The Middle East is not a continent, but rather a region spanning across south-western Asia, southeastern Europe and north-eastern Africa and has a lot to offer to travellers – historically and culturally. The Pyramids of Giza, Palmyra in Syria, Petra in Jordan and Persepolis in Iran are reminders of the region's glorious past. In fact, large parts are dry deserts but still many people manage to live here, mainly along major rivers like the Nile and Tigris.
Aqaba is Jordan's only port city, located on the Gulf of Aqaba in the extreme south of the country.Aqaba is Jordan's window on the Red Sea.
Visit the capital of Modern and Ancient Greece and explore , the "Old City" of Athens, Plaka, with its neoclassical buildings and shops for gifts and souvenirs.
Climb the Acropolis hill, where the Parthenon Temple dominates, and enjoy the wonderful view. Also, take a trip along the beautiful Saronic Gulf - Cape Sounion and ancient Corinth, where you can sunbathe and admire thousand years of history.
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
The capital of United Arab Emirates and the largest city in range and population is Abu Dhabi. It is known for its parks and beautiful beaches, especially for the traditional markets. Noteworthy is the hospitality of the local people, who show to visitors their traditions and lifestyle willingly.
Catania is located on the east coast of Sicily. At the foot of the city there is the largest volcano in Europe, Mount Etna. It is a sleek, modern town and important industrial center of technology in Europe. Catania is also an arts' center with rich baroque architecture, medieval castles and Roman theaters.
Sandy beaches, sun, shopping and enjoynment, there are all in Dubai. Spend a morning at a busy traditional bazaar, such as "Gold Bazaar", one of the largest retail gold markets in the world. After that visit a modern department store with a variety of duty free items before escaping into a nearby beach in the afternoon.
Don't forget to have a look to the unique hotel Jumeirah Burj Al Arabica - shaped like a yacht, 321 meters high, one of the most impressive attractions of modern Middle East.
Civitavecchia is a town and comune of the province of Rome. A sea port which is located 80 kilometres west-north-west of Rome. The harbor is formed by two piers and a breakwater, on which is a lighthouse.
The Suez Canal in Egypt, is an artificial water channel, the largest canal in the world, with total length of 168 km. It runs along the isthmus of Suez, from north to south, connecting Mediterranean Sea and Red Sea. Through Suez Canal transportation between Europe and Asia is allowed without navigating around Africa.
| Day | City/Port | Arrival | Departure |
| 1 | Civitavecchia/Rome, Italy | ------ | 17:00 |
| 2 | Catania, Italy | 14:00 | 21:00 |
| 3 | At Sea | 00:00 | 00:00 |
| 4 | Athens (Piraeus), Greece | 06:00 | 16:00 |
| 5 | Suez Canal (Passage) | 23:00 | 00:00 |
| 6 | Suez Canal (Passage) | 00:00 | 13:00 |
| 7 | Aqaba | 08:00 | 19:00 |
| 8 | At Sea | 00:00 | 00:00 |
| 9 | At Sea | 00:00 | 00:00 |
| 10 | At Sea | 00:00 | 00:00 |
| 11 | At Sea | 00:00 | 00:00 |
| 12 | At Sea | 00:00 | 00:00 |
| 13 | At Sea | 00:00 | 00:00 |
| 14 | Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates | 07:00 | ------ |
| 15 | Dubai, United Arab Emirates | 05:00 | 00:00 |
CELEBRITY EDGE
Celebrity Cruises has gone all out with its pride and joy, the Celebrity Edge, which now comes complete with floating bars, private verandahs and plunge pools, not to mention its ship-climbing Magic Carpet platform,
Celebrity CruisesDesigned in 3-D and featuring the work of A-list architects and designers, the 2,918-guest Celebrity Edge aims to redefine cruise travel thanks to among others its Retreat Lounge with round-the-clock personal butler service, six split-level Edge Villas with stunning views, private plunge pools and direct walk-out access to the Retreat Sundeck, the Rooftop Garden and the Magic Carpet – a floating platform replacing the gangway which transforms into a specialty restaurant at night offering “Dinner on the Edge” under the stars.
