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​​Celebrity Cruises back in New Zealand after 946 days​​Celebrity Cruises back in New Zealand after 946 days

After an absence of 946 days due to the country’s COVID-19 lockdown, Celebrity Cruises made a return to Auckland on Tuesday with its 2,850-passenger Celebrity Eclipse.

Helen Hutcheon, Australasia correspondent

October 18, 2022

1 Min Read
Credit: Seatrade Cruise News

All-electric tug 

The ship, which carries a crew of 1,250, docked at the city’s Princes Wharf with the assistance of ‘Sparky,’ billed as the world’s first full-sized all-electric harbour tug boat.

Celebrity Eclipse, which sailed from Vancouver to Hawaii and French Polynesia on September 22, will visit Bay of Islands on Wednesday, before heading to Sydney where it will arrive Saturday.

Down Under season

The vessel will then undertake an extended season of cruises, visiting New Zealand and the South Pacific, before departing Sydney on April 22 for the return voyage to Vancouver.

Huge milestone

‘Today is a huge milestone for Celebrity Cruises and the local Auckland community with Celebrity Eclipse officially making her debut in New Zealand waters,’ said Celebrity Cruises VP and MD Australia, New Zealand and APAC, Tim Jones.

Jones said the company is ‘extremely grateful’ for the support it has received from valued travel partners and guests for the upcoming Australia and New Zealand season.

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About the Author

Helen Hutcheon

Australasia correspondent

Helen Hutcheon did her cadetship on a shipping magazine and worked in P&O’s Sydney office for seven years as a public relations journalist.

For 19 years she was deputy editor of Travel Week, which was Australia’s leading trade newspaper that covered major local and international industry events.

In 2008 the late legendary Rama Rebbapragada presented her with an award from Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd ‘in recognition of her outstanding contribution to the cruising industry.’

In 2010 she won the Neil Frazer Award for ‘outstanding contribution to the cruise industry,’ elevating her to CLIA Australasia’s hall of fame.

She has been the Australasia correspondent for Seatrade Cruise Review since 1997 and for Seatrade Insider (now Seatrade Cruise News) since its launch in 2000.

 

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