NCL ship to receive multimillion dollar makeover

Jason · June 1, 2005

Top-Rated Premium Line's Classic Ship to Receive Multimillion-Dollar Makeover

MIAMI, June 1 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- For most, the new century begins in 95 years, but for Celebrity Cruises, it will launch next year. The top- rated premium cruise line has announced plans to significantly revitalize its 77,713-ton Century, which entered service in December 1995.

Following an approximately $55-million makeover beginning in April 2006, and marking Celebrity's most extensive refurbishment to-date, Century will emerge from a five-week drydock period on June 2, 2006, with 314 new verandas.

"This initiative is nothing short of miraculous, technically and otherwise - particularly the veranda program," said Celebrity's President Dan Hanrahan. "In just five weeks, we will add 314 verandas, which is a first for an existing cruise ship."

The revitalization project also will result in the addition of 14 new suites, 10 new staterooms ranging from inside to veranda category, an expanded number of ConciergeClass category staterooms, a new specialty restaurant, and a series of the "tastes of luxury" that typify the line's acclaimed Millennium-class fleet.

"Our goal is to modify the Century to be more aligned with our Millennium- class fleet, in order to maximize guest satisfaction and offer every Celebrity guest a consistently extraordinary vacation experience across the fleet," said Hanrahan.

It's All About Choices

* Like Celebrity's Millennium-class specialty restaurants, Century's new specialty restaurant will present an intimate, elegant dining experience with a menu designed by Celebrity's longtime culinary and wine consultant, Master Chef Michel Roux. The venue, still to be themed, will follow the distinctive style of Celebrity's Millennium-class specialty restaurants, which introduced the industry's first tableside cooking, carving and flambe.

* Celebrity's "Casual Dining Boulevard" on the lido deck will be expanded to offer a Sushi Cafe, made-to-order Pasta and Pizza Bar, a small ice cream parlor, along with buffet breakfasts, themed lunches, and dinner service with a casual dress code every night.

* In response to growing guest interest in Celebrity's Spa Cafes on the Millennium-class fleet, a new Spa Cafe will be introduced on Century, offering light, healthy spa cuisine for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

* Century's dramatic, two-level "Grand Restaurant" will continue to offer both light and elaborate breakfasts, lunches and five-course dinners in an elegant setting.

* Cova Cafe Milano, the seagoing version of the stylish coffeehouse in the heart of Milan's fashion district, will adopt the pastry and chocolate displays that have made the venue such a "hot spot" on the line's Millennium- class fleet. At night, the space will transform to a romantic, lamp-lit wine bar, complete with live music.

* A sophisticated new Martini Bar offering Celebrity's famed menu of more than 30 versions of the popular libation will be located adjacent to Century's "Michael's Club" piano and jazz bar.

* Outdoors on the aft deck, a new bandstand and bar complete with tapas carts will offer the ultimate setting for romantic sailaways at sunset.

Abundant Enrichment Opportunities

* "High Seas Computing" will find a home onboard the Century, just as it has on Celebrity's Millennium-class fleet, in a newly dedicated space offering guests Internet access and courses ranging from basic computer use to web site creation to digital photography.

* Holder of the largest corporate collection of contemporary art, Celebrity Cruises continues to offer guests the opportunity to enjoy great original works throughout each ship in the fleet, as well as in its new art galleries. Like those on the Millennium-class fleet, Century's new art gallery will join the array of trendy boutiques in "The Boulevard," allowing art aficionados to purchase one-of-a-kind works.

* Because enrichment isn't appreciated only by adults, the "Fun Factory" children's area will be expanded, and a new teen room will be added, featuring a number of options ideally suited to adventuresome teens.

A Wealth of Wellness

* Century will follow the lead of Celebrity's Millennium-class in presenting a permanent space dedicated solely to the line's exclusive "Acupuncture at Sea" program, offering guests acupuncture treatments, therapies and enrichment lectures by licensed doctors of Oriental Medicine.

* An industry pioneer in presenting a spa experience at sea on a par with the best of those on land, Celebrity has won numerous awards for its exotic AquaSpa facilities operated by the elite Elemis Ltd. Century's AquaSpa will be expanded significantly to allow for a number of new features yet to be announced.

Accommodations of All Sizes

* Century's enormous accommodations initiative will, first and foremost, add 314 new verandas to both aft and side staterooms. A total of 393 staterooms among the total 907 will have verandas. The number of ConciergeClass staterooms, featuring the host of amenities offered in that category, will increase to 176. A total of 10 stylish ocean-view staterooms will be added, along with 14 new Sky Suites, each suite offering Celebrity's impeccable, 24-hour butler service.

Celebrity's ambitious Century revitalization project will be completed during drydock from April 28 through June 1, 2006. The line has begun a bidding process to select the shipyard where the work will be performed.

Following its revitalization, the "new" Century will set sail on a series of 12-night Baltic and 10- and 11-night Mediterranean sailings, a 13-night "Best of Europe" voyage, and a seven-night Norwegian Fjords cruise. Bookings for all itineraries open June 3.