Celebrity Xcel to Enter Service Early

Celebrity Xcel to Enter Service Early

Celebrity APEX photo credit Spacejunkie2 flickr

Celebrity Cruises’ next Edge-class ship, the Celebrity Xcel, will enter service earlier than initially planned.

According to a statement issued by the company, the 3,260-guest vessel will offer a short preview cruise ahead of its maiden voyage in November.

“We have an important update on the arrival of the Celebrity Xcel into Fort Lauderdale,” Celebrity said in a message to booked guests.

“Our teams have been working diligently on building our new ship, and the completion is now earlier than we had originally anticipated,” the company added.

As a result, the Xcel will sail from Port Everglades for a new four-night cruise to Cozumel, Mexico, on Nov. 9, 2025.

According to the company, the ship is entering service earlier. Inaugural festivities are still set to take place during the ship’s Nov. 18, 2025, sailing.

Passengers who booked the inaugural cruise are being offered a chance to change their reservations to the new preview sailing.

“We understand that for some guests, it’s important to be the first onboard, and for others, being part of the inaugural celebrations is what matters most,” Celebrity explained.

“With this added sailing, we wanted to give you an exclusive opportunity to be the first to join us for our new sailing, or have the option of switching, if that’s what you prefer,” the company continued.

Passengers who opt to change their reservation to the new preview cruise will sail in the same exact suite or like-for-like staterooms currently booked.

While suite guests will have the same booked suites held for them as a courtesy, the offers are on a first-come, first-served basis, Celebrity noted.

The cruise fare rate will be adjusted to the current prevailing rate, and guests will be refunded for the difference if there's an overpayment.

Currently under construction at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in France, the Celebrity Xcel is the fifth in Celebrity’s Edge-class series.

After its inaugural cruise, the 140,600-ton ship launches a series of seven-night cruises to the Caribbean departing from Fort Lauderdale.

Celebrity Cruises Reschedule Apex’s Drydock

Celebrity Cruises Reschedule Apex’s Drydock

Celebrity Apex arriving into Liverpool photo credit Spacejunkie2 (Flickr)

According to a statement sent to booked guests, Celebrity Cruises is rescheduling Celebrity Apex’s 2024 drydock.

“At Celebrity Cruises, we are passionate about providing award-winning vacation experiences. With this goal in mind, and in accordance with global safety guidelines, Celebrity Cruises will be revising Celebrity Apex’s season schedule to include drydock or routine inspection in 2025, instead of 2024 as originally planned,” the company said.

As a result, sailings onboard the ship which were scheduled to embark on November 9 and 21, 2024, and March 8, 2025, through April 26, 2025, have been cancelled.

Cancelled sailings included a 12-night transatlantic crossing and a nine-night Caribbean cruise in November, in addition to a series of seven-night cruises to the Caribbean between March and April.

For any payment made toward the cancelled sailings, passengers will automatically receive a 100 per cent refund to their original method of payment, Celebrity said.

Pre-booked shore excursions, beverages, internet, speciality dining, or other onboard packages will also be fully refunded to their original method of payment, the company added.

Guests with hotel reservations booked through Flights by Celebrity will also be refunded automatically, the statement said.

“As we never wish to complicate your vacation planning, we sincerely appreciate your understanding. In hopes you’ll discover an alternative bucket-list vacation with Celebrity Cruises, we are happy to offer you $200 onboard credit per stateroom, and $400 onboard credit for Retreat accommodations, to be redeemed on a future cruise,” Celebrity concluded.

The second ship on the company’s Edge Class, the Celebrity Apex was delivered to Celebrity Cruises in April 2020.

Following several months of lay-up due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 129,500-ton ship finally entered service in June 2021, offering summer cruises in the Eastern Mediterranean.

During the 2024-2025 winter, the 2,900-guest ship is set to offer new itineraries in the Caribbean departing from the Celebrity’s homeport in Fort Lauderdale.

