NSW blamed for failing to halt Ruby Princess disembarkation after 131 positive COVID-19 tests

PRINCESS REVEALS LARGEST EVER AUSTRALIAN DEPLOYMENT

NSW Health officials are being blamed for failing to halt the disembarkation of Ruby Princess passengers last week, despite tests being carried out on guests, twelve of which proved positive for coronavirus. NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard is reported in The Sunday Telegraph to have said: “With the benefit of what we now know, I … Read more

Celebrity Cruises releases 2020/2021 sailings

Celebrity Solstice, Australian 2020/2021 season

Celebrity Cruises’ 2020/21 season will boast visits to more than 280 ports in 77 countries and 169 overnight stays onboard their four ships, fresh from a $700 million fleet-wide refurbishment. It will be the first time that two Solstice-class ships are based in Australia, with newly refreshed Celebrity Eclipse homeported in Melbourne and Celebrity Solstice … Read more

Celebrity Solstice gets the Edge treatment in multi-million makeover

Celebrity Solstice gets the Edge treatment in multi-million makeover

Celebrity Cruises has revealed that Aussie based Celebrity Solstice will be receiving a multimillion dollar makeover by 2021 which will be in line with its latest ship, the revolutionary Celebrity Edge.

The line will be spending more than $670 million on refurbishing its fleet to be aligned with the upcoming Celebrity Edge.

The Edge, which will be launched later this year with a magic carpet, three-story indoor space called the Eden, will set the benchmark for the rest of the Celebrityโ€™s ships.

โ€œWe launched Theย Celebrityย Revolution to do one thing โ€“ transform the way our guests experience the world. It began with the introduction of the industry changingย Celebrityย Edge, and continued with the stunningย Celebrityย Flora,โ€ said Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, President and CEO,ย Celebrityย Cruises. โ€œOur dedication to improving the way guests experience the world knows no bounds. We are taking our entire award-winning fleet to the edge and giving people the holiday they truly deserve.โ€

The Suite Life

Celebrityย will transformย Celebrityย Millennium,ย Celebrityย Constellation,ย Celebrityย Infinity, andย Celebrityย Summitย and add the stunning Reflection Suite and Signature Suites (found today onย Celebrityย Reflection) toย Celebrityย Solstice,ย Celebrityย Eclipse,ย Celebrityย Equinox, andย Celebrityย Silhouette.

The ships have a subtle, coordinated fusion of East meets West, with clean lines, neutral tones, and a warm, inviting opulence.

โ€œThis was a new and exciting challenge to recreate something stylish and luxurious yet totally different from the accommodations that I have designed forย Celebrityย Edge,โ€ said designer Kelly Hoppen.

โ€œI wanted to invoke a feeling of timeless luxury that welcomed guests into their own haven. Your bedroom is where you sleep and where you wake, two of the most important times of day, especially when you are on holiday. It was important to create space, harmony and luxury within a home away from home setting and I think we achieved this balance perfectly.โ€

Withย Celebrityย Edge, the brand introduced an exclusive new sanctuary for all Suite Class guests called The Retreat, and nowย Celebrityย is bringing its most luxurious experiences fleet-wide. Every ship will offer The Retreat Sundeck and The Retreat Lounge, both designed by Ms Hoppen. The Retreat Sundeck, she has created a chic, open-air hideaway with the feel of a high-end resort, where guests can unwind on plush loungers, sip cocktails, and savour refreshing treats.

Accommodation

The Celebrityย Millennium,ย Celebrityย Constellation,ย Celebrityย Infinity, andย Celebrityย Summit, plus the staterooms and many of the suites

onboardย Celebrityย Solstice,ย Celebrityย Eclipse,ย Celebrityย Equinox,ย Celebrityย Silhouetteย and

Celebrity Reflectionย into a statement about modern luxury.

โ€œEvery detail of our staterooms has been elevated, every comfort refined,โ€ said Brian Abel, Senior Vice President, Hotel Operations,ย Celebrityย Cruises. โ€œBy the end of Theย Celebrityย Revolution, the entire fleet will have the same quality, design essence and consistency of modern luxury, bringing our fleet to the edge.โ€

All staterooms will feature a fresh, chic design, rivaling the worldโ€™s best boutique hotels. They will also be fitted withย Celebrityโ€™s eXhale bedding featuring exclusive luxurious cashmere mattresses, RFID locks, pervasive Xcelerate and Bluetooth capabilities.

Culinary

Guest-favourite restaurant Qsine will be added across the fleet and completely renovated, now offering the brandโ€™s virtual Le Petit Chef experience, created by the world-famous artists of Skullmapping and presented by TableMation exclusively forย Celebrity.

