Seasoned cruisers usually have more refined tastes, and are not easily floored by the latest perks and frills. What they want is value for money. Indeed, spending a vacation on a cruise is like checking into a floating hotel, and whether you're booked into a state or a regular room, you want the best which your money can afford. Celebrity cruises are specifically geared toward this niche - the eclectic crowd with a penchant for value. While Celebrity Cruises does not offer hyperactive entertainment which other cruise lines provide, it offsets this downside with superb service, offbeat port destinations, and amenities that won't be found in its competitors.

At Celebrity Cruises, the cruiser truly is king. You'll notice it soon after embarkation, when you'll be invited to a complementary 'welcome aboard' buffet. This starts off the voyage on the right foot, as you can hobnob with fellow cruisers while you ease your feet from the long bus or plane ride. You'll also get a first look at the Cruise line's exceptional service. The waiters are unhurried and distinctly courteous, being the first to assist you with your tray, all the way to your seat. The first meal is of the same exquisite taste as with the rest of the trip, being created by no less than a three-star Michelin chef.

The accommodations are exceptional. Large staterooms come with a private butler for the entire trip, and you can order for just about anything via the interactive television system. There are cigar and martini lounges which sport a remarkable collection of modern art. Alternative dining is also offered for those of more exotic tastes, so you can have Mediterranean or Thai cuisine at will. Piano lounges are unique to the Celebrity fleet, and you'll find most of the upscale, seasoned customers frequenting this area more than the others. There's also an onboard shop arcade at the Emporium complex, and a health café which offers for low-fat menus. In the Millennium class, you can revel in three-decked atriums, and full-fledged health spas, all within a 25,000 square-foot compound complete with a solarium and fitness club. Flower enthusiasts will marvel at the floral conservatories, a virtual garden in the middle of the sea.

Offbeat excursions may take you snorkeling or hiking off the Galapagos, or delve into local culture by staying at Quito, Ecuador prior to or after your voyage. You can explore the Peruvian ruins of Machu Pichu or Easter Island, fish for marlin in Mexico, or pose for a picture in front of the domes of the Russian capital; or you can experience something closer to home, by taking a tour of the NASA center in Texas. Indeed, there is a lot to get involved in, from onboard wine sampling and poolside fashion shows, to being serenaded by an a capella group; participate in seminars on astronomy and investment, or be soothed with an acupuncture therapy session before you go out for an onshore excursion. There is much which Celebrity Cruises has to offer that appeals to the eccentric taste, even for stringent cruisers who are on a budget, but on the lookout for something new and exquisite.