Interview with That Happy Italian: Cruise Director with Celebrity Cruises, Giuseppe Moschella

Giuseppe Moschella is the kind of guy who makes you feel better about yourself, simply by being in his presence. You know radiant energy is real when you’re in his company. You can’t help but laugh, smile, and feel better, lighter, and happier around him (even after a long day of cruising or touring a port). 

He’ll take any passenger’s mood from low to high in a heartbeat, with a joke about his impeccable wardrobe (especially his shoes) or mention of his Sicilian mama. 

It’s impossible not to take note of a Cruise Director when you’re on any ship, big or small. Yet they often don’t make as everlasting an impression as Giuseppe. 

We were blown away by his presence, his happy demeanor, and his natural on-stage showmanship throughout our week-long Celebrity Apex cruise. Yet, it’s not an act: we found that even in one-on-one interactions with Giuseppe, he was the same guy having a personal conversation with us as he was on stage, making a sea of guests giggle in their theater seats. The man is genuine. 

He’s a happy Italian whether on stage, interacting with the crew, or talking to you and your partner as you stop to say hi to him in the ship’s hallways. His former Instagram name “@thathappyitalian” is befitting and not accidental. (His new IG name is @ thatcrazysicilian.)

When we couldn’t stop thinking about our favorite things from our journey on Celebrity Apex after our cruise – from The Retreat to the food, scenery, and crew – a conversation surrounding how impressed we were with Apex’s Cruise Director, Giuseppe, kept coming up.

That’s why we knew we had to sit down with him to dig deeper into his life, career, and thoughts on being a Cruise Director. 

What transpired during our video conference call – while he was on Celebrity Apex, of course – was a conversation with a man anyone would be proud to know. He also makes you fall in love with Celebrity Cruises over and over again. 

Giuseppe is a person who inspires his team and is there for them in more ways than you can imagine, connects with guests in multiple languages while going above and beyond the call of duty, and still manages to keep a smile on his face with his positive attitude and upbeat outlook on the world and life, always. 

Our interview with him will give you a behind-the-scenes look at what a Cruise Director really does versus what the appearance of a Cruise Director to a guest may be. He’ll also peel back the curtain on what it’s like to work for Celebrity Cruises and his personal journey within the company. Let’s dive in. 

P: It seems like you were born to be a Cruise Director with Celebrity Cruises. Can you delve deeper into your journey with Celebrity, from your initial hire?

G: I was hired by Celebrity in 2016. I applied in December 2015, on a night when I didn’t know what to do with my life and I found a job in Miami, thinking I was going to move to Miami and work in Miami. I didn’t know I was going to get on a ship going from Miami back to Italy!  

I was hired by Celebrity Cruises in 2016 and started to work on Celebrity Eclipse in April, where I was the main translator. English, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese and Italian – the main six languages. And I had just learned Portuguese because Celebrity, at the time, told me they needed someone who spoke Portuguese as well. 

I had just finished university – I had just graduated – living in Germany. And I said, “I guess I’m moving to Portugal next month!” So that’s what I did.

P: So you speak six languages? 

G: I speak six languages, all with an Italian accent.

P: You moved to Lisbon in between the time Celebrity Cruises hired you and you started your job in April 2016? 

G: I took three months to learn Portuguese because I already spoke Spanish, French and Italian so I thought it was going to be easy so I would just get on a ship and be able to provide my service, which is what they were asking for at the time – they were asking for multiple languages. They just didn’t know I had a very thick Italian accent! 

I moved to Lisbon and found a random job, just to be there. I was hanging out and engaging with a lot of locals so I could learn all their words and more about the culture as well. Because Eclipse was going to Lisbon after it left from Florida. 

I boarded the ship in America and went back to Europe. I thought, “Oh, here I am! I’m in America!” Then, “Buh-bye.” 

P: That was your first time in the United States? 

G: First time, ever, in the United States. Before that, I had a dream I wanted to go to New York and I didn’t do it. 

My family bought me tickets when I turned 18 because they knew it was my biggest dream. But I didn’t go because I wanted to get there on a ship. Because all the Sicilians in history – 1890s to 1920s – they all moved to New York, New Jersey and many other places from Sicily on a ship. So I thought, “One day I’m going to get there on a ship or something.” 

I actually did with Celebrity Eclipse, back in 2017 I think it was, when we did Amsterdam to New York. And I got there on a cruise ship and it was just beautiful. For me it was a dream coming true. I have a picture somewhere of me with the New York skyline behind me. “America!”

P: What positions did you previously have before you were offered the role of Cruise Director?

After I was an interpreter and translator, I became Activity Host for five or six months. Then they tried me as Activity Manager for a few weeks. 

I went back home and was waiting to see if I would become Activity Manager or not. Then I went back to the ship and was Activity Manager for a month before I was officially promoted to the position. I held that position for about a year and a half until they promoted me to Cruise Director in 2018.

It was very quick considering I was new to the company in 2016. My first chance as a Cruise Director was in 2018 after only two years. It was GREAT! I still think, today, “Wow, this happened to me.” 

I always looked forward to learning from Cruise Directors, but I didn’t think I was going to be a Cruise Director, myself in such a short time. I thought it was going to take me years. But at the same time I met some people who were telling me, “One day you’re going to be Cruise Director – if not on the Edge, the one coming after the Edge.” 

Sue Denning, who is a huge lady in the business who has been with Celebrity a long time (every guest on the ship knows her) – the first time she met me in 2016, I was an International Host, or a translator and interpreter. 

She told me, “I want you to join the dark side. I want you to be part of the entertainment. I think you can be a Cruise Director opening the new class of ships.” And that’s actually what happened a few years later. 

So I owe my mentors and Celebrity Cruises a lot. 

P: Did you envision yourself as a Cruise Director before Sue planted that seed? 

G: My boss – he wouldn’t like this answer because he was a Cruise Director at the time and now he’s my boss – but when I first saw him, and I went to the theater, I was like, “What’s that job? What does that guy do?” And someone answered, “Oh, he’s the Cruise Director.” He’s in front of stage and does nothing for a living. I want to be that. 

That was my first ever time entering a theater on Celebrity Cruises. 

When I got the job I realized we actually do a lot of things. 

P: So you didn’t know that the position of Cruise Director even existed when you started as an interpreter? 

G: No! No idea! Nothing. 

I didn’t even know what cruises looked like. I read about it in magazines. I had seen some YouTube videos so I knew what they looked like. But all I heard was bad press because I’m Italian and Italian cruises were not going well. 

So in Italy, they weren’t speaking highly of cruises. But when I got to Celebrity it was a completely different world. 

P: One would assume that you pick up languages easily, but do you think you do, or is it hard for you? 

It happens for me very quickly. I had an injury on stage as I was performing about 10 years ago. I tore my meniscus, my cross bone, my tendons – everything that you could break on a leg. And I had to do something because I was laying in a bed for six months. 

I decided to learn English. Then I started learning Spanish. 

Then I started downloading all these apps on the computer, because at the time I didn’t have an iPhone. And that’s when I started learning other languages as well.  I was really interested in languages because I wanted to leave Italy. I love Italy, but I wanted to go somewhere else. I wanted to explore. 

So I was learning a little bit of German, because I thought, “Oh Germany looks so cool! They have these huge concerts, and have these amazing DJs – maybe I want to be a DJ in Germany.” 

Then I was learning Spanish ‘cause I was like, “Oooh, Spanish is the most spoken language all around the world.” There’s Mandarin, Spanish, and then English. 

And I was learning English because I wanted to live in America. It was my dream. I thought, “One day I’m just going to move to the states to live and work there.” This is one of the reasons I started working for Celebrity because I wanted to start working for an American company. 

P: So you spoke German before you applied to school in Berlin? 

G: I had to. They are very, very rigid. So I had to pass an interview but the interview was with three wise guys who were not as wise but they looked wise. And they spoke very high German to me. I had to sit through it on Skype and I thought, “Oh my god this is so hard. Why are they using these words that nobody uses? This is archaic German.” But I had to. 

My university was in Potsdam, which is 20 minutes from Berlin. It’s a very high-end university. 

It’s where the movie studio is where they filmed Inglorious Bastards and some of the most amazing films, filmed in Germany. So I really wanted to get to that area so I could get into the cinema world in Germany and learn more about journalism, TV, and all the communication and media they had in Germany. 

It was tough but I made it. I was the first one to graduate from my class, actually. I was 21 when I graduated and my colleagues who made it, who were in the same course with me, graduated when they were 22 or something. 

P: Speaking of languages, is there a time when speaking six languages helped you connect with guests in a special way? 

G: Always. Every single day. 

I was talking to a friend yesterday and we were in France. We went off the ship, and as we were out, there was a guest who saw me. He said, “Giuseppe, do you speak French by any chance?” I’m like, “Yes.” 

And he was buying stuff so I helped the guest speak French. And then I connected with the guest on a different level ‘cause I gave him a hand outside of the ship and he was like, “Thank you so much for offering me a hand outside, on free time.” 

So I was speaking English and French already that day.  

Then there was this couple from Germany. They didn’t speak much English and they knew I studied in Germany. So we always chat in German, so that day I was talking in German to them as well. 

And I didn’t notice. I didn’t think of how many languages I was speaking on the same day until later, I went to join the Brazilians on the ship. 

And one Brazilian told me, “Giuseppe, I want to apply for Activity Host. I want to work on your team in the future. Can you help me out?” So we were speaking Portuguese as I was coaching him what to say in English for the interview that I was going to give him later and film it. So I was already using a fourth language. 

Plus, on the ship, I speak Spanish to some crew as a joke. Every now and then I walk by the crew mess and just yell something in Spanish and they laugh about it. Because there’s a lot of Latinos on the ship. 

And that day, since I was always hanging out with my best friend, he said, “You always complain you never get to speak all the languages you know on the ship,” because most of the guests are Americans, “But today you just spoke all the language as you were with me.” 

And I was like, “Oh yes, you’re actually right. I forgot about it.” I do it every day but complain because I will sometimes say, “Oh maybe I should be working for another company because on Celebrity I only speak English when I can speak all these other languages,” and the guy was like, “You actually did speak all the languages. Sometimes you speak it with crew but you’re still using it.” 

The crew connects with you on a different level. If there’s some new crew member that has a problem – because at the end of the day I’m the head of the department – so there might be a guy who has to go home because something happened in the family. And he will come to me and if he can speak his own language he connects with me on a different level. He feels more comfortable and confident. 

And it happens. Especially today, you never know. Something may arise last minute and you want to be there for your own crew. 

P: Is there a language you want to learn next? 

G: Before I joined Celebrity Cruises I really wanted to learn Mandarin. Then I realized I didn’t have time because I was always on a ship and exploring the world discovering everything. I want to learn American from “WISCONSIN!”

P: Ha! We like your American accent and desire to learn different dialects. 

G: I definitely want to learn different dialects from the states ‘cause I can playfully make fun of Germans by using their own dialects depending on the area or the region of Germany. I can make fun of Italians in that way too, by using different dialects depending on the region. But I’m not that familiar with American dialects. 

I hear so many on the ship – like sometimes I’m talking to people from Alabama or New Jersey – but I think it would be so funny if I’m talking to a guest who tells me, “I’m from Minnesota,” and I can say a few words like I was from Minnesota but with an Italian accent.

P: Can you speak to how your role as Cruise Director extends beyond someone’s impression of what a Cruise Director does on paper? 

G: I have different duties on the ship. A lot of people think that a Cruise Director is just a person on stage who hosts the shows. 

But right now, at the moment, I have 92 entertainers on the ship – singers, dancers, acrobats, musicians. I’m their manager. I’m the supervisor. 

I’m the one who makes their schedules, approves, confirms, books ship venues, and does a lot of things with them. That’s the side that nobody sees but I really enjoy it and I love being in the preparation and the making of it. 

I’m proud of the process when it works well and then I see the ratings and I see guests happy about it. And they say, “Oh my god, that was fantastic!” and I say, “Yes, me and my team did that together.” It’s a lot of little satisfactions that we get. 

I love the communication with the shoreside office. A lot of people don’t know about this – they don’t even know we have a “shoreside.” Because for them, Celebrity is just a phone line that they call to book a cruise and get some information. They don’t know we have people we are in contact with every single day. 

People where we share our experiences and say, “This is happening on the ship, and we’re going to have many Latino guests on the ship. Can we get a guest entertainer who speaks some Spanish?” There is a lot of planning that the guests don’t know about. And that’s very interesting to see the planning operating on the ship across the whole ship, with every single venue. 

Seeing the guests’ reactions is very beautiful. I love people around me because I just love people. 

And I’m the same in my town when I’m home. I’m home in my town, and I just go in the morning to have coffee in one place. Then I get another coffee in another place because the other coffee guy may get offended if I don’t have coffee in his place. 

And then I just go and talk around…and everybody knows me. Like, they know Giuseppe’s coming! They know around what time I’ll show up – but they know I’m always late because I end up talking to everybody. It’s always been the same in my town. 

It was the same in university because I would always go around and talk to everybody. I’ve been entertaining people since I was born. At school, I was the guy who was famous for telling jokes to the teacher, even if the teacher didn’t like them. I was famous for being the first guy who created some videos to promote student activities. I was the president of the school who would organize all the activities and do everything for the school for the students. 

So I’ve always been that type of guy. Here, I just do it on a more elevated level. A more professional level and I do it in a way that I connect with so many people around the world and it’s beautiful. 

P: Can you give us an example of when a time you know you’ve impacted a guest’s life, as Cruise Director? 

G: I’ll give you a quick example: somebody – today – on the ship approached me at the end of Crystallize, which was our final show and I thanked everybody. 

He said, “Giuseppe, I never told you this but we met on Reflection back in 2019, when you were just promoted to Cruise Director and it was one of your first official cruises as Cruise Director. I really liked you and really enjoyed you. I didn’t feel like cruising anymore because of COVID and everything that happened. But then I saw your IG post on how you promote the brand and how you promote the shows and everything. I booked a cruise. I met you the first day and you gave me confidence in cruising again.” 

He wanted to know where I was going to be next so he could book another cruise. 

P: Do people stop you all the time to take photos with you and talk to you?

G: Yes, especially on the final night. 

P: Do people ask for your autograph? 

G: I was asked for more autographs when I was Activities Manager because people expected me to get promoted to CD. Just in case one day I became famous!

I actually did more autographs when I was Activities Manager than Cruise Director because all of the people were like, “You’re going to be Cruise Director, and one day we’re going to tell everybody that we had your first autograph before you were even Cruise Director.”

P: We know that you have an office on the ship…

G: Which I’m in right now!

P: Oh look, there you are!  G: I have motivational quotes all over! 

[We all laugh as Giuseppe begins to read the quotes surrounding him that he’s hung up around his office…]  

“It takes one person to change your life: YOU!”

“Positive mind, positive life.”

“Your attitude determines your direction.” 

I bought them on Amazon! I put them in all of my managers’ offices because they know I’m the motivational guy. 

P: How often are you really in your office? 

G: True story, that you’ve probably seen on my Instagram: I have musicals on my TV as I am working in my office. So sometimes I play “Mama Mia!” and I’m watching it as I’m working in my office. And people walk by and they’re like, “What’s going on?” And it’s me singing to Mama Mia while sending very important emails. 

I do spend quite a long time in the office because I wake up every morning around 6/7:15, do a quick workout, take a shower, be in the office by 9:00, because we usually have a Director’s Meeting then. It’s myself, Hotel Director, Revenue Director, Guest Relations Director, and HR, Housekeeping Director – all the directors meet together. 

We talk about the challenges we had the day before, what we can do to fix them, what challenges we foresee, and what should we do for the current cruise, the next cruise, and sometimes even a cruise two months from now. 

We all talk and interact and that’s pretty much daily. If it doesn’t happen it’s because we have an early arrival in port so Housekeeping has to be there super early and so does Guest Relations because it’s just a busy day. 

So I get to the office, I check my emails first before I get to the Director’s Meeting. And the emails could be anything. Let me check my last email, so it’s easier!

Okay, so the last email here is “Emergency numbers assigned for crew members” because we have muster stations. So we have crew members and assign them emergency numbers so in case of a real emergency. We know where they’re supposed to go. 

So here I need to approve the fact that they’re assigning some numbers to some other team members because I had changes in my team. 

Another email is I’m rewriting an SOP, because of course it’s a new ship so we are adding a lot of value to the events and improving them to make them more efficient for the guests. So we’re learning from the clientele. 

Now, since this is the first time the ship is in Europe, and we’ve always done seven-day cruises aside from the Transatlantic Crossing – we were in Europe but not northern Europe. 

We’ve always done Athens to Athens, seven days. So now we are rewriting the schedule for what it will be like for a 12-day cruise in the UK. Or 12-day cruise in Scandinavia, going to places like Stockholm where the ship has never been. Places like Helsinki and all that stuff. 

I have the knowledge because I was on another ship and we did that itinerary. This is a different ship with different products and different offerings. 

