Girl About the World

Celebrity Silhouette (rendering courtesy of Celebrity Cruises)

Earlier this week, I covered some of the fun changes coming to the Celebrity Silhouette (2011) and Celebrity Reflection (2012) ships that differ from their three Solstice-class predecessors. In addition to a whole lot of Lawn Club amenities and some additional staterooms, the ships will be outfitted with a brand-new Michael’s Club and a replacement for Team Earth.

Part of the brand from the beginning, Michael’s Club has been an elegant social club with a grand piano as the centerpiece. On the Silhouette and Reflection, it’ll keep the name but get a new concept: craft beer bar. In addition to 50 international beer selections, Michael’s Club will offer fine whiskeys, scotches, cognacs, and bourbons. Snacks will include potato chips, breadsticks, and popcorn. Guests can learn how to pour the perfect draft, uncover the secrets of the right beer glass, and broaden their understanding of craft beers. “We’ll have someone in there who really understands them,” says Dan Hanrahan, CEO of Celebrity Cruises. The musical vibe will be the likes of Jack Johnson and Rascal Flatts in the daytime; Maroon 5, Kings of Leon, and Coldplay in the evening.

The last major change will be to the area currently occupied by Team Earth. While I like the globe and the concept of having a space to explore environmental issues, I didn’t see this area being used much, and even I got impatient navigating the interactive touchscreen presentation. In its place will be The Hideaway, a retreat-like environment decorated in a palette of greens and browns. There will be space for 30 people to read, listen to music, grab a cup of coffee, and kick back in chairs that are promised to be “exceedingly comfortable.” The centerpiece of The Hideaway will be two treehouses that people can climb into to get away from it all and relax.

“We wanted to bring something different,” Hanrahan says. “We have evolved and innovated at Celebrity for years — it’s been a consistent guiding principle for the brand.”

The Porch (rendering courtesy of Celebrity Cruises)

The Celebrity Cruises Solstice-class ships are already pretty cool in my opinion, but they’re about to get awesomer (let’s just pretend that’s a word — they’ve let more ridiculous ones than that into the Oxford English Dictionary, after all).

So what’s new on the Celebrity Silhouette and Celebrity Reflection? Some extra rooms, to start with. And the Reflection will be widened a meter, adding 42 suites, 11 inside staterooms, 19 Concierge Class veranda rooms, 118 seats to the Oceanview Cafe, 40 seats to the main dining room, 245 sun loungers, 45 seats in the theater, and more.

But what’s really exciting are the changes in three areas of the ship: The Lawn Club, Michael’s Club, and Team Earth.

The Lawn Club, already much buzzed about for its live grass, will get some hammocks, giant Adirondack chairs, and a new dining venue called The Porch, which will serve quick, simple, fresh breakfast and lunch fare. Celebrity Cruises CEO Dan Hanrahan describes it as having a “Hamptons feel” and anticipates that it will be a popular spot for breakfast.

Lawn Club Grill (rendering courtesy of Celebrity Cruises)

The Corning Museum of Glass will turn into the Lawn Club Grill, which will feature hands-on cooking classes, demos, and guest chefs by day. At night, it’ll be a celebration of grilling, with an outdoor alfresco restaurant feel to it. “It’ll be like grilling in your backyard, except your backyard is on one of the most beautiful cruise ships,” Hanrahan says. A $30 surcharge will apply to dining at the Lawn Club Grill.

Also at the Lawn Club will be the Art Studio, a great gathering place for art enthusiasts to learn more about painting, drawing, beading, and more and to put those skills into practice. Shore excursions will be tied into the club. Some activities will require a fee, while others will be complimentary.

The Alcoves (rendering courtesy of Celebrity Cruises)

For those who want to feel like they’re relaxing while also getting some work done (my standard MO on a cruise), The Alcoves will be a set of eight cabanas that accommodate two to four guests each. Picnic baskets and Wi-Fi are offered here, and there will be a small yet-to-be-determined fee to rent for a partial or full day.

“What we’ve really tried to do with this whole Lawn Club area is make it interactive and enable guests to feel like they’re outdoors with the sea or right on top of the port,” Hanrahan says.

Check back later this week for more of what you can expect on the Silhouette and Reflection, including the big changes to Michael’s Club and Team Earth.