I recently had the opportunity to spend a few days on board Celebrity Cruises’ newest ship, Celebrity Beyond. I was present at the shipyard a few years ago when the first piece of steel was cut for this ship and I’ve been eagerly awaiting her arrival ever since.
Celebrity Beyond is the latest in the Edge Class of ships. When Celebrity Edge debuted in 2018, she redefined Modern Luxury for Celebrity with a provocative design, out-of-this-world venues and new innovations. I’ve been on this class a few times and I have always been truly wowed by these ships – you can read about my experiences of Celebrity Edge and Apex here.
Let’s take a look at what Beyond has to offer and the changes found on board.
Disclaimer: I was a guest of Celebrity Cruises for this trip. All views and opinions are my own and I retain editorial control. I was not paid to attend this trip.
Overall look and feel
Simply put, Celebrity Beyond is stunning inside and out. There has been such an attention to detail everywhere you look. All the venues and staples from Edge and Apex make a return on Beyond including stunning staterooms, whimsical Eden, the Solarium, the Spa, the Club and the Magic Carpet – a tennis court-sized space which moves between decks transforming into different venues and bars. So, if you know these ships everything will feel very familiar to you, with a few twists and turns along the way.
Celebrity Beyond takes things further, as she is both longer and taller. In fact, she is 20 metres longer which has allowed Celebrity to be even more playful with the interior and add further new and exciting features which we’ll talk about below. As Captain Kate says, #sizematters. Celebrity Beyond is also 20% more efficient compared to Edge and Apex.
One area I cannot forget to talk about in this review is the incredible art on board. I always say art is what gives a ship its personality and this is no more true than on Celebrity Beyond. Everywhere you look there are some incredible pieces and I could not get enough of it all.
The Grand Plaza
Starting off, we’re heading straight to the very heart Celebrity Beyond, the Grand Plaza. This space was always stunning on board Celebrity Edge and Apex, but with the extra space, Celebrity have continued to evolve and elevate everything. The extra room has allowed for extra space to be dedicated to seating, creating a more intimate feel even though the space is overall larger.
The Martini Bar, which is the centrepiece of the area, has been moved to the middle of the Plaza and have enlarged and made it circular. Sitting above the bar you will find the iconic chandelier which has also been enlarged. This space plays host to fun shows and performances by the talented bartenders and chandelier. It’s always great fun to watch.
One other thing you’ll notice is that there’s been a subtle redesign of many of the surrounding venues so that while they are distinctive they are designed sympathetically with the Grand Plaza. So, for instance, Café al Bacio has been redesigned and blends seamlessly with the Plaza through its use of colour and design.
Resort Deck
I absolutely love the resort deck on the Edge Class. It’s very distinctive with its assymetric design, martini shaped hot tubs and large pool.
With Beyond, this space has also been enlarged (by 40%) where Celebrity have taken the opportunity to add a variety of different seating types, some of which have been designed by Kelly Hoppen s part of her ongoing collaboration with Celebrity Cruises. So, you’ll now find lots of sunken seating areas and other comfortable seating in addition to what you would already find on Edge and Apex. I really like the new seating as it’s given further depth and playfulness to the space. The Cabanas, which you can rent for a day, have also been reworked and now face inwards making them feel part of the wider resort deck area.
Rooftop Garden
Arguably, my favourite new and updated space on board has to be the Rooftop Garden. The Garden itself has been enlarged with so many comfortable nooks to settle in. The best part though is the addition of two new infinity plunge pools that overhang six and a half feet over the side of the ship. It is honestly such a fabulous space.
The Rooftop Garden Grill has also been enlarged, with more seating and further protection from the elements. If you are on board, I thoroughly recommend you try this for lunch or dinner.