I have another email about guest entertainers coming on the ship: singers, dancers, magicians. Who else? Comedians. They are all coming on the ship staying for a week or two to perform in the main theater. 

So I’m checking their cabin numbers. Together with the Station Production Manager, we’re assigning them a cabin, we’re telling them when their show is going to be, how many shows are required from them. What’s the nationality count: how many people do we have from a certain country just in case they want to say something in their language, you know? And also for them to be able to appeal to all audiences. 

So there is a lot of communications that we do in the office that guests don’t see but it does make a huge difference in the whole experience. 

P: Are you booking the talent and sending them contracts? 

G: Oh no, no. Not me. 

[We learn Shoreside Entertainment does that. He explains he works with multiple people who all work through the online Entertainment Management System.] 

P: So the entertainers get transferred to you once they’ll physically be on the ship? 

G: Yes, because they go from ship to ship. They don’t only work on Apex. They come for “Celebrity.” 

So let’s say that one guest is performing on my ship for five days. Then the same person is sent to another ship, to go to Beyond to do another five days. He may be performing the same exact show but there may be different requirements. 

For example, we’re celebrating Pride Month in a few days. So we have a person who I know is a huge supporter of the LGBT community and I would ask specifically on this ship, “Can you do a Pride Show and host a Pride Party?” 

So that’s something that we may be doing here but they may not be doing on the other ship because they already have something in mind. 

Entertainment is a huge puzzle (people don’t realize it but Entertainment is very big) and we’re all connected to each other and make everything look shiny, and sparkly, and perfect so that everybody can have a great vacation. 

P: How do you think your theater background has helped you be successful in your Cruise Director role? 

G: I have to say my theater background is not as big as it can get on a ship. Because on a ship it’s a fast-paced world. And even people who have been in theater for years will tell you on a ship it’s so different. It’s just unique. 

‘Cause the performer doesn’t perform and then go home. Performs…then stays on the ship. So gets to interact with the guests. And we’re all about the guests! 

What makes the difference is not about the performance but how we connect with the guests outside of the stage. 

So a theater background helped me because it’s instilled a love for entertainment. A passion. 

Because everything I did could never be compared to the level we have on the ship. And all the hosting I did – even for a way bigger audience because I hosted some events with 20,000 people. But it’s not the same as hosting on a ship. 

When you host on a ship you know they’re going to be seeing you every single day. You know that you’re representing a huge company, which is Celebrity Cruises. 

So you have to deliver information but for the correct channels and in a way where you will appeal to any person on the ship because you have so many different people. 

You may get a person who will get offended if you get a little too edgy. You may get a person who will love you if you get a little bit too edgy! So you have to know how to find balance so that you can make everyone feel appreciated under the same roof. We’re all on the same boat! 

P: You’re really striking a delicate balance with all the guests. It’s a special talent for sure. 

G: I appreciate it. 

P: Speaking of theater, your “sets,” – your bits before a show and after – are incredible! How much are you planning beforehand? Real question: do you have a team of writers who help with that? Are you brainstorming around the dinner table? Are you in front of a mirror kicking your foot up to see if your shoe comes off onstage? What are you doing to prepare for these or are they all improvised? 

G: My theater production manager loves me and hates me for this because she knows that I show up at 6:58pm, two minutes prior to the performance, and I go like, “I just had an idea. We’re going to get started this way. I’m going to do that and we’re going to start the show this way.” 

But she knows and loves me for it. She’s like, “Giuseppe’s always going to come up with something new…last minute. It’s going to be funny. It’s going to be great. But it’s always going to be last minute.” 

But I give her detailed direction, “I’m going to enter from this way, the light is going to go there.” So I have a plan. 

Which is mostly happening in my head as I’m walking around the ship or doing something in the office and typing an email. 

I like changing every cruise. So I change my jokes. I change my bits. I change my clothes. I change everything because it keeps me more motivated. 

In the past, there was a time when I wore the same clothes and same jokes for a seven-day cruise. Then I realized I was getting bored of it. I was like, “Okay, I’m going to change every cruise. I’m going to switch it around and make it more interesting for myself.” Because if it’s more interesting for myself it’s more interesting for the people as well. 

I don’t rehearse in front of a mirror. I don’t have a mirror in my room. 

The 7:00pm show I improvise a lot. Then at the 9:00pm I see what the reaction was from the earlier show and I polish it. I add some extra things and make it better. But don’t tell the guests at the 7 o’clock show they’re my rehearsal studio! 

P: Giuseppe, why Celebrity? What’s special about Celebrity Cruises, in particular, that keeps you coming back and renewing each contract? 

I know the people that run everything and I know that they’re actual people. It’s nice to know that behind an email address, there is a face and you’ve spoken to that face. And you may be remembering the last words they said. You may be remembering the conversation you had at a cafe. 

I remember when the Vice President of Entertainment spoke to me before we launched the show. I was on the Apex and she was inspiring me. She was like, “You can do this! You got this! You got this!” and it was the opening. We had 500 people on the ship and I’m used to having 1,000 when I’m on stage, if not more. 

I was very much not myself ‘cause I’m used to entertaining huge crowds and there were 100 people in the audience. And I thought, “How am I going to do this?” And she was like, “You got this! You got this! Go on stage. They’re gonna love you. They haven’t seen live entertainment in forever. They’ve only watched Netflix. You can do this!” 

It was beautiful. You connect with people on a different level. And Celebrity is a pioneer in the industry. They are very much like, “We want to be the first ones doing this! We really want to show the world that the world is great.”

And I do something when I talk on Celebrity – I do a presentation where I talk about diversity and inclusion. I’m an advocate for this because I have many friends who have struggled in the past, ya know? 

It wasn’t easy in Sicily in a small town, where I’m from, for some of my friends to come out. And for some of my best friends to be able to express themselves. And Celebrity allows people to do that. And by allowing them – it’s not just allowing them, but it’s encouraging them to do it – and I find this beautiful. 

At such a huge company it’s taking a sort of risk. In a world where everyone judges you for wearing the wrong pair of socks (that’s why I don’t wear any socks) they are just really pushing for change in the world. 

International Women’s Day for me was huge in 2020. I’m never gonna forget it, when they had all women on the bridge – female officers leading the bridge. I came from a family where we lived near the port and the captain was always a man. ALWAYS a man. You didn’t even think about a girl being a captain. 

And then you have Captain Kate, who by the way is super close to me especially when we were working together on the Edge and sailed together on the Apex, and I remember me and her just connecting more on a human level, and getting to know her as a human. And then getting to know other people as humans. 

It’s a nice company. They’ve given me so much. 

The first time I got promoted to Celebrity Cruises Cruise Director, I just turned 25. I was 25 years old and five hours. Something like that. 

The first time I stepped up officially but temporarily, was my birthday: fourth of August, 2018. I just turned 25 the same day. So I have a lot of nice memories and it’s great. 

P: Is there anything else you want people to know about your job or Celebrity Cruises? 

G: I just think that cruising is really beautiful. And I was very unaware of this world – I didn’t know what it was – until I tried it myself. So people in the world may not think cruising is a great way of vacationing because they never tried it. 

They like going to just one place, seeing one thing, go to the same restaurant; they don’t realize they can actually do the same thing on the ship because the one place – the “destination” – becomes the ship. 

They can still go to the same restaurant, the same hotel room. But they will have different ports if they want to get off the ship. Different people to mingle with. And they will share a vacation experience with different people. 

But you don’t do that when you go to resorts on land, or just traveling by yourself around Paris. 

It’s beautiful because on a cruise you get to meet people. Cruising isn’t addictive because of the ports you visit. Sometimes you don’t even know where you’re going! Cruising is addictive because of how you’re all sharing the same experience for seven days. 

If something great happens you’re sharing the same great thing. If something bad happens – because it’s life – you’re all sharing the same bad thing together. So it’s a different level of experience. 

These people may change your life. You can meet someone on the ship who is from Florida, like you, and you’re going to see them in Florida somewhere else. 

There are a lot of people who come cruising for the first time as a couple and they get to meet other people. Then they have “cruise friends” and then go on a cruise together. And they book it in advance together on the ship! They say, “Let’s make a commitment right now. We’re going in December on this ship – when are you on vacation and going to be off from work?” 

I find that very interesting. Because you really connect on a friend level that you can never connect on land, by meeting someone at a bar or a restaurant. 

We weren’t surprised Giuseppe’s last sentiments during our Q&A were about people and the interactions between them. He is a people-person through and through if we’ve ever met one, which certainly helps him find success in his career as a Cruise Director. 

Celebrity Cruises is a family that you could, perhaps, argue Giuseppe is the Italian “papa” of when he’s Cruise Director of a ship. His likeability and interactions – with the crew and guests – span many cultures and languages, literally and figuratively. 

Next time you’re considering a cruise we promise you’ll be in for a treat if you cruise with Celebrity. If for no other reason, to spend time with Giuseppe.

Dan and Mikkel Woodruff

Mikkel Woodruff co-owns Sometimes Sailing and Sometimes Home travel websites with her husband, Dan, focusing on small format cruises and couples travel, respectively. They call the east coast of the United States home and travel domestically and internationally, motivating people to seek new experiences and explore new places through inspirational content.

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Celebrity Edge

Former name: stx france j34.

Celebrity Edge cruise ship

Cruise line Celebrity Cruises

  • Sydney (NSW Australia)
  • Seattle (Washington)

Celebrity Edge current position

Celebrity Edge current location is at South Pacific Ocean (coordinates -32.74432 S / -177.78952 W) cruising at speed of 22.3 kn (41 km/h | 26 mph) en route to RFP. The AIS position was reported 1 minute ago.

Current itinerary of Celebrity Edge

Celebrity Edge current cruise is 17 days, one-way from Sydney to Honolulu . Prices start from USD 1612 (double occupancy rates). The itinerary starts on 14 Apr, 2024 and ends on 01 May, 2024 .

Specifications of Celebrity Edge

  •   Itineraries
  •   Review
  •   Wiki

Celebrity Edge Itineraries

Celebrity edge review, review of celebrity edge.

The 2018-built Celebrity Edge cruise ship is the first of all five EDGE-class newbuilds - with sisterships Celebrity Apex (2021), Celebrity Beyond (2022), Celebrity Ascent (2023) and Celebrity Xcel (2025).

The vessel (IMO number 9812705) is currently Malta- flagged (MMSI 248325000) and registered in Valletta .

History - construction and ownership

Celebrity Cruises was founded in 1988 as the Greece-based Chandris Line (cruise shipping operations between 1974-1996). In 1997, Royal Caribbean International (RCI) merged with "Celebrity Cruises Ltd" to become "Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd" (RCCL). The "X" on ship funnels is the Greek letter chi (standing for "Chandris").

Common features of Celebrity Cruises ships include aft-located glass-walled dining rooms, signature alternate dining venues, bars and lounges, spacious Atrium lobby areas, a large number of balcony staterooms, large sundecks with swimming pools, The Retreat (adults-only sundeck with full-size swimming pool, Jacuzzi, cabanas, poolside full bar service), Rooftop Terrace (top-deck outdoor lounge-restaurant-cinema), large Spa (with Thermal Suites), premium retail shops selling top-brand merchandise.

The 2900-passenger ship Celebrity Edge is the first of four cruise ships scheduled to debut for Celebrity Cruises under its Project Edge. Celebrity Edge debuted in November 2018. The company promised "small-ship itineraries with large-ship amenities", destination-rich experiences and iconic architecture.

Decks and Cabins

Most Celebrity Edge staterooms are Balcony rooms. There are also a number of wheelchair-accessible rooms. Of all the 1467 staterooms, 918 are Edge Staterooms (with Infinite Verandas) and 176 are suites.

The boat has 15 decks , of which 14 are passenger-accessible and 10 with cabins.

Shipboard dining options - Food and Drinks

The ship's four main dining venues (capacity 360 seats each) share one base menu with specific to each restaurant menu items. Suite passengers dine at the exclusive "Luminae At the Retreat". AquaClass passengers dine at the exclusive "Blu". The raw food bar "Raw on 5" is a new eatery, just like the cantilevered "Magic Carpet" (bar-lounge-restaurant venue). Another new dining-entertainment concept is "Eden" (bar-lounge-restaurant).

During the day, "Le Grand Bistro" (in the Atrium on Deck 4) operates as patisserie and cafeteria serving French cuisine. In the evenings, Le Grand Bistro transforms into "Le Petite Chef" - new dining-entertainment concept via an exclusive partnership with TableMation Studios (US multimedia company) and Skullmapping (a 2010-founded collective of filmmakers and visual artists). Dinner experience includes visual mapping technology with animated 3D characters projected (from above) onto tables and on plates. The VIP dining is at a fixed surcharge. It costs USD 25 pp (Le Grand Bistro) and USD 55 pp (Le Petite Chef).

Ship's other restaurants are named Cosmopolitan, Normandie, Cyprus, Tuscan, Fine Cut Steakhouse. Traditional for all new Celebrity ships is "Rooftop Garden Grill". Among the most popular bars are Eden Bar, Martini Bar, Sunset Bar, Pool Bar.

Celebrity Edge ship has 4 main dining rooms and 6 new-to-Celebrity Cruises specialty restaurants. In total, the cruise ship has 15 restaurants and cafes, 12 bars and lounges.

Passengers in AquaClass staterooms or Suites eat at Blu Restaurant, offering lighter "spa-inspired" cuisine. The Luminae Restaurant is named "Luminae at The Retreat" and (along with Blu) is part of the private, Suite Class passengers exclusive complex "The Retreat". Suite passengers have also the option to eat in the Main Dining Rooms / MDRs (Normandie Restaurant, Tuscan Restaurant, Cosmopolitan Restaurant, Cyprus Restaurant). These 4 complimentary restaurants serve menus inspired by the itinerary/destinations visited. Each restaurant offers regional wines and themed cocktails, dishes made from locally-sourced ingredients, also a rotating menu of Signature dishes for dinner (changing every evening) and a Classic dinner menu. The ship's main restaurants are served by dedicated to each table wait staff (sommelier, assistant waiter, head waiter). Passengers are assigned to one of the 4 MDRs but still have the option (upon request) to dine in the other 3.

Celebrity Edge offers the company's traditional "Celebrity Select Dining" (your-time dining for dinners) option, which is renamed to "Celebrity Select Dining Plus". Passengers can make reservations in any of the 4 MDRs if they know they want to eat at a specific restaurant and dinner time, or they can simply show up and enjoy dinner on their own time.

In addition to the 4 MDR restaurants, there are plenty of complimentary dining venues, such as Oceanview Cafe (live cooking stations, bakery), Mast Grill (poolside), Spa Cafe & Juice Bar (healthy food and beverages), Eden Cafe (wide variety of breakfast and lunch items). The ship also has two outdoor alfresco seating venues.

Celebrity Edge has a total of 11 bars and lounges, including Eden Lounge, Cafe al Bacio, The Club, Sunset Bar, Theater Bar, Casino Bar, Martini Bar, Pool Bar, Il Secondo Bacio, The Retreat Pool Bar, The Retreat Lounge.

The ship has a number of for-fee restaurants (at surcharge per person), including Qsine (USD 45 pp), Tuscan Grill (Italian steakhouse, USD 45 pp), Murano (French, USD 45 pp), Lawn Club Grill (DIY steaks, USD 40 pp), Bistro on 5 (creperie, USD 10 pp), The Porch (USD 5 pp, panini restaurant open for breakfast and lunch). At Qsine, passengers can order on iPads, then waiters bring the food in the order of choosing.

Shipboard entertainment options - Fun and Sport

Lawn Deck is equipped with real grass and the vessel has more deck chairs than others, offering a calm atmosphere under the sun. The Celebrity iLounge gives guests computer tutorial classes and is also a representative of Apple, providing access to the most affordable Mac products available at duty-free prices. Another feature of Celebrity Edge is the AquaSpa café, ideal for a quick lunch after the spa.

Sky Observation Lounge offers live music at sunset, or you can test your luck at Fortune’s Casino – there’s something to do onboard at any time.

Celebrity Edge offers “frictionless arrival", meaning passengers do not have to wait in long lines for the check-in process. This works via a combination of geo-fenced beacons and facial recognition software.

Guests don’t have to carry anything other than smartphones to access their staterooms. Keyless cabin entry is possible through a mobile app. Every part of the stateroom is controllable via touchscreen panel - including lighting, window shades, room temperature.

Celebrity Cruises Edge-class ships "pool deck"

Virtual Concierge app allows booking dinner and spa reservations, drinks ordering, room-service, and other services. Smartphone sensors are used to track passengers on the ship in order to improve services based on their location.

Edge-Class ships also have Celebrity fleet's most technologically advanced Theater Lounge spanning on 3 decks. Here are held fleet's largest number of production shows, with the largest number of performing crew on any premium-brand ship.

