Cruise Spotlight
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Norwegian Luna vs Celebrity Silhouette
The Norwegian Luna is still being built and will debut in 2026. The Norwegian Luna will be the 21st ship in the NCL fleet, debuting in April 2026. The Luna is still under construction and Norwegian hasn't released all the details yet. It's 15 years newer than the Silhouette, which was built in 2011 and renovated in 2020. While the Celebrity Silhouette has a lawn club like most of it's sister ships, it's mostly exclusive to suite guests or those willing to pay extra.
Comparison Overview
- Ship Size
- Number of Passengers
- Food and Restaurants
- Bars and Drinks
- Pools and Hot Tubs
- Ship Features and Activities
- Cruise Costs
- Onboard Costs
Ship Size
The Luna is considered a large size ship. Coming in at 1,056 feet long and 133 feet wide, it's roughly the length of 2.9 football fields, as wide as 2.5 tractor-trailers and the same height as a 15-story building. Compared to the Celebrity Silhouette, the Luna is 28% larger in terms of overall tons.
Number of Passengers
Norwegian Luna holds 23% more passengers than the Silhouette based on double occupancy (two people per room). When you compare the total tonnage of the ship to the number of passengers, or what we call the "Space Ratio," the Luna has more space per person compared to the Silhouette. This means that you might have a bit more space to yourself on the ship, although there still could be some crowded areas like buffets, pools, etc.
| Norwegian Luna | Celebrity Silhouette | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Prima Plus | Solstice |
| Gross Tonnage | 156,300 | 122,000 |
| Length | 1,056 | 1,033 |
| Beam/Width | 133 | 121 |
| Passenger Decks | 15 | 13 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 3,550 | 2,886 |
| Crew | 1,388 | 1,285 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 2.6 | 2.2 |
| Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 44 | 42 |
Food and Restaurants
Food is a big part of any cruise, and the ship you choose can make a huge difference in your food experience.
The Luna has 17 different dining options like Surfside Cafe, Surfside Grill, and Cagney's Steakhouse. Of those options, 6 are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other 11 options have an additional fee.
The Silhouette has the same number of dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Lawn Club Grill, AquaSpa Cafe, and Blu. 8 of these restaurants are complementary and the other 9 have an additional fee.
The Norwegian Luna has about the same number of dining options as the Celebrity Silhouette.
If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Silhouette might be a better choice then the Luna. More of the dining options are included in the base cruise fare, potentially saving you money.
| Norwegian Luna | Celebrity Silhouette | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Dining Options | 17 | 17 |
| Complimentary Dining Options: | 6 | 8 |
| Additional Fee Dining Options: | 11 | 9 |
| % of Included Options | 35% | 47% |
| See the options | See the options |
In terms of drinks and cocktails, you have a variety of choices. Both ships serve the Coca-cola family of products. That means Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite and Barqs Root Beer, although the selection can vary by ship.
There are also plenty of bars available on these ships. You can check out recent the bar menus for the Luna and the Silhouette below.
Pools and Hot Tubs
Nothing beats relaxing by a pool with a nice drink in hand as you feel the fresh sea breeze pass by you. The problem is that with thousands of people on a ship, there's not always room. If you want to spend all day for 7 days in a pool, a cruise isn't for you. You would have a much better bet choosing a resort with a huge pool complex. That being said, a quick dip in the pool can be nice on a hot day.
The Norwegian Luna has a total of 4 pools and 6 hot tubs. 1 of the pools and 4 of the hot tubs are exclusive access, which means there's either an extra charge to access them or you need to book a certain class of cabin to have access to them.
