The first of five of Royal Caribbean International’s and Celebrity Cruises’ ships arrived into the Port of Southampton today, with four more sailing into the UK over the next couple of weeks to embark on their 2013 summer seasons.

This year marks the first season that five of the cruise lines’ ships have sailed from UK ports of call at the same time - Adventure of the Seas that will sail from Southampton being the additional entrant.

 Independence of the Seas arrived into the Port of Southampton today and sister ship Adventure of the Seas will sail into the port on 5 May 2013, marking the first time the ship has sailed out of the UK port. Celebrity Eclipse will make its summer debut when it arrives in Southampton on 3 May 2013.

The Port of Harwich will also play host to new cruise ship arrivals as Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Infinity arrives on 13 May 2013. Sister brand Royal Caribbean International’s Brilliance of the Seas will also arrive on the 13th of May.

Sailing from Southampton, Independence of the Seas will offer a series of new itineraries including an increased number of shorter sailings such as two-night cruises to Le Havre for Paris. The ship will also offer eight night cruises to Norway, 14-night Norway and Cork cruises, various 14-night Mediterranean cruises, and 12-night Canary Islands cruises while the 3,114-guest Adventure of the Seas will offer a series of seven to 16-night cruises around the Mediterranean and Northern Europe. Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Eclipse meanwhile, will offer a mix of 14-night Mediterranean, Scandinavia/Russia, Iceland/Norwegian Fjords and Canary Islands/Azores holidays from Southampton.

To kick off its summer season sailing from Harwich, Celebrity Infinity will offer a comprehensive mix of 10, 11 and 12-night Norwegian Fjords, British Isles and European wine harvest cruises while Brilliance of the Seas will offer a range of 11, 12 and 13-night Scandinavia and Russia sailings, taking in ports of call including Stockholm, Sweden; Helsinki, Finland and St. Petersburg, Russia.

 Nicki Tempest-Mitchell, head of trade sales, Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises, commented: “Summer 2013 is a great milestone in the history of Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises with five ships dedicated to the UK market, and plenty more throughout Europe. We’ve listened to agents and are offering great itineraries from both Southampton and Harwich featuring popular destinations such as Iceland, Northern Europe and the Mediterranean. We are offering agents a huge range of cruise options to choose from this summer, and with both ports of Southampton and Harwich easily reached by road, rail and air, we’re confident that selling these fantastic itineraries will be smooth sailing.”