What Makes Celebrity Cruises’ Epic President’s Cruise So Special?

12.07.2024 - 18:55 / travelpulse.com / Laurie Baratti / Celebrity Cruises

Perhaps it was the Celebrity Cruises Captain’s Club members who didn’t even know they’d booked a President’s Cruise who seemed to enjoy it the most.

From the enhanced onboard décor and poolside activities to exclusive events like wine tastings and officers’ parties, these loyalty guests had a blast aboard this week’s special sailing, which saw the line’s executive leadership team and the company’s president herself joining in the onboard revelry.  

The six-night sailing, which took place June 23-29, carried its contingent to Perfect Day at Coco Cay, Royal Caribbean Group’s private island destination, Grand Cayman’s Georgetown and Bimini in the Bahamas before heading back to Fort Lauderdale. 

Celebrity Cruises executive leadership members duing 2024's 'Conversation With Celebrity' session. (Photo Credit: Northstar Travel Group/Laurie Baratti)

Captain’s Club members John and Sue told me they had no idea they’d booked aboard the annual President’s Cruise beforehand, but that they were stunned by the extent to which offerings around the ship had been elevated to mark the occasion.

In the midst of sailing back-to-back cruises, these Elite Plus-level members are already Celebrity devotees who had been on board for two weeks prior, but said they were surprised to find the festivities outdid anything they’d experienced before.

“We were on the eight nights before. When it switched to the President’s Cruise, I can’t tell you how much it was elevated,” said Sue. “I could not even imagine how wonderful it was. I mean, we’re out walking the track while nobody’s on the ship and they’re decorating the elephant by the pool and they’re putting up beautiful flower displays, and I thought ‘My goodness’. I mean, they’ve really stepped it up.

Celebrity Cruises President Laura Hodges Bethge mingles with guests aboard the 2024 President's Cruise. (Photo Credit: Northstar Travel Group/Laurie Baratti)

Like plenty of these loyalists, the couple had already had an opportunity to converse with Celebrity’s President Laura Hodges Bethge herself during one of the Captain’s Club members-only events.

But access to the president wasn’t limited just to VIPs—she was out and about enjoying all sorts of happenings among the broader guest contingent, getting down in the trenches to personally umpire the guests-vs-officers volleyball competition on President’s Pool Day, demonstrating her culinary talents in an onstage cooking competition, opening each day’s shows and hosting various other entertainment offerings, and generally lending support to her fellow executives and Celebrity crew members.  

According to those who work closely with her, Hodges Bethge is the sort of person you rarely encounter in such a high-level position—not only uniquely