Celebrity Cruises Reveals Details on Celebrity Ascent

Celebrity Cruises Reveals Details on Celebrity Ascent

Celebrity Cruises revealed details about its upcoming ship, the Celebrity Ascent, set to launch this November.

The Celebrity Ascent will be based in South Florida for the 2023-2024 Caribbean season.

The ship will offer departures from Port Everglades in Ft. Lauderdale from December 2023 to April 2024, exploring destinations like the Bahamas, Grand Cayman, Puerto Rico, and the British Virgin Islands before heading to Europe for a summer of Mediterranean cruises, according to a press release.

“I am so excited to introduce the world to Celebrity Ascent and continue the legacy of Celebrity’s Edge Series,” said Celebrity Cruises’ President Laura Hodges Bethge. “First launched in 2018, the Edge Series transformed what cruising could be and its ships like Edge, Apex and Beyond quickly became consumer favorites. Continuously striving to offer travellers a better way to enjoy travel and reach the world around them, we are so proud of what we have built and look forward to welcoming both seasoned and new cruisers alike.”

In addition to returning favourites such as the Theatre, the Rooftop Garden and the Sunset Bar, guests can look forward to new experiences including:

• Redesigned Le Voyage by Daniel Boulud restaurant;
• A plant-based tasting menu at Eden Restaurant;
• Le Petit Chef dinner;
• Bourbon offerings and tastings;
• The Martini Bar;
• Revitalized Main Dining Experience inspired by the culture of champagne.
• The outdoor terrace at Blu.

 

The ship will also feature nightly entertainment at the Resort Deck, new production shows, a reimagined Casino floor and a redesigned art gallery. In addition, guests will have the opportunity to shop travel and home accessories at The Sunset Collection by Nate Berkus

Celebrity Apex to home port in Southampton in the 2024 season

Celebrity Apex to home port in Southampton in the 2024 season

Celebrity Cruises’ second Edge-class ship, Celebrity Apex, will homeport in Southampton for its entire 2024 season.

Apex – which will be the first Edge-class ship to sail out of Southampton – will replace Celebrity Silhouette and offer four- to-13-night sailings from May through November 2024.

 

Itineraries include a 12-night Norwegian Fjords and Arctic Circle cruise, as well as sailings to Ibiza and the Mediterranean.

 

Following feedback from its travel partners, the line has announced its UK deployment two weeks in advance of the launch date for the first time, to allow agents to pre-register interest from guests.

 

To support the trade in selling the vessel, the line will host 600 agents onboard Apex in 2023, across a range of ship visits and seminars.

 

Agents will also have access to a suite of training and marketing tools via Celebrity Central, including webinars; digital "Be the first to book" banners; fact sheets; talking points; itinerary flyers; and print adverts.

 

New training modules featuring Apex will also be available on Celebrity Passport. Agents selling Apex can also earn up to £20 per booking on all 2024 bookings via Celebrity Rewards.

 

From 1 November to 5 December 2022, agents can earn up to £50 Celebrity Rewards points per booking on all 2023 sailings, across all stateroom categories.

Lisa Lutoff Perlo, president and chief executive of Celebrity Cruises, said: "Having one of our award-winning Edge Series ships sailing from Southampton will offer an experience like no other from the UK.

 

"Celebrity Cruises continues to redefine cruising, taking our guests to the world’s best places on the world’s best places."

 

The line’s vice president and managing director EMEA, Jo Rzymowska, said the UK "has always been integral to the success" of the company, and homeporting Apex from Southampton "underlines our commitment to this market".

 

"There is a huge appetite from UK guests who share our curiosity for people, places and cultures, and our passion for opening up the world through a love of travel.

 

"We invest a lot in the training of our travel partners because what’s really important to us, is that they can talk about what makes Celebrity different and what makes us unique, therefore they’re not just selling a big white ship. And that is really important.

 

"I’m looking forward to welcoming even more of our guests onboard Celebrity Apex when she raises the bar for cruising from Southampton in 2024."

