Celebrity Quest Annouces 2008 Schedule, Including Europe!
Celebrity Quest, the luxurious 710-guest vessel that will join Celebrity Cruises’ “Celebrity Expeditions” brand extension later this year, will pair the best of Celebrity with exceptional experiences in European destinations less traveled.
“The upscale, smaller nature of Celebrity Quest allows us greater versatility in deployment, so our itineraries feature destinations that are likely to be new discoveries for even the most experienced European travelers,” said Celebrity President Dan Hanrahan. “Our Celebrity Expeditions fleet offers unparalleled service, including butler service and concierge-style amenities in every stateroom; extraordinary dining experiences; and revitalizing spa programs – all within a relaxed yet stylish atmosphere, and paired with truly exotic destinations and unique shore excursions.”
Celebrity Quest rounds out the Celebrity Expeditions brand extension when she joins sister ship Celebrity Journey, along with the megayacht, Celebrity Xpedition, which sails year-round in the enchanting Galapagos Islands.
Celebrity Quest – Exotic Europe Itinerary Highlights
Celebrity Quest will singlehandedly introduce 25 new ports in Europe for the Celebrity brand, including a series of exceptional overnight stays, allowing guests a richer, more immersive experience in intriguing destinations.
Celebrity Quest begins Celebrity Expeditions’ inaugural Europe season with a 14-night transatlantic voyage that departs Miami on April 12, 2008, featuring the brand’s first calls on Alicante and Gijon, Spain, and Bonifacio, Corsica.
The ship then presents a 14-night “Best of Italy” cruise from Rome that holds true to the itinerary’s name, with overnight stays in Sorrento, Venice, and Livorno (Florence/Pisa), and visits to Monopoli, Ravenna and Sardinia, Italy, as well as Split, Croatia, and Taormina, Sicily.
An early-season, special-interest cruise allows film enthusiasts to pair the pleasure of the silver screen with the sheer beauty of the Mediterranean on Celebrity Quest’s Cannes Film Festival cruise round-trip from Civitavecchia (Rome) on May 10, including three consecutive nights in Cannes when the city hosts what is widely considered the world’s most prestigious film festival.
At the height of her European season, Celebrity Quest’s unparalleled 14-night Mediterranean sailings round-trip from Rome from May through September feature overnight stays in both Livorno and Barcelona, Spain; and visits to Sorrento, Portofino and Livorno (Florence/Pisa), Italy; Malta; Tunisia; Monte Carlo, Marseilles (Provence) and Sete, France.
Celebrity Quest will offer guests several special sailings in Europe. The ship sails through the mysterious Black Sea on a 14-night cruise from Rome to Athens on July 5 and August 2, with overnight stays in both Ephesus (Kusadasi) and Istanbul, Turkey, and including visits to the fascinating coastal communities of Sinop, Turkey; Yalta, Sevastopol, and Odessa, Ukraine; and Varna, Bulgaria.
Ancient empires await those who select Celebrity Quest’s 14-night itineraries of the same name in June, October or November, with visits to five locations in Turkey, including an overnight stay in Istanbul; the captivating Greek islands of Chios and Santorini; Limassol, Cyprus; Alexandria, Egypt, and Sorrento, Italy.
Additionally, three 14-night sailings departing Athens on June 21, July 19 and August 16 feature a series of overnight stays in Ephesus (Kusadasi), Turkey, Sorrento, and Livorno (Florence/Pisa), Italy, and several visits to Greece’s lesser-known island gems.
Celebrity Quest – Ultra-Premium Onboard Experience Highlights
Guests sailing on Celebrity Quest will enjoy a more exclusive guest experience. Celebrity Quest and her sister ship, Celebrity Journey, offer 15 classes of accommodations, all featuring butler service as well as concierge-style amenities, including fresh-cut flowers, fresh fruit, Elemis toiletries, complimentary use of Frette cotton robes, two complimentary pairs of plush slippers, plasma TVs and European bedding.
Despite the ships’ smaller size, Celebrity is offering two specialty restaurants onboard – a first for the brand. Guests staying in suites will receive one night of complimentary dining in one of the two specialty restaurants. The ships, which will not require formal attire for dining, also feature open seating in the main dining room.
The two ships are the first in Celebrity’s fleet to feature a wine bar, which will offer wine and champagne tastings, seminars, and mini-pairings of food and wine, in addition to its standard menu of fine wines by the glass or bottle.
Celebrity Journey and Celebrity Quest will offer an enhanced emphasis on spa and relaxation. The ships’ AquaSpa facilities will offer spa treatments not available on any other ships in Celebrity’s fleet. Guests in suites will be able to enjoy certain spa services in the privacy of their room. The ships will also offer an outdoor spa relaxation lounge and an aesthetics suite offering Celebrity’s popular Acupuncture at Sea, laser hair removal and microdermabrasion.
The two ships will each feature an onboard “excursion expert,” who will not only help guests select shore excursions based on their personal interests, but also serve as a destination guide, offering information about the culture and history of each port of call.
The retail experience onboard Celebrity Journey and Celebrity Quest will focus on fine art, sculpture, photography, jewelry, and resort wear.
Celebrity Cruises offers comfortably sophisticated, upscale cruise experiences with highly personalized service, exceptional dining, and extraordinary attention to detail. Celebrity sails in Alaska, Antarctica, Bermuda, California, Caribbean, Europe, Galapagos Islands, Hawaii, Mexican Riviera, Panama Canal and South America, and will begin sailing in Australia and New Zealand this year. The line also offers unique land-tour vacations in Alaska, Canada, Europe and Australia through its cruisetour division. Noted for "The World's Best Large Ships," as voted by the readers of Conde' Nast Traveler (February 2007 Cruise Poll), Celebrity's current fleet will be joined by Celebrity Journey and Celebrity Quest this year, Celebrity Solstice in 2008, Celebrity Equinox in 2009, and Celebrity Eclipse in 2010.