Celebrity Launches 'Celebrity Life' Enrichment Program

mercedes · July 29, 2009

Life has always been good on a Celebrity Cruises vacation, and today, the brand announced a new program that will make it even better.

Celebrity Cruises today announced "Celebrity Life," a new series of palate-pleasing, intellectually-enriching and life-enhancing programs designed to deliver the most unique and sophisticated onboard experience in premium cruising.

Built on long-established pillars of the Celebrity brand - dining, enrichment, and wellness - Celebrity Life encompasses three distinct program categories: "Savor," "Discover," and "Renew."

"Celebrity Cruises has always been committed to offering the best vacation experience for discerning travelers," said Celebrity Cruises Senior Vice President of Hotel Operations Lisa Lutoff-Perlo. "Celebrity Life will provide our guests with an array of experiences they will remember long after they sail with us, thanks to the delivery and dedication of our spectacular crew across the fleet."

"Savor" takes an already stellar culinary experience to new heights, with eight new wine enrichment events, six spirits and mixology tastings, and more than seven different interactive programs for guests, hosted by the ship's Executive Chef and team.

"Discover" presents an opportunity for guests to do or learn what they have always wanted to try, but never had time to accomplish. Whether it's ordering a bottle of Chianti in Italian, or exploring the universe in 40 minutes, guests can delve into a wide variety of interests.

"Renew" offers an improved, more goal-oriented approach to classes, seminars, and treatments designed to help guests on their journey to looking younger, feeling better and living longer.

Shaped by the line's award-winning chef, restaurateur and Vice President of Culinary Operations Jacques Van Staden, the Savor series will encompass three programs centered around Celebrity Cruises' industry-leading food and beverage programming: "Celebrity Vineyards," "Signature Spirits" and "Food as Art."

The "Celebrity Vineyards" wine enrichment program, developed in partnership with the United States Sommelier Association, will feature a host of immersive wine events providing guests the opportunity to expand their understanding and appreciation of the fascinating world of wine. Among the varied activities are the comparative wine workshops Celebrity introduced in 2007, sanctioned by the renowned Riedel Crystal.

Celebrity's "Signature Spirits" events will help unleash guests' "inner mixologist" as they explore the modern world of spirits and cocktails during exclusive "Mixology 101" workshops developed in partnership with Bacardi. The Signature Spirits events also will offer the opportunity to experience the industry's first "Molecular Mixology" workshop developed by "The Liquid Chef," world-renowned Master Mixologist Junior Merino.

Celebrity's immersive "Food as Art" culinary arts program also includes highly interactive and participatory cooking shows. Led by a variety of Celebrity's shipboard chefs, the program allows guests to serve as sous chefs in "Star Chef Cooking Competitions," and to participate in exclusive behind-the-scenes tours to watch the teams in Celebrity's galleys actively preparing delectable desserts, fresh-baked breads and a seemingly endless array of entrees. The Food as Art program also will surprise and delight vacationers with a special lineup of guest chefs who will set sail with Celebrity over the course of the year.

A highlight of Celebrity Life's "Discover" series is the opportunity to learn a new language through Celebrity's industry-first alliance with Rosetta Stone . Through this new partnership, over the course of just one sailing, either self-taught or hosted, guests can gain a working knowledge of their choice from among 13 languages.

Celebrity's "Beyond the Podium" enrichment series, as its name implies, will offer guests far more than the typical enrichment lecture. The series will be highlighted by the brand's new association with Smithsonian Journeys, the educational travel program of the renowned Smithsonian Institution, which is the world's largest museum complex and research organization. Guests on select sailings will have the opportunity to gain deep, new insight from Smithsonian Journeys' globally recognized experts as they speak with Celebrity guests about a vast array of topics, including history, culture, art and architecture, and the natural environment.

Meanwhile, iPod addicts can learn new iTunes tips and tricks while onboard, and novice and experienced computer users alike can boost their technological prowess through Celebrity's "digITal" series, with courses ranging from Photoshop and Windows XP primers, to BlackBerry tips and blog creation.

Stargazers will be inspired to stare skyward as they learn about astronomy, telescope tips, and even celestial navigation through Celebrity's new alliance with Stargeezer, a program devoted to educating consumers about astronomy in user-friendly fashion. Celebrity guests also will be invited to gaze at the night skies out on deck during special stargazers' parties and "star hunts" designed to identify the evening's brightest constellations and planets.

Dance enthusiasts can share the stage with Celebrity's own professional dancers during itinerary-influenced, interactive productions whose themes include "Sizzle," "Groove," "Decco," and "Flava." Additionally, in partnership with Skyy Vodka, Celebrity Solstice and Celebrity Equinox will present "Live @ Sky" in the two ships' Sky Observation Lounge.

In addition to participating in cultural, world and ballroom dance classes, guests also will have the opportunity to compete in the "Everybody Dance" competition, culminating in a vote for "star" dance champions on every sailing.

To learn how to creatively preserve photos of their impressive new dance moves, or the picturesque places they visited during their cruise, guests can participate in Celebrity's new courses offered through the line's unique partnership with the StoryTellersClub, designed to guide guests through the process of creating valuable keepsakes of their cruise vacation memories.

Celebrity Life's new health and wellness program called "Renew" offers an expansion of spa and wellness services designed to help guests feel better, live longer, and look younger. Redefining the spa experience with an innovative range of beauty and wellness options for Celebrity guests, Renew offers three areas of enrichment within the program: "Ageless," "Energy," and "Longevity," each with its own slate of treatment selections, seminars and workshops.

Guests can participate in motivating classes, a variety of seminars, and also experience results-driven spa or fitness treatments created for each series within the program.

Within the Ageless series are informative seminars focused on skin renewal and youth-enhancing lifestyle tips, in addition to medi-spa cosmetic services such as BOTOX Cosmetic, Restylane and Perlane , and a selection of anti-aging facials, including a 24-karat gold facial available on the fleet's latest ship, Celebrity Equinox, to target fine lines and wrinkles.

To help promote self-awareness and healthier living long-term, the Energy series entails nutritional information, wellness assessments and realistic "Life" prescriptions that guests can incorporate into their lifestyle, plus body sculpting and strengthening options, including a "boot camp" course, indoor cycling, personal training, and gravity training classes.

Among the highlights of the Longevity series are seminars focused on stress management, lifestyle enhancements, and alternative healing systems such as Chinese medicine. The Longevity series also features complimentary consultations with the onboard acupuncturist, an array of acupuncture treatments to rebalance the mind and body, in addition to yoga, tai-chi and "fab abs" courses.

Following its rollout on the new Celebrity Equinox when the ship enters service July 31, the Celebrity Life program will be introduced across the balance of the fleet by the end of November.

"All of us at Celebrity are eager to introduce this new program to our guests," said Lutoff-Perlo. "From pleasing palates to enriching intellects to enhancing day-to-day life, there's something to suit every interest within our new Celebrity Life. And this is only the beginning. We look forward to introducing more surprises over the course of the year."