Celebrity Travels to Asia for First Time in 2012

 

Celebrity Millennium // (c) Celebrity Cruises

Celebrity Cruises will begin its first-ever season in Asia during the winter of 2012-13 with the Celebrity Millennium, which Celebrity plans to upgrade to Solstice-class status in April 2012.

During the 2012/13 winter season, Celebrity Millennium will visit nine countries that are new to the brand, including Vietnam, Thailand and China, among others. The inaugural Asia season will consist of a series of 14-night open-jaw cruises between Singapore and Hong Kong. Overnight stays in ports such as Singapore; Bangkok, Thailand; Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; Halong Bay, Vietnam; and Hong Kong will be featured. The season also will include two 14-night sailings roundtrip from Singapore with overnight stays in Bali, Indonesia, in January 2013.

Bookending Celebrity Millennium's inaugural Asia season will be two trans-Pacific voyages. The first is a westbound cruise that will coincide with the total solar eclipse in November 2012 as guests sail from Fiji to New Zealand. The second will take place in April 2013, when Celebrity Millennium will reposition from Hong Kong to Shanghai on a cruise featuring overnight calls in Hong Kong and Beijing (Tianjin). The ship will then continue eastbound across the North Pacific to Alaska and will call at various ports in China, Japan and Russia.

Celebrity will also offer cruise-tours that combine a cruise with a five-night pre- or post-cruise escorted land package out of Hong Kong. The cruise-tours will feature trips to Xian and Beijing to view the famed Terra-Cotta Warriors and the Great Wall of China. All are escorted by a local tour director and include hotel accommodations, transportation, select activities, breakfasts and some additional meals.

Available shore excursions include a two-night/three-day overland experience from Bangkok to Siem Reap to visit Angkor Wat in Cambodia. During cruises that include an overnight stay in port at Halong Bay (Hanoi), Vietnam, an overnight shore excursion will include a visit to the Old Quarter of Hanoi; an opportunity to visit the Hanoi Water Puppet Theatre; and other attractions and sights.

Before the Millennium begins sailing the line’s new Asia itineraries, it will receive a slew of upgrades, including the addition of AquaClass staterooms. The ship is scheduled for a drydock scheduled in April 2012, during which 70 of the ship's existing Concierge Class staterooms will be converted to Celebrity's signature spa-inspired AquaClass staterooms, and an additional 37 staterooms will be built. The line also plans to add more Celebrity Suites to Celebrity Millennium's eight existing suites in this category, as well as six additional inside staterooms and 17 oceanview staterooms, increasing the total number of available staterooms to 1,079.

Members of Celebrity’s Captain’s Club loyalty program are eligible to receive up to $600 savings per stateroom when booking the line’s new 2012-13 Asia itineraries before July 29, and bookings are now available.

Visit www.celebritycruises.com.