Celebrity Cruises Aims Younger

When Celebrity Eclipse launches in April guests will find several new Celebrity features targeted at a younger market. Two of the additions, both announced this week, are the Celebrity iLounge and the Qsine experiential dining venue.

With the new venues, “Celebrity is reinforcing the market they have and always have had — the yuppies who want health, value, trendiness, and lots of quality built into the brief vacation that they allow themselves… I think that Apple Mac is a perfect brand partner, seeking the same demographic,” said Stan Jenson of All Ways Cruising and Out Cruising.

“I think that Celebrity is trying to lure new passengers, not just younger passengers,” Sherry Laskin, owner of Vacation Shoppe, told Travel Market Report. “Being innovative has become a Celebrity trademark. The new Qsine and iLounge are definitely going to be mini-attractions.”

‘Celebrity iLounge,’ is an Internet café, Mac store and educational hub all rolled into one.

According to a Celebrity spokesperson, the cruise line’s research shows that Celebrity passengers are heavy users of the Internet for staying in touch, research and general knowledge. Furthermore, she said the line’s target demographic of age 35 and older are some of the heaviest users of the major social media sites, making the “hip” Celebrity iLounge with its technology and cool design is a “natural fit” for the line.

“A heavily dedicated partnership with Apple, if perfected marketed and promoted, will most definitely be a lure to the 35 year old and up cruise passenger,” Laskin said.

The Celebrity iLounge is composed of three main areas: a series of 26 contemporary workstations where guests can check their e-mail, keep up with their social media connections and print boarding passes; a retail space offering cruisers the opportunity to see and try out the latest MacBooks, iPods and accessories; and an enrichment center where certified staff will offer guests tips on Mac or iPod usage.

Also offered will be online classes, a part of the line’s Discover series and Celebrity Life experiences. Available in the iLounge, the series of new courses are designed to suit a variety of guest needs – including do-it-yourself photo books, movie editing and Web design. All classes will be taught using Mac software.

Located on deck six of Celebrity Eclipse, the Celebrity iLounge will house the 26 MacBook Pro’s, classroom and retail area, in addition to display pods, a 56-inch flat-screen TV for use during classes, and an accessible workstation.

The Celebrity iLounges will also be available on Celebrity Silhouette, which launches in 2011, and the fifth ship in the Solstice Class fleet, which sets sail in 2012.

In addition to the iLounge, Celebrity Cruises is introducing what it calls a “uniquely unordinary” dining venue on the Celebrity Eclipse. Called Qsine, the restaurant is a small plate, experiential venue designed to make food fun.

Designed by Celebrity’s vice president of culinary operations, Chef Jacques Van Staden, Qsine will offer diners an artistically modern twist on familiar dishes. From the menus and the name of the dishes to the furnishings (there are four different chair styles scattered throughout the dining room) and manner in which dishes are presented, Qsine is totally different.

Among the selections are spring rolls nestled in vertical springs; “Sushi Lillipops”; Chitinis – Chinese staples served in martini glasses; the Slider Party – a selection of mini-grilled Kobe beef patties that diners must assemble themselves; and Lava Crab – King crab served over heated red stones. Many food choices are interactive and require guests to put their own finishing touches on the selection.

According to Van Staden, dinner at Qsine is meant to be a shared experience, that brings a sense of fun and play to food.

The Dinner menu is a large, backlit square filled with words and phrases. The Wine menu is an iTouch that guests can scroll through to learn more about the wines on offer and the Desert menu is a twistable cube, which diners must unravel in various ways to view all the options.

Qsine, servers, called chefs, are being trained to know each dish intimately so that they can guide diners through the entire experience.

Qsine will carry a $30 per person surcharge and has a capacity for 82 dinners. It will be open nightly from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. The restaurant will be found exclusively on Celebrity Eclipse and the two newbuilds still on order.

Reservations can be made in advance of sailing on Celebrity’s Web site at www.celebritycruises.com.

Travel agents should visit www.CruisingPower.com, the line’s travel agent portal, for more information about Celebrity Cruises.