Celebrity Cruises

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Celebrity Cruises
Type Public
Founded 1989
Headquarters Miami, Florida
Industry Transportation
Products Cruises
Website http://www.celebrity.com/

Celebrity Cruises is a cruise line founded in 1989 by the Greek Chandris Group. In 1997 Celebrity Cruises Ltd. merged with Royal Caribbean International to become Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., which operates Celebrity and the Royal Caribbean International lines. Today the company is headquartered in Miami, Florida in the United States. The signature "X" on Celebrity ship funnels is the Greek letter chi, for "Chandris".[1][2] Common features on board are aft-glass dining rooms, formal foyer areas, alternative restaurants, balcony and suite staterooms, large pools and lounging areas, signature bars and lounges, libraries, elegant spas and gyms, as well as relaxing areas.

Contents

[edit] History

Mercury shows the distinctive color scheme and "X" symbol on the funnel.
Mercury shows the distinctive color scheme and "X" symbol on the funnel.

The Greece-based Chandris Group had been involved in cruise traffic since the 1960s,[2] under two brands: Chandris Fantasy Cruises, that operated in the Caribbean, and Chandris Cruises, that operated in Europe. Both of these companies mainly catered for the lower end of the market, their fleets consisting of second-hand ocean liners.[3] In 1988 Home Lines, at the time one of the world's leading premium cruise lines, was sold to Holland America Line, and Chandris saw a chance of creating a premium line of their own. With this in mind, Chandris Fantasy Cruises' Galileo was rebuilt at Lloyd Werft, Germany in 1989, re-entering service as Meridian for Chandris' new Celebrity Cruises brand in February 1990.[1] Just two months later Celebrity Cruises' first newbuilding, Horizon, entered service.[4] A third ship, Zenith, followed in 1992.[5]

In 1997 the Chandris family sold their interests in Celebrity cruises to Royal Caribbean International.[6] During the same year Celebrity Cruises took delivery of the first Century class vessel, Century, that was followed by Galaxy in 1996 and Mercury in 1997.[5] Following the delivery of the Mercury, the Meridian was sold to Singapore-based Sun Cruises.[1] Between 2000 and 2002 Celebrity took delivery of a quartet of new ships, the gas turbine -powered and aptly named Millennium class ships Millennium, Infinity, Summit and Constellation.[5] The Celebrity Expeditions sub-brand was lauched in 2004 with the acquisition of Celebrity Xpedition, a small boutique ship offering specialized cruises around the Galápagos Islands.[7] In 2005 the Horizon was transferred to the fleet Royal Caribbean's United Kingdom -based subsidiary Island Cruises.[4] In the same year the first ship of what was to be named Solstice class was ordered from Meyer Werft.[8] By 2007 three more ships of this class were on order.[9]

In 2006 plans were made to transfer Blue Moon and Blue Dream from the fleet of Pullmantur Cruises to Celebrity Cruises under the names of Celebrity Quest and Celebrity Journey. The ships would have joined the Celebrity Expeditions sub-brand,[10][11] but in the end the decision was made to form an entirely new line, Azamara Cruises, to operate these ships in 2007.[12] Also in 2007 the Zenith was transferred to Pullmantur Cruises 'in exhange' for the Azamara ships.[10]

[edit] Fleet

[edit] Current fleet

Ship Entered service
for Celebrity		 Class Capacity Tonnage1 Flag Notes
Celebrity Century 1995 Century class 1778 70606 GRT Flag of Malta Malta Previously Century
Celebrity Galaxy 1996 Century class 1896 76522 GRT Flag of the Bahamas Bahamas Previously Galaxy. Will transfer to TUI Cruises in March 2009.[13]
Celebrity Mercury 1997 Century class 1896 76522 GRT Flag of Panama Panama Previously Mercury.
Celebrity Millennium 2000 Millennium class 2460 90228 GT Flag of the Bahamas Bahamas Previously Millennium.
Celebrity Infinity 2001 Millennium class 2499 90280 GT Flag of the Bahamas Bahamas Previously Infinity, renamed 2007
Celebrity Summit 2002 Millennium class 2499 90280 GT Flag of the Bahamas Bahamas Previously Summit.
Celebrity Constellation 2002 Millennium class 2038 90280 GT Flag of the Bahamas Bahamas Previously Constellation, renamed 2007
Celebrity Xpedition 2004 Xpedition class 96 2329 GT Flag of Ecuador Ecuador
1May be specified in gross tonnage (GT) or gross register tons (GRT).

