Celebrity Cruises Summer 2013 Goes On Sale Today

Celebrity Cruises summer 2013 cruises go on sale today, with the 5* luxury cruise line concentrating on their two UK based ships, Celebrity Eclipse and Celebrity Infinity, a first for the cruise line. Another first going on sale today is the Celebrity Solstice's 2013 Alaska programme — the first time a Solstice class ship has cruised the Alaskan coastline.

Highlights:

• Two ships based out of the UK for the first time.
• Newly refurbished Celebrity Infinity to sail from Harwich.
• Celebrity Eclipse continues to offer popular Med sailings from Southampton.
• Solstice class ship to cruise in Alaska for the first time.
• Captain's Members can book from today, general public can book from tomorrow.

Next year's summer cruises will be the first time the cruise line has based two of their ships out of the UK. Celebrity Eclipse has sailed regularly out of the UK since her launch and will continue to sail from Southampton throughout the summer. The Solstice class ship, popular with Brits' wanting ex-UK sailings, will be joined by Celebrity Infinity, who will be spending the summer season sailing from the increasingly popular departure port of Harwich.

Celebrity Infinity has recently completed a major modernisation as part of the cruise line's Modern Luxury Makeover programme, which has seen Celebrity spend upwards of $140 million on their Millennium class ships. The ship has undergone a complete make-over of her staterooms and public areas, with the best bits of the Solstice class ships plucked and added to the charming Celebrity Infinity. These improvements include new Aqua class staterooms — complete with the exclusive Blu restaurant — the amazing culinary experience that is Qsine and two great new bars, the Martini Ice Bar and Cellar Masters — boasting a groundbreaking wine serving system, I'd try to explain it, but I can't.

The cruises go on sale from today for all Captain's Club members, which is essentially anyone who has completed a cruise of two nights or more onboard. If you are planning your first cruise with the luxury line, then you can pre-register today though Iglu, or you can book anytime from tomorrow.

Having these two fabulous ships based from the UK is huge news in the cruise world and shows real commitment from Celebrity Cruises towards the British cruising community. Celebrity Eclipse will continue to offer her usual range of fantastic Med and Canary Islands cruises, while Celebrity Infinity will sail to the Norwegian Fjords, Baltic and around the British Isles. The two ships offer a pretty diverse choice in destinations, onboard two impeccable and beautiful ships.

To help tempt your into booking your cruise for next summer now, Celebrity Cruises are currently offering free parking and some onboard spend with certain sailings — you've got to love some free spending money for your cruise, especially with the great wine lists onboard! To tempt you further, the Iglu sales team can exclusively offer you half-price pre-paid gratuities (or tips to us Brits) and free credit card charges on deposits. For more details pop over to our Celebrity Cruises 2013 promo page.

If you fancy somewhere a little different Celebrity Cruises will be sending their flagship to my favourite destination next summer, Alaska. If you have never visited Alaska, and if cruising is about visiting beautiful, fascinating destinations as opposed to lying on a different beach each day, then this is somewhere to add to your list. Put it this way, if I was told I could only do one more cruise, it would be Alaska — and before you get the wrong impression I'm 29, not 79.

The Celebrity Solstice is arguably the cruise line's finest ship and Alaska is one of the most naturally beautiful places on earth, probably only matched by the Norwegian or Chilean Fjords.

The itineraries sailing from the UK or sailing to Alaska are available from today, for the period 3rd May 2013 until 20th October 2013. Celebrity Cruises fly-Med programme due to go on sale 27th March and the rest of their itineraries will follow shortly afterwards.

So, whether its beaches, Fjords, mountains, charming wood-filled ports, ancient cities or cosmopolitan surrounding you are after, Celebrity Cruises' 2013 summer cruise programme has it all.