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CELEBRITY CRUISES’ “WORLD TOUR” TO OFFER VACATIONERS
MORE MODERN LUXURY IN EUROPE THAN EVER BEFORE

New seven-night itineraries, six ships calling at 102 ports in 30 countries, overnights at 16 ports,

make Celebrity’s 2014 Europe season its biggest ever in the region

MIAMI – March 22, 2013 – “Celebrity’s World Tour 2014-15,” the cruise brand’s introduction of guest-inspired, destination-rich, modern luxury vacations to all seven continents of the world, will make a major appearance in Europe. Yesterday, Celebrity’s 2014 summer and fall Europe sailings opened for booking exclusively to members of Celebrity’s Captain’s Club loyalty program via “Priority Access” which, in addition to a private preview, also provides members with an exclusive offer on these new sailings.

Celebrity’s 2014 Europe itineraries will offer vacationers an unprecedented range of itinerary lengths from seven to 28 nights in compelling destinations, along with overnight stays in port, the services of a new “Destination Concierge” and the chance to enjoy immersive, unique shore excursions known as “Celebrity Exclusives.” Celebrity’s six ships that will be sailing in Europe in 2014 are Celebrity Constellation, Celebrity EclipseCelebrity EquinoxCelebrity InfinityCelebrity Silhouette and Celebrity Reflection.

New seven-night sailings combinable in an up-to-28-night vacation offer shorter trips to Europe’s must-see cities or longer stays for those who want to explore more

Celebrity is expanding its Europe lineup in 2014 to offer a series of 7-night cruises that can be taken alone or enjoyed back-to-back as 14-, 21- or 28-night cruises with all new ports on each leg. “We’ve listened to our guests, many of whom have told us they want to sail with Celebrity in Europe, but don’t have multiple weeks to spend there,” said Michael Bayley, President and CEO, Celebrity Cruises. “The new shorter cruises are a big shift for us, and we’re excited to give working professionals and others with less time to spend on a single vacation, the opportunity to enjoy Celebrity’s modern luxury vacation experience in Europe, while also offering those with more time the chance to delve deeply into the culture-rich ports of the region.”

The 2,850-guest Celebrity Equinox will present different 7-night sailings meandering through the Mediterranean. These can be combined into sailings as long as 28 nights in length, with Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy the only repeat port in the lineup. The four 7-night itineraries, which start June 15, 2014, and continue into August, include:

  • Venice, Italy; Dubrovnik, Croatia; Corfu, Greece; Katakolon, Greece; Santorini, Greece; Ephesus (Kusadasi), Turkey; Istanbul, Turkey (overnight)
  • Istanbul; Mykonos, Greece; Athens (Piraeus), Greece; Valletta, Malta; Catania, Sicily, Italy; Naples/Capri, Italy; Rome
  • Rome (Civitavecchia); Florence/Pisa (Livorno), Italy; Nice (Villefranche), France; Ajaccio, Corsica; Porto Torres (Sardinia), Italy); Palma de Mallorca, Spain; Barcelona, Spain
  • Barcelona; Cannes, France; Genoa, Italy; Rome; Kotor, Montenegro; Zadar, Croatia; Venice

The 2,886-guest Celebrity Silhouette will offer alternating 7-night Greek Isles & Turkey itineraries from Venice, starting July 27, 2014 through the end of August. These can be combined into 14-night sailings without repeating a port. One itinerary calls upon Athens, Santorini, Katakolon and Kotor; the other calls upon Kusadasi, Mykonos, Corfu and Dubrovnik.

New ports, more overnight stays to make Celebrity’s 2014 Europe season richer, more immersive

Calling at 102 ports in 30 countries during the 2014 Europe season, Celebrity will visit 13 ports that it hasn’t visited recently, and five ports that it has never before visited. These five include Zadar, Porto Torres (Sardinia); Almeria, Spain; Sochi, Russia; and Lerwick/Shetland, Scotland.

Celebrity will overnight in 16 different ports across its Europe season in 2014. In addition to those announced with the opening of its Northern Europe cruises, and Istanbul, referenced above, overnight ports will also include Sochi, Russia; Bordeaux (La Rochelle), France; Paris (Le Havre), France; Venice; Barcelona; Bilbao, Spain; Alexandria, Egypt; and Jerusalem (Ashdod), Israel.

