Celebrity Cruises Leads Industry with First Cruise Ship Approved to Sail from a US port

MIAMI (May 26, 2021) – “Someday is here.” That was the one-line tweet Celebrity Cruises CEO and President Lisa Lutoff-Perlo used to announce the news today that on Saturday, June 26, the exquisite Celebrity Edge will be the first cruise ship to sail from US waters in more than a year. Captain Kate McCue, the first and still only American female Captain, will have the honor of leading the fleet – and the industry – back into operation.

Celebrity Edge will depart Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, setting sail on a seven-night cruise of the Caribbean in what promises to be a historic moment for the brand and the industry. Celebrity Edge was given the green light by the CDC to be the first ship back in the water, having met all new standards for providing a healthy cruise experience for its guests and crew.

“For the past 15 months our conversations with friends and loved ones about seeing the world have been accompanied by the phrase ‘someday.’ I’m beyond proud and excited to say that day has arrived,” said Celebrity Cruises CEO and President Lisa Lutoff-Perlo. “The power of travel has a way of healing our souls as we connect with cultures, sights, and experiences that bring greater joy and renewed energy to our lives. Nothing compares to these experiences at sea and now the wonder of these journeys returns. We’ve been preparing for this day for months and, on behalf of all of us at Celebrity Cruises, we’re ready and we can’t wait to welcome our guests aboard once again!”

“Today’s exciting news is the result of a collaboration with the CDC, our elected officials at the local, state and national levels and our industry partners at CLIA,” said Richard Fain, Chairman of Royal Caribbean Group, parent company of Celebrity Cruises. “We’ve consulted with the brightest minds in the health industry to ensure that our passengers and crew feel safe and comfortable on our ships while enjoying the uncompromised experience they know and love.”

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 just 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 resort-within-a-resort, 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.

Eager travelers looking to be the first to book a luxury Caribbean vacation this summer can do so from today, choosing between Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries. 

With today’s announcement, eight of the 15 ships within the Celebrity Cruises’ fleet now have plans to return to sailing in 2021 and are ready to take guests to breathtaking destinations, including the Caribbean, Europe, Alaska and the Galapagos, including

Celebrity’s Caribbean Comeback

First announced in March 2021, the magnificent Celebrity Millennium has the honor of being not only the first in the fleet to sail with guests again, but the first ship in the industry to sail the Caribbean when she makes her return to service in St Maarten on June 5. Taking in Aruba, Curacao & Barbados over seven nights, it promises to be a spectacular exploration of the islands and their famed blue waters.

European Wonder: Greek Isles + British Isles

In April, Celebrity Cruises announced its return to European waters with the news that Celebrity Apex, the newest addition to the fleet, would make her world debut in Athens on June 19, with seven-night sailings to the Greek Isles. The cruise marks a historic return to Greece for the company, which was founded there 33 years ago.

There was hope too for lockdown-weary Brits, starved of foreign holidays when, just a few weeks ago, Celebrity Cruises announced that the stunning Celebrity Silhouette would summer in Southampton, offering UK residents specially designed cruises of the British Isles. Taking in some of the most spectacular coastline anywhere in the world, guests will enjoy this ship also transformed as part of the $500 million ‘revolution’ program.

Checking off a Bucket List destination: The Galapagos

The US summer sailings also follow Celebrity news that 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.

Sailing the Last Frontier: Alaska

Just last week, Celebrity Cruises announced its long-awaited return to the incomparable natural wonders and wildlife of Alaska beginning July 23.

Further announcements on the remaining vessels will be made in the coming weeks.

Healthy at Sea

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. Requirements for Non-U.S. guests vary and more details can be found by visiting https://www.celebritycruises.com/healthy-at-sea.

Celebrity Cruises has established new health and safety measures in accordance with guidance from public health authorities, government agencies, and our own team of health and safety experts to provide our guests with the peace of mind to fully enjoy their journey with us.

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 Included^SM’ 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 US summer sailings, guests and travel advisors should visit https://www.celebritycruises.com/2021-2022-cruises.

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About Celebrity Cruises:

Celebrity Cruises’ iconic “X” is the mark of a fleet of 15 award-winning ships redefining luxury cruise travel with cool, contemporary design and accommodation; dining, spa, and entertainment experiences for modern tastes; and culturally rich and diverse destination experiences, all complemented by warm, personalized service. Celebrity has pioneered many industry firsts at sea, including the first use of solar panels on a cruise ship; the first to eliminate the use of plastic water bottles; the first American female captain of a cruise ship; the first-ever all-female bridge and officer team sailing; the first West African woman to work on the bridge of a cruise ship; and one of the first legal same-sex weddings performed at sea. Driven by wanderlust and a passion for opening the world, Celebrity journeys to all seven continents, visiting nearly 300 destinations in more than 70 countries. Celebrity Cruises is one of five cruise brands operated by global cruise company Royal Caribbean Group. (NYSE: RCL).

Celebrity Cruises is applying the recommendations of the Healthy Sail Panel of public health and scientific experts to provide a safer and healthier cruise vacation on all of its sailings. Health and safety protocols, regional travel restrictions and clearance to visit ports of call, are subject to change based on ongoing evaluation, public health standards, and government requirements. U.S. cruises and guests: For more information on the latest health and travel alerts, U.S. government travel advisories, please visit https://www.celebritycruises.com/travel-alert or consult travel advisories, warnings or recommendations relating to cruise travel on applicable government websites.