Celebrity Cruise Offers Extensive Activites on Transatlantic Cruises

From Riedel comparative wine glass workshops to cooking competitions, from Rosetta Stone language lessons to iPhoto classes, from wellness workshops to pool volleyball with the ship’s officers, the popular Celebrity Life activity program offers a multitude of ways to enjoy a modern luxury experience on every Celebrity Cruises vacation. This year, the premium cruise brand is making its already rich Celebrity Life lineup even more robust on its transatlantic sailings and calling it “Celebrity Life Plus,” amplifying the “Taste,” “Learn,” “Revive” and “Play” themes known for exciting and entertaining vacationers year-round.

“Experienced cruisers know that transatlantic cruises offer an ideal opportunity to spend luxurious days at sea learning new things, exploring new tastes, recharging, or simply having fun,” said Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, Senior Vice President, Hotel Operations, Celebrity Cruises. “The introduction of Celebrity Life Plus takes everything our guests already love about these sailings and about Celebrity Life and marries the two, resulting in the most comprehensive, enriching, exciting and fun long cruises, offering incredible speakers and other exclusive activities. Never before have we had such a wide array of offerings and activities on one sailing.”

In a single transatlantic cruise, Celebrity Life Plus will offer cruisers as much immersion as a theme cruise, but while actual theme cruises focus on one area of interest, Celebrity Life Plus offers a robust breadth of activities focused on multiple themes.

Vacationers who wish to explore their love of food and wine will revel in the opportunity to hear from guest chefs and wine educators, who will present cooking demonstrations, wine tastings, book signings, food-and-wine pairing dinners and more, on each transatlantic cruise.

Those who wish to sharpen their mind will take pleasure in learning from dynamic speakers from Smithsonian Journeys, the program known for often unrivaled expertise that provides Celebrity’s destination lectures on many of its regular cruises throughout the year. Astronomy experts David Hughes and Steve Maran will be onboard select sailings, as will art history expert Allison Jessing and Mark Kaufman, an expert in the burgeoning science of life beyond Earth.

Additionally, former Olympic gold medalist Frank Shorter and Hall of Fame professional basketball player Nancy Lieberman will share their experiences in the world of sports.

Additional special interest speakers will include naturalists, oceanographers and guest artists. The first of these will be the first at-sea appearance by the renowned palette knife artist Graham Denison, a master of contemporary impressionism whose work has been prominently featured by The Walt Disney Company and other leading consumer brands. Denison will be on the first 2012 spring transatlantic sailing painting live in a studio setting, offering guests an interactive class and hosting question-and-answer sessions. Guests with an interest in bringing out their own inner artist can participate in additional interactive classes led by master artists from Miami Beach’s ArtCenter / South Florida. Classes will include jewelry making, mosaics, drawing, Chinese brush painting and watercolor.

Vacationers who wish to use their time onboard to focus on their wellness will enjoy Celebrity Life’s special fitness programming; Celebrity will introduce the popular Latin and internationally inspired dance-fitness class “Zumba Fitness” into its Celebrity Life Plus line-up. The program has over 12 million followers in 125 countries. Celebrity Life Plus will offer two classes a day, led by Zumba instructors who are part of the ‘Zumba Instructor NetworkTM” and who hold licenses to teach specialty Zumba classes – Zumba Gold (for the active older adult) and Aqua Zumba, which Zumba calls “the ultimate pool party.”

The cruises that will feature Celebrity Life Plus are:

• 14-night voyage on Celebrity Solstice, departing Fort Lauderdale, Florida on April 15, 2012 and arriving in Barcelona, Spain on April 29
• 10-night cruise on Celebrity Eclipse, departing Miami, Florida on April 21, 2012 and arriving in Southampton, England on May 1
• 15-night cruise on Celebrity Constellation, departing Fort Lauderdale on May 5, 2012 and arriving in Amsterdam, Holland on May 20
• 14-night cruise on Celebrity Equinox, departing Fort Lauderdale on April 16, 2012 and arriving in Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy on April 30
• 9-night cruise on Celebrity Silhouette, departing Cape Liberty (Bayonne), New Jersey on April 22, 2012 and arriving in Rome (Civitavecchia) on May 1
• 13-night cruise on Celebrity Eclipse, departing Southampton on October 27, 2012 and arriving in Fort Lauderdale on November 9
• 14-night cruise on Celebrity Equinox, departing Rome (Civitavecchia) on November 26, 2012 and arriving in Fort Lauderdale on December 10
• 15-night cruise on Celebrity Constellation, departing Southampton on November 30, 2012 and arriving in Miami on December 16
• 15-night cruise on Celebrity Silhouette, departing Rome (Civitavecchia) on December 1, 2012 and arriving in Fort Lauderdale on December 16

Additional details are available at www.celebritycruises.com/celebritylifeplus. Select Celebrity Life Plus and Celebrity Life activities require a fee.

