07 May 2009

Celebrity withdraws ship from Europe in 2010

Celebrity Cruises is withdrawing one of its new ships from Europe next year.

The line has changed European itineraries for 2010 after deciding to redeploy Celebrity Solstice to sail year-round in the Caribbean.

As a result a series of 12-night voyages previously announced for Celebrity Equinox between Barcelona and Venice in 2010 have been dropped.

A total of 13 sailings are affected between May 1 and October 9, 2010.

Celebrity Equinox, due to be named in Southampton in July, will replace Celebrity Solstice offering 10- and 11-night Mediterranean sailings from Rome (Civitavecchia) next summer.

The European sailings previously announced for Celebrity Eclipse - which debuts in 2010 from Southampton - and Celebrity Constellation are unchanged, the company said.

Celebrity Cruises said representatives were contacting all passengers with bookings affected by the European deployment changes.

Celebrity Solstice will sail alternating seven-night Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises from Fort Lauderdale in Florida, in the summer; and seven-night Eastern Caribbean itineraries from the same port in the winter.

This will be the first time since 2004 that the line has offered year-round seven-night sailings in the Caribbean.

Celebrity Solstice will be one of two vessels sailing continuously in the region. Celebrity Century will run four- and five-night sailings from Miami.

There will be seven Celebrity ships in the Caribbean on a seasonal basis in 2010-11 offering on a total of 155 sailings with visits to 43 ports.