Oceanview Cafรฉ will be redesigned with an open, airy, marketplace-inspired design offering guests a plethora of international delicacies, while the main restaurants will undergo a redesign, with new textures and new finishes added throughout.ย 

Innovation

More innovation is on the horizon with Theย Celebrityย Revolution, including:

Expansion of the new SEA Thermal Suite โ€“ first introduced onย Celebrityย Edgeย โ€“ to offer an array of therapeutic spa experiences at sea.

Exclusive new shopping experiences featuring sought-after brands and designers, such as Shinola, John Hardy, and Hublot.

Elevated bars and lounges, including the newly reimagined Passport Bar and an expansion ofย Celebrityโ€™s popular Gastrobar concept, serving more than 40 craft beers, creative cocktails, and gourmet comfort food.

More exciting upgrades to public venues all throughout each ship, including The Hideaway, Team Earth, The Library, and more.

Yoga, pilates, meditation on the menu for Celebrity vegan health retreat

Celebrity vegan cruise

Vegans will be over the moon. The first health retreat at sea for vegans will launch on Celebrity Solsticeโ€™s nine-night South Pacific voyage on 20 October. The transformational retreat will bring together all vegan cruisers who want to learn about the health benefits of a plant-based cuisine and lifestyle. There will be a team of … Read more

Celebrity Edge floats out

Celebrity Edge floats out

The first of the yearโ€™s new ship launches left dry dock this week โ€“ signalling the start of one of the most exciting years for new mega ships.

The much-anticipatedย Celebrity Edge ran down the slipway of the Franceย shipyard STX, marking the first time the new shipโ€™s hull has touched the water.

Passengers who love the line โ€“ the Celebrity Solstice is one of Australiaโ€™s favourites – ย are looking forward to the first new class of ship in a decade.

And it certainly sounds as if the new 2,918-guest liner will be packed with innovation and technology.

A newย Magic Carpetย area suspended off the side of the ship will move up and down between decks throughout the day, offering changing experiences ranging from restaurants to a tender platform.

Itโ€™s an incredible engineering feat cantilevered from the side of the ship and able to scale the entire 16 decks.

A new class of ย โ€œInfinite Verandaโ€ staterooms will offer unobstructed views via a new design that moves the shipโ€™s infrastructure back further from the balcony.

The shipโ€™s main public venue,ย Eden, covers three decks and offers different entertainment options throughout the day: relaxation, yoga and coffee space in the morning, ย a venue for the newย Eve at Edenย performance by night, a dinner restaurant, cocktail bar, and enrichment activities.

The Edges first cruise will now take place on December 9 โ€“ one week ahead of schedule.

She will sail two separate seven-night inaugural voyages on alternating western and eastern itineraries to the Caribbean, which can be booked back-to-back for a 14-night sailing.

There will be fourย Edge Preview Sailings: three-nightย Bahamasย cruises roundtrip fromย Fort Lauderdaleย departing November 21, November 24, December 3 and December 6.

Celebrity Edgeย will spend its inaugural season sailing alternating seven-night eastern and western Caribbean itineraries out of its homeport of Fort Lauderdale.

In 2019, the new ship will offer a series of seven- to 11-nightย Mediterraneanย sailings calling at ports likeย Barcelonaย andย Rome.

Theย Celebrity Edgeย will be joined by three sibling vessels in 2020, 2021 and 2022.

โ€œThis truly is an exciting moment for our brand,โ€ said Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, President and CEO,ย Celebrityย Cruises.ย 

โ€œThe float out process marks a major milestone in the building ofย Celebrityย Edge. With exterior construction complete, the amazing STX France team will now turn their attention to bringing all of the meticulously designed venues and transformational staterooms and suites to life.โ€ย ย 

For more information, visitย www.celebritycruises.com/edgeย or your local travel agent.

Celebrity Cruises heads to Melbourne for 2019/20 season

Celebrity Cruises heads to Melbourne for 2019/20 season

Premium cruise line, Celebrity Cruises, has announced its 2019 deployment, which will be the lineโ€™s biggest season in Australia to date. With more cruises and more overnights on offer than ever before, the line also announced it would be spending some time in Melbourne. For Celebrity fans, and those who want to try out the … Read more

Best last minute cruise deals

Best last minute cruise deals

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] If you need a holiday over the festive season, last minute cruise deals around Australia, New Zealand and the surrounding region, will come as a welcome escape. Not only will you and your family be transported to tropical islands and sandy beaches, there are a fantastic variety of destinations to choose from. [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_separator][vc_single_image image=”49514″ … Read more

Celebrity Cruises increases its capacity in Alaska for 2019

Celebrity Cruises increases its capacity in Alaska for 2019

Celebrity Cruises will be sailing three of its ships in Alaska in 2019. The Celebrity Eclipse will join her sister ships, the Celebrity Solstice and Celebrity Millennium during the Northern Hemisphere summer, increasing the lineโ€™s capacity in the region. There will be a number of itineraries guests can experience in Alaska as well as a … Read more