Celebrity Cruises

Specialist Reports Styles of Holiday Cruise Holidays Cruise Operators Celebrity Cruises 

	Celebrity Cruises
Royal Caribbean House, Addlestone Road, Weybridge, Surrey KT15 2UE			MAP
tel: (0800) 015 2420; (01932) 834 310

American/European profile, part of the same group as Royal Caribbean(both
owned by Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines).

Ships

Eight with berths for 1,354 to 2,034.

Where

Caribbean, Mediterranean, Northern Europe, Panama Canal, Pacific Coast, and Alaska, Hawaii, Bermuda & South America.

UK Departures

Some ex Dover for 2002.

Style

Five star. Includes an AquaSpa with treatment rooms, fitness and aerobics area, salon and treatments using sea and fresh mineral water plus seaweed. Food designed by Michel Roux. Radiance of the Seas includes half the boat's outside area of glass and a central nine-storey atrium with glass lifts facing the sea. There are also seven restaurants.
The latest vessel, Summit, features a restaurant with the panelling from the smoking room on the SS Normandie, a conservatory and an internet cafe.

Accommodation

There are family cabins sleeping up to five.

For Children

Cots and high chairs.

Children's Facilities

3-6 years have their own clubhouse on Century-class & Millennium-class ships, and there is a children's playroom on Horizon & Zenith.

Food for Kids

Commended children's menus.

Babysitting

Group babysitting 10pm to 1am every evening in summer and seasonal sailing periods. Available for children 3-12 years. Charges are £1.80 per hour per child or £3.15 per hour for two or more children in the same family. Private baby-sitting and under 3s in-cabin baby-sitting is available on a limited basis at £5 per hour per family for a maximum of two children.

Children's Activities

Operate daily during summer and seasonal sailing periods, 9am-12pm, 2- 5.30pm, and 7.30-10pm with a clown party, treasure hunt, teeshirt painting, Lego, Talent Time finger painting, dancing games, cartoon time, Play Stations, musical games, movies, ship tours and ice cream sundae making. On Century-class & Millennium-class ships there are computers and a ball pit.

A show is performed by the 3-13s, and directed and produced by the 14-17s. There are also chances for all age groups to take a behind the scenes look at cruising. There may also be magic lessons from the cruise's professional magician.

3-6 years get gentler activities.

7-10 years get pool Olympics, scavenger hunts, charades, teeshirt painting, movies, fitness programme, theatre, board games, relay races, team trivia, arts and crafts, Play Stations, and ship tours.

11-13 years activities start later in the mornings and evenings and there are pool Olympics, scavenger hunts, teeshirt painting, movies, Play Stations, karaoke, fitness programme, theatre, board games, relay races, pool parties, team trivia, arts and crafts, ship tours and pizza parties.

14-18 years activities include parties, teeshirt painting, video games, scavenger hunt, pool Olympics, Play Stations, basketball tournaments, pool parties, team trivia, karaoke, talent show, arts and crafts, a fitness programme, and on Century class and Millennium class ships only, a teen club.

Staff

Qualified and trained variously in child psychology, child development, education or recreation and with experience of working with children on other cruise lines.

Security Measures

All children 3-10 years must be signed in and out by parents who must present their Celebrity Signature Card to ensure that they are the actual parent. In addition each child is given a special wristband to be worn for the whole cruise for instant identification. For young children parents are given a beeper so youth staff can locate them at all times. 14-18 years are expected to follow the basic rules of the ship for under 18s and on board security officers and the youth counsellors ensure that this happens. However, parents are encouraged to review rules and regulations to ensure that they know what is expected.

Port Calls

Reports children can be left in childcare while parents go ashore.

Sample Price

A high-season 9-night fly-cruise holiday in the Caribbean would cost around £1409 for an adult, and £530 for a child. This cost is based on two adults and two children sharing a better inside cabin and includes flights, transfers, overnight accommodation in US before the cruise