March 2013

Guest-inspired, modern luxury cruise vacations to all seven continents of the world

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Celebrity Cruises has announced the next set of itineraries in "Celebrity's World Tour," the brand's guest-inspired, destination-rich, modern luxury vacations to all seven continents of the world in 2014-15.

Opening today with "Priority Access" and exclusive offers for members of Celebrity's Captain's Club loyalty program are Celebrity's 2014 Alaska vacations. Three sleek ships again will provide guests with Celebrity's modern luxury ambience combined with the breathtaking vistas and exhilarating experiences available only in Alaska:

• • The flagship of Celebrity's brand-defining Solstice Class fleet, Celebrity Solstice, will present 7-night roundtrip cruises from Seattle, Wash., with cruises through Alaska's Inside Passage and visits to Ketchikan, Tracy Arm Fjord/Sawyer Glacier, Juneau and Skagway, Alaska, along with Victoria, B.C. The ship's Alaska season will begin May 8, 2014, with an 8-night sailing from Vancouver ending in Seattle, while the season will conclude with an 11-night cruise departing Seattle September 12, 2014, ending in Vancouver.
• • Celebrity Millennium will offer 7-night sailings from Vancouver, B.C. and Seward, Alaska, each featuring cruises through the Inside Passage, several hours beside the breathtaking, ice-blue Hubbard Glacier, and visits to Juneau, Skagway, Icy Strait Point, and Ketchikan.
• • Celebrity Century will present 7-night vacations roundtrip from Vancouver, featuring cruises through the Inside Passage, several hours beside Hubbard Glacier, and visits to Juneau, Ketchikan and Icy Strait Point. The ship also will offer an 11-night voyage from Vancouver to San Francisco, complete with visits to five Alaskan destinations and Victoria, B.C., followed by a 12-night Golden Gate and Alaska sailing roundtrip from San Francisco, Calif., with visits to six Alaskan destinations, as well as Victoria, B.C.

Celebrity's World Tour 2014-15 also includes immersive Alaska Cruisetour experiences, combining the cruise with in-depth, pre- or post-cruise tours and hotel stays.

Celebrity also is introducing an entirely new collection of elite land-based adventures available nowhere else. Named "Celebrity Exclusives," the collection will feature personalized experiences for individuals or small parties no larger than 15 guests. A sampling of Celebrity Exclusives in Alaska include:

• • An adventure from Juneau to Alaska's famed Taku Glacier Lodge, an isolated location accessible only via seaplane. The flight transports guests over five breathtaking glaciers flowing from the Juneau Icefield, deep blue crevasses, snow-capped mountains, and the lush Tongass National Forest, topped with an authentic Alaskan King Salmon feast amidst a glacier view, followed by whale watching aboard an expedition-style deluxe catamaran.
• • Modern luxury meets wilderness, beginning with SUV limousine transportation from the pier to a floatplane that flies over the rugged Tongass National Forest, ice-blue glaciers and the Misty Fjords National Monument. While interacting with the pilot through two-way communication on noise-canceling headsets, guests will view walls of granite plunging 3,000 feet into the fjords; lush forests of spruce, hemlock and cedar on snowcapped mountain peaks; bald eagle sightings, and an exhilarating landing with a picnic lunch in the fresh mountain air.

To further enhance guests' destination experience, every Celebrity ship in 2014 will offer the services of a Destination Concierge, whose in-depth knowledge of the ports of call on every itinerary will allow the expert to guide Celebrity's guests through every aspect of their adventures on land, including Celebrity Exclusives, or to create special excursions tailored precisely for individual guests' preferences.

Celebrity will continue to reveal full details of the breadth of itineraries and land-based adventures within Celebrity's World Tour as each collection of itineraries opens for bookings in the coming weeks.

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7-Day August Sailings Visit Ireland, Scotland, England, and More

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Celebrity Cruises has introduced the next set of itineraries in “Celebrity’s World Tour,” the brand’s guest-inspired, modern luxury vacations to all seven continents of the world in 2014-15.

Opening today with “Priority Access” and exclusive offers for members of Celebrity’s Captain’s Club loyalty program are Celebrity’s 2014 Alaska vacations, supported by three ships:

• The flagship of Celebrity’s brand-defining Solstice Class fleet, Celebrity Solstice, will present seven-night roundtrip cruises from Seattle, Wash., with cruises through Alaska’s Inside Passage and visits to Ketchikan, Tracy Arm Fjord/Sawyer Glacier, Juneau and Skagway, Alaska, along with Victoria, B.C. The ship’s Alaska season will begin May 8, 2014, with an eight-night sailing from Vancouver ending in Seattle, while the season will conclude with an 11-night cruise departing Seattle Sept. 12, 2014, ending in Vancouver.

