Experience the World with Celebrity Cruises

Today we are continuing to cruise our way through our series on all things cruising.

We're gonna step things up a notch this week as we go cruising with Celebrity Cruise Lines.

Oh baby.

With Celebrity Cruise Lines, you are sure to visit the most unforgettable destinations, receive the most amazing service, and oh my goodness, taste the most fine dining experience you will ever have.

Lucky enough, I had the opportunity to sit down with a member of the team at Celebrity Cruises to find out exactly what it is that makes celebrity the luxurious cruise experience that it is.

Hey guys, I'm super excited to be joined today by a member of the team from Celebrity Cruises, Michelle Homoki.

Michelle, welcome to the podcast.

SPEAKER_02: Oh well, thank you.

I'm so pleased and honored to be here, Kevin.

SPEAKER_01: Well, wonderful.

Well, thank you so much.

Before we dive into Celebrity Cruises, would you mind just introducing yourself and what your role is with a celebrity?

SPEAKER_02: Well, I've been with Celebrity Cruises for 28 years and really enjoy every single moment, and I'm so proud and honored to be with a brand like Celebrity Cruises.

I am a market sales director for the Southeast region, and what that entails is I have six sales reps that call on travel partners from South Florida all the way through DC and Virginia.

And I also have a wonderful marketing manager who helps put our promotions and uh marketing in place throughout the Southeast region.

SPEAKER_01: Awesome.

Awesome.

Oh, wonderful.

Well, perfect.

Well, let's dive in.

I'm super excited.

We are continuing a whole series about cruising.

And so I'm excited to dive in on who Celebrity Cruises is.

Would you kind of mind giving us from that kind of thousand-foot view of who Celebrity is?

SPEAKER_02: Sure.

Well, Celebrity Cruises, first of all, is an award-winning contemporary luxury cruise line that opens the world up for all.

We were actually founded in 1990 and we merged with Royal Caribbean Cruises in 1997.

So we're part of the Royal Caribbean group.

On board our ships, you'll find really stunning design, culinary excellence, outstanding service, and a focus on wellness.

Our ships provide luxurious accommodations, and we really travel to unforgettable destinations.

Just this year, we were voted Best Premium Cruise Company by Travel Weekly's Globe Travel Award.

That's such a huge honor, and we're so excited about that.

Celebrity celebrates the backgrounds from which our guests, crew, and staff are from, and our industry leaders.

And I am so grateful to work for an organization that cares about the well-being of our world, from the people to planet Earth.

SPEAKER_01: That's awesome.

That's so wonderful.

So wonderful.

Now, where in the world does celebrity cruise?

SPEAKER_02: Oh gosh.

Well, we cruise, we sail to more than 300 different destinations and sail all of the continents, including a couple of itineraries that travel actually to Antarctica.

So that's exciting.

And we have 14 ships in our fleet, and many of them focused on a destination or two throughout the whole year.

SPEAKER_01: Wow, that's awesome.

That's awesome.

Now, now you said for the for those listening who may not be, you know, understand how it all works and stuff.

What is the relationship with celebrity and Royal Caribbean?

SPEAKER_02: Well, we are actually part of the Royal Caribbean group.

So we're one brand under Royal Caribbean.

So it's Celebrity Cruises, Royal Caribbean International, Azomar Cruises, and Silver Sea.

So we're all under the umbrella of Royal Caribbean.

SPEAKER_01: That's awesome.

That's awesome.

Now wonderful.

Now, one thing that I think is really awesome about you guys, and if I'm not mistaken, you guys have the first woman captain.

Is that correct?

SPEAKER_02: Oh gosh, yes, and we are so proud of that.

SPEAKER_01: Yes.

Well, that's awesome.

Well, well, tell tell me about this woman captain, because I think a lot of people might be a little interested in this.

SPEAKER_02: Sure.

Well, we have Captain Kate McHugh, and she actually captains the celebrity edge.

And, you know, if you think about it, and as I mentioned, one of our core brand's values is to really foster diversity and inclusion.

And our president, Lisa Lutov Perlow, is a real champion for women's equality.

And just 2% of the world's mariners are women.

So that's a very interesting statistic.

And Lisa has worked hard to increase the number of women working on the bridge across our fleet.