Celebrity Cruises to Deploy Nine Ships in the Caribbean For Winter 2022-2023

Celebrity Cruises to Deploy Nine Ships in the Caribbean For Winter 2022-2023

Celebrity Eclipse at the Hubbard Glacier photo credit Spacejunkie2 (Flickr) 

For its first full winter season since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Celebrity Cruises is deploying a total of nine ships in the Caribbean. In addition to the new Celebrity Beyond, two other Edge-Class ships and four Solstice-Class vessels will be sailing in the region during the winter.  

The season will also see the premium brand offering varied itineraries in Australia, South America, the West Coast and the Galapagos.

Cruise Industry News looked into the company’s full deployment for the Winter of 2022-2023. Here’s the breakdown:

Caribbean and Bahamas

Celebrity Millennium
Capacity (at 100% Occupancy): 1,950 guests
Built: 2000
Homeports: San Juan (Puerto Rico) and Fort Lauderdale (United States)
Length: Three to ten nights
Itineraries: Seven-night cruises to Southern and Eastern Caribbean departing from San Juan, in addition to varied itineraries departing from Fort Lauderdale in December and January
Sailing Season: October 15 to April 15

Celebrity Summit
Capacity (at 100% Occupancy): 1,950 guests
Built: 2001
Homeports: Miami (United States)
Length: Four and five nights
Itineraries: Short cruises to Key West, Mexico, the Bahamas and more
Sailing Season: October 27 to April 22

Celebrity Silhouette
Capacity (at 100% Occupancy): 2,886 guests
Built: 2011
Homeport: Miami (United States)
Length: Four to ten nights
Itineraries: Short cruises to Key West, Mexico and the Bahamas, in addition to ten-night voyages to Eastern Caribbean visiting St. Croix, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, St. Kitts and more
Sailing Season: November 3 to April 10

Celebrity Beyond
Capacity (at 100% Occupancy): 3,260 guests
Built: 2022
Homeport: Fort Lauderdale (United States)
Length: Five to eight nights
Itineraries: Western and Eastern Caribbean visiting St. Thomas, St. Maarten, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Honduras and more
Sailing Season: November 4 to April 16

Celebrity Constellation
Capacity (at 100% Occupancy): 1,950 guests
Built: 2002
Homeport: Tampa (United States)
Length: Five to ten nights
Itineraries: Southern, Western and Eastern Caribbean sailing to Panama, Mexico, St. Maarten, Colombia, Aruba, Curaçao, Bonaire, Grand Cayman and others
Sailing Season: November 6 to April 7

Celebrity Edge
Capacity (at 100% Occupancy): 2,900 guests
Built: 2018
Homeport: Fort Lauderdale (United States)
Length: Four to 11 nights
Itineraries: Southern Caribbean and Panama Canal visiting St. Maarten, Antigua, Barbados, St. Lucia, Bonaire, Curaçao, Aruba and more  
Sailing Season: November 7 to April 7

Celebrity Apex
Capacity (at 100% Occupancy): 2,900 guests
Built: 2020
Homeport: Fort Lauderdale (United States)
Length: Six to eight nights
Itineraries: Western and Eastern Caribbean visiting Mexico, Grand Cayman, Belize, Puerto Rico, St. Kitts and more
Sailing Season: November 12 to April 15

 Celebrity Reflection
Capacity (at 100% Occupancy): 3,030 guests
Built: 2012
Homeport: Fort Lauderdale (United States)
Length: Five to eight nights
Itineraries: Western, Eastern and Southern Caribbean visiting Aruba, Jamaica, Mexico, Bahamas, Grand Cayman, St. Maarten, St. Thomas and more
Sailing Season: November 13 to April 16

Celebrity Equinox
Capacity (at 100% Occupancy): 2,850 guests
Built: 2009
Homeport: Fort Lauderdale (United States)
Length: Nine to 11 nights
Itineraries: Southern, Western and Eastern Caribbean visiting Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, Barbados, Martinique, Antigua and more
Sailing Season: Year-round

