The Celebrity Mercury will offer seven sailings direct from Charleston starting in February and running through April, including alternating 10- and 11-night Caribbean voyages with visits to St. Thomas, St. Maarten, St. Kitts and Tortola on the eastern series, and Key West; Costa Maya, Mexico; Belize City, Belize; Cozumel, Mexico, and Nassau on the western lineup.
Celebrity will also offer one 16-night transit through the Panama Canal that disembarks in Los Angeles, California. Beyond next year’s schedule, the ship is also slated for a series of five sailings from Charleston in 2011.
“We are pleased to welcome the Celebrity Mercury to the Port of Charleston and eagerly await her return in the coming months,” said Jim Newsome, president and CEO of the South Carolina State Ports Authority (SCSPA), which owns and operates the Port of Charleston’s cruise terminal. An updated master plan for the cruise terminal is underway.
On adding Charleston, Celebrity Cruises said that its travel agent partners and guests repeatedly say that they want more options to sail with Celebrity from the Eastern seaboard. According to the cruise line, the Charleston sailings represent very attractive new cruise options for Celebrity’s loyal base of cruisers.
“Celebrity is a world-class cruise line and this is a world-class ship,” said Newsome. “Its reputation and the amenities it offers its guests is a perfect fit for Charleston and what our cruise market wants.”
The ship’s next port-of-call in Charleston is December 14, before starting the embarkations on February 15 and 26, March 8, 19 and 29, and April 9 and 19.
For more information or to book a cruise, call your travel agent, dial 1-800-437-3111 or visit www.celebritycruises.com.
Celebrity Mercury Facts
- Ship’s Registry: Malta
- Built at Jos. L. Meyer GmbH & Co., Papenburg, Germany
- Maiden voyage: November 2, 1997 Refreshed in 2007
- Capacity: 1,898 guests (double occupancy)
- Tonnage: 77,713
- 866 feet long
- 105.6 feet wide
- 25.5 feet draft
- 21.5 knots cruising speed
- 10 guest decks
- 10 guest elevators
- 909 crew