And we've actually gone from 3% to 27% over the last five years of women working on the bridge.

I don't know about you, but that that is super fantastic.

And Lisa actually appointed Captain Kate in 2015, making her the first female captain in America.

It was great because this past March on International Women's Day, we actually made history when Celebrity Ed sailed with the world's first all-female bridge and leadership team.

And Captain Kate, she was at the helm.

You know, she really is such an inspiration.

And I would encourage if you're not following her on social media, you really should.

It's at Captain Kate McHugh.

And her cat, Bug Naked, also shares her amazing life at sea.

He has a great Instagram too at Bug Naked.

It is, it is, I promise you, you'll enjoy it.

It is so entertaining and wonderful.

Very inspirational.

SPEAKER_01: Well, that's so awesome.

That's so awesome.

I I just had the uh multiple points.

I was like, all right, let's go ahead and girl power.

I'm telling you, that's so girl power.

SPEAKER_02: Well, you know, and as I said, I've been in the industry for 28 years, and it just makes me so honored and proud.

And I think that's why we have so much passion for a brand, and I know I feel that way, as I said, because it's almost from A to Z.

I feel like we cover it all.

And you know, I'm all proud in this day and age to work for a company like that.

It just it just really makes me feel great.

SPEAKER_01: Absolutely.

That's awesome.

Do you know off the top of your head how that compares to other cruise lines, other umbrellas as far as women can't?

SPEAKER_02: Well gosh, I am sure that we blow it away.

I don't think there's anyone close to the 27%.

And again, you're talking about 3%, that was the average when Lisa started, right?

And I I specifically remember the day she announced Captain Kate.

I mean, we all got goosebumps at our company because we knew that now we're moving forward.

And and again, it's in this industry, it truly is male-dominated in as far as uh uh world's mariners, as I said, because two percent only are women.

So that's that's an interesting statistic as well.

SPEAKER_01: Of course.

That's so awesome.

So awesome.

While we're on the subject of uh what makes uh celebrity cruises super unique with all your your female captains and such, what else would you say, if you can put it into words, separate celebrity from other cruise lines?

SPEAKER_02: Oh, absolutely.

Well, first of all, here's I think one of the neatest things is we are uniquely positioned in our own category with how we define luxury.

So it's almost like we didn't fit into one or the other, so we created our own.

And it isn't stuffy, it's comfortable luxury with the design, aesthetic, current, really what people look for today, so so modern.

You know, we led the industry authentically from ship to shore with innovation, diversity, inclusion, as we just discussed, health and safety, and our commitment to the environment.

And our standards are held with the highest regard.

And we really walk the talk on implementing procedures that exceed the status quo.

And that's the other really, really great statistic or great fact that I really love.

Again, being with the company 28 years, we go above and beyond to really beat and exceed that status quo.

And I have personally sailed a lot of other lines, and I always come back to celebrity service.

And I'm not just saying that because I work for the company.

I just feel that, especially with the the retreat experience with dedicated butler service, it truly feels genuine, intuitive, and unhurried.

And that's really how your vacation should be.

And yeah, that's that's how I really feel.

SPEAKER_01: Absolutely.

It sounds sounds out of this world.

Now, who would you say is the the ideal guest for celebrity?

SPEAKER_02: That is a great question.

And I really feel like cruising is the best way to explore the world.

And and really, we feel like celebrities for everybody.

You know, our guests love that contemporary luxury and they love exploring all the destinations as we talked about, because we're we really travel the world.

You know, we welcome singles, couples, families, multi-generational families, weddings, groups, corporations.

And I think holidays are a wonderful opportunity to bring extended family together for the true experience, if you think about it.

You know, what a gift and what a way to create a legacy with your family.

And we also celebrate Pride Month every June with events on board across the fleet.

SPEAKER_01: That's awesome.

I love it how you guys just have something to offer for everybody.

I think that's I think that speaks to cruising in general.

And um I think you guys kind of take it to another level.

So that's awesome.

SPEAKER_02: Thank you.

And I I really love, and this is something that I've actually been talking with a lot of friends lately about just holidays.

And I think being able to, you know, put all the worry behind and get your family together and do something wonderful on the ship.

