Cruising on the Celebrity Beyond
The Beyond is the third ship in the Edge Series for Celebrity. You will find a review on the Edge and the Apex which were done earlier, which are very similar ships. In this review let me focus on what’s new and different versus her sister ships.
For a start, this particular cruise was the Naming Ceremony for the ship so all of the Royal Group Brands and management seemed to be in attendance, which is always good for Worldwide. On this cruise I was lucky to receive a Retreat Suite. This is Celebrity’s version of a ship within a ship concept. My suite was larger than the standard balcony staterooms, with a bigger balcony versus the infinity concept. The really nice thing is access to The Retreat private lounge – a very nice place for a meeting, cocktails, snacks and canapés daily. The Luminae is the retreat’s private restaurant with upgraded menus for breakfast, lunch and dinner. What is most enjoyable is the private sundeck area with pool, bar and lunch service. A great hideaway for those days at sea. This entire operation is very impressive. What’s very good in my opinion is that the suites are located in various locations and your room key gets you access to the special areas. This way top winners and VIPS can be in these suites without the other participants having to know about it if you wish.
The entire décor of this ship is extremely elegant and it seems that the interior designers involved with the Edge Project have a competition going to outdo the other. Honestly, if it wasn’t for the number of guests you might think you are on a new 5 star ship.
The Beyond has an abundance of alternative up charge eateries. Most notable is the very first restaurant at sea by Michelin 3 star restaurateur Daniel Boulud – this is fine dining at its best. The Retreat’s Luminae also feature numerous dishes from Boulud as well. My
personal favorite is Raw on 5 with a great raw bar selection and other fresh seafood options- best seafood restaurant afloat in my opinion. Le Grand Bistro is a great spot for Lunch to get a Parisian food fix. The Eden is a perfect spot for that group dinner with a bit of showmanship. The Beyond offers an abundance of dining options for all times of the day, inside and out.
The biggest and the best addition to the Beyond over her sister ships, is the two level Sunset Bar at the aft of the ship on Decks 14 and 15, with deck 15 being what seems to be the most popular area with glass cocktail pools, abundant seating of all types, nearby lawn (yes real grass) dining and of course a very busy bar. This two deck play house is great for sunsets and any time the sun is out. The hands down best outdoor area on the ship.
Celebrity does a great job and this is their best ship to date. The dining options are tremendous. The new World Class bar sets the tone for this more up market ship. The retreat is a must for your VIPS or even the entire group if they really want to feel special. We highly recommend this ship for your groups and charters.
Steve Bloss 2023
