Celebrity Edge Ship Inspection
Not long ago, the Celebrity Edge ship popped into Adelaide’s outer harbour during a 9 night ‘Australian Wine Itinerary’ cruise which gave us the opportunity to venture onboard and explore what this vessel had to offer.
Our ship inspection was at 10 am, and despite the unknown Autumn weather, the day turned out to be nice and sunny – which couldn’t be more perfect for a ship inspection with Celebrity Cruises.
Divided up into groups due to the size of those inspecting the ship at once, we seamlessly made our way onboard after all the standardised security checks.
Celebrity Edge Layout & Introduction
Being an Ocean Cruising Ship, it was expected to see a larger vessel, however the size of this ship still took us by surprise upon first glance.
Our first initial thoughts after boarding this ship is how large the Celebrity Edge ship actually is. With a capacity of 2,908 passengers, it makes sense.
Being the first of the 5 in the Edge Series fleet, the Celebrity Edge boasts 29 unique food and beverage options onboard along with an exclusive retreat space for suite guests, a spa and fitness centre, 3 pools, a nightclub as well as a kids club & creche.
However, most importantly, the Celebrity Edge really highlights its uniqueness in another offering to guests onboard – the Magic Carpet. We can assume this is where Celebrity Cruises came up with the name for the ship. The Magic Carpet acts as an outward facing, floating platform that reaches heights of 13 stories above sea level.
Designed as a moveable multi-purpose venue, the Magic Carpet acts as an extension of the main pool area, an elevated & intimate dining experience for dinners on the ship, to a luxury embarkation station for guests.
Once onboard, we were greeted with a short and sweet introduction of the ship and began our ship inspection in the epitome of luxury cruising with Celebrity Edge, by visiting The Retreat – an exclusive area reserved for suite guests only. We will dive into this with more details later on in the review.
Our ship inspection then led us back down to the Grand Plaza, which is spread across deck 3 to 5 and deemed as the ‘main hub’.
With a Martini Bar centred across the bottom of level 3, there is an attached stage catered for live bands and other various forms of entertainment for passengers to enjoy on board.
Deck 4 has the casino, Le Grand Bistro restaurant & Café Al Bacio facing each other across the Grand Plaza. This level also includes the ship’s Nightclub, Theatre, meeting room area, shopping precinct as well as a range of restaurants to choose from including the Eden Restaurant, Cyprus restaurant and Cosmopolitan restaurant.
Deck 5 features more restaurants including Blu, Fine Cut Steakhouse, Raw on 5 as well as a top level of Eden Bar and the Nightclub. This level also has the art gallery entrance to the upper level of the Theatre.
Deck 6-12 are filled with cabins with Deck 12 also home to the Luminae restaurant. You’ll also find that Deck 13 does not exist due to conspiracies surrounding bad luck with number 13. Deck 14 has Oceanview Cafe, Il Second Bacio Café, The pool & pool bar, the Solarium, spa and the luxurious suites. Deck 15 is home to the sunset bar, rooftop garden, the Retreat and fitness centre. Deck 16 has the jogging tracking, more suites and the hot tubs.
Celebrity Edge Dining
Celebrity Cruises boasts 29 unique food and beverage experiences onboard the Celebrity Edge. The aim is to allow passengers to experience their own culinary journey; enjoy different flavours and cuisines from around the world and really experience the true meaning behind destination-focused dining.
During our ship inspection, we had the opportunity to have a sit down meal in one of the ship’s Main Dining Restaurants. Although a short glimpse into what food is like onboard; we overall thought highly of what was served; a beef fillet with ratatouille & chocolate cake for dessert.
On Celebrity Edge, the main dining options provided onboard are designed to enhance your cruise experience. These four complimentary main restaurants include Normandie Restaurant, Cyprus Restaurant, Tuscan Restaurant and Cosmopolitan Restaurant with each inspired by a specific region of the world.
Normandie Restaurant draws inspiration from the elegance of Paris in springtime, offering a contemporary French cuisine in a refined space adorned with wooden panels from the Celebrity Summit. Enjoy regional European wines and delish starters amidst a modern, upscale ambiance.
Celebrating Mediterranean fare, Cyprus Restaurant offers a stunning atmosphere designed by renowned designer Patricia Urquiola. With a focus on seafood and clean dishes, this venue brings the flavours of the Mediterranean region to life in a vibrant setting. We unfortunately didn’t visit this restaurant during our ship inspection.
Stepping into a more modern classical ambience at Tuscan Restaurant, where Italian fashion and film inspire the cuisine. Indulge in mouthwatering dishes featuring homemade pastas prepared with rