With Celebrity Ascent, has Celebrity firmly placed itself in the premium market?
Harry KembleCelebrity Cruises’ president Laura Hodges Bethge’s vow at Celebrity Ascent’s naming ceremony that the ship would offer “the best premium vacation” felt like a change in approach.
Since the launch of its first Edge-series ship – Celebrity Edge – almost six years ago, the line has repeatedly claimed to offer a “modern luxury” experience. This strapline has accompanied each of the previous three Edge-series ship launches.
In a press conference held onboard Ascent, Hodges Bethge revealed an unnamed UK travel agent recently told her they were selling Celebrity to customers who normally book Four Seasons or Shangri-La hotels.
The agent argued Celebrity offered the “same phenomenal experience” as these luxury hotel chains, even though they didn’t believe Celebrity sat in the same space.
The debate over whether Celebrity is a premium or a luxury product would be a lengthy one. Celebrity’s ships are larger and staff to guest ratio is lower than on many cruises operating firmly in the luxury sector. And we all know what is luxurious is a matter of personal opinion. Some may highlight the number of inclusions in the cruise fare, some might point to the suite inventory, while others might focus on the onboard service levels.
During a trade event on Ascent, one US-based agent claimed to be losing Celebrity bookings as gratuities are not currently included in the cruise fare, while another appealed for onboard credit to be applied to suite customers’ accounts to persuade her clients to book Celebrity.
Including gratuities or providing onboard credit, of course, are guaranteed by many luxury cruise lines, such as Regent Seven Seas Cruises or Seabourn.
That said, can Celebrity ignore the small number of disgruntled agents and achieve its goal of delivering the best premium holiday?
Ascent is undoubtedly another fantastic addition to the line’s fleet. The Edge-series is so successful, in fact, that as each Edge-series ship launches, seemingly fewer and fewer changes are made.
Onboard Celebrity Ascent, six new productions debuted, The Annexe games room was added, and some of the public spaces – including speciality restaurant Le Voyage – have been redesigned. This represents nothing more than a few tweaks – Celebrity clearly knows what a history-making product it has.
Hodges Bethge confirmed Ascent is “very similar” to the previous Edge-series ship, Celebrity Beyond. “[Ascent] has been made a little bit bigger,” she said, adding: “The expansion has given us more room to do the entertainment.”
With the fifth Edge-series ship not launching until autumn 2025, the line is preparing for a period of consolidation. “2024 is the year of elevating everything to what our [suite area] Retreat customers really value,” Hodges Bethge continued.
Perhaps Celebrity hopes that by distancing itself from the increasingly crowded luxury cruise market, it can shine right at the top of the premium market with its four Edge-series ships and the rest of its upgraded fleet.
Hodges Bethge knows the UK and Irish market is a crucial cog in the Celebrity sales wheel, which explains why she pledged to increase ex-UK capacity “over time” while onboard Ascent. The UK and Irish market remains the line’s biggest outside North America.
Next year, Celebrity will offer its largest ship visit programme since the pandemic, with more than 1,000 places available to the trade.
UK and Ireland sales director Claire Stirrup strongly hinted Celebrity Ascent would be included in the programme, raising the prospect of frontline cruise specialists experiencing the new ship in 2024. "We know that if agents get on these ships, it will help them understand the product,” she explained.
Hodges Bethge, meanwhile, revealed Edge-series ships are attracting both new-to-cruise and new-to-brand customers to the line. “We use land-based architects to get this land-based resort feel on our ships,” she explained. “Having an Edge-series ship in each of the places that we visit broadens our aperture.
“I don’t want someone to select another brand because it’s easier for them. Having deployment around the world broadens our customer base.”
Hodges Bethge, who took over from Celebrity chief Lisa Lutoff-Perlo in May, has once again showed she clearly has an innate grasp of the appeal of Celebrity’s Edge-series ships – and how they can power the line to becoming the best premium holiday provider in the travel sector.
For what it’s worth, I would place the fourth Edge-series ship – along with its sister vessels – firmly in the luxury space, owing to its food and beverage offering alone. But I appreciate that not everyone will share my view about what makes a cruise ship luxurious.
With that said, Edge-series must be one of the most, if not the most, successful fleets in recent memory. Frankly, Celebrity could target any market – luxury, premium or mainstream – and fill each of its four Edge-series ships in the blink of an eye.
When the final Edge-series ship, Celebrity Xcel, launches in autumn 2025, it will feel like the end of era. No doubt cruise observers will be desperate to know what direction Hodges Bethge and her senior leadership team take when launching Celebrity’s next class of ship.
I, for one, don’t envy them; the Edge series will be a tough act to follow. And that talk of what comes next has already begun.
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Harry Kemble
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