Celebrities cruises blessed by science

Given its name, you might have thought the ideal person so open a celebrity cruise would be … a celebrity.

But the people at Celebrity Cruises decided to break with tradition - or rather logic - and call on a scientist to bless its latest vessel, the Celebrity Solstice.

Ocean expert Sharon Smith named the white-hulled, 2,850-passenger vessel this month in Fort Lauderdale, USA in a no-expenses-spared celebratory ceremony.

She did the honours in the boat's on-board theatre, in which the St Andrew's Pipe Band of Miami regaled the audience with their bag pipe skills.

The group played U2's hit A Beautiful Day.

Smith's occupation as a biological oceanographer has given her good sea legs and she was billed at the event as the first scientist to have christen a cruise ship.

The scientist, who has spent her career studying the ocean's smallest components such as ocean food webs, also serves as the Dean of the Undergraduate Program in Marine Science at the University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science.

She also passionately campaigns for breast cancer research, after beating cancer twice herself in the 1990s.

Smith will use her affiliation with the celebrity cruise ship to raise money for this cause and is hosting a fundraiser on the Solstice this year to help low-income women suffering with breast cancer.

The ship set sail for the first time on November 23rd and will perform a series of seven-night trips around the eastern Carribbean from Fort Lauderdale.

Then, from spring next year, the ship will perform a series of ten and 11-night European cruises.

According to statistics released by the Discover Cruises, this kind of holiday has become increasingly popular over recent years.

The organisation claims that by the end of 2008 around 1.25 million Brits will have headed to the high seas for their holidays, making it a top travel choice.

Its claims, which are made on the basis of research released by the Passenger Shipping Association, that the growth is particularly impressive as it comes at a time when foreign package holidays are in decline.

Peter Conway, project manager for CruiseUK: "Cruising around Britain has never been more popular and CruiseUK will continue to work with its partners to ensure a memorable experience for both the passengers and their hosts.

"With new port facilities commissioned across the country we are looking forward to welcoming an increasing number of vessels, where they will discover the quality experience that Britain has to offer."