Tag Archives: ships

Celebrity Unveils $250 Million Solstice-Class Upgrades

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Celebrity Cruises is investing more than $250 million to modernise its Solstice-class vessels, starting with Celebrity Solstice in March 2026.

The company said guests can look forward to eight new experiences, including four new-to-sea spaces, and many redesigned favourites.

Innovations include reinvented outdoor escapes with enhanced views, new restaurants and entertainment designed to create moments of connection with loved ones, as well as a redesigned stay with all-new stateroom categories and ship-wide stateroom upgrades.

“Our Solstice Series ships represent the best of classic cruising, and now we’re elevating this vacation experience even further by adding brand new experiences and enhancements at every turn,” said Laura Hodges Bethge, president of Celebrity Cruises. “Guests will enjoy more ways to explore and restore, all while staying true to what made our guests fall in love with these ships in the first place.”

Highlights:

  • Boulevard Lounge – Good times and glamorous vibes will take centre stage at this brand-new, intimate entertainment venue. With always-on programming, from interactive daytime activities like new game shows and trivia to elevated evenings of candlelit concerts and duelling pianos, this cabaret-inspired lounge offers a dramatic new take on showtime.
  • Boulevard Bar – Just steps away from the lounge, guests can pull up a seat for handcrafted cocktails before or after the show—or both.
  • Celebrity Barcade – Guests should bring their A-game to this new, elevated sports bar, the perfect place to both watch and play games. Guests can catch their favourite sports teams from multiple screens positioned so well they’ll never miss a pass, or challenge their friends to a round of billiards, darts, or their favourite retro board game.
  • Trattoria Rossa – Step into an Italian hideaway that blends opulence with modern design to experience a restaurant that bursts with charm from every corner. The perfect setting to reignite date night, guests will have a front row seat to the action with authentic tableside preparations of dishes inspired by Italian classics, including fresh pasta made from scratch daily.
  • Fine Cut Steakhouse – The Forbes Travel Guide-rated, Edge Series favourite steakhouse will bring upscale dining with service that’s elevated to an art form. There’s something for everyone at Fine Cut Steakhouse, which offers 30-day dry-aged steaks, fresh seafood, the elevated service Celebrity is known for, and elegance at every turn.

In addition, Sunset Park transforms the top deck of Celebrity Solstice, where guests can enjoy unparalleled views from this half-acre outdoor oasis. Plus, with elevated cuisine, refreshing cocktails, lawn games, open-air concerts, and more, a day at the park never looked so good.

Celebrity noted all staterooms will be refreshed, and four new categories will be added: the Panoramic Infinite Veranda Suite, Deluxe Panoramic Oceanview Suite, Panoramic Ocean View Suite and Deluxe Panoramic Ocean View.

Bow-to-stern enhancements also include a design refresh for more venues: Café Al Bacio, Cellar Masters, World Class Bar, Martini Bar, Pool Bar, Passport Bar, Blu—exclusive to AquaClass guests, and Luminae—exclusive to guests of The Retreat, the Fitness Centre, and Camp at Sea.

Marella Cruises to build two new cruise ships

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UK cruise ship operator moves into newbuilding for the first time as part of company’s refleeting

Fincantieri and TUI AG have signed a memorandum of agreement for the design and construction of two new cruise ships for the Marella Cruises brand. This agreement represents a major step for Marella Cruises, which is venturing into newbuilding for the first time and has chosen Fincantieri as its strategic partner for this transformation.

A statement said the ships would be designed specifically for the English market and have a focus on environmental sustainability. They will redefine premium cruising through refined design, high-quality materials and spacious accommodations.

The two vessels will be delivered in 2030 and 2032.

Fincantieri chief executive and managing director Pierroberto Folgiero commented, “We are proud to welcome Marella Cruises as a new customer and to support its vision as it enters the newbuild segment. The project will bring together our expertise in ship design, innovation and sustainability to deliver vessels that meet the evolving expectations of modern cruise passengers.”

Fincantieri has built a solid and successful relationship with TUI Cruises, the joint venture between TUI AG and Royal Caribbean Cruises. In February, the Group delivered the cruise ship Mein Schiff Relax, the first of two InTUItion-class concept cruise ships which is dual-fuel powered, while the second unit, Mein Schiff Flow, is under construction at the Monfalcone shipyard, with delivery scheduled for 2026.

Marella Cruises said in a statement, “The UK cruise market, in which Marella holds a leading position, continues to prove an attractive investment proposition and is expected to grow by 9% per annum until 2030. The project is anticipated to enhance Marella’s competitive position in the UK market, ensuring a long-term cruise product proposition.”

Fincantieri Delivers Mein Schiff Relax in Monfalcone

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Fincantieri has delivered the new Mein Schiff Relax to TUI Cruises, with the ship being handed over on Friday in Monfalcone.

Fincantieri said in a press release that the vessel is the first of two InTUltion class new concept cruise ships that are dual fuel powered (Liquid Natural Gas and Marine Gas Oil) that Fincantieri is building for TUI Cruises. The sister ship will set sail in mid-2026.

According to the press release, the Italian Minister for Relations with Parliament, Luca Ciriani, attended the ceremony, welcomed by Biagio Mazzotta, and Pierroberto Folgiero, chairman, CEO and managing director of Fincantieri.

The event was also attended by Luigi Matarazzo, general manager of the Fincantieri Merchant Ships Division, as well as Wybcke Meier, CEO of TUI Cruises, Frank Kuhlmann, chief financial officer of TUI Cruises and Captain Tom Roth.

The company said that this unit forms the backbone of TUI Cruises’ new fleet, based on a first-in-class project developed by Fincantieri.

The project focuses on energy efficiency and aims to reduce operational consumption and minimize environmental impact in compliance with the latest regulations. According to Fincantieri, the ship’s ability to use low-emission fuels marks a step towards climate-neutral cruising.

The ship also features catalytic converters meeting Euro 6 standards, a generative turbine using the residual heat from the diesel generators and an electrical shore-power connection. This ensures almost emission-free operations while in port (about 40 per cent of operating time).

The ship also has a waste treatment system that can transform organic materials into recyclable components.