Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Equinox departed for the Caribbean from Fort Lauderdale on July 26, capping an eight-week period that saw the new-luxury brand lead the industry with eight ships back in the water during that time. Celebrity restarted the North American cruise industry this summer on June 5 with Celebrity Millennium sailing the Caribbean from St. Maarten and quickly followed on June 26 with Celebrity Edge, the first ship to sail from a U.S. port in more than a year. 

The recently “revolutionized” Celebrity Equinox’s first sailing features a 7-night Western Caribbean itinerary visiting St. Maarten and St. Thomas, along with Nassau, Bahamas. She then rotates between Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries.

“With each new ship that goes in the water, I’m overwhelmed by the palpable sense of reconnection on board for both our guests and our crew—with each other, their families and the world,” said Celebrity Cruises President and CEO Lisa Lutoff-Perlo. “Being together again, and absorbing the beauty around us is what we’ve all dreamt about for over a year, and now it’s really wonderful to be a part of our guests’ aspirations to travel again.”

“Bringing a large cruise ship back into service isn’t as easy as turning the ignition key,” said Brian Abel, Celebrity’s senior vice president of hotel operations. “It’s a multi-dimensional process that involves moving and training crew, large-scale procurement, mechanical adjustments, destination outreach, port availability, sales and marketing and so much more. I couldn’t be prouder of the Celebrity team’s accomplishments. We were ready and we successfully executed this herculean effort with finesse to welcome our guests back onboard for the Celebrity experience they know and love.” 

With the July 26 sailing, eight of the 14 ships within the Celebrity Cruises’ fleet have returned to sailing in 2021 and are full steam ahead taking guests to the Caribbean, Europe, Alaska and the Galapagos, including:

Celebrity Millennium: On July 23, Celebrity’s long-awaited return to Alaska began as Celebrity Millennium embarked on a journey to the Last Frontier.
Celebrity Apex: The newest addition to the Celebrity fleet, this ship made her world debut in Athens on June 19, with seven-night sailings to the Greek Isles. 
Celebrity Edge: Apex’s sister ship made history as the first vessel to sail from a U.S. port in over a year, restarting the U.S. cruising industry.
Celebrity Silhouette: On July 3, this ship  began taking guests from Southampton, U.K., around and along the British Isles and coastline.
Celebrity Flora: This state-of-the-art mega-yacht,  resumed sailing the Galapagos Islands on July 4. She was followed into the water by Celebrity Xpedition on July 24.

Voted in 2020 as “Best Service in the Large Ship Category” at the Cruise Critic Cruiser’s Choice Awards, Celebrity Equinox is part of a $500 million fleet-wide modernization program that has made big waves in the cruise world. Guests can enjoy elevated design concepts, including The Retreat, a private resort-within-a-resort for suite guests that includes The Retreat® Sundeck and The Retreat Lounge.

In addition, the ship features contemporary staterooms and suites featuring Celebrity’s eXhale bedding with its luxurious Cashmere mattresses; reimagined restaurants, bars, and lounges offering diverse culinary experiences; over 40 handcrafted boutique beer selections, creative cocktails and a wide selection of a la carte, gourmet comfort food and bar bites at Craft Social; a half-acre lawn of real grass at the aptly-named Lawn Club, perfect for trying outdoor games like croquet, or simply basking in the sunshine.

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 sail with a vaccinated crew. U.S. guests ages 12 and older must be fully vaccinated. In Florida, vaccinations are strongly recommended. Guests are encouraged to regularly check the guidance on all health and safety measures across the entire Celebrity Cruises vacation experience as they will evolve in keeping with current public health standards.www.celebritycruises.com/healthy-at-sea.

Simplifying the luxury vacation experience, Wi-Fi, drinks and tips are now “Always Included” on every Celebrity cruise. Celebrity’s “Cruise with Confidence” program also provides flexible cancellations and the best price guarantees.