Latest news with #Celebrity Cruises
The Sun
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
I was so stressed after my dream £6k honeymoon cruise was cancelled my face COLLAPSED & was left PARALYSED
A NEWLY-WED'S face collapsed from stress after her dream honeymoon was cancelled at the last minute. Gail Morgan, 50, suffered a Bell's Palsy attack, paralysing the muscles down one side of her face after the £6,000 cruise was postponed just prior to boarding - and then axed completely. 3 3 3 Gail and new husband Pepe Davies, 53, from Wales, had flown out to Miami following their glam wedding only to be told the liner had suffered a "technical issue". They say, subsequently, their treatment by operator Celebrity Cruises has been "disgusting" - and they've only received a third of the value back as vouchers. Gail told The Sun: 'I was inconsolable. I broke down in tears. 'The heartbreak of losing our honeymoon and my 50th birthday trip, a holiday we had looked forward to for years, was overwhelming. 'And still, not a single word of communication from Celebrity Cruises. 'I recently completed my masters in social care, and this was also meant to celebrate my achievement. 'But the very next day, my facial muscles on the right side of my face stiffened up. 'Since then, my face has been stiff. I'm still going through it.' Upon return to the UK, a doctor's assessment confirmed that the 'emotional trauma and psychological stress' were 'direct contributing factors to the onset of Bell's Palsy'. The cruise was due to depart from Port Miami on July 20. Inside Love Island winners Kai and Sanam's lavish honeymoon in Bali Initially, the cruise was delayed by a day, before it was cancelled due to a 'technical issue' affecting the liner's speed. Morgan added: 'We're working class people from a small village in Wales. 'It took us three years to save for this, skipping out on holidays and life's little luxuries. 'This was meant to be a milestone. 'Celebrity Cruises didn't even inform us of the initial delay and then the outright cancellation. 'We were informed by strangers who overheard our conversations. 'When we finally knew that it was cancelled, we couldn't even make emergency calls and had to borrow people's phones because we had British numbers.' Morgan and Davies were issued with a credit voucher each, both totalling £2,619. However, Morgan told The Sun: 'This is not good enough. 'First of all, you can't use the vouchers together, you can only use one voucher per cruise. 'You can't use the vouchers on special offers either, forcing people like us, who are working class, to pay for more expensive cruises. 'On top of that, they said they can't reimburse us for other charges incurred, like the taxi fee to get to the hotel. 'We didn't ask for any of this, and the way they have treated us has been disgusting.' A spokesperson for Celebrity Cruises said: "Celebrity Cruises is in contact with the guest and their travel agent directly on this matter." What is Bell's palsy? What is Bell's palsy? Bell's palsy is the most common cause of facial paralysis, but is still rare, affecting one in about 5,000 people a year. The condition causes temporary muscle weakness or paralysis in one side of the face, and occurs when the nerve that controls facial muscles becomes inflamed or compressed. While it is not known what causes this inflammation, it is thought that herpes or another virus, such as syphilis or Epstein-Barr, could also be responsible. People with diabetes and HIV are thought to be at higher risk of developing Bell's palsy. What are the symptoms? The symptoms of the condition vary from person to person, but develop quickly and reach their peak within 48 hours. According to the NHS, these are the key warning signs: Difficulty closing your eyelid one side of your face, or your mouth drooping on that side Irritation of one eye, such as dryness or increased tear production Earache or pain underneath the ear on the affected side of the face A change to your sense of taste Increased sensitivity to sound in one ear Drooling from your mouth on one side A dry mouth Pain around the jaw A headache Ringing in one or both ears Dizziness Difficulty eating or drinking Impaired speech The NHS advises that if you experience facial weakness or paralysis it can indicate a more serious condition, such as a stroke – so call 999 or visit your nearest A&E department immediately.
The Independent
14-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Four areas revealed for new Celebrity Xcel cruise ship including retro games arcade
Your support helps us to tell the story Read more Support Now From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it. Your support makes all the difference. Read more An adult-only arcade room and exclusive onboard pool club are among the new areas that will feature on the Celebrity Xcel cruise ship when it launches this November. Celebrity Cruises has unveiled details of four spaces to feature on its latest vessel. The venues are part of seven all-new experiences debuting on the Edge class ship. Other features already announced include The Bazaar, a performance space inspired by the ship's destinations, and Mediterranean al fresco restaurant Bora. Celebrity Cruises is also keeping one new space a secret until the first sailing. Guests can take part in finalising many of these new spaces by joining the Xcel Dream Makers community. Members can vote on aspects such as the culinary features, interior design and entertainment on the ship. Here are the new areas that will appear on Celebrity Xcel. Read more: New Edge-class ship ordered for Celebrity Cruises Adult-only games room open image in gallery Adult passengers can enjoy nostalgic games in their own arcade aboard Celebrity Xcel ( Celebrity Cruises ) Why should kids have all the fun on a cruise? Celebrity Cruises will introduce an all-day, all-night games room called Attic at The Club that will feature retro games such as Pac-Man, NBA Showtime and Golden Tee. Activities will include pool, darts, foosball and shuffleboard. Guests can also book private event spaces for various group activities including karaoke and golf simulation games. Hydra room open image in gallery The Spa on Celebrity Xcel will feature its first Hydra Room ( Celebrity Cruises ) The new cruise ship will also host Celebrity's most expansive spa yet. The Spa on Celebrity Xcel will feature its first Hydra Room, the newest of eight therapeutic experiences in the Thermal Suite. There will be an outdoor Vitamin D Deck, exclusive to Thermal Suite guests, which offers sweeping views across the front of the ship. The Spa on Celebrity Xcel will offer more than 120 treatments and therapies from an expanded salon featuring a new bubbles bar. An interactive shopping experience will also let passengers trial a wide range of beauty products before purchase. It also includes an advanced Skin Lab analysis. Celebrity Cruises shop open image in gallery Passeners will be able to visit Celebrity Cruises' first Celebrity Flagship on Celebrity Xcel ( Celebrity Cruises ) Guests will also be able to visit Celebrity Cruises's first Celebrity Flagship store on-board. The shop doubles as an interactive exhibit celebrating all things Celebrity. Guests can also create and take home a memento that reminds them of Celebrity Xcel such as engraved water bottles, cocktail kits, keychains or embroidered caps and robes. Plus, Celebrity Flagship will stock one-of-a-kind Celebrity products only available on Celebrity Xcel. Read more: The best family-friendly cruises Vitamin D Deck open image in gallery Xcel will have its own private pool club ( Celebrity Cruises ) The ship will have an exclusive Celebrity Pool Club, where valets will offer chilled towels, card games, sunscreen and storage for personal items. The will also be an option to rent a private cabana. On the final sea day of each Caribbean itinerary, Celebrity Pool Club will transform into the Poolest Day Ever. The all-day takeover brings island vibes with Caribbean-inspired live music and a DJ, plus pop-up shows and friendly pool games. There will also be new poolside drinks, including Paloma Frescas served in mini-Patron bottles and fresh coconuts with an optional rum splash. In the evening, the space will be transformed for a poolside party. Laura Hodges Bethge, president of Celebrity Cruises, said: 'Celebrity Xcel will set sail with seven new elevated experiences that invite guests to escape their daily routine and make memories that will last a lifetime. 'With so much innovation at every turn, the journey will be just as fun as the destinations themselves.' Celebrity Xcel's inaugural season starts in November 2025, with sailings from Fort Lauderdale around the Caribbean. In Summer 2026, Celebrity Xcel will set sail on her inaugural European season from Barcelona and Athens.
