News

CHEERS! CELEBRITY CRUISES’ WINE PROGRAM EARNS 18 WINE SPECTATOR AWARDS

When it comes to wine programs at sea, there is no match to the outstanding offering from Celebrity Cruises®. The premium vacation brand set a record this week after being honored 18 times at the 2024 Wine Spectator Awards, with the cruise line now boasting 136 awards received over the last 12 years. Awards included five coveted “Best Of” Awards of Excellence for Celebrity Cruises Edge® Series, including recognition for Le Voyage, global culinary ambassador Daniel Boulud’s only restaurant at sea.

CELEBRITY XCEL KEEL LAYING CEREMONY

The future of elevated travel at sea reached a major milestone today, as construction commenced for Celebrity Cruises’ next ship, Celebrity Xcel. The keel laying ceremony at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France celebrated the momentous occasion for the latest and most elevated vessel in Celebrity’s award-winning Edge Series ships. When she sets sail in the fall of 2025, Celebrity Xcel will connect guests to the breathtaking world around them like never before, furthering the innovative experiences coveted in her sister ships with several new yet-to-be-revealed offerings for an unparalleled premium vacation.

CELEBRITY CRUISES ELEVATES ‘THE RETREAT’ EXPERIENCE

Celebrity Cruises® takes the suite life to new heights with new premium and personalized enhancements for The Retreat, providing the most elevated experience at sea. Offering more perks and amenities than ever before, The Retreat isn’t just a suite. It’s the most elevated experience at sea, period.

IT’S A MATCH

We’re elevating our loyalty status match program to give your clients the best benefits at sea. Captain’s Club members will now receive one-for-one tier matching across all three Royal Caribbean Group brands: Celebrity Cruises®, Royal Caribbean®, and now also Silversea®. This shared status gives your clients more benefits than ever before, and more ways to see the world—with more than 50 incredible ships sailing to nearly 1,000 destinations.

CELEBRITY CRUISES FIRST-EVER EDGE SERIES ALASKA ITINERARIES SET SAIL

Celebrity Cruises elevates bucket list experiences on Celebrity Edge whilst energizing communities with impact projects in Alaska

CELEBRITY ASCENT MAKES HISTORY IN EUROPE

Setting sail for the first time in Europe, Celebrity Cruises® flagship vessel, Celebrity Ascent℠ will turn heads as she raises the bar for holidays in the region this summer. Visiting stunning destinations in Spain, Greece, Italy, Portugal and Turkey, the newest ship from the premium cruise line will dive into the rich history of Europe and explore the best the Mediterranean has to offer across the season.

FIRST CELEBRITY CRUISES GUESTS ENJOY PERFECT DAY AT COCOCAY

Celebrity Cruises® guests visited Perfect Day at CocoCay, the number one destination in Royal Caribbean Group, for the first time, traveling aboard Celebrity Reflection® Monday, April 22nd and Celebrity BeyondSM Tuesday, April 23rd. The award-winning private destination introduced by sister brand Royal Caribbean International is part of Celebrity Cruises’ new short Caribbean itinerary offerings.

FOCUSING ON WHAT MATTERS: YOU, OUR TRAVEL ADVISORS

Celebrity Cruises is pleased to announce the launch of Insider Focus Group, an evergreen, virtual program. We are seeking volunteers to participate in individual focus group sessions that will be 60-to 90-minutes in length and hosted by a member of Celebrity Cruises’ executive team. This is your opportunity to provide your expert insight and business-critical feedback on topics ranging from our travel partner resource portfolio to onboard products and services. Please respond using the link below to let us know of your interest.

Celebrity Cruises has been honored with a TravelAge West 2024 Editor’s Pick Award in a record eleven categories as part of the magazine’s 2024 WAVE Awards. Now in its 19th year, the goal of TravelAge West’s WAVE Awards is to give travel advisors in the U.S. the opportunity to recognize the outstanding qualities and services of their travel-supplier partners.

YOUR CLIENTS ZENITH MEMBERSHIP JUST GOT BETTER

We have some exciting updated for our Zenith members. Effective immediately, we will be opening cruise-only rates for Zenith members that book the Retreat. We are making this change as a direct result of your feedback that some of the most valuable loyalty benefits, like premium drinks and WIFI, already come with The Retreat. In addition, every cruise will feature an exclusive Zenith lunch no matter how many Zenith members are on board. Lastly, we have partnered with our Global Culinary Ambassador, Chef Daniel Boulud, on a new Zenith member perk. Our Zenith members will have access to priority reservations at Daniel Boulud’s land-based restaurants.

TTG LUXURY TRAVEL AWARDS 2024

This past weekend at the Raffles Hotel in London, TTG presented their luxury awards for 2024. For the third year in a row, Celebrity Cruises won Premium Cruise Line of the Year – a testament to the brand’s phenomenal innovation, fresh ideas and commitment to sustainability.

