Celebrity Cruises’ Alaska Ships: Which One Should You Choose?

Celebrity Cruises Ship in Alaska

Celebrity Cruises currently sails to Alaska with three ships: Celebrity Edge, Celebrity Solstice and Celebrity Summit. There are tons of itineraries to choose from, visiting top destinations in Alaska such as the Dawes and Hubbard Glaciers. So how do you pick the right Celebrity Cruises Alaskan cruise itinerary and ship for your vacation?

I’m going to break down everything you need to know about each of these three ships and what they offer in regards to the Alaskan cruise experience, so you can make the best choice for you and your fellow travelers. 

Ship Overview

Ship Class Homeport(s) Glacier Access Best For
Celebrity Solstice Solstice Seattle Endicott Arm / Dawes Glacier First-time cruisers, families, modern design
Celebrity Eclipse Solstice Vancouver Hubbard Glacier Scenery lovers, couples, large-ship amenities
Celebrity Millennium Millennium Vancouver & Seward Hubbard Glacier Adventure travelers, land tours, smaller ship

Celebrity Edge

Launched in 2018, Celebrity Edge is no longer the cruise line’s biggest or newest ship, but it still certainly appeals to those wanting a modern, upscale cruising experience when they travel to the Last Frontier.

And, if you’ve never sailed with Celebrity Cruises before, it’s worth noting that, in terms of luxury, the line isn’t considered a super-luxury brand, like Regent Seven Seas or Silversea, but it’s definitely a step above the budget guys.

Given its newness, Celebrity Edge hasn’t received any extensive renovations since its debut, just some minor updates during a 2023 dry dock.

Celebrity Edge Cruise Ship
Celebrity Edge Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: Ian Dewar Photography)

Features you can expect include the Magic Carpet, a cantilevered platform that moves along the ship’s exterior and is used during boarding and disembarking, but also as a bar and restaurant during sailings. There are also infinite veranda staterooms that merge the indoors and outdoors into one cohesive space.

Celebrity Edge is the newest and most modern of the three Celebrity Cruises ships that travel to Alaska, making it an excellent choice if having the best and newest features and amenities possible during your cruise experience is of the utmost importance to you.

2026–2027 Alaska Deployments

Celebrity Cruises currently offers seven-night sailings on Celebrity Edge, departing from both Seattle and Vancouver, with prices starting as low as around $130 per night. Highlights along the way include Ketchikan, Skagway, Dawes Glacier and the Alaska Inside Passage.

Just note that not all of these are your typical round-trip deployments. Instead, some itineraries travel from Vancouver to Alaska and then back to Seattle (or vice versa) rather than returning to their original port of call.

Celebrity Edge Ship Stats

  • Gross Tonnage: 129,500
  • Passenger Capacity: 2,918
  • Staterooms: 1,467
  • Guest Decks: 14

What to Expect During an Alaskan Cruise on Celebrity Edge

During an Alaskan cruise on Celebrity Edge, you’ll enjoy a modern, upscale cruising experience, with lots of amenities and ways to stay entertained on the ship, when you’re not in port. Cruisers often mention loving the dining and live entertainment on Celebrity Edge. There’s also an indoor pool, so you can take a dip regardless of the weather.

Definitely book an infinite veranda stateroom if you’re sailing on this ship to Alaska. The views from the entirety of your cabin will be well worth the extra cost, when it comes to watching the wildlife and marine life, from sea lions to killer whales. 

If you don’t book a room with at least a window, you’re going to need to get up early so that you can catch the scenic views without fighting against a crowd. 

Who Should Avoid This Ship

The ship only sails seven-night itineraries, and visits primarily the top spots in Alaska. If you want a longer sailing or visits to smaller locales, you may be better off picking another ship. Additionally, this ship does not stop at Hubbard Glacier, so if that’s on your bucket list, look elsewhere for other cruise types.

Celebrity Edge Pros & Cons in Alaska

Pros Cons
Big, modern ship with lots of amenities typical for Edge series ships Short itineraries that aren’t always round-trip (which can result in greater airfare costs)
Infinite Veranda staterooms offer spectacular views of the breathtaking beauty of Alaska Short itineraries that aren’t always round-trip (which can result in greater airfare costs)
Itineraries may not visit all the top spots you want to see

Celebrity Solstice 

Originally launched in 2008, Celebrity Solstice is the lead Solstice-class ship. As such, when it made its debut, the ship was full of rave-worthy new features. The ship introduced Celebrity Cruises’ Lawn Club, with its hot glass show, as well as the AquaClass staterooms.

Given its age, the ship has received multiple refurbishments over its lifetime, including in 2016, 2021 and, most recently, early 2026. The latest round of refurbishments was part of a broader $250 million effort to modernize all Solstice-class ships, with expansive changes all around.

Celebrity Solstice in Alaska
Celebrity Solstice in Alaska (Photo Credit: Bill Wilcox)

Now, cruisers traveling to Alaska on this ship will enjoy fully upgraded staterooms, as well as the option to book four new stateroom categories. All these new staterooms are sure to offer stellar Alaska views, whether you book a panoramic infinite veranda suite, deluxe panoramic ocean view suite, panoramic ocean view suite or deluxe panoramic ocean view stateroom. 

