PAPENBURG, Germany -- Celebrity's third Century-class vessel,
Mercury, is as contemporary in design as its sisters, Century and
Galaxy, but hardly a cookie-cutter copy.
The same public spaces received a different, in some cases
radically different, treatment on the new sister. The AquaSpa, for
instance, gets a new Moorish theme on the Mercury.
Other big changes include the Cigar Club, which has been moved
to deck eight. It is horseshoe-shaped and enclosed in glass and
offers views looking into the atrium.
The main dining room, the Manhattan Restaurant, features two
levels, a grand staircase and a stunning bridge that just may
become the most desired spot to sit.
The Mercury boasts many open, interesting spaces that should be
enhanced by the ship's art collection that officials said
represents "the cutting edge of the international art world." The
centerpiece is a Sol LeWitt mural in the aft atrium, which was
commissioned for the Mercury. Other works include abstract art,
sculpture and multiple object displays.
Like the Century and Galaxy, the Mercury offers high-tech
features including a state-of-the-art cinema and conference center,
which has been redesigned.
The ship features some of the largest suites and verandas at
sea. Its two penthouse suites can be combined with an adjacent room
to offer more than 1,500 square feet of space. The Sky Suites,
which offer 424 square feet of living space, have 179-square-foot
balconies.
The Mercury will make its U.S. debut Oct. 26 to Oct. 28 in New
York, where inaugural activities are set to take place. The ship
departs on its maiden voyage Nov. 2 for a seven-night western
Caribbean cruise from Port Everglades, Fla.