Celebrity Cruises' Newest Luxury Ship To Be Named in Hamburg

MIAMI, Jan. 26, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Celebrity Silhouette, the newest addition to Celebrity Cruises Solstice class family, will make history this summer when it is officially named in Hamburg, Germany. When it comes to automobiles and cruise ships, "made in Germany" is often the mark of high quality, innovative design and precision. Celebrity Cruises' award-winning Solstice Class ships are no exception, and their German heritage is coming full circle with the German locale of Celebrity Silhouette's official naming festivities, with all their pomp and circumstance.

Built at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany, the 2,886-guest Celebrity Silhouette will be introduced to the world on July 21, 2011, with formal naming ceremonies that will kick off a two-night preview cruise for invited travel agents, press and other dignitaries. Celebrity Silhouette is the fourth Solstice Class ship in a series of five built at the sixth-generation, family-owned German yard renowned for its commitment to excellence, and the first in its class to be officially named in Germany.

"We are so honored that Germany will be the first country outside of the United States or the United Kingdom to host the naming of a Solstice Class ship," said Tom Fecke, General Manager, RCL Cruises Ltd., Germany. "This is a clear commitment not only to the German cruise market, but also to the growing interest in the Celebrity Cruises brand, which continues to evolve and attract affluent vacationers. Hamburg, with its strong cruising tradition and appeal, provides an ideal setting, and we are very much looking forward to the celebration of the launch of this stunningly beautiful new ship."

Vacationers eager to experience Celebrity Silhouette can book its inaugural cruise of July 23, a seven-night cruise to Rome. Following a Rome-focused two-night preview cruise for invited members of the travel industry and the media, the ship will introduce a series of 12- and 13-night Holy Land sailings roundtrip from Rome. Beginning this November, Celebrity Silhouette will be the first Solstice Class ship to present cruises from Cape Liberty (Bayonne), New Jersey, bringing the Solstice Class's award-winning style and design to the greater New York City area.

Celebrity Silhouette will offer significantly expanded onboard opportunities for vacationers to enjoy their precious vacation time. New venues that will debut on Celebrity Silhouette will highlight some of the premium brand's most compelling characteristics, offering unique experiences focused on the culinary arts, ways to relax and enjoy stylish surroundings at sea, and engaging, enriching onboard activities. These venues include:

• The Lawn Club Grill, the industry's first outdoor, interactive grill restaurant
• The Porch, offering quick, simple, casual and complimentary breakfasts and lunches against a backdrop of views of the lawn and sea
• The Art Studio, a space within The Lawn Club where guests can participate in intimate, hands-on instruction from experts in drawing, painting and beading, as well as the art of food, with plating, tastings, mixology and other culinary-themed classes
• The Alcoves, a private retreat overlooking the lawn, ocean and coastlines, featuring eight exclusive, cabana-style settings, each designed for two to four guests
• The Hideaway, a high-tech, avant-garde treehouse-like spot for vacationers relaxing with their Apple iPads or perhaps reading a good book within cozy, intimate lounging "nests"

In addition to the innovative new venues and experiences, Celebrity Silhouette will offer iconic Solstice Class attributes, including:

• The hip "Celebrity iLounge" that made Celebrity Cruises the industry's first Authorized Apple Reseller
• Uniquely unordinary "Qsine," the first seagoing restaurant to feature a menu and wine list on an iPad®, and an engaging food-as-theater dining experience
• Ten unrivaled restaurants – in addition to "The Lawn Club Grill" and "The Porch"
• Modern, stylish interiors designed by some of the world's best architects and designers, including Adam Tihany
• Cool nightclubs and lounges, including CellarMasters, complete with the industry's first installation of the innovative Enomatic wine serving system
• One of the broadest and best wine offerings in the industry, served by one of the world's largest staffs of certified sommeliers
• One of the world's largest permanent collections of original contemporary art, and the industry's first self-guided art tours to be presented on an iPad®
• Top-tier entertainment, including custom aerial production shows and live music

Celebrity Cruises' iconic "X" is the mark of the world's top-rated premium cruise line, with spacious, stylish interiors; dining experiences elevated to an art form; personalized service, with a guest-to-staff ratio of nearly 2:1; unexpected, trendsetting onboard activities, all designed to provide an unmatchable experience for vacationers' precious time. Celebrity sails to Alaska, Australia/New Zealand, Bermuda, California, Canada/New England, the Caribbean, Europe, Hawaii, the Pacific Coast, Panama Canal, South America, and year-round in the Galapagos Islands. Celebrity also offers immersive cruisetour experiences in Alaska, Australia/New Zealand, Canada, Europe and South America. One of the fastest-growing major cruise lines, Celebrity's fleet currently consists of 10 ships, with two additional Solstice Class ships scheduled to join the fleet: Celebrity Silhouette in July 2011, and Celebrity Reflection in Fall 2012. For more information, call your travel agent, dial 1-800-437-3111 or visit www.celebritycruises.com.

SOURCE Celebrity Cruises