Australia and New Zealand

Celebrity Eclipse
Capacity (at 100% Occupancy): 2,850 guests
Built: 2010
Homeport: Sydney (Australia)
Length: Three to 13 nights
Itineraries: Varied itineraries visiting New Zealand, Fiji, the Great Barrier Reef, Tasmania, Tonga and more
Sailing Season: October 22 to April 19

South America

Celebrity Infinity
Capacity (at 100% Occupancy): 1,950 guests
Built: 2001
Homeports: Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), Buenos Aires (Argentina) and Valparaiso (Chile)
Length: Nine to 14 nights
Itineraries: Brazil, Patagonia, Antarctica, Falklands and more
Sailing Season: December 12 to April 4

West Coast

Celebrity Solstice
Capacity (at 100% Occupancy): 2,850 guests
Built: 2008
Homeport: Los Angeles (United States)
Length: Seven and eight nights
Itineraries: Mexican Riviera and Pacific Coast visiting Cabo San Lucas, Catalina Island, Mazatlán, Puerto Vallarta, Monterey, San Francisco, San Diego, Santa Barbara and more
Sailing Season: September 24 to April 22

Galapagos

Celebrity Flora
Capacity (at 100% Occupancy): 100 guests
Built: 2019
Homeport: Baltra (Ecuador)
Length: Seven nights
Itineraries: Galapagos Expeditions sailing to Rabida Island, Puerto Egas, Elizabeth Bay, Las Bachas and others
Sailing Season: Year-round

Celebrity Xploration
Capacity (at 100% Occupancy): 16 guests
Built: 2007
Homeport: Baltra (Ecuador)
Length: Seven nights
Itineraries: Galapagos expeditions visiting Black Turtle Cove, Sullivan Bay, Calega Tagus, Punta Espinoza and more  
Sailing Season: Year-round

Celebrity Xpedition
Capacity (at 100% Occupancy): 100 guests
Built: 2001
Homeport: Baltra (Ecuador)
Length: Seven nights
Itineraries: Galapagos expeditions visiting North Seymour, South Plaza, Santa Fé Island, Puerto Ayora, Bahia Post Office and more
Sailing Season: Year-round

Celebrity Cruises Announces New Protocols for Sailing

Celebrity Cruises Announces New Protocols for Sailing

Celebrity Cruises today announced new protocols for guests sailing from U.S. and European ports by dropping vaccination requirements and simplifying testing guidelines.

Beginning September 5, 2022, all guests, regardless of vaccination status, departing on most sailings from the U.S. and Europe can now cruise as long as they meet local testing requirements to board. Celebrity Cruises will also now accept any commercially available test, including unsupervised self-tests, in many destinations. 

“A new world is waiting and I’m thrilled to now more closely align our operations with the rest of the travel industry and open up opportunities for everyone to explore, once again,” said Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, president and CEO of Celebrity Cruises. “Travel is making its grand comeback and we’re looking forward to the continued momentum from consumers around the world.” 

New pre-boarding testing requirements for the U.S. and Europe include:

• Fully vaccinated guests no longer need to test to board sailings from the U.S. that are nine nights or less (excluding sailings that visit Canada and Bermuda). 
• A negative test result from a simple, unsupervised and self-administered test will be accepted for all sailings (excluding sailings that visit Australia, Bermuda, Canada, Greece or New Zealand).
• Children under 5 years of age sailing from the U.S. and guests under 12 years of age sailing from Europe do not need to test prior to boarding. 

Requirements in Other Regions

While Celebrity Cruises has dropped vaccination requirements, sailings to and from ports in Canada, Australia and New Zealand require all guests ages 12 and up to be fully vaccinated to sail in keeping with country requirements. Galapagos cruises require guests ages 3 and older to be vaccinated.

Celebrity Solstice Asia Season Cancelled; Set for Mexican Riviera Instead

Celebrity Solstice Asia Season Cancelled; Set for Mexican Riviera Instead

Celebrity Cruises has announced a deployment move for the Celebrity Solstice, as the Royal Caribbean Group brand said it would cancel the ship's 2022-2023 season in Asia.

