Celebrity Solstice-class ships

Dani · 02-16-2006, 02:14 PM

Celebrity Cruises Orders Second Ship in New Solstice Class MIAMI, Feb. 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Celebrity Cruises has exercised its option to order a second 118,000 gross-registered-ton ship today, reaffirming its commitment to innovative products and high guest satisfaction. German shipbuilder Meyer Werft will build the new tonnage, with delivery of the first ship planned for Fall 2008 and the second ship in Summer 2009. Celebrity also announced names of both new ships.
The first new ship will be called Celebrity Solstice, and the second ship will be named Celebrity Equinox. The new series of ships will be known as the Solstice class. Terms for the second Solstice-class vessel are substantially the same as those of the first ship.
Both new ships will be 2,850-guest vessels measuring 1,033 feet in length and 121 feet in width. Their added size will allow Celebrity to offer larger standard staterooms, a higher percentage of balconies and an exceptional range of guest-inspired services and amenities.
"The Solstice-class ships accelerate the tremendous growth and excitement that continues to build with this brand," said Richard D. Fain, chairman and CEO of parent company Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. "We owe a lot of our inspiration to guests and travel partners, and we think they will be enormously pleased with this collaboration. We also thank our shipbuilding partner, Meyer Werft, for working with us to produce so many of our beautiful ships."
"Meyer Werft is proud to be a part of Celebrity Cruises' continued growth," said Meyer Werft Managing Partner Bernard Meyer. "These new ships demonstrate Celebrity's tradition of breakthrough design and leading innovations."
Celebrity Cruises offers comfortably sophisticated, upscale cruise experiences with highly personalized service, authentic five-star dining, and extraordinary attention to detail. Its nine ships and their service, cuisine and spas consistently dominate top travelers' surveys. Celebrity sails in Alaska, Bermuda, California, the Caribbean, Europe, the Galapagos Islands, Hawaii, the Mexican Riviera, the Panama Canal and South America. For more information, call your travel agent, dial 1-800-437-3111, or visit the Celebrity web site at http://www.celebrity.com.
SOURCE Celebrity Cruises
-0- 02/16/2006

NJVIC · 02-16-2006, 02:51 PM

- you are too fast! I just received the notice and you had it posted before I finished reading it. Next time I'll just have to copy it, post it and then read later. (Ha Ha)

Even though the first ship won't arrive till 2008 I wonder if this announcement will mean that Zenith's days are numbered. They have it listed through this year and into next, but I can't see them keeping it with the moves to the larger classes of ships. They did get rid of Horizon, but that might be because they tried to put balconies on it. RCI though still hangs on to Empress even with all the larger ships they are buidling.

Guess we wait and see.

Vic.

joespit · 02-16-2006, 03:02 PM

Vic. In a sense they would not be smart to get rid of it. There are people who prefer the smaller ships and they are also good for getting in small places.

Dani · 02-16-2006, 03:16 PM

Judging from our trip in November on Zenith, they are not investing the money into her upkeep that would suggest she is a "Keeper ".

She has been allowed to go downhill from a true Celebrity ship. Some of the people who have currently sailed her think she is perfect. But in truth, holes in sheets, broken down beds and just bad food do not reflect the experience she proved even in 2001 when we sailed.

I wish they would really, really spend the money on her and send her into the venues that big ships cannot due.

i.e. smaller inlets/ports in Alaska like Cruise West. Bermuda comes to mind.
Eastern seaboard cruises to Canada on a more frequent basis.

Have her get rid of the short 5 day cruises. These just kill a ship with the turnover.

My opinion only. ( The one that counts, my father said !! )

wolfgang · 02-16-2006, 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dani

My opinion only. ( The one that counts, my father said !! )

This would be the keyword for your husband , to jump in and

tell us what he says !

Dani · 02-16-2006, 05:20 PM

Wolfie,

I would have to let him take off his muzzle. He might feel uncomfortable without it as he has worn it for 43 years of marriage.

sealegs · 02-17-2006, 01:40 AM

Good evening,all

IMO, Zenith will undergo a rather significant rehab in '09 after the Equinox is delivered; I can see her best suited for the more exotic itineraries that X really does want to enhance, maybe a bit of SouthPacific, a la P&O Australia.
Soltice & Equinox will obviously be a '' Carribean // Europe '' players. I can see a third ''Millie'' class in Alaska. We certainly can look forward to another of them also doing SouthPacific//Asia, long rumoured to be on X's planning boards. By then, I suspect Galaxy & Mercury will also have undergone a Century-type rehab; the three of them might be in the same market from 2009. Where do you folks think they'll be sailing ??? I suggest Europe in the summer, with more of a Norway penetration, as well as Southern Med ( Costa is doing quite well in those markets...and it does not show signs of drying up...), and a deeper Carribean/South America choice for the winter.

Any comments ???
My toughts anyways...

Cheers
CG

wolfgang · 02-17-2006, 06:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dani

Wolfie,

I would have to let him take off his muzzle. He might feel uncomfortable without it as he has worn it for 43 years of marriage.

Oh, here at Bavaria, and for sure, also in other civilized countries, we have rules and laws,
how to treat pats, excuse me, pets,
and for sure, other countries also have them.
Don´t know, if there are explicit rules, how to treat your husband,
but your behaviour is out of every law, I ever heard.

Well, I am not Patty´s lawyer, so take this only as a suggestion in the name of all well-treated husbands:

Take off his muzzle
and, who knows, perhaps you discover some new capabilities, you never might have expected

Liz · 02-17-2006, 07:02 AM

Back to the new Celebs. Interesting to note that both will be too big for the Canal, and also that their official names will be Celebrity Solstice and Celebrity Equinox, rather than just Constellation, Zenith, etc., for increased brand awareness.

Would be just grand if Zenith were totally spiffed up and and used for exotic cruises to the really out-of-the way places

Dani · 02-17-2006, 02:35 PM

I think that Celebrity will have to expand their European markets. In my opinion only, the Euro economy is going to be very strong. The cruiselines need to "follow the money " . We know that the pound is already very strong.

The South Pacific/ Asian market is wide open for new ships.

The only problem I see is the prices for airfare. Getting to ports could make cruising become more regional in the makeup of the passengers.

Some American passengers for this summer are already picking cruises sailing out of Copenhagen instead of Southhampton because the airfare is much cheaper.

These larger ships have the capability of cruising to destinations at a faster rate. It would be nice for the consumers if more cruises going to exotic ports would start from a less exotic location. This would enable more reasonable airfare.