Dynamic transatlantic itineraries to offer more compelling port visits

Richer transatlantic itineraries with new variations on port visits, combined with the modern luxury offered onboard Celebrity’s ships, is at the forefront during a transatlantic cruise, when fewer port calls means a greater chance for “unplugging” from daily life. Celebrity opened several transatlantic cruises for sale today, including several with new itinerary patterns:

  • Celebrity Constellation, departing from Miami on April 24, 2014, will offer an emphasis on “capital cities” in England, Belgium, France and the Netherlands (with Amsterdam as its final destination)
  • Celebrity Infinity, departing Miami on April 29, 2014, will visit New York City; Halifax, Nova Scotia, and Cork, Ireland, with Harwich, England as its final destination
  • Celebrity Eclipse, departing Southampton, England on November 9, 2014, will offer a “Broadway and Beaches” cruise visiting New York City, Bermuda and Orlando, Florida, before arriving in Miami.

Returning favorites and expanded slate of one-way sailings will continue to deliver the destination in modern luxury

In 2014, the 3,030-guest Celebrity Reflection will sail 10- and 11-night voyages from Rome to the Greek Isles and Turkey; the 11-night itinerary features an overnight stay in port in Istanbul.

Celebrity is increasing its one-way, or “open-jaw,” sailings in the Mediterranean in 2014, with Celebrity Silhouette offering seven 11- to 13-night sailings between Venice and Rome, in addition to its new 7-night sailings roundtrip from Venice. Celebrity Silhouette also will return to Israel and Egypt with two 14-night Holy Land cruises roundtrip from Rome, on October 4 and October 18, 2014. Celebrity Constellation will sail from Istanbul to Rome for 11 nights on October 25, 2014.

These join Northern Europe cruises on Celebrity Eclipse and France and Iberian Discovery cruises on Celebrity Infinity, which have recently opened for sale. Celebrity will continue to offer more opportunities for guests to explore the ports of the Black Sea, with three roundtrip sailings from Istanbul on Celebrity Constellation. The 2,038-guest Celebrity Constellation also will offer a variety of popular 12-night itineraries sailing roundtrip from Amsterdam during the peak summer season, to Scandinavia/Russia, the Norwegian Fjords and the Arctic Circle.

Exclusive in-port experiences can create bespoke vacations

Celebrity’s World Tour 2014-15 also includes a collection of elite land-based adventures available nowhere else. Named “Celebrity Exclusives,” the collection will feature personalized experiences for individuals or small parties no larger than 15 guests. Europe highlights include:

  • A day spent roaming Rome’s hills in a Ferrari, for two drivers or one driver and a passenger, where windying byways north of Rome, past fields, ancient ruins and through centuries-old hilltop villages. A farmhouse is the “pit stop,” for a meal of local ham, cheese, bread and olive oil.
  • An idyllic day of exploration of Mykonos by private yacht, where onboard indulgence meets the opportunity to swim and play in coves and on beaches far from crowds.
  • Three days of touring the wonders of ancient Cappadocia, Istanbul and Ephesus. From visits to the Blue Mosque and the Grand Bazaar of Istanbul to a day spent exploring Goreme, Pigeon Valley and the underground city of Kaymakli, and a trip to the western coast of Turkey and the archaeological site of “Ephesus and more, including transfers, flights, transportation, lunch and one night of hotel accommodations in Cappadocia. This Celebrity Exclusive can be enjoyed at the start or end of a cruise anchored with overnight stays in port in Istanbul.

Destination experts to provide unmatchable service

To further enhance guests’ destination experience, every Celebrity ship in 2014 will offer the services of a Destination Concierge, whose in-depth knowledge of the ports of call on every itinerary will allow the expert to guide Celebrity’s guests through every aspect of their adventures on land, including Celebrity Exclusives, or to create special excursions tailored precisely for individual guests’ preferences.

Celebrity will continue to reveal full details of the breadth of itineraries and land-based adventures within Celebrity’s World Tour as each collection of itineraries opens for bookings in the coming weeks.

The 2014 Europe sailings will open for sale to the general public on March 27, 2013.

 

About Celebrity Cruises:

Celebrity Cruises’ iconic “X” is the mark of modern luxury, with its cool, contemporary design and warm spaces; dining experiences where the design of the venues is as important as the cuisine; and the amazing service that only Celebrity can provide, all created to provide an unmatchable experience for vacationers’ precious time. Celebrity Cruises’ 11 ships offer modern luxury vacations visiting all seven continents. Celebrity also presents immersive cruisetour experiences in Alaska, Australia/New Zealand, Canada, Europe and South America. Celebrity is one of five cruise brands operated by global cruise vacation company Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (NYSE, OSE: RCL). For more information, dial 1-800-437-3111, visit www.celebritycruises.com, or call your travel agent.

 

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Maralyn D. HillThe Epicurean Explorer

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