Sampling Celebrity’s new spa provider

By Tom Stieghorst
*InsightCelebrity Cruises had a nice reward for two of the 1,200 agents that attended CLIA’s Cruise3sixty event in Fort Lauderdale. They were picked for a free spa package aboard the Celebrity Reflection.

The two surprise winners were Rosie Perez, a Cruise Planners agent in Pembroke Pines, Fla., and Marcia Finkelstein, a vacation specialist at CruiseOne in Long Branch, N.J. “They were ecstatic — beside themselves,” said Dondra Ritzenthaler, Celebrity sales V.P.

What made the prize a little more special was the changeover in spa providers at Celebrity. The two agents were among the first to be treated by Canyon Ranch SpaClub staffers, who replaced the previous team from Steiner Leisure at the end of March.

Other than signage and a new area for retailing beauty products, there wasn’t much physical change to the spa, which includes two decks of treatment rooms linked by a spiral staircase; a hair salon; a Persian Garden area of heated ceramic loungers; areas for acupuncture, weight lifting and aerobics; and a relaxation area with a panoramic view that is just down the hall from the spa-oriented Aqua Class cabins.*TomStieghorst

“It’s almost like their front room,” said spa director Daniel Foxcroft.

The difference between Steiner and Canyon Ranch will come in the products and the people, Foxcroft said.

Gloria Weller, a retired information technology worker from Orlando, was one of the passengers getting ready to cruise on the Reflection who headed for the spa even before sailing.

After a five-minute Thai massage sampler, Weller said the deep muscle massage was very relaxing for her but wouldn’t be for everyone. “If you just want a feel-good massage, you wouldn’t do this.”

Finkelstein said her 80-minute package, which included a sea salt bath and full-body massage, was a very nice treatment. She said the Canyon Ranch name would probably influence a lot of people to go on Celebrity.

Peter Smith, president of Canyon Ranch, certainly hopes so. He got his first glimpse of the Reflection spa at a dedication during Cruise3sixty and said he “loved” the space, which is perched on the forward areas of decks 11 and 12, with floor-to-ceiling views.

Celebrity was smart to reward a few of the more than 200 agents who signed up to tour the Reflection during the conference. There were 24 ships to tour at Cruise3sixty, and providing a little extra incentive will help gain more exposure for its vessels going forward.

“You never know what you’re going to see,” said Perez in explaining why she chose to tour the Reflection. “You can’t sell something unless you see it.”

Steiner, Celebrity won’t renew spa contract in 2014

By Rebecca Tobin

Spa operator Steiner Leisure said this week that its agreement to operate the spas onboard Celebrity Cruises ships would not be renewed.

In a statement, the company said it had been advised by Celebrity that the line would not renew the agreement, which expires Dec. 31.

“The company is negotiating a transition plan as to the turnover of the ships to the new vendor,” Steiner said.

In the statement, Steiner CEO Leonard Fluxman said the company was “disappointed with Celebrity’s decision, particularly in view of our revenues being at historical highs on Celebrity’s ships. We believe that the terms we proposed for renewal contained compelling economics, and it also contained a unique brand at sea. It is our understanding that Celebrity’s decision was made purely from a marketing perspective.”

“Steiner has been an excellent partner over the years,” Celebrity said in an email. “We thank them for helping us deliver high quality spa experiences to our valued guests.”

It said it would make an announcement about its new spa and wellness partner “in the near future.”

Celebrity in recent years has expanded its spa offerings; for example, its AquaClass category, which debuted on the Solstice, enables passengers in AquaClass cabins to enjoy spa- and wellness-related perks and exclusive access to a restaurant featuring “clean cuisine.”

Steiner has long been the largest spa operator at sea. In its statement, the company said its cruise line operations are conducted on spas on 155 ships. It currently services Celebrity sister brands Azamara Club Cruises and Royal Caribbean International. In June it announced a deal with Royal Caribbean to extend its agreement through 2017. Its land-based customers include Hilton, Marriott, St. Regis and W Hotels.

A handful of cruise ships and lines have contracted with other spa operators, such as Canyon Ranch, which operates the spas onboard Cunard Line’s Queen Mary 2 and the Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises ships.

Questions remain over Celebrity Century’s future

Questions remain over the future of the Celebrity Century, the oldest serving vessel in the cruise giant’s fleet.

French cruise line Croisieres de France has stated that it is to take possession of the vessel in 2015.

But according to Cruise Critic, a spokeswoman for Celebrity said that this is just a rumour. 

The situation is made even muddier by the fact that the line claiming to be purchasing the ship is a subsidiary of Pullmantur Cruises, which is a division of Royal Caribbean Cruises – the company that also owns and operates Celebrity Cruises.

As a result, it seems there is still some internal confusion as to whose livery the ship will be sailing with in little over a year’s time. 

The spokeswoman, Celebrity public relations director Elizabeth Jakeway, told the news provider: “You asked if we had made an announcement about Celebrity Century, and no, we haven’t It appears a rumour surfaced via a post on a French website last week.”

Established in 2007, Croisieres de France offers Mediterranean voyages aboard the MV Horizon, which formerly served as the Pacific Dream for Celebrity Cruises and the Island Star for Island Cruises. 

Next year, the company is due to take on a second vessel, MV Zenith, which also previously served Celebrity Cruises as the Celebrity Zenith.