Celebrity Cruises prepared for its first new build ship to operate from the UK with a truncated showcase for travel agents and other trade guests in Southampton.
Plans for the introduction of the £500 million Celebrity Eclipse were changed when the ship was called into action to bring home more than 2,000 holidaymakers stranded in Spain due to the grounding of flights in the volcanic ash crisis (see previous TravelMole story).
A number of on board events had to be cancelled but the ship’s naming by yachtswoman Emma Pontin went ahead as planned on Saturday prior to a two-night travel industry preview sailing.
Celebrity Eclipse is expected to carry 37,000 passengers from Southampton this summer and will return for a second season of sailings in 2011.
The 2,850-passenger ship joins 3,634-passenger Independence of the Seas from sister company Royal Caribbean International in operating from Southampton.
The two ships will generate more than £45.8 million in economic benefit to the local area, the lines claim.
UK and Ireland managing director Jo Rzymowska said: “The UK is one of our fastest growing and most exciting cruise markets, and it is for this reason that we are basing our newest ship in Southampton.
“We are an international company and we’re committed to continuing to bring the best of cruising to British shores.”
The 122,000-tonne ship departs for its first cruise, a short break to Le Harve today (Monday).
Watch vidoo of naming: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=By1grlLquw0
by Phil Davies
