Celebrity News - 2011
`13thOctober
In the midst of its most award-winning year in its 20-year history, Celebrity Cruises
this week added a tremendously meaningful honor to its lineup. In the prestigious annual Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards celebrating the world’s best
hotels, airlines, cities, islands and cruise lines, Celebrity ranked #1 in the highly competitive large-ship (2,500+ guests) category.
“All of us at Celebrity are thrilled with this recognition, which is a genuine
validation of everything we’re devoted to offering our guests on every Solstice
Class ship – and on our Millennium Class ships, particularly as we continue our ambitious, $140-million ‘Solsticizing’ initiative on each of those ships,” said
Celebrity’s President & CEO Dan Hanrahan. “To have our new Solstice Class ships recognized as the best in the category, just as our Millennium Class ships have been
for several consecutive years, is extremely rewarding. We’re honored that the sophisticated readers of Condé Nast Traveler appreciate the modern luxury we’re
focused on providing across the fleet.”In addition to its ambitious Solsticizing
program, Celebrity this year alone launched the fourth sleek ship in its stylish
Solstice Class series, Celebrity Silhouette, complete with the industry’s first
outdoor, interactive barbecue area, “The Lawn Club Grill,”; initiated construction
of the fifth Solstice Class ship, Celebrity Reflection, which sets sail in 2012;
announced the line’s first sailings in Asia; announced a very special collaboration
with The Breast Cancer Research Foundation®; introduced specialty dining packages,
as yet another illustration of Celebrity’s culinary leadership and innovation, and published an engaging hardbound book filled with recipes, tips and personality
profiles, Excite the Senses.
Additionally, on October 10, further showcasing its expertise in wine and food,
Celebrity announced plans to introduce an entirely new series of wine-themed
cruises in France, Spain and Portugal during peak harvest season in 2012,
enhancing its already broad and varied European vacation options, with several itineraries featuring visits to the destinations Conde Nast Traveler’s poll ranked
as the top three in Europe: Florence, Barcelona, and Rome.
Nearly 29,000 readers participated in Condé Nast Traveler’s 24th annual survey, evaluating cruise lines in seven areas: Food/Dining, Staterooms, Design/Layout, Crew/Service, Shore Excursions, Activities/Facilities and Itineraries/Schedules.
The complete listing of award winners is featured on Conde Nast Traveler’s website
and in the magazine’s November 2011 issue.
3rd October
Spend more time surrounded by modern luxury
Celebrity Cruises' - cool, contemporary design and warm spaces, award-winning
cuisine and personalized service - is now available for vacationers to enjoy even longer through
the new "Extend Your Stay" program. This new offering provides guests with convenience and
relaxation, which is particularly appealing to those facing waits at the airport and long flights home.
In addition to the benefit of a leisurely last day onboard, the program allows guests to stay
in their stateroom until 9 am on the day their cruise ends - one hour later than the standard
time by which the guest is typically asked to depart. Guests who participate in Extend Your
Stay also can enjoy some of the ship's services until as late as 90 minutes before the next
cruise sets sail.
The program includes a full line-up of benefits including non-alcoholic specialty coffees and
teas from Café al Bacio; a meal in the creperie-focused specialty restaurant, Bistro on Five;
the opportunity to watch a first-run movie in one of the ship's theaters; and access to the pool, fitness center and locker rooms. The AquaSpa will be available for spa services at an additional charge. Bar purchases can be made on the last day of the cruise using a credit card.
"Being able to relax onboard in luxurious surroundings rather rush to disembark on the last
day of one's cruise epitomizes what 'modern luxury' is all about," said Simon Weir, Director,
Hotel Operations, Celebrity Cruises. "What can be more lavish than relaxing onboard for a few hours longer, enjoying Celebrity's award-winning service?"
Extend Your Stay is being offered for the remainder of the current Europe season on Celebrity Constellation, Celebrity Equinox, Celebrity Solstice and the brand-new Celebrity Silhouette.
