The 2,850-passenger Celebrity Eclipse’s maiden season in Australia will chalk up another first — it will be the first time Celebrity has based a ship in Melbourne.
Following a 14-night Singapore to Sydney repositioning via Australia’s east coast, Eclipse arrives in Sydney on December 8, 2020 and will sail a two-night sampler voyage before departing on a 13-night cruise to Melbourne via New Zealand.
She arrives in Melbourne on December 23 and will operate round trips, ranging between eight and 14 nights, to destinations in the South Pacific, New Zealand, Queensland, Tasmania and South Australia.
Inaugural Australian season
Eclipse’s inaugural Australian season ends on April 4, 2021 with a 19-night voyage from Melbourne to Honolulu.
Meanwhile, Celebrity Solstice, which began her annual extended season in Australia in 2012/13, arrives in Sydney on October 16, 2020 after a 17-night repositioning voyage from Honolulu via Tahiti.
She will operate round cruises to other Australian ports, the South Pacific and New Zealand.
Solstice's ninth annual season
Her ninth annual season ends on April 14, 2021 when she sails on a 19-night repositioning voyage from Sydney to Honolulu.
The company operated two successful seasons Down Under with Celebrity Mercury in 2007/08 and Celebrity Millennium in 2008/09.
It returned to Australia for the 2011/12 season with Celebrity Century, which was replaced by Celebrity Solstice in 2012/13.
Susan Bonner, vp and md RCL Cruises Australia and New Zealand, said the decision to homeport two Solstice-class ships is a testament to the strength of the industry in Australia and its popularity with international and domestic tourists.
Itineraries for the two ships will be released when the 2020/21 programme goes on sale November 7.
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