I cruise a lot. I’ve sailed on multiple cruise lines, many different ships, and to destinations around the world, and to be honest, I’ve sailed with Celebrity Cruises enough times to reach Elite status in the Captain’s Club. So when I boarded Celebrity Xcel for the annual Celebrity Cruises President’s Cruise, I thought I had a pretty good idea of what to expect.
I was wrong in the very best possible way.
The President’s Cruise isn’t simply a Celebrity cruise with a few extra cocktail parties and a let’s get dressed up and have a fancy dinner thrown in. This special cruise is a once-a-year celebration created specifically for Celebrity’s loyal guests, and let me tell you, they pull out all of the stops. There are special events, exclusive excursions, dinners, entertainment, and experiences that you won’t find on an ordinary sailing. More importantly, there’s a feeling throughout the cruise that you’re part of something very special. And it all begins before you even step on board the ship.
Related: Is Cruise Line Loyalty Really Worth It? 5 Perks I Rely On After 30+ Sailings
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It All Began in Athens
I flew into Athens two days before the cruise and stayed at the iconic Hotel Grande Bretagne, right in the heart of the city. If you’re going to begin a special Mediterranean trip, this is certainly the way to do it. Celebrity had made all of the arrangements for their President’s Cruise guests that included surprises from the moment we landed at the Athens airport, and staying at this classic 5-star hotel was about to set the scene for an experience of a lifetime.
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My pre-cruise stay included an extraordinary Benaki Museum experience with privileged access to a private collection that is rarely open to the public. I love experiences like this because they allow you to see a destination beyond the usual checklist of attractions.
Rather than simply saying, “I went to Athens and saw the sights,” I had an opportunity to get closer to its history, culture, and art. While the Benaki (which is housed in the magnificent Benakis mansion) is open to the public, we were privvy to collections that are rarely seen by the general public. As someone who actively seeks out museums when I travel, this is an opportunity that, for a museum buff, is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
That evening, we headed to Dionysos Restaurant, where the setting almost competes with the food.
Almost.
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Zippy Sandler
Dinner came with an incredible view of the Acropolis, and world-class entertainment by the quartet Amadeus, who transformed the evening with their violins, cello, piano and amazing voices, and helped set the backdrop to an evening of Greek food, music, visuals, along with the entire Celebrity Cruises executive team interacting with guests. There are certain travel moments when you stop talking for a second, look around and think, “THIS is why I travel,” and this is certainly one of them.
Zippy Sandler
Sitting in Athens at night with the illuminated Acropolis seemingly right there was one of those moments.
And the cruise hadn’t even started yet.
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Zippy Sandler
Not Your Typical Celebrity Xcel Sailing
Once aboard Celebrity Xcel, it became apparent very quickly that this wasn’t going to be a typical cruise. The President’s Cruise happens only once a year, and Celebrity creates special experiences specifically for the sailing.
That’s part of what makes it so much fun for loyal cruisers.
We know the ships.
We know what we love.
And yes, we love it when Celebrity shakes things up.
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Zippy Sandler
There were parties, shows, special dinners, and surprises throughout the sailing, but one of the things I appreciated most was something that couldn’t be put on a menu or printed in the daily schedule: all of the guests on board had opportunities to interact with members of Celebrity’s executive team.
For loyal guests, that matters. It gives passengers the chance to talk with the people making decisions about the ships, itineraries, and onboard experience. It also gives Celebrity’s executives the opportunity to hear directly from the people who spend a LOT of time aboard their ships.
That relationship between Celebrity and its repeat cruisers is really at the heart of the President’s Cruise.
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Getting My Hands Dirty in Turkey
Susan Williams
One of my favorite days was in Ephesus, Turkey, where I joined the President’s Cruise exclusive Artisans of Anatolia. Ceramic & Carpet Crafting excursion.
And this was not a “stand there and watch someone else make something” experience. We got involved.
I learned how to use a loom for weaving, tried my hand at a traditional kickwheel for pottery, and painted my own tile.
I have always loved meeting artisans when I travel because what they create tells you so much about the culture and history of a place. But actually sitting down and attempting these centuries-old crafts myself gave me an entirely different appreciation for the skill involved.
Watching an expert work a loom is one thing. Trying to do it yourself is quite another.
The same goes for pottery. Let’s just say there is a very good reason that master potters make it look easier than it actually is.
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Zippy Sandler
And painting my own tile gave me something even better than another souvenir from Turkey. I had something connected to an experience and a memory. Those are the things I want to bring home from my travels.
Zippy Sandler
Of course, seeing all of the beautiful Turkish rugs and a belly dancer to end the day was just icing on the Turkish Delight.
Santorini, Swimming and a Sunset I Won’t Forget
Zippy Sandler
Santorini delivered two completely different experiences during my trip.
Zippy Sandler
First, I got to swim at the new Royal Beach Club in Santorini. There is something wonderfully decadent about spending part of a Mediterranean day simply swimming and enjoying the surroundings. Sometimes the best cruise excursion isn’t about seeing how many historic sites you can squeeze into six hours. Sometimes you just need to put on your swimsuit and enjoy Greece, and the Royal Beach Club allowed us to do just that.
Well, that, and a welcome to all by the President of Celebrity Cruises, Laura Hodges Bethge.
Zippy Sandler
After getting in a little beach time and watching people horseback ride on the beach (thinking back, it’s something I should have done), we found an incredible array of Greek food and drink waiting for us. With a live group playing while we took in the balmy breezes and delicious food, this is a great way to experience what the Greek Isles are really about, and while Celebrity made it special for those of us on the President’s Cruise, it is also available to all passengers as an excursion for those visiting Santorini with Celebrity Cruises.
