Archive for the 'Celebrity Cruises' Category

Celebrity Cruise’s new ship, Celebrity Equinox, has completed its first and probably most difficult journey. With thousands of spectators lining the route, the 122,000-ton ship left the yard of shipbuilder Meyer Werft in Papenburg, Germany, last Saturday and made the 26-mile trip down the River EMS.  Read more... (430 words, estimated 1:43 mins reading time)

Celebrity Cruises’ Millennium is in drydock this week for a $10 million makeover. A highly rated large ship in the premium-service category, the Celebrity Millennium is not yet 10 years old, but it will be refreshed with new carpeting throughout and new upholstery in every stateroom and several common areas, including the Lido deck and main dining room. The wood trim and rails throughout the ship, as well as the marble and stone floors, will all be refinished. Suites will be updated with 32-inch flat-panel televisions, and ConciergeClass staterooms will be set up with 26-inch screens.  Read more... (181 words, estimated 43 secs reading time)

Several years ago, I was touring a Holland America Line ship when I came upon a guest room that was undergoing refurbishment. I thought this odd, because the room did not appear to need updating. The furniture and carpet appeared to be new; the fixtures, polished and sparkling. My host told me that an elderly widower, who was going to spend an extended period of time living on the ship, had booked the vessel’s largest suite. She wanted it redecorated with carpeting of her choosing and furniture from her home. Money was no object to ensure the comforts of home.  Read more... (1001 words, 2 images, estimated 4:00 mins reading time)

Providing spectacular sights and experiences, South American cruises are still primarily for travel lovers who are looking for experiences off the more well-worn paths to the beach or the destination staples of Europe or Alaska –magnificent though they may be. No, South America and the Panama Canal generally attract more experienced travelers who have the time and the interest to appreciate a canal transit or an extended itinerary around the Horn, as it’s called.  Read more... (294 words, 1 image, estimated 1:11 mins reading time)

Its sister, Celebrity Solstice, received rave reviews, so anticipation is high for Celebrity Equinox, which will offer a soft launch before her August 8 maiden voyage.

Equinox will depart July 31 to sail through the Norwegian Fjords, roundtrip from Southampton, England. The 8-night cruise through the Norwegian Fjords features visits to Stavanger, Flam, Geiranger and Oslo, Norway.  Read more... (186 words, 2 images, estimated 45 secs reading time)

While true connoisseurs of luxury cruising may not accept a substitute for sailing on a small upscale ship, there are now pockets of luxury on almost every large premium and contemporary cruise ship afloat.

Recognizing that there are many cruisers with a taste for luxury but who appreciate big ship amenities (and often lower rates), or who may be traveling with families or in groups for whom bigger ships make more sense, most cruise lines now offer optional exclusive experiences to passengers.

On some ships it may be concierge service, or a special lounge, a pool deck cabana, or exclusive access to the spa or certain restaurants. On others, entire areas are blocked off for people in some of the ship’s best staterooms to have a private pool and deck area.

“I have many luxury clients who book families on the larger cruise ships because of the activities for their adult children and for their grandchildren,” says Bonnie Childs, a cruise consultant with Seattle-based Cruise Specialists. “This way they can show their families what cruise ships have to offer.”  Read more... (1842 words, 3 images, estimated 7:22 mins reading time)

New Celebrity Solstice photographs posted. Click on the Celebrity Solstice slideshow or click photos below.

When people learn that I am a travel writer specializing in cruise vacations, one question never fails to surface: “What’s your favorite cruise line?”

It’s a difficult question to answer, like asking which of your children do you love most. As with my children, when it comes to cruises, there is no clear winner. I have two favorite kids. My favorite cruise line? There are many. But ask me my favorite cruise ship, and I can answer that. Celebrity Solstice, at least for the moment. She is a truly remarkable ship.  Read more... (710 words, 4 images, estimated 2:50 mins reading time)

Over the next few weeks, I invite you to read articles, view photos and videos, and learn more about a cruise ship that breaks the mold.

In fact, during my short time on board Celebrity’s newest ship, I felt as though I were in a small city as opposed to a huge cruise ship.

Celebrity Solstice simply is a stunning ship, or as one travel agent who has cruised on countless vessels told me, “five-star-plus-wow!”  Read more... (200 words, 1 image, estimated 48 secs reading time)

When he was but a nine-year-old boy, my son Alex reached into the Windex-blue waters on a sandy Bahamian beach and quickly withdrew his hand to proclaim, “Dad, I touched a stingray.” He furrowed his tender brow and added thoughtfully, “They’re nice.”

In doing so, he had ascribed a sweet, if somewhat inaccurate, characteristic to the stingray. Yes, the stingray was nice indeed, particularly with its barb blunted for safety. None of tragedy that befell animal lover Steve Irwin here. Off the coast of Australia, a ray’s barb had pierced his heart and stunned the world.

Alex, my daughter and I were in a friendlier place, a paradise really, free of danger and removed from the real world, an idyllic island created for us by a cruise line.  Read more... (1564 words, 9 images, estimated 6:15 mins reading time)