MIAMI, June 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Leading the way with
the first ship to sail in North
America just days ago on June 5, Celebrity Cruises'
much anticipated return to sailing continues, as the new-luxury
ship Celebrity Equinox has now been approved by the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to sail from Fort Lauderdale on July
25, 2021. It will closely follow Celebrity Edge's
industry-first cruise departure from U.S. waters for the
Caribbean on June 26, 2021. With today's announcement, nine of
the 14 ships within the Celebrity Cruises' fleet have plans to
return to sailing by mid-September
2021 and are ready to take guests to the stunning
destinations they have missed from the Caribbean to Europe, Alaska and the Galapagos.
The recently revolutionized Celebrity Equinox will set
sail on a seven-night cruise visiting the beautiful Mexican ports
of Cozumel and Costa Maya, along
with Nassau, Bahamas.
"It is so exciting to announce yet another ship on the heels of
Celebrity Millennium leading the industry's Caribbean comeback to rave reviews just this
past Saturday. From the outpouring of comments and emotion from our
guests and crew on that sailing, it's clear that people are ready
to cruise back to normal," said Celebrity Cruises President and CEO
Lisa Lutoff-Perlo. "We've all been
waiting for the day we could get away, again, to the places we've
been dreaming of and that 'someday' is here."
Celebrity Equinox joins eight ships in the Celebrity
fleet that have been announced as part of its phased summer
restart, including:
- Celebrity Millennium, which began sailing seven-night
Caribbean itineraries from
St. Maarten on June 5; and will reposition to Seattle to sail seven-night Alaska Dawes
Glacier cruises beginning July 23.
Celebrity Summit will then sail the remaining St. Maarten season through August, followed by
plans to sail a new series of four- and five-night sailings from
Fort Lauderdale to the
Western Caribbean through late
October.
- Celebrity Apex – sailing seven-night Greek Isles
itineraries from June 19;
- Celebrity Edge – sailing a rotating schedule of Eastern
and Western Caribbean itineraries
from Fort Lauderdale, beginning
June 26;
- Celebrity Silhouette – sailing the UK coastline as of
July 3;
- Celebrity Flora – returning to the extraordinary
Galapagos islands as of July 3,
followed by the award-winning Celebrity Xpedition and
intimate 16-passenger Celebrity Xploration on July 24, and September
18, respectively.
The Celebrity Revolution
Voted 2020 "Best Service in
the Large Ship Category" at the Cruise Critic Cruiser's Choice
Awards, Celebrity Equinox is part of a $500-million fleet-wide modernization program
that has made big waves in the cruise world. Guests will enjoy
elevated design concepts, including The Retreat®, a private
resort-within-a-resort for suite guests that includes The Retreat®
Sundeck and The Retreat® Lounge.
In addition, the ship boasts:
- Completely redesigned, contemporary staterooms and suites
inspired by award-winning British interior designer Kelly Hoppen's designs for Celebrity Edge
and featuring Celebrity's eXhale bedding with its luxurious
Cashmere™ mattresses;
- Stunningly reimagined restaurants, bars, and lounges offering
captivating culinary experiences;
- Over 40 handcrafted boutique beer selections, creative
cocktails and a wide selection of a la carte, gourmet comfort food
and bar bites at Craft Social;
- A half-acre lawn of real grass at the relaxing and aptly-named
Lawn Club, perfect for trying outdoor games like Croquet, or simply
basking in the sunshine.
Healthy at Sea
Celebrity Equinox will sail with enhanced health and
safety standards that are the culmination of more than a year of
diligent work with public health authorities, government agencies
and its Healthy Sail Panel of scientific, medical and public
health leaders.
In addition to reduced capacity to allow for more natural
spacing, Celebrity has leveraged technology to create new arrival,
departure and muster safety drill procedures; and updated onboard
and shoreside experiences to reflect new standard health and safety
practices; all with the well-being of guests, crew and the
communities visited by Celebrity ships at the forefront of the
planning process.
As guests and crew work together to promote onboard health and
safety, more details of the new measures include:
- Vaccinated Sailings – As with all Celebrity Cruises'
ships, Celebrity Equinox meets the highest standards for
providing a healthy cruise experience for its guests and crew,
sailing with at least 95% of crew and guests being vaccinated. As
of August 1, all guests ages 12 and
over must be vaccinated.
- Staggered Arrivals and Departures – Terminal arrivals
and departures will be staggered by appointment, with guests having
the ability to select their preferred times based on travel
plans.
- Contactless Transactions – Celebrity's digitally
advanced mobile app* transforms the decades-old
large-group-gathering Muster safety drill into a personal eMuster
experience that guests can complete on their mobile device or
interactive stateroom TV, avoiding large group gatherings. The app
also expedites the boarding process; and allows guests to read
menus and book dining reservations and shore excursions via their
smartphone.
- Appropriate Face Coverings – All guests 2 years of age
and older will be required to wear an appropriate face covering in
the Terminal. Once onboard, and unless otherwise stipulated by
local governments in the destinations being visited, masks will not
be required of vaccinated guests in accordance with CDC guidance
for sailings with vaccinated crew and guests.
Celebrity's new measures may evolve in keeping with current
public health standards and may vary in accordance with local
guidance in the destinations visited. Guests are encouraged to
regularly check the guidance on all health and safety measures
across the entire Celebrity Cruises vacation experience at
CelebrityCruises.com/healthy-at-sea.
Cruise with Confidence
Providing travel flexibility, Celebrity's Cruise with Confidence
policy allows guests who have booked by July
31, 2021 to cancel for any reason up to 48 hours before
departure on sailings through Sept. 30,
2022 and receive a 100% credit for a future cruise.
Celebrity Equinox guests will also experience
Celebrity's new 'Always IncludedSM' approach where
Wi-Fi, drinks and gratuities are always included in the cruise
fare.
For more information on new sailings offered by Celebrity
Cruises in 2021-2022, visit
CelebrityCruises.com/2021-2022-cruises.
About Celebrity Cruises:
Celebrity Cruises' iconic "X"
is the mark of a fleet of 14 award-winning ships redefining luxury
cruise travel with cool, contemporary design and accommodation;
dining, spa and entertainment experiences for modern tastes; and
culturally rich and diverse destination experiences, all
complemented by warm, personalized service. Celebrity has pioneered
many industry firsts at sea, including: the first use of solar
panels on a cruise ship; the first to eliminate use of plastic
water bottles; the first American female Captain of a cruise ship;
the first-ever all-female bridge and officer team sailing; the
first West African woman to work on the bridge of a cruise ship;
and one of the first legal same-sex weddings performed at sea.
Driven by wanderlust and a passion for opening the world, Celebrity
journeys to all seven continents, visiting nearly 300 destinations
in more than 70 countries. Celebrity Cruises is one of five cruise
brands operated by global cruise company Royal Caribbean Group.
(NYSE: RCL).
Celebrity Cruises is applying the recommendations of
the Healthy Sail Panel of public health and scientific
experts to provide a safer and healthier cruise vacation
on all of its sailings. Health and safety protocols,
regional travel restrictions and clearance to visit ports of call,
are subject to change based on ongoing evaluation, public health
standards, and government requirements. U.S. cruises and
guests: For more information on the latest health and travel
alerts, U.S. government travel advisories, please
visit https://www.celebritycruises.com/travel-alert or consult
travel advisories, warnings or recommendations relating to cruise
travel on applicable government websites.
*App Availability subject to device limitations and features and
may vary by ship, device or service provider. Message and data
rates may apply. Coverage not available everywhere. Guests under 18
need their parents' permission first.
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SOURCE Celebrity Cruises