Celebrity Cruises has been fine tuning brand’s positioning based on market research and guest feedback, Worldchoice conference 2025 was told. Most passengers travel without children, preferring exploration and restoration at their own pace. They enjoy fine food and wine. The average passenger age stands at 45, down from 57 eight years ago, due to new ships and perceived value. Celebrity Cruises accepts families, but those seeking waterslides opt for sister brand Royal Caribbean.
Valerie Murphy of Celebrity Cruises told the 2025 Worldchoice conference at Johnstown Estate in County Meath that sailings for 2026 and 2027 opened earlier than ever. Eight ships operate in Europe now, expanding to ten in 2026 with 100 destinations and 60 overnights. Overnights function as mini breaks for customers. The new ship Celebrity Xcel launches in two weeks with seven new experiences, including restaurants Bora and The Bazaar. One experience remains unannounced until passengers board. A €5m investment upgrades Solstice-class ships, starting with Celebrity Solstice entering dry dock in January 2026. It emerges for Hong Kong sailings then heads to Alaska for summer.
The upgraded Solstice offers a Grand Voyage of nine back-to-back sailings totalling 110 days at sea, covering over 50 destinations across ten countries from Alaska through Hawaii to Australia and the Far East. Customers can select segments rather than the full itinerary. The voyage runs from September to January, featuring a double overnight in Hong Kong for New Year’s Eve. Deployment for 2026 includes three ships in Alaska with renewed Solstice, Edge for scenic routes, and seven-night Iceland itineraries on another vessel. Beyond and Reflection sail the Caribbean year-round with calls at Perfect Day at CocoCay. Millennium handles Japan season amid rising popularity.
Celebrity Cruises is to enter river cruising in three year’s time with innovative ships Compass and Seeker, incorporating favourites like the Martini Bar, Sunset Bar, and Cafe al Bacio. General sale in September sold out in five hours. 2028 sailings open in January, with plans for ten ships by 2034. Tools for agents include Celebrity Central for bookings, training webinars, rewards points, and marketing assets. On-board sales provide commissions up to 20pc on higher-value bookings made during cruises, with lower deposits and credits for guests. Bookings return to agents. A trade support team handles queries via new phone and email.
The sixth Edge-class ship began construction last week, launching in 2028. Murphy encouraged discussions on increasing on-board sales during afternoon sessions. Key takeaways centre on demographic shifts, European expansion, ship upgrades, long voyages, river cruise entry, and agent support tools for sales growth.
Valerie Murphy shared:“An overnight is like a little mini break for your customer. This is an absolutely no brainer effort for you to make money while the sleep. You can 20pc commission and 20 grand bookings.”
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