Theatre Lounge has all 7 stage areas - 3 large and 4 smaller. Theater's main stage is extending (into the audience) and is flanked by 2x directional rotating platforms raising over 2 m (7 ft) above the main stage. Lounge's design and technology also feature 2 rotating spiral staircases, 10 synchronized (mobile) projection screens, 16 video mapping laser projectors, rigging for aerial performances. Ship's Theatre offers 5 new full shows, including Shakespeare-based "A Hot Summer Night’s Dream" (with acrobatics), "The Jewelry Box" (technological), "Kaleidoscope" (high-energy music and dance), and 2 new "Headline Residency" program-based shows – "Get Up" (pop concert by Black Skull Creative) and "The Purpose" (celebrating the inner self).

The Club is another new (dual-purpose) venue with a large dance floor, a stage for live performances, a giant LED screen and served by its own 2 bars. During the day, The Club offers fun activities and games (including Funovation Laser Maze Challenge, Drone Hunting, laser obstacle course, dance classes, trivia). At night, it transforms into the disco nightclub "Undercover at The Club". The nightly program is themed on the US Prohibition era, with a menu offering signature 1920s craft cocktails and aerial saxophonist performances. Andromeda body scanner allows passengers to become someone else for the entire evening. Hypno Cam Experience is a dance party, in which an Ultra HD camera is passed around and all photos are instantly displayed on the LED screen.

Ship's Kids Club offers by the "Camp at Sea" program over 500 complimentary activities for children of all ages. The facility features two (new for the fleet) separate spaces (for kids and teens) called "The Basement".

Celebrity's signature Rooftop Garden (top-deck dining-entertainment bar lounge) offers expanded facilities and show programming (Rooftop Concert Series, Garden Cinema Series, Taste of Film experience under-the-stars, with 5 new live musical performances).

In 2023, Celebrity introduced pickleball playing courts fleetwide. The sports facilities are complimentary, including the pickleball equipment (net, paddles, balls) but operated with separate scheduled playing times for adults and families (with kids older than 6). While on older vessels the pickleball courts are either on the Sports Deck or at the Multi-Sports Court, on the EGDE ships pickleball is played at the Rooftop Garden.

Grand Plaza

The Grand Plaza serves as the ship's epicenter (midship location) and spans 3 decks. The venue mixes modernity and simplicity and was inspired by the charming era of Transatlantic ocean liners. The concept was designed by Jouin Manku Studio.

The unique space has a striking lighting feature - The Chandelier, an art installation rising over Martini Bar to the ceiling 3 decks above. It is composed of 5 levels and a total of 765 blades illuminated via dynamic LED strips changing their colors from day to night, The Chandelier weighs 7 tons.

The Grand Plaza houses many specialty restaurants, including Fine Cut Steakhouse and Raw on 5 (Deck 5) Le Grand Bistro and Cafe al Bacio (Deck 4), Grand Plaza Cafe (Deck 3), Italian piazzas. At its center (Deck 3) is Martini Bar. Adorning the edges of Grand Plaza are hand-stitched mesh screens that combine over 13,500 art pieces made of leather, fabric, and metal.

Grand Plaza's cafes are the perfect choice for "coffee breaks" - from morning cappuccino to afternoon tea and pre-dinner cocktails - while enjoying live entertainment. In the evenings, Grand Plaza transforms into the ship's social hub with live music performances.

Eden Lounge

Eden is a 3-deck high (aft-location on decks 4, 5, 6) lounge-bar-restaurant venue with live music and shows programming changing throughout the day. Eden Lounge measures 10439 m3 (368640 ft3) and covers a total area of 1175 m2 (12650 ft2).

The lounge has an outward-facing design and combines a signature gastronomic experience (light lunch, 5-course dinner, wine tastings) with live performances, daily lectures, promo events. The lounge has alfresco dining areas on both its sides. In the evening, the lounge transforms into "Eve at Eden", with more provocative entertainment (fusion of performance art, dining, and nightlife.

The Eden Restaurant is part of the lounge and provides 2-hour experience, 5-6-course tasting menu, live entertainment. The Eden Bar serves food and drinks including hand-crafted cocktails.

The lounge's 90-m / 295 ft long ramp envelops the entire space and provides panoramic views. The lounge's unconventional furniture and interiors are designed by Patricia Urquiola (Spain). She also designed the lounge's "Library of Plants" (living garden) and the hanging plant pillars. Lounge's designer is Scott Butler (Wilson Butler Architects, Boston MA). The evening show programming is by Variety Worldwide (NYC New York).

Celebrity Cruises Edge-class ships - Eden Lounge

"The Meeting Place" is named the ship's Conference Center (sized 183 m2 / 1970 ft2). This large meeting room is designed by Wilson Butler Architects (Boston MA) and provides advanced audio-visual equipment, varied seating arrangements, private office (event planning space), as well as mobile bars (for food and beverages) and a fully equipped pantry.

Magic Carpet ("outdoor elevator lounge")

A unique feature of the Celebrity Edge ship is its Magic Carpet - a glass structure (glass-roofed, cantilevered platform) the size of a tennis court, able to traverse 14 stories, like a large elevator.

Mounted on the ship's starboard side, the open-air Magic Carpet offers stunning ocean views, comfortable seating, full bar, a stage for live music performances, This "traveling venue" changes its theme, function, and location by extending from Deck 2 up to Deck 16.

Celebrity Cruises Edge-class ships Magic Carpet

Passengers can't simply ride on the Magic Carpet (using it as an elevator). In each location, the "moving lounge" is safely locked, then guests are allowed to step onboard. While repositioning, the venue is without any passengers. Some of its furniture is fixed.

The structure repositions and transforms into a new venue depending on which deck is locked.

  • When positioned on Deck 16 (above pool deck), it becomes a specialty restaurant offering the unique “Dinner on the Edge" al-fresco dining under the stars.
  • When positioned on Resort Deck 14 (in front of the cabanas), it becomes an extension of the pool deck area, also offering live music performances.
  • When positioned on Dining Deck 5, it becomes a specialty restaurant - alfresco dining appendix to the ship's main dining room restaurant.
  • When positioned on Tendering Deck 2, it becomes an extension of the Destination Gateway (embarkation station serving ship's tender operations). Destination Gateway boarding area is dedicated to the so-called "Edge Launches" - luxurious passenger tendering ashore, providing seamless embarkation and disembarkation in all ports of call along the cruise itinerary. This spacious area is fitted with large LCD screens (displaying destination, itinerary and port highlights), comfortable seating (capacity 130 seats), air-conditioning.

"Destination Getaway" is a dedicated embarkation point when the platform is positioned at its lowest level (Tendering Deck 2).

Celebrity Cruises Edge-class ships - Magic Carpet - Destination Getaway

Magic Carpet's repositioning schedule is published daily.

Follows the complete list of Celebrity Edge lounges, clubs and other entertainment venues for kids, teens, and adults.

  • Edge Theatre is the fleet's most technologically advanced show lounge with 7 stage areas (3 large and 4 smaller).
  • The Magic Carpet is a glass structure the size of a tennis court, that is able to traverse 13 stories, just like a large elevator.
  • The Basement (Teens Club).
  • Camp at Sea is the onboard youth program, with more than 500 activities such as Celebrity Cruises' first youth coding class at sea. Celebrity Edge has 2 separate spaces, one for kids and one for teens.
  • Grand Plaza with Grand Plaza Cafe
  • The Martini Bar
  • "The Meeting Place" Conference Center (sized 183 m2 / 1970 ft2) provides advanced audio-visual equipment, varied seating arrangements, private office (event planning) space, mobile bars (for food and beverages) and a fully equipped pantry.
  • The Club is a dual-purpose venue with large dance floor, a stage for live performances, a giant LED screen and served by its own 2 bars. During the day, The Club offers fun activities and games (including Funovation Laser Maze Challenge, Drone Hunting, laser obstacle course, dance classes, trivia). At night, it transforms into the disco nightclub "Undercover at The Club". 
  • Casino (served by its own Casino Bar)
  • The Celebrity Shops (duty-free shops)
  • Photo Gallery & Photo Studio (photo-video services, equipment, accessories)
  • iLounge (Internet Computers Room)
  • Art Gallery (art exhibitions, sales, auctions)
  • Boutique Shops - Bulgari Shop (jewelry, watches), Michael Kors Shop (brand watches, jewelry, leather goods, handbags), Watch Shop, and Women’s and Men’s Shops (brand fashion clothing, bags, hats, accessories)
  • Eden Lounge, Restaurant and Bar complex
  • The SPA complex consists of Relaxation Room, 23 Treatment Rooms (served by 31 certified therapists), Changing Rooms, Beauty Salon, Barber Shop, Retail Shop (cosmetics and skincare products), Sea Thermal Suites (for couples). 
  • Spa Cafe and Juice Bar (a la carte bar for healthy bites, smoothies and fresh-squeezed juice during the day.)
  • The solarium is an adults-only sundeck with 1 swimming pool and 1 jacuzzi whirlpool (hot tub).
  • The midship-located Pool Deck (aka Resort Deck) is a resort-style sundeck featuring 2-story high glass walls, 1 large swimming pool (lap pool), sunbathing area (with premium chaise lounges facing out to the ocean), outdoor theater (large LED screen), 6 oversized cabanas for rent (starboard). The area is served with drinks by Pool Bar (outdoor poolside bar) and with fast food by Mast Grill. At night, the pool deck transforms into "deck party" area with live music and outdoor movies.
  • The starboard-located "Magic Carpet" is a glass-roofed, cantilevered platform designed as a panoramic outdoor venue. "Destination Getaway" is Magic Carpet's dedicated embarkation point when the platform is positioned at its lowest level.
  • II Secondo Bacio (part of Oceanview Cafe) is an a la carte-priced grab-and-go counter for specialty coffees and fresh-squeezed juices.
  • Cafe Al Bacio & Gelateria (a la carte specialty coffee, patisserie, ice cream; with the Gelateria - Italian Gelato ice cream bar)
  • Fitness Center features floor-ceiling windows and is equipped with the latest Technogym machines and cardio equipment. The Gym complex also offers Hot Yoga (heated room), RYDE (cycling classes by Technogym), Pulse Barre (body workouts), "The Contender" (boxing class), "Fitness on Demand" program (with over 1200 workouts led by expert instructors), Peloton (exercise bikes).
  • Motion Studios (A and B)
  • The Retreat Lounge and Sundeck

Sports Deck houses a Power Walking / Jogging Track and a Multi-Sports Court.

Itineraries

Starting December 2018, Celebrity Edge itinerary program is based on 7-day Caribbean cruises leaving roundtrip from homeport Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades, Florida USA) . Turnaround operations are from the redesigned, Celebrity Cruises' exclusive homeport "Terminal 25" (in Hollywood FL).

  • Eastern Caribbean cruise itinerary visits San Juan Puerto Rico, Tortola Island BVI, St Maarten Island.
  • Western Caribbean cruise itinerary visits Key West Florida, Costa Maya Mexico, Cozumel Mexico, Grand Cayman Island.
  • B2B (back-to-back) voyages were also available for booking as combined 14-night itineraries roundtrip from Port Everglades/Fort Lauderdale.
  • In 2018, Edge also had scheduled 3-night Bahamas itineraries from Fort Lauderdale with departures on November 21 and 24 (both canceled) and December (1, 3, 6).
  • The ship's "Inaugural Cruise" bookings were opened on March 13, 2017.

In late-October 2017 Celebrity announced that the Edge ship will be deployed in Europe (UK and Mediterranean) during summer 2018. The liner's inaugural European voyage was scheduled for May 13-15, 2018 (2-day/mini-cruise from Southampton ), followed by the 11-day UK to Mediterranean repositioning (Southampton to Civitavecchia-Rome) visiting ports in Portugal, Spain, Italy.

In the Mediterranean, Celebrity Edge operated from homeports Civitavecchia-Rome and Barcelona on 7-9-10-11-night roundtrips, as well as 14-night B2Bs that combine two 7-day long roundtrips into one. The list of Med ports included Capri Island , Mykonos Island , Monte Carlo Monaco , Valencia , Ibiza , Nafplio (Peloponnese Greece), Santa Margherita (Italian Riviera). Edge's 2018 inaugural season in Europe (May through October) offered a total of 30 ports of call, visiting 10 countries, 5 overnight port stays.

Due to the Coronavirus crisis, Celebrity Edge’s 2021 European program (July-October) was canceled and replaced with roundtrips from Fort Lauderdale to Eastern Caribbean (San Juan Puerto Rico, Charlotte Amalie St Thomas USVI, Philipsburg St Maarten) and Western Caribbean (Honduras Isla Roatan, Mexico Costa Maya and Cozumel, Bahamas Nassau). With its departure on June 26, 2021, Celebrity Edge became the first post-pandemic large liner to depart from the USA (Fort Lauderdale) carrying passengers onboard. The 7-night Western Caribbean itinerary visited Mexico (Costa Maya, Cozumel) and Bahamas (Nassau).

In September 2021 was announced that for season 2023-2024 (December thru April) Celebrity Edge will be deployed in the South Pacific (Australia and New Zealand) with homeporting in Sydney NSW and Auckland NZ .

  • A total of 12 itineraries (6- to 13-nights in length) visit 22 different ports.
  • Some of the voyages are without call ports ( cruises to nowhere ) themed as "Sun and Beach Escape", "Food and Wine Classic", "Five Star Getaway".
  • Overnights are scheduled in the ports Auckland NZ, Cairns QLD , Hobart Tasmania .
  • A new port for Celebrity Cruises is Penneshaw (Kangaroo Island) .
  • The "South Pacific Islands" itinerary visits islands in New Caledonia and Vanuatu.

Celebrity Edge Australia 2023-2024 cruises were opened for general public booking on October 14, 2021.

Celebrity Edge - user reviews and comments

Photos of celebrity edge.

Celebrity Edge cruise ship

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Other Celebrity Cruises cruise ships

  • Celebrity Apex
  • Celebrity Ascent
  • Celebrity Beyond
  • Celebrity Constellation
  • Celebrity Eclipse
  • Celebrity Equinox
  • Celebrity Flora
  • Celebrity Infinity
  • Celebrity Millennium
  • Celebrity Reflection
  • Celebrity Silhouette
  • Celebrity Solstice
  • Celebrity Summit
  • Celebrity Xcel
  • Celebrity Xpedition
  • Celebrity Xploration

Celebrity Edge Wiki

EDGE-Class ships were designed via an exclusive partnership with Nate Berkus - US interior designer establishing his own company at the age of 24.

The vessel's construction (STX France yard number/hull J34) officially started on November 21, 2016, with the steel-cutting ceremony held at the shipyard in St Nazaire . This was Celebrity's first newbuild since 2008 when Celebrity Solstice was launched.

Celebrity Edge cruise ship construction

On April 28, 2017, Celebrity Cruises announced the name of the ship's godmother - Malala Yousafzai. Then 20-year old, Malala (of Pakistani origin) is a Nobel Laureate (youngest-ever, awarded the prize in 2014 - at the age of 17) and also a UN Messenger of Peace. The cruise company also revealed its 2-year partnership deal with the Malala Fund. Ship's christening ceremony was on December 4, 2018, held at Port Everglades (Fort Lauderdale Florida) . The liner then departed Port Everglades on a 2-day preview cruise (Dec 4-6) with invited VIP guests only.

On June 21, 2017, was vessel's keel-laying ceremony held at St Nazaire shipyard . During the ceremony, an 875-ton block was lifted, with a lucky coin placed in the dock prior to the block's lowering into position. With the foundation in place, the ship’s building blocks start to be joined together.

On January 22, 2018, was the ship's float-out. Assisted by 7 tugboats, the liner was floated out 7 months after the coin ceremony. The planned for Jan 20-21 float-out was postponed due to weather conditions. The ship was moored in the shipyard's basin for fitting out (with all the remaining facilities and amenities).

The vessel was officially delivered from the shipbuilder on October 31, 2018, after 23 months of construction work. The delivery ceremony was attended by Richard Fain (RCCL's CEO and Chairman), Lisa Lutoff-Perlo (Celebrity Cruises' CEO and President) and Laurent Castaing (shipyard's General Manager). On the same day was held Celebrity Apex ' keel-laying (coin) ceremony. On November 6th started the Transatlantic crossing (crew-only/without cruise passengers) from France to Florida.

The ship's first Captain was Costas Nestoroudis, who in 2018 celebrated his 15th year of service with Celebrity Cruises.

Following the COVID crisis, in 2021 the ship restarted passenger shipping operations on June 26 (7-day Caribbean roundtrips from Port Everglades/Fort Lauderdale) under the command of Captain Kate McCue.

Celebrity Edge refurbishment 2023 review

The ship's first drydock was in 2023 (October 15-30) conducted at Chantier Naval de Marseille (shipyard in Marseille France ).

The drydocking project was for routine maintenance and class inspection, including complete hull works (survey, cleaning), systems and machinery overhauls, as well as hotel upkeep (including new carpeting and upholstery).

Inaugural itineraries 2018

On March 13, 2017, were opened bookings for Celebrity Edge's "Inaugural cruise" (Eastern Caribbean itinerary). The ship's itinerary program started in December 2018 with Caribbean cruises leaving roundtrip from home-port Fort Lauderdale Florida (USA) . General cruise prices started from USD 1,000 pp (double occupancy Inside cabin rates) for 7-days long voyages (or around USD 140 pp per day).