Instead, the ship will reposition to the Mexican Riviera, the company said.

"We have made the difficult decision to cancel our Asia season due to the ongoing uncertainty around when international operations might fully restart in this region. Our guests have the option to apply their current booking to select Asia sailings in our 2023-2024 season, or, they may choose a full refund," read a statement from Celebrity.

"We thank our guests for their patience and understanding as the world continues to reopen and we continue to work through unique circumstances. We will reposition Celebrity Solstice to sail a season of Mexican Riviera itineraries beginning in September."

The Solstice was scheduled to move to Asia in the fall after a summer season of Alaska cruises, sailing mainly from Seattle. 

After her Alaska season, the ship was scheduled for longer itineraries, including deployments in Japan in October and then moving to Southeast Asia in November and December.

Nearly 60% of the Royal Caribbean Group Cruise Fleet is Now Back in Service

With its cruise restart plan picking up pace, the Royal Caribbean Group will achieve a major milestone in August.

By the end of the month, more than half of the group’s 61-ship fleet have will be back in commercial service.

The 34 vessels sailing around the world mean 56% per cent of the company’s fleet is now operating with passengers in several destinations.

This fall, more ships, homeports and itineraries are set to return.  Here are the latest plans, brand by brand:

Royal Caribbean International
Status: 13 ships in service; three more to follow through October
Ships: Quantum of the Seas, Adventure of the Seas, Freedom of the Seas, Anthem of the Seas, Jewel of the Seas, Serenade of the Seas, Odyssey of the Seas, Allure of the Seas, Ovation of the Seas, Symphony of the Seas, Independence of the Seas, Harmony of the Seas and Mariner of the Seas in service; Oasis of the Seas, Liberty of the Seas and Spectrum of the Seas set to follow
Regions: Asia, Caribbean, Bahamas, Mediterranean, United Kingdom and Alaska

More than half of the Royal Caribbean International 25-ship fleet has now returned to commercial service.

With 13 active vessels, the brand is currently sailing to several destinations around the world, including the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, Asia and Alaska.

In September and October three additional ships are set to resume service, including the Oasis of the Seas.

On September 5, the vessel to the Oasis become the first to welcome passengers back in the New York region, offering weeklong cruises to the Bahamas from Bayonne

The balance of the Royal Caribbean fleet is poised to return to guest operations by May 2022.

Celebrity Cruises
Status: Seven ships in service; two more to follow in September and October
Ships: Celebrity Apex, Celebrity Edge, Celebrity Silhouette, Celebrity Flora, Celebrity Millennium, Celebrity Xpedition and Celebrity Equinox in service; Celebrity Summit and Celebrity Xploration set to follow
Regions: Mediterranean, Caribbean, Bahamas, United Kingdom and the Galapagos

With a bold restart plan, Celebrity Cruises added seven ships back into service since first resuming guest operations on June 5, 2021.

In North America, the Celebrity Summit recently completed a series of Caribbean sailings from St. Maarten.

The vessel is now poised to return to the United States, offering short cruises to Mexico and the Bahamas.

The Celebrity Edge, the Celebrity Equinox and the Celebrity Millennium are also in service in Europe, while other ships are in operation in Europe and the Galapagos.

TUI Cruises
Status: Six ships in service
Ships: Mein Schiff 1, Mein Schiff 2, Mein Schiff 3, Mein Schiff 4, Mein Schiff 5 and Mein Schiff 6
Regions: Mediterranean, Northern Europe, Greece and Italy

After announcing plans to have its entire seven-ship fleet in service this summer, TUI Cruises welcomed guests back on six vessels.

Based in Germany, the brand is currently sailing to several destinations in Europe.

After several months of sailing only in the Canaries archipelago, TUI expanded operations to Germany and Greece recently.

 A return to the Mediterranean was also carried out with cruises calling in Spain and Italy. 

