Celebrity Cruises plans to send its four newest Solstice Class ships and two “Solsticized” ships to the Caribbean in the winter of 2012-13, giving vacationers multiple options for luxurious getaways in stylish spaces with gourmet cuisine, extraordinary service, and fun activities. In total, Celebrity will present 103 Caribbean sailings with 21 distinct itineraries visiting ports from three homeports, from November 2012 through April 2013.

Recognizing that people’s vacation time is precious, Celebrity has shaped a 2012-13 winter destination lineup that exemplifies the premium cruise brand’s focus on offering a multitude of ways for people to have the best vacation experience possible.Earlier this week, Celebrity announced to its Captain’s Club loyalty program members that the first full season for its fifth Solstice Class ship, the 3,030-guest Celebrity Reflection, currently under construction, will be in the Caribbean. Three other Solstice Class ships will also offer Caribbean itineraries. Celebrity Constellation, which was “Solsticized” in 2010 to include many of the features of Celebrity’s award-winning Solstice Class, and Celebrity Summit, which will be “Solsticized” in early 2012, also will present vacationers with the opportunity to enjoy luxurious getaways in the region.

Members of Celebrity’s Captain’s Club will have the opportunity to be the first to secure space on Celebrity Reflection during her inaugural Caribbean season, as well as on a “9-Night Northern Europe inaugural debut” cruise in Europe, two Mediterranean sailings and one transatlantic sailing that will precede the ship’s official naming and an additional three-night Caribbean inaugural debut cruise. A special booking window for Captain’s Club members opened yesterday and will be available through April 19; more information is available on a special landing page on Celebrity’s website.

Bookings will open to the general public on April 20, along with the full line-up of Caribbean bookings. That same winter, Celebrity also will offer a full season of cruises in Hawaiiand the Panama Canal, along with a 13th season of its popular South America cruises. These will open for booking on April 21.

Recently, Celebrity announced that its Solstice Class flagship, Celebrity Solstice, will be the first Solstice Class ship to offer sailings in Australia/New Zealand, and that Celebrity Millennium will sail Celebrity’s first Asia season.

Award-winning Solstice Class experience provides premium Caribbean escape

By positioning its four newest ships and two of its Solsticized ships in the Caribbean in a single season, vacationers seeking luxurious accommodations, extraordinary service, gourmet cuisine and fun, enriching activities will have many choices.

•  Celebrity Reflection will sail roundtrip from Miami, Florida on alternating seven-night Eastern Caribbean itineraries, departing on Saturdays.
•  Celebrity Silhouette, which will debut in Europe later this year, will offer alternating seven-night Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries, departing from Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades), Florida on Sundays. New to this itinerary in 2012-13 will be a different Western Caribbean lineup, as Celebrity is replacing calls to Roatan, Honduras and Costa Maya, Mexico with calls to Labadee, Haiti and Falmouth, Jamaica.
•  Celebrity Eclipse will sail 14-night roundtrip Southern Caribbean voyages from Fort Lauderdale, plus one eight-night Eastern Caribbean sailing at the start of the season.
•  Celebrity Equinox will present 10- and 11-night “Ultimate Caribbean” itineraries from Fort Lauderdale.
•  Celebrity Summit will offer seven-night Southern Caribbean cruises with two alternating itineraries, departing on Saturdays from San Juan, Puerto Rico. Celebrity will add new venues and new AquaClass staterooms – a category Celebrity introduced in 2008 with the debut of Celebrity Solstice – when it Solsticizes Celebrity Summit in early 2012.
•  Celebrity Constellation will present a series of four- and five-night cruises roundtrip from Miami.

Onboard luxury in Hawaii, Panama Canal, South America

Four Celebrity ships will offer vacationers the opportunity to explore Hawaii, the Panama Canal and South America in 2012-13, with a total of 29 sailings ranging from 11 to 17 nights in length and visiting 42 portsof call.

Celebrity will present a full season comprised of cruises in Hawaii and the Panama Canal. The 1,814-guest Celebrity Century will offer eight 15-night Hawaii sailings roundtrip from San Diego, California, as well as four 15-night Panama Canal cruises between San Diego and Fort Lauderdale.

Celebrity Millenniumwill offer two 15-night Panama Canal sailings between San Diego and Miami, as well as an 11-night Hawaii sailing from Ensenada, Mexico, to Honolulu, Hawaii.

After her first Australia/New Zealand season, Celebrity Solstice will offer an 11-night Hawaii sailing from Honolulu to Ensenada. Both 11-night voyages will include overnights in Lahaina and Honolulu.

Celebrity Infinity, which will be Solsticized later this year, will present five Panama Canal voyages: one will be 17 nights in length, from Seattle, Washington to Fort Lauderdale, and four will be 15 nights long, between Fort Lauderdale and San Diego.Celebrity will add new venues and new AquaClass staterooms – a category Celebrity introduced in 2008 with the debut of Celebrity Solstice – when it Solsticizes Celebrity Infinity later this year.

Celebrity Infinity’s South America season will feature a core offering of 14-night “Around the Horn” cruises between Valparaiso, Chile, and Buenos Aires, Argentina. Two of these will be Antarctica cruises. The season also includes a 15-night “double holiday” cruise on December 22, from Valparaiso to Buenos Aires, and an early-season 15-night Panama Canal and South America cruise from Fort Lauderdale to Valparaiso.

Immersive cruisetours to add depth to South America experience

Vacationers who wish to deepen their experience in South America can take advantage of Celebrity’s cruisetour offerings, which combine select cruises with a three- or five-night pre- or post-cruise escorted land package.

A three-night Buenos Aires and Iguazu Falls package will highlight both the city dubbed “the Paris of South America” and the second largest waterfall in the world. A five-night “Machu Picchu Explorer” package will include visits to Lima, Urubamba, and Santiago, Peru. In the Sacred Valley, guests will visit the ruins of Machu Picchu via a full-day trip on the Vistadome railcar.

Travelers seeking a more immersive South America experience can combine a cruise with both a pre-cruise and a post-cruise land package. All of these packages are escorted by a local tour director and include hotel accommodations, transportation, select activities, breakfasts and some additional meals.

Engaging shore excursions offer deeper immersion

Celebrity’s 2012-13 winter destination line-up will include numerous shore excursionsthat vacationers can purchase to round out their shipboard experience.

In the Caribbean, the “Xplor All-Inclusive Adventure” in the Riviera Maya, Mexico presents a series of seven underground circuits where guests can connect with their emotions and senses within a natural environment. The “Pinel Island Eco Snorkel and Beach Tour” in St. Maarten offers guided snorkeling in the heart of a protected marine reserve.

Celebrity’s Panama Canal cruises will offer the experience for guests to see a cloud forest by train, through the “Monteverde Trainforest” excursion in Puntarenas, Costa Rica.

Vacationers seeking the opportunity to enjoy the natural beauty in Hawaii can opt for the “Raft and Snorkel Adventure” in Kailua-Kona, which will feature a local-guide-led cruise along the Big Island’s Kona Coast on a 24-foot rigid-hulled inflatable boat, or RIB, snorkeling, up-close views of lava flows, sea caves and coastal blow holes, and the chance to gaze upon pods of Hawaiian spinner dolphins, sea turtles and seasonal humpback whales.

In South America, the “Tango Show and Dinner” excursion in Buenos Aires will immerse guests in the spirit of Argentine tango and feature a three-course dinner and an orchestra-backed live dance performance.

Members of Celebrity’s Captain’s Club are eligible to receive up to $600 savings per stateroom when booking select winter itineraries before July 29, 2011.