Tag Archives: Christened

Celebrity Beyond Christened, Sets Sail From Port Everglades

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The new Celebrity Beyond set sail from Fort Lauderdale following its christening, Celebrity Cruises announced in a press release.

Kicking off its inaugural season in the Caribbean, the vessel’s sailing was marked by a series of festivities, including its official naming ceremony, the company said.

Led by the godmother Simone Biles a 19-time World Champion, seven-time Olympic Medalist and most decorated American gymnast in history, the event was also attended by Captain Kate McCue. She, according to Celebrity, is the first and still only woman to be named captain of a large cruise ship.

“I can think of no one better to be the Godmother of this incredible ship than the G.O.A.T. herself – Simone Biles,” said Jason Liberty, President and CEO of the Royal Caribbean Group, the parent company of Celebrity Cruises.

“This ship’s beauty, power, and resilience set the standard by which all others will be measured. Simone’s determination, progressive nature, empowered attitude, and grace in the face of challenges make her such an inspiration to so many around the world. All of these attributes are why Simone Biles is perfectly suited to watch over Celebrity Beyond’s journey,” he added.

“I’ve been waiting for this day to arrive for a long time, and I am ‘Beyond’ excited to be able to share her with our guests. She is the gold standard by which other ships are built and embodies the meaning of relaxed luxury,” said Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, Celebrity Cruises President and CEO.

“She is ‘FULL’ of wonder and excitement and our guests will undoubtedly feel reconnected to the world around them as they visit new destinations and immerse themselves in culinary experiences and wellness amenities not found anywhere else at sea.”

Alongside Liberty, Lutoff-Perlo and other Celebrity Cruises executives, Simone Biles officially named Celebrity Beyond in a ceremony attended by 2500 guests and media, capped by a live performance from singer and songwriter, Leona Lewis.

“It is an honour to be selected as Beyond’s Godmother and to join such a distinguished group of strong, barrier-breaking women named Celebrity’s Godmothers before me,” said Simone Biles.

“I appreciate the important message this designation holds in recognizing our accomplishments as empowering women, and I am honoured to share the stage today with fellow brave, boundary-breaking leaders like Lisa-Lutoff Perlo and Captain Kate McCue,” she added.

According to Celebrity, the arrival to the U.S. of Celebrity Beyond ushers a “new era of cruising,” coming on the heels of a new brand campaign that aims to “define what a relaxed luxury resort at sea is.”

As it kicks off its inaugural season, the vessel will offer Western and Eastern Caribbean itineraries visiting Grand Cayman, Puerto Plata, Cozumel, St. Thomas and more.  

Costa Toscana Christened in Barcelona

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The new Costa Toscana has been christened in Barcelona by Chanel, a young singer, actress and dancer who enjoyed great success in Spain and in all of Europe after her exhibition during the 2022 Eurovision Song Contest.

Mario Zanetti, President of Costa Cruises commented: “It is a great thrill to celebrate the christening of our Costa Toscana in Barcelona, a city to which we are particularly attached and where we have been at home since the beginning of our history.

“For this occasion, we have organized an event to celebrate the start of a summer that marks the serene resumption of travel and vacations. The event also features the excellence of Costa’s offerings in all aspects, from high gastronomy to high-quality entertainment, to unique experiences ashore,” he said.

“According to recent market research, nearly 14 million Europeans are dreaming of taking a cruise in the next 12 months, and cruises are among the trips with the highest potential to meet the needs of destinations exploration. We must take advantage of this upswing to promote more sustainable tourism that respects the environment and values local communities. Our commitment is expressed not only through technologically advanced ships such as the LNG-powered Costa Toscana, but also by supporting innovative projects whose scope goes beyond the tourism sector, such as Chef Ángel León’s project.”

She joined the ship’s Captain Pietro Sinisi for the ribbon-cutting ceremony in which a bottle was shattered on the ship’s prow, as per maritime tradition.

The event was hosted by two exceptional masters of ceremonies: Carlos Sobera and Flora Gonzalez, two real stars of Spanish television well-loved by the general public.

The ceremony was then closed by a performance by the Italian artist Andrea Casta, a “globetrotter” violinist who has performed all over the world with his electric violin and his unique luminous bow.

Among the guests were Spanish celebrities, such as “El Sevilla”.

As the ship leaves Barcelona on the way to Valencia, guests can look forward to a performance by Meduza, a famous Italian trio of house music producers, who will host an exclusive DJ set onboard. The aperitif and gala dinner will be signed by Spanish chef Ángel León known as the “chef of the sea” who has been awarded 3 Michelin stars with his restaurant Aponiente. 

Costa Cruises and Ángel León are further strengthening their collaboration, addressing a theme that both have long been committed to, which is environmental sustainability. Through her Costa Cruises Foundation, Costa Cruises is supporting a worldwide pioneering project: the development of the “marine grain.”

Restaurant Aponiente’s research centre has started the cultivation of the Zostera marina in the Bay of Cadiz. The Zostera marina is a plant that helps generate greater marine biodiversity, thus enriching the ecosystem. Thanks to the support of the Costa Cruises Foundation, the cultivated area of the ocean garden, which is currently about 3,000 m2, can be expanded, in order to promote the project and export the Zostera marina to new coastal areas, the company said. 

Costa will sail 10 ships this summer, with the Toscana offering a week-long Western Mediterranean program,

Hurtigruten’s Fridtjof Nansen To Be Christened in Svalbard

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Hurtigruten’s Fridtjof Nansen will be christened in Longyearbyen on Svalbard September 14 – in the northernmost naming ceremony ever to be held for a passenger ship, according to a press release.

“When looking for a location for the naming of MS Fridtjof Nansen, we couldn’t think of a better place than Svalbard. For expedition cruising, this is where it all began,” said Hurtigruten Expeditions CEO Asta Lassesen.

“For us, Svalbard and Spitsbergen are much more than just a destination; it’s a part of our history. As history has told us, we need to work closely with local communities when we develop sustainable tourism for future generations of explorers. When we embark on our Svalbard expeditions, we combine our 125 years of experience with our year-round land-based presence, creating jobs and value for the local community that lasts way beyond our cruise calls,” Lassesen said.

To further mark commitments and long-lasting relationships with the Svalbard community, Hurtigruten Expeditions has chosen Longyearbyen to be MS Fridtjof Nansen’s port of registry – making her the first cruise ship to proudly call Svalbard her home.

The Fridtjof Nansen will be named by breaking a chunk of ice rather than the traditional bottle of Champagne, just as sister ship MS Roald Amundsen was when she in 2019 was the first ship ever to be named in Antarctica.

The naming ceremony is set to take place on September 14 and will be live-streamed.