• Celebrity Millennium will offer seven-night sailings from Vancouver, B.C. and Seward, Alaska, each with cruises through the Inside Passage, several hours beside Hubbard Glacier, and visits to Juneau, Skagway, Icy Strait Point, and Ketchikan.

• Celebrity Century will present seven-night vacations roundtrip from Vancouver, featuring cruises through the Inside Passage, several hours beside Hubbard Glacier, and visits to Juneau, Ketchikan and Icy Strait Point. The ship also will offer an 11-night voyage from Vancouver to San Francisco, complete with visits to five Alaskan destinations and Victoria, B.C., followed by a 12-night Golden Gate and Alaska sailing roundtrip from San Francisco, Calif., with visits to six Alaskan destinations, as well as Victoria, B.C.

Celebrity’s World Tour 2014-15 also includes Alaska Cruisetour experiences, combining the cruise with in-depth, pre- or post-cruise, fully escorted tours and upscale hotel stays, designed to appeal to guests of all generations.

Celebrity also is introducing an entirely new collection of land-based adventures. Named “Celebrity Exclusives,” the collection will feature personalized experiences for individuals or small parties no larger than 15 guests. A sampling of Celebrity Exclusives in Alaska include:

• An adventure from Juneau to Alaska’s Taku Glacier Lodge, an isolated location accessible only via seaplane. The flight transports guests over five glaciers flowing from the Juneau Icefield, crevasses, snow-capped mountains and the Tongass National Forest, topped with an Alaskan King Salmon feast amidst a glacier view, followed by whale watching aboard an expedition-style deluxe catamaran.

Celebrity will continue to reveal full details of the breadth of itineraries and land-based adventures within Celebrity’s World Tour as each collection of itineraries opens for bookings in the coming weeks.

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Shore Excursions Explore Region’s Renowned Outdoors, History, and Artistry

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Holland America Line announced Chef Elizabeth Falkner as the newest member of the line’s prestigious Culinary Council. Falkner’s focus will be to enhance appetizers and main courses for the line’s menus, in addition to offering her guidance to the line’s culinary program.

Currently, Falkner serves as executive chef and part owner of Brooklyn-based pizzeria and restaurant Krescendo in New York and is the author of two cookbooks, as well as a frequent judge and competitor on popular reality competition shows including “Top Chef” and “The Next Iron Chef.”

“Chef Falkner embodies the creativity and expertise that have made Holland America Line a leader in culinary initiatives,” said Richard Meadows, executive vice president, marketing, sales and guest programs. “We are honored to welcome a chef as innovative and accomplished as Elizabeth to the Culinary Council and our family of experts, and we are excited to see what creations she will add to our menus.”

A San Francisco, Calif., native, Falkner began her career working for Julian Serrano at Masa’s, a four-star French restaurant and later for Traci Des Jardins at Rubicon. She then started her own business as chef and a managing partner for two Michelin-recommended restaurants: first at Citizen Cake and then at her second restaurant, Orson. Falkner is known as a pioneer and expert in many types of cuisines.

Falkner is the recipient of numerous awards including a nomination for a James Beard Award. She also was named one of America’s 10 top pastry chefs by Bon Appetit magazine and, most recently, she placed first at the 2012 World Pizza Championships in Naples, Italy.

In Dec. 2012, Falkner was inducted into the Culinary Hall of Fame. That same month, she released her second book “Cooking Off the Clock.” Her first cookbook, “Demolition Desserts,” was a finalist for the International Association of Culinary Professional’s Julia Child, Best First Cookbook Award and was selected “favorite book” by the students of Le Cordon Bleu in Paris.

“Holland America Line is one of the most dynamic cruise lines today at the vanguard of culinary innovation,” said Falkner. “I am excited to be working with Holland America Line to collaborate on guest trends, recipe development, culinary direction and collaborative learning opportunities.”

Falkner will join Holland America Line’s Master Chef and Council Chairman Rudi Sodamin, and renowned international chefs Jonnie Boer, David Burke, Jacques Torres and Charlie Trotter on the Culinary Council.

“We are constantly evolving our culinary experience to exceed the expectations of our guests,” said Sodamin. “I am thrilled to collaborate with Elizabeth and look forward to her contributions and partnership on the Culinary Council.”

In addition to providing guidance, menu selections and imparting their knowledge regarding the on board menus and culinary offerings, the Council makes recommendations regarding the line’s Culinary Arts Center on bringing culinary learning experiences to guests.

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Tales Include Finding Life-Long Love, Mistaken Celebrity Identity and a Group of "Bobs"

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"Cruise Critic" Editor in Chief, Carolyn Spencer Brown, Serves as "Madrina" As Ship Meets Ocean for First Time

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Celebrity Cruises - the world's first cruise line to be invited to cook at the prestigious James Beard House, and the first to bring its award-winning, fresh-from-scratch cuisine to land through popup restaurants in San Francisco and New York - has announced yet another culinary 'first': The modern luxury brand has partnered with SPE Certified to expand its healthy dining options with scientifically-grounded, third-party validation of their merits.

