Celebrity Cruises Expands 'Celebrity Life' Onboard Activities Program

- Broadened Smithsonian Journeys speaker program to enhance destination experience in six key regions

- Celebrity Life program continues to evolve to suit vacationers' interests

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Nov 18, 2010, 01:00 ET

MIAMI, Nov. 18, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Celebrity Cruises is expanding Celebrity Life, its popular onboard activities program. Enrichment activities will grow in 2011 to include Smithsonian Journeys speakers on a total of 99 cruises in six popular destinations. Celebrity also is evolving the Celebrity Life platform to include, for the first time, a range of fun games and activities such as pool games, outdoor evening DJ and dancing events, trivia and karaoke. Celebrity also is building on the success of its existing culinary and wellness offerings.

"We created Celebrity Life as a way for our guests to enjoy authentic, fun activities that deepen the value of their vacation experience, particularly in the areas that they enjoy most, such as food and wine, wellness, enrichment, or just plain pleasure," said Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, Senior Vice President, Celebrity Cruises. "Now, one year later, we have taken feedback from our guests and built on the success of the original program, which now has an even greater emphasis on activities that deliver some of the most unique, fun and memorable vacation moments."

Smithsonian Journeys expands presence on Celebrity's itinerary line-up

In 2011, a Smithsonian Journeys speaker will present enrichment lectures on every Bermuda, "Holy Land," Mediterranean, Panama Canal, Antarctica and Transatlantic cruise, for a total of 99 sailings. Each speaker immerses participating guests in various aspects of their upcoming ports of call. For example, during sailings in the Mediterranean, presentations may be delivered by Smithsonian historians, archaeologists or art history experts who will focus on the art, architecture or history of the region. During sailings in Bermuda, Smithsonian marine biologists, naturalists, astronomers or aviation historians may present topics about "the mysteries of the sea and sky." Panama Canal cruises may include presentations focused on the marine biology, geology, or anthropology of the tropics.

"As a partner of our Celebrity Life Beyond the Podium speaker series since 2009, Smithsonian Journeys' speaker program has brought depth and expertise on a wide range of topics to guests on our ships, and the feedback has been tremendous," Lutoff-Perlo said. "We want even more guests around the world to experience the comprehensive array of compelling topics on which these special-interest speakers are experts."

Celebrity offers many ways to learn while having fun

Celebrity Life will continue to include a broad range of activities designed to give vacationers a way to learn something new while relaxing and having fun at sea.

Celebrity's partnership with Rosetta Stone® gives guests a chance to learn a new language, either through individual, computer-based sessions, or in group classes.
Celebrity's "Oceans Ahead" program, which launched earlier this year, offers sessions with interesting facts on topics including energy generation, ship navigation, onboard recycling and carbon footprints, presented by the ship's environmental officer.
A "Let's Dance" series teaches guests popular dances such as salsa, jive and hip-hop.
On Celebrity Solstice, Celebrity Equinox and Celebrity Eclipse, the Hot Glass Show(SM) presented in collaboration with the highly respected Corning Museum of Glass dazzles guests with live demonstrations of the ancient art of glassblowing.
Celebrity iLearn, presented in the Apple®-focused Celebrity iLounge on Celebrity Solstice, Celebrity Summit and Celebrity Eclipse, aims to teach guests how to turn vacation photos into artistic expression through its iPhoto® class, which is one of 18 classes featuring MacBook Pro®, iPods® and iLife® software.

Celebrity Life evolves to include games, trivia

The Celebrity Life platform is expanding from fun activities focused on enrichment, culinary and wellness interests, to also include an array of group trivia competitions and other games. These include game-show-format and tournament-style trivia contests, karaoke, casino tournaments and lessons, sports like basketball and ping-pong, interactive video games such as bowling and tennis and an assortment of games using the Nintendo Wii and the new motion gaming device, Microsoft XBox Kinect. On Celebrity's Solstice Class ships, which feature a lawn of real, growing grass, guests also can take part in pick-up games of croquet, bocce and beanbag toss. Some bocce games will offer guests a chance to compete against the Solstice Class ships' officers. That same friendly competition will carry over into pool volleyball matches between guests and officers, and will be offered on the Solstice, Century and Millennium Class ships.

Next year, Celebrity will expand its use of the iPad(TM) mobile device to present onboard scavenger hunts. More pool games will be introduced, an electronic audience response system will become available for certain game-show-style and trivia competitions, and evening music festivals led by fun, engaging DJs will offer an opportunity for guests to let loose.

Popular culinary and wellness activities to continue

The activities that were developed when Celebrity Life debuted in 2009 will continue to be available. Guests who have a passion for food, wine and spirits have expressed great delight with Celebrity Life's culinary activities, which include:

The Riedel® Comparative Wine Crystal Workshop, where guests discover the difference that the shape and quality of a Riedel glass makes to the enjoyment of fine wine
"Molecular Mixology" created by Chef Junior Merino, also known as "The Liquid Chef," known for his use of traditionally culinary ingredients in the creation of cocktails that fuse unexpected ingredients
A "Star Chefs" cooking competition that pits two Celebrity Cruises chefs against one another, each assisted by one cruise guest, to showcase their culinary acumen as they contend for top honors
A course called "The Art of Food and Wine Pairing," where the Cellarmaster offers tips on how to match food and wine for the ultimate taste experience
A total of 13 "Savor Your Destination" chef-hosted cruises will be offered on Celebrity's Solstice Class ships, allowing travelers the opportunity to enjoy memorable experiences through food-and-wine-focused activities, among others
Celebrity will offer five "Savor Your Destination" winemaker-hosted cruises in 2011, where experts from the world of winemaking will join guests for a meet-and-greet cocktail hour; wine, champagne, sparkling wine and port tastings; wine education sessions; and a "Connoisseur Wine Dinner" hosted by the winemaker; these cruises also will feature the Riedel Wine Glass Comparative Workshop, explaining how a wine glass' shape affects the palate and flavors.

Wellness and self-renewal activities have been a popular part of Celebrity Life since the program was introduced. Vacationers seeking the opportunity to focus on these can continue to enjoy programs designed to enhance serenity and increase vigor. These include an introduction to acupuncture, yoga classes, anti-aging seminars, presentations on how to boost one's metabolism and more.

An additional charge applies for participants in certain Celebrity Life activities such as wine tastings, some computer classes, some language lessons and others.

Celebrity Cruises is designed for discerning cruisers, with modern, sophisticated environments, impeccable service, enriching and inspiring onboard programs, and award-winning cuisine. The ultimate in premium cruising, Celebrity sails in 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. Celebrity's mega-series of honors include being named the top mega-ship line in Conde Nast Traveler's annual Readers' Choice Awards (November 2009). Celebrity's fleet currently consists of 10 ships. Its $3.7-billion investment in building five stylish Solstice Class ships between 2008-2012 represents the largest five-year investment in premium cruising. For more information, call your travel agent, dial 1-800-437-3111 or visit www.celebritycruises.com.