RWO next-generation wastewater treatment receives a Celebrity welcome

RWO, a leading supplier of intelligent water management solutions, has successfully completed two installations of its next-generation advanced water treatment system (AWTS) – the CleanSewage Membrane Reactor (CS-MBR) for Celebrity Cruises. The sewage treatment plant on the Celebrity Solstice-class vessels, Celebrity Silhouette and Celebrity Reflection, have been upgraded to the CS-MBR system, with an additional three orders placed to complete the fleet-wide upgrade.
 
RWO’s CS-MBR is a sustainable biological treatment technology that has been designed specifically to minimise a vessel’s impact on the environment, achieve the highest standards for effluent discharge and perform well ahead of regulatory requirements.
 
The installations upgrade existing RWO MEMROD sewage treatment plants on board the Celebrity Cruises ships, reflecting new regulations for existing vessels operating in Special Areas and anticipate the expansion in regulatory parameters for such vessels from 1 June 2023*. The CS-MBR is fully type-approved as conforming with IMO MEPC.227(64) including the standards of section 4.2 which addresses nitrogen and phosphorus removal.
 
Nikolaos Kolyvakis, Senior Ship Manager, at Celebrity Cruises commented: “Sustainability is a top priority for Celebrity Cruises and we seek out every opportunity to demonstrate our commitment to the highest possible standards in environmental stewardship.”
 
Lars Nupnau, Business Development Manager, at RWO said: “RWO has developed a strong working relationship with Celebrity Cruises over the last 10 years and we are delighted that the RWO CS-MBR has been selected as part of its Solstice-class upgrade strategy.”
 
Unique among shipboard AWTS solutions, the CS-MBR treatment process features submerged membranes in their final stage and can remove more than 99% of solids and bacteria, including microplastics and viruses.
 
“By using membranes in this way, the resulting water is pure enough to be re-used in other ship functions such as laundry or as technical water. The automated cleaning-in-place (CIP) control also makes the system far easier for the crew to operate and extends the membrane lifecycle significantly,” said Nupnau. “If that wasn’t enough, the CS-MBR also has a smaller footprint and uses less energy than comparable systems.”
 
“The new CS-MBR goes beyond regulatory compliance to minimise environmental impacts and maximise operational efficiency,” added Kolyvakis. “It strongly aligns with Celebrity’s commitment to investing in technologies which help protect the world’s oceans and the communities where we operate.”

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."

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.

 

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.

Celebrity Silhouette’s final cruise in Venice

The Grand Canal and Basilica Santa Maria della Salute, Venice, Italy. Picture: Supplied.

AS gondolas glide among vintage speedboat taxis, the modern cruise liner looms large above all. Like a large, white palace set adrift in Venice, the ship floats along the lagoon toward the sea.

From the top deck, it’s an unbeatable view across the antique city’s jumble of terracotta roofs, dome-topped marble churches and bell towers that tilt with old age. Two thousand passengers are tightly packed around the edges, surveying the lively scene below. Cruise ship entertainment doesn't get much better than departing Venice as it settles into sunset.

The curtain is coming down, though, on one of cruising’s best spectacles. New laws are set to ban the biggest vessels from Giudecca Canal next year, amid concerns about environmental damage or disaster. This means 2014 is the final season for ships exceeding 96,000 tonnes to be permitted the pleasure of passing the Piazza San Marco.

The ship leaves Venice on one of its final voyages from the city. Picture: Louise Goldsbury

Peering down from my position on the helipad of Celebrity Silhouette, I have a better vantage point than the hundreds of people staring back at me. Better sounds, too, as Madame Butterfly is played over the bow’s loudspeaker. The dramatic Italian opera cuts the perfect soundtrack to this almost-theatrical event.

Smaller ships will continue to be allowed into the Venetian lagoon, under the government’s new rules. This means the 91,000-tonne Celebrity Constellation, measuring 294m long, will be welcomed, while our 122,000-tonne, 319m Celebrity Silhouette will not.

