity Edge Class Ships
Celebrity Edge class ships are the newest in the Celebrity Cruises fleet. Designed to bring you closer to the ocean, they feature the Magic Carpet, an outdoor levitating bar, and Eden, a beautiful indoor area with 7,000 square feet of windows.
The ships in Celebrity Edge Class are:
- Celebrity Xcel
- Celebrity Ascent
- Celebrity Beyond
- Celebrity Edge
- Celebrity Apex
Celebrity Solstice Class Ships
Celebrity Solstice-class ships are large cruise ships that were built between 2008 and 2012. They each feature a half-acre real grass lawn and ice-topped Martini bars.
The ships in Celebrity Solstice Class are:
- Celebrity Solstice
- Celebrity Equinox
- Celebrity Eclipse
- Celebrity Silhouette
- Celebrity Reflection
Celebrity Millennium Class Ships
Celebrity Millennium-class ships were built between 2000 and 2002 and accommodate around 2,000 passengers. Ideal for destination-focussed cruise itineraries, they’re able to access the smaller ports that larger cruise ships can’t reach.
The ships in Celebrity Millennium Class are:
- Celebrity Millennium
- Celebrity Infinity
- Celebrity Summit
- Celebrity Constellation
Celebrity Galapagos Class Ships
Celebrity Cruises Galapagos ships are designed specifically for cruises around the Galapagos Islands. They feature groundbreaking technology and offer a yacht-like experience for 16 to 100 guests.
The Celebrity Galapagos ships are:
- Celebrity Xpedition
- Celebrity Xploration
- Celebrity Flora
Read more: Celebrity Cruise Ships By Class
In January 2025, the Xpedition and Xploration will be sold by Celebrity Cruises and transfer to Lindblad Expeditions. Celebrity Flora will remain in the fleet.
Don’t confuse ship classes with stateroom classes
Celebrity Cruises also has two classes of accommodation that offer special services and amenities: the Aqua Class and the Concierge Class.
Aqua Class staterooms – In premium locations close to the spa, these come with unlimited access to spa areas and a range of perks, including welcome drinks, daily canapes, a pillow menu, bathrobes, yoga mats and priority check-in.
Concierge Class staterooms – Located on upper decks in midship locations, these come with perks such as an exclusive lunch on embarkation day, daily canapes, a pillow menu, priority check-in and access to a personalised concierge service.
The best Celebrity ships for families
All of the Celebrity Cruises ships are good for kids, so it wouldn’t be possible to say that one particular ship is the best. While you won’t find waterslides and ziplines, Celebrity Cruises kids’ clubs are great, with soft play and lots of organised activities.
They also have special resources available to help autistic guests, including children. Families can get priority boarding, and there are sensory toys to hire. Some film screenings are also low-volume and low-lighting, and autistic children can attend a kids club outside of their age range if it means they are more comfortable with a sibling.
When choosing a Celebrity cruise with children, the itinerary is probably more important than the ship. Older kids will love the Galapagos expeditions, warm weather cruises are loved by all, while parents with pre-school kids may like to look out for no-fly cruises from their nearest port.
Suggested read: The Best Cruise Ships for Kids
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To conclude
There’s a Celebrity Cruises ship for everyone. The newest ships, especially Celebrity Beyond, are modern and luxurious with stunning new design concepts and the latest technology.
The older ships have all been modernised as part of a $500-million makeover. So it’s fair to say that there are no bad ships when it comes to Celebrity Cruises.
But if you’d like to see which ships cruisers rate the highest, then check out this list of the best and worst Celebrity ships according to reviews for more info.
Related Posts:
- What Does The X Mean In Celebrity Cruises?
- Celebrity Cruises Drinks Package Guide
- Celebrity Cruises Vs Carnival: Which is Better?
Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays.
