The line's new class of ships is the first in a wave of upcoming new-build ships with innovative design.

Blueprint - Sideview of Celebrity Solstice

The cruise industry is on the verge of another cycle of new ship releases. For the first time since the last cycle culminated around 2000, many new vessels will be new designs -- not just sister ships or minor alterations of existing floor plans. When these new ships start coming out late next year, one major change will be a focus on veranda staterooms: Most ships will have 90 percent outside cabins, and the vast majority of those will have a balcony.

Celebrity Solstice		Celebrity Cruises' 122,000-ton Celebrity Solstice is arguably the most exciting new ship set to debut this year, since it has the only completely new design, from bow to stern, introduced by any cruise line in 2008. It will be Celebrity's first new vessel since Constellation was introduced in 2002 as the fourth in a series of Millennium-class vessels. Solstice is a completely new design, with many of itd design innovations outlines below.

As the first ship of a whole new generation of cruise ships from almost every cruise line on the bsuiness. When Solstice is in late 2008 it will make the beginning of whole new era in cruising. The ship will carry 2,850-passengers and is the the first of four new builds for Celebrity Cruises. Two more sister ships based on the same design will come out about a year apart: Eclipse and Equinox. A fourth is under contract and yet to be named.

Because Celebrity is due to be the first to debut a new generation of designs, and its competitors are still in the design and building process for their ships, Celebrity is understandably keeping a lot of the details of its vessels under wraps.

Laying the Keel

The new class of Celebrity cruise ships, the Solstice-class, went from concept to reality Papenburg Germany where they laid the keel in a ceremony at the Meyer Werft shipyard. Pictured below are Celebrity President Dan Hanrahan painting the keel.

The ceremony includes a centuries-old tradition of laying coins permanently deep within the keel, for good luck. Newer traditions include ceremonially applying the first coat of paint. The reason for using the color green for the keel has not yet been identified, but reasons not given include the date being Saint Patick's day or environmental friendliness.

click on pictures below for larger images:

Box of Lucky Coins		Cross Section		Painting

We have compiled plenty of renderings of the ship, especially the staterooms since they are already being sold. And we have an idea of what the alternative dining venue "Blu" will look like. We also know that the spa and Solarium areas of the ship will be very special; it looks like these ships will focus heavily on spa access, health and wellness.