Sherman's Travel

Celebrity Cruises hosted a small gala at the Museum of Arts and Design in New York City on the evening of January 7, with President and CEO, Dan Hanrahan, in attendance. The occasion? To unveil their new “Designed for You” brand platform and $200 million project list for the coming years, which includes refurbishing the entire Millennium-class fleet so it showcases the same unbelievable amenities and dining options as the cruise line’s most recent Solstice class.

The 20-year-old cruise line, which received 20 prestigious awards and allocades in 2009, announced plans to renovate one ship per year, and will start with Celebrity Constellation in April 2010 (they do not have firm dates for Infinity, Millennium, and Summit). According to Hanrahan, the restorations are estimated to take two weeks, and when the vessels return to the high seas after the dramatic facelifts they’ll look brand-new.

While attendees nibbled on flavorsome hors d’oeuvres and sipped fine wine and cocktails, Hanrahan revealed exactly what we can expect to see on the Millennium class ships once they’ve been “Solsticized.”

Here’s a synopsis of what the overhauls entail:

•    The addition of Tuscan Grille, an authentic Italian eatery also featured on Celebrity Solstice and Celebrity Equinox.

•    Creation of Bistro on Five, the popular creperie on the Solstice class that offers passengers crepes, sandwiches, and soups.

•    The inclusion of an ice-topped Martini Bar with top-tier vodkas will surely be the “coolest” place to hang out.

•    Millennium class’ Cova Café will be replaced with the Café al Bacio and Gelateria. Buon appetito!

•    Just like the Solstice class, the Millennium fleet will receive an Enomatic wine bar, the state-of-the-art wine serving system that allows guests to select and dispense wines of their choice by the glass. (I tested it out at the reveal and it’s pretty incredible!)

•    In the accommodations department, all ships will receive more opulent suites with new furnishings, flat-screen televisions, upholstery, carpet, and bedding.

•    New color schemes, carpeting, and upholstery will also be added to public venues of the ships, including Celebrity Theater, Seaside Grill, and Michael’s Club.

For more information about the renovations, or if you’re interested in booking a cruise on the Celebrity Constellation once it is out of dry-dock, visit www.celebritycruises.com.

What do you think about Celebrity Cruises’ idea to “Solsticize” the Millennium class ships? Will you be more apt to book a sailing with the cruise line now that they will be rolling out virtually four “new” ships within the next few years? Share your thoughts in our comments section.