Celebrity cruises - WorldWideWaftage

In 2025, the world of cruising continues to evolve, and nowhere is this more evident than on the ships of Celebrity Cruises and Royal Caribbean. These two lines, while under the same corporate umbrella, attract somewhat different guests, each with distinct motivations and expectations. Yet, they share one powerful commonality: the magnetic pull of the sea and the desire to escape the ordinary. Walking the decks of either line, one quickly senses the diversity of today’s cruising demographic, an ever-expanding tapestry of ages, backgrounds, and stories from around the world.

On Royal Caribbean, the atmosphere is lively and intergenerational, a microcosm of modern travel where families, couples, solo adventurers, and retirees coexist under the same expansive sky. The average age of passengers hovers in the mid-forties, but that number barely scratches the surface of the real story. Parents travel with children, sometimes even with grandparents in tow, making these voyages multi-generational gatherings unlike any other. The newer, larger ships, floating cities in their own right, offer endless opportunities for fun and excitement, attracting thrill-seekers and those seeking a new experience every day. There are rock-climbing walls, surfing simulators, ice-skating rinks, zip lines, and Broadway-style shows. These ships are designed for those who see travel not as an escape but as an adventure.

Celebrity Cruises, by contrast, appeals to a slightly older, more refined demographic. The average age of passengers leans closer to the fifties and sixties, and the pace is gentler, more contemplative. These guests appreciate fine dining, art, culture, and conversation over cocktails at sunset rather than karaoke or game shows. Couples celebrating anniversaries, seasoned travelers who’ve already seen the world, and professionals taking a break from demanding lives fill the elegant spaces onboard. The design of Celebrity’s ships, sleek and modern with thoughtful touches of luxury, mirrors the preferences of its clientele: sophisticated yet not pretentious, polished yet never sterile.

Still, the gap between the two lines is narrowing in fascinating ways. Royal Caribbean’s younger guests are aging into Celebrity’s demographic, bringing with them a love of technology, connectivity, and wellness that is reshaping the luxury cruise experience. At the same time, Celebrity’s efforts to attract a younger audience, through social media outreach, wellness programs, and modern cuisine, are paying off. Millennials and Gen X travelers, many of whom once thought of cruises as something their parents did, are now embracing the ease, value, and quality these voyages offer. Couples in their thirties and forties are booking suites and spa cabins, appreciating the balance between relaxation and exploration.

Both lines are seeing an influx of international passengers. North Americans still make up the majority of guests, but travelers from the UK, Europe, Australia, and Asia have grown significantly. As the world becomes more connected and the cost of long-haul flights continues to stabilize, cruisers are venturing farther afield to join itineraries in the Mediterranean, Asia, South America, and beyond. For many, these cruises serve as floating hotels, offering a familiar comfort while exploring foreign ports. For others, they are a social experience, an opportunity to meet like-minded travelers who share a passion for the world.

Another emerging trend in 2025 is the increasing number of digital nomads and remote workers who choose to sail for months at a time. High-speed internet, once a luxury, has become a lifeline, enabling guests to work from anywhere, even in the middle of the ocean. Celebrity’s quieter, more luxurious setting appeals to those who crave both productivity and tranquility, while Royal Caribbean’s bustling energy suits travelers who prefer to balance work with play. It’s not unusual now to see laptops open at a café overlooking the sea, where someone types away between ports, turning a stateroom into an office with a view.

Cruising has also become more inclusive and accessible. Both Royal Caribbean and Celebrity are welcoming guests from a broader range of economic and cultural backgrounds than ever before. Special promotions, loyalty programs, and flexible itineraries have opened the doors to travelers who once thought cruising was out of reach. Solo cabins, a relatively recent innovation, have also changed the face of the passenger mix, encouraging those who travel alone, by choice or circumstance, to join in the experience without paying the traditional “single supplement.” This shift has added a vibrant new energy on board, as solo travelers bring fresh perspectives and spontaneous friendships.

In the end, the demographics of 2025 tell a story of transformation. Cruising is no longer the preserve of retirees or the wealthy. It has become a reflection of the global traveler, curious, connected, and craving experiences that blend comfort with discovery. On Royal Caribbean, the laughter of children echoes through the promenade while couples dance under the stars. On Celebrity, the clink of wine glasses mingles with the soft hum of conversation in elegant lounges. Together, they capture the full spectrum of modern travel, where age, nationality, and background blur into something shared, a love of the sea, of new horizons, and of the gentle rhythm of life aboard a ship.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, November 7, 2015:

After recently watching a David Attenborough documentary on the in-depth life cycle of caterpillars, we gained a new perspective on these amazing creatures, with two distinct life cycles as they eventually morph into butterflies. We spotted this one on the veranda a few days ago. For more photos, please click here.

Pastry Chef Xavier and Jess. We shared “foodie” tidbits! He’s determined to make me a special dessert.

We aren’t the type of passengers or customers to complain. If our steak is too well done, we may politely ask for a new one if the restaurant is not too busy. But more often than not, we eat it anyway, content to be together having a meal, even if it isn’t perfect.

Since beginning this strict way of eating 18 months ago, I have been sensitive to avoiding making a spectacle when ordering food, seeking out appropriate options by carefully perusing the menu, and asking the waiters to question the chef if necessary.

Aboard ship for almost 18 nights with approximately 36 meals eaten thus far (we only eat two times a day). We’ve had plenty of opportunities to discover which foods fit the guidelines of my strict diet (Tom’s less strict than I, especially on these cruises).

