LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM–(Marketwire – Nov. 22, 2010) – Celebrity Cruises is expanding its popular onboard activities programme Celebrity Life to include Smithsonian Journeys speakers on a total of 99 cruises in six popular destinations and a range of games and activities such as pool games, outdoor evening DJ and dancing events, trivia and karaoke.
Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, Senior Vice President, Celebrity Cruises commented;
“We created Celebrity Life as a way for our guests to enjoy authentic, fun activities that deepen the value of their holiday experience, particularly in the areas that they enjoy most, such as food and wine, wellness and enrichment. Now, one year later, we have taken feedback from our guests and built on the success of the original programme”.
In 2011, a Smithsonian Journeys speaker will present enrichment lectures on every Bermuda, “Holy Land,” Mediterranean, Panama Canal, Antarctica and Transatlantic cruise, for a total of 99 sailings.
Each speaker educates participating guests in various aspects of their upcoming ports of call. For example, during sailings in the Mediterranean, presentations may be delivered by Smithsonian historians, archaeologists or art history experts who will focus on the art, architecture or history of the region. During sailings in Bermuda, Smithsonian marine biologists, astronomers or aviation historians may present topics about “the mysteries of the sea and sky.” Panama Canal cruises may include presentations focused on the marine biology, geology, or anthropology of the tropics.
Celebrity Life will continue to include a broad range of activities to allow holidaymakers to learn something new while relaxing and having fun at sea.
• Celebrity Cruises partnership with Rosetta Stone® gives guests a chance to learn a new language, either through individual, computer-based sessions, or in group classes.
• The “Oceans Ahead” programme offers sessions with interesting facts on topics including energy generation, ship navigation, onboard recycling and carbon footprints, presented by the ship’s environmental officer.
• The “Let’s Dance” series teaches guests popular dances such as salsa, jive and hip-hop.
• Onboard Celebrity Solstice, Celebrity Equinox and Celebrity Eclipse, the Hot Glass Show(SM) presented in collaboration with the Corning Museum of Glass dazzles guests with live glassblowing demonstrations.
• Celebrity iLearn, presented in the Apple®-focused Celebrity iLounge aims to teach guests how to turn photos into artistic expression through its iPhoto class.
The Celebrity Life platform is expanding from fun activities focused on enrichment, culinary and wellness interests, to also include group trivia competitions and other games. These include game-show-format and tournament-style trivia contests, karaoke, casino tournaments and lessons, sports like basketball and ping-pong, interactive video games such as bowling and tennis and an assortment of games using the Nintendo Wii and the new motion gaming device, Microsoft XBox Kinect.
On Celebrity Cruises’ Solstice Class ships, which feature a real lawn, guests also can take part in games of croquet, bocce and beanbag toss. Some bocce games will offer guests a chance to compete against the Solstice Class ships’ officers. That same friendly competition will carry over into pool volleyball matches between guests and officers, and will be offered on the Solstice, Century and Millennium Class ships.
Next year, Celebrity will expand its use of the iPad™ mobile device to present onboard scavenger hunts. More pool games will be introduced, an electronic audience response system will become available for certain game-show-style and trivia competitions, and evening music festivals led by fun, engaging DJs will offer an opportunity for guests to let loose.
The activities that were developed when Celebrity Life debuted in 2009 will continue to be available. Guests who have a passion for food, wine and spirits have expressed great delight with Celebrity Life’s culinary activities, which include:
• The Riedel Comparative Wien Crystal Workshop where guests discover the difference that the shape and quality of a Riedel glass makes to the enjoyment of fine wine.
• “Molecular Mixology” created by Chef Junior Merino, also known as “The Liquid Chef,” known for his use of traditionally culinary ingredients in the creation of cocktails that fuse unexpected ingredients.
• A “Star Chefs” cooking competition that pits two Celebrity Cruises chefs against one another, each assisted by one cruise guest, to showcase their culinary skills.
• A course called “The Art of Food and Wine Pairing,” where the Cellarmaster offers tips on how to match food and wine for the ultimate taste experience.
• A total of 13 “Savor Your Destination” chef-hosted cruises will be offered on Celebrity Cruises’ Solstice Class ships, allowing travellers the opportunity to enjoy memorable experiences through food-and-wine-focused activities.
• Celebrity Cruises will offer five “Savor Your Destination” winemaker-hosted cruises in 2011, where experts from the world of winemaking will join guests for a meet-and-greet cocktail hour; wine, champagne, sparkling wine and port tastings; wine education sessions; and a “Connoisseur Wine Dinner” hosted by the winemaker; these cruises also will feature the Riedel Wine Glass Comparative Workshop, explaining how a wine glass’ shape affects the palate and flavours.
Wellness and self-renewal activities have been a popular part of Celebrity Life since the programme was introduced. These include an introduction to acupuncture, yoga classes and anti-ageing seminars.
An additional charge applies for participants in certain Celebrity Life activities such as wine tastings, some computer classes, some language lessons and others.
Celebrity Cruises is designed for discerning cruisers, with modern, sophisticated environments, impeccable service, enriching and inspiring onboard programmes, and world-class cuisine. The ultimate in premium cruising, Celebrity Cruises sails in Alaska, Bermuda, California, Canada/New England, Europe, the Pacific Coast, Panama Canal, South America, and year-round in the Caribbean and the Galapagos Islands. Celebrity Cruises also offers immersive cruisetour experiences in Alaska, Canada, Europe and South America. Celebrity Cruises’ mega-series of honours include being named the top mega-ship line in Condé Nast Traveler’s annual Readers’ Choice Awards (November 2009). Celebrity Cruises’ fleet currently consists of nine ships. Its USD $3.7-billion investment in building five stylish Solstice Class ships between 2008-2012 represents the largest newbuild commitment for a single brand in industry history.
For more information see www.celebritycruises.co.uk.