Today, Celebrity Cruises announced that for the first time, one of its industry-transforming Edge® Series ships will homeport in Southampton, UK for its entire 2024 season.
Additionally, agents will be supported through a suite of training and marketing tools via Celebrity Central including a dedicated training webinar; “Be the first to book” banners for agents to use on their own websites; fact sheets, talking points, website banners, itinerary flyers, and ready-to-use print adverts.
Having one of our award-winning Edge® Series ships sailing from Southampton will offer an experience like no other from the UK, connecting guests to the world around them through the innovative outward-facing design and visionary spaces these celebrated ships are known for,” said Lisa Lutoff Perlo, President & CEO of Celebrity Cruises.
Offering a unique approach to cruise ship design, the award-winning Celebrity Apex features a collaboration of globally renowned designers including British powerhouse Kelly Hoppen CBE; beloved American designer Nate Berkus; the acclaimed Patrick Jouin and Sanjit Manku; and Tom Wright whose visionary spaces provide the canvas for a relaxed luxury resort at sea. Following feedback from travel partners, Celebrity Cruises is announcing its UK deployment two weeks in advance of the launch date for the first time, to allow agents to pre-register interest from mutual guests to be the first to book Apex’s fabulous itineraries in 2024.
Celebrity Cruises Vice President & Managing Director of Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), Jo Rzymowska, added, “The UK has always been integral to the success of our brand, and homeporting Celebrity Apex from Southampton underlines our commitment to this market and is testament to the strength of local consumer demand, supported by our formidable travel partners. “Celebrity Cruises continues to redefine cruising, taking our guests to the world’s best places on the world’s best places.”
Agents will be further supported by new training modules featuring Celebrity Apex from Southampton available soon on Celebrity Passport, plus agents selling Celebrity Apex can earn up to £20 per booking on all 2024 Apex bookings via Celebrity Rewards. To support its travel partners in selling Celebrity Apex from Southampton, the line is committed to hosting 600 agents on board Apex in 2023, from ship visits to the brand’s much-loved Seminars at Sea.
The exciting news brings one of the brand’s newest and most innovative ships directly to British shores, signalling the importance of the UK market in the fast-recovering cruise industry.
With four-to-13-night sailings from May to November 2024, travellers can delight in the beauty and culture of awe-inspiring Europe, whether for a short multi-city break or an extended adventure at sea. The second ship in the line’s award-winning Series – Celebrity Apex – will replace the recently-revitalised Celebrity Silhouette, opening up a new way for British guests to explore Europe in style.
Travellers will revel in the jaw-dropping scenery of the region’s capital, Tromso, as well as Norway’s northernmost city, Honnigsvag, offering breathtaking natural beauty from hiking its lakes and forests under the midnight sun to watching humpback whales lobtail and leap in its cold waters. Much further south, a new addition to Celebrity’s itineraries from Southampton includes the stunning island of Ibiza, boasting an eclectic landscape of traditional and modern culture, a vibrant culinary scene and mesmerising beaches in the azure waters of the Mediterranean Sea.
There is a huge appetite from UK guests who share our curiosity for people, places and cultures, and our passion for opening up the world through a love of travel.
Brand new for the line from the UK, Celebrity Apex will head to the peak of Europe on a 12-night Norwegian Fjords and Arctic Circle cruise. I’m looking forward to welcoming even more of our guests on board Celebrity Apex when she raises the bar for cruising from Southampton in 2024.”
The result of their collaboration is an onboard experience that stands apart from anything else at sea – the exception being her equally stunning sisters, Celebrity Edge® and Celebrity Beyond℠. Guests onboard can expect to enjoy:
- The exclusive The Retreat® with its stunning suite accommodation, a private restaurant, and an exclusive lounge and sundeck to rival any high-end resort. In addition, a dedicated team of Butlers on-hand 24/7, ensures everything is taken care of while on holiday.
- Transformational accommodation, from modern two-storey villas with plunge pools to staterooms with infinite balconies, that blur the boundaries between indoor and outdoor living.
- The Magic Carpet®, soaring cantilevered above the sea and offers guests uninterrupted vistas while sipping cocktails or having dinner.
- A curated collection of 29 culinary venues including the brand-new Craft Social Bar, offering 40 handcrafted boutique beer selections, creative cocktails and a wide selection of a la carte, gourmet comfort food and bar bites. Globally-inspired menus, crafted by Michelin-starred chefs bring the flavours of the world straight to the plate, providing an epicurean journey unmatched at sea.
- 7,000 square feet of retail offerings featuring renowned luxury stand-alone boutiques Bvlgari, Cartier and the first-ever Montblanc lifestyle boutique.
- First-at-sea F45 classes, along with Peloton bikes, and “Women in Wellness” onboard content and experiences from some of the most influential female leaders in wellness, augment well-being offerings throughout the ship.
head of the UK’s spring/summer 2024 season, travellers can also sail the continent in 2023 in unrivalled relaxed luxury on all three of Celebrity Cruises’ newest and ground-breaking Edge® Series ships – Celebrity Beyond ℠, Celebrity Apex℠ and Celebrity Edge®.
The sailings visit some of the world’s most breath-taking destinations including the picturesque village of Flam (Norway); the home of one of the Seven Wonders of the World, Alexandria (Egypt); the foodie’s haven, Lisbon (Portugal); the historic maritime city of Kotka (Finland); the renowned city of Jerusalem (Israel) and many more. And what’s more, from 1st November to 5th December 2022, agents can earn up to £50 Celebrity Rewards points per booking on all 2023 sailings, across all stateroom categories.
Guests can delight in the magical city of Reykjavik (Iceland); the stunning medieval city of Cagliari (Sardinia) and the dramatic landscapes of Ponta Delgada (Azores), amongst many others.
Also in 2023, fans of Celebrity Silhouette can continue to enjoy this popular ship as she sails a variety of beautiful European itineraries from Southampton from May to October.
This truly is an exciting moment for us.
Written by: Jill Walsh
