Celebrity gears up for Celebrity Equinox launch and biggest ever week in the UK and Ireland

Celebrity Cruises is gearing up for its biggest ever week in the UK as the final preparations are made for the arrival of its newest ship Celebrity Equinox. Over 5,000 travel agents, travel industry big-wigs, consumers and media will get a taste of the ship during two weeks of launch celebrations.

Arriving in Southampton on 19 July, Celebrity Equinox will open her doors to the UK and Ireland travel industry and consumers on 25 July and will then be officially christened and named in the city on 29 July.

Hundreds of travel industry professionals from all over the world will visit the ship at the British port. As a prelude to the arrival of sistership Celebrity Eclipse in April 2010, the launch celebrations are designed to excite the UK cruise market in advance of Celebrity Eclipse being based in Southampton throughout the summer of 2010.

Robin Shaw, vice president and managing director, Celebrity Cruises and RCI, UK and Ireland explained: 

‘The fact that the global launch of Celebrity Equinox takes place in the UK demonstrates the scale of the market that we now represent. We have an exciting future ahead of us and look forward to setting new standards in the luxury large ship market. The launch celebrations are set to be great fun, and a great showcase to the industry of exactly what Celebrity Cruises is all about.’

On 25 July celebrations include the first ever Pro-Am croquet tournament to take place on the high seas. Ten of world’s best mallet swingers will take part including the current world No.1, Chris Clarke, and British Open champion Stephen Mulliner. Also on 25 July, female classical super-group ‘All Angels’ will perform for VIP guests onboard as Celebrity Equinox sails away from Southampton on a one-night taster cruise.

Celebrity Equinox will host to thousands of UK and Ireland travel agents and cruise industry professionals at the annual Passenger Shipping Association (PSA) dinner onboard on 26 July. CTTG, Travel Counsellors, TUI and Thomas Cook will all base conferences onboard the new ship during the inaugural celebrations. 

Celebrity Equinox will be officially christened and named in Southampton on 29 July by the ship’s Godmother, Nina Barough, the founder of the breast cancer charity ‘Walk the Walk’.

The first sailing with paying passengers onboard departs Southampton on 31 July, an eight-night Norwegian Fjords cruise. Sphere: Related Content