Because if you think about it, what why people go cruising is to celebrate, right?

So, you know, to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, and and it's truly a great holiday celebration, as I said.

And I myself have been able to be on the ship for Thanksgiving, one year and Christmas.

And it's so nice to leave the worries behind and just to have the ship take care of everything.

You know, from A to Z, you feel like you're really pampered.

And and I really feel like more and more people are starting to travel together and would love a holiday cruise or as I mentioned, some type of celebration when they cruise.

SPEAKER_01: Absolutely.

And I feel like, you know, if anything that the year 2020 has taught us, it's the importance of time together with our families, experiences, and you know, less about those material things.

And so Oh my gosh, absolutely.

I agree with you.

Absolutely.

And so so wonderful.

Well, now I would love you to kind of dive in deep to what somebody can expect the experience to be like on one of your cruises.

I know, I know they differ greatly dependent upon the destination, but if there's kind of an overall feel, you know, of what the cruise would be like.

SPEAKER_02: Sure.

Well, I did talk previously about celebrities, the intuitive service and the unharried aspect of being on board.

And think about this.

Once you arrive to the ship, you have our beautiful staff greeting you with a glass of champagne.

You know, you'll find the crew ready.

They welcome you warmly and really deliver that experience like no other vacation.

What a great way to start your vacation, right?

And right off the top, you know, and with the itinerary you handpicked, we take care of your destination for you.

And here's the other thing: it's likely you choose an excursion or two during your vacation.

And these are really unforgettable because they could be customized.

And and again, instead of just scouring the web for, you know, putting tours together and something like that, we can actually provide that.

And more and more people really, really like that as part of almost an all-inclusive experience.

You know, and while you're at sea, oh my gosh, there are so many things to do.

You could lounge by the pool or you could relax with a skin treatment in the spa, one of my favorites again.

And if you like to stay busy, there are hundreds of activities and games that are happening at any time on board.

Here's the other thing that I really, really I talk to a lot of friends and and guests.

And if you're a foodie, this includes a food and wine pairing workshop or wine blending with your own custom crafted wine.

This to me, again, you know, culinary is truly one of our strong features.

And I think what we have on board for foodies is over the top.

And there's also various entertainment on board 24-7, and we have won many awards for our productions.

I really feel again that we go above and beyond.

And we we have such a really neat variety.

And first of all, we have an exclusive partnership with American Ballet Theater, which is truly a first in the industry.

And and think about that.

When you go on board, that you can see, you know, a production from the American Ballet Theater dancers.

You could, I know we even have classes where we teach some of the children, we actually have the dancers come in and teach them ballet.

You could do that as a family.

Again, what a what a wonderful experience.

And it it truly is a beautiful performance overall.

And we also have a multi-century classical aerobic show that would really blow your mind.

It's called Crystallize.

And I again, I think it's pretty neat because from morning till evening, you're always going to find some type of entertainment on the ship.

It might not be in the theater always, but throughout the ship.

But I think there's always something to do if you really want to stay active while you're on board.

SPEAKER_01: That's awesome.

Oh my goodness, it sounds so amazing.

SPEAKER_02: Yes.

I'm ready to go.

SPEAKER_01: Absolutely.

Absolutely.

And and you know, I I really love the fact that you spoke to the excellent food on board because it feels like a lot of people, you know, they think a lot of the the mainstream cruises and stuff are not really known for their fine dining.

You know, it's it's more about buffets and you know and stuff and just feeding the masses.

So to speak of it in that way, I think can really open the door to a lot of people who maybe have thought that a cruise like that isn't for them.

Now maybe they're starting to rethink that decision.

SPEAKER_02: You know, on Celebrity, culinary is truly one of our features.

There are so many different places to eat.

So I really believe that a foodie, or really anybody that comes on board, it's all about choices.

We have the main restaurant, which the menus are are really exquisite.

We actually have an area that's called blue, which in our aquaclass area where the guests really want to eat healthy, and this is really aligned with more of the healthier in the spa and wellness, this particular restaurant.

So they eat in blue, absolutely love it.

We have raw on five places like that, which you can get sushi.

We have Tuscan Grill where you can get more of a traditional rustic type Italian meal.