Back-to-back cruise itineraries were also available for booking (a combined 14-night itinerary roundtrip from Fort Lauderdale). In Port Everglades, the cruise ship docks at Terminal 25.

In January 2018, the company announced that the vessel's inaugural season will start earlier as its construction will be completed ahead of schedule. The company added 5 new inaugural itineraries, including a second maiden voyage.

Four Inaugural 3-night Bahamas mini-cruises from Fort Lauderdale were scheduled for November 21 and 24, and December 1 and 6. The two Inaugural cruise itineraries were both 7-night, and between Eastern and Western Caribbean. A 14-night B2B (back-to-back) combined itinerary was also available for booking.

The Western Caribbean inaugural cruise from Fort Lauderdale was scheduled for December 9, 2018, with call ports Key West, Costa Maya, Cozumel, and Grand Cayman (George Town). The Eastern Caribbean inaugural cruise from Fort Lauderdale was scheduled for December 16, with call ports San Juan (Puerto Rico), Tortola (BVI) and St Maarten (Philipsburg).

The following tables show the ship's inaugural itineraries as call port sequences and times (arrival/departure). Prices are in USD and per person (double-occupancy inside cabin rates).

3-day "Edge Preview Cruise" - from $670 pp

The liner then departed Port Everglades on a 2-day preview cruise with invited VIP guests only.

3-day "Edge Preview Cruise" - from $650 pp

7-day "Maiden Voyage" to the Western Caribbean - from $1150 pp

7-day "Inaugural Cruise" (initially scheduled maiden voyage) to Eastern Caribbean - prices from USD 2050 pp (initial pricing was $1600 pp).

7-day Eastern Caribbean Christmas Cruise (prices from USD 1700 pp)

7-day Inaugural Western Caribbean Cruise 2018 - prices started from $1000 pp

In late-October 2017, Celebrity Cruises announced that the Edge ship will be deployed in Europe (Mediterranean) during summer 2018. Ship's "Inaugural Cruise" in Europe was scheduled for May 13-15, 2018 (2-day mini-cruise roundtrip from Southampton ), followed by the 11-day UK to Mediterranean repositioning (Southampton to Rome ) visiting ports in Portugal, Spain, and Italy.

In the Mediterranean, Celebrity Edge operated from homeports Rome (Civitavecchia) and Barcelona on 7-, 9-, 10- and 11-day roundtrips, as well as 14-day B2B ( back-to-back cruise ) that combines two 1-week roundtrip itineraries. Ship's 2018 inaugural season in Europe (May through October) offered a total of 30 different ports of call, visiting 10 countries and 5 overnight port stays.

Review: Celebrity Edge

celebrity edge cruise director

Reviewed by Ramsey Qubein

What is the line? Celebrity Cruises

Name of ship? Edge

Passenger occupancy? Around 3,000

Itinerary? Rome to Barcelona

Start out with the big picture—what is this cruise line known for?

Celebrity is part of the Royal Caribbean Group known for its solid mix of family-friendly entertainment and floating fun in the Caribbean, Mediterranean and other parts of the world. Celebrity always takes things a step further by mixing a bit of upscale glamor into its ships, especially its newest vessels. Just remember not everything is included, but this allows travelers to pay for the extras (drink packages, specialty dining or shore excursions) that fit their needs.

Tell us about the ship in general

The ship set sail in 2018 on Celebrity’s classic Mediterranean and Caribbean sailings with around 3,000 passengers immediately enamored with this next phase in the line’s ships. While hardly the largest ship at sea, Edge delivered a new chapter in amenities for the line that made headlines: a cantilevered bar (dubbed the Magic Carpet) that rose up and down the side of the ship like an elevator; rooftop garden with art sculptures; and a restaurant with 3D animation on the table where Michelin-starred cuisine is served. Celebrity tapped famous well-known names like Nate Berkus (the duplex Sunset Bar) and Gwyneth Paltrow (the spa using GOOP products) to influence various features of the ship.

Who is onboard?

Edge class vessels are sure to attract a more sophisticated, maybe even slightly older, crowd although this could be dependent on the itinerary. Families are on board, but not as many as on other ships. This ship also has made such a, forgive the pun, splash that it appeared to draw lots of first-time cruisers on my sailing. The mix of American and European travelers was obvious with multiple languages exclaiming their impressions of the exotic design spaces, which were unlike anything I had seen on most other ships.

Describe the cabins

Bright and colorful, the cabins had pops of magenta, purple or green. There are inside cabins as well as ocean-facing staterooms (either via windows or verandas). What I found most exciting was the new Infinite Veranda category, which extended the cabin all the way out to the edge of the ship, using what would traditionally be the balcony’s space as additional living room space. The traditional balcony with sliding door was replaced by an electronic window that could be electronically lowered halfway creating the illusion of a balcony while also expanding the cabin’s footprint. Another unique feature: there are single-cabin, Infinite Veranda rooms, which gives solo travelers yet another stateroom option that won’t break the bank.

AquaClass cabins are focused on a wellness routine with everything from pillow menus and Cashmere mattresses to healthy dining in a private restaurant and VIP access to the spa and thermal suite. In The Retreat, it felt like a world unto its own. A private lounge had snacks and drinks all day plus an outdoor terrace where I would routinely work from as we sailed away.

Tell us about the crew

The crew hails from around the world and brings next-level hospitality to each guest, but it was the staff in The Retreat that impressed me most. They took the time to remember my favorite white wine (a French Chablis), favorite time for breakfast (usually in my stateroom, in bed around 9 am), favorite place to sit on my laptop (on the terrace in The Retreat lounge) and even preferred spot by the pool (in the shade, but with a side view as we were sailing). When out and about within the ship, I found that if you developed a routine by visiting the same spot for pool towels, Indian food on the buffet or pizza from the aft grill, the staff would also remember your name, too.

What food and drink options are available on board?

Instead of your standard main dining room, I really loved how this ship divided the included dining area into four separate restaurants (each with their own menu like Mediterranean or French). This means you can dine in a different environment each day without paying extra.

Specialty restaurants are also available for an extra fee. There’s a raw bar and sushi counter, American steakhouse, French bistro, garden grill, Le Petit Chef (kids and adults love watching the cartoon chef dance on the table screens and walk guests through their meal experience) and Eden, where the mulligatawny soup and tandoori style beef were my favorites. Kudos to Celebrity for creating an entire plant-based tasting menu rather than leaving vegetarians with the same-old boring pasta and Portobello burger options you’d find elsewhere.

The Magic Carpet is open as a restaurant or just as a bar, and to experience its different positions as it ascends the side of the ship while you dine or tipple is great fun. AquaClass guests have their own restaurant serving healthier fare, as do suite guests in The Retreat, both of which are included in the rate for those passengers. I personally loved the way Oceanview Cafe was designed. It’s the buffet, but it has a back patio terrace that seems like you’re on a private yacht with only a few tables. Instead of one traditional line, the buffet is grouped into small islands with a presentation much more like a gala event with carving stations, charcuterie and cheese boards, and destination-specific dishes (I loved the large paella).

There are always burgers and fries by the pool, drinks at every corner of the ship (don’t miss the Berkus-designed Sunset Bar where you can watch the ship’s wake as you sail away from beautiful ports) and craft cocktails in the Eden Bar. Many afternoons, I would nestle myself into one of the swing chairs behind the living garden walls with a book.

The martini bar in the center of the ship comes alive in the late afternoon and evening with bartenders putting on shows for patrons. I couldn’t believe a stack of 20 full martini glasses, one on top of the other, didn’t topple over as they were building a beverage pyramid to the applause of other passengers.

Is there a spa on board and is it worth visiting?

After an excellent massage in the spa (I was lucky to get a coveted spot on the sea day as those can go quickly), I headed for the Thermal Suite for a soak in the sauna and steam room. Since the sauna has a window looking outward, you could watch the ocean pass by as you relaxed.

There was also a salt room, crystalarium (where I counted on the healing Amethyst crystal to rectify a week’s worth of indulging in the great food and drink on board), and heated tile lounge chairs to finish off the experience while facing the ocean. Instead of working out in the enormous gym, I chose to do laps around the ship’s wraparound jogging track.

Activities and entertainment

I loved spending time at the rooftop garden with a book, catching a movie on the large screen or having a bite to eat in the breeze on a sailing day. Live bands perform here during each sailing. The pool deck buzzes with activity, and it is hardly as crowded as you might see on a much larger ship. The solarium has another pool protected from the hot sun, which was great on port days when there was limited breeze.

The architecture of the ship’s exterior and interior spaces is very design-forward. Large art sculptures, a hallway of distorted mirrors, curving staircases and a striking chandelier in the tri-deck grand plaza are all just some of the elements that would make you think you’re in a hotel on land rather than on sea.

The theater has a wraparound design with people sitting in almost a complete circle with the stage in the middle. Enormous electronic screens synced to the music or theme of the production only add to the excitement in the shows. Some of the screens rise up to reveal additional stage areas for cast members behind them. My favorite performance was “A Hot Summer Night’s Dream,” a show that blends extracts from Shakespeare’s writing with an impressive acrobatic and dance show, topped off with dramatic music. It was truly something different compared to other cruises.

How was the experience for families?

There are both kids and teens clubs divided into age brackets to target the appropriate activities. Among them are video game tournaments, educational activities and even slumber parties, but the location on one of the lowest floors seems like it is designed to isolate the ruckus of fun from the quieter pool and resort deck areas (something I didn’t mind at all).

Where did it sail and how were the excursions? Did anything stand out?

The excursions are not free, but I enjoyed wandering on my own in each of the ports. Most of the time, the ship docks near tourist areas, but sometimes you may have to pay extra for transportation. This is the case in places like Civitavecchia (the port for Rome) and Livorno (the port for Florence) where a train or bus is necessary).

Are there any stand out sustainability or green initiatives about this cruise?

Edge is 20 percent more energy efficient than previous classes and it is designed to have fewer emissions. Single-use plastics are minimal, and guests will only be offered a paper straw upon request to reduce waste.

Anything we missed Don’t be surprised by the performance artists in Eden that stop by different tables with magic tricks or entertaining acts as you enjoy a cocktail. It’s whimsical and fits well with the garden-style design of the space. The club can be very busy on some nights, but just “crickets” on others. It depends how early of a morning most travelers have the next day (some ports have early tour departures).

Basic Wi-Fi is included in the fare, which works well for email or web surfing, and I used it frequently while I was remote working from the ship. You can pay extra for streaming speeds.

Finally, give a sentence or two on why the cruise is worth booking.

Adults will find Celebrity Edge to be an excellent ship for a romantic getaway or for fun with friends. Families have plenty to do, too. Often on other ships, couples need to hide away to avoid the hubbub, but on Celebrity Edge , the ratio of ample space for only 3,000 people means that, like me, you’ll find a corner to call your own.

All listings featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by our editors. If you book something through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

  • Celebrity Cruises

Edge officers, staff shaping up

By vtcruising , January 26, 2018 in Celebrity Cruises

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5,000+ Club

I saw some feedback from recent cruisers about some of the potential Edge officers. I had heard about the captains, but not the HD and CD. Happy to see that Maarten Bruels announced that he will be the opening CD.

Here is what I was able to find - would love to hear what others have heard:

Costas Nestoroudis

Dimitrios Kafetzis

Hotel Director: Niyazi Korkmaz

Cruise Director: Maarten Bruels

(not trying to usurp Arno's thread, but I sometimes miss some of the Edge info on the main board)

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Cool Cruiser

Celebrity Liner

I saw some feedback from recent cruisers about some of the potential Edge officers. I had heard about the captains, but not the HD and CD. Happy to see that Maarten Bruels announced that he will be the opening CD. Here is what I was able to find - would love to hear what others have heard: Captains: Costas Nestoroudis Dimitrios Kafetzis Hotel Director: Niyazi Korkmaz Cruise Director: Maarten Bruels       (not trying to usurp Arno's thread, but I sometimes miss some of the Edge info on the main board)  
I hope maarten is still a cruise director at transatlantik in April 2020. I met him as an Activity Manager on Eclipse I hope I hope so, I hope so: D Dimitrios Kafetzis is also a cool guy

Good to hear - I don't think I have sailed with Captain Kafetzis. I have sailed with Maarten and liked his style.

Orator also said on another thread that HD Niyazi was planning to take a number of people from Reflection to Edge so hopefully we will see some familiar faces on the Edge in November.

WonderMan3

According to staff on Silhouette this past week, the notifications to staff members about whether they are invited to join Edge have begun to go out. Edge staff selections are based on either recommendations from managers or if a staff member applies. All of the staff we spoke to had zero interest in going to Edge as a new ship is very stressful on the staff in its first year primarily because so much attention is focused on the ship and service expectations are so much higher; there is a lot of pressure. One staff member said that if you are invited to join the new ship staff (based on a manager recommendation) and you decline it then Celebrity may not renew your contract when it's up so they feel obligated to go.

Interesting... here I was thinking it was an honor to be chosen. [emoji2]

Me too. I was surprised to hear this and from more than one staff member. The one plus side they said is that the new ships always have the best crew quarters but they still weren’t worth it to join the ship in its first year.

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Silkroad

Me too. I was surprised to hear this and from more than one staff member. The one plus side they said is that the new ships always have the best crew quarters but they still weren’t worth it to join the ship in its first year.   Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Makes sense. I’ve heard the same from people opening a new hotel or tech support center. It’s an honor to be considered best of the best, but if they fail, their careers can nosedive. Celebrity’s strategy is brilliant because the best staff surely have positive relationships with many repeat passengers, some of whom are booked on the early sailings. This should help to smooth the inevitable rough edges. We can do our part by remaining civil, realistic and understanding when we board our beautiful new temporary home.

TeeRick

Perhaps comments from a staff member (or even a few staff members) to somebody on board then become the generalization here about the feelings of all staff members. My guess is that some staff will not want to be on a new ship for the reasons stated. Some people are resistant to change and others thrive on it. Some will be honored to be chosen. Some will love the challenge of getting a new ship up and running efficiently. Some will love the new environment or technology. Some will have a promotion opportunity. It will be as mixed as the differences across a large group of people.

Where did anyone that this was the opinion of all staff members? In my post above I said it is what I heard from several staff members on my recent cruise who chose to share their opinions.

  • 3 weeks later...

From Beanb41 on Arno's thread:

"Kirsty Sparks was appointed inaugural Captains Club Host on the Edge during the just completed Solstice cruise. "

From reports on CC, here is the Edge opening list so far:

Captain's Club Host: Kirsty Sparks

Captain kafetzis will open Beyond, captain Skylogianis will be next up.

  • 2 weeks later...

StanleyVA

I think Maja (former Michaels Club hostess on the Summit) will be on the Edge as a Suite Manager. She is wonderful.

I think Maja (former Michaels Club hostess on the Summit) will be on the Edge as a Suite Manager. She is wonderful. George

Thanks - that's great to hear - I have heard good things about her.

CruiseImage

CruiseImage

Matt Karandreas is opening Staff Captain :cool:

C-Dragons

We just got off the Reflection on March 12.

Bogdan was on board and he confirmed he will be transferring to the Edge as her first Suite Manager. He is the Best.

Julie Sherrington will be Guest Relations Manager.

And Katya, the Hostess in Luminae, will also be going to the Edge.

We just got off the Reflection on March 12. Bogdan was on board and he confirmed he will be transferring to the Edge as her first Suite Manager. He is the Best. Julie Sherrington will be Guest Relations Manager. And Katya, the Hostess in Luminae, will also be going to the Edge.
Thanks! Sounds like we will have the cream of the crop!

Of course... 😁

... Forgot to mention Clint Kelu who will be joining Edge as the Food & Beverage Manager.

sparkopotamus

sparkopotamus

  Julie Sherrington will be Guest Relations Manager.

Julie Sherrington is wonderful!!!

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Julie Sherrington is wonderful!!! Sent from my iPad using Forums

Agreed! It will be great to see her on the Edge:)

Here is what people have reported so far for the Edge:

Masters: Costas Nestoroudis, Dimitrios Kafetzis

Staff Captain: Matt Karandreas

Cruise Director : Maarten Bruels

Guest Relations Manager: Julie Sherrington

Food & Beverage: Clint Kelu

Executive Chef:

Suite Manager: Bogdan, Maja (both have been reported)

Retreat Lounge Host:

Luminae Host: Katya

Any other news? Again, I'm not trying usurp Arno's thread - he will most likely add the Edge to the spreadsheet when placements are confirmed. In the meantime, we can keep track of the what has been reported here.

Here is what people have reported so far for the Edge:   Masters: Costas Nestoroudis, Dimitrios Kafetzis Staff Captain: Matt Karandreas Cruise Director : Maarten Bruels Hotel Director: Niyazi Korkmaz Guest Relations Manager: Julie Sherrington Food & Beverage: Clint Kelu Executive Chef: Captain's Club Host: Kirsty Sparks Suite Manager: Bogdan, Maja (both have been reported) Retreat Lounge Host: Luminae Host: Katya   Any other news? Again, I'm not trying usurp Arno's thread - he will most likely add the Edge to the spreadsheet when placements are confirmed. In the meantime, we can keep track of the what has been reported here.