The program also will be available for future Europe seasons. The program is available for
purchase at the Guest Relations desk onboard. The cost of the program is $59 per adult,
$29.50 per child ages 3 to 12, and free for children under three years of age. Guests
participating in Extend Your Stay can depart at any time until as late as 90 minutes before
the next cruise departs. Extend Your Stay departure times may vary by ship and itinerary
based on local immigration regulations.
25th August
From September 1, several speciality restaurants including Murano, Qsine, and t
he new Lawn Club Grill * will increase the cover charge by at least $5-10 per person.
The french-inspired Murano restaurant will go from charging $35 to $40. The same increase will apply to the ocean liner-themed specialty restaurants found on four
ships, including the RMS Olympic restaurant on Celebrity Millennium
The querky Qsine restaurant which boasts Ipad menus, along with the new Lawn
Club Grill * will increase from $30 to $40.
Any pre-booked dining reservations made before September will remain at the current rates. The surcharges for dining at the line's other specialty venues are unchanged. Celebrity say the increases are down to world food prices, which have been rising
for some time.
*only available on Silhouette at this point in time
25th July
The Cruise Director of Silhouette is Nick Weir
21st July
Celebrity Silouette's naming ceremony took place in Hamburg with the
ships Godmother Michelle Morgan performing the ceremony in the
presence of the 3 other Godmothers of Solstice; Equinox and Eclipse
A new feature on the ship, but at a price:
Picture this: An endless expanse of the sea behind a lush, green lawn from the vantage point of a luxurious, private
cabana. That's what awaits vacationers who book "The Alcoves" on Celebrity Cruises' stylish new Celebrity Silhouette,
and now, those bookings can be made online.
"This is yet another vivid illustration of our commitment to ensuring our guests can spend more time enjoying every
moment of their vacation, versus planning what they'd like to do after they're onboard," said Celebrity's Senior Vice
President of Hotel Operations Lisa Lutoff-Perlo.
Eight chic, cabana-style settings comfortably accommodating two to four guests each, The Alcoves are designed
to allow for relaxation and seclusion within a hip ambience, just steps away from the lively vibe of The Lawn Club.
Within The Alcoves, guests can enjoy stunning views of the lawn and sea; ambient mood lighting for cozy, romantic
evenings; complimentary amenities including a fresh fruit plate, hand-held fans, chilled towels, four bottles of water,
and all-day use of an iPad loaded with a variety of music, movies, games and magazines. Additionally, fresh, themed
picnic baskets with delectable selections from Celebrity's specialty restaurants, as well as a la carte beverages, are
available for an additional charge, and just a phone call away, via Celebrity Silhouette's dedicated Alcove Attendant.
Wine and cheese evenings under the stars also can be arranged, along with special spa services, once onboard.
Guests enjoying The Alcoves can even stay in touch with family and friends back home, if they choose, as the
area is fully WiFi-equipped (fee applies).
The Alcoves can be booked online for full-day rentals, from 9 am to 9 pm, or even for the entire voyage. Rates are
$99 per Alcove per day on days in port, and $149 per day on days at sea. To make a booking, visit Caribbean Cruise Vacations& Cruise Deals| Celebrity Cruises | Cruise to Europe, Alaska & Australia Today!. Special values are available
for guests who book one of The Alcoves for several days or for the entire cruise.
Adjacent to The Alcoves, guests will find eight inviting hammocks and two whimsical, oversized Adirondack chairs,
each offering complimentary, additional opportunities to relax amidst the atmosphere of the lawn and sea.
Celebrity Silhouette enters service July 23, enhancing guests' precious vacation time with a host of industry-first
venues and experiences within The Lawn Club. In addition to The Alcoves, those new experiences include the
industry's first interactive, outdoor grill, "The Lawn Club Grill," where guests can select and grill their own meats
side-by-side with Celebrity's expert chefs, or have them cooked to order; Celebrity's first Art Studio, with engaging
courses led by professional artists; "The Porch," a breezy, casual dining spot offering sandwiches, coffees and
captivating views of the sea and the lush lawn; and, at the center of the ship, with views of the sweeping,
glass-encased Grand Foyer and its signature 'live' tree suspended within a commissioned work of contemporary art,
yet another entirely new venue, "The Hideaway," an intimate, quiet space reminiscent of a childhood tree house.
