Actress and self anointed health guru Gwyneth Paltrow may be heading Down Under on board a Celebrity Cruise ship to spruik her goop wellness regime.
“Thinking has already begun to see what Gwyneth and goop can do down here. Discussions have begun but we have not landed on the details yet,” Susan Bonner, Celebrity Cruises vice president and managing director for Australia told Cruise Passenger.
She said Australians appreciate wellness and since living in Sydney, Ms Bonner really appreciates the outdoor life and work-life balance.
“Gwyneth can certainly come down here and she will love Australia. We’ll see where the partnership goes,” Ms Bonner adds.
Ms Paltrow has signed a partnership deal with Celebrity when she will launch the first Goop at Sea on board the newly minted Celebrity Apex sailing from Barcelona on 26 August, visiting Nice, Rome, Naples and Palma de Mallorca.
She will kick off Goop at Sea with a conversation about her wellness journey and where she is headed next – but only to suite class guests who have bought tickets at an additional $1117 per person. There will also be workshops on mental health, emotional well-being, fitness sessions and conversations with goop’s content editor, Elise Loehnen.
Ms Paltrow will be staying at The Retreat, an exclusive suite class with butler service, private restaurants, exclusive lounge, private sundeck and pool. She is only expected to make only one public appearance.
Ms Paltrow launched goop from her kitchen table in 2008 which has since expanded into wellness, health, beauty, fashion, cooking and goop podcasts. Goop offers a range of remedies from “unlocking trauma from your body” to “glow-inducing skin care.”
This year, a new show The Goop Lab will showcase on Netflix.
Ms Bonner said that Celebrity, Azamara and Royal Caribbean brands will each have its own marketing, sales and commercial team to be launched in March.
Celebrity’s new Edge class ships have been so successful that Ms Bonner said the entire fleet will now be upgraded to spread the best amenities.
Celebrity’s Solstice and Eclipse will sail Australia and New Zealand, bringing more ports and experiences than ever. Celebrity Solstice has been voted one of Australia’s favourite ships.
Ms Bonner said that Australians appreciate Celebrity Cruises for “what we deliver – good culinary experiences, design and service on board.”
Wellness is also an integral part of the Celebrity’s unique experience.
Celebrity is also offering exclusive tours in the region, allowing passengers a deeper, immersive experience around Australia.
“These are small groups of no more than 24 guests – perfect for the Modern Luxury guest,” says Ms Bonner.
“All Discovery Collection offerings are based on the principals of Iconic, Immersive, and Exclusive”.
Here are some examples:
Tasmania
Celebrity Discovery Collection: A Snapshot of Iconic Hobart
This snapshot tour of Hobart, the Apple Isle’s capital city, has it all: Spectacular scenery, wonderful food and wine, and unique wildlife. Hobart was founded as a British penal colony but has grown to a thriving port and centre for tourism. Your journey begins with the faithfully renovated historic warehouse district and the elegant 19th century mansions and cottages at Battery Point. Then it’s up to Mount Wellington for breathtaking views over the city and harbour. Next, it’s on to Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary, which provides help for rescued animals and is dedicated to preserving members of species that have gone extinct in the rest of Australia. Among the park’s wildlife are koalas, kangaroos, wombats, sugar gliders, bettongs, Eastern quolls, sulphur-crested cockatoos, and the famous Tasmanian devil. You’ll then continue through the historic town of Richmond to the wine region in the Coal River Valley. A stop at the Puddleduck winery for a wine and cheese tasting is the perfect finish to this well-rounded visit to fascinating Hobart.