We spoke directly to Bogdan who said he was going on vacation in June, then would be transferring to the Edge in September.

In fact, all those who told us they were chosen to go to the Edge were following the same pattern, starting vacation in May or June, then coming back to the Reflection just before transferring to the Edge in September in preparation for her first sailings in November. Included in this group were our favorite Waiter and Assistant server in Luminae and our Butler, Vishnu. 👍🏻

CruisingTheWaves

CruisingTheWaves

Is this Kat from Ukraine? That used to work in Silk Harvest on Equinox and has been on Reflection for a while now? I think the last time we saw her on Reflection she said she works in "suite restaurant" now so I hope so, we love her.

Yes, and we love her too. We haven’t sailed on Equinox since her Inaugural in 2009, our last 4 cruises have been on Reflection. The first time we met Katya she was a waiter in Luminae. On our last 2 cruises on Reflection Katya has been the Luminae Hostess.

Lastdance

Wow...I so happy about Bogdan, as he is absolutely wonderful. I will see him again at the end of April and then in exactly one year from April on Edge TA!!!

Wow...I so happy about Bogdan, as he is absolutely wonderful. I will see him again at the end of April and then in exactly one year from April on Edge TA!!!   Sent from my iPhone using Forums

We'll be back with him on the Dec. 9th Edge Cruise before the TA. 😉

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Unforgettable Luxury and Adventure: Sailing on Celebrity Edge

Celebrity Edge Forward in Tortola

Celebrity Edge was the first ship in the Edge Class Series on Celebrity Cruises and it features the iconic Magic Carpet platform that serves as various venues on different levels of the ship.

Celebrity Edge Magic Carpet

The Celebrity Edge was also the first ship to return to service from a US cruise port after Covid-19 pandemic and has been breaking records for luxury and exceptional experience every since.

Celebrity Edge Sunshine and Magic Carpet

I booked my sailing on Celebrity Edge in Sky Suite which is part of the Retreat on Celebrity. Guests staying in the retreat get Premium Drinks, Premium WiFi and gratuities included in the cruise fare.

For this sailing to Eastern Caribbean I spent approximately $4,100 on the cruise fare. Which in today’s prices can be $6,000 lower than what Sky Suites are selling for for a similar week-long cruise.

Similar to other cruises, I booked airfare to arrive the day before and stayed in Fort Lauderdale on the beach the night before the sailing. I spent about $400 on my airfare and used miles and points to stay at the hotel.

Travel Advisor

I can help you book your next vacation! Email me at [email protected] and I can help put together a great vacation experience. As a travel advisor I often have access to additional promotions such as onboard credit, meals or some other experience. In addition, I am also frequently able to offer group pricing which can help save on the cost of your cruise.

Celebrity Edge

Celebrity Edge in Tortola BVI

If you’re seeking a truly exceptional cruise experience, look no further than Celebrity Edge. This innovative and luxurious cruise ship offers an unparalleled voyage that is sure to leave you in awe.

Based on my experience there are six things that stood out that made the cruise an incredible experience. Those six things are found below:

1. Luxury Retreat Sky Suite Experience

The first thing that I loved about my experience on Celebrity Edge was the Retreat Experience on Celebrity.

When you stay in a suite on Celebrity you get access to suite amenities including gourmet dinning in Luminae, a private sundeck and lounge. In addition, the rooms feature butlers to assist with the experience on the cruise.

Celebrity Edge Sky Suite Bed

Being in the suites on Celebrity Edge was a lot of fun. The Sky Suite room was large and had a great balcony, sitting area and comfortable bed. The bathroom even had a bath tub and spa shower. The butler was awesome and he made me feel welcome.

Celebrity Edge Sky Suite Balcony chairs

The food in the Luminae was really an incredible experience. From gourmet items to beautiful presentations and personalized service, the experience was top notch.

Celebrity Edge Luminae Halibut

The Retreat Sundeck offered a great place to relax by a private pool with bar and food service.

Celebrity Edge Retreat Sun Deck

2. Amazing Coffee and experience at Cafe al Bacio

The second thing I loved about Celebrity Edge was the amazing coffee and experience at Cafe al Bacio.

Celebrity Edge Cafe al Bacio Cappuccino

Cafe al Bacio is located near the Grand Plaza on Edge Class ships and it offers barista made beverages with latte art as well as gourmet snacks throughout the day and night.

Celebrity Edge Cafe al Bacio Coffee

For all the coffee connoisseurs out there, Cafe al Bacio on Celebrity Edge is a dream come true. This specialty coffee shop offers an array of artisanal coffees, teas, and pastries that are simply exquisite. Savor a perfectly brewed cappuccino or indulge in a velvety smooth latte while enjoying the cozy ambiance and stylish decor of Cafe al Bacio. The expert baristas and the exceptional quality of the coffee beans used will delight your taste buds and elevate your coffee experience to new heights.

3. Fun Cruise Director Lewis and Awesome Captain Tasos as Welcoming Hosts

The third thing that was amazing about my experience on Celebrity Edge was the fact that the Captain and Cruise Director combination included the Famous Captain Tasos as well as the cruise director Lewis .

Celebrity Edge Cruise Director Lewis and Captain Tasos (2)

These two are sure characters and they really went out of their way to make guests feel happy and enjoy the experience.

From silly announcements to hosting events throughout the day these two really are amazing.

Celebrity Edge Captain Tasos

Captain Tasos was recently promoted along with his brother to be the Co-Captains of Celebrity Accent which is debuting in the Caribbean in December, 2023.

The dedication on the Captain Tasos and Cruise Director Lewis to creating an unforgettable experience for guests sets the tone for a remarkable cruise journey.

4. Amazing DJ and Silent Disco Battles

a group of people standing next to a table with headphones

Celebrity Edge has amazing DJ’s and an incredible Silent Disco Battle. DJ Gilla spun some awesome tunes and had everyone dancing and signing along every night.

Dj Gilla competed with other DJs’s on Edge for the Silent Disco nights and every night he won hands down.

a man with a face mask and a beard

It was fun getting to meet DJ Gilla personally as well! I look forward to having him mix the tunes on another cruise!

5. Exceptional Shows in the Theater on Celebrity Edge

The fifth thing that I loved about my experience sailing on Celebrity Edge was the exceptional shows in the theater on the ship.

Every night there was some incredible entertainment with the highlight being three production shows by the professional singers and dancers. These shows made me smile and were a key highlight of the experience.

The entertainers were really awesome and they were so talented. You will be amazed by the shows on Celebrity!

6. Fun Saint Maarten Shore Experience Visiting Two Beaches

The sixth thing that I loved about my experience on Celebrity Edge was having an awesome day in Saint Maarten where I visited two famous beaches!

Celebrity Edge St Maarten Sign

The port of call in Saint Maarten is a true gem of the Caribbean, offering a unique and fun-filled shore experience. One of the must-do excursions is visiting two beaches in one day – Maho Beach and Orient Beach.

Maho Beach is famous for its proximity to the airport, where you can witness planes taking off and landing just a few feet above you, creating an exhilarating experience.

Celebrity Edge St Maarten Maho Beach AA Lansing

It was an incredible experience to watch the jets land right over my head! What a cool experience.

Orient Beach, on the other hand, is a picturesque paradise with pristine white sands and turquoise waters, perfect for swimming and sunbathing.

Celebrity Edge St Maarten Orient Beach

Orient Beach was laid back and the beach was absolutely beautiful! I loved sitting in the sun and enjoying the beautiful weather.

Celebrity Edge St Maarten Orient Beach 2

Exploring these two distinct beaches in one day provides a thrilling and unforgettable shore experience that you won’t want to miss.

Check out fun activities in Saint Maarten on TripAdvisor , Expedia or Viator .

Celebrity Edge Butterfly

I had an amazing experience sailing in the retreat on Celebrity Edge. From some amazing hosts of the Cruise Director Lewis and Captain Tasos to awesome food, entertainment, amazing DJ Gilla Silent Disco Battles, and overall experience, Celebrity Edge did not disappoint. I can’t wait for my next Celebrity cruise!

Celebrity Edge Forward in Tortola

Have you sailed on Edge? What did you enjoy most?

Celebrity Edge Magic Carpet Walkway

Four things that made my MSC Seashore cruise a great time!

Cruise news: miami port troubles.

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How does it “break” records for luxury. This must be a paid advertisement.

' src=

Hi thanks for the comment. This is definitely not a paid advertisement. The prices that I paid are listed in the article towards the top under booking. I did not receive any compensation from Celebrity regarding this article or the experience.

The Edge class ships are frequently recognized in the media and they have won several awards. That is why I used that language. I appreciate your feedback and thank you for reading the article! Hope you have a good day.

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Thank your for the review man

Thanks! Have you been on Celebrity Cruises also?

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In Travel ·

Our Experience Aboard Celebrity Edge: The Posh Ship of the Celebrity Cruises Series

celebrity edge cruise director

If you listened to the podcast episode that we recorded aboard the Celebrity Edge, then you already received a taste of our experience on this posh ship from Celebrity Cruises, but we’ve only scratched the surface. This blog post will dig a little deeper into all things Celebrity Edge so that you can decide if this ship is right for you to book your vacation sail.

Background on Celebrity Edge

Celebrity Edge is the largest and the lead ship from the Edge-class series from Celebrity Cruises. Her inaugural season was in 2018. Of course, due to the pandemic, it still feels like a very new ship since it had some downtime and low usage, like most cruise ships over the past few years.

The Edge is the first ship with the “ Magic Carpet ” experience- though we will discuss our experience with that a bit later in the need to know section. The Magic Carpet protrudes and is suspended from the starboard side of the ship. It can rise or descend alongside the ship on its track and otherwise hosts additional dining and bar space.

Celebrity Edge Review

Pre-boarding and Embarkation of Celebrity Edge

It seems that technology has advanced post-covid. Celebrity Edge begins its pre-boarding and embarkation process with its app . The app takes you step-by-step through exactly what you need to do before embarkation day. Scanning a copy of your passport, entering your covid-vaccine information, etc. There is a health questionnaire you will answer. You will also enter your payment information so that it is loaded into the app to take care of your folio charges on the ship. You will also take a selfie, so doll up friends! Heads up, this will be seen by all staff when you enter anywhere and pay for anything, so be prepared. We thought we would just take a morning blah photo, but found out at embarkation by a very nice staff member that it would be our “go-to photo”. The nice young man allowed us to take ours over quickly, but we cannot promise this will be allowed all the time. We arrived early with plenty of time. This photo, in the app though, is used ahead of time to match your passport. Just go through the steps of the app and you will be fine.

Two days before sailing, we had to have a covid test and provide those results at the port before walking inside the Celebrity terminal. On embarkation day, we answered another health questionnaire via the app. These questions went through current symptoms if any.

Children – there are different rules regarding children. These may change before your sailing, so please check if you book. At the time of our sailing, unvaccinated children are required to take a COVID-19 test before embarkation, just like adults, but of course, they do not provide vaccination information. Also, before re-entry into the U.S., they must take another COVID-19 test. This complimentary test will be administered onboard. Lastly, regarding children, unvaccinated children may only go ashore with their families, on a shore excursion provided by Celebrity Cruises.

Muster Drill

The muster drill was very easy, and again, has changed since the pre-covid days. We were allowed to watch it from our room, which was nice. Here is information from their website which shows an infographic of the guest safety briefing. The app will show if you do not go through this briefing, so make sure that you do, and check in at your muster station before sailing. It is very easy!

The Service Aboard Celebrity Edge

We really cannot explain how wonderful the service was on our sailing. To give you an example, on the last day of our trip, knowing it would be the final time we would be seeing many of the staff, we avoided the last encounter so that we would not cry. Yes, we have issues and we are seeking therapy for them, but that is for another blog post.

With my (Shannon) tree nut allergy, mom has a stone fruit allergy, the dining/restaurant staff bent over backward for us to make sure that we were safe. This service surpassed allergies, though. Overall, with every single greeting, and conversation, we had nothing but positive, genuine service.

With the hospitality industry, especially the cruise industry being where it is right now, they deserve so much respect. During our sailing, the Celebrity Edge was almost at full capacity but the service did not lack. It was truly impeccable.

celebrity edge review

Our Cabin Aboard Celebrity Edge

We stayed in the AquaClass Stateroom , which Gerry and I had stayed in before on a previous ship, but oh my, the AquaClass has had a glow-up on the Celebrity Edge. AquaClass prides itself on being very spa-like, in fact, with AquaClass, you get an all-access pass to the Thermal Spa, which we will talk more about in a bit. Visit our Instagram stories for a sneak peek of our room. Our room also had a veranda/balcony area that was more like an extension of the room. There was a floor-to-ceiling glass window that had an automated window opening that with the push of a button, opened to make a balcony-like opening. It was extraordinary use of space.

The bathroom in this stateroom was the largest we have ever seen! It was very spa-like! The shower was spacious, with glass doors, a rain shower faucet head, tons of counter and cabinet space as if we were staying for a few weeks.

The room could be set to sustainability mode with the switch of the a/c unit and adjusted when we left the room to conserve energy. We had complimentary room service from 7 am-11 pm and a very responsive concierge. Let’s not forget that every day we received an afternoon canape and every evening chocolates with turndown service. It was the best service, ever.

Celebrity Edge Review

Covid-Safety Aboard Celebrity Edge

We felt very safe regarding the Celebrity Cruises Covid Safety that was taken prior to our boarding as well as during our sailing.

  • Masks are optional- but staff wears them.  We felt fine with that since everyone was vaccinated and had tested negative for covid.
  • Hand sanitizer stations are everywhere you look, as well as a handwashing station in dining areas.
  • The staff is tested daily. Also, the captain makes an announcement every day letting us know if anyone has tested positive for covid, if anyone is symptomatic, and we appreciate that transparency.  
  • Muster drill, as we mentioned, is contactless.
  • Masks are required at some locations when in port. You will see signs and be advised if rules change or when they are mandated.
  • Note- mask mandates continually evolve, so please check directly with Celebrity Cruises before your voyage. 

The Aesthetic Aboard Celebrity Edge

Having cruises with Celebrity Cruises prior to sailing aboard The Edge, I will say that this ship had a very different vibe. It was very posh!

Nate Berkus is the design ambassador and you can feel that if you are familiar with Nate Berkus’ design aesthetic. The Edge’s architect Tom Wright said it best in Architectural Digest , “We put a strong spine down the middle of the ship, so we could get rid of the bulky metal exoskeleton that limited views and space. People can move closer to the edge near the water.” That is exactly what you find yourself doing aboard The Edge. The space along the sides of this ship is so inviting and appealing, you are constantly enjoying the space on the ship.

It has a modern, global appeal that allows you to feel that you are a part of something luxurious, but also natural. Even The Retreat, which is an exclusive part of the ship, has a very clean aesthetic that exudes detail. The Retreat is designed by Kelly Hoppen, an interior designer- CBE- ahem, Commander of the Order of the British Empire. Yes, we googled CBE. It’s super fancy and prestigious.

Celebrity Edge Review

Celebrity Edge’s Culinary Game

The part everyone is drooling for me to talk about, is the food!

Let’s start with the primo dining area on the ship, Luminae . We had access to The Retreat , which is just amazing. It’s an exclusive part of Celebrity Edge, which gives you tons of VIP access, including this phenomenal dining experience. It’s difficult to stray from Luminae once you have dined in Luminae.

Luminae’s menus were designed by Daniel Boulud, a Michelin-starred French chef. Boulud has restaurants in New York City, Boston, DC, Palm Beach, Miami, Toronto, Montréal, London, Singapore, and Dubai. It was the first meal we had on the ship, and we were hooked!

Rooftop Garden Grill was a specialty restauran t that we dined at one evening. We really enjoyed this as it was al fresco, a change of pace. It had American-style, food, on the roof of the ship, so it was almost as if we were at an upscale cookout, though being waited on, in the middle of the ocean, under the stars, so very posh.

One of our favorites and our last evening dining experience was at Eden , another specialty restaurant. Eden is at the back of the ship and allows for the most amazing views! It takes up three floors, so there are floor-to-ceiling windows, and it makes you feel like you are dining in the garden of Eden. There are plants everywhere, and it is just magical. Oh, and the food is amazing!

Since we have an Aquaclass stateroom, we have the availability to dine at Blu , a restaurant that focuses on clean cuisine, and a healthier lifestyle. We dined one evening in Blu and that was also a great experience! We highly recommend this as well, if you are in the AquaClass stateroom.

For those of you asking about the traditional dining- yes, they still exist, but selfishly, we did not go to those because we loved Luminae so much. Also, buffets still exist, but you do not serve yourself, the staff serves you, thankfully, should you wish to go that route.

