Celebrity Solstice Enters Service With Applause From Press and Trade
MIAMI, Nov 23, 2008 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX News Network/ --
After showcasing its new Celebrity Solstice to more than 8,000 members
of the travel agency community, press and other dignitaries on a
series of two-night preview cruises, Celebrity Cruises today eagerly
welcomes guests embarking on the ship's maiden voyage.
"This is yet another significant milestone in the rapid growth and
evolution of the Celebrity brand, as Celebrity Solstice - our first in
a series of five spectacular Solstice-class ships - officially enters
service," said Celebrity's President & CEO Dan Hanrahan. "We hope our
guests on this sailing are as elated with the extraordinary service,
design, dining and entertainment as preliminary trade and press
response would indicate."
Among the many accolades the ship has already received:
"The "wow" factor: Some have it; others don't. And I'm not talking
about fashionable celebrities here. Well, yes I am. Celebrity Cruises,
that is. As a veteran of more than 50 cruises, I'm not easily dazzled.
But one spin around the decks of the 122,000-ton, 2,850-passenger
Celebrity Solstice had me saying 'wow.'" - Harry Shattuck, Houston
Chronicle
"My own view -- and one widely held by other cruise writers and travel
agents on board: The hype is justified. Solstice is, simply, one of
the most comfortably stylish ships on the seas. It's a premium ship --
that's to say, it aims at upscale ambiance, dining and service, but
without the super-high price of true luxury cruising. And it hits the
mark." - Jane Wooldridge, Miami Herald
"Celebrity Solstice breaks the mold in every conceivable way." - Ralph
Grizzle, AvidCruiser.com
"First impressions of the ship? In a word, 'wow!' The design of the
ship is exquisite, with space after space that makes you gasp with
surprise and amazement." - Gene Sloan, USA Today
"The chatter is unbelievable. I can't remember a time when a group of
executives in retail companies sat around and talked about a ship like
this." - Mike Drever, president and CEO of Expedia CruiseShipCenters,
quoted in AvidCruiser.com
"Travel agents at Travel Trade's 25th Annual Leisure Travel Conference
were among the first agents to inspect the Solstice, and the new ship
got rave reviews. One agent told Travel Trade that he has been in the
business for 40 years, and the Solstice is 'the best hardware that I
have seen.'" - Johanna Jainchill, Travel Weekly
"Mainly, agents gushed about the style, space and imaginative details
of the line's first post-Panamax ship. 'The ship is fabulous,'
enthused Bob Newman of The Cruise Brothers, pointing to 'all the open
spaces ... It feels open and bright.' 'Everywhere you look there's
something that charms the eye,' said Jo Kling of Landry & Kling Cruise
Event Services." - Anne Kalosh, Seatrade Insider
Celebrity Solstice presents 7-night Eastern Caribbean cruises
roundtrip from Fort Lauderdale until April 2009, with visits to San
Juan, St. Maarten, Tortola, Haiti, and St. Kitts, depending on the
itinerary. Celebrity Solstice sets sail on a transatlantic voyage from
Fort Lauderdale April 19, 2009, ending in Rome, where the ship will
offer a series of roundtrip 10- and 11- night Eastern Mediterranean
sailings.
Celebrity Solstice will be one of five Celebrity ships presenting
enchanting Mediterranean and Northern Europe cruise vacations in
2009.
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