Celebrity Cruises gives 'Spring Cleaning' new meaning

[JoeyandDavid]

Miami - (April 28, 2008 ) - For many homeowners, "spring cleaning" can be an overwhelming chore. But just imagine if the effort involved replacing 2,707 square feet of tile, 9,843 square feet of carpeting, and 2,500 yards of fabric.

Within just 17 days, Celebrity completed all that and more on Celebrity Summit during the ship’s scheduled drydock period from April 11-27 at Blohm + Voss in Hamburg, Germany. The ship resumes its European season tomorrow, complete with a new 11,000-kilowatt diesel genset (dedicated electrical generation system), which reduces fuel consumption by generating electricity for the ship while in port.

Additionally, dance enthusiasts will find an entirely new floor in the ship’s Rendezvous Lounge, shoppers can enjoy a completely renovated boutique gift shop area, and guests with attention to detail will notice freshly-varnished wood railings and newly-polished surfaces throughout the ship. "We are constantly focused on the care and maintenance of our fleet, and evaluate the exterior and interior appearance of every ship, every day, to ensure we’re consistently delivering the best guest experience," said Celebrity's Senior Vice President of Marine Operations, John Krousouloudis. “We tend to be modest about talking about the work that takes place during scheduled drydocks, but it’s a high priority, and a significant investment, because we know how important it is to guest satisfaction and our brand as a whole,” added Celebrity's Vice President of Hotel Operations, Lisa Lutoff-Perlo.

In 2007 alone, as part of its standard maintenance program, Celebrity Cruises invested more than $13 million across the fleet in bedding upgrades, new gym equipment in the fitness centers, marble polishing and repair, carpet replacement, new teak surfaces on several pool decks, varnishing of wood surfaces, revitalization of various gift shop areas, and new upholstery.