New restaurants and social spaces are also being added. Given all of the above, then, if you were worried about booking an Alaskan cruise on Celebrity Solstice because it’s on the older side, don’t be. 

This ship has been given a heavy makeover that takes care of past complaints that it’s on the tired and dated side. Additionally, a lot of these upgrades make for better views in both indoor and outdoor spaces — perfect for Alaska!

2026–2027 Alaska Deployments

With prices starting at $107 per night, you have a wealth of Celebrity Solstice Alaska deployment options to choose from. The majority are 10-night trips with shore excursions included, though you can also find cruises that are as little as five nights. Ships sail to both the Hubbard Glacier and Dawes Glacier. 

Celebrity Solstice Ship Stats

  • Gross Tonnage: 122,000
  • Passenger Capacity: 2,852
  • Staterooms: 1,479
  • Guest Decks: 13

What to Expect During an Alaskan Cruise on Celebrity Solstice

Given the ships’ recent updates ahead of the 2026 Alaska season, you can expect a modern cruise experience on Celebrity Solstice, with plenty of places to take in the views, whether you’re indoors or out, in your cabin or mingling with your fellow cruisers.

As mentioned, you’re going to want to book one of those newly added stateroom categories with access to a balcony, infinite veranda or panoramic ocean view. The Sky Lounge also offers great views, but that’s not necessarily new. 

Who Should Avoid This Ship

While the ship is updated, Celebrity Edge does still have some features that you won’t find on Celebrity Solstice, so if you’re keen to experience Edge class-exclusive amenities and venues, avoid Celebrity Solstice.

Celebrity Solstice Pros & Cons in Alaska

Pros Cons
The ship was significantly updated in early 2026 While updated, this still isn’t technically a new ship
Offers a wide range of deployments, with stops in top spots like Sitka, Juneau, and the Icy Strait Point Offers a wide range of deployments, with stops in top spots like Sitka, Juneau, and the Icy Strait Point

Celebrity Summit

A Millennium-class ship, Celebrity Summit, is the oldest and smallest ship of the three that Celebrity Cruises is sending to Alaska. As such, if you like a more intimate, less crowded cruising experience, this may just be the ship for you. 

Sailing on a smaller ship to Alaska can be a great choice for myriad reasons. Smaller ships can go places that larger ships can’t, so you can see more of the great outdoors beyond the tourist hot spots. Fewer people onboard means less scrambling for a good spot to take in the scenery as well.

Celebrity Summit in Alaska
Celebrity Summit in Alaska (Photo Credit: Ken Schulze)

However, there are trade-offs. While this ship, which launched in 2001, has been refurbished as recently as 2019, you can only do so much to a smaller ship, so don’t expect all the venues and amenities you’d find on a Celebrity Cruises vessel that’s 20 years its junior. Still, it does have The Retreat and Sky Lounge, fan favorite spaces.

2026–2027 Alaska Deployments

Find week-long or longer Celebrity Summit cruises starting at under $90 per night. Having trouble picking? The one-way sailings between Vancouver and Seward are a top pick due to the amount of time they give you both in port and visiting glaciers. 

Celebrity Summit Ship Stats

  • Gross Tonnage: 90,940
  • Passenger Capacity: 2,158
  • Staterooms: 1,119 
  • Decks: 11

What to Expect During an Alaskan Cruise on Celebrity Summit

As alluded, smaller ships have more flexibility with their itineraries, and that’s one of the things cruisers love about Celebrity Summit’s Alaskan cruises. Plan to thoroughly enjoy time in port and visiting glaciers, as well as simply relaxing on this laid-back, low-key vessel.

Read Also: Royal Caribbean’s Alaska Cruise Ships – Which One Should You Choose?

Get the best views in the Sky Lounge, and consider picking a veranda stateroom. While you’ll get somewhat better views higher up, just keep in mind that staterooms higher up on a cruise ship generally come with more motion and noise.

Who Should Avoid This Ship

You should probably pick another Celebrity Cruises ship for an Alaskan cruise if you prefer newer, bigger ships. If you love having a lot of options during a cruise, you may end up underwhelmed or bored by Celebrity Summit’s relatively limited offerings.

Celebrity Summit Pros & Cons in Alaska

Pros Cons
A smaller ship means fewer crowds This ship is on the older side, and hasn’t received that recent of refurbishments
Itineraries prioritize time in Alaskan ports and at glaciers Smaller ships mean fewer amenities and venues 

Which Ship is Cheapest?

On average, out of these three ships, you can expect the cheapest cruise fares on Celebrity Summit. However, fares always range significantly depending on things like demand, exact stateroom booked, etc. 

Here are the lowest and highest per-night costs for each ship:

  • Celebrity Summit: $89.32–$693.52
  • Celebrity Edge:  $128.80–$874.63
  • Celebrity Solstice: $118.60–$752.05

Generally, smaller, older ships are going to have lower fares than newer, bigger ships, as can be seen in Celebrity Cruises’ pricing for its Alaskan voyages.

Celebrity Cruises’ Alaska Ships: Which One Should You Choose?

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