MIAMI, Feb. 6, 2002 -- Celebrity Cruises' standing as the highest-rated premium cruise line in the industry was underscored again this month, with the line's exceptional showing in Conde Nast Traveler's "Best Cruise Ships in the World" readers' poll.

Celebrity's Millennium, Mercury, Century and Galaxy were among the top eight of 27 vessels honored in the large-ship category of the Conde Nast Traveler poll (February 2002), with Millennium -- the flagship of Celebrity's sleek Millennium-class fleet -- and Mercury taking first and second place. [Millennium's sister ships Infinity and Summit launched in March and October, 2001, respectively.]

Celebrity also was honored in the medium-ship category of the same poll, with Zenith and Horizon ranked among the top 21 ships.

"It is tremendously rewarding to be recognized for delivering exactly what we strive to provide on every Celebrity ship: easy elegance, warm and engaging service, a variety of entertainment options, and outstanding gourmet cuisine," said Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises President and Chief Operating Officer Jack Williams.

Overall ship rankings were reached by calculating readers' evaluations of each ship's itineraries, service, design, food, activities and events.

Celebrity's latest superior reviews come on the heels of being the top- ranked premium cruise line on Conde Nast Traveler's elite 2002 "Gold List;" the top-rated premium cruise line in Conde Nast Traveler's 2001 "Readers' Choice Awards;" one of the top-rated cruise lines in Travel & Leisure's annual "World's Best Awards;" the line with the industry's best service, best cuisine and best spas, according to Porthole Cruise Magazine's annual readers' poll, and achieving a rating of six stars on a scale of one-to-six in Stern's Guide.

Celebrity describes itself as follows:

Celebrity Cruises is the highest-rated and fastest-growing premium cruise line in the industry, with the youngest fleet of any major cruise line. Constellation will make its maiden voyage this year, bringing the Celebrity fleet to nine ships.