Celebrity Cruises Reveals New Class of Ship

Celebrity Cruises gave the industry a first-look at its new ship, the Celebrity Edge, at a special preview event held in Miami last week. It is the cruise line’s first new ship class in 10 years.

Designed completely in 3-D, the Celebrity Edge features the work of A-list architects and designers including Tom Wright, Kelly Hoppen and Nate Berkus. Transformative elements include expanded staterooms, innovative suites and the ship-climbing Magic Carpet platform. Set to launch  on December 16, 2018, it will be joined by three sister ships in 2020, 2021 and 2022.

“Celebrity Edge is one of the most exciting, innovative and transformational ships I have ever been involved with,” said Richard D. Fain, chairman, and CEO, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. “The new features and refined design will establish a new baseline for ships from here on out.”

“Our guests don’t want to just skim the world like a magazine—they want to feel a human connection with it,” said Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, president and CEO, Celebrity Cruises. “Every element of Celebrity Edge is meant to make that connection intense and unforgettable. Our new class of ship will allow guests to experience their journeys with the uniqueness and sophistication that marks the rest of their lives.”

ACCOMMODATIONS

The new Edge Stateroom with Infinite Veranda allows guests to make their room and veranda a seamless space with the touch of a button. The design adds 23 percent more square footage and 10 percent larger bathrooms than Celebrity’s Solstice Glass.

In addition, touch button technology allows guests to control and personalize their stateroom. From one screen, they can adjust lighting, shades, temperature and more.

The line’s suite categories have also been transformed. The ship has double the number of suites, and features two new suite categories. The Iconic Suites are situated above the ship’s bridge. At nearly 2,600 square feet, they have two bedrooms, two bathrooms and panoramic windows in the dining room, living room and bedrooms. Each one also has a 700-square-foot veranda offering a 270-degree view of the ocean.

The split-level Edge Villas are the other new class of suites. They feature two stories of windows, private plunge pools and direct walk-out access to The Retreat Sundeck, a new private space with around-the-clock butler service, and the exclusive Suite Class restaurant Luminae @ The Retreat.

The ship will also have two two-bedroom, two-bathroom Penthouse Suites with large soaking tubs on the veranda, large dual walk-through showers and walk-in closets. The suite inventory is rounded out with 146 large, outward-facing Sky Suites.

MAGIC CARPET

Cantilevered from the side of the ship, the Magic Carpet is the size of a tennis court. It scales the 16-deck ship through the day and evening, stopping at four decks. At each stop, it is transformed into a new experience.

At the summit, on Deck 16, it becomes a specialty restaurant with a maximum capacity of 90. Alongside Deck 14, it becomes an open-air expansion of the main pool area. On Deck 5, it extends one of the ship’s specialty restaurants. Finally, on Deck 2, it becomes a luxury embarkation station.

ITINERARIES

Bookings are now open for the ship’s two 7-night itineraries. An eastern Caribbean cruise visits San Juan, Puerto Rico; Tortola, British Virgin Islands; and Philipsburg, St. Maarten. The western Caribbean cruise calls on Key West, Florida; Costa Maya, Mexico; Cozumel, Mexico; and George Town, Grand Cayman.