Cruise companies insist their ships are harmless to Venice’s structure, but the industry – through the Cruise Lines International Association – has agreed to support plans for an alternative route.

“Venice is one of the most breathtaking ports to sail in or out of,” says the Silhouette’s master, Captain Emmanouil Alevropolous. “When the daylight comes up, you look out and think it’s not real. The city is like an art piece in the morning.”

Celebrity Silhouette’s casino. Picture: Supplied

I make a mental note to set my alarm for 5am on the last night of the voyage. In the meantime, our itinerary includes other destinations in Turkey and Greece.

I sign up for a shore excursion to see the ruins of Ephesus, a short drive from the port of Kusadasi. Partially destroyed by earthquake in 614, this pilgrimage site serves as an open-air archaeological museum dating back to 10BC.

Our local guide shows us a section excavated the week prior, as well as a gladiators’ graveyard, 22-room brothel, 24,000-seat theatre and the grand Library of Celsus.

In Corfu, I’m keen to dive into the deep blue ocean that has surrounded us for days. I strike gold at a bar with a private beach, chill-out music and showers. Swimming in the Mediterranean is such shivery bliss, best followed by a cold Mythos beer.

In Mykonos, I have one thing on my mind: Greek food. After strolling the island’s dazzling white maze of shops, I choose a waterfront restaurant where the waves slap against the balcony. The feast includes seafood, stuffed vine leaves and salads. Meanwhile, an old pelican appears on the terrace, poses for tourists’ photos and then wanders into the kitchen.

Dinner is taken on board the ship at Qsine. “Disco shrimp” comes in a dish with a flashing light; a mezze selection is presented in a drawer with 12 compartments and the sushi lollipops look too cute to eat.

The cruise liner moored off Mykonos. Picture: Louise Goldsbury.

Celebrity Cruises has also overhauled its evening entertainment. Moving away from the cheesy and stopping short of sleazy is the new Sin City, held at midnight, with adults-only comedy and burlesque.

Another addition is Liquid Lounge pool parties, where mermaids lie around the solarium while a DJ transforms the space into a nightclub. Pop-up performers also roam the ship, launching into dance routines or acrobatic acts.

On the last night, at the Martini Bar, our group orders three of the six-cocktail samplers. The bartender prepares the 18 mixtures and lines up 18 glasses, then joins all the shakers together, like a long silver snake, and somehow pours them simultaneously without spilling a drop. Seriously impressive.

Fortunately, the martinis don’t shake our resolve to stir at 5am for one of Celebrity Silhouette’s last returns to Venice. Rugged up in warm clothes, we head to the top deck and snuggle up against the railing on the starboard side. Standing with the dark, salty breeze in our hair, we wait for the first twinkles of the city.

The spacious pool deck. Picture: Supplied.

Only a dozen other passengers have come out for the occasion, cradling cups of coffee and cameras in cold hands. Usually buzzing all day, the canal-side promenade is creepily silent, empty of people, and the tightly packed buildings appear as vacant facades.

Cuisine and culture, sample-sized

By Tom Stieghorst

A cruise is a great way to try a lot of things in a short time, and usually not as good for experiencing something in depth.

I was reminded of this on a recent cruise in the Mediterranean aboard the Celebrity Silhouette.

The sampling starts upon boarding in the ship’s buffet, Oceanview Cafe. I made a point of trying the Indian food, something I’m not served at home and rarely eat at a restaurant. A spoon of this, a dollop of that and I was on my way.

For dessert, I choose from several trays of cookies, brownies, ice creams, puddings, cream puffs, cakes, pies and tarts. Most were small, or I could choose the portion size, so I could try two or three at each meal.

The concept goes beyond food. I heard and saw entertainers that I wouldn’t seek out or likely pay for at home, including the Sin City comedy/burlesque show that Celebrity has adapted from Las Vegas.

I’m not well versed in modern art, but over the course of a seven-day cruise I probably spent half an hour looking at and reading about the ship’s collection. It wasn’t like a visit to an art museum, but it may inspire me to go.

