On the Edge of cruise-ship innovation
If you want to see the future of cruising, set sail aboard Celebrity Edge. The first new ship to debut for Celebrity Cruises (cruise. center/celebrity) in nearly a decade has more than lived up to its hype, earning substantial bragging rights as one of the most innovative ships in the world.
The problem with Celebrity Edge is that there is simply too much on-board innovation for me to write about here. Even the jogging track on this ship is worthy of mention (it spans several decks and wraps elegantly around the vessel).
Take the Magic Carpet: a tangerine-coloured structure on the starboard side of the vessel that can move vertically through 13 decks to become a tender platform, a swanky bar or a restaurant. There is nothing else like this at sea. I embarked a tender (or “launch” in Celebrity parlance) via the Magic Carpet on my preview cruise and was blown away by how effective this new feature is. Celebrity even created a wonderful tender embarkation space inside the vessel that includes its own bar. It’s a far cry from the exposed steel walls and unappealing technical areas that most ships march you through on your way to tender ashore.
That innovation extends to the ship’s staterooms and suites. A full 81 per cent of all accommodations have balconies, and the majority of these offer Celebrity’s new Infinite Veranda: a partitioned floor-to-ceiling window that turns the entire room into an open-air balcony. It’s an innovation that Celebrity borrowed from the world of river cruising, and it helps give Celebrity Edge its distinctive look.
Standard step-out balconies are still offered in some categories, along with a handful of Oceanview and Inside staterooms.
If you really want to go nuts you can book one of the ship’s two Iconic Suites that are 1,892 jaw-dropping square feet (176 square metres) spread over two levels. At the mid-range, my Sky Suite offered a great compromise between a full suite and a standard stateroom, plus nice perks that include access to
The Retreat, a comfortable lounge and private deck space that includes its own pool, bar and loungers.
Public rooms are exceptional. Each bar and lounge offers its own distinctive personality, complete with unique bar menus that aren’t replicated anywhere else. Even better, nearly every public room on board offers gorgeous views of the ocean. In a world where new ships tend to be very inward-facing, Celebrity Edge is a ship of light.
At the stern is EDEN, a threestorey show lounge, bar and restaurant concept full of sweeping floor-to-ceiling windows that also has the most bizarre entertainment at sea. Performers looking like cast members from Mad Max mingle with guests. One ran up to me and said, “What do you call yourself? I am Zoom!” before disappearing while acrobatic dancers performed to a slowed-down version of Coldplay’s Paradise. It’s odd, to be sure, but it is also highly original and entertaining, too. Be sure to try the custom cocktails here: one, The Veldt, even comes in a wooden box.
No ship is perfect, though. I found Celebrity Edge tough to navigate thanks to some open deck spaces that don’t have obvious access to stair towers and elevators, and a few indoor areas, like guest relations, that are hidden to the point of being overlooked. It’s OK once you get the hang of the layout but expect to spend some time wondering where you are. Still, an awkward layout isn’t enough to dampen this ship’s charms. Although it sails to the Caribbean and the Mediterranean, make no mistake: Celebrity Edge is the true destination.
Happy cruising. Visit portsandbows.com, sponsored by Expedia CruiseShipCenters, 1-800-707-7327, www.cruiseshipcenters.com, for daily updates on the latest cruise news, best deals and behind-the-scenes stories from the industry. You can also sign up for an email newsletter on the site for even more cruise information. Aaron Saunders may be contacted directly at portsandbowsaaron@gmail.com