VIRTUOSO AWARD WINNER
TOP PRODUCING CRUISE PARTNER, CANADA 2024

Virtuoso® introduced regional Virtuoso Awards at its Canada Forum, which took place February 27-28 at the Four Seasons Hotel Toronto in Toronto, Ontario. And we are thrilled to share that Celebrity Cruises received the Canada Top Producer award in the Cruise category, which honors a Virtuoso member and partner with the highest overall network sales in a respective category.

CELEBRITY CRUISES CELEBRATES INDUSTRY EXCELLENCE WITH 2023 TOP TRAVEL AGENCY ADVISOR AWARDS 

Celebrity Cruises is showing its appreciation to the travel agencies and advisors who made it all possible in 2023. The premium cruise line’s trade partners were instrumental in heralding several significant milestones for Celebrity Cruises, including the launch of the highly anticipated Celebrity Ascent, an expanded and revamped Caribbean program for Summer 2024, the cruise industry’s first-ever Forbes Travel Guide award, and a new President, Laura Hodges Bethge, at the helm.

IT’S OFFICIAL: CELEBRITY CRUISES TAKES DELIVERY OF HIGHLY ANTICIPATED CELEBRITY ASCENT

Celebrity Ascent has officially joined Celebrity Cruises’ fleet of award-winning ships redefining premium travel, as company officials took delivery of its newest ship at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in St. Nazaire, France. The fourth ship in the line’s innovative Edge Series, Celebrity Ascent continues to shatter preconceived notions of cruising with its forward-thinking design by the world’s leading architects and interior designers; culinary excellence from Michelin starred chefs; wellness woven throughout the experience; expansive onboard entertainment and more. Celebrity Ascent will make her official debut in Fort Lauderdale on December 3, with a 7-night Eastern Caribbean.

PREPARE TO EXPERIENCE THE NEXT LEVEL OF ELEVATED VACATION EXCELLENCE:
CELEBRITY CRUISES REVEALS NAME OF NEXT EDGE SERIES SHIP

The countdown is on, and the future of elevated travel at sea is officially on its way. Celebrity Cruises announced today that the fifth ship in its award-winning Edge Series will be named Celebrity Xcel, continuing the innovative experiences coveted in her sister ships and then going even further for an unmatched premium vacation experience.

Celebrity Xcel will make her debut in November 2025 in the Caribbean, sailing her inaugural winter season from Fort Lauderdale, on 7-night itineraries alternating between the Bahamas, Mexico and the Cayman Islands, and Puerto Plata, St. Thomas, and St. Maarten. The sailings are now open for sale.

CELEBRITY ASCENT COMPLETES SEA TRIALS WITH BROTHER CAPTAINS AT THE HELM

Our newest ship, Celebrity Ascent, lived up to its name, reaching the pinnacle of its construction milestones with the successful completion of its first open ocean sailing. During the traditional shipbuilding process known as sea trials, Celebrity Ascent completed a series of maneuverability skills designed to test the ship’s functional and operational capabilities, which she passed with flying colors. The ship’s brother captains, Demetrios and Tasos Kafetzis, were at the helm to oversee the intricate tests conducted in the Bay of Biscay near the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in St. Nazaire, France where Celebrity Ascent has been under construction. In addition, nearly 200 crew members were onboard to test the ship’s equipment from bow to stern.

© Tangi Lebigot – Chantiers de l’Atlantique

CELEBRITY CRUISES CONTINUES CARIBBEAN EXPANSION WITH THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF NEW ITINERARIES BRINGING FOUR SHIPS TO THREE FLORIDA PORTS

We’re thrilled to unveil all-new Caribbean offerings for the Winter 2024-2025 season on board four stellar ships – Celebrity Apex, Celebrity Constellation, Celebrity Equinox, and Celebrity Summit. Embarking from three Florida ports: Central Florida’s Port Canaveral, West Florida’s Port Tampa Bay, and South Florida’s Port Everglades, travelers will enjoy more than 40 new itineraries, all open for booking on August 22, 2023.

INTRODUCING CELEBRITY ASCENT℠ CO-GODMOTHERS, SISTERS CAPTAIN SANDY YAWN AND MICHELLE DUNHAM

Celebrity Ascent℠ is the first ship to have two brothers as co-captains, and now it’s our first ship to have two sisters as co-godmothers. We found the perfect pair for this honor in Captain Sandy Yawn, star of Bravo’s “Below Deck,” and her sister, Michelle Dunham. Captain Sandy has conquered adversity at sea and in life on her path to becoming a superyacht captain. She’s a tireless advocate for women in the maritime industry, children’s education, children with disabilities, and the environment, and she draws on her life experiences to inspire others. Sandy’s passion runs in the family, because her sister, Michelle, is the successful founder and executive director of a nonprofit school for children with autism. What started as a mission to help her own son with autism is now a beacon of hope within the broader autism community. These are two sisters on a mission to make a life impact for others in their pursuit to educate, engage, and inspire. Join us in welcoming Sandy and Michelle to the Celebrity family.

