Just for you—your exclusive Captain’s Club Newsletter is here
We’re excited to share with you that on May 1, Laura Hodges Bethge became President of Celebrity Cruises. Laura has been with Royal Caribbean Group more than 23 years and has held senior positions in many different areas, including product development, hotel and marine operations, sales, marketing, product innovation, market development, and investor relations. Previously, she was Senior Vice President of Product Development for Royal Caribbean International and led the teams conceptualizing their groundbreaking ships, private island destinations, and new experiences introduced throughout the award-winning fleet, including the first island in Royal Caribbean’s Perfect Day Island Collection–Perfect Day at CocoCay. Laura is an exemplary leader with a long history of success at the company. And with her level of experience, the future for your favorite cruise line is looking very bright.
This is a unique opportunity for guests aboard Celebrity Solstice® and Celebrity Millennium® to laugh and cheer alongside each other at a show that’s big on energy, crowd interaction, and dubbed a must-see by the Travel Channel. Don’t miss this one.
Experience multiple glaciers from your own window seat. A thrilling water landing follows, along with an authentic Alaskan meal. Make sure you have plenty of space on your camera or phone for photos.
Explore Canada’s “City of Gardens” on this scenic drive through historic downtown Victoria. You’ll tour one of the world’s most famous gardens, and enjoy a catered reception featuring locally sourced ingredients. It’s the perfect way to close out your perfect vacation.
It all started when Ryan’s friend Darren organized a 4-night Key West & Bahamas getaway on Celebrity Millennium® for February 2022. It was Ryan’s first Celebrity cruise, and he loved it. It didn’t take long for his group to start planning the next sailing to celebrate his upcoming 40th birthday. They contacted Celebrity’s Group Booking Team, got their date, and sailed on Celebrity BeyondSM in March 2023. “What an amazing trip,” Ryan said. “When people ask me what my favorite part of the vacation was, I tell them the entire trip.” They invited a lot of friends from across the country for Ryan’s birthday bash, thinking maybe a handful would commit. He was pleasantly surprised when 18 people signed up to join him. “What was amazing is how far people traveled. My friend Elizabeth flew all the way from Berlin, Germany. We had people come from Washington, DC, Lexington, KY, Tallahassee, FL and Atlanta, GA.”
They enjoyed a couple of days in Fort Lauderdale prior to sailing, and when the big day arrived, the excitement was palpable. Embarkation day was his birthday, which was made extra special when everyone found bottles of chilled champagne in their staterooms. He was particularly smitten with his accommodations. “Tyler and I stayed in a Sky Suite, and our butler Tridip was exceptionally attentive and helpful getting us acclimated. It will be hard to sail again if we aren't in The Retreat,” Ryan said.
The group loved everything about Celebrity Beyond℠ and said the dining was top notch, which was a very important factor to Ryan. “Tyler and I set up a reservation for Le Voyage by Daniel Boulud, and I'm not exaggerating when I say the food was some of the best we've ever eaten—and Tyler is a professionally trained chef, so that's no small thing.” The Sunset Bar became the group’s daily pre-dinner meetup spot, where one evening they got to meet Captain Kate and were blown away by her warmth and hospitality. They would meet again. Ryan and pals, who in his own words, “like to stand out,” wore themed outfits on most days. One day may have started out a bit messy, but it ended up making for a great moment. “I spilled something on my birthday shirt (designed by my friend and fellow passenger Sally), so I made sure to wear it the day Captain Kate was signing models of Celebrity Beyond℠ so she could sign my shirt—she did!” It's photo number 8 below.
The group had such a great time that they booked three more sailings while on board. “Not only did the Celebrity crew create a welcoming environment for our group, but you now have a whole group who is ready to set sail again. I'm even working with my mother to plan a Celebrity cruise to visit the Panama Canal,” Ryan told us. We’re honored to have awesome guests like Ryan and his friends, and we’re happy to have played a part in making his birthday so memorable. We can’t wait to have you all back on board soon.
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