Celebrity Cruises’ Captain’s Club members on the modern luxury line’s “President’s Cruise” in 2014 will be host to the line's president & CEO, Michael Bayley, who will personally host the seven-night sailing on Celebrity Equinox departing from Rome (Civitavecchia) July 26, 2014. Bayley will head a series of events designed exclusively for members of Celebrity’s Captain’s Club loyalty program (“Classic” level membership or higher).
In addition to an evening in the medieval village of Bolgheri, Celebrity’s President’s Cruise will allow Captain’s Club members and other guests to book dining experiences offered exclusively on this sailing:
· A Taste of Nice: This four-course Mediterranean dinner will include locally-caught seafood, farm-to-table vegetables, artisanal olive oils, local wine pairings and dessert, all created by Celebrity Chefs Thomas Szymanski and Thierry Houlbert, and served in Celebrity’s elegant Murano restaurant. The prix fixe menu is $95 per person.
· Molecular Cocktail dinner: Captain’s Club members on this sailing can join Celebrity’s James Beard-featured chef John Suley and “The Liquid Chef” Junior Merino on a fusion of cocktails from Celebrity’s Molecular Bar paired with a ‘uniquely unordinary’ menu inspired by Celebrity’s engaging specialty restaurant, Qsine. The prix fixe menu is $95 per person.
· James Beard House dinner: Celebrity was the first cruise line to be invited to prepare dinner at the James Beard House in 2012, and the menu for this evening will replicate it exactly, with globally influenced classic and contemporary creations. The four-course dinner complete with an international array of award-winning wines and desserts will be served in the private Murano restaurant wine cellar and will be co-hosted by Master Sommelier Andrea Immer Robinson. The prix fixe menu is $195 per person, and includes a copy of Celebrity’s hardbound “Excite the Senses” culinary and lifestyle book.
· New York Pop-Up evening: Celebrity was the first cruise line to introduce a pop-up restaurant on land in 2012, and this dining experience will recreate it on Celebrity Equinox for Captain’s Club members who reserve a space. The modern seasonal creations on the four-course menu designed by chef Suley feature dishes prepared exclusively with sustainable and organic products. Co-hosted by Master Sommelier Andrea Immer Robinson, the dinner includes wines and dessert, along with a copy of Celebrity’s hardbound “Excite the Senses” culinary and lifestyle book. The prix fixe menu is $95 per person.
· A Taste of Spain: Captain’s Club members who book this experience will enjoy traditional tapas, such as Iberico ham and samplings of olive oils direct from Andalusia. Celebrity chefs Rufino Rengifo and Thierry Houlbert will host the evening together with Master Sommelier Andrea Immer Robinson, and will pair Spanish delicacies with fine wines including Riojas, Priorats and Sherry. The prix fixe menu is $95 per person.
Guests on this sailing also can purchase select shore excursions, including a tour and tasting at the Tenute Nozzole winery, or Celebrity ExclusivesSM, such as a hot air balloon ride over the Tuscan countryside, a tour via Ferrari of the Côte d’Azur and a helicopter flight prior to a lunch at chef Alain Ducasse’s Provencal Inn. Space is limited within the collection of Celebrity Exclusives, and will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis.
After departing from Rome (Civitavecchia), guests on Celebrity Cruises’ seven-night President’s Cruise in 2014 will visit some of the finest destinations in the Mediterranean, including Florence, Italy; Nice (Villefranche), France; Ajaccio, Corsica; Porto Torres (Sardinia), Italy; and Palma de Mallorca, Spain, concluding in Barcelona, Spain.
The entertainment lineup on this sailing will include:
· Tenors Unlimited, known as “the rat pack of opera,” who have performed alongside such notables as Sting, Lionel Richie and Simply Red
· The Overtures, who will perform music of the ‘60s, from the music of The Beatles, to the folk-rock of The Mamas & The Papas
· A comedy variety night starring Pete Matthews, the premier comedy juggler in the UK, together with ventriloquist Gareth Oliver, who reached the live semifinals of Britain’s Got Talent
· Perry Grant, a professional singer-pianist
· Authentic Broadway entertainment through Celebrity’s partnership with Manhattan’s 54 Below: Broadway's Supper Club
· Direct from Las Vegas, and introduced earlier this year on three Celebrity ships: Sin City Comedy, a late-night stand-up comedy show with a touch of burlesque
· String Fever, a quartet of musicians who blend classical and rock & roll music with comedy
For more information, visit www.celebritycruises.com/captainsclub.