seatec - Finnish marine technology review 2/2010 | Page 24

Eclipse to the rescue! THE NEWEST SOLSTICE-CLASS SHIP MAKES ITS DEBUT WITH STYLE It was a cruise ship launch like no other. And it was a storybook rescue worthy of a king. Celebrity Eclipse, the latest in a series of five stunning Solstice Class ships from Celebrity Cruises, was all set to embark on a twoday promotional cruise on April 22-24, when she received a more urgent mission. As luck would have it, 2,200 vacationers were stranded in Spain due to the travel disruption caused by the volcanic eruption in Iceland. Celebrity Eclipse promptly left her homeport of Southampton, England, and headed for Bilbao, Spain. 22 seatec 2/2010