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Celebrity Cruises Takes the Keys to the Celebrity Silhouette

It’s official: Celebrity Cruises today took ownership of the sleek new Celebrity Silhouette in a celebratory handoff ceremony with colleagues from shipbuilderMeyer Werft. Richard D. Fain, chairman and CEO of Celebrity’s parent company, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., and Celebrity’s President and CEO Dan Hanrahan participated in the event, which marks the transfer of ownership of the vessel from the shipyard to Celebrity.

Following a formal, invitation-only naming ceremony and cruise July 21-23, Celebrity Silhouette will set sail from Hamburg, Germany, on July 23 on a seven-night cruise to Civitavecchia (for Rome), where the ship will present roundtrip 12-night Mediterranean/Holy Land sailings until November, when the vessel will be the first Solstice Class ship to offer cruises from the New York/New Jersey market.

Celebrity Silhouette will enhance guests’ precious vacation time with a host of industry-first venues and experiences within The Lawn Club, including the interactive “Lawn Club Grill,” where guests can select and grill their own meats side-by-side with Celebrity’s expert chefs, or have them cooked to order; the relaxing, private, wi-fi-equipped cabanas called “The Alcoves”; “The Porch,” a breezy, casual dining spot offering sandwiches, coffees and captivating views of the sea and the ship’s lush lawn, and “The Art Studio,” where vacationers can bring out their inner artist. The ship also will present another entirely new venue, “The Hideaway,” an intimate, quiet space reminiscent of a childhood tree house, and a new twist on Celebrity’s “Michael’s Club,” with a selection of more than 50 beers from around the world, including craft beers.

Celebrity Cruises’ iconic “X” is the mark of the world’s top-rated premium cruise line, with spacious, stylish interiors; dining experiences elevated to an art form; personalized service, with a guest-to-staff ratio of nearly 2:1; unexpected, trendsetting onboard activities, all designed to provide an unmatchable experience for vacationers’ precious time. Celebrity sails to Alaska, Australia/New Zealand, Bermuda, California, Canada/New England, the Caribbean, Europe, Hawaii, the Pacific Coast, Panama Canal, South America, and year-round in the Galapagos Islands. Celebrity also offers immersive cruisetour experiences in Alaska, Australia/New Zealand, Canada, Europe and South America. One of the fastest-growing major cruise lines, Celebrity’s fleet currently consists of nine ships, with two additional Solstice Class ships scheduled to join the fleet: Celebrity Silhouette in July 2011, and Celebrity Reflection in Fall 2012.
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Celebrity Cruises' New Celebrity Silhouette Godmother Named.

Celebrity Cruises today announced the appointment of Michelle Morgan, CTC, the highly regarded president and CEO of Signature Travel Network, to serve as Godmother of one of the most talked-about new ships to enter the market this year, Celebrity Silhouette. The first travel industry executive to serve as Godmother of a Celebrity ship, Morgan will preside over the line’s first naming ceremony to be held in Hamburg, Germany, on July 21.

“We are thrilled and honored to have a woman of Michelle’s caliber serve as Godmother of this exceptional ship,” said Richard D. Fain, Chairman of Celebrity Cruises and Chairman and CEO of parent company Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. “Her achievements in business are remarkable, and her personal life is as inspiring as her professional life.”

A 33-year travel marketing executive, Morgan joined Signature Travel in 1991, when the company had 30 locations in Southern California. Today, its membership has grown to 350 locations in 38 states and two providences in Canada, with sales exceeding USD $5-billion.

The member-owned co-operative has enjoyed explosive growth over the past 20 years. As president and CEO, Morgan maintains day-to-day operating responsibility and has been instrumental in framing the organization's strategic direction, partnership development, marketing, technology and member services programs. She takes special pride in the fact that her company has the lowest attrition rate of any network.

Morgan has received a host of industry honors, including recognition as Luxury Travel Advisor’s Retail Travel Partner of the Year, and one of Forbes’ “25 Most Influential Women in Travel.” This year, Michelle also was inducted into Cruise Line International Association’s (CLIA) Hall of Fame.

