FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla.,
June 26, 2021 /PRNewswire/
-- "#HopeFloats. Today marks the rebirth of our company and
our industry, as our beautiful Celebrity Edge sets sail on a
new-luxury experience that will - once again - feed peoples' love
of travel." Those were the inspirational words tweeted from
Celebrity Cruises' President and CEO, Lisa
Lutoff-Perlo today, as the exquisite Celebrity Edge
prepared to sail from Ft.
Lauderdale at 6.00pm ET,
becoming the first cruise ship to sail from a U.S. port in more
than a year.
What seems only fitting, now, 15 months after being at the helm
of history for the first all-female bridge and officer team sailing
in March 2020 and the last sailing
before the industry was put on pause, Captain Kate McCue, the first and still only American
female to captain a major cruise ship, now leads the fleet – and
the industry – back into operation from Fort Lauderdale's Port Everglades. The ship
set sails for Mexico and the
Bahamas.
Rarely has a seven-night cruise of the Caribbean come with such symbolism and hope,
but there is no underestimating that this is an historic moment for
the brand as it cruises back to normal. Celebrity Edge was
given the green light - and the honor - to be the first ship back
in the water, having met all new standards for providing a healthy
and safe cruise experience for its guests and crew.
"This is a momentous sailing and one that we have been preparing
for a long time. It's not only a huge honor to be the first ship
back in the water, leading the industry in the long-awaited return
to U.S.-based cruising, it's also an incredible achievement and
testament to the tireless efforts of our shoreside team and onboard
crew," said Richard Fain, Chairman
of the Royal Caribbean Group, the parent company of Celebrity
Cruises. "Travel is a powerful catalyst for positive change in our
world. There's nothing more enriching in life than exposing
yourself to new cultures, sights, and experiences… and
nothing more luxurious than doing it on board a Celebrity cruise
ship," he added. "All that's left to say is welcome aboard."
"The significance of this moment is not lost on anyone on our
team or the industry. We have longed for this day, not only because
it represents a return to service and doing what we love to do
most, but because we know that for many the return of cruising is a
symbol of the world's return to normalcy," said Brian Abel, Senior Vice President of Hotel
Operations for Celebrity Cruises. "For too long, we've had to
encourage one another with dreams of 'someday' returning to being
together, again. Now, as the world opens up, and we can gather and
enjoy our families and friends on an amazing cruise vacation,
'someday' is here."
Named 'one of the world's greatest places' by Time Magazine,
Celebrity Edge is widely regarded as the most innovative
cruise ship on earth. The ship's onboard experience stands apart
from anything else at sea, creating an exciting modern cruising
experience with offerings like the incredible Magic Carpet®,
soaring cantilevered above the sea and transformational
accommodations like hyper-lux two-story villas with private plunge
pools.
Inaugurated in 2018, Celebrity Edge's unique
outward-facing design breaks from traditional shipbuilding. Aboard,
guests feel more connected with the sea and the places they visit,
whether it's sipping cocktails from the sundeck of The Retreat, a
private oasis within the ship, or taking in the stunning vistas
from the botanical Rooftop Garden. The ship's amenities and views
will infuse new life into passengers that have longed to travel and
see the world once again.
"The week after our entire industry was grounded, last March, I
started a #HopeFloats tradition of blowing the ship's horn every
evening to let the world know that not only were we safe, but we
were thinking of those at home and hoping the same for them," said
Captain McCue. "Now, the sound of a ship's horn symbolizes
rising above from any hardship. The entire crew is so happy to be
back and we can't wait to welcome our guests aboard!"
With today's sailing, eight of the 14 ships within the Celebrity
Cruises' fleet now have plans to return to sailing in 2021 and are
ready to take guests to breathtaking destinations, from the
Caribbean to Europe, Alaska and the Galapagos, including:
- The magnificent Celebrity Millennium led North America's return to service as the first
ship to sail in the Caribbean on
June 5 from St. Maarten.
- Celebrity Apex, the newest addition to the Celebrity
fleet, made her world debut in Athens on June
19, with seven-night sailings to the Greek Isles. The
cruise marked a historic return to Greece for the company, which was founded
there 33 years ago.
- Celebrity Silhouette prepares to summer in Southampton, UK beginning July 3 and offer stunning cruises of the British
Isles and coastline.
- Beginning July 4, the
luxurious, state-of-the-art mega-yacht, Celebrity Flora®,
will resume sailing the magical Galapagos Islands. She will be
followed soon after by the award-winning Celebrity Xpedition® and
intimate 16-passenger Celebrity Xploration® on July 24, and September
18, respectively.
- And, Celebrity's long-awaited return to the incomparable
natural wonders of Alaska begin
July 23.
Healthy at Sea
Celebrity Cruises has established new health and safety measures
in accordance with guidance from public health authorities,
government agencies, and its own team of health and safety experts
to provide guests with the peace of mind to fully enjoy their
voyage.
All Celebrity ships will sail with a vaccinated crew. U.S.
guests ages 16 and older must be fully vaccinated and, as of
August 1, 2021, all U.S. guests ages
12 and older must be fully vaccinated. In Florida, vaccinations are strongly
recommended. Requirements for Non-U.S. guests vary and more details
can be found by visiting
https://www.celebritycruises.com/healthy-at-sea.
These measures will evolve in keeping with current public health
standards. Guests are encouraged to regularly check the guidance on
all health and safety measures across the entire Celebrity Cruises
vacation experience can be found at
https://www.celebritycruises.com/healthy-at-sea.
Wonder Returns
Simplifying the luxury vacation experience, Wi-Fi, drinks, and
tips are now 'Always IncludedSM' on every Celebrity
cruise. And, Celebrity's "Cruise with Confidence" program provides
flexible cancellations and the best price guarantees.
For more information on Celebrity Cruises' new U.S. summer
sailings, guests and travel advisors should visit
https://www.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 the 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.
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SOURCE Celebrity Cruises