“Celebrity Edge is one of the most exciting, innovative and transformational ships I have ever been involved with,” said Richard D Fain, chairman and CEO, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. “The new features and refined design will establish a new baseline for ships from here on out.”
Celebrity Edge will homeport in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Bookings are open for the luxury ship’s two seven-night itineraries: an Eastern Caribbean cruise to San Juan, Puerto Rico; Tortola, British Virgin Islands; and Philipsburg, St. Maarten and a Western Caribbean journey to Key West, Florida; Costa Maya, Mexico; Cozumel, Mexico; and George Town, Grand Cayman.
Since Celebrity's first sailing in 1990, it has been recognized as an industry leader, praised for providing spacious, stylish interiors; dining experiences elevated to an art form; personalized service, with a guest-to-staff ratio of nearly 2:1 and unexpected, trendsetting onboard activities, all designed to provide an unmatchable experience for vacationers' precious time. The introduction of Celebrity Cruises' stylish, widely heralded Solstice Class of ships has reinforced Celebrity's position as an industry leader.
It all began when Celebrity Cruises was founded in 1989 with the objective of fulfilling the travel industry's need for a high-quality, premium cruise product at an intelligent price. The company was determined to set a new, worldwide standard for cruising, and to create a distinctive expression of superior quality, grand style, attentive service, spacious accommodations, and exceptional cuisine. Believing that the dining experience is an essential part of a quality cruise vacation, Celebrity custom-built galleys to create the finest gourmet cuisine at sea, preparing everything from scratch, using only the finest, freshest ingredients. Along with the launch of the Century Class fleet in 1995, Celebrity created another industry first: a luxurious spa experience within the environment of a cruise ship, with the introduction of the AquaSpa® by Elemis. In 1997, Celebrity Cruises merged with Royal Caribbean International, bringing together two extraordinary cruise brands within one corporation, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.
In 2000, Celebrity launched the appropriately named Celebrity Millennium, and with it the industry's first application of gas turbine engines, which reduce exhaust emissions by up to 95 percent over traditional propulsion systems. Celebrity Millennium and her sister ships - Celebrity Infinity, Celebrity Summit and Celebrity Constellation - nearly doubled the line's capacity in just two years (2000-2002), with each ship offering guests an unmatched dining experience in distinctive, intimate specialty restaurants. Celebrity Millennium's "Olympic," Celebrity Infinity's "S.S. United States," Celebrity Summit's "Normandie" and Celebrity Constellation's "Ocean Liners" each boast original paneling and artifacts from the famed transatlantic luxury liners after which they are named ("Ocean Liners'"includes paneling from the Ile de France), and feature dramatic tableside cooking, carving and flambé in the true French style.
Celebrity has offered rich, pampering experiences since its inception. More than 100 brand enhancements and new "tastes of luxury" were unveiled across the fleet in 2003, including welcome champagne and mimosas, cold towels and fresh sorbet poolside, expanded options in dining, including Sushi Cafés and pasta/pizza bars, sunset yoga and Pilates classes, and more. During the same year, Celebrity introduced "Concierge Class," an enhanced level of accommodations featuring new amenities and priority services, and introduced "Acupuncture at Sea," another undisputed industry first.
In 2004, the line launched "Celebrity Xpeditions," a series of highly unique events and excursions designed to offer savvy travelers once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to be treated famously in new environments. The one-of-a-kind program gives guests the premium experiences they have come to expect from Celebrity, in new and exotic settings, including cruises in the enchanting Galapagos Islands on a luxurious mega yacht, Celebrity Xpedition, and a series of premium excursion options on select itineraries.