For me, it’s a matter of feeling well or feeling sick. No willpower is needed for that! For Tom, lately, he feels well no matter what he eats, and although he’s gained back a few pounds, once we get to Belize with our home cooking, he’ll return to my way of eating, losing the extra poundage in a few weeks.

The only part of the meals aboard the ship that has been a little hard to resist has been watching the fabulous desserts come out to our shared table each night, taste-tempting plates of elegant fruit or chocolate sauces, drizzled or slathered over varying types of cheesecakes, mousses, cakes, and pies, all of which, in my old life, I would have enjoyed immensely.

Each night, the thoughtful waiters have attempted to lure me into ordering “gluten-free” desserts, of which there are two options. Trying to explain the restrictions of my low carb, sugar-free, grain-free, starch-free, no processed food diet to a broken English-speaking overworked waiter is impossible.

As a result, when they’ve graciously tried to accommodate me, I’ve gently refused instead asking for the imported cheese plate (minus crackers and fruit) even if I had nary a bit of room in my stuffed belly after an otherwise fine meal of a protein, salad, and steamed vegetables. Doing so seems to appease the waiter that he’s done his job, leaving me content with the offering.

Invariably, the cheese plate arrives with a smattering of dried and fresh fruits, which I discretely put aside without comment, consuming the tidbits of cheese in a mere minute, thoroughly enjoying the tangy flavors.

When booking all of our cruises, we’ve chosen “Select Dining,” an option whereby we can eat at any time from 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm in the main dining room Celebrity Equinox’s Silhouette dining room is an elegant massive two level white linen dining room with waiters scurrying about in tuxedoes and a white towel neatly draped across their arm.

With this choice, we can eat alone at a table for two or eat at varying configurations, round for six or eight, or rectangle for up to 10, sitting across from one another. This shared dining has been delightful, each night meeting new tablemates when lively conversation ensues in most cases.

Most often, passengers choose to sit with others to enjoy meeting new people. Instead of talking and enjoying the time among ourselves or with people on our other side, we respect. We observed our newly found dining companions prefer to remain quietly to themselves on a few occasions.

The other dining option is a fixed dining time of either 6:00 pm or 8:30 pm at the same table each night of the cruise, sitting next to the same people, night after night. Risky. Plus, we’re attempting to live a life of doing exactly what we want to do when we want to do it. Selfish? Perhaps.

Nonetheless, immensely fun. If we miss out, so be it. We’ll figure out an alternate plan.

Anyway, back to last night. We were seated in the elegant lower level of the dining room instead of the main level when we didn’t have a reservation. The maître’d had taken a liking to us. As a result, we’ve only had to wait on one occasion for more than a few minutes for a table.

If there was a long waiting line, we waited in the “ice bar” enjoying a beverage until the maître’d informed us that our table was ready.

Upon being seated at a rectangle table for eight, closest to the wall (not ideal), our penguin-dressed waiter rushed up to me and, for some unknown reason, was aware of my dietary restrictions. Had the word spread that the tall, dark-haired, older woman with the adorable grey-haired guy was gluten-free along with other goofy restrictions?

He ran circles around me. Tom, preferring not to draw attention to himself, more than what he accrues being endlessly chatty and humorous, slithered down a little in his chair. I chuckled.

This was proving to be VIP service, none of which we requested or expected.

Ordering a Caesar salad minus croutons, a giant rare rib steak, buttered al dente asparagus, and a platter of steamed non-starchy vegetables, I was content. Oh, no. I wasn’t getting away that easy!

When I refused dessert, shocking our attentive waiter and not wanting to “hurt his feelings,” I explained that I was on a strict diet for health reasons. I gently explained that there was nothing I
could eat other than the ol’ standby cheese plate and that I was quite content (although I was actually tired of it already). The waiter dashed off before I could say another word.

In moments, Chef Xavier, pastry chef extraordinaire, white tower hat atop his head of curly brown and grey hair, crisp white uniform spotless and neatly pressed appeared at our table, insistent in a delightful accent I couldn’t quite decipher, that I give him a list of every item I couldn’t eat.

Paper and pen in hand, he was determined to prepare a special dessert for me to enjoy each of our five remaining nights aboard the Celebrity Equinox until we disembark early for our extended stay in Belize. He asked many questions about the things I could have. A little embarrassed by all the attention, I quietly spewed the list of items I must avoid commonly used in baking.

When I tried to refuse his generous offer, I realized that he loved the challenge when his typical days and nights consisted of creating the same “cookie-cutter” desserts for the 11,000 meals served each day.

Tom took the above photo of Chef Xavier and me, tableside. The favorite maître’d, observing this scenario, insisted that he’d find us tonight and each upcoming night taking down our names and cabin number.

I suspected that their sophisticated computer system could easily locate us after we check-in for dining.

So, I look forward to a new dessert concoction tonight and nights to come. I told Tom that even if it doesn’t taste fabulous, I’ll eat it anyway and enjoy it, knowing that the thoughtful consideration in itself whet my appetite.

Thanks, Chef Xavier. Your kindness adds yet another memorable event to our year’s long
journey, so rich in its content and already becoming so rich in the experience of meeting new and exciting people along the way.

Tag: Celebrity cruises

Day 12…Sea days continue…The world of cruising, including an array of demographics…

Pastry Chef Xavier’s VIP service…