• Home
• News
• Cruise Ships
• New Ships
• Cruise Lines
• PSA

Celebrity Cruises to cruise Asia for first time in winter of 2012-13

Celebrity Cruises has given in to pressure from its customers and launched its first-ever season sailing in Asia during the winter of 2012-13.

Celebrity Millennium, fresh from a substantial makeover in April 2012, will visit nine countries new to the brand including Vietnam, Thailand and China.

Her inaugural Asia season will consist of a series of 14-night cruises between Singapore and Hong Kong and includes overnight stays in Singapore, Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam), Halong Bay (Vietnam) and Hong Kong.

The season will also include two 14-night sailings roundtrip from Singapore with overnight stays in Bali in January 2013.

“Visiting the Far East for the first time is the result of listening to consumers, who have told us they’re eager to cruise in the region with Celebrity Cruises,” said Celebrity president Dan Hanrahan.
“We know that guests’ time is precious, and by delivering a destination as culturally rich as Asia, with an onboard environment that offers great accommodations, service, cuisine and activities, we are offering them the opportunity to experience a memorable holiday.”
Either end of Celebrity Millennium’s Asia season will be two transpacific sailings. The westbound cruise will coincide with the total solar eclipse in November 2012 when guests will be able to view the phenomenon when sailing from Fiji to New Zealand.

In April 2013, Celebrity Millennium will reposition from Hong Kong to Shanghai on a cruise featuring overnight calls in Hong Kong and Beijing. The ship will then continue eastbound across the North Pacific to Alaska and will call at various ports in China, Japan, and Russia.

Guests can take advantage of one of Celebrity Cruises’ cruisetours, which combine a cruise with a five-night pre- or post-cruise escorted land package out of Hong Kong. The cruisetours will feature trips to Xian and Beijing to view the famed Terra Cotta Warriors and the Great Wall of China.  All of these packages are escorted by a local tour director and include hotel accommodations, transportation, select activities, breakfasts and some additional meals.

While sailing, a variety of shore excursions are available to guests. A number of overnight stays in port during the Asia cruises will offer guests the opportunity to enjoy two or three-day excursions.

Examples include a two-night/three-day overland experience from Bangkok to Siem Reap to visit Angkor Wat (Cambodia). The tour focuses on the temples of Angkor to see the best examples of stone carvings recovered from temples across Cambodia. During cruises that include an overnight stay in port at Halong Bay (Hanoi, Vietnam), an overnight shore excursion includes a visit to the Old Quarter of Hanoi; an opportunity to witness unique Vietnamese performing arts at the Hanoi Water Puppet Theatre; enjoy dinner at a traditional Vietnamese restaurant; and an overnight stay in a leading hotel in Hanoi.

Members of Celebrity’s Captain’s Club loyalty programme are eligible to receive up to £315 savings per stateroom when booking ten to 14 nights 2012-13 Asia itineraries before July 29, 2011.