Silversea Cruises
Status: Three ships in service; two more to follow  
Ships: Silver Origin, Silver Moon and Silver Muse in service; Silver Shadow and Silver Spirit set to follow
Region: Galapagos, Mediterranean, Alaska, Northern Europe and British Islands  

Silversea Cruises welcomed its passengers back in June, with the inaugural cruises of two newbuilds, the Silver Moon and the Silver Origin.

Continuing its restart plan, the luxury brand launched service in Iceland and Alaska, with two additional vessels.

After completing its first season in Iceland, the brand is now ready to add new itineraries in the Mediterranean, British Islands and Northern Europe. 

Hapag-Lloyd Cruises
Status: Five ships in service
Ships: Europa 2, Europa, Hanseatic Nature, Hanseatic Inspiration and Hanseatic Spirit
Region: the Mediterranean and Northern Europe

Germany-based Hapag-Lloyd Cruises currently has all of its five-ship fleet in commercial operations. The luxury brand is presently offering several different itineraries in the Baltic, the Norwegian Fjords and the Mediterranean.

The new Hanseatic Spirit was the most recent addition to the active fleet. Recently delivered, the expedition vessel departed Hamburg on its inaugural cruise on August 26.

Celebrity Apex Sails from Greece with Guests Onboard

Celebrity Edge passing the baton of being the Celebrity Cruise Flagship

The new Celebrity Apex is officially in service with guests as the new vessel sailed out of the Port of Athens today to begin her maiden voyage and first summer season in the Aegean.

That moment came as Celebrity Apex sailed out of port at 8:30p.m. local time.

The company’s return to the Aegean is all the more poignant given Celebrity Cruises’ proud Greek heritage, according to a press release.

Founded in 1988 by the Chandris family of Greece, the company later became a part of the Royal Caribbean Group. Celebrity Cruises is still rooted in its Greek origins today, with 70% of marine officers across the fleet, hailing from Greece with more than 40 Captains and Chief Engineers, including the Captain of Celebrity Apex, Dimitrios Kafetzis.

“After all this time, what a dream come true for everyone onboard this exquisite ship in one of the world’s most breathtaking regions. Her sail-away today is a meaningful moment for our guests, our crew and our company. I think we are all having ‘pinch me' moments,” said Celebrity Cruises President and CEO Lisa Lutoff-Perlo. “Returning to sailing in the Aegean, where it all began for us, and after such a long time, is also very special for me and for the Celebrity Apex crew. Greece has always held a special place in our hearts, and, now, even more so, as we sail forward to experience all of its wonders, once again.”

Guests travelling on the Greek Islands and Cyprus itinerary will have the chance to visit Rhodes, Mykonos; Santorini and Limassol. 

“Today is a very proud day for me and one I will never forget. Not only do I return to the sea, but I do so in my home country and with an incredible crew. I was born and raised right here in Piraeus, less than a mile from our Athens homeport, and grew up dreaming of sailing this coastline at the helm of a ship. I was born and raised right here in Piraeus, less than a mile from our Athens homeport, and grew up dreaming of sailing this coastline at the helm of a ship. It is truly an honour to captain the newest Celebrity flagship and to welcome our first guests back on board,” said Captain Dimitrios Kafetzis.

Celebrity Apex sails with a vaccinated crew and at least 95% vaccinated guests. 

 

LISA LUTOFF-PERLO: 'LOOK FOR THE SILVER LINING IN THE COVID CLOUD'

As Celebrity Cruises plots its return, with new sailings announced for the Caribbean, European and UK waters this summer, president and chief executive Lisa Lutoff-Perlo tells Tom Parry how the line is looking beyond the pandemic.

“I honestly don’t know if I can put it into words,” beams Lisa Lutoff-Perlo.

 

Despite the early morning interview, the excitement from Celebrity Cruises’ president and chief executive seems to fizz through her video screen – and for good reason.

 

Within a matter of weeks the line has revealed restart plans for the UK, Europe and Caribbean - including the launch of its second Edge-class ship, Celebrity Apex, out of Athens.