About her honors, Morgan says: “It’s not about me; it’s about the incredible staff at Signature – many of whom have been with me as long as 15 years – and the hand-selected agencies that are members of our organization. Their commitment to the highest service standards, ethical practices and professionalism is at the core of what makes Signature extraordinary. I’ve worked tirelessly over the past 20 years to ensure these small business owners can compete and prosper. Their success is my success,” adds Morgan. “Signature is my second family.”

Morgan’s “first family” is comprised of her daughters, Deirdre and Alisa, who she raised as a single parent from the time they were ages three and six. She has taken great pride in seeing each of them succeed as parents, and as a veterinarian and a director of internet business solutions, respectively. Morgan takes equal pride in her four grandchildren, in addition to her mother, a breast cancer survivor who – at age 85 – is extraordinarily active and an inspiration to Morgan and her family.

Like her mother – and each of Celebrity’s exceptional Solstice Class Godmothers – Morgan, too, has courageously battled breast cancer. Despite enduring two series of chemotherapy, surgery and radiation, she says she didn’t allow the disease to define her.

"I learned many lessons as I went through the treatment,” says Morgan. “I found that if I continued with my life and work, and behaved positively – showing unflinching confidence and optimism to my family, friends, co-workers, and doctors, and banishing any doubts or negative thoughts – it would take over the core of my belief system, and it did. More importantly, my family, friends and industry friends brought me endless joy and hope.”

“Michelle Morgan personifies all of the qualities we seek in our Solstice Class Godmothers: remarkable strength and courage in both her professional and personal life, along with optimism, warmth and a very engaging personality, all of which have made her so admired throughout the industry,” said Celebrity Cruises President and CEO Dan Hanrahan.

Morgan shares Celebrity Cruises’ devotion to the breast cancer cause, through Signature’s participation in the travel industry’s breast cancer awareness month in October, and says Signature’s board will be exploring fundraising programs for breast cancer research this year.

Meanwhile, Celebrity Cruises plans to extend its efforts to support the cause, which began in 2008 with its Celebrity Solstice event to raise funds for breast cancer screenings for low-income women, and its sponsorship of the first “Celebrity Sunwalk,” in association with Walk the Walk, a breast cancer charity founded by the Godmother of Celebrity Equinox, Nina Barough. In addition to continuing to work with Walk the Walk in the UK, Celebrity also will introduce a variety of year-long fundraising activities to further support breast cancer research this year.

Following Celebrity Silhouette’s naming cruise July 21-23, the ship will set sail from Hamburg to Civitavecchia (for Rome), Italy, where it will present 12-night roundtrip Mediterranean/Holy Land voyages through October. The ship will offer Celebrity’s first Solstice Class sailings from the Northeast beginning in November, when Celebrity Silhouette offers 12-night Caribbean vacations roundtrip from the port of Cape Liberty (Bayonne), NJ.

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Celebrity Cruises Celebrity Silhouette to Offer Open Air Grilling Restaurant

Celebrity Cruises Celebrity Silhouette to offer open air grilling restaurant. The New Celebrity Silhouette will embark from Cape Liberty New Jersey to the Caribbean during the winter of 2011/2012.

To learn more about this outdoor grilling experience click here -> http://www.nycruiseinfo.com/News_Article/11-06-28-Celebrity-Silhouette-Outdoor-Grill-Resturaunt.htm

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Concert Held at Meyer Weft - New Celebrity Silhouette Serves as the Back Drop

PAPENBURG, Germany – June 27, 2011 – With Celebrity Cruises’ sleek Celebrity Silhouette serving as a dramatic backdrop, a host of celebrity musicians entertained more than 25,000 people at Meyer Werft Shipyard in Papenburg, Germany. During the internationally acclaimed Papenburg Music Festival, concert-goers enjoyed performances by Juli, Ich + Ich, Stanfour and more, in addition to the headline act: a performance by The Scorpions, currently on their farewell tour. Meanwhile, Celebrity Silhouette is just about to begin her “tour”: The ship will depart the shipyard later this week and traverse the River Ems in an exhilarating event known as the “Conveyance,” and will be named in formal ceremonies in Hamburg July 21, prior to entering service July 23.