Specialty restaurants – we recommend that you up your culinary game, and go outside of the traditional dining experience. There were 6 available, all with different cuisines. These do require an additional expense ranging from $20-$60ish per person. If you can afford to splurge a bit on your cruise, at least do this once. You won’t regret it.

Celebrity Edge Review

Entertainment Aboard Celebrity Edge

Similar to most cruises, there is a casino, and there is the main atrium bar with a piano and a lounge singer of some sort. Celebrity Edge had some fun pizazz added at the atrium bar, with a cocktail bartender show in the evenings, which was fun!

Each morning, the cruise director announces the ongoing entertainment throughout the day so you can be reminded of what events you may be interested in. You also receive a program in your cabin each evening as a heads up for the next day. Lastly, you can always check your app, or your television in your stateroom for entertainment or what is going on aboard the ship.

We mentioned Eden Restaurant earlier, but Eden is also a great venue for music. You do not have to pay extra to go and see live music in the lounge area and we loved the vibe there. We saw a show in The Theatre one evening, which was a musical, and there is also The Club which has several games and shows going on throughout the sailing. You can visit this link to see more about what is offered in regards to entertainment aboard Celebrity Edge.

Technology Aboard Celebrity Edge

As mentioned above, you can utilize the Celebrity app for almost anything you need while you are on the ship. Wi-fi is available aboard Celebrity Edge for purchase. Package information is available here . There is an iLounge on board that helps with Apple issues and products. Since we are not Apple users, when we had questions about connecting to the Wi-fi, we simply visited Guest Relations and they helped us.

Celebrity Edge SEA Thermal Suite

As mentioned previously, when you are in the AquaClass stateroom, you have an all-access pass to the Thermal Suite in The Spa aboard Celebrity Edge. Access is available to everyone aboard, just for a fee. The Spa is most desirable while on a cruise, and the Thermal Suite is no exception. The Thermal Suite aboard The Edge has a Salt Room, Float Room, Steam Room, Heated Tile Loungers, Rainfall Water Therapy Room, and even a Crystalarium.

The Spa has traditional spa services, like massage, facials, etc. Tips are not included with the spa services, so you will want to add those when you check out. I had a wonderful massage on our first sea day. It was my first massage since pre-covid and it was life-changing. Truly.

Wellness Aboard The Edge

With all of the calorie intake during your sailing, you’ll want to work some of those off, well, maybe you will. For the AquaClass stateroom, we had yoga mats included in our room, so we could practice yoga during our voyage. There is also a walking/jogging track on floor 14 which goes around the deck of the ship and includes an incline to deck 15, which I took part in each day. Since walking keeps my mental health in check, this was a nice routine to continue, and even better, the scenery was ideal!

Celebrity Edge Review

The Retreat

Finally, we get to our favorite part, The Retreat . Ok, so listen, The Retreat is not something that is for everyone, we get it. At first glance, you may think, “this is a little too fancy, not for me.” Trust me, I didn’t think that it was something I would venture into more than once, but we ended up utilizing The Retreat access almost the entire time.

So, what is The Retreat? The Retreat is all-encompassing of a bundle package- access to a few things. It’s like having a VIP pass to so many options aboard Celebrity Edge. If you are staying in a Suite or one of the Villas, then it’s automatically included, but you can also purchase access to The Retreat. It includes access to dining at Luminae, The Retreat Sundeck (your private pool area, only accessible to Retreat members), and The Retreat Lounge (a private comfy space with concierges, nosh, coffee, spirits, etc.)

The Retreat Sundeck : we only pooled here. We had cabanas, the most adorable hanging round egg chairs at the pool, hot tubs, a private bar, light lunch, and the most amazing views of the ocean. You truly wouldn’t want to be anywhere else if you have access to this.

The Retreat Lounge : we spent every morning here and became friends with the staff. I’m tearing up right now as I miss them. We lounged on the most comfortable sofa while overlooking the blue sea and sipped on latte macchiato (me) and Cafe Americanos (mom) and dined on cinnamon buns as big as your head! Ooh, la, la!

Any other time of the day, you can visit the lounge and have a spirit or two, a soft drink, an infused water, make dining arrangements, basically have anything is taken care of that you want. We were spoiled!

Celebrity Edge Review

Shore Excursions Available

Shore excursions are one of the best ways to maximize your cruising experience! It’s one of the ways to make the most of cruising. We like to look at cruising similar to a sampler platter: you try various places to see which one you want to order the next round. Once you have visited several places, you decide where you want to go on vacation next time. Celebrity Cruises has a plethora of shore excursions available, depending on your sailing. We recommend you visit this link to take a look at what is available, and dig in deeper once you decide which sailing you are taking.

We took the San Juan Evening Drive while in Puerto Rico, visited the Baths in Virgin Gorda while at Tortola, and spent the day on Maho Beach plane spotting in St. Maarten. The shore excursions staff were highly hospitable aboard The Edge, and the contracted staff for the excursions were amazing! We recommend all three of these if you are in these ports.

Celebrity Edge Review

Need To Know

There are a few things that we feel are important for you to know before you go so that you can have the best experience aboard The Edge with Celebrity Cruises:

  • Tips are included now, which is different from pre-covid days of cruising. We had a beverage package, but we did notice on menus that there would be a 20% gratuity added to the purchase of drinks, but we didn’t experience that, so we’re not sure what that was about. There are some situations where you may want to tip more and that is welcomed. If this is a concern or if you have questions, you may want to ask prior to ordering.
  • Formal night is no more- it’s now called “evening chic”. There is a dress code, and it changes each night for dinner, so be prepared. HERE is more information on the dress code.
  • If you have dietary restrictions. e.g. Shannon has a tree nut allergy, just make sure you tell the Maitre d’ or your server. The entire staff aboard the ship was phenomenal about this. Accommodations were made, and often an entirely different meal was made for me without me feeling weird about it.
  • Bring an empty reusable water bottle with you on your trip so that you can take it with you off of the ship. Reminder- fill it with water before leaving the ship. Often, when you begin venturing into a new port, you forget how thirsty you may be, and sometimes you cannot find a place to purchase water in a new territory, so in the meantime, you will want to have water until you do find a place.
  • If you are excited about the Magic Carpet , please note that during our trip it did not move. We learned later that it is supposed to move to various floors for different experiences, but it stayed in one place during our sailing. In fact, instead of the elevator announcing that you have arrived at Floor 14, it announces, you’ve arrived at the “Magic Carpet” so it’s supposed to be a big deal, we’re pretty sure. We will say that it is a pretty cool bar, and with it extending out further than anywhere on the edge of the ship, that is neat.

Celebrity Edge Review

Our Takeaway

Cruising has definitely changed since the pre-pandemic days. You can feel that. This cruise had a lot of people who were booked on this voyage pre-covid and had missed it, so they were anxious to be on this ship. Spirits were high for the most part, but many people seemed to have no patience at embarkation, though once they got aboard the ship, they seemed happy. We hope that people will remember to have grace and compassion as they remember that the cruising industry and the travel industry as a whole have been through a lot and are taking extra precautions to make sure that we are all safe before boarding.

It should also be noted because we have been asked, that yes, the Captain did announce that there were positive covid cases during our sailing, but it was handled very well and we felt comfortable with it. Those individuals were quarantined and cared for while on board, and after we returned to our Port in Fort Lauderdale, they were transported to either medical care or hotels to be quarantined. You do make it home, you are not put off of the ship, and covid does not run rampant as everyone (except children- see Pre-boarding and Embarkation of Celebrity Edge section above) on the ship is vaccinated and precautions are taken.

This ship was almost at full capacity and we feel that is a great sign of what is to come for the industry. We highly recommend Celebrity Cruises and would most definitely cruise The Edge again!

Celebrity Edge Review

Save On Your Booking

If you would like to save on your booking with Celebrity Cruises , use code: ARNERSAILCC when you book your sailing. This code gives you $100 onboard credit per person and is combinable with the other offers on their site. The book by date is May 31, 2022, and can be used for all sailings throughout the rest of the year excluding blackout dates (Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s sailings).

If you are looking for a great place to stay while in the Fort Lauderdale/Miami area, before or after your cruise, we highly recommend The Goodtime Hotel . You can read all about our review here .

Disclosure: We only recommend products we would use ourselves and all opinions expressed here are our own. This post may contain affiliate links that are at no additional cost to you. We may earn a small commission from them. All efforts are made to ensure that affiliate links are disclosed in accordance with the FTC.

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About Arner Adventures

Hi, we're Shannon and Gerry Arner, a minimalist couple, childfree by choice, champions of simplicity, and seekers of soul-stirring adventures. We went from a life of burnout to selling our business, our home, and most of our belongings, to live a simpler life by the NC Coast. From downsizing our lives to exploring the globe with purpose, join us on our quest to redefine what it means to truly live.

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Home » Cruise » Celebrity Cruises » Celebrity Edge » Celebrity Edge Cruise Review 2021: First Cruise from the U.S.

Celebrity Edge Cruise Review 2021: First Cruise from the U.S.

We share all of the details of the first cruise from the U.S. with our signature day-by-day Celebrity Edge cruise review (2021).

Celebrity Edge Cruise Review 2021

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Scroll down to watch our celebrity edge cruise review video, celebrity edge cruise ship overview.

Celebrity Edge debuted in late 2018 to much fanfare. The newest build for Celebrity Cruises in nearly a decade, this 130K gross ton ship set sail with many new features and amenities not found on any other cruise ship.

Among the stand-out features is the multi-purpose Magic Carpet. This cantilevered deck serves as a bar, restaurant, and a disembarkation gateway for tender ports of call.

Celebrity Edge Cruise Review 2021

Celebrity Edge is also home to the dynamic space Eden. With a bar, a casual quick service cafe, an upscale experiential restaurant, and a performance stage, not to mention some great aft views, this venue takes on many forms throughout the cruise.

The ship also features four unique main dining rooms, each with an “Exclusive” section on the menu.

Other innovative spaces include a state-of-the-art main theater, a reimagined pool deck, and the tranquil Rooftop Garden.

This premium cruise ship offers the elegance, style, and service that you would expect to find on a luxury cruise line along with a variety of activities and events found on mainstream mega-ships.

Even better, Celebrity Cruises now offers Always Included pricing .

Celebrity Edge Cruise Review 2021

We sailed on Celebrity Edge during her inaugural season in January 2019. Happily, we can report that the ship and the cruise experience remain relatively unchanged.

Being the first cruise ship back in the United States, the crew and passengers were equally excited for this momentous voyage. With Captain Kate at the helm, someday is finally here for Celebrity Cruises.

Continue reading to find out exactly what it is like to cruise again with our day-by-day Celebrity Edge Cruise Review for 2021.

Related Post: Guide to Celebrity Cruises Ship Classes

Complete Day-By-Day Celebrity Edge Cruise Review

Celebrity edge cruise review- day 1, here we go again.

After 15 months without a cruise, we were heading off on our second cruise of the month. Having disembarked Royal Caribbean’s Adventure of the Seas just a week prior, it was time to head to Florida for the first cruise from the United States.

Luckily, our pre-cruise travel day was uneventful. We arrived at our pre-cruise hotel, Marriot Harbor Beach, without issue. Unfortunately, the weather did not want to cooperate. Still, we were able to relax, enjoy the hotel’s amenities, and score a bit of beach time in between the rain drops.

Celebrity Edge Cruise Review 2021

We also made sure to complete the Celebrity Cruises health questionnaire. This questionnaire must be completed in the app 24 hours prior to boarding.

Fortunately, during our pre-cruise check-in process, we were assigned a 12 pm embarkation time. This was the earliest time slot for arrival.

On embarkation morning, we were eager to get to Port Everglades, but we knew that boarding times were now being enforced. Thus, with much anticipation, we waited in the hotel lobby for a bit before requesting an Uber to the port.

With timely transportation and far less traffic with only one ship in port, we arrived to Terminal 25 by 11:50 am. There was already a small line of eager cruisers forming.

Celebrity Edge Cruise Review 2021

The helpful agents guided us through the enhanced check-in process. This included validating our Xpress passes and passports. We were then asked to voluntarily show proof of vaccination and attest that there had been no change in our health status during the past 24 hours.

Through the first check-point, it was on to security. With no lines, our carry-on items were scanned and it was on to the next check-point. With a scan of our Xpress passes via the app, it was only a matter of minutes before we were allowed to proceed to the gangway.

To our surprise, we were greeted by the Captain herself, the one and only Captain Kate. Of course, we couldn’t pass up this photo opportunity.

First Cruise from the U.S.

In total, it took under 20 minutes until we were officially boarding Celebrity Edge. Entering on Deck 5, we were now on the first cruise ship to set sail from the United States. Our home away from home for the next week.

Welcome Back Home

As we boarded the ship, there were crew members all around cheering and welcoming us back onboard. Throughout the day, we spoke with many grateful crew members who were just as excited as us to be sailing again. At some points, it was tough to tell who was more enthusiastic, us or them!

After boarding the ship, we were able to go directly to our stateroom. This allowed us to drop off our carry-ons and get situated for the afternoon. Our Sunset Veranda stateroom was a vast upgrade to the Celebrity Edge Infinite Veranda stateroom that we had during our last voyage.

First Cruise From the U.S.

Back out of our room by 1 pm, it was time to explore the ship once again.

With the hot Fort Lauderdale sun beating down on us, we made our way to the top of the ship. From here, we took pictures and video for most of the afternoon, working our way down deck by deck. During our explorations, we were surprised by the changes. Or, more appropriately, the lack of differences.

Having just sailed on Royal Caribbean’s Adventure of the Seas , we expected to see some alterations due to health and safety protocols. However, there were no markers on the floor to encourage social distancing at any of the venues. Cruisers could sit at all the bars. There was no signage or blocking of tables/chairs in the dining venues, the theater, or lounges. There were no capacity limits in elevators. In fact, Celebrity Edge looked almost identical to when we sailed on her over 2 years ago.

First Cruise From the U.S.

During our explorations, we were able to seamlessly complete the muster 2.0 drill on our phone. Further, checking in at our muster station on Deck 5, the Blu restaurant, was easy and took a matter of minutes. This is one cruise update that we love since the cruise restart.

Now, it was time for our first drink of the cruise! We made our way to the Magic Carpet, parked on Deck 14. With our cocktails mostly done, we were about to leave when a camera crew began setting up for an interview with Richard Fain. Of course, we stayed to watch. While we don’t normally take photos, when he asked if he could get one with the two of us, how could we say no!

Celebrity Edge Cruise Review 2021

Rushing to Fit It All In

On our way back to our room, we ran into our cabin neighbors, as well as some television crews. Somehow, we were roped into an interview with Good Morning America. Unfortunately, our footage did not get used for the Monday morning segment.

Unlike our cruise a week ago, there was a planned sail away celebration on the pool deck. With a 6:30 pm dinner, and a 5:30 pm party, we needed to pick up the pace to ensure we had enough time to unpack, shower and get ready for dinner, and still catch sail away.

We did our best to capture some video and photos of this milestone departure. Captain Kate was sure to blow the horn loud and a small crowd was gathered to send us off as we pulled out from the pier.

Celebrity Edge Cruise Review 2021

The timing of sail away did put us behind schedule, arriving late to dinner. Of course, the Princess was not happy because they gave our table away.

Though, we ended up waiting only about 5 minutes for a table to open up. The tables in the restaurant were not as spread out as we would have expected, and we were sat immediately adjacent to a party of 3.

Dinner this night was in Cyprus, the Greek themed restaurant. We both started with some of the “Exclusive” items. I did the sea bass ceviche and the lamb shank. They were both phenomenal. The ceviche was flavorful, and the lamb shank was equally well prepared. The Princess also raved about the cheese saganaki.

celebrity edge cruise director

Settling into Our Regular Routine

With our dinner taking us to 8:40 pm, we had just the right amount of time to get to the main theater for the 9 pm showtime. Another (not) change on this cruise was the main theater entertainment. Cruisers were not required to make reservations for any of the shows. Further, there were your typical early and late showtimes occurring at 7pm and 9pm each evening.

As mentioned previously, the theater was completely open as well, with no seating restrictions. We gravitated towards our general seating area on the portside for tonight’s headliner performance.

Tonight’s performer was Charity Lockhart, with a tribute to Aretha Franklin. Before the show, our cruise director Lauren came out to introduce herself and to enlighten us about many of the events that would be occurring during the course of the week. There were going to be plenty of activities, Beyond the Podium speakers, and all of the other Celebrity Life events cruisers have come to love about the brand.

Celebrity Edge Cruise Review 2021

Ms. Lockhart had an amazing voice, covering the typical hits you would expect in a show dedicated to the Queen of Soul. The 45 minute performance ended with a heartful rendition of Respect and a standing ovation.

After the show, it was time to make the rounds at the bars. First, we scored prime seats at the Martini Bar for some dessert cocktails. Listening to the different musical performers for about an hour, we head aft to Eden next. This venue was rather quiet. Actually, there were no longer Edenists or performances occurring in this venue.