 

In the UK, Celebrity Silhouette – fully “revolutionised” after a multimillion-pound renovation infused with Kelly Hoppen redesigns and the British debut of its Always Included all-inclusive fare – will cruise from Southampton in July.

 

When we meet over Zoom in the last week of March, Silhouette has just joined an ever-growing fleet of ships due to sail UK shores this summer.

 

But Lutoff-Perlo, rather aptly clutching an Edge-branded mug as she chats, says she is confident Celebrity’s offering will stand out in the “crowded space”.

 

“The brand we’ve built up and our positioning of ‘new luxury’ – I think the British consumer really understands that. We’re not worried about all the other brands out there. Celebrity is a special brand that stands for a lot and that will serve us well this summer.”

Silhouette will cruise from Southampton in July as Celebrity makes its UK restart

SAFETY FIRST

One obvious point of difference compared with other lines is Celebrity and sister line Royal Caribbean International’s vaccination policy for these summer sailings. Unlike other lines, both require adults to be fully vaccinated, while under-18s must provide negative PCR results.

 

Lutoff-Perlo says the approach – backed by Royal Caribbean Group’s Healthy Sail Panel – is “something that’s important right now” to instil confidence.

 

“We’re trying to be agile and do what we believe is the right thing to do at this time, so we can start up and everybody can have a wonderful vacation and feel like they’re in a healthy and safe environment”, she adds.

 

Lutoff-Perlo has herself recently received her second vaccine dose.

 

“When I got my second shot, I felt liberated. I carry my little vaccination card around with me – it’s like a badge of honour,” she grins.

The ship has been fully “revolutionised” after a multimillion-pound renovation

Capacity levels also reflect a cautious approach, with sailings starting at around 50% occupancy. “It will start lower than it will end,”

 

Lutoff-Perlo insists. “We’ll start to slowly but surely ramp up to somewhere in the 50, 60, 70% range.

 

“We want to prove that a cruise is a very controllable environment where people can have the healthiest and safest vacation in the world.”

 

She contrasts the onboard measures being prepared to wider tourism regulations in her resident state of Florida. “Tourists are not wearing masks; they don’t need to be vaccinated. I look at that and think: ‘This is OK?’ But yet it’s not OK for cruising to operate [in the US]…”

 

Her assessment of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) lack of progress in green-lighting sailings is admirably diplomatic amid growing frustrations from stateside cruise bosses and political leaders in recent weeks.

 

“I don’t believe [the CDC] are ignoring the industry on purpose as they’ve had so much to focus on, but I believe it’s time [to act], and they’re taking notice.”

 

TIME TO REFLECT

Talk of restarts is a welcome tonic compared with this time last year when Covid’s ever-tightening grip saw the March launch of Celebrity Apex in Southampton cancelled and its fleet begins a prolonged suspension.

 

I ask Lutoff-Perlo how she has coped during the enforced shutdown and where her and her team’s efforts have been focused. Echoing Royal Group chief Richard Fain’s “Never let a good crisis go to waste” mantra, she says she has coined one of her own: “Wake up and look for the silver lining in the Covid-19 cloud”.

For Lutoff-Perlo, this silver lining was having the time to explore and develop new strategies and onboard experiences.

 

“I thought, ‘we can’t just be focused on this pandemic, we need to focus on our future’. That was very different from what was going on in the rest of the industry – other brands were just focused on what it was going to take to come out of the pandemic.

 

“We were trying to say, ‘OK, we’re going to come out of this – but who do we want to be when that happens?’” Lutoff-Perlo admits her leadership style has also adapted to suit the challenges.

 

“Things that are innate in me as a leader have had to be amplified, and others de-amplified. I’ve always led with my head and a lot of my heart and I think those things have been inversed this past year.

 

Port Everglades Moving Forward

Celebrity APEX refuelling in Port Everglades

“We are talking with the cruise lines on a consistent basis, there are weekly teleconferences. We are talking about what we are doing with our terminals and understanding what the obligations and criteria will be moving forward,” said Jonathan Daniels, who took over as the new CEO and port director at Port Everglades over the summer.