You know, we have the Ocean View Cafe upstairs, and you know, it's it's not a buffet per se, but it's a casual atmosphere where again, I I feel like it truly is a place where you can go and have an amazing meal, breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

If you don't want to go in the main restaurant.

So, you know, I I believe we're really offering a variety.

And last but not least, I would be uh remiss if I didn't mention Le Petite Chef, which if you haven't heard of that, picture this.

It's a company which's actually called Skull Mapping.

What they actually do is it's a beautifully choreographed tabletop.

They actually bring your table to life.

So it's actually an animated, beautiful story right in front of you, you know, on your plate and on your table.

And to me, you know, again, there's no other place where you can get so many choices.

So that's where I truly believe anyone who comes on celebrity, they're gonna be truly happy with these types of options.

SPEAKER_01: Well, that sounds awesome.

You've you've definitely caught my attention when you start talking about my plate coming to life.

And I'm like, wow, this is awesome.

SPEAKER_02: It's all about choices, right, Kevin?

Because I think that there's so many people in the world now, again, we don't like to be told, okay, you need to go eat at this time.

We like to have choices, and you know, whether we're cruising with our family or a significant other, and be able to do what we want to do and have options.

And that's what life's all about.

And again, I I really feel like we we cover that so well.

SPEAKER_01: Absolutely.

I'm I'm a uh firm believer that uh variety is the spice of life.

So I want I want some choices, absolutely.

You got it.

Well, wonderful.

Now, you know, we've we've spoken a little bit about life on board the ships, but now let's talk about where they're going.

And I specifically would love to dive in deep to uh the Galapagos.

Sure.

Would you mind kind of sharing what that trip might look like?

SPEAKER_02: Oh my gosh.

First of all, I would love it.

I had the opportunity, and I know I'm gonna get goosebumps talking about it.

It is just such a bucket list destination, and it's accessible to everyone with a cruise on celebrity.

You know, when you think about the Galapagos Islands, first of all, are an unforgettable destination, and it truly is a bucket list for many, many people.

And we offer year-round opportunities, and we have three different ships over there of which you could experience.

And I think the thing about Galapagos that makes me remember it the most, it's it's the memories you're creating, it's the beautiful animals, and the fact that a lot of times you're face to face.

Let me give an example.

You could be in just swimming, and you'll have a sea lion come up and want to play with you.

And again, you're face to face with nature's beauty.

And I don't think there's many places in the world where you can say that.

And it truly is to me, it's almost like you're closest to heaven.

But we do have three ships over there.

We have the flora, we have the expedition, and we have the exploration.

And you know, Flora, first of all, this is our newest ship, and we are so proud of this.

She's a 100-person mega yacht, and they're all sweet.

So can you imagine?

You know, what a great experience.

Here's the other thing that I really like because we are truly environmentally conscious.

And with a place like Galapagos, that is so important.

When you think about the flora, she's really at the forefront of our sustainability, our innovations.

She boasts solar panels to supplement the electric supply.

And this is something that's really interesting.

She uses reverse osmosis equipment to actually process seawater into fresh water to supply 100% of its needs on the ship.

So talk about, again, innovation and really using our products in the way that's innovative and protecting the environment.

And the other thing that's really interesting, Flora has a state-of-the-art dynamic positioning system that enables her to stay on par without having to deploy anchors.

So then you think about it, this protects the pristine environment in the Galapagos.

So once I heard about that feature, again, I my heart was just so happy because we have to protect the beauty that the Galapagos offers.

You know, the islands, again, it's they're very protective of the nature and what you're going to experience there.

And the other thing that's really interesting that we added with our experience is you can experience what's called glamping.

Glamping underneath the night sky.

And if you haven't heard about glamping, think about it.

You actually, it's it's this beautiful white, almost like a cabana up on the top deck, where you get to be served dinner, you get to really sleep under the stars.

I mean, how close to you know to the to the world?

Where do you where can you do something like that?

Then when you get up, they serve you a beautiful breakfast.

But again, that is just something that I think we do in such a way where you feel so pampered.

And I I personally have never had to experience this, but this is something that I want to go back and be able to do.

And that is something, again, that we offer on Flora that I know is such an amazing, really authentic, genuine experience for people.

