Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, president and chief executive hosted a UK event this week for the latest Edge “reveal”, where she announced that the line’s newest vessel would spend its first summer season in Europe in 2019.
She also revealed that Edge would host an “exclusive two-night preview sailing for agents”, on May 13 2019. The ship will then depart Southampton on May 15 offering a 10-night Iberian Peninsula sailing, calling at ports in Spain, Portugal and Italy.
Edge will then be based in Rome and Barcelona for the rest of the summer season until October 2019.
“Europe has never seen a ship like this before and you’ve never seen Europe like you’ll see it from Celebrity Edge,” Lutoff-Perlo said. “The UK and Ireland is such a significant market for us that we wanted to celebrate the start of her summer season by offering guests the first scheduled European cruise direct from Southampton.”
Jo Rzymowska, Celebrity Cruises UK, Ireland and Apac managing director told TTG: “The ship could have gone on straight to Rome and Barcelona [after her US winter season] but because the UK and Ireland is so important a decision was made by Lisa that she wanted to showcase the ship to trade partners.”
Rzymowska said details on how agents would be chosen were still being finalised, but insisted: “We want to make sure we get the right people on it – we will ensure that they are those that are on the journey with us”.
Celebrity Edge destinations in the 2019 summer season, which went on sale on Tuesday night, include Monte Carlo, Barcelona and Mykonos, plus Ibiza and Valencia and will allow for longer evening stays in port.
Itineraries will be seven, nine, 10 and 11-nights. Two ports new to the brand, Nauplion in the Peloponnese region of Greece and Santa Margherita, on the Italian Riviera, close to Portofino, will also feature.
To support agents, Celebrity has developed a 20-page direct mailer that can be over-branded. Digital guides will also be available. Rzymowska said: “Our dedicated Edge-u-cation training tools have proved particularly popular and it is important that we continue to invest in the resources available for agents.”
Celebrity Edge is the first ship to ensure all accommodation, venues and on-deck vistas focus outwards.
Rzymowska added that pricing would be “at a premium” but said there were no further details yet.
