When Celebrity launched its new Edge Class in late 2018 with Celebrity Edge, the line set a new standard for premium cruise experiences among the big ship options.
The 2,900-passenger ship was joined by its sister Celebrity Apex in 2021. These two elegant, modern ships feature a spacious and stylish design that gives cruisers a boutique hotel feel while traveling on the high seas.
Now, the third in the class has joined the fleet of award-winning vessels, and Celebrity Beyond has elevated the premium cruise experience at Celebrity with several new features. Celebrity Beyond is a little bigger and bolder, with some tweaks to the design and added spaces that we really loved during our recent cruise from its homeport in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Like its sister ships, Beyond offers innovative spaces and wonderful dining and entertainment options. The ship has signature venues like Eden, an immersive and versatile space that serves as a nightclub, theater, bar, and restaurant — or serene sanctuary during the daytime. Cruisers also will enjoy popular restaurants like Le Grand Bistro with French cuisine; the Le Petit Chef dining experience; Fine Cut steakhouse; Rooftop Garden Grill, serving gourmet barbecue specialties; and Raw on 5 for sushi and sashimi. These are just a handful of the 18 dining venues available onboard.
Of course, Celebrity Beyond also sports The Magic Carpet. This orange cantilevered deck, roughly the size of a tennis court, hangs off the starboard side of the Edge-class ships, serving as a curiosity for onlookers spotting the vessels in port or from other ships while at sea.
This flexible space serves as a bar and restaurant for special Dinner on the Edge events, with a gourmet “chef’s choice” menu. Seats always sell out for these dinners that offer incredible views while perched over the water and watching the sunset from Deck 14. The Magic Carpet is also used for a tender platform when the ship is in ports that require a tender service to shore. It’s also used to expand the space at Raw on 5 for lunches with al fresco seating when positioned at Deck 5.
Celebrity Beyond is a larger ship than its two predecessors. It has 1,073-foot beam, making it 69 feet long and able to hold 3,260 passengers. Much of this new space is used to expand the popular Grand Plaza and Sunset Bar areas on the ship.
Here is what’s new and works to elevate Celebrity Beyond, making it my new favorite big cruise ship:
Le Voyage by Daniel Boulud
Celebrity partners with the famed Michelin-starred restaurateur to offer Le Voyage, an intimate specialty dining experience that features gourmet dishes like Alaskan King Crab Salad with avocado and mango, Lamb Chop a la Grecque with pistachio pepper pesto and Prime Black Angus Filet Mignon with black truffle sauce and hazelnuts.
Expanded Sunset Bar and Rooftop Garden
Sunset Bar at the top and very back of the ship was fantastic on Edge and Apex. It’s definitely gone Beyond on the new ship, with much more space dedicated – almost three times larger — to a spot that has always been a great gathering place with stunning views at the aft. Now, the Sunset Bar is a multi-terraced Moroccan-inspired space with a much larger bar, separate seating sections and attractive day beds.
The Rooftop Garden is also expanded. We loved that the fitness center staff even offers morning yoga classes on the nearby Rooftop Garden stage.
The Retreat is Enhanced
The ship-within-a-ship Retreat on Celebrity Beyond features an exclusive Sun Deck for passengers in these suites. This inviting resort deck with pool, hot tubs and bar/restaurant takes up two decks and is 40 percent larger than the versions on Edge and Apex.
The Retreat also offers a private lounge, an exclusive Luminae restaurant, and two-story Edge Villas with direct access to The Retreat Sun Deck.
Cabanas on the Resort Deck have been redesigned so that they offer more privacy for cruisers who reserve these exclusive spots for the day at the pool.
Redesigned Grand Plaza
Spanning Decks 3, 4, and 5, Grand Plaza is the hub of the action in the middle of Celebrity Beyond. The space features restaurants, bars, and shops that ring the space. The plaza is now larger, and the vibrant Martini Bar has been repositioned to the center of the large space on Deck 3.
This gives more cruisers a chance to fill in and enjoy the fun each day around the bar, which features flair shows by the talented bartenders as they mix up their favorite martini blends.
A Signature Touch of Art
Each of these Edge Class ships has a distinctive sculpture on the Resort Deck. The most photographed spot on Celebrity Beyond definitely will be the white life-sized elephant balancing on a man’s back at the end of the pool. It’s the work of French sculptor Fabien Merelle, based on his original work titled “Pentateuque.”
Better Wifi
Beyond offers great high-speed internet, with a new partnership with the Starlink service from SpaceX.