And our other product is Expedition, and that has a 48-person capacity and different state rooms and suite options.

And finally, we have the exploration, and this is real interesting.

It's a 16-person capacity ship, which is really perfect if you think about it.

We are talking about the multi-generational families that we talked about, or for small groups.

And if you think about it, that's a really interesting way to experience Galapagos, you know, with again family members or a close group product like that.

So I really feel that no matter what ship you choose, here's the bottom line.

You're going to be immersed in all this beauty in the islands.

And best of all, you're going to be guided throughout this experience with one of our naturalists.

And I have to tell you, they are, you know, the people that many of them grew up in the area, you know, it really teach you about the islands and the beauty.

And, you know, whether it be the birds or whether it be, you know, any of the different species of animals that you see.

It it truly makes you feel that nature is preserved.

This is the way.

that our world should be because we know that it's not like that in many other places.

So I hope I've painted a picture and as I said I've been there once and I really want to go back again.

SPEAKER_01: Wow, that sounds just out of this world amazing.

Oh my goodness.

Sounds so amazing.

SPEAKER_02: It is.

It is.

I mean all you have to do when you think of Galapagos is, you know, look at your website, you know, look at Galapagos itself.

And I think visually it is just so stunning and it it it really touches your heart and soul.

And that's that's the one thing about the experience that it seems like everyone I talk with that goes at Galapagos came back and said it really left an imprint on them.

And I think again it's because you're so close to all of this that we don't have opportunities really in many other places of the world to experience it.

And it's a wonderful product and I'm you know again really proud of it and I really want to encourage more people to be able to experience this bucket list destination.

SPEAKER_01: Absolutely and I think I think it just I think it really speaks a lot to celebrity cruises for the way that you know we we all want to visit these destinations that you know are untouched by man.

And what I think is so awesome is the way that you speak about what they've put into these ships and how that they can bring us to it but leaving it undisturbed.

SPEAKER_02: And that that to me is especially in a place like the Galapagos is so important and it really shows that we have intention and purpose with our brand and we do it the right way.

And I think as I was talking in the beginning Kevin that's one of the reasons why you know it's it's it's really important for us to have that intention and purpose and that's the beautiful thing about the celebrity brand.

SPEAKER_01: That's awesome.

Wonderful wonderful now can you speak of any of the other um I mean I know you guys sail all over the place but any other particular destinations that really pop out to you?

I know you mentioned Antarctica earlier but do you guys do uh cruises like you know typical Caribbean and and European and Alaska stuff like that as well?

SPEAKER_02: Oh yes oh yes we sail all the different continents and I think one of the other most requested or an area that I think we do very well I would have to say Alaska.

I think again Alaska is if you think about it is such a breathtaking place.

And really the photos don't do it justice.

If you think about the Alaska season is from May to September so it's really a fantastic summer destination for families and I've actually been there twice with my family I would do it again in a heartbeat here's why when you're on the ship you get up close and personal with the glaciers think about it.

It's such an incredible experience to see the glaciers caving and we have our naturalist up on board who describes it every step of the way and it's really powerful because to me when you're standing on the deck and you're looking with all the beauty that surrounds you it is really powerful and that destination again I think we do it so well and the whole experience is truly something that I hope that more people in the world get to experience because in addition to be a beautiful place it truly is close close to heaven.

And I know you know this again is another product where when you're on the deck it's so quiet.

It's so beautiful and that is so hard to find and if you think about it that doesn't really exist anywhere else.

You know the other thing that we do that I I believe we do such a good job is we call it cruise tours and that's really an incredible option.

So what this is is a land tour that's available pre or post your actual cruise and you get to go deeper into the land and you really could appreciate more of the beauty when you have this combination.

So what you can see from the ship you get deeper into the land and to me that cruise tour opportunity is amazing.

You know Kevin you mentioned Caribbean we do an absolutely great job in the Caribbean and you know the thing about the Caribbean that I love is it has so much to offer so many different ports you know the beautiful beaches you know the people the culture it just it's something that is is a wonderful place.

And last but not least Europe.

I, you know, I have to state Europe because I feel like we have the ships that sail in Europe, we do a really good job.