The 2020-2021 season for Port Everglades was poised to be a good one – the new Enchanted Princess was slated to call the port home, along with the Celebrity Apex and Odyssey of the Seas.

Looking at the new Celebrity Apex outside his office window, Daniels said he was working closely with the Royal Caribbean Group to understand what the terminal experience will look like.

“The difficult part will ultimately be determining where the line of demarcation is for accountability and responsibility,” Daniels said.

Guests will have staggered check-in times, basically appointments to board, and the terminals will need to be re-flowed a bit, meaning various zones for testing, isolation and more.

“Laboratories, testing, how does that translate into space in the terminal?” Daniels asked. “What happens if there is a positive case?”

Asking those questions is part of an unknown, without answers or guidance yet from the CDC.

Head Start

The port’s ferry service to the Bahamas launched for a two-week period in July, as it was not affected by the CDC’s “No Sail” order with a ship under 250 passengers aboard.

That meant Port Everglades had a trial run of sorts, installing plexiglass barriers, signage and hand sanitiser distribution stations in a terminal.

“We’ve been moving beyond that and integrating that into other terminals in anticipation of a restart of cruising,” Daniels said.

50,000

Pre COVID, a weekend in the winter could see upwards of 50,000 people move through Port Everglades on a single day with ships at all the port’s cruise berths.

With the business mounting a comeback in 2021, Daniels said the potential for growth beyond that would be in increasing the utilization of cruise terminals, especially for itineraries leaving mid-week, along with building up more summer business.

With a pivot toward closer-to-home and shorter cruises, the port is well-positioned in Florida to take advantage of that.

Excerpt from Cruise Industry News Quarterly Magazine: Winter 2020-2021

 

CELEBRITY CRUISES ANNOUNCES EUROPE 2022 DEPLOYMENT

Celebrity Cruises has announced its deployment for Europe 2022, including Celebrity Apex, Edge, and the newly "revolutionized" Celebrity Silhouette sailing in the region.

Together, the six ships will visit nearly 100 destinations and offer an expanded overnight program in cities including Bordeaux, Istanbul, Jerusalem, Lisbon, Reykjavik, St Petersburg, Russia, and Venice.

 

Wi-Fi, drinks, and tips are now “Always Included” in a Celebrity cruise purchase. In addition, the line’s “Cruise with Confidence” program provides flexible cancellations and “best price guarantees”.

 

Apex, the second ship in Celebrity’s new Edge series, will sail Scandinavia and Russia and the Norwegian Fjords from the new homeport of Amsterdam. It will also offer Iceland, Ireland, and British Isles itineraries, ending the season with special Holy Land sailings roundtrip from Rome.

 

Edge meanwhile will sail from Rome and Barcelona on 7-night Mediterranean itineraries to culturally rich and romantic destinations in Italy, France, Spain, Turkey, and the Greek Islands.

 

It will end the season with some longer itineraries from Rome before returning to its homeport in Fort Lauderdale for the winter.

 

Silhouette will sail from Southampton, beginning in April 2022, to transport guests to a wide variety of popular European destinations from the Norwegian Fjords to Spain, Portugal, and the Italian Mediterranean. It will finish its Europe season in the Canary Islands in September and October.

 

Other Celebrity summer 2022 European offerings include:

 

- Celebrity Constellation sailing an array of 9- and 10-night Mediterranean itineraries between Venice, Rome, and Barcelona.

- Celebrity Infinity discovering the best of the Mediterranean on a special series of 7-night sailings between Venice, Lisbon, and Barcelona beginning in April 2022.

- And Celebrity Reflection treating guests to 10- and 11-night itineraries exploring Italy, Turkey, Croatia, Montenegro, and the Greek Islands from its new homeport of Rome.

 

The launch is supported by toolkits and guides on Celebrity Central and trade webinars hosted by sales and training teams so travel partners can become experts in all things Celebrity Cruises in Europe 2022.