I read parts of four books from the ship’s library and finished none of them.

My wife and I made friends with couples from Germany, England and Spain over end-of-the-day drinks, but I don’t think they’ll be lasting relationships.

Nowhere is the sampler concept more evident than in the destinations that we visited. At our favorite port of call, we were in Greece for about six hours. Part of it was consumed by a quick taxi ride across the island to a nice beach, where we spent about two hours.

After a taxi back to the main town, we did a little pre-dinner shopping and sought out a restaurant we’d read about. We only had a little time for exploring after dinner and then it was back to the ship.

We are dying to return, feeling like we could have spent six days, not six hours.

It was a wonderful cruise but, alas, it was not an immersive experience of Greece. However, in addition to two stops in Greece, we visited Italy, Croatia and Turkey in the course of a seven-night trip. It was a great sampler of that part of the world and not easy to do as seamlessly any other way.

5 Great Spaces to Lounge at Sea

Life is sweet in these special areas on cruise ships that invite guests to de-stressBy: Marilyn Green

The Library on Oceania Marina is home to comfy leather armchairs and around 2,000 books and periodicals. // © 2014 Oceania

Vacations are supposed to be relaxing, but by the time our overworked brains get the message the vacation is often nearly over. Understanding this dilemma, cruise lines have devised some outstanding spaces that entice guests to slow down, relax and enjoy. These are the ones I love best.

Library, Oceania Marina 
I immediately fell in love with Oceania Marina’s library, and I had plenty of company. It looks like a P.G. Wodehouse or Agatha Christie setting with guests who are reading, sipping and dozing while sprawled out on huge leather chairs. 

Be sure to explore the nooks created by the shelves holding 2,000 books and periodicals to find your perfect place. You have to get up very early on sea days to stake out a chair and a favorite nook. On my cruise, some people come to the library at 4 a.m. to grab a chair near the fireplace. The library’s English country house atmosphere is beyond soothing. With the availability of coffees and snacks at the adjoining Baristas Coffee Bar, and computers for Internet access, some passengers make a day of it.

Spa Recovery Room, Costa Luminosa 

Most ships’ spa recovery rooms have elegant, minimalistic loungers with a view of the sea, but not onboard Costa Luminosa. Here, guests who have had a massage or other spa treatment can chill out on canopied beds with filmy curtains in a shady, quiet room that seems to inhabit another world altogether. And if you prefer a sunnier spot to let the pampering soak in, you can push open the picket gate to the outside garden from your treatment room, step out and relax in a chair.

Explorations Cafe, Nieuw Amsterdam

Explorations Cafe, powered by the New York Times, is my fantasy of what a retreat should be, and guests are constantly saying they need one at home. The ingredients speak for themselves: blissful, squashy leather chairs and couches, Internet stations, pastries, brownies, cupcakes, specialty coffees and thousands of books, magazines, DVDs, newspapers and table games — not to mention vast views of the sea. It’s full of guests from morning to night, sending emails, reading, chatting and playing games.

The Hideaway, Celebrity Silhouette

Many ships have comfortable chairs, but Silhouette has nests that for me brought back memories of childhood retreats. Tucked away near an impressive 20-foot live tree that stands over the atrium, the intimate The Hideaway is an irresistible stylized tree house, with comfortable seating and suspended nests where guests can enjoy the peace, read or play with the Apple products from the Celebrity iLounge. 

Seabourn Square, Seabourn Sojourn

I never thought I’d choose a purser’s desk for relaxation, but Seabourn Sojourn’s Seabourn Square makes dealing with questions both serene and pleasurable. The core of the ship and its collective living room, Seabourn Square includes purser and concierge functions but guests sit across from staff — there is no standing and waiting. And the atmosphere is eons away from a typical front desk. This open space at the heart of the ship is gently divided into areas for Internet access, a very fine library of books and magazines and plenty of seating options, from easy chairs and couches to tables and chairs perfect for enjoying the specialty coffees, teas and pastries that are always readily available.