Celebrity Cruises To Present 'Celebrity iLounge' on Celebrity Solstice and Celebrity Summit

News provided by

Apr 05, 2010, 01:40 ET

MIAMI, April 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Just two months ago, in a vivid reinforcement of its new brand platform, "Designed for you," Celebrity Cruises announced plans to introduce on Celebrity Eclipse – the third in Celebrity Cruises' stylish Solstice Class fleet of ships – the first "Celebrity iLounge." The announcement met with such positive response from guests, travel agents and press that today, the brand announced plans to introduce the hip, modern lounge on Celebrity Solstice and Celebrity Summit next month.

Dubbed by members of the press as "a hipster haven," "a nifty app for tech junkies," and an illustration of "how much thought some cruise lines are putting into their Internet offerings, while others treat it as an afterthought," the Celebrity iLounge on Celebrity Solstice and Celebrity Summit will – as on Celebrity Eclipse – offer what the line's guests said they wanted most in an Internet cafe: easy access to the Internet, inspiring classes and new products.

The Celebrity iLounge on each ship will consist of three main areas: a series of contemporary MacBook® workstations where guests can check their e-mail, retain their social media connections, or print boarding passes; a retail space offering cruisers the opportunity to check out the latest MacBooks, iPods® and accessories; and an enrichment center where certified staff will offer guests tips on Mac or iPod® usage.

"Our 'Designed for you' brand platform is built on Celebrity's commitment to listen to our guests and offer experiences and programs inspired by them," said Celebrity's President and CEO Dan Hanrahan. "The reaction we received after announcing the new venue on Celebrity Eclipse made it clear that our guests would appreciate more opportunities to experience the Celebrity iLounge, and now, they can do that while sailing year-round in the Caribbean on our stunning Celebrity Solstice, or while visiting the sophisticated island of Bermuda on Celebrity Summit."

Cruisers themselves can become more sophisticated with new applications for creatively preserving meaningful vacation moments. Within the "Discover" component of its "Celebrity Life" series of inspiring enrichment and entertainment experiences, Celebrity will offer in each Celebrity iLounge a series of engaging new courses, including movie editing and web design, through programs including iPhoto®, iMovie®, iDVD® and iWeb®. And Celebrity's certified staffers will be well-equipped to assist, having completed more than 125 hours of training in operating systems, applications and products.

Technophiles and collectors of cool merchandise alike will find the Celebrity iLounge an enticing venue. As an Authorized Apple Reseller, Celebrity will offer a variety of products in each Celebrity iLounge for guests to purchase, including iPods, MacBooks and essential accessories.

Located on deck six of Celebrity Solstice and Celebrity Eclipse, the Celebrity iLounge will house the 26 MacBook Pros, classroom and retail area, in addition to display pods, a 56-inch flat-screen TV for use during classes, and an accessible workstation.

On Celebrity Summit, the Celebrity iLounge will replace the current computer classroom on deck six, with the same new products and technologies as on Celebrity Eclipse and Celebrity Solstice. Even the "Online@Celebrity" cybercafe on deck four of Celebrity Summit will be retrofitted with entirely new MacBook workstations.

The new Celebrity iLounge will be 'live' on Celebrity Summit by May 16, on Celebrity Solstice by May 30, and on April 26 on Celebrity Eclipse, when the new ship enters service. The Celebrity iLounge also will be presented on Celebrity Silhouette, which launches in 2011, and the fifth ship in the Solstice Class fleet, which sets sail in 2012.

Celebrity Cruises is designed for discerning cruisers, with modern, sophisticated environments, impeccable service, enriching and inspiring onboard programs, and world-class cuisine. The ultimate in premium cruising, Celebrity sails in Alaska, Bermuda, California, Canada/New England, Europe, the Pacific Coast, Panama Canal, South America, and year-round in the Caribbean and the Galapagos Islands. Celebrity also offers immersive cruisetour experiences in Alaska, Canada, Europe and South America. Celebrity's mega-series of honors include being named the top mega-ship line in Condé Nast Traveler's annual Readers' Choice Awards (November 2009). Celebrity's fleet currently consists of nine ships. Its $3.7-billion investment in building five stylish Solstice Class ships between 2008-2012 represents the largest newbuild commitment for a single brand in industry history. For more information, call your travel agent, dial 1-800-437-3111 or visit www.celebritycruises.com.