ORBut that evening was something else entirely. We were invited to the special Elite Plus event at the Santo Wines Winery for dinner, wine, and one of the most beautiful Santorini sunsets I’ve ever experienced.
Santorini has no shortage of places promising a beautiful sunset, but watching the sky change over the island with a glass of wine in hand and dinner ahead of us felt particularly special, especially as we stood on the cliffs, watching the water beneath with beautiful music and entertainment.
Zippy Sandler
The combination of the setting, the wine, the food, and the company turned it into one of my favorite evenings of the cruise. It’s the kind of night that makes you understand why people become so obsessed with returning to the Greek islands.
A Taste of Malta With Celebrity’s President
Malta brought another experience that simply wouldn’t happen on an ordinary sailing. We were hosted by Celebrity Cruises President Laura Hodges Bethge for A Taste of Malta’s Countryside, which included learning to cook at a family farm, getting up close and personal with animals, and the beauty of the countryside of Malta that most people miss when they simply leave the ship in Valletta to explore the city.
Zippy Sandler
Again, that is part of what makes the President’s Cruise so unusual. You aren’t simply seeing the destination. Celebrity’s leadership is there, experiencing parts of the journey alongside the guests.
Zippy Sandler
We learned to make pastizzi, a delicious golden dough filled with either peas or rice that are as flaky as croissants and as delicious as can be.
Mary Bryant Fleming
I may not have been the BEST at making them, but it was a lot of fun (and I’m still hoping that the ones they served at our lunch were NOT the ones that I made, although by the looks of them they weren’t).
Zippy Sandler
There’s something very different about chatting with company executives when everyone is away from offices and conference rooms and instead sharing food, exploring a destination, or simply enjoying the day together. It makes a very large cruise company feel surprisingly personal, and you come away knowing that they really care about passenger feedback.
A President’s Cruise Just Feels Different
Zippy Sandler
Of course there were special touches to some of the experiences that you can have on Celebrity, like my favorite go-to coffee shop, Cafe al Bacio, which offered drinks in edible cups.
Zippy Sandler
Captain Kirk put on an amazing concert (which he does every now and then). I had only met him as captain of the ship, and this was the first time I saw him in concert, and wow, that man can shred on a guitar. He can also SING and got the audience singing right along with him.
Zippy Sandler
A fun cooking competition where three guest finalists got to compete that was judged members of the executive team and the executive chef.
Zippy Sandler
A performance by the internationally acclaimed Los Vivancos, an all-male flamenco troupe.
Zippy Sandler
There’s also Swag. Lots and LOTS of Swag. And it’s not the swag that you want to toss because you already have it; it’s Swag that not only reminds you long after you’ve come home that you have probably had one of the best cruises of your life. It’s the swag you’ll use again and again and again. And there is so much that you may need an extra backpack or tote (which of course, they gave us) to bring it all home in.
I’ve cruised enough to know that luxury isn’t always about having the fanciest room or ordering the most expensive bottle of wine. Sometimes luxury is access.
It’s being invited somewhere that is rarely open to the public. It’s sitting down with an artisan and learning a craft that has been passed down through generations. It’s sharing an excursion with the president of the cruise line. It’s a private event at a winery as the sun goes down over Santorini.
It’s walking into an event aboard a ship you already know and discovering that Celebrity has created something completely new for this particular group of passengers. And sometimes it’s simply feeling recognized for your loyalty. That may be what Celebrity Cruises understands best about the President’s Cruise.
These passengers have chosen Celebrity again and again. Many have spent hundreds of nights aboard Celebrity ships. They know the crew, the restaurants, the ships and, in many cases, one another. The President’s Cruise feels a little like Celebrity throwing a giant annual party for that extended family.
Only this particular family reunion happens to involve the Mediterranean, Santorini sunsets, Greek wine, Turkish artisans, and a very beautiful ship.
Is the Celebrity President’s Cruise Worth It?
Zippy Sandler
If you’re already a Celebrity cruiser and you’re wondering whether the President’s Cruise is really that different, my answer after experiencing it is a resounding yes.
You could certainly book another sailing on the same ship and enjoy Celebrity’s restaurants, entertainment, service, and destinations. I have many times. But that’s not really what you’re paying for when you choose the President’s Cruise.
You’re choosing the extras. The special events. The exclusive shore experiences. The surprises. The access to Celebrity executives. The opportunity to spend a week surrounded by other people who love cruising as much as you do. And, perhaps most importantly, you’re getting a version of Celebrity that exists for only one sailing each year.
Once it’s over, it’s over.
And About Next Year…
Now for the part that has me particularly interested.
I heard a rumor while onboard that next year’s President’s Cruise will be sailing from my home port of Fort Lauderdale aboard the refurbished Celebrity Reflection in May.
Fort Lauderdale is my home port, and Reflection happens to be one of my favorite Celebrity ships. The idea of seeing what Celebrity could do with a newly refurbished Reflection for its biggest loyalty celebration of the year? Well, let’s just say they wouldn’t have to twist my arm very hard to get me onboard.
After experiencing this year’s President’s Cruise, I finally understand why loyal Celebrity cruisers get so excited about this particular sailing. Celebrity could simply host a cocktail reception, hand everyone a glass of Champagne, and call it a loyalty celebration.
They don’t.
Instead, for one cruise each year, they take the experience several steps further. From exclusive cultural experiences and private dinners to special entertainment, destination events, and access to the people running the company, the President’s Cruise is designed to thank the people who keep coming back.
And after Athens, Santorini, Ephesus, Malta, Celebrity Xcel, and more food and wine than I probably care to admit?
I’d say they throw one heck of a thank-you party.
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