Unique launch for Celebrity Equinox
By: Louise Goldsbury and Bruce Piper, Cruise Weekly

An outdoor country club, a new activities program and an unusual christening ceremony were the standout features of Celebrity Cruises' latest ship.

The christening of the new 2850-passenger Celebrity Equinox was conducted in the ship's indoor theatre, rather than its muchhyped Lawn Club, due to the wet weather in the UK port of Southampton on Friday, but the occasion was warmed up by a moving speech by the ship's godmother and a twist on the traditional smashing of a champagne bottle.

Acting as godmother was Nina Barough CBE, founder of British breast cancer charity Walk the Walk, who shared her personal story and asked everyone to hold hands, "think happy thoughts" and hug the person next to them to bring good blessings to the ship.

Barough then cut a pink ribbon, handed to her by an acrobat, that signalled the release of the suspended champagne bottle, which was created by the onboard glassblowing facility run by Corning Museum – a first for any ship in the world.

As the magnum smashed against the ship's funnel, it was broadcast live on a big screen to passengers watching from inside.

The 900 guests included travel agents and media, with Richard Fain, ceo and chairman of Royal Caribbean Cruises, delivering the ceremony address.

The ceremony also featured buglers, drummers, bagpipes, singers and blessings by a priest and rabbi.

The stylish $800-million ship is the second of Celebrity Cruises' Solstice class vessels to launch in less than a year and the first to offer the line's new program of "life enriching" onboard activities.

The Celebrity Life program, which will be rolled out across the fleet, includes dance contests, cooking competitions, galley tours, 13 language classes, lectures by the Smithsonian Institute, blog-writing lessons, stargazers' parties and cocktail workshops.

The new AquaClass staterooms, with special access to the day spa, were also unveiled, ahead of the ship's maiden cruise to the Norwegian fjords.

But the Lawn Club, with half an acre of real grass, was the company's proudest feature, providing an open-air space where passengers can practise putting and bocce or relax on deck chairs away from the pool.

For voyages out of Southampton the company estimates 90% of passengers will come from the UK, with a small proportion of Australians and New Zealanders.

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