Today, among Celebrity’s ten ships are its Solstice Class ships, which exemplify Celebrity's emphasis on designing stunning ships and inviting onboard experiences for vacationers who appreciate the finer things. The ships have taken stylish cruising and impeccable service to new heights. Celebrity Solstice set sail in 2008, Celebrity Equinox in 2009, and Celebrity Eclipse in 2010. All three hold 2,850 guests (double occupancy) and have a tonnage of 122,000. Celebrity Silhouette joined the fleet in 2011 and Celebrity Reflection in 2012. Celebrity Silhouette holds 2,886 guests (double occupancy) and has a tonnage of 122,400. Celebrity Reflection holds 3,030 guests and has a tonnage of 126,000.
Celebrity's Solstice Class features the industry's first "Lawn Club" - an outdoor, country club-like venue featuring a lawn of real, growing grass where guests can practice their putting, play lawn games like croquet and lawn bowling, or simply relax under the sun and stars; the first Hot Glass Show at sea, presented in collaboration with The Corning Museum of Glass; and a slate of breathtaking new shows created in partnership with POET Theatricals. The Solstice Class also offers larger, more intuitive staterooms influenced by "Celebrity's Leading Ladies," five Boomer women with unique travel and hospitality insights. The new ships present fewer inside staterooms than other ships - 90% of the ships' staterooms offer outside views and 85% of staterooms have verandas - and feature an entirely new category of staterooms, "AquaClass," designed with spa enthusiasts in mind, offering a host of exclusive amenities. AquaClass guests enjoy unlimited access to the Relaxation Room and Persian Garden, as well as priority seating in Blu, a specialty restaurant with healthy dishes created specifically for AquaClass guests. The ships also present a two-story AquaSpa, with the Relaxation Room and Persian Garden similar to those found on several other Celebrity ships. Celebrity's Solstice Class ships also are the first in the industry to utilize solar technology, with some of the solar panels serving the dual purpose of providing shade within the Solarium as well as energy production. Celebrity Silhouette introduced several new venues, including The Lawn Club Grill, the industry's first outdoor, interactive grill venue; The Porch, with a chic Hampton's-style design, and offering casual breakfasts and lunches overlooking The Lawn Club and the sea; The Art Studio, where guests can participate in intimate, hands-on instruction from experts in drawing, painting and beading, as well as the art of food, with culinary-themed classes; The Alcoves, eight cabana-style settings for partial or all-day rentals on the perimeter of The Lawn Club, offering themed picnic baskets, an á la carte beverage menu and WiFi; and The Hideaway, with its avant-garde, cozy, tree house design, creating a quiet retreat for reading a good book or a high-tech escape for vacationers relaxing with iPads, which are available to rent.
Dining on Celebrity's ships is an exceptional experience. The vision of our James Beard featured chef for creating fresh, exciting, innovative dining experiences has produced such successes as Qsine, the "uniquely unordinary" specialty restaurant first introduced on Celebrity Eclipse, and the Lawn Club Grill, the first outdoor, interactive barbecue grill experience at sea introduced on Celebrity Silhouette. Our culinary vision is evident everywhere, from the recipes and ingredients to the table presentation to the service. Our hope is that you'll leave a Celebrity cruise having tried new tastes and gained a deeper appreciation for the way cuisine can influence your experiences. Before the launch of Celebrity Solstice in 2008, Celebrity Cruises had five specialty restaurants fleetwide; by the end of 2012, there be 45 in total.
Just as we elevated Celebrity's culinary excellence, Celebrity's Solstice® Class has redefined the brand overall. Many of the design elements, experiences and dining concepts introduced on the Solstice Class ships are so compelling that in early 2010, Celebrity announced plans to "Solsticize" its Millennium Class ships by incorporating iconic Solstice Class attributes through a significant revitalization. The first ship to be "Solsticized" was Celebrity Constellation®, that same year. Since then, four other ships have been enhanced to a Solstice Class sheen.
With its pulse on what guests want, and with an eye toward the future, Celebrity Cruises continues to innovate and to deliver unforgettable, award-winning vacation experiences.
