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The Ceremony had been delayed by the pandemic.
Beauty and wonder meT excitement and anticipation as Celebrity Cruises’ stunning new-luxury ship, Celebrity Apex, kicks off its inaugural Caribbean season, setting sail from Ft. Lauderdale on Tueday. The festivities included the ship’s official naming ceremony led by her inspiring Godmother, Reshma Saujani, the founder of groundbreaking non-profit Girls Who Code and author of bestseller, “Brave, Not Perfect.”
Celebrity Apex’s much-anticipated arrival to U.S ports is a landmark moment for the brand, as the vessel’s launch was originally planned for late March 2020. Following a short run of Greek Island sailings earlier this summer, the ship now embarks for the first time from U.S shores on rotating Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries, where guests will visit the picturesque islands of Puerto Rico, St. Thomas, Belize, Grand Caymans and more.
“We are elated to welcome Celebrity Apex to our family of magnificent vessels that push the boundaries of what’s possible on a cruise ship,” said Richard Fain, chairman and CEO, Royal Caribbean Group. “As we welcome guests back to the seas aboard the newest Edge class ship, we are excited to deliver the very best vacation experience that is the hallmark of every Celebrity cruise.
“Celebrating Celebrity Apex is certainly long overdue and it’s a day I have been waiting to celebrate for quite a long time - 581 days, to be exact. This stunning ship truly represents a
new standard in new-luxury travel, and we can’t wait for our guests to finally experience it for themselves,” said Celebrity Cruises President and CEO Lisa Lutoff-Perlo. “As we say in our new brand campaign, we know guests will not only, ‘Journey WonderFULL,’ aboard this beautiful ship, but that she will also be the industry’s most talked about new ship.”
Joining the executives onstage, and in keeping with nautical tradition, Reshma Saujani will
officially name Celebrity Apex on board the ship in a beautiful ceremony. Also in attendance will be hundreds of guests including local dignitaries from the City of Hollywood and City of Dania Beach; representatives from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Coast Guard, Broward County Sheriff’s Department, and Broward County Fire Rescue, as well as media and invited guests.
Reshma Saujani follows Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Malala Yousafzai, the first Edge Series Godmother, who inaugurated Celebrity Edge in November 2018, and is renowned for her advocacy of educational opportunities for girls everywhere. Saujani also represents women breaking ground, having led the charge to provide opportunities for women in the traditionally male-dominated tech field.
“I can’t think of anyone better to serve as Godmother for this ship than the incredible Reshma Saujani,” continued Lutoff-Perlo. “Reshma is a visionary, leading the charge to challenge stereotypes and inspire a whole new generation of girls and women to bravely pursue tech jobs; just as Celebrity is working to close the gender gap at sea, growing our percentage of women serving as bridge officers to 30 percent in an industry where the average is 2 percent. It is Reshma’s game-changing spirit that makes her the perfect Godmother for a game-changing ship like Celebrity Apex.”
“It’s both thrilling and humbling to serve as the Godmother of Celebrity Apex,” said Saujani. “Similar to the mission of Girls Who Code, which is centered around closing the gender gap in tech, Celebrity is leading the way to create a more diverse future in the cruise industry.
The brand’s commitment to the cause is clear not only through the leadership of its President and CEO Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, but in its incorporation of on-board STEM programming. I can’t think of a more inspiring place to learn about the wonders of the maritime industry than on board Celebrity Apex and Girls Who Code is honored to help in this effort.”
In honor of Saujani’s work, Celebrity Cruises will offer fun, interactive beginning coding activities from the Girls Who Code curriculum as part of the cruise line’s onboard Camp at Sea program.