MIAMI, July 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The wonder of
travel sails forward as Celebrity Cruises' latest ship,
Celebrity Equinox, departed for the Caribbean from Fort
Lauderdale, capping an exciting eight weeks that saw the
new-luxury brand lead the industry with eight ships back in the
water during that time. Celebrity Cruises restarted the North
American cruise industry this summer on June
5 with Celebrity Millennium sailing the Caribbean from St.
Maarten and quickly followed on June
26 with Celebrity Edge, the first ship to sail from a
U.S. port in more than a year.
The recently 'revolutionized' Celebrity Equinox's first
sailing features a seven-night Western
Caribbean itinerary visiting the beautiful ports of
St. Maarten and St. Thomas, along
with Nassau, Bahamas. She then
rotates between Eastern and Western
Caribbean itineraries.
"With each new ship that goes in the water, I'm overwhelmed by
the palpable sense of reconnection on board for both our guests and
our crew – with each other, their families and the world," said
Celebrity Cruises President and CEO Lisa
Lutoff-Perlo. "Being together, again, and absorbing the
beauty around us is what we've all dreamt about for over a year,
and now it's really wonderful to be a part of our guests'
aspirations to travel again."
"Bringing a large cruise ship back into service isn't as easy as
turning the ignition key. It's a multi-dimensional process that
involves moving and training crew, large-scale procurement,
mechanical adjustments, destination outreach, port availability,
sales and marketing and so much more," said Brian Abel, Celebrity's senior vice president of
hotel operations. "I couldn't be more proud of the Celebrity team's
accomplishments. We were ready and we successfully executed this
herculean effort with finesse to welcome our guests back onboard
for the Celebrity experience they know and love."
With today's sailing, eight of the 14 ships within the Celebrity
Cruises' fleet have returned to sailing in 2021 and are full steam
ahead taking guests to the Caribbean, Europe, Alaska and the Galapagos, including:
- The magnificent Celebrity Millennium, returning to
service as the first ship to sail in the Caribbean on June
5 from St. Maarten. In
early July, Celebrity Summit took over the service, allowing
Celebrity Millennium to reposition for the Alaska season.
- 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 founded there 33 years ago.
- Apex's sister ship, Celebrity Edge, made history as the
first ship to sail from a U.S. port in over a year, restarting the
U.S. cruising industry.
- On July 3, Celebrity
Silhouette began taking guests from Southampton, UK around and along the British
Isles and coastline.
- Celebrity Flora®, the luxurious, state-of-the-art
mega-yacht, fulfilled guests' bucket lists as it resumed sailing
the magical Galapagos Islands on July
4. She was followed into the water by the award-winning
Celebrity Xpedition® on July
24.
- And, on July 23, Celebrity's
long-awaited return to the incomparable natural wonders of
Alaska began as Celebrity
Millennium embarked on a journey to the Last Frontier.
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:
- Contemporary staterooms and suites 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 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. Guests are
encouraged to regularly check the guidance on all health and safety
measures across the entire Celebrity Cruises vacation experience as
they will evolve in keeping with current public health
standards.
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 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