Celebrity Cruises Ships to Receive Updates

After making a multi-million dollar investment to “Solsticize” its Millennium Class ships, Celebrity Cruises is planning even more upgrades to two of those ships, with a series of refreshes that will elevate the onboard experience even higher. As the first cruise line to offer a spacious lawn of real, growing grass on the top decks of its ships, Celebrity will expand its lineup of outdoor spaces when Celebrity Infinity receives a new “Rooftop Terrace” venue—the first in Celebrity’s fleet—during a scheduled drydock. With chic furniture and unique artistic elements, a large, outdoor film screen and stereo surround sound will highlight this space, which fuses movies with unique food experiences. The drydock work also will broaden Celebrity’s commitment to its Suite Class, with significant renovations to the ships’ Penthouse and Royal Suites, and will include conversion of the ship’s specialty restaurant to one of Celebrity’s signature venues, Tuscan Grille. Celebrity Summit will follow with a similar scheduled drydock in March of 2016.

With modular furniture, a metal “garden-like” design, and cabanas, the new, multi-functional Rooftop Terrace pictured here will offer guests a relaxing, open space during the day. By night, the space will be illuminated by unique decorative lighting, and a large screen and soundscape will showcase movies and other entertainment. Rounding out the unique outdoor experience will be a variety of specially curated food options available for purchase and presented in unique serving vessels, inspired by the entertainment content, the destination, or the occasion. The Rooftop Terrace, which opens Dec 5, 2015, will be located aft on the 12th deck.

Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, President & CEO, Celebrity Cruises, said, “The popularity of our Lawn Club venues has shown us that some of the richest moments our guests enjoy are when relaxing in beautiful outdoor spaces. In creating the Rooftop Terrace, we wanted to create a hot spot where guests can kick back under the stars in the middle of the ocean, with amazing entertainment and food.”

As part of the $16 million refresh plan, Celebrity is investing heavily in its Suite Class experience on Celebrity Infinity and Celebrity Summit, as every Penthouse and Royal Suite will receive new fixtures, marble surfaces, and comfortable seats in the bathrooms. The rest of the suite will get refreshing touches like new carpeting, drapes, and bed linens.

Perhaps most surprising will be the conversion of Celebrity Infinity’s S.S. United States restaurant to Tuscan Grille, Celebrity’s Mediterranean-inspired steakhouse that debuted on its Solstice Class ships. The changes include complete refinishing of the space and the introduction of a refreshed menu, including fresh pasta made in-house; an Italian cocktail menu, a first for Tuscan Grille; a wine list focused on the wine-growing regions of Italy; and new foods like artisanal salumi and cheeses; crispy crab arancini with lemon pepper aioli; grilled branzino with spinach and olive oil; swordfish with Castelvetrano olives, fennel and white wine; and oven-roasted USDA Prime dry-aged steak. Guests who are currently booked in the S.S. United States for sailings beginning on Oct 29, 2015 or later, will be given the first opportunity to cancel their reservations in order to rebook in Tuscan Grille. On Celebrity Summit, The Normandie will be converted into Tuscan Grille. Guests who are currently booked in The Normandie for sailings beginning on March 19, 2016 or later, will also have first dibs on reservations in Tuscan Grille.

On Celebrity Infinity, the maritime artifacts in the S.S. United States will be featured in a special display area in the casino’s entry vestibule. Items include charts, maps, an original place setting, a ship model, and more. On Celebrity Summit’s Normandie also features numerous artifacts that will be preserved and displayed in a special area onboard. These include photographs, artistic works, a ship model, and more.

Additional work taking place onboard both ships will include:

• The addition of an enclosed portrait studio similar to that found on Celebrity’s Solstice Class ships, Celebrity Eclipse and Celebrity Equinox
• The creation of a new future cruise sales office, where guests can take advantage of special offers
• A refresh of the Solarium, with new furniture, new floors, and refinished pool tops, and a refresh of finishes in the spa café
• The removal of the themed décor in the ship’s casino

Celebrity Infinity enters drydock on Oct 15 and will emerge on Oct 29, 2015, before sailing several Panama Canal itineraries leading up to Dec 5. Then, Celebrity Infinity will begin its South America season, which will be followed by an Alaska season beginning in May 2016. Celebrity Summit will sail 7-night Southern Caribbean itineraries this winter, both before and after her drydock from Feb 27 to March 12, 2016, before heading to Cape Liberty (Bayonne), New Jersey in April, for her summer season of 7-night cruises to Bermuda. Both drydocks will take place at Grand Bahama Shipyard in Freeport, Bahamas.

Image Courtesy Celebrity Cruises