Always Included: What the Base Fare Covers
Celebrity's Always Included fare bundles classic drinks (beer, wine, spirits, specialty coffee), basic WiFi, and gratuities at $18 per person per day into the advertised price. This means the sticker price of $799 to $1,200 per person already includes items that would cost $250 to $400 extra on Carnival or Royal Caribbean.
The Classic drinks tier covers cocktails, beer, wine by the glass, and specialty coffees. Premium spirits, bottles of wine, and high-end champagne require an upgrade to the Elevate ($89.99/day) or Indulge ($109.99/day) tier. The included WiFi is sufficient for browsing and social media but not streaming. For many passengers, the Always Included tier provides everything they need without a la carte stress.
Upgrading: Elevate and Indulge Tiers
The Elevate tier at $89.99 per person per day upgrades drinks to premium spirits, adds streaming WiFi, and includes onboard credit. The Indulge tier at $109.99 per person per day adds unlimited premium drinks, unlimited WiFi at the highest speed, and additional onboard credit. For two adults over seven nights, the upgrade from Always Included to Elevate adds approximately $630, and the jump to Indulge adds approximately $1,260.
The value calculation depends on your drinking habits and connectivity needs. If the Classic drinks package covers your preferences and you do not need to stream video, Always Included is the best value. If you drink top-shelf spirits or need video-call-quality WiFi, the Elevate upgrade pays for itself in two to three days. Indulge is best for luxury-oriented cruisers who want zero friction at every bar and restaurant.
Specialty Dining and Shore Excursions
Celebrity's included dining is notably better than mainstream lines. The main restaurant and Oceanview Cafe buffet serve food that competes with many competitors' specialty venues. That said, specialty restaurants add $35 to $75 per person for experiences at Le Petit Chef (interactive dining with projected animations), Tuscan Grille, Murano French restaurant, and Raw on 5 sushi bar.
Shore excursions through Celebrity average $95 to $160 per person per port, slightly higher than Carnival or Royal Caribbean because the excursion selection tends toward smaller groups and more exclusive experiences. Photography packages, spa treatments, and onboard activities follow similar pricing to other premium lines. A single spa massage runs $135 to $195 before the standard 20% gratuity.
The Real Celebrity Total
For two adults on a 7-night cruise with the Always Included tier, a veranda cabin, two specialty dinners, and two excursions, the total runs $3,400 to $4,800. With the Elevate tier, add $630. With Indulge, add $1,260. A bare-bones Always Included cruise with no extras beyond what is bundled costs $2,200 to $3,000 for two, which is competitive with a mid-range Royal Caribbean experience once you account for the included drinks and WiFi.
Celebrity's genuine advantage is that the Always Included price is closer to what you will actually pay than any other cruise line's advertised fare. The gap between sticker price and real cost is smaller, which makes budgeting easier. Use CruiseKit's True Cost Calculator to compare Celebrity's all-in pricing against equivalent add-on bundles on other lines.