January 28, 2004 -- For more than ten years, the cruise industry has been engaged in a kind of arms race, with all of the major lines competing to see who could build the biggest, most over-the-top ship. This month, Celebrity Cruises walked away from that fight by introducing one of the most interesting new initiatives from a major line in years: Celebrity Xpeditions, an adventure travel program featuring tiny expedition vessels and unusual land add-ons.
As the first offering in this program, Celebrity has purchased the small, 100-passenger Sun Bay. Built in 2001, the vessel spent the past two summers sailing European itineraries. Now, under the name Celebrity Xpedition, it will offer year-round 7-night explorations of Ecuador's remarkable Galapagos Islands, the habitat that first sparked Charles Darwin's research into the origin of species. Each cruise will visit seven major islands in the 19-island chain, with passengers shuttling to shore in inflatable Zodiac boats, accompanied by five onboard naturalists. Prices start at approximately $1,900 per person (cruise only), with 10- and 11-night packages also available that bundle pre- and post-cruise hotel stays with flights between Quito, Ecuador, and the ship's Galapagos homeport, Baltra. The first cruise departs June 11, 2004.
While the price may seem steep at first glance, it might actually be a deal: All excursions are included -- two per day (one in the morning and another in the afternoon), with the focus on hiking, snorkeling, and wildlife -- as are all onboard liquor and all gratuities. Aside from airfare to and from Ecuador, passengers booking one of the packages could get away without spending one extra nickel all week.
After renovations, the 2,842-ton Xpedition will be a mini version of Celebrity's stylish megaships, with the same cuisine (overseen by executive chef Michel Roux), similar decor, and a 1.5 to 1 guest/staff ratio. Its size, of course, limits the number of onboard options: There are only two restaurants (a main dining room and a buffet), plus two bars/lounges, one of them outside. This is par for the course with small-ship travel, where all the focus is on the destination, not the ship itself.
The vessel will serve as the flagship and namesake for the Xpeditions program, which Celebrity intends to roll out over the coming months. Plans call for the program to offer seasonal adventure cruises to both the Arctic and Antarctic aboard small, chartered icebreaker vessels. Land adventures and enrichment opportunities will also be offered in regions where Celebrity's megaships currently sail, including sportfishing trips in British Columbia, race-car driving school in Florida, a Humvee safari in Alaska, and a behind-the-scenes exploration of KGB operations in Moscow.
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"Our goal," says Celebrity president Jack Williams, "is to ultimately offer a Celebrity Xpedition on every cruise itinerary."
Celebrity plans a major media push for Xpeditions, under the theme "Where the unspoiled meets the spoiled."
"Celebrity Xpeditions is a great opportunity for us to tell people who we are," says the line's senior VP of sales and marketing Steve Hancock, "and to offer a product that effectively juxtaposes luxeury travel and adventure."
Bookings are currently open for Xpedition's Galapagos cruises. For more information, call 800/437-3111, or go online to www.celebrityxpeditions.com.
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