SkySea Golden Era as Celebrity Century
|
|
History | |
---|---|
Name: |
|
Owner: | Blue Sapphire Marine |
Operator: | |
Port of registry: | |
Builder: | |
Yard number: | 637 |
Completed: | 1995 |
Maiden voyage: | December 20, 1995 |
In service: | 1995–present |
Identification: |
|
Status: | In service |
Notes: | |
General characteristics | |
Class and type: | Century-class cruise ship |
Tonnage: | |
Length: | 248 m (814 ft) |
Beam: | 32 m (105 ft) |
Draught: | 7.6 m (25 ft) |
Decks: | 12 |
Speed: | 21.5 knots (39.8 km/h; 24.7 mph) |
Capacity: | 1,814 passengers |
Crew: | 843 |
Notes: |
SkySea Golden Era, formerly Celebrity Century, was the lead ship of the Century-class of cruise ships for Celebrity Cruises, and the co-flagship of the Celebrity fleet, along with Millennium-class ship Celebrity Constellation, and the newest Solstice-class, Celebrity Reflection. Other ships belonging to the Century-class include Mein Schiff 1 (formerly Celebrity Galaxy) and Mein Schiff 2 (formerly Celebrity Mercury).
Century was launched in 1995 and went into a 5-week drydock in April 2006 whilst undergoing complete refurbishment. Designed to incorporate a variety of Celebrity's Millennium-class attributes, the revitalization of Century is the line's most extensive refurbishment to-date, and the largest cruise ship modification completed by Fincantieri's Palermo, Italy, shipyard.
A total of 314 new verandas have been added to the ship, along with 14 new suites, ten new staterooms ranging from inside to veranda categories, a new specialty restaurant, an expanded spa, and a series of features and amenities that typify the line's Millennium-class fleet.
The new Murano specialty restaurant in the center of the ship has chandeliers handcrafted of Murano glass, named for the island of Murano near Venice, Italy, where glass-blowing has been a fine art and tradition since the 13th century.
Century has the first "ice bar" concept at sea within its Martini Bar featuring a liquid wall that freezes to form a sparkling crystalline appearance, and a bar counter that freezes into ice-cold stone, while a solid block of ice will display bottles of liquor behind the bar.
In late December 2013, it was rumored that the ship would transfer to CDF Croisières de France in 2015. Celebrity Cruises continued to deny the rumors until February 13, 2014 when they formally announced her departure from the fleet in April 2015, from March 2014 through April 2015, Celebrity Century will visit 77 ports in 32 countries, the most destinations of any ship in the Celebrity fleet. The line will celebrate this final season with several special events, including a 14-night President's Cruise to Asia with Celebrity President and CEO Michael Bayley. On September 2, 2014, it was announced that SkySea Cruises, a joint venture between Ctrip.com and Royal Caribbean, would acquire the vessel and begin operations after April, 2015.