Truncated showcase for new Celebrity ship
Saturday, 26 Apr, 2010
0
Celebrity Cruises prepared for its first new build ship to operate from the UK with a truncated showcase for travel agents and other trade guests in Southampton.
Plans for the introduction of the £500 million Celebrity Eclipse were changed when the ship was called into action to bring home more than 2,000 holidaymakers stranded in Spain due to the grounding of flights in the volcanic ash crisis (see previous TravelMole story).
A number of on board events had to be cancelled but the ship’s naming by yachtswoman Emma Pontin went ahead as planned on Saturday prior to a two-night travel industry preview sailing.
Celebrity Eclipse is expected to carry 37,000 passengers from Southampton this summer and will return for a second season of sailings in 2011.
The 2,850-passenger ship joins 3,634-passenger Independence of the Seas from sister company Royal Caribbean International in operating from Southampton.
The two ships will generate more than £45.8 million in economic benefit to the local area, the lines claim.
UK and Ireland managing director Jo Rzymowska said: “The UK is one of our fastest growing and most exciting cruise markets, and it is for this reason that we are basing our newest ship in Southampton.
“We are an international company and we’re committed to continuing to bring the best of cruising to British shores.”
The 122,000-tonne ship departs for its first cruise, a short break to Le Harve today (Monday).
Watch vidoo of naming: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=By1grlLquw0
by Phil Davies
Phil Davies
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Clearing CSS/JS assets' cache... Please wait until this notice disappears...
Updating... Please wait...
TAP Air Portugal to operate 29 flights due to strike on December 11
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
Airbnb eyes a loyalty program but details remain under wraps
Air Mauritius reduces frequencies to Europe and Asia for the holiday season
Major rail disruptions around and in Berlin until early 2026