Celebrity Beyond is the brand new ship from Celebrity Cruises and the third of five Edge-class ships for the cruise line. Construction began on the ship in early 2020 and, after an inevitable delay due to the COVID pandemic, the ship set off on its inaugural sailing in late April 2022.
My first experience with Celebrity Cruises was in September 2021 when I flew over to Athens, Greece to board the brand new Celebrity Apex. The Apex was in her inaugural season in the Greek Islands and ultimately headed over to the United States later that fall to begin sailing to the Caribbean. I was completely enamored by everything about the Apex, from its unique artwork to the beautifully modern staterooms, and I knew I had to try more of the Edge-class.
Following my Apex cruise, I also knew I wanted to sail more in Europe. Once I was back home I booked back-to-back Mediterranean cruises on two of the newest ships at sea for late May 2022 – Virgin Voyages’ Valiant Lady and Royal Caribbean’s Wonder of the Seas. Fast forward to January 2022, I had an opportunity to take a weeklong cruise on Celebrity Edge, the sister ship to Apex and Beyond. I left that cruise and called Virgin and Royal to let them know I would be canceling my cruises on their ships. Instead, I booked a 9-day voyage around the Mediterranean on the brand new Celebrity Beyond.
Where I’m Going
This cruise begins in Rome, or the Port of Civitavecchia rather, and ends in Barcelona. This one-way transit calls on 6 different ports, with one day at sea, and one overnight call. Naples, Sicily, La Spezia, Santa Margherita, Nice, and Marseille will all be ports of call. I have excursions booked for every stop, with plans to visit the ruins of Pompeii, the active volcano of Mt. Etna, the stunning villages of Cinque Terre, a notorious leaning tower, the Amalfi Coast, the French Riviera, and so much more. With only one day at sea, this will be a busy cruise! Make sure to check back for articles and videos about all the various ports of call and locations I discover along the journey.
What I’m Looking Forward To
With an itinerary like that, it’s hard not to be excited about the amazing ports of call I am soon to visit. However, I am most excited about sailing on the brand new ship! The Celebrity Beyond promises to be a ship like no other. Even though she is a sister to Edge and Apex, Beyond is distinctly different from those ships in several ways. Not only is she longer and taller than her sisters before her, but she also features venues not seen before on the Edge-class. It is these new venues that I am excited to dine at and have a drink at. Here are a few of the things I am delighted to enjoy soon:
Le Voyage
The first restaurant at sea by Michelin-starred chef Daniel Boulud, Le Voyage is an upscale dining experience with a menu that celebrates and features the region where the Beyond is sailing. At $75 per person for dinner, the experience is the most expensive dining venue on any Celebrity ship, where upcharge costs for dinner are typically around $50 per person. I have a reservation for the fourth night of the sailing and look forward to trying the menu and reporting back on what I think of this new eatery. Make sure to check back here for a forthcoming review, in addition to a video review on the YouTube channel.
World Class Bar
Not new to Celebrity cruises, but making its first debut on an Edge-class ship with its entry on Beyond, the World Class Bar is the place to find top-shelf drinks not available anywhere else on the ship. World Class Bar offers unique cocktails served in a rich ambiance. I have successfully avoided looking at any pictures or watching any videos from this venue, so am very excited to see and experience this in person.
Sunset Bar
Talk about an extreme makeover! The Sunset Bar is a fixture on most Celebrity ships and is the perfect location to grab a drink and watch, well, the sunset. Due to its location on the top aft deck on Edge-class ships, it’s certainly a wonderful place to enjoy a drink while the ship leaves the port of call of the day.
While the bar is in the same location on Beyond, it’s been given a complete facelift and is now flanked by beautiful seating areas and splash pools. Between this and the slightly reimagined Rooftop Garden area, I am positive I will be spending many hours around this area of the ship. Seeing this area is perhaps the thing I am most excited about on the new ship!
Aqua Class
When I sailed on the Edge in January I was able to MoveUp, or bid on an upgrade, to the Aqua Class. This was my first time trying out Aqua Class, which includes perks like unlimited access to the thermal suites in the spa and exclusive access to Blu, an exceptional breakfast and dinner venue focused on clean eating. Just like last time, I recently learned I won my bid upgrade and will be in Aqua Class again on this cruise! I am excited to return to Blu again, as I loved it so much on my last cruise. It is like dining at a specialty dining venue each night of the cruise. While I won’t have much downtime, due to the jam-packed itinerary, I do hope to relax in the thermal suites at the spa at least a couple of times over the 9-day voyage.
Make Sure to Follow Along!
There are many other things I am looking forward to experiencing on this cruise as well. From dining at Eden again, to the brand new stage shows in the theater, to discovering the new art, shopping, and entertainment around the ship. And all of the fantastic features of the ship will be complemented by the stunning views of the ports of call as we journey around the Mediterranean. I am excited to bring you along – both here on the website with lots of new articles, photos, and more from Beyond, in addition to the videos I will be producing for the YouTube channel. You can also follow my Instagram for more up-to-date happenings from my trip, as I frequently post pictures and videos of my day-to-day adventures.
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