Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Millennium set sail on Saturday from the Port of Miami following an extensive enhanced refurbishment that completed, the company said in a statement.

“Celebrity Millennium is the fourth and final ship to complete the cruise line’s $140-million investment programme, dubbed “Solsticizing”. Ships that have been enhanced now feature a host of venues and experiences guests love most on the newest Celebrity Cruises ships,” Celebrity Cruises said.

“Solsticizing has been such an exciting initiative for us – and more importantly, for our guests, as indicated by their response to each of our refurbished ships,” said Celebrity Cruises’ President & CEO Dan Hanrahan. “Our Millennium Class ships already had a large and loyal following, having repeatedly ranked at the top of many of the world’s most prestigious consumer polls, and their original style, design and ambience served as significant inspiration for the design of the Solstice Class. So now, we’re bringing it full circle, incorporating on the entire Millennium Class what our guests enjoy most on the Solstice Class. It ties our whole fleet together in a very powerful way.”

 One of the many new features added to the refurbished ships is Celebrity Cruises’ AquaClass category of staterooms, with spacious, private balconies; exclusive access to the speciality restaurant, Blu; complimentary access to the Persian Garden and Relaxation Room in the AquaSpa; a personal Spa Concierge to book AquaSpa treatments; use of plush Frette bathrobes and slippers; enhanced personal care products, and in-room features including Hansgrohe shower heads, fog-free bathroom mirrors, aromatherapy selections, and daily deliveries of complimentary bottled water and teas. AquaClass and its host of features will be added to Celebrity Constellation in 2013.

 Another Celebrity Cruises exclusive – “Qsine,” the restaurant introduced on Celebrity Eclipse in 2010 and Celebrity Silhouette last year – is also dazzling guests on Celebrity Infinity, Celebrity Summit and Celebrity Millennium as a result of each ship’s make over. The first restaurant at sea to present a menu and wine list on an iPadTM, Qsine serves a blend of classic and contemporary dishes in custom-made table ware, such as spring rolls served in vertical springs, and popcorn shrimp in cinema-style popcorn boxes.

Other new on board features include:

·           The Celebrity iLounge, which debuted on Celebrity Eclipse and made Celebrity Cruises the industry’s first Authorised Apple Reseller

·           Celebrity Cruises’ “eXhale” bedding programme, in partnership with Reverie®, a leader in the field of luxury bedding

·           A new twist within Celebrity Cruises’ casually elegant bar, Michael’s Club, where its selection of fine whiskies, cognac, bourbons and scotches is now complemented with craft beers, including 50 international selections

·           The “cool,” ice-topped Martini Bar and Crush

·           The creperie, Bistro on Five

·           Café al Bacio and Gelateria

·           Cellarmasters wine bar, complete with the “Enomatic” state-of-the-art wine serving system allowing guests to select wines by the glass, at the touch of a button

·           New balconies added to the ship’s spacious Celebrity Suites

·           Additional oceanview and inside staterooms

·           An expanded collection of original, contemporary art

Celebrity iLounge, the eXhale bedding programme and the new Michael’s Club concept will all be added to Celebrity Constellation in 2013. 

The extensive refurbishment and enhancement initiative was completed within less than two years, with each ship completing the massive transformation over the course of an only three-week drydock period. Celebrity Millennium is currently on a Panama Canal voyage from Fort Lauderdale to San Diego. Following a 5-night wine-themed cruise from San Diego to Vancouver on 27 May, the ship will offer seven-night Northbound and Southbound Alaska sailings between Vancouver and Seward (Alaska).

* During the Solsticizing of Celebrity Constellation in 2010, the Solstice Class-inspired specialty restaurant “Tuscan Grille” – an Italian-themed steakhouse – was added to the ship, within the space occupied by Qsine on her sister ships.