Port Has Brush with Celebrity on Cruise Ship’s First Call
November 26, 2009
Ship to Sail Direct from Charleston Makes Inaugural Visit
CHARLESTON, SC – November 24, 2009 – The 1,898-passenger CelebrityMercury made its inaugural call in the Port of Charleston today,offering a preview of the beautiful ship that will begin a series ofcruises sailing from the Holy City in February.
The Celebrity Mercury will offer seven sailings direct fromCharleston starting in February and running through April, includingalternating 10- and 11-night Caribbean voyages with visits to St.Thomas, St. Maarten, St. Kitts and Tortola on the eastern series, andKey West; Costa Maya, Mexico; Belize City, Belize; Cozumel, Mexico, andNassau on the western lineup.
Celebrity will also offer one 16-night transit through the PanamaCanal that disembarks in Los Angeles, California. Beyond next year’sschedule, the ship is also slated for a series of five sailings fromCharleston in 2011.
“We are pleased to welcome the Celebrity Mercury to the Port ofCharleston and eagerly await her return in the coming months,” said JimNewsome, president and CEO of the South Carolina State Ports Authority(SCSPA), which owns and operates the Port of Charleston’s cruiseterminal. An updated master plan for the cruise terminal is underway.
On adding Charleston, Celebrity Cruises said that its travel agentpartners and guests repeatedly say that they want more options to sailwith Celebrity from the Eastern seaboard. According to the cruise line,the Charleston sailings represent very attractive new cruise optionsfor Celebrity’s loyal base of cruisers.
“Celebrity is a world-class cruise line and this is a world-classship,” said Newsome. “Its reputation and the amenities it offers itsguests is a perfect fit for Charleston and what our cruise marketwants.”
The ship’s next port-of-call in Charleston is December 14, beforestarting the embarkations on February 15 and 26, March 8, 19 and 29,and April 9 and 19.
For more information or to book a cruise, call your travel agent, dial 1-800-437-3111 or visit www.celebritycruises.com.
Celebrity Mercury Facts
- Ship’s Registry: Malta
- Built at Jos. L. Meyer GmbH & Co., Papenburg, Germany
- Maiden voyage: November 2, 1997
- Refreshed in 2007
- Capacity: 1,898 guests (double occupancy)
- Tonnage: 77,713
- 866 feet long
- 105.6 feet wide
- 25.5 feet draft
- 21.5 knots cruising speed
- 10 guest decks10 guest elevators
- 909 crew
About Celebrity Cruises
Celebrity Cruises offers comfortably sophisticated, upscalevacation experiences with highly personalized service, exceptionaldining, and extraordinary attention to detail. Celebrity sails inAlaska, Bermuda, Canada/New England, the Caribbean, Europe, GalapagosIslands, the Pacific Coast, Panama Canal and South America. The linealso offers unique cruisetour vacations in Alaska, Canada, Europe andSouth America. Noted for four of the top 10 Top Cruise Ships in theWorld in the large-ship category, as voted by the readers of CondéNast Traveler (February 2009 readers’ poll), Celebrity’s fleet –including the new Celebrity Solstice and Celebrity Equinox, will bejoined by Celebrity Eclipse in 2010, a fourth Solstice-class ship in2011, and a fifth in 2012. For more information, call your travelagent, dial 1-800-437-3111 or visit www.celebritycruises.com.
About the South Carolina State Ports Authority
The South Carolina State Ports Authority, established by thestate’s General Assembly in 1942, owns and operates public seaportfacilities in Charleston and Georgetown, handling internationalcommerce valued at more than $62 billion annually while receiving nodirect taxpayer subsidy. An economic development engine for the state,port operations facilitate 260,800 jobs across South Carolina andnearly $45 billion in economic activity each year. For moreinformation, visit www.scspa.com.
