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Celebrity Cruises recently unveiled the newest addition to its extensive lineup of luxurious cruise ships — Celebrity Beyond℠. The ship has just returned from its maiden voyage, and we’ve got an inside look at all of its amenities, onboard entertainment, and dreamy destinations. See for yourself!
Celebrity Beyond is the third installment in Celebrity Cruises’ Edge® series, which began with Celebrity Edge® and Celebrity Apex℠. While Beyond has all of the components travelers love about the Edge series — including delicious cuisine, stylish suites, The Retreat®, and plenty of indoor and outdoor living space — Celebrity Cruises made some changes when creating Beyond.
“Some of the changes included lengthening the ship by about 20 meters,” says Dondra Ritzenthaler, Senior Vice President of Sales for the Americas at Celebrity Cruises. “Then we also made the ship one deck taller. The name ‘Beyond’ made sense because we actually went beyond.”
The ship itself can hold over 3,000 passengers, offers almost 2,000 staterooms, and measures about 1,000 feet in length. “When you hear those numbers, you might think, ‘That feels like it’s big,’” says Dondra, “but the way the ship is designed is so gorgeous, and it’s created in such a beautiful way that even when the ship is full, it doesn’t feel like it.”
Dondra adds that one of the reasons Beyond and all Edge series ships stand out from other cruise ships is their unique design. In fact, Celebrity Cruises turned to designers who aren’t typical cruise ship designers when creating Beyond. Kelly Hoppen, CBE, an award-winning British interior designer, designed the pool deck and Rooftop Garden Grill, while American Interior Designer Nate Berkus created the Sunset Bar.
“We gave these fantastic designers different places in the ship and said, ‘Listen, create it the way you would create it if you were building a home or a hotel,’” says Dondra. “That’s the beauty of it — when you get on the ship, it doesn’t feel like one person created it … it flows so beautifully from one space to the other.”
Having just returned from a trip on Celebrity Beyond, Dondra can speak firsthand about the ship’s beauty and its spaces. “The first minute you step on this ship, you feel how special it is, how beautiful and open it is, and how every little detail was done in such a gorgeous way,” she says. “It’s all about feeling joyful in a comfortable, luxurious place.”
This blend of comfort and luxury extends throughout the entirety of the ship. Starting with the Grand Plaza, a three-story gathering space inspired by Italian piazzas, guests can unwind while enjoying a refreshing cocktail from the nearby martini bar. While here, pay special attention to the bartenders as they pour your drink. They’re known to line up martini glasses in an upside-down U shape and pour every single martini (usually about 13 glasses!) without ever spilling a drop.
It’s no surprise that Celebrity Beyond also offers plenty of opportunities to take in breathtaking ocean views — great places to do so include the Rooftop Garden or The Magic Carpet®. Unlike other Rooftop Gardens in the Edge series, the one on Beyond has been redesigned. It sits directly over the water’s edge, offering float pools cantilevered over the sea. The Magic Carpet is equally stunning, standing 13 stories above sea level while offering sweeping ocean views, a full bar, and a space for live music performances.
In addition to close-up views of the ocean below, Beyond also offers a handful of live entertainment options, including a Daniel Wurtzel-designed air fountain, floor projections, theater shows, and a jazz show. Plus, be sure to visit Eden, the ship’s forest-inspired venue, to experience Wonder at Eden, where you’ll encounter a new fusion of music, libations, and interactive experiences unlike anything else at sea.
Travelers on Beyond are guaranteed never to go hungry, as the ship offers 32 unique food and beverage experiences. In addition to 14 cafés, bars, and lounges, the ship offers four main dining rooms serving everything from Tuscan to Normandie, Cyprus, and Cosmopolitan cuisines. “Each one of these areas has different cuisine and a different feel, so you don’t have to go to the same restaurant every night,” adds Dondra.
In addition to the main dining commons, Beyond also offers eight specialty restaurants, including Chef Daniel Boulud’s first-ever restaurant at sea, Le Voyage. The mentor of Celebrity Cruises’ Vice President of Food & Beverage Operations Cornelius Gallagher, Chef Daniel has created an exceptional restaurant that offers delicious wine and food pairings. Guests can also enjoy dinner with ocean views at The Magic Carpet, Asian fusion cuisine at Raw on 5, a mouthwatering steak at Fine Cut Steakhouse, authentic French entrées at Le Grand Bistro, gourmet barbecue at Rooftop Garden Grill, and an immersive, family-friendly experience with Le Petit Chef. Plus, if guests are part of AquaClass®, they can enjoy exclusive access to the restaurant Blu, and guests of The Retreat receive access to Luminae.
When it comes time to explore dreamy destinations on land, Beyond offers plenty of options to suit any taste. You can opt for a private journey with your own car, driver, and tour guide, or you can explore in small- or regular-sized groups. “We have so many different shore excursions options that you could do,” says Dondra. “You pick out the one that fits you, your personality, and your family, and then you choose how you do that.”
Right now, Beyond is in her current season in Europe, sailing through the Italian and French Rivieras. She will sail Transatlantic this fall, stopping in places like Spain, Portugal, and the Azores before sailing from Fort Lauderdale, FL, to the Caribbean into the fall and winter. (SB TIP: If you’re looking for a fun vacation over the holidays, Beyond offers a New Year’s itinerary for a Western Caribbean trip from December 26 through January 3!)
A trip on Celebrity Beyond is filled with endless comfort, fun, and luxury, and with a handful of itineraries to choose from, you’re sure to find one that best suits you. “Beyond delivers so well on ‘new luxury’ because it’s gorgeous in the way it’s designed,” says Dondra. “The whole ship is designed for that person who likes the finer things in life, and you’ll find that in every single corner of the ship.”
This article is sponsored by Celebrity Cruises. All photography courtesy of Celebrity Cruises.
