Celebrity Cruises has announced its first-ever season sailing in Asia.

On sale from today, Celebrity Millennium will visit nine countries new to the brand including Vietnam, Thailand and China during the winter of 2012-13.

Celebrity Cruises’ inaugural Asia season will consist of a series of 14-night open-jaw cruises between Singapore and Hong Kong and includes overnight stays in Singapore, Bangkok (Thailand), Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam), Halong Bay (Vietnam) and Hong Kong (China). The season also will include two 14-night sailings roundtrip from Singapore with overnight stays in Bali (Indonesia) in January 2013.

“Visiting the Far East for the first time is the result of listening to consumers, who have told us they’re eager to cruise in the region with Celebrity Cruises,” said Dan Hanrahan, President and CEO, Celebrity Cruises. “We know that guests’ time is precious, and by delivering a destination as culturally rich as Asia, with an onboard environment that offers great accommodations, service, cuisine and activities, we are offering them the opportunity to experience a memorable holiday.”

Either end of Celebrity Millennium’s Asia season will be two transpacific sailings. The westbound cruise will coincide with the total solar eclipse in November 2012. Guests will be able to view the eclipse while at sea, when sailing from Fiji to New Zealand. In April 2013, Celebrity Millennium will reposition from Hong Kong to Shanghai on a cruise featuring overnight calls in Hong Kong and Beijing (Tianjin), China. The ship will then continue eastbound across the North Pacific to Alaska and will call at various ports in China, Japan, and Russia.

Celebrity Millennium will enter dry dock in April 2012, when some of the most popular venues on the line’s widely heralded Solstice Class ships will be added to the ship. When Celebrity Millennium becomes the first Celebrity Cruises ship to sail an Asia season, it will do so with a new slate of AquaClass staterooms. 70 of the ship’s existing Concierge Class staterooms will be converted to Celebrity Cruises’ signature, spa-inspired AquaClass staterooms, and an additional 37 will be built. Guests who book “Celebrity Suites” will also enjoy more time outdoors on a new veranda, as Celebrity Cruises plans to add these to Celebrity Millennium’s eight existing suites in this category. Celebrity Cruises also plans to add six inside staterooms and 17 oceanview staterooms, increasing the total number of available staterooms to 1,079.

Guests can take advantage of one of Celebrity Cruises’ cruisetours, which combine a cruise with a five-night pre- or post-cruise escorted land package out of Hong Kong. The cruisetours will feature trips to Xian and Beijing to view the famed Terra Cotta Warriors and the Great Wall of China.  All of these packages are escorted by a local tour director and include hotel accommodations, transportation, select activities, breakfasts and some additional meals.

While sailing, a variety of shore excursions are available to guests. A number of overnight stays in port during the Asia cruises will offer guests the opportunity to enjoy two or three-day excursions. Examples include a two-night/three-day overland experience from Bangkok to Siem Reap to visit Angkor Wat (Cambodia). The tour focuses on the temples of Angkor to see the best examples of stone carvings recovered from temples across Cambodia. During cruises that include an overnight stay in port at Halong Bay (Hanoi, Vietnam), an overnight shore excursion includes a visit to the Old Quarter of Hanoi; an opportunity to witness unique Vietnamese performing arts at the Hanoi Water Puppet Theatre; enjoy dinner at a traditional Vietnamese restaurant; and an overnight stay in a leading hotel in Hanoi.

Celebrity Cruises’ new 2012-13 Asia itineraries are now open for sale.

Members of Celebrity’s Captain’s Club loyalty programme are eligible to receive up to £315.00 savings per stateroom when booking 10 to 14 nights 2012-13 Asia itineraries before 29 July 2011.

Shore excursions and cruisetours are not included in cruise fare.