CELEBRITY CRUISES® WILL BE ISLAND HOPPING LIKE NEVER BEFORE WITH THE INTRODUCTION OF A NEW CARIBBEAN PROGRAM INCLUDING THE FIRST EVER STOPS TO PERFECT DAY AT COCOCAY

Celebrity Cruises is thrilled to announce a revamped Caribbean program for the Summer 2024 season. Starting next April, sun chasers, beach lovers and relaxation seekers, will all be able to enjoy the Caribbean like never before on board two award-winning ships, Celebrity BeyondSM and Celebrity Reflection®, as they begin to call the tropics home. Not only does the new program double the brand’s number of year-round Caribbean sailings and introduces the first weekend itineraries, but both ships will now offer guests with the exciting opportunity to experience Perfect Day at CocoCay for the first time in history.

RAISING THE BAR AND RAISING A GLASS: CELEBRITY CRUISES WINS
18 WINE SPECTATOR AWARDS

Santé! Celebrity Cruises® has been honored for its outstanding wine program in Wine Spectator’s 2023 Restaurant Awards, which celebrate the world’s best restaurants for wine. Celebrity was recognized with 18 of the prestigious awards in this year’s edition, with some restaurants receiving awards for their 11th consecutive year. With this year’s awards, Celebrity’s legacy continues, celebrating a total of 118 awards.

Celebrity Cruises continues to be the only cruise brand in the industry to receive the coveted “Best Of” Awards of Excellence, with six being bestowed upon restaurants on the line’s highly acclaimed Edge® Series ships. Celebrity AscentSM, the line’s newest ship, which is set to launch in November, received two “Best Of” awards for the wine offerings at Le Voyage®, the second installment of Daniel Boulud’s restaurants at sea; and at its steakhouse, Fine Cut. Her sister ship, Celebrity BeyondSM, also received “Best Of” nods in Boulud’s inaugural Le Voyage venue, as well as the rustic and elegant Italian restaurant, Tuscan.

INTRODUCING SEA THE FUTURE

At Royal Caribbean Group every day is oceans day. But today, World Oceans Day, gives us the opportunity to celebrate and bring attention to our oceans which are central to our business and overall mission of delivering the best vacation experiences, responsibly. Beginning 30 years ago with Save the Waves, a first-of-its-kind environmental program in the industry, we have continued to evolve and gone beyond what is expected. Today, we are excited to introduce a fresh and approachable way of spotlighting the work we do with SEA the Future.

SEA the Future and its three main pillars — (S)ustain our Planet, (E)nergize Communities and (A)ccelerate Innovation — will be featured regularly across our brands as we pioneer, innovate and reach beyond the horizon.

ROYAL CARIBBEAN GROUP ANNOUNCES GROUND-BREAKING BIOFUEL TESTING,
ACCELERATING THE INDUSTRY’S ENERGY TRANSITION

Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Apex and Royal Caribbean International’s Symphony of the Seas will be at the forefront
of alternative fuel use thanks to extended sustainable biofuel tests this summer in Europe

Celebrity Cruises is the FIRST cruise line to ever be Star Rated by the prestigious Forbes Travel Guide.

Forbes Travel Guide has 65 years of expertise in evaluating and verifying luxury at the finest hotels, resorts and ocean cruises in the world.

It’s truly an honor to be in the company of some of the world’s most exclusive hotels. ​

CELEBRITY CRUISES’ NEXT EDGE-SERIES SHIP BRINGS NEW FLEX FUEL ENGINE TO INDUSTRY

Royal Caribbean Group’s new ship will be at the forefront of alternative fuel use thanks to partnership with technology group Wärtsilä and shipyard Chantiers de L’Atlantique

When Celebrity Cruises introduces the fifth ship in the revolutionary Edge Series, it will feature the collaborative efforts of its parent company Royal Caribbean Group, technology group Wärtsilä and shipyard Chantiers de L’Atlantique (CdA) to advance the use of alternative fuels for the cruise industry.

CELEBRITY BEYOND OFFICIALLY NAMED BY SIMONE BILES

A Groundbreaking Godmother for a Groundbreaking Ship: Gold Medalist Simone Biles Officially Names Celebrity Beyond.
“Simone is truly the G.O.A.T inside and outside of the gym, and I’m humbled and thrilled to welcome her as godmother of our newest ship Celebrity Beyond,” said Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, President and CEO of Celebrity Cruises.

Royal Caribbean Group to Use SpaceX’s Starlink in an Industry-first to Provide High-speed Internet Onboard Full Cruise Fleet

Royal Caribbean Group announced August 30 its plan to implement SpaceX’s Starlink – making the Group the first in the cruise industry to adopt its high-speed, low-latency connectivity for a better onboard experience for guests and crew fleetwide. The innovative broadband internet service will be installed on all Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and Silversea Cruises ships, along with all new vessels for each of the brands.