Celebrity Cruises’ newest ship, the Celebrity Edge, has passed another major construction milestone. The ship just floated out of dry dock at the STX France shipyard, marking the first time the new ship’s hull has touched the water. Construction can now proceed on the ship’s venues, staterooms and suites.
The first ship in a new class for Celebrity Cruises in more than 10 years, the ship’s official debut was recently moved up as construction proceeds ahead of schedule. The ship’s first cruise, which had previously been listed as being set for December 16, will now take place December 9, allowing it to sail two separate seven-night inaugural voyages on alternating western and eastern Caribbean itineraries, which can be booked back-to-back for a 14-night sailing. The ship will also offer four Edge Preview Sailings: three-night Bahamas cruises roundtrip from Fort Lauderdale departing November 21, November 24, December 3 and December 6.
Celebrity Edge will spend its inaugural season sailing alternating seven-night eastern and western Caribbean itineraries out of its homeport of Fort Lauderdale. In 2019, the new ship will offer a series of seven- to 11-night Mediterranean sailings calling at ports like Barcelona and Rome.
In terms of features, guests can expect a new Magic Carpet area suspended off the side of the ship that will move up and down between decks throughout the day, offering changing experiences ranging from restaurants to a tender platform. For accommodations, new “Infinite Veranda” cabins will offer unobstructed views via a new design that moves the ship’s infrastructure back further from the balcony. The ship’s signature public venue, Eden, will span three decks at the aft of the ship and offer a number of entertainment options throughout the day, serving as a relaxation, yoga and coffee space in the morning and transitioning to a venue for the new Eve at Eden performance by night. The space will also host a dinner restaurant, cocktail bar, and enrichment activities.
The Celebrity Edge will also sail with a number of new technology-enabled guest features, as part of Celebrity Cruises parent company Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.’s new Excalibur initiative. Travel Agent got a chance to see the new features in action in a mock-up of one of the ship’s new Sky Suites back in November: guests will be able to choose from a number of preset “moods” via their smartphone or in-room controls to change everything from the suite’s lighting and curtains to its temperature. The suites and staterooms also incorporate voice controls.
The Celebrity Edge will be joined by three sibling vessels in 2020, 2021 and 2022.
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