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Celebrity Reflection makes first, incredible journey towards the North Sea - picture

Celebrity Cruises’ newly completed 3,030-guest Celebrity Reflection has made an incredible journey toward the North Sea having left the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany.

The 1,047ft long, 121ft wide vessel crossed the Ems River in about 10 hours – an amazing feat, considering the scale of the ship and the geography of the shipyard required the Captain to steer the ship backward, assisted by tugboats fore and aft.

Preparations for the transit included removing power lines and railway tracks that normally pass over the river, to allow the ship to pass through. The journey must take place when wind conditions are calm and at high tide to ensure ample depth of water in the river to prevent the possibility of the ship scraping its multi-million-dollar paintwork.

Celebrity Reflection on her journey towards the North Sea

Thousands of spectators lined the river to watch and enjoy the so-called conveyance. Travelling at less than four miles per hour, Celebrity Reflection joins four award-winning Solstice Class sister ships which have made the same complex journey prior to officially entering service.

Celebrity Reflection is the largest ship to complete the challenging manoeuvre. Following sea trials and finishing work while in Emshaven, the Netherlands, Celebrity Reflection will host an invitation-only preview sailing before embarking on 12 October on her first cruise from Amsterdam.

Celebrity Reflection boasts a number of industry firsts, including AquaClass Suites, Signature Suites and the ultra-luxurious Reflection Suite - the first to include a glass shower extending out over the edge of the ship.

The ship also features designer boutiques, Celebrity Cruises’ signature speciality dining venues and glamorous main dining room, and expanded AquaSpa by Elemis experiences.

After presenting holidays from Amsterdam to Belgium and France to Barcelona, ​​Celebrity Reflection will cross the Atlantic Ocean to arrive in Miami on 1 December and depart for its inaugural Caribbean sailing on the 5th, following invitation-only promotional sailings.

Then the sleek new ship will offer guests a series of seven-night Eastern Caribbean itineraries from Miami, Florida.