Celebrity has launched a range of brand new speciality dining packages,
11th July, 2011
There are two types of packages available - one for food only, the others include wine...
“Individual Dining Packages”: Offered at a single, per-person price for either three or five specialty restaurant visits.
"Wine and Dine Packages": Designed for couples, broken down as follows...
The Savor Package: Includes three dining reservations per couple and three bottles of wine.
The Gourmand Package: Includes five dining reservations per couple and three bottles of wine.
The Bacchus Package: Offers five dining reservations per couple and five bottles of wine.
Because the line-up of specialty restaurants varies by ship, the specific offerings within the packages
also vary by ship, but here are the prices on Celebrity Eclipse...
1] Individual 3-dinner Package: $89pp
For this you get 1 meal at Tuscan Grille, 1 meal at Qsine and 1 meal at Murano. This works out to
about $30 per dinner. Without the package deal you'd pay atleast $100.
2] The 5-dinner Package: $129pp
For this you get 1 meal at Murano, 2 meals at Tuscan Grille, 2 meals at Qsine. Without the package
deal you'd pay $165.
3] The couples wine-and-dine packages give you the best savings...
On Eclipse, 'Savor' is $279 per couple and 'Gourmand' is $349. However, it is 'Bacchus', that provides
the biggest savings -- up to 26 percent or $144 per couple, according to Celebrity. The wine list
includes more than 20 choices, with selections such as Chateau Grand Bireau's Cabernet Sauvignon,
a Freemark Abbey Chardonnay and a Sancerre from Michel Redde. With Bacchus, each bottle of wine
costs about $28, when compared to the individual food-only packages. Based on a quick scan of onshore
wine prices, Celebrity's per-bottle price is slightly more than retail, although less than average ship
pricing.
Celebrity say the new packages are a result of guest feedback...“Our guests tell us that packages offer
not only convenience, but also added value,” said Scott Steenrod, Associate Vice President, Food and Beverage Operations. “We realise our guests’ vacation time is precious, and we want nothing more
than to make it easy for them to enjoy their vacation. Our specialty dining packages are one more
way that we make their planning effortless.
Celebrity Steel Cutting - Reflection 24th March, 2011
from left to right Bernard Meyer, Managing Partner MEYER WERFT; Roswitha Arnett, Hotel Director Celebrity Cruises & Dan Hanrahan, CEO Celebrity Cruises
Celebrity Silhoutre [06/03/11] Perhaps the biggest difference betwen Silhoutte
and Solstice; Equinox and Eclipse is the replacing of the Corning Glass Museum
with a first outdoor ineractive grill. Pasengers get to choose their own cut of
meat and grill side-by-side with one of the restautant's chefs. The ultimate would
seem to suggest there could a dozen different restuarants to choose from.
Celebrity Summit / Constellation [22/02/11]
Annouced Summit will be refurbished to sail into 2012, but no dates as yet.
The Constellation will re-commence cruising after its refurbishment on 3rd
December, 2011
Celebrity Concierge Class improvements Feb 2011
What extras do you get?
Priority check-in counter
Complimentary welcome sparkling wine
Fresh fruit and flowers and nightly deliveries of hors d'oeuvres
Extra handheld hair dryer
Hansgrohe® massaging showerhead and plush Frette® bathrobes
100% Egyptian-cotton oversized bath towels
Main and specialty restaurant seating preferences
Complimentary shoeshine service
Express luggage delivery
Celebrity tote bag
Personalized stationery
Golf umbrella and complimentary use of high-quality binoculars
An expanded room-service breakfast menu
Pillow menu for a perfect night's sleep