Born from the Latin phrase, Sanitas Per Escam, or "Health Through Food," SPE Certified is a unique certification and consulting program designed to enhance the nutritional quality of meals without compromising taste. SPE's team of experts include chefs, nutritionists and registered dieticians who collectively take an innovative and scientific approach to certifying dishes - essentially, giving them their seal of approval - based on a specific set of criteria, including seasonality, sourcing, sustainability, ideal portion size, and the assurance that every dish they certify is low in salt and saturated fats, low in processed ingredients, and dense with nutrients, including vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. And the "tastiest" asset for consumers is that SPE certification ensures that each dish is not only nutritious, but also incredibly delicious.

It can be done, and SPE Certified has proven it, at Michelin-starred restaurant "Rouge Tomate" restaurant in New York City, where the divergent worlds of nutrition and fine dining seamlessly combine to create such palate-pleasing dishes as Brook Trout a la Plancha, Bison Ribeye "Pot-au-Feu," Local Tomato Gazpacho, Hudson Valley Rabbit "En Croute," and Squid Ink Fettucine - all entirely free of cream or butter, typically considered central to the ingredient arsenal of accomplished chefs.

Now, SPE Certified's high set of standards will be applied to certifying more than 60 dishes on the menus of Celebrity Cruises' main restaurants - including such selections as Salmon Tartare with Celery Root Puree, Trout Roe Caviar, Dill, Apple and Pumpernickel; Roasted Pork Loin with Smoky Red Cabbage, Butternut Squash and Cranberry Jus; Seared Branzino with Parsnip Puree, Lentils, Spinach and Pomegranate, and Molten Lava Cake - as well as every dish on the menus of the line's refreshing AquaSpa Cafes. "Consumers' desire for healthy dining options has evolved from a small niche several years ago into the general mindset today, with developments like the ban of transfats, nutrition labeling, and passionate dietary followings such as vegan, gluten-free and low-carb, so this was the ideal time to rethink our approach to healthy dining," said Celebrity's Culinary Director John Suley. "Celebrity has always been a leader in offering a high quality dining experience and culinary innovations, and with SPE Certified, we have the opportunity to pair that legacy with a new definition of healthy dining for our guests."

"Celebrity Cruises' reputation as an innovator in inspired onboard dining is perfectly aligned with SPE Certified's ethos of providing healthy and delicious food outside of the home -- a process that is continuously validated by world-renowned nutrition experts from Harvard, Tufts and Baylor universities," said SPE Certified Founder & CEO Emmanuel Verstraeten. "Celebrity's culinary team has an obvious passion for food, as well as a single-minded focus to provide their guests with an unparalleled level of dining on the high seas, and we are therefore delighted to be partnering with them."

Celebrity's SPE-certified dishes - designated by the organization's distinctive "squiggly red insignia" - will be available first on Celebrity Reflection beginning April 6, and will roll out across the balance of the fleet on dates yet to be announced. The selections will be available across the entire fleet by the end of the year.

About SPE^® Certified:
SPE^® Certified is a unique certification and consulting program designed to enhance the nutritional quality of meals, without sacrificing taste. SPE stands for Sanitas Per Escam (Latin for "Health Through Food"), and its mission is to provide a universal, trusted standard for healthy and delicious dining outside of the home. SPE Certified's guidelines combine cutting-edge research with international health standards, validated and updated continuously by world-renowned nutrition experts. SPE Certified works with chefs to develop seasonal, great-tasting dishes that focus on sourcing, thoughtful preparation and an artful approach to combining nutrient-dense ingredients. Buildings have LEED; household products have the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval; food now has SPE Certified. www.SPEcertified.com

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Expanded Program Among the Lowest “Solo” Fares in Luxury Cruising

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Fall in Love with the Heartland

Enjoy the magic of the Upper Mississippi River as you journey between the Saints, St. Louis and St. Paul. Included shore excursions ensure you get the complete experience in each port of call. Click your preferred journey date below to see itinerary details. St. Louis to Minneapolis / St. Paul Minneapolis / St. Paul to St. Louis 9-Day Journey Dates September 27 – October 5, 2013 October 11-19, 2013 9-Day Journey Dates October 4-12, 2013 October 18-26, 2013 Spectacular Ports: Hannibal, Dubuque, La Crosse, Red Wing Spectacular Ports: Red Wing, La Crosse, Dubuque, Davenport, Burlington, Hannibal

Space is limited! Call today, and ask about special offers! Contact your Travel Agent.

Included on every voyage: • FREE shore excursions • FREE luxury hotel night • FREE wine and beer with dinner • FREE cappuccino, espresso, specialty coffees, bottled water and soft drinks throughout your voyage.

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This is the last day of this Qceania Easter Cruise Sale!

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