Celebrity Cruises is putting the UK at the centre of its international growth plans following the announcement that Celebrity Eclipse will return to Southampton for a second summer in 2011 and sailings for the season went on sale on 18 March.

State-of-the-art Celebrity Eclipse will be officially launched in Southampton at the end of next month before embarking on its inaugural season of itineraries to the Mediterranean and Northern Europe. The 122,000 GRT ship will spend the winter in the Caribbean and will now return to the UK in April 2011 for a similar series of sailings including the popular short break and traditional 14-night holidays to the Mediterranean.  A new itinerary for 2011 is the 14-night Italian Mediterranean which ports at some of the famous Moorish influenced cities of Spain en route to Italy.  Also, due to popular demand the 16-night Western Mediterranean and Adriatic Coast itinerary has increased from two to four sailings for 2011.

 

Michael English, head of field sales for Celebrity Cruises, commented:

 

“The decision to bring Celebrity Eclipse back to the UK is great news for customers, our trade partners and the industry as a whole.  We have already seen huge interest in Celebrity Eclipse for 2010 especially from Southampton. Customers love the idea of sailing on a brand new vessel, and have responded really positively to the UK-specific touches we have made to the on-board services and menu.”

 

Travel agents and travel industry partners from across the country will attend a week-long series of launch events showcasing Celebrity Eclipse, including the huge charity ‘Celebrity Sunwalk’ in aid of the breast cancer charity Walk the Walk.

 

Highlights include:

-      Four night short break cruises to Cork from £359

-      14-night Italian Mediterranean cruises visiting Spain, France and Italy from £1,699

-      14-night Scandinavia & Russia cruises visiting Belgium, Denmark, Sweden, Germany, Estonia, Finland and Russia from £1,699

-      16-night Western Mediterranean & Adriatic Coast visiting a number of ports in Spain, Italy, and Croatia from £2,089

 

Innovations aboard the ship include:

·  The Lawn Club, the first real grass growing at sea featuring a lawn area larger than eight (8) tennis courts

·  A Hot Glass Show, with live glassblowing demonstrations

·  Ten different restaurants including the main dining room inspired by old Hollywood glamour, and smaller speciality venues with ambience designed to complement the first-class cuisine

·  A new accommodation class, AquaClass, featuring a range of relaxation options such as dream-enhancing television programming, a welcome kit with teeth whitening sample, the option to dine in the exclusive restaurant, Blu, dedicated to guests staying in AquaClass accommodations and complimentary access to the Persian Garden within the onboard extensive AquaSpa facility

·  Rooms based on the design inspirations of five women selected for their travel and hospitality knowledge

·  Over 90 percent of the accommodation onboard Celebrity Eclipse will be outside staterooms, and 85 percent will have a balcony

Celebrity Cruises is designed for discerning cruisers, with modern, sophisticated environments, impeccable service, enriching and inspiring onboard programmes, and world-class cuisine. The ultimate in premium cruising, Celebrity Cruises sails in Alaska, Bermuda, California, Canada/New England, Europe, the Pacific Coast, Panama Canal, South America, and year-round in the Caribbean and the Galapagos Islands. Celebrity also offers immersive cruisetour experiences in Alaska, Canada, Europe and South America. Celebrity’s mega-series of honors include being named the top mega-ship line in Condé Nast Traveler’s annual Readers’ Choice Awards (November 2009). Celebrity’s fleet currently consists of nine ships. Its USD $3.7-billion investment in building five stylish Solstice Class ships between 2008-2012 represents the largest newbuild commitment for a single brand in industry history.