Cruises on Celebrity Eclipse from Southampton will go on sale next Tuesday as Celebrity Cruises prepares to launch the ship two and a half months earlier than scheduled.
Celebrity Eclipse, the first ship the cruiseline has operated targeted at the British market, will now depart the UK on its maiden voyage on April 29.
Cruises go on sale to Celebrity’s Captain’s Club members on March 3 and across the board on March 10 and lead in at £499 per person for a four-night mini-cruise to Cork.
Celebrity Eclipse will also be sailing 14-night cruises to Scandinavia and Russia, with an overnight in St Petersburg and two-week Spanish Mediterranean voyages, with an overnight in Palma. Prices lead in at £1,399 and £1,299 per person respectively.
There are 11-night Canary Island cruises in May, June and September from £1,099 per person and a single 16-night Eastern Mediterranean voyage visiting Venice, Dubrovnik and Split from £1,349 per person.
Associate vice-president and general manager UK and Ireland Jo Rzymowska said the UK office has a £1 million “trade push” marketing budget for Eclipse to help agents sell the ship. The earlier launch means there is an extra 40,000 passenger capacity for the season.
Eclipse is a sister ship to Celebrity Solstice, which launched last year, and Celebrity Equinox, which will be named in Southampton in July.
Rzymowska said agents will have the chance to see Equinox during a week of inaugural events at the south coast port. In a first for parent company Royal Caribbean, some will also be able to bring clients to see the ship.
She said: “We want to show people that it might be a large ship, but has the feel of a boutique hotel. The Solstice-class ships are about to put Celebrity on the map in the UK by offering a fresh alternative in the luxury cruise market.”
Rzymowska said Celebrity is launching a three-week campaign promoting Eclipse on Classic FM starting March 10. On the same date, Celebrity’s first dedicated Europe and Mediterranean brochure will be in agencies.