“#HopeFloats. Today marks the rebirth of our company and our industry, as our beautiful Celebrity Edge sets sail on a new-luxury experience that will – once again – feed peoples’ love of travel.” Those were the inspirational words tweeted from Celebrity Cruises’ President and CEO, Lisa Lutoff-Perlo today, as the exquisite Celebrity Edge prepared to sail from Ft. Lauderdale at 6.00pm ET, becoming the first cruise ship to sail from a U.S. port in more than a year.
What seems only fitting, now, 15 months after being at the helm of history for the first all-female bridge and officer team sailing in March 2020 and the last sailing before the industry was put on pause, Captain Kate McCue, the first and still only American female to captain a major cruise ship, now leads the fleet – and the industry – back into operation from Fort Lauderdale’s Port Everglades. The ship set sails for Mexico and the Bahamas.
Rarely has a seven-night cruise of the Caribbean come with such symbolism and hope, but there is no underestimating that this is an historic moment for the brand as it cruises back to normal. Celebrity Edge was given the green light – and the honor – to be the first ship back in the water, having met all new standards for providing a healthy and safe cruise experience for its guests and crew.
Named ‘one of the world’s greatest places’ by Time Magazine, Celebrity Edge is widely regarded as the most innovative cruise ship on earth. The ship’s onboard experience stands apart from anything else at sea, creating an exciting modern cruising experience with offerings like the incredible Magic Carpet®, soaring cantilevered above the sea and transformational accommodations like hyper-lux two-story villas with private plunge pools.
Inaugurated in 2018, Celebrity Edge’s unique outward-facing design breaks from traditional shipbuilding. Aboard, guests feel more connected with the sea and the places they visit, whether it’s sipping cocktails from the sundeck of The Retreat, a private oasis within the ship, or taking in the stunning vistas from the botanical Rooftop Garden. The ship’s amenities and views will infuse new life into passengers that have longed to travel and see the world once again.
With today’s sailing, eight of the 14 ships within the Celebrity Cruises’ fleet now have plans to return to sailing in 2021 and are ready to take guests to breathtaking destinations, from the Caribbean to Europe, Alaska and the Galapagos, including:
- The magnificent Celebrity Millennium led North America’s return to service as the first ship to sail in the Caribbean on June 5 from St. Maarten.
- Celebrity Apex, the newest addition to the Celebrity fleet, made her world debut in Athens on June 19, with seven-night sailings to the Greek Isles. The cruise marked a historic return to Greece for the company, which was founded there 33 years ago.
- Celebrity Silhouette prepares to summer in Southampton, UK beginning July 3 and offer stunning cruises of the British Isles and coastline.
- Beginning July 4, the luxurious, state-of-the-art mega-yacht, Celebrity Flora®, will resume sailing the magical Galapagos Islands. She will be followed soon after by the award-winning Celebrity Xpedition® and intimate 16-passenger Celebrity Xploration® on July 24, and September 18, respectively.
- And, Celebrity’s long-awaited return to the incomparable natural wonders of Alaska begin July 23.
Healthy at Sea
Celebrity Cruises has established new health and safety measures in accordance with guidance from public health authorities, government agencies, and its own team of health and safety experts to provide guests with the peace of mind to fully enjoy their voyage.
All Celebrity ships will sail with a vaccinated crew. U.S. guests ages 16 and older must be fully vaccinated and, as of August 1, 2021, all U.S. guests ages 12 and older must be fully vaccinated. In Florida, vaccinations are strongly recommended. Requirements for Non-U.S. guests vary and more details can be found by visiting https://www.celebritycruises.com/healthy-at-sea.
These measures will evolve in keeping with current public health standards. Guests are encouraged to regularly check the guidance on all health and safety measures across the entire Celebrity Cruises vacation experience can be found at https://www.celebritycruises.com/healthy-at-sea.
Wonder Returns
Simplifying the luxury vacation experience, Wi-Fi, drinks, and tips are now ‘Always IncludedSM’ on every Celebrity cruise. And, Celebrity’s “Cruise with Confidence” program provides flexible cancellations and the best price guarantees.
For more information on Celebrity Cruises’ new U.S. summer sailings, guests and travel advisors should visit https://www.celebritycruises.com/2021-2022-cruises.
