Celebrity Cruises has unveiled its UK and Ireland brochures for cruises in 2011 and 2012 alongside a special edition Europe and the Mediterranean brochure to cover the bumper five-ships based in the region in summer 2011. A worldwide brochure also features cruises throughout the Caribbean, Alaska, and South America.

The focus for the UK and Ireland office is the return of newly-launched Celebrity Eclipse to Southampton in 2011. Tweaks to the cruises on offer compared to the inaugural 2010 season include alternative Mediterranean and Baltics cruises throughout May, June, July and August 2011, more Italian Mediterranean ports of call, and more longer 16-night cruise options.

All four of the newest Solstice-class ships – Celebrity Solstice (launched September 2008), Celebrity Equinox (launched July 2009), Celebrity Eclipse (launched April 2010) and Celebrity Silhouette (launching in July 2011) – will be based in European home ports in 2011 and the Mediterranean and Europe based fleet will be joined by Celebrity Constellation based from Amsterdam. Celebrity Constellation was refurbished in May 2010 to feature highlights of the new Solstice-class such as popular restaurants and bars.

Head of field sales, Celebrity Cruises, UK and Ireland, Michael English explained:

“The investment in the Celebrity Cruises fleet both in the last few years, and the coming years, is amongst the highest ever seen in one cruise brand. The first-class new and updated ships this is delivering are really giving the competition a run for their money. For 2010 Celebrity Cruises’ market share in the UK and Ireland is on target to increase by almost 50 per cent compared to just six years ago.”

To support the new brochures, a sales toolkit highlighting the brands award winning Solstice Class ships will be distributed to over 5,000 trade partners and travel agents throughout the UK and Ireland.  Included in the sales toolkit is the latest incentive to win one of this year’s most sort after gadgets, a new iPad. Travel agents booking any Celebrity Cruises holiday will be entered into the weekly prize draw. 

The summer 2011 season from Celebrity Cruises will see Celebrity Eclipse based from Southampton for the second consecutive year offering cruises ranging from short four-night taster options to popular 16-night Mediterranean cruises; Celebrity Equinox based from Rome (Civitavecchia) operating ten and 12-night cruises; Holy Land 12-night cruises from the new Celebrity Silhouette also based from Rome (Civitavecchia); 12-night Mediterranean cruises from Barcelona onboard Celebrity Solstice; and a combinations of 12-night Europe and the Baltics cruises from Amsterdam and seven-night Greek Islands and Holy Land cruises from Athens (Piraeus) from Celebrity Constellation.

New ports of call for Celebrity Eclipse include Cartagena in southern Spain and La Coruna in northern Spain. New ship Celebrity Silhouette will introduce Bari in Italy to the range of destinations offered by Celebrity Cruises on a nine-night Mediterranean cruise in August 2011.

For winter 2011-2012 Celebrity Cruises will offer a range of cruises throughout the eastern and western Caribbean, Panama Canal, South America, Alaska and specialist ship Celebrity Xpedition will continue to operate in the Galapagos Islands. Celebrity Century will replace Celebrity Mercury – the ship transferring to the TUI Cruises fleet – in Alaska and offer additional balcony accommodation to meet demands of travellers in the destination.

Celebrity Millennium will include two ten-night west coast America wine cruises featuring calls at popular destinations to visit vineyards such as Catalina Island in California and San Francisco, California in May and September 2011 departing San Diego and Vancouver respectively.

New ship Celebrity Silhouette’s first winter Caribbean season will be based from Bayonne, New Jersey from 6 November 2011 until April 2012 offering 12-night eastern Caribbean cruises. From Fort Lauderdale during winter 2011-2012 Celebrity Solstice will introduce alternating eastern and western Caribbean cruise options having sailed just in the eastern Caribbean region.

The Panama Canal and South America cruises from Celebrity Infinity will increase from 14-nights to 15-nights to 2011-2012 to allow the addition of Colon, Panama as an extra port of call.

Celebrity Cruises is designed for discerning cruisers.  Offering modern interior spaces, impeccable service, enriching and inspiring on board 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 Cruises also offers immersive cruisetour experiences in Alaska, Canada, Europe and South America. Celebrity Cruises’ mega-series of honours include being named the top mega-ship line in Condé Nast Traveler’s annual Readers’ Choice Awards (November 2009). Celebrity Cruises’ 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.