MIAMI — Celebrity Cruises will be the first cruise line to deploy a ship from U.S. waters in more than a year, a major milestone for not only the company but for the entire cruise industry.

Celebrity Edge, which has met all CDC requirements and standards, will depart Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale on June 26 on a seven-night Caribbean cruise with Captain Kate McCue, the first and still-only American female Captain, at the helm. The news was tweeted by Celebrity Cruises CEO and President, Lisa Lutoff-Perlo with just three words: “Someday is here.”

She added the following: “For the past 15 months our conversations with friends and loved ones about seeing the world have been accompanied by the phrase ‘someday.’ I’m beyond proud and excited to say that day has arrived. 

“The power of travel has a way of healing our souls as we connect with cultures, sights and experiences that bring greater joy and renewed energy to our lives. Nothing compares to these experiences at sea and now the wonder of these journeys returns.

“We’ve been preparing for this day for months and, on behalf of all of us at Celebrity Cruises, we’re ready and we can’t wait to welcome our guests aboard once again!”

Travellers looking to sail the Caribbean this summer can choose between Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries. All Celebrity ships will sail with a vaccinated crew. U.S. guests ages 16 and older must be fully vaccinated and, as of Aug. 1, 2021, all U.S. guests ages 12 and older must be fully vaccinated. Requirements for non-U.S. guests vary, with more details here: https://www.celebritycruises.com/healthy-at-sea.

Named ‘one of the world’s greatest places’ by Time Magazine, Celebrity Edge offers a modern cruising experience with offerings like the ‘Magic Carpet,’ the world’s first cantilevered floating platform, two-storey luxury villas with private plunge pools, the botanical Rooftop Garden, and The Retreat, a private resort-within-a-resort.

With the news about Celebrity Edge, eight of the 15 ships in Celebrity’s fleet now have plans to return to sailing in 2021. Here’s an overview:

THE CARIBBEAN

First announced in March 2021, the Celebrity Millennium will be the first in the fleet to sail with guests again as well as the first ship in the industry to sail the Caribbean. It will make its return to service in St. Maarten on June 5, taking in Aruba, Curacao and Barbados over seven nights.

EUROPE

In April, Celebrity announced its return to Europe with the news that Celebrity Apex, its newest addition to the fleet, will be making its world debut in Athens on June 19 with seven-night sailings to the Greek Isles. The cruise marks a history return to Greece for the company, which was founded there 33 years ago. 

THE GALAPAGOS

The U.S. summer sailings also follow the news that beginning July 4, the mega-yacht Celebrity Flora will resume sailing the Galapagos Islands. It will be followed soon after by the award-winning Celebrity Xpedition and 16-passenger Celebrity Xploration on July 24 and Sept. 18, respectively.

ALASKA

Celebrity announced its long-awaited return to Alaska will begin July 23 with seven-day itineraries sailing roundtrip from Seattle on the Celebrity Summit. The ship, which recently underwent a US$500 million renovation, will offer nine sailings through mid-September. 

To simplify the luxury experience, Wi-Fi, drinks and tips are now ‘Always Included’ on every Celebrity cruise. Plus, Celebrity’s ‘Cruise with Confidence’ program provides flexible cancellations and best-price guarantees. 

For information on Celebrity’s health and safety measures go to https://www.celebritycruises.com/healthy-at-sea. 

For more information on the new U.S. summer sailings go to https://www.celebritycruises.com/2021-2022-cruises.