And again a lot of families a lot of groups where you could really you know cruise these destinations you know the Amalfi coast you know just just places where you dream about and you know all of us dream about vacation and I think that Europe is certainly another place that many many people in the world dream about.

And it's it's really a wonderful way to see it from a cruise.

SPEAKER_01: Well my goodness I have to say I don't know I think one thing when I listen to you talk about celebrity you know cruises is I get the sensation that you know it's about more than just a cruise.

It's definitely about the the destination that you're visiting.

And I think sometimes with with uh some of the cruise lines and stuff we we all get wrapped up into just the ships what ship do we want to go on?

What ship do we want to go on?

But as I'm listening to you I'm like not only is it just the ship but it's the actual destination.

Sure.

SPEAKER_02: That is absolutely and that's where again people dream about you know their whole lives about visiting some of these destinations and I think that that is truly a beautiful thing.

Absolutely wonderful wonderful well no I have to ask the celebrity cruises do they recommend people booking through a travel agent for making one of these uh cruises come true absolutely celebrity cruises we love our value travel partners you know Kevin you all are so instrumental and first of all a fantastic resource for everyone you know whether it be someone who's taking their first cruise or a seasoned cruiser I think the insight that you provide you really help people plan the

perfect vacation and you really get to know your clients so you can really guide them you know really to the best stateroom, the best options and you know we really feel celebrity it's a one-stop shop and our value travel partners really do an incredible job of taking that worry away from you.

SPEAKER_01: Well wonderful well well I'm glad to hear it because I know I know me and all my fellow travel advisors that I work with we all think very highly of celebrity cruises.

SPEAKER_02: So thank you so I'm glad to know the feeling is mutual absolutely we couldn't do it without you we depend on you and as I mentioned earlier I've been 28 years with the company and the relationships that we have and working together you know you're like family you we're in this together right and we we have to work together to make people's dreams come true and and our trade partners are are so incredible and we're really proud and honored to be able to work together.

SPEAKER_01: Well wonderful well wonderful well well listen I know I know we have uh something that you wanted to offer up to the listeners those who are are listening when this episode is released in September but before we even get to that offer is there anything else that we wanted to talk about that you think of that people should know about celebrity cruises before we get to to that special offer?

SPEAKER_02: Well I think that the other thing I wanted to mention and I I really wanted people to understand is we have an area that's called the retreat and the retreat area is an area that is is truly all inclusive this is our sweet area and I really believe for someone who wants that luxury experience the retreat is amazing.

You get exclusive access to Luminet for dining your own personal restaurant you know the culinary in our ships is is is really delectable but it's special in Luminet because the dishes that aren't found anywhere else on the ship are prepared for our guests who go to Luminet.

And you also gain access to your own personal retreat sun deck and an inside lounge that's available 24-7.

And here's the the most beautiful thing you have a dedicated team of butlers attendants and concierge to ensure that you don't ever have to lift a finger when you're on vacation so to me the retreat is a perfect area to again experience celebrity cruises as a luxury vacation option.

SPEAKER_01: Absolutely well that sounds amazing if we if we if we if we want to add a cherry on top we've just done it.

So well wonderful well wonderful well for those who are like you know what give me some more what do you what do you have for those listening?

SPEAKER_02: Well what we have is for the month of September we are going to offer a$250 onboard credit and that's in addition to any other promotion we have so I'm sure when you you know book with Kevin there's great offers out there and he has a lot of great promotions with amenities but on top of that I'm gonna offer a$250 onboard credit for the month of September.

SPEAKER_01: Wonderful well thank you so much.

I certainly know many people are probably like yeah baby that's awesome.

I I knew I should have listened to this episode.

SPEAKER_02: So that's right.

SPEAKER_01: Well wonderful well listen I want to thank you so much for coming on the show today.

It means so much to me and uh I just want to really tell you thank you.

SPEAKER_02: Oh gosh thanks so much Kevin and again I'm honored you all mean so much to us and we we thank you so much for the relationship that we have and uh the fact that we can work together.

It it it means the world to us.

So thank you.

SPEAKER_01: Of course of course well wonderful and for all of you listening I hope you enjoyed another episode of the Lowdown on life and travel.

Have an awesome day.

SPEAKER_00: And that's the lowdown on life and travel.

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