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You'll be surprised which cruise line is offering short weekend cruises in 2024

June 28, 2023
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3 min read
20230620_Celebrity Cruises Exteriors_Celebrity Reflection
You'll be surprised which cruise line is offering short weekend cruises in 2024
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Move over Carnival: There are new, short weekend cruise offerings in town. For the first time, Celebrity Cruises will sail three- and four-night voyages from Florida, year-round, beginning in April 2024.

In offering these cruises, Celebrity will also double its capacity in the Caribbean by redeploying Celebrity Reflection to the region all year. It will join new fleet mate Celebrity Beyond, which has been sailing there since November 2022.

The announcement comes just a week after sister brand Royal Caribbean said the new ship Utopia of the Seas will offer similar short sailings. It's rare for newer vessels to offer short voyages, which often appeal to passengers with limited time or money or new cruisers who aren't sure they want to commit to an entire week.

Celebrity Beyond cruise ship at sea at sunrise
Celebrity Beyond. CELEBRITY CRUISES

Catering to a recent surge in traveler demand for shorter voyages, Celebrity Reflection will offer a consistent rotation of three-night weekend cruises (departing each Friday and returning each Monday morning) and four-night weekday sailings (departing each Monday and returning each Friday morning).

The ship's itineraries will include stops at Key West in Florida, and Nassau and Bimini in the Bahamas, round-trip from Fort Lauderdale.

Celebrity Beyond will sail six- and eight-night voyages from Fort Lauderdale, calling on ports like Grand Cayman; Cartagena, Colombia; Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao; St. Lucia; St. Maarten and St. Kitts.

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In another first for Celebrity, both ships will also visit Perfect Day at CocoCay, Royal Caribbean's private island in the Bahamas, which received a $250 million overhaul in 2019. The island features several beaches, a hot-air balloon ride, a lazy river, a giant wave pool, a cluster of waterslides (including North America's tallest) and an exclusive beach club with elevated cuisine and floating cabanas.

"Our customers are consistently asking for more opportunities to visit this stunning region year-round, have more weekend options so they can get away easier, and have expressed a desire for a private island destination. By introducing this new program, we can meet this demand and offer something new and historic to all our guests," said Laura Hodges Bethge, president of Celebrity Cruises, in a statement from the line.

"Perfect Day is a destination like no other, and we are honored to add it to our portfolio."

Planning a cruise? Start with these stories:

Featured image by CELEBRITY CRUISES
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

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  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

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  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.