Celebrity Edge Cruise Review 2021

Finishing up our cocktails by midnight, we retreated back to our room. Fortunately, we were gaining an hour of sleep tonight as we were heading west towards Mexico. Good thing as it was a busy embarkation day on the first cruise from the U.S. on Celebrity Edge.

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Celebrity Edge Cruise Review- Day 2

The early bird gets the shots.

Up at 6 am, we scored some great sunrise video and photos from the balcony. I made the rounds getting more video and photos around the ship for our site, while the Princess got ready and worked a bit on the blog.

Celebrity Edge Cruise Review

Ready for the day around 8:30 am, we headed down to the Eden Café on deck 5 for breakfast. This café offers a selection of breakfast sandwiches and other quick service options. This venue is often much quieter than the busy buffet.

We then headed out to the Resort Deck around 10 am. We scored prime seats on the starboard side of the ship right next to the pool without any issue. The only problem was that it was terribly hot without any breeze. I mean, so much so that we could only stay in the direct sun for 15 minutes or so at a time.

Celebrity Edge Cruise Review 2021

Even still, we lasted about 90 minutes before retreating to the Rooftop Garden. Thankfully, it was much cooler there. With hardly anyone around, we setup camp for a little while to relax and do a bit of work.

Along the way, we made reservations at Le Grand Bistro for lunch on day 6. We also checked out the logo shop. I was able to snag a Celebrity Edge t-shirt and Celebrity Cruises cap. Unfortunately, the shop still did not have any ornaments. Having sailed on the ship twice now, we still don’t have an Edge ship for our tree.

Sea Day Munchies

This took us to around 1:30 pm, so that meant time for lunch.

While we are not huge fans of cruise ship buffets, the Oceanview Café on Celebrity Edge could be our favorite. This lunch spread was diverse. What we sampled was as good as main dining room food on other cruise lines. From the orange chicken and fried rice, to the shrimp cocktail, grilled vegetables, pizza, and cupcake buffet, it took willpower to go easy.

celebrity edge cruise director

To prevent a food coma from settling in, we snatched two oceanview seats at Café al Bacio for our afternoon caffeine fix.

Tonight was the first Evening Chic night, and we wanted to be ready in time to get some pictures. Checking in with the photo gallery, we learned there were few photographers onboard. This meant limited shoots.

A Formal Affair

Actually ready early for once, we were down to deck 5 by a little after 6 pm. With only a few photographers around, we were done with our photo shoot in about 10 minutes. Surveying the crowd, we would say that many individuals were dressed up in Evening Chic attire. Although, wearing a suit did put me in the minority.

Checking in for dinner a few minutes early, we were sat right away at the Fine Cut Steakhouse. Good thing we were there early as dinner took over two hours.

Celebrity Edge Cruise Review 2021

The restaurant appeared somewhat understaffed. Our waiter had a very large section and was hustling to serve everyone in a timely manner.

Happily, the food did live up to our expectations. On our previous trip, we dined at Fine Cut and found it to be among the best steakhouses at sea. This round solidified our view of this specialty restaurant.

This time around, I ordered the boneless ribeye, and the Princess ordered the chicken. Our starters included the heirloom tomato salad, crab cake, and the tuna tartare. All of them offered a flavorful interpretation of these classic appetizers.

celebrity edge cruise director

Given the extended dining time, dessert was a bit rush as we wanted to catch the 9 pm show. Tonight was the first production show, Kaleidoscope.  

Getting to the theater just slightly before showtime, we were still able to secure our preferred seats.

The show was like we remembered, a modern take on a revue show. While the show just met the Princess’ standards, I really liked it.

The choreography allows the performers to take advantage of the unique stage design. The digital screens give the show a unique feeling and add dimension. The playlist consists of songs from this century, with a mix of dancing, singing, and some specialty acts.

celebrity edge cruise director

With the show done by 10 pm, it was back to the Martini Bar for a few rounds of drinks. While there, we ran into some colleagues also sailing on the ship. With a musical duo performing in the background, we were at the bar for close to two hours. Approaching midnight, we said goodnight and headed back to our room.

Tomorrow was our second sea day in a row. It was going to be an early start for me as I had to work my full time job.

Back in our cabin, we were greeted by our first towel animal of the cruise. Now, it really felt like a normal voyage!

Celebrity Edge Cruise Review 2021

Related Post: What It’s Like on the First Cruise From the U.S.

Celebrity Edge Cruise Review- Day 3

An upgraded sea day.

For the second sea day in a row, we decided to change things up. On embarkation day, we reserved one of the cabanas. For two individuals, I thought the all-day rental, including food, drinks, and luxe accommodations, was reasonable at a price tag of $150.

Grabbing some morning coffee and pastries, I made it back to the room to change up, do some work, and attend a morning conference call.

Before heading out to enjoy our cabana, we met up with some onboard media to partake in a quick video for YouTube.

Celebrity Edge Cruise Review 2021

We arrived at our cabana around 11:30 am. This gave us the rest of the day to enjoy some modern luxury.

Mixing Work and Vacation

Along with offering a secluded space to relax, you are still very close to the pool and the other Resort Deck amenities. Though, one drawback of the cabanas is that there is no tanning space.

Still, we found the setup to be ideal for our sea day. I wish we could report that we lounged around all day enjoying the included lunch from Luminae, bottle of champagne, and additional amenities; however, we spent most of the day working between our site and my full time job.

Although, I couldn’t think of a better place to be working than on the first cruise from the U.S. on Celebrity Edge.

We did find time to divorce ourselves from our digital companions to enjoy the food and libations interspersed throughout the day.

celebrity edge cruise director

Luckily, this shaded area allowed us to remain outside for most of the day.

Wrapping up the “work day” a little after 5:00 pm, we said good-bye to our very attentive cabana attendant, Manny.

Another minor downfall of the cabanas is that there are no power outlets.

Back into the Routine

Tonight’s dinner was at the Italian complimentary restaurant, Tuscan. Changing up and getting ready, we were down to the restaurant a bit early.  

Celebrity Edge Cruise Review 2021

When compared to our first night dining experience at Cyprus, the service in this restaurant was a tad slow. Our assistant waitress seemed to be MIA for the entire night. So, our waiter was busy doing both jobs. A sommelier did stop by the table to take our drink order, which is sometimes difficult to get on other cruise lines.

This evening, we ordered a mix of dishes from the restaurant’s exclusive items and the night 3 signature menu. Among some of the standouts were the gnocchi appetizer on the signature menu, and the short rib pappardelle and the strozzapreti carbonara from the exclusives menu. For the first time all cruise, I was a bit let down by the veal chop on the menu.

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Dinner took over 90 minutes. This gave us a little time to grab a drink at The Club and watch the end of the Yes or No game show. This is a fun game where cruisers have 3 minutes to avoid using the words “yes” or “no” in response to the cruise director’s questions.

From The Club, we strolled down to the main theater and waited until the headliner act at 9 pm. Tonight’s performer was a comedian, AJ Jamal, which we actually saw years ago on Allure of the Seas. As cruise ship comedians go, he was pretty typical.

Tonight was also the “White Party”. We admired the outdoor party from afar on Deck 14 for a few minutes, before heading back inside. It was quite windy and a bit rainy this evening.

Celebrity Edge Cruise Review 2021

Back to our regularly scheduled routine, we closed out the night with a round of drinks at the Martini Bar.

Tomorrow, we had a full day excursion at our first port of call in Costa Maya and needed as much sleep as we could get.  

Related Post: 8 Things That Surprised Us on the First Celebrity Edge Sailing

Celebrity Edge Cruise Review- Day 4

A long day ashore.

Our first port of call was Costa Maya, Mexico . Our ship was the first to visit the port since the shutdown back in 2020. A very enthusiastic Welcome Back greeting was setup at the pier as we walked off the ship.

Prior to the cruise, we booked a last-minute shore excursion to Bacalar to visit the Fort and 7 Colors Lagoon.

Celebrity Edge Cruise Review 2021

Our tour meeting time was 8:30 am in the Club. Up at 6 am, this gave us just enough time to do a little work, get some coffee, and be at the meeting spot with breakfast pastries in hand.

With our tour number called after about 10 minutes, the shore excursions team escorted us off the ship and down the pier. Yam, our tour guide for the day, met us at the main entrance to the terminal and walked us directly to our bus.

As part of the health protocols in Mexico, travelers need to wear masks in the cruise terminal area, on transportation, and in buildings. When walking in outdoor areas, like a beach, facial coverings are recommended.

This tour lasted the entire day, as the town of Bacalar is a 90 minute bus ride in each direction. Somehow, I forgot this small part.

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The tour was mostly well organized, but the weather did not want to cooperate. With intermittent rain throughout the day, it did dampen our experience. The lagoon was beautiful, and the boat ride relaxing, but it was a long day of mostly sitting around. I would have preferred a tour with some more action. Plus, there is only about 20 minutes allowed to swim in the lagoon.

Arriving back to the ship around 3:30 pm, we did not have much time to shop or walk around the port area. Instead, we opted for some pictures of Celebrity Edge docked as the lone ship in port.

Celebrity Edge Cruise Review 2021

Back Onboard

Going through security and back on the ship before 4 pm, we were in need of some coffee. While we did have lunch during the tour, we could not turn down a small sweet treat at Café al Bacio.

Tonight, we had planned dinner at the Rooftop Garden Grill. Our experience on the previous trip was not the greatest, so we were hoping this second visit would be better. Celebrity Cruises did update the menu a bit making the up-charge price seem more on par with the menu offerings.

Celebrity Edge Cruise Review 2021

While the clouds and rain had cleared, by the time we got to the restaurant, the wind was still an issue. Unfortunately, this was the case with our last visit to the restaurant as well. This nicely appointed outdoor restaurant can be very windy as the ship is sailing.

The Second Time Is a Charm

Thankfully, the food was a vast improvement. It started with sampling two of the signature cocktails the Por Mi Amante Margarita and the Cucumber Southside.

Things just kept getting better from here. Our starters of smoked chicken wings and train wreck fries were also finger-licking good. The mac and cheese side dish was creamy, with a crispy baked top.

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Further, the steak I had tonight was on par with the ship’s steakhouse. Topping the night off with the baked cookie was the sweet ending to another amazing dinner on Celebrity Edge.

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Certainly, we made the right decision to return to the restaurant. Sadly, you need to contend with the wind, but the food this go round was well worth it.

Dinner took a little over 90 minutes. Given the current conditions of our hair, we (i.e., the Princess) needed to stop back in the room to touch up.

So, this did not leave time for an after dinner drink. Instead, we were to the theater by 8:45 pm for tonight’s headliner performer, Antonio Salci. This signature musician was a pianist that featured a variety of musical genres with accompaniment from the Celebrity Edge orchestra.

Celebrity Edge Cruise Review 2021

Like the previous evenings, we exited the show and found seats at the Martini Bar. It was about 11:45 pm when we returned to our room for the evening.

Tomorrow was our second port of call and next shore excursion in Cozumel.

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Celebrity Edge Cruise Review- Day 5

Who is ready for a jeep adventure.

A last minute change to the cruise line’s protocols meant all cruisers needed a Celebrity Cruises shore excursion if they wanted to head ashore in Cozumel, Mexico . Luckily, we did book a tour with the cruise line a few weeks prior to the sailing.

Similar to our tour in Costa Maya, we met on the ship prior to going ashore. We were up and ready with our bags packed for our meeting time of 8:15 am in the main theater.

Within 10 minutes of arriving to the meeting point, our tour was called and we were led off the ship by a Celebrity Cruises shore excursion staff member.

Celebrity Edge Cruise Review 2021

Today, Adventure of the Seas was also visiting the island. So, there were two cruise ships in port for the first time in over a year. Actually, it felt a bit odd to see another cruise ship at our port of call. Of course, in normal times, it would have been filled with ships.

A Well Organized Day in Cozumel

At the end of the pier, we met our tour guides, Willy and Kike. Here, we checked in and waited to begin our 6-hour tour.

Thankfully, this Adventure Jeep tour to Punta Sur with Explora Tours was well organized. All of the jeeps were relatively new, and most were automatics. Good thing, as neither of us can drive a manual vehicle.

Celebrity Edge Cruise Review 2021

The great condition of the vehicles was matched with just the right amount of time during each of our stops. Often times, tours can feel rushed.

Our tour began with a Jeep caravan drive to Punta Sur. Here, we had a two hour beach break. During this stop, there was an optional guided snorkeling opportunity and then time for lunch to purchase at our own expense.

The beach break was followed by stops at other attractions in the park. These included the lighthouse and tequila tasting/marketplace, as well as the lagoon and a small Mayan ruin.

Celebrity Edge Cruise Review 2021

The drive to and from the cruise port was about 45 minutes. Plus, you got just enough “off-road” terrain around the park to warrant using a jeep.

Overall, we had a fun day, even if the weather did not always cooperate during the trip. I guess that’s just summer in the Caribbean!

While we did have a short amount of time, and permission, to go through the shops and restaurants at the cruise terminal, we opted to head straight back to the ship. Good thing, as it started to downpour as we were walking up the pier.

Preparing for a Long Night

Back onboard the ship, we dried off with some coffee and a sweet treat from Cafe al Bacio. Given the weather was no longer conducive to enjoying some time on the pool deck, we just headed back to our room to relax for a bit.

Dinner tonight was at Cosmopolitan. This “American” themed restaurant offers the least interesting Exclusives menu of the four complimentary dining rooms.

Celebrity Edge Cruise Review 2021

Arriving a few minutes early for our 6:30 pm reservation, it was also the quietest of our dining experiences. This meant that our waiter was overly attentive. He was quick to ask our order, clear plates, and bring out our next courses.

This dinner was certainly the quickest we had all cruise. Going through the three courses, we were out of the restaurant in about 75 minutes.

Tonight, I went with the beef carpaccio and braised beef short rib. The wife’s dessert, the apple tart tatin off the signature menu, was the clear winner.

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A Late Night on Celebrity Edge

For once, we had some time for a pre-show drink. Snagging a table on Deck 5 near the café, we spotted Captain Kate behind the Martini Bar.

Putting two and two together, we realized she would be making a guest appearance during the chandelier show at 8 pm. So, we were able to capture her doing an impressive martini pour alongside the other bartenders at this central hub of the ship.

Celebrity Edge Cruise Review 2021

Finishing up our drinks, we headed to the theater around 8:40 pm for tonight’s headliner. Similar to the other shows, the theater was relatively empty.

This evening featured an illusionist, Jason Bishop. Actually, we saw him on our first ever Celebrity sailing, an Alaska cruise on Celebrity Solstice. So, it was fitting that he was performing on this first cruise back with the line.

His illusions were rather typical, but he did have a quick, snarky sense of humor which gave this magic show a fresh and fun atmosphere. He focuses on close up magic, which included doing some card tricks as well as slight of hand where he changes the denominations of dollar bills.

Celebrity Edge Cruise Review 2021

Following the show, we found our way to the casino. We had noticed the previous day that the ship still had a bank of the Princess’ favorite slot machine. So, she tried her luck at the machine.

Losing this round with the one arm bandit, we returned to the theater after 10:30 pm for late night comedy. This second show of the evening featured comedian AJ Jamal from earlier in the cruise.

This “adults-only” show was much milder than other similar shows. We both agreed that we actually preferred his first “family” show earlier in the cruise.

Finishing up at 11:30 pm, we opted to skip our normal nightcap and headed straight to bed. Even though tomorrow was a sea day, we would be losing an hour sleep tonight.

Celebrity Edge Cruise Review 2021

Related Post: Celebrity Edge Dining and Restaurant Guide

Celebrity Edge Cruise Review- Day 6

A celebrity morning.

On the final sea day, it always seems like we are trying to tie up loose ends. This trip even more so given it was the first cruise out of the United States.

Also, I had to work my full time job a few days this week, including today. Needless to say, there was plenty to do today.

Our alarm was set for 6 am. First on the list was to get breakfast at the Oceanview Cafe. The Princess likes to sample all of the dining venues on a cruise.

Breakfast was actually a bit disappointing. Across the items sampled, it seemed like all the food had been sitting under the heat lamps for a bit too long. Oh well, given the amazing food we had up to this point, we will give the ship a pass on this meal.

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After breakfast, I had some meetings to attend and work to do back in the room. Meanwhile, the Princess went to the Conversations with Celebrity featuring Captain Kate at 10 am. There was also a follow-up trivia regarding her cat, Bug, at 11:15 am.

No, I am not making this up. Am I the only one who didn’t know that this hairless cat is a social media star with over 51K Instagram followers.

Celebrity Edge Cruise Review 2021

I was multitasking in the Club during this jam-packed trivia session. On the other hand, the Princess was enthralled with the cat and taking pictures.

An Office With a View

Sitting around on our devices all day meant neither of us were hungry for our noon lunch reservation at Le Grand Bistro. Still, we somehow found room for our baguette sandwiches and profiteroles.

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Currently, Le Grand Bistro is a $20 pp upcharge for lunch. While a bit steep for what we ordered, the restaurant does feature more upscale menu items like mussels, escargot, and steak frites.