Celebrity Silhouette has fewer pools than the Luna and the same number of hot tubs. There are fewer exclusive pools and hot tubs on the Silhouette. If you like ships without extra charges or exclusive areas, this might be a better choice since everyone will have access to these areas.
| Norwegian Luna | Celebrity Silhouette | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Pools | 4 | 3 |
| Pools - General Access | 3 | 2 |
| Pools - Adults Only | 1 | |
| Pools - Exclusive | 1 | |
| Total Hot Tubs | 6 | 6 |
| Hot Tubs - General Access | 2 | 4 |
| Hot Tubs - Adults Only | 2 | |
| Hot Tubs - Exclusive | 4 |
Ship Features and Activities
Both ships have lots of activities to keep you busy throughout your cruise. Below you'll see a list of some of the major features on these ships. On the Luna, 60% of the activities below are included in the cruise fare. On the Silhouette, only 56% of the activities are included, meaning you might spend more money while on board.
| Norwegian Luna | Celebrity Silhouette | |
|---|---|---|
| Adult Only Relaxation Area (extra fee) | ✓ | ✗ |
| Basketball | ✓ | ✗ |
| Beyond the Podium Talk Series | ✗ | ✓ |
| Bingo | ✗ | ✓ |
| Casino | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cigar Lounge | ✓ | ✗ |
| Comedy Club | ✓ | ✗ |
| Escape Room | ✓ | ✗ |
| Fitness Center | ✓ | ✓ |
| Jogging Track | ✗ | ✓ |
| Lawn Club | ✗ | ✓ |
| Shows - musical review | ✓ | ✓ |
| Slidecoaster | ✓ | ✗ |
| Spa | ✓ | ✓ |
| Splash park | ✓ | ✗ |
| Thermal Suites | ✓ | ✓ |
| Thrill Slide | ✓ | ✗ |
| Virtual Arcade | ✓ | ✗ |
| Water slides | ✓ | ✗ |
| Learn more | Learn more |
Cruise Costs
Norwegian is considered a mainstream cruise line. Mainstream cruise lines cater to a variety of guests, hoping to provide something for everyone. These typically cost about $100 - $350 per person per day.
Celebrity, on the other hand, is a premium cruise line. Premium cruise lines typically offer upscale food, accommodations, and service. These typically cost about $150 - $400 per person per day.
Cruise pricing is dynamic and varies for each specific sailing based on factors such as departure point, ports of call, and time of year. To get a good idea of how the pricing compares, visit the cruise line's website to price out the separate cruises or consult a travel professional.
Onboard Costs
Another way to gauge the cost of a cruise is to consider how much you'll spend on board. Even though a lot is included in the base cruise fare, you may still spend money on things like spa treatments, specialty dining, drinks, and excursions. In addition, guests can also have to pay for things like gratuities and tips.
Typically guests can expect to spend about 25 - 40% of the cost of the cruise on onboard expenses. In other words, if the cruise fare is $1,000 per person, you might spend between $250 and $400 on extra expenses.
The table below will help you compare onboard prices to see if you might spend more on a specific ship.
| Norwegian Luna | Celebrity Silhouette | |
|---|---|---|
| Base Daily Gratuities* (Per Person Per Day) | $20.00 | $18.00 |
| Tip added to drinks & services | 20% | 20% |
| Soda Price | $3.50 | $4.00 |
| Domestic Beer Price | $7.00 See drink menus | $8.00 See drink menus |
| Drink Package Price | $109 Learn more | $60 - $125 |
| Internet Plan | $29.99 - $39.99 per device per day | $20 to $30 per device per day |
| *Daily gratuities for a standard cabin. Suites or specialty rooms may have higher rates. | ||
Norwegian Cruise Line offers a Free at Sea fare. Through this program, guests receive free open bar, a discount on excursions, some free internet, and some meals at their specialty restaurants. If you book using this promotion, you'll be responsible for the gratuities on the dining and drink package. If you won't be using these options, booking a "sail away" rate that doesn't include the Free at Sea benefits is considerably cheaper. Also, most of these benefits are the base packages; you can spend more to upgrade to better alcoholic drinks or faster/more wifi.
Celebrity Cruise Lines offers an "All Included" program. Guests who book a cruise using this promotion will have wifi and alcohol included. Some sailings are available without this program so pay attention when booking. Typically prices are lower if they don't include "Always Included." The wifi and alcohol package are the base levels and can be upgraded for an additional cost.
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