I took my first cruise aboard Freedom of the Seas in 2010. The 7-night Eastern Caribbean cruise went to CocoCay, St. Maarten, and St. Thomas and introduced me to the Royal Caribbean brand. Ice skating rinks and surf simulators at sea? You had to be kidding me! 

Royal Caribbean ships have only gotten bigger since Freedom of the Seas initially launched in 2006. Icon of the Seas, for example, made her long-awaited debut in January 2024 and holds the record as the world's largest cruise ship. 

Celebrity Cruises was founded in 1988 by the Greece-based shipping company Chandris Group. In 1988, they merged with Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, and today, they are a wholly owned subsidiary of Royal Caribbean Group. 

The cruise line is a premium cruise line known for its destination-focused itineraries, sailing to places like Alaska, Asia, Australia & the South Pacific, the Caribbean, Europe, South America, and even the Galapagos. 

Celebrity Cruises offers a range of cabins to choose from for your cruise vacation. From budget-friendly inside cabins to lavish suites, there's the perfect stateroom for all travelers considering a Celebrity cruise. 

Regardless of which ship you're sailing on, you'll have six main cabin categories to choose from: Interior, Ocean View, Veranda, Concierge Class, AquaClass, and Suite. The price typically increases as you move up through the categories, with suites being the most expensive. 

Royal Caribbean and MSC’s biggest cruise ships offer mind-blowing attractions and an endless variety of things to do onboard, but I thought one ship was better than the other, despite the higher cost.

Within the same year, I cruised on the biggest ship by MSC Cruises—MSC World Europa—and the biggest ship by Royal Caribbean—Icon of the Seas. The vessels, which each accommodate roughly 7,000 passengers, are more akin to floating cities than traditional cruise ships.

It's official: Celebrity Cruises is bringing its beloved upscale brand to Europe's most iconic rivers. 

Celebrity is known for its luxurious, modern approach to cruising, particularly with the line's Edge Class. Celebrity Edge debuted in 2018 and redefined premium cruising with innovative features like the cantilevered Magic Carpet. 

Celebrity wants to bring its brand to Europe, so passengers can experience inland destinations without sacrificing the best parts of a Celebrity cruise vacation. 

Before arriving at the cruise terminal, make sure you have a separate carry-on bag for essentials. 

The porter will assist you with your larger pieces of luggage, and you won't see them again until you are onboard. Likely, your suitcase won't be delivered until a few hours after you embark. 

As such, you don't want any important travel documentation, medicine, or valuable items stashed away in your luggage. It's common sense not to pack your cell phone or passport, but what about luggage tags?

Here are 27 items you should always pack in your carry-on bag!

It pays to be loyal to Celebrity Cruises. One of the leading premium cruise lines in the world, Celebrity is known for its upscale ships, worldly destinations, and top-tier service. 

The more you sail with Celebrity, the faster you'll climb the ranks of its Captain's Club program. The highest tiers earn benefits like complimentary drinks, free laundry, and discounts on Wi-Fi!

Symphony of the Seas is one of the world's largest cruise ships. However, I discovered that the cabins are far from spacious. I stayed in an inside cabin on a weeklong cruise to the Caribbean from Miami, Florida. It was my first time in an interior stateroom, and I wasn't sure what to expect. 

The 228,081 gross registered ton ship has over 2,700 staterooms onboard capable of accommodating 6,680 guests at maximum capacity. 

Cruise ships are floating resorts packed with everything from multiple restaurants and bars to theaters, rock climbing walls, mini-golf courses, go-kart tracks, and surf simulators. Recently, however, cruise lines have been upping their waterslide game. 

In the past few years, popular mainstream cruise lines like Royal Caribbean, MSC Cruises, and Norwegian have introduced mind-blowing waterslides, transforming the top decks into aquatic playgrounds.