Celebrity Discovery Collection: A Taste of Bruny Island
Enjoy the taste sensations of beautiful Bruny Island, justly famed for its locally produced food and top- quality wine, in an intimate, small-group tour. Here you’ll find wonderful oysters and fresh fish, luscious Tasmanian produce, and decadent local cheeses. Bakers on the island produce handmade fudge, chocolate, and truffles; chefs are highly regarded for their imaginative creations. The island is also home to Australia’s southernmost vineyard. At a local winery, indulge in a sumptuous gourmet lunch of succulent fresh-shucked oysters, colorful fresh produce, local cheeses, olives, smoked salmon, game meats, house-made pork rillette and cherry pinot chutney, accompanied by a glass of Bruny Island Premium Wine. Visit the Bruny Island House of Whiskey and Oakley’s Fresh Fruit & Nutpatch Nougat Chocolates in Kettering and join tastings at each. Island and mainland venues visited are booked daily to make your visit more enjoyable and welcoming.
Victoria
Celebrity Discovery Collection: Iconic Sights and Tastes of Melbourne
Melbourne is renowned for great coffee, sport, shopping, food, and drink. Depart the tourist trail to experience some of its most stunning architecture and vibrant local culture. When you arrive by coach, your knowledgeable guide will have sourced the best local coffee for your introduction to Melbourne’s No. 1 cultural obsession. Begin your local laneway exploration with a visit The Royal Arcade, an Italianate-style arcade opened in 1870. Gaunt’s Clock was added 20 years later, with the 7-foot carved figures of mythical Gog and Magog standing guard as the clock strikes the hour. Stop at The State Library of Victoria and see the magnificent domed La Trobe Reading Room. Re-board the coach and continue past The Shrine of Remembrance before paying homage to another Melbourne obsession with a visit to the Sports Precinct. On the return drive, pass the interesting neighbourhood of St. Kilda and see The Palais Theatre, which opened in 1927, has just benefited from a $26 million restoration, and is listed in the Victoria Heritage Register; and Luna Park, which opened in 1912 occupies a place on the register. St Kilda is famous for its Continental Cake shops and quirky shops and bars. Visit a local tap-house for local beer tasting and tempting light lunch here.
Celebrity Discovery Collection: Exclusive Yarra Valley Highlights
Discover the tastes of The Yarra Valley, one of Australia’s oldest and most famous wine regions. In your small group, explore this breathtaking region with a deeper dive into both hidden gems and some of its most famous names. Take a scenic drive through the countryside surrounding the Yarra River, known to the indigenous Wurundjeri people as a “place of mists and shadows,” to the day’s first stop. Get the taste buds flowing at internationally known Domaine Chandon, where your hosts ‘bring on the bubbles’ in award-winning vintages, offering a light and refreshing start to the tour. Next, journey to Yering Estate, one of the jewels of the Yarra Valley region, offering craft wines in a stunning setting. Continue to Rochford Wines, a noted winery that boasts a long list of award-winning vintages, to linger over a two-course lunch with wines expertly matched to the cuisine. Round off the tour with a sweet visit to the Yarra Valley Chocolaterie and Ice Creamery, where you’ll choose from among free chocolate and ice cream tastings, then select which treats you’ll purchase from more than 250 offered. Peer through glass walls to watch a team of talented European chocolatiers work their magic, then let your gaze drift to views of the spectacular country outside. As you indulge in creations so subtly rich they electrify the palette, experience sensory bliss.
New Zealand
Celebrity Discovery Collection: The Great Houses of Dunedin
Imagine days gone by as you explore one of Dunedin’s great houses and New Zealand’s only castle. First tour Olveston House, a 35-room mansion built by the prominent businessman, collector, and philanthropist David Theomin between 1904 and 1906. He filled the home with treasures collected in his wide travels, and intended it a generational home for himself, his wife Marie and their children Edward and Dorothy. Neither child produced an heir, so it was donated to the City of Dunedin upon Dorothy Theomin’s 1966 death. Be transported as you admire the elaborately furnished rooms and stroll the manicured gardens. Next visit Larnach Castle, a fortress built by banker and merchant William James Mudie Larnach. As legend has it, the prosperous man and one of his sons scanned the Otago Peninsula before deciding to build atop a hill with views of Dunedin, the surrounding peninsula, the Otago Harbor, and the Pacific Ocean. It took three years for the home’s shell to be built and another 12 to construct and furnish the ornate interior. Only the finest materials — Italian marble, English tiles, glass from France, and hardwoods from New Zealand — were used in the construction of this 40,000-square-foot master dwelling. As you tour its stately rooms, grand halls, and gracious stairways, ponder the people who lived here. Linger over tea and pastries in the castle’s 3,000-square-foot ballroom.