[edit] Future ships

Celebrity Cruises has ordered five new ships, the Solstice, the Equinox, the Eclipse, and two still to be named ships.[9] These will be Celebrity's largest vessels at 122,000 GT, holding 2,850 passengers each, and measuring 1,033 ft (314.86 m) in length, with a beam of 121 ft (36.88 m).

Ship Planned delivery date Shipyard Projected
capacity		 Projected
gross tonnage		 Planned flag
Celebrity Solstice Fall 2008 Meyer Werft, Papenburg 2850 122000 GT
Celebrity Equinox Summer 2009 Meyer Werft, Papenburg 2850 122000 GT
Celebrity Eclipse Summer 2010 Meyer Werft, Papenburg 2850 122000 GT
Name unknown Fall 2011 Meyer Werft, Papenburg 2850 122000 GT
Name unknown Fall 2012 Meyer Werft, Papenburg 2850 122000 GT

[edit] Retired Ships

Horizon, today sailing as the Island Star
Horizon, today sailing as the Island Star
Ship Years in service Tonnage1 Status as of 2007
Meridian 1990—1997 30440 GRT Burnt and sank at the Straits of Malacca, 1999
Horizon 1990—2005 46811 GRT Since 2005 Island Star for Island Cruises
Zenith 1992—2007 47255 GRT Since 2007 sailing for Pullmantur Cruises
1May be specified in gross tonnage (GT) or gross register tons (GRT).

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c Maritime Matters: Sun Vista, retrieved 29. 11. 2007
  2. ^ a b Ulrich, Kurt: Monarchs of the Sea, page 177. Tauris Parke, year and place of printing not stated. ISBN 1 86064 3736
  3. ^ NineMSN: Cruising: Celebrity Cruises, retrieved 29. 11. 2007
  4. ^ a b (Swedish) Fakta om Fartyg: M/S Horizon (1990), retrieved 29. 11. 2007
  5. ^ a b c (Swedish) Fakta om Fartyg: Celebrity Cruises, retrieved 29. 11. 2007
  6. ^ About Celebrity: History. Celebrity Cruises. Retrieved on 2008-04-04.
  7. ^ Ward, Douglas: Berlitz Complete Guide to Cruising & Cruise Ships 2006, page 237. Berlitz Publishing 2006. ISBN 981 246 739 4
  8. ^ Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. press release: Celebrity Cruises Orders New Cruise Ship, Launches Innovative New Class, retrieved 29. 11. 2007
  9. ^ a b Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. press release: Celebrity Cruises Announces Fourth Solstice-Class Ship, retrieved 29. 11. 2007
  10. ^ a b Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. press release: Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. Receives Antitrust Approval On Pullmantur Purchase; Announces Celebrity Expeditions And Celebrity, Pullmantur Ship Swap, retrieved 29. 11. 2007
  11. ^ Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. press release: Celebrity Cruises Expands 'Celebrity Expeditions'; Adds Celebrity Quest to Exotic Brand Extension, retrieved 29. 11. 2007
  12. ^ Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. press release: Celebrity Cruises Presents New, Deluxe Cruise Line: Azamara Cruises, retrieved 29. 11. 2007
  13. ^ Celebrity Cruises' Celebrity Galaxy to Become First Ship in New TUI Cruises Fleet. Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. press release. Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (2008-04-29). Retrieved on 2008-04-29.

[edit] External links

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v • d • e
Members of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.
Fully-owned subsidiaries
Royal Caribbean International • Celebrity Cruises • Pullmantur Cruises • Azamara Cruises • CDF Croisières de France (begins service 2008)
Joint ventures with TUI
Island Cruises • TUI Cruises (begins service 2009)