Lunch was done by 1:30 pm, which gave us a few minutes to win back some of the money the Princess lost the night before in the casino. Good thing we were on a time limit as she ended up ahead when I had to return to work at 2 pm.

At least the weather was sunny enough for me to do work on our balcony this afternoon.

At 3:45 pm, we met a friend staying in the Retreat to show us around some of the public spaces.

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With the skies clearing from a passing shower, we snagged some seats and a round of cocktails from the Sunset Bar.

But We Don’t Dance

As the second Evening Chic night of the cruise, we did have plans to take a second series of photos. Unfortunately, we had to pass on the photo studios this evening as we weren’t ready in time.

Dinner tonight was at the final complimentary main dining room, Normandie. Similar to the night before, this restaurant felt very quiet.

Tonight, the signature menu featured the traditional formal night lobster tail. With several trips planned over the summer, I went easy with just one tail. Also, I sampled the lamb chops. The Princess raved about the potato and gruyere tart and the baked brie appetizers. For desserts, we both ordered the baked Alaska, and it did not disappoint.

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Dinner was closer to 90 minutes. This gave us some time to watch another game show in the Club. The Whisper Game was essentially a game of telephone, and it was quite hilarious to watch.

The game show ended by 8:30 pm. At which time, we headed to the theater. Good thing, as this show was by far the best attended main theater performance of the cruise.

This musical act consisted of three members of Uptown. Singing R&B and Motown hits, it sounds like every other cruise show. However, don’t let the description fool you.

Celebrity Edge Cruise Review 2021

The three performers had powerful and soulful voices, along with dance moves and audience banter. So, while the band focused on hits that are 60+ years old, the show did not feel dated or stale at all. With a packed house getting on its feet for the last two songs, it was certainly the liveliest show all week.

The liveliness continued to the atrium where the second silent disco was about to begin. Again, this was a packed house on the deck 3 dance floor and surrounding upper decks. Featuring three DJs, including the cruise director Lauren, it felt like the entire ship was here.

Celebrity Edge Cruise Review 2021

The party ended around 11 pm, and we opted to call it a night. With tomorrow being our final day on the ship, and plenty still left to do onboard, we needed our rest!

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Celebrity Edge Cruise Review- Day 7

Back in the bahamas.

Our last and final day of this Celebrity Edge cruise review brings us back to the Bahamas. Given that we had just visited a few weeks prior, we had already made the decision to stay on the ship today.

Pulling into Nassau in the morning, we were greeted by Crystal Serenity and Grandeur of the Seas out of dry dock.

Celebrity Edge Cruise Review 2021

We decided to grab breakfast in the main dining room this morning. Heading down around 8:30 am, the venue was relatively quiet. We were actually sat at a table very close to another couple. So, we chatted about our travels over breakfast.

We then headed up to Eden to find a quiet place to relax and do some work. We scored some aft facing seats, so we could see what was happening on the pier. Watching cruisers come and go, we were actually glad that we did not get off the ship as it rained pretty steadily for a while.

Working for a few hours, we then sampled some of the sandwiches at the Eden Café for lunch. I went with the daily carved sandwich, which was quite tasty, while the Princess ordered the chicken pesto sandwich.

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Once the weather cleared a bit, we headed outside to enjoy some of our last moments on the Resort Deck of Celebrity Edge. Along the way, we stopped in for a round of drinks at the Magic Carpet.

It was here that we noticed the bar servers were no longer wearing masks. One of the crew members indicated that they no longer had to wear masks while outside.

Around 3:30 pm, we grabbed our afternoon coffees and headed back to our cabin. Tonight’s dinner was a bit earlier tonight, Le Petit Chef and Friends at 6 pm. Plus, we needed to pack.

We Are Family

While in our room, Captain Kate came over the intercom to inform cruisers that Celebrity Edge would be meeting up with her sisters, Celebrity Equinox and Reflection, following sail away.

This was certainly a sight to behold. I made sure that I was ready for dinner early and headed up to the top decks to capture some photos and videos of the occasion. The Princess was still getting ready, so she was able to witness the event from our aft balcony. It was actually nice to have two different vantage points.

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After much sounding of the horns and water cannons, we set sail back towards Ft. Lauderdale. Celebrity Equinox followed behind us.

Dinner and a Show

Given the timing of this ship meet-up, we made it to dinner just on time. Le Petit Chef is an up-charge, digitally enhanced dinner which includes a four-course meal and a “show”. 

The show plays out on your dinner plate as the tiny chef and his friends compete in a cooking competition. The delivery of the food courses is perfectly timed with the animation for a truly one of a kind experience.

It is a set menu, but there is an alternative menu as well. The food and the experience are equally enjoyable.

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Wrapping up dinner just before 8 pm, we made our way to the Club for the nightly game show. Tonight was Majority Rules. It’s a good thing that we didn’t play, as we were not in the majority with most of our answers!

As creatures of habit, we then made our way to the theater for the final production show of the cruise. This show, Colors of Life, is new since we last sailed on the ship back in 2019.

To be honest, it was just okay. I thought Kaleidoscope was the better of the two production shows. The Princess missed A Hot Summer’s Night Dream. We are not sure if they are in the process of getting rid of this show, or if it was just too technically complex to get up and running for this first cruise on Celebrity Edge.

Celebrity Edge Cruise Review 2021

Following the show, most cruisers made a b-line to Eden. One of the headliners from earlier in the cruise, Charity Lockhart, was performing an unplugged show in this venue. Given her amazing vocals, it’s no surprise that the show was well-attended.

Unfortunately, our cruise on Celebrity Edge was coming to a close, but not before one last visit to the Martini Bar. We officially called it a night around 11:30 pm.

Related Post: Things You Can Only Find on Celebrity Cruises

Celebrity Edge Cruise Review- Disembarkation

Disembarkation was no different than an ordinary cruise. Unfortunately, the improved process on Adventure of the Seas did not carry over to sister brand, Celebrity Cruises. On Adventure of the Seas, we enjoyed that cruisers were allowed to stay in their staterooms until their numbers were called. At that time, you could proceed directly to the gangway with no lines or waits.

We opted to complete self-disembarkation which began at 7:20 am. This meant that we did not leave any of our bags outside the night before.

With an early alarm, we got ready, finished packing, and were able to grab some great early morning shots of our ship pulling into Port Everglades. I also made sure to get some much needed caffeine along the way.

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We headed down to deck 5, with all our luggage, around 7:10 am. We knew we had it easy on Adventure of the Seas when we scored an empty elevator on disembarkation day. That was not the case this time around. While we didn’t wait long, the elevators were packed.

Rounding the corner from the elevator, we saw that the disembarkation line spanned all the way down the hallway towards Eden. Here, we waited about 10 minutes before we were cleared to get off the ship. While not as smooth as our trip 2 weeks ago, the whole process still only took about 20 minutes.

Celebrity Edge Cruise Review 2021

We were then in an Uber and on our way to the Fort Lauderdale airport. It wouldn’t be a flight home without some delays, but that’s another story.

Overall, this first cruise on Celebrity Edge from the U.S. was a success! Next up, the Iceland’s Natural Beauty itinerary from Viking in under a week. Yes, this will be a busy, but amazing, summer. Stay tuned.

Do you have a Celebrity Edge cruise review to share? Have you sailed on this ship? Drop us an anchor below to share what you love about Celebrity Cruises.

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Celebrity Edge Cruise Review 2021

DB & The Princess

Welcome Aboard! We are Don and Heidi, the husband and wife travel team behind EatSleepCruise.com. We took our first cruise vacation together 13 years ago and have been hooked ever since. Follow along as we share our travel tips, cruise reviews, information on ports of call, and the latest cruise news to help you plan the ultimate cruise vacation. Are you ready to embark on your journey to “sea the world, one port at a time”?

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Celebrity Edge® is changing the future of entertainment at sea—or anywhere else, for that matter. We’ve raised the bar on vacations to even greater heights with onboard entertainment that is just as revolutionary, just as technologically mind-blowing, and just as carefully crafted as Celebrity Edge itself.

Visionary design and innovative entertainment come together through the collaborative genius of Scott Butler, the award-winning founding partner of Wilson Butler Architects; Patricia Urquiola, world-renowned industrial designer and art director; and Tom Wright, internationally acclaimed architect and designer of the Burj Al Arab Hotel in Dubai.

Experiential, imaginative performances stay with you long after your voyage has ended. Through exclusive brand partnerships with Black Skull Creative, and the whimsical team at Three In One Entertainment and Consulting, Celebrity Edge brings award-winning shows and world-famous productions to you.

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Between its avant-garde, dedicated entertainment spaces and the creative production teams we’ve partnered with, Celebrity Edge surrounds you with engaging, spontaneous, and unforgettable entertainment moments that transport you from the everyday, every moment of your vacation.

The Theatre

An unexpected space that only Celebrity Edge could deliver. Expertly designed and fully contemporary, the Theater offers unparalleled entertainment in a dynamic setting at sea. Immersive acts meet innovative technology on an ever-changing stage that displays everything from whimsical productions to edgy experiences, blurring the lines between audience and performance.

Gathering space by day and a place of wild discovery by night—Celebrity Edge’s transformative venue will have you coming back for more. Experience everything from gaming and live DJ performances in this dynamic, multi-purpose space. Watch from the bar. Jump into the action. From sunrise to sunset, unexpected and engaging moments await at The Club.

Eden, like so many aspects of Celebrity Edge, represents another revolution in modern travel. It’s a space where nature is so present, we call it “a room that lives.” It’s an experience so multi-faceted and innovative, you won’t find anything else like it as sea—or anywhere. And no two visits to Eden are ever the same.

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A venue unlike any other outdoor space on board—or beyond. Connect with the sea from this multi-functional paradise that merges luxury with cool innovation. Escape to the Rooftop Garden for a moment of serenity. Gaze out at the open ocean from a private cabana. Indulge in interactive dining experiences and live musical performances. On the Resort Deck, there are endless ways to be entertained.

Next level fun for young seafaring travelers of all ages. Every sailing brings a brand new adventure full of interactive experiences and amazing learning opportunities. Celebrity’s first and only fully customizable Camp at Sea program offers a robust selection of 500 activities and enriching daily programming at some of the most unique contemporary spaces aboard Celebrity Edge.

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  1. Video: Celebrity Edge Full Ship Tour

    Join Cruise Director Eddy Jenkins as he takes you on a Celebrity Edge video tour that showcases the most innovative ship in the Celebrity fleet. The introduction of the infinite veranda is just one of the exciting features that resulted from Edge's outward-facing design concept. With just the touch of a button, your Celebrity Edge stateroom ...

  2. New cruise director on EDGE

    2 hours ago, timf264 said: I was on the Edge this past week. Lauren was the CD. Yes, and at the last show of the cruise Ms. Lauren stated her love of always wanting to be a CD when she took her first cruise at the age of 10 with her nan. She did not introduce a new CD. Ms. Lauren was at the gangway saying her goodbyes to each of us.

  3. Celebrity Edge

    Celebrity Edge is an Edge-class cruise ship operated by Celebrity Cruises, a subsidiary of Royal Caribbean Group.After the new vessel was ordered with French shipbuilder STX France in December 2014, her keel was laid in June 2017 and she was floated out in January 2018. Upon delivery in October 2018, at 130,818 GT, she became the lead ship of the Edge class and the largest ship by gross ...

  4. Celebrity Cruises

    Discover the Celebrity Edge, a revolutionary cruise ship with Eddy Jenkins, Cruise Director. See its amazing design, features and amenities.

  5. Celebrity Edge Review

    Celebrity Edge is a different ship from the rest of the Celebrity Cruises fleet and was designed to attract people who have never cruised before. Celebrity typically draws middle- and upper-class ...

  6. Interview with That Happy Italian: Cruise Director with Celebrity

    But at the same time I met some people who were telling me, "One day you're going to be Cruise Director - if not on the Edge, the one coming after the Edge." Sue Denning, who is a huge lady in the business who has been with Celebrity a long time (every guest on the ship knows her) - the first time she met me in 2016, I was an ...

  7. Celebrity Edge's all-female bridge and onboard leadership team

    For the first time in maritime history, an all-female bridge and onboard leadership team set sail Sunday, commemorating International Women's Day. Led by captain Kate McCue, the first American female cruise ship captain, who was accompanied by 26 other women representing 16 different countries, Celebrity Edge sailed out of Port Everglades on ...

  8. Weaving 'Herstory': Q&A With the History-Making ...

    On March 8, 2020, Celebrity Edge made history by becoming the first cruise ship helmed by an all-female bridge crew in celebration of International Women's Day.

  9. Celebrity Edge Itinerary, Current Position, Ship Review

    The 2018-built Celebrity Edge cruise ship is the first of all five EDGE-class newbuilds - with sisterships Celebrity Apex (2021), Celebrity Beyond (2022), Celebrity Ascent (2023) and Celebrity Xcel (2025).. The vessel (IMO number 9812705) is currently Malta-flagged (MMSI 248325000) and registered in Valletta.History - construction and ownership

  10. Celebrity Edge: Deck Plan & Amenities

    Celebrity Edge marks a turning point in our approach to ship design. From the very first sketches to experiencing those designs in a virtual reality setting, every step was done in 3-D. From the incredible new Magic Carpet® to the private plunge pools in our new 2-story Edge Villas, we could design the most refined ship at sea.

  11. Celebrity Edge Cruise Ship Review

    Celebrity Edge Cruises: Read hundreds of Celebrity Edge cruise reviews. Find great deals, tips and tricks on Cruise Critic to help plan your cruise. ... Captain and cruise director were engaging ...

  12. Celebrity Edge

    The ship set sail in 2018 on Celebrity's classic Mediterranean and Caribbean sailings with around 3,000 passengers immediately enamored with this next phase in the line's ships. While hardly ...

  13. Edge officers, staff shaping up

    3.7k. October 21, 2003. Provincetown, MA. #4. Posted January 27, 2018. According to staff on Silhouette this past week, the notifications to staff members about whether they are invited to join Edge have begun to go out. Edge staff selections are based on either recommendations from managers or if a staff member applies.

  14. Celebrity Edge Cruise Ship Review

    Captain Tasos and cruise director Tim were funny and visible throughout the entire cruise. The entertainment was also the best we have seen on a ship in a long time (3 production shows in a 1 week ...

  15. Unforgettable Luxury and Adventure: Sailing on Celebrity Edge

    Celebrity Edge was the first ship in the Edge Class Series on Celebrity Cruises and it features the iconic Magic Carpet platform that serves as various venues on different levels of the ship. ... From some amazing hosts of the Cruise Director Lewis and Captain Tasos to awesome food, entertainment, amazing DJ Gilla Silent Disco Battles, and ...

  16. Celebrity Edge Cruise Review

    The cruise director, Maarten Breuls, was a pretty typical director, hosting all of the obligatory events, but didn't really add anything to the ship. It is clear that the ship design, entertainment, and dining appeal to a younger crowd. Celebrity Edge is certainly a ship for couples and groups of adults.

  17. Our Experience Aboard Celebrity Edge: The Posh Ship of the Celebrity

    Background on Celebrity Edge. Celebrity Edge is the largest and the lead ship from the Edge-class series from Celebrity Cruises. Her inaugural season was in 2018. Of course, due to the pandemic, it still feels like a very new ship since it had some downtime and low usage, like most cruise ships over the past few years.

  18. I just spent 11 days on Celebrity Edge

    Celebrity has definitely pushed boundaries with the Edge. They have reimagined spaces and challenged some of the traditional cruise ship designs. The ship lived up to the hype by providing a well designed ship with great amenities, tasty food, and very good service. These are things we all want in a cruise vacation.

  19. Celebrity Edge Itineraries in 2024 & 2025

    Itineraries. Discover the Best of Alaska, Australia, New Zealand, and the South Pacific with these Celebrity Edge itineraries. A world of wonder awaits on Celebrity Edge®, an innovative ship that travels to spectacular destinations like wild Alaska, Australia, New Zealand, and the South Pacific. On Celebrity Edge's itineraries, you'll ...

  20. Lewis Power Stannard

    A Cruise Director / Guest Experience Entertainment Director with a passion for… · Experience: Celebrity Cruises, Inc. · Education: Seevic College · Location: Pompano Beach · 500+ connections ...

  21. Celebrity Edge Cruise Review 2021: First Cruise from the U.S

    Complete Day-By-Day Celebrity Edge Cruise Review Celebrity Edge Cruise Review- Day 1 Here We Go Again. After 15 months without a cruise, we were heading off on our second cruise of the month. Having disembarked Royal Caribbean's Adventure of the Seas just a week prior, it was time to head to Florida for the first cruise from the United States.

  22. Entertainment on Celebrity Edge

    An unexpected space that only Celebrity Edge could deliver. Expertly designed and fully contemporary, the Theater offers unparalleled entertainment in a dynamic setting at sea. Immersive acts meet innovative technology on an ever-changing stage that displays everything from whimsical productions to edgy experiences, blurring the lines between ...