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Celebrity Cruises Celebrity Silhouette Delivered

The sleek silhouette of Celebrity Cruises’ new Celebrity Silhouette has emerged from Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany, where numerous area residents lined up to be among the first to see the fourth in Celebrity’s stylish, five-ship Solstice Class fleet.

The Celebrity Silhouette will sail the winter of 2011 from New York ( Cape Liberty NJ to the Caribbean) To learn more click-> http://www.nycruiseinfo.com/News_Article/11-06-12-Celebrity-Silhouette-Delivered.htm

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Celebrity Cruise New Celebrity Silhouette to Be Named in Hamburg

Celebrity Silhouette, the newest addition to Celebrity Cruises Solstice class family, will make history this summer when it is officially named in Hamburg, Germany. When it comes to automobiles and cruise ships, “made in Germany” is often the mark of high quality, innovative design and precision. Celebrity Cruises’ award-winning Solstice Class ships are no exception, and their German heritage is coming full circle with the German locale of Celebrity Silhouette’s official naming festivities, with all their pomp and circumstance.

Built at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg Germany, the 2,886-guest Celebrity Silhouette will be introduced to the world on July 1, 2011, with formal naming ceremonies that will kick off a two-night preview cruise for invited travel agents, press and other dignitaries. Celebrity Silhouette is the fourth Solstice Class ship in a series of five built at the sixth-generation, family-owned German yard renowned for its commitment to excellence, and the first in its class to be officially named in Germany.

“We are so honored that Germany will be the first country outside of the United States or the United Kingdom to host the naming of a Solstice Class ship,” said Tom Fecke, General Manager, RCL Cruises Ltd., Germany. “This is a clear commitment not only to the German cruise market, but also to the growing interest in the Celebrity Cruises brand, which continues to evolve and attract affluent vacationers. Hamburg, with its strong cruising tradition and appeal, provides an ideal setting, and we are very much looking forward to the celebration of the launch of this stunningly beautiful new ship.”

Vacationers eager to experience Celebrity Silhouette can book its inaugural cruise of July 23, a seven-night cruise to Rome. Following a Rome-focused two-night preview cruise for invited members of the travel industry and the media, the ship will introduce a series of 12- and 13-night Holy Land sailings roundtrip from Rome. Beginning this November, Celebrity Silhouette will be the first Solstice Class ship to present cruises from Cape Liberty (Bayonne), New Jersey, bringing the Solstice Class’s award-winning style and design to the greater New York City area.

Celebrity Silhouette will offer significantly expanded onboard opportunities for vacationers to enjoy their precious vacation time. New venues that will debut on Celebrity Silhouette will highlight some of the premium brand’s most compelling characteristics, offering unique experiences focused on the culinary arts, ways to relax and enjoy stylish surroundings at sea, and engaging, enriching onboard activities. These venues include:

• The Lawn Club Grill, the industry’s first outdoor, interactive grill restaurant
• The Porch, offering quick, simple, casual and complimentary breakfasts and lunches against a backdrop of views of the lawn and sea
• The Art Studio, a space within The Lawn Club where guests can participate in intimate, hands-on instruction from experts in drawing, painting and beading, as well as the art of food, with plating, tastings, mixology and other culinary-themed classes
• The Alcoves, a private retreat overlooking the lawn, ocean and coastlines, featuring eight exclusive, cabana-style settings, each designed for two to four guests
• The Hideaway, a high-tech, avant-garde treehouse-like spot for vacationers relaxing with their Apple iPads or perhaps reading a good book within cozy, intimate lounging “nests”

In addition to the innovative new venues and experiences, Celebrity Silhouette will offer iconic Solstice Class attributes, including:

• The hip “Celebrity iLounge” that made Celebrity Cruises the industry’s first Authorized Apple Reseller
• Uniquely unordinary “Qsine,” the first seagoing restaurant to feature a menu and wine list on an iPad®, and an engaging food-as-theater dining experience
• Ten unrivaled restaurants – in addition to “The Lawn Club Grill” and “The Porch”
• Modern, stylish interiors designed by some of the world’s best architects and designers, including Adam Tihany
• Cool nightclubs and lounges, including CellarMasters, complete with the industry’s first installation of the innovative Enomatic wine serving system
• One of the broadest and best wine offerings in the industry, served by one of the world’s largest staffs of certified sommeliers

* One of the world’s largest permanent collections of original contemporary art, and the industry’s first self-guided art tours to be presented on an iPad®
* Top-tier entertainment, including custom aerial production shows and live music

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