Sunset Bar
The most dramatic change in the public spaces on Beyond has to be the new Sunset Bar. This reimagined two-deck space is twice the size as on Edge and features a cool Moroccan theme with a variety of seating affording that incredible wake view, designed by Nate Berkus. It’s perfect for sail away or watching the sunset after another stunning day on board Beyond. As with many of the spaces, there’s a variety of seating on the various levels of the space.
The suite life at The Retreat
When it comes to the suite experience on board, Beyond will take things to the next level (literally).
More space is dedicated to the suite experience on board Celebrity Beyond. This includes a two-story Retreat Sundeck featuring cabanas, new seating, hot tubs and a new bar. As well as this, with the extra space Celebrity have enlarged the Retreat Lounge.
Luminae, the Suite-only dining experience on board, has been moved and enlarged overlooking the front of the ship with panoramic floor-to-ceiling windows. The design of Luminae has also been updated with deeper tones, new lighting and features. It’s a lovely space to dine in.
While on board, we stayed in a fabulous Sky Suite. While this is the entry level suite for guests on board, I found this space to be perfect for our needs – just the right amount of space, a stunning (and comfortable) bed that overlooks the balcony, seating area and sea and then a huge bathroom. On top of this, our Retreat Host Harold was so helpful while we were on board. I’d definitely stay in one of these suites again.
Culinary Options
All of the restaurants found on Celebrity Edge and Apex make a return on beyond – and that’s no bad thing. The food offered by these ships is incredible and delicious including the specialities found on board such as Raw on 5, the Rooftop Garden Grill, Finecut Steakhouse and Eden. With Beyond, Celebrity have continued to evolve and tweak these spaces – one such example is the Finecut Steakhouse which has been reconfigured and features more booth style seating, a wider variety of tables and some really cool circular booths that overlook the Grand Plaza. I also had the chance to eat at Eden on board and was as usual blown away by it’s incredible cuisine.
Celebrity have sought to build on the existing range of food options on board. Cyprus is one of the main dining options on board, and Celebrity has sought to build on its own Greek heritage by giving it a fresh look and continue to feature seafood and simple, clean dishes that celebrate the food and beverages of the Mediterranean region.
The most exciting new culinary venue on board is new speciality restaurant, Le Voyage, by world-renowned chef Daniel Boulud. Here travel is the inspiration for globally inspired flavours, designed to transport guest to the very places that inspire the Michelin-rated chef. The venue is truly delightfully designed and the food looked equally incredible (I look forward to sampling this when I sail on Beyond later in 2022).
Making a return to Celebrity Beyond, you’ll also find a Celebrity staple, the World Class Bar, also located just overlooking the Grand Plaza (perfect for people watching). The drinks here are more than cocktails, they have been elevated to a fine art. It’s one of my favourite bars anywhere at sea, where the some of the best bartenders I’ve come across use the freshest ingredients and spirits to make incredible libations. The bar has been reimagined with a cool look and warm tones that blend with the overall aesthetic of the Grand Plaza.
Entertainment
Celebrity Beyond will build on the entertainment found on Edge and Apex with the use of use of new technology in the state-of -the-art theatre. From a spectacular Daniel Wurtzel-designed air fountain, life-like floor projections, shows developed at London’s famed Palladium, to stunning new venues including a Speakeasy and ten mesmerizing experiences that change nightly, we’re taking entertainment at sea to a new level. I was fortunate to watch some of the shows on board and they blew me away – such an amazing and talented cast, and the shows really are something else.
What do you think of Celebrity Beyond?
This ship sets a new standard in terms of style, comfort and luxury. She has something for everyone and I honestly could not find fault in anything that was offered on board – especially when you consider the all-inclusive approach that Celebrity has on top of the ship itself. Of course, at the very heart of this are the incredible crew and Captain Kate at the helm. What a ship! I cannot wait to sail on her again in the near future.
To find out more about Celebrity Beyond head here.
You can view my live Instastories from my experience on board here.
And you can read our previous reviews of Celebrity Edge and Apex here.
What do you think? Let me know on social media and in the comments below