Hotly anticipated and featuring some of the coolest innovations in cruise ship design, 2,918- passenger Celebrity Edge made her debut in late November 2018, cruising from Fort Lauderdale this winter on seven-night Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises. It’s been six years since Celebrity Cruises’ final Solstice-class ship was introduced and Edge — the first in a series of four ships set to debut through 2022 — takes the cruise line’s focus on modern luxury to a design level not previously seen at sea.
The most obvious evolution is Edge‘s outward-facing design, resulting in panoramic vistas from many areas of the ship — including most of the staterooms (81 percent of which have balconies). While the ship’s staterooms were designed by London-based Kelly Hoppen, a host of other innovative minds contributed to the creation of this visually stunning vessel. There is so much to love, but we’ve narrowed down the 12 coolest things aboard the new Celebrity Edge.
Eden
Imagine Adam and Eve as part of a modern dance troupe with post-Apocalyptic undertones and they’re set loose every night to play in a fantastical garden (with real plants and intimate nooks). Sounds trippy, right? Created by architect Scott Butler and interior designer Patricia Urquiola, this 12,650 square-foot space spans three decks at the aft of Celebrity Edge. And Eden certainly it is.
This immersive and interactive spot invites passengers to sip on nature-inspired cocktails — or dine on an innovative six-course tasting menu (at $65 per person) full of earthly delights created in collaboration with Michelin-starred chef Cornelius Gallagher — as Eden becomes a stage for flesh-tone-leotard-clad performers sinfully leaping, crawling and swinging overhead with dramatic slow-motion finesse.
Or maybe it’s not your thing. If not, Eden by day is a calm and visually captivating space (it features 7,000 square feet of floor-to-ceiling glass) to read, drink coffee, enjoy a wine tasting or simply make new friends.
The Very Special Godmother
Passengers strolling through the Guest Relations area on Deck 3 may be surprised, as they spot her portrait on the wall, to discover the strong and resilient young woman that Celebrity chose to be Edge‘s godmother: Malala Yousafzai.
The now 21-year-old Pakistani human rights activist survived an assassination attempt by the Taliban in 2012 and was awarded the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize for her work helping educate young girls via her Malala Fund (which the cruise line is supporting).
Celebrity Edge continues the company’s ongoing commitment to women; Celebrity is helmed by a woman, President and CEO Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, who in turn hired the cruise industry’s first American female captain, Kate McCue.
Infinite Veranda Staterooms
The design of the ship’s new Edge Staterooms with Infinite Veranda ditches the standard sliding glass doors for something far better: chic bi-fold doors that when opened extend the stateroom outward and create a floor-to-ceiling view through the glass walls of the veranda. Celebrity Edge has 918 of them and not only does the curtain-less design fill the 243-square-foot cabin with light, but it makes it a chic haven with a view that you might have a hard time leaving.
Want fresh air? You can lower the top glass partition with the touch of a button — just be aware that the captain can close it from a command center in the bridge should adverse weather or rough seas occur.
Martini Glass Hot Tubs
On a ship overflowing with innovative design how do you set something as standard as a hot tub apart from the crowd? You elevate it. Celebrity hoisted the two hot tubs high over the Resort Deck’s pool area to create a visual resembling two swirling martini glasses — and give passengers enjoying a soak some pretty dynamic views.
The Magic Carpet
No, it’s not a water slide or a hookah lounge. This 1,937-square-foot bar/lounge/eatery is a semi-glass-walled cantilevered platform on Celebrity Edge‘s starboard side that can be raised and lowered to three of the ship’s decks, creating an over-the-water extension of different venues that can accommodate 100 people at a time.
When positioned on Deck 5, The Magic Carpet offers alfresco dining on fresh seafood at Raw on Five. On Deck 14, the cantilever adds a stylish lounge for cocktails and live music to the cabana-lined pool area and when on Deck 16 transforms into an alfresco dining experience known as Dinner on the Edge.
Jogging Track
Yawn, you say. Not so! This leaf-green, quarter-mile pathway that meanders around and up and down – yes you can get some hill work in — Decks 15 and 16, offering terrific views of the ship’s design and the surrounding sea.
The Edge Launches
When is a lifeboat more than a lifeboat? When it’s an Edge Launch. Designed specially for this ship — and as a complement to The Magic Carpet, from which passengers load onto the launches from Deck 2 — the eight launches are a more stylish and comfortable way to go ashore in tender ports. In fact, they were a collaboration between French yacht designer Marc Lombard and lifeboat manufacturer Palfinger Marine Safety AS.
The Rooftop Garden
Whimsy takes flight in this one-of-a-kind outdoor relaxation and dining space on Deck 15, decorated with metal and wood sculptures along with an array of live plants and flowers. The 8,073-square-foot area, inspired by childhood playgrounds and designed by British architect Tom Wright, is home to the Garden Café (a delightful spot for burgers or barbecue) and hosts scheduled concerts and movie screenings as well as pop-up live musical performances.
Eco-Friendly Initiatives
With Celebrity Edge, the cruise line has eliminated 90 percent of single-use plastics; straws are paper and water bottles are recyclable aluminum or glass. The ship also features a new parabolic bow design and micro bubbles that coat the hull to reduce friction — and make Edge 25 percent more fuel efficient than Celebrity’s Solstice-class ships.
The Grand Plaza
The martini glass theme continues in this dazzling, three-story atrium designed by Paris-based Jouin Manku that’s the social heart of the ship. It’s also home to the decadent Martini Bar, where talented mixologists defy gravity to create 31 intoxicating variations on the cocktail classic, including the Kale Martini. Don’t knock it until you’ve sipped it — it’s actually quite refreshing.
The Theatre
Accommodating 900 guests per performance, the 13,600-square-foot, two-level Theatre is the setting for nightly performances that mix multimedia images (on 10 giant screens that form a dynamic 120-foot panorama) with live performers on both the stage as well as two rotating lifts and two spiral staircases.
There are five productions in rotation, ranging from the musical energy of Hype (a musical tribute to Prince, Bowie, Bruno Mars and others) to A Hot Summer Night’s Dream (which mixes music, acrobatics and Shakespeare).
The App
Download the new Celebrity Cruises app and you can check in and get your Xpress Pass right on your smart phone, have deck plans right in the palm of your hand, use free guest-to-guest chat, keep a personal calendar of onboard activities, make dining and spa reservations, book shore excursions, control your stateroom temperature and lights and even use a digital key to unlock your stateroom door. And check out Edge Access for a cool behind-the-scenes 3D tour using augmented reality.
