Celebrity Cruises is sailing into the future with the launch of a new virtual experience called “Wonderverse”.
In an industry first, travelers will be able to “see before they sail,” exploring a hyper-realistic digital recreation of aspects of Celebrity’s newest ship in the transformative Edge® series, the Celebrity BeyondSM, complete with the ship’s artistic and inspirational spaces, entertaining signature moments like Celebrity’s famous Martini Bar Flair Show, and the chance to visit top destinations that Celebrity sails to, from Europe to Asia, Alaska and the Caribbean.
In addition, guests can meet and chat with the line's top leaders as digital avatars, including President and CEO Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, inspiring Captain Kate McCue – the first, and still only, American female captain of a major cruise ship, and Nate Berkus, Celebrity's Edge® Series Travel Ambassador and designer of the Sunset Bar on Celebrity Beyond.
Created in collaboration with the architects of the virtual events platform Surreal Events, Celebrity's Wonderverse also includes minigames and activities, entertainment, Easter eggs that reveal special offers and much more, all hosted on the web.
“Celebrity Beyond is the newest, most luxurious, and most innovative ship in our fleet, and I can’t think of a better ship to showcase its cutting-edge design than our state-of-the-art Wonderverse,” said Lutoff-Perlo. “Celebrity has always been at the forefront of consumer desires, literally creating resorts at sea with our ship designs and onboard experiences; and now we’re bringing this to life in new ways to inspire and connect with travelers.”
“We’ve revolutionized cruise ship design, and now we’re revolutionizing where cruises are experienced,” said Celebrity Cruises Chief Marketing Officer Michael Scheiner. “The Wonderverse allows us to unveil and bring to life the richness and fullness of the Celebrity experience in truly exciting ways that we can’t do through traditional marketing and advertising channels. We believe this has opportunities to expand even further, creating experiences that our consumers are looking for.”
Once connected to the Wonderverse, consumers will move from one space to another, enjoying immersive and interactive content including:
– The Magic Carpet®, which cantilevers over the sea with uninterrupted views for enjoying virtual cocktails or dinners.
– The Grand Plaza, the social epicenter of Celebrity Beyond, spanning three decks, will serve as a social lounge where guests can connect, listen to music, enjoy Celebrity's iconic Martini Bar Flair Show, and chat with Celebrity President and CEO Lisa Lutoff-Perlo.
– The Resort Deck, featuring a rooftop garden, the ship's main pool, unique cantilevered floating pools, and sunken seating, offers interactions with Captain Kate and Nate Berkus, who presents the brand's 2024-2025 season offerings. Guests can also relax on lounge chairs and take a dip in the pool.
– The Sunset Bar, designed by Nate Berkus, where Berkus shares his personal travel experiences reflected in the internationally inspired ambiance of the multi-level outdoor space and terraces, while guests enjoy one of the most talked-about spaces on any cruise ship.
The journey begins with a user-controlled bidding game to the Magic Carpet, where participants will have the opportunity to create their own personalized avatar. Participants will then be transported to the Resort Deck, where they will be personally greeted by Captain Kate, who will be available to answer their questions and from where they can explore the ship.
From there, visitors can also experience some of the destinations in the Wonderverse. As part of the experience, guests will have easy access to a portal for making instant bookings.