Celebrity Discovery Collection – Oamaru and Moeraki Boulders
Experience Mother Nature, Victorian architecture, and fanciful futuristic art all in one day-long adventure in the town of Oamaru. First, visit the Blue Penguin Colony, a leading conservation and research facility, and also Oamaru’s most-visited tourist attraction. Penguins can be seen around the colony mainly at night, but if you’re lucky you may be able to see this nocturnal bird during the day at the “blue wing,” a viewing facility that allows you to look into the top of 10 nesting boxes. Drive back into Oamaru for a short walking tour of its historic precinct and wander among the lovely, well-preserved Victorian buildings, some of which have been re-activated as shops and cafes. Then it’s on to the Steampunk Train, a one-of-a-kind experience that could have been plucked from the pages of H. G. Wells and Jules Verne. Witness the future as Victorian England might have seen it in the 19th century, a mad world ruled by steam-powered devices. The interactive museum features movies, visual art, sculpture, and sound, all driven by science fiction. Following lunch at a local venue, head off to the Otago Coast for a look at the Moeraki Boulders, gigantic spherical stones that measure 9 feet in circumference, weigh several tons, and stand 6 feet tall. At the end of your day-long exploration of natural wonders and man-made ingenuity, rejoin your coach for the scenic drive back to your ship.
Celebrity Discovery Collection: Cloudy Bay/Brancott Wine & Dine
Delight in Picton’s breathtaking scenery on a coach ride that begins your day in New Zealand’s premier wine-producing region. Marlborough is widely known for producing some of the most popular Sauvignon Blanc varietals on the planet, and on this exclusive excursion you’re invited to a private, behind-the-scenes tour of one of the best known producers of Sauvignon Blanc, Cloudy Bay Winery, followed by a winemaker’s tasting in the barrel room. Then, just a few miles away, you’ll tour Brancott Estates Winery, hearing a first-hand overview of the winery’s history, starting in 1934, and forward to its innovative move as the first in the region to plant Sauvignon Blanc grapes, on to its status today as New Zealand’s largest wine producer. You’ll be treated to a private tasting of their wines, then enjoy a three-course meal, choosing from fish, lamb, or a vegetarian option for your entrée, paired appropriately with one of their premium wines.
Celebrity Discovery Collection: Port Underwood Coastal Drive
As your driver motors out from Picton, just past Karaka Point, you’ll have your first breathtaking view of the sheltered harbor of Port Underwood. This impossibly beautiful area, which still looks largely as it has for generations, is steeped in Maori culture and European history. It’s here that the South Island Maori chiefs met in 1840 to sign the Treaty of Waitangi, and where later an Anglican mission established the second mission church on the South Island. From Karaka Point, you’ll travel to Oyster Bay for Morning Tea at a private home, where you’ll be greeted with warm hospitality along with a spread of tea, coffee, and baked goods, and a chance to meet and chat with local folks who make their living in mussel farming and agriculture. Then, it’s a short ride to Kakapo Bay Cemetery, where you’ll hear fascinating stories of the lives (and deaths) of the European settlers who are buried there. Your tour concludes with a stop in Picton, where you’re free to explore the town and its lovely boutiques, many specializing in handmade crafts and giftware, or grab a table at one of the waterfront restaurants for a meal, snack, or glass of the area’s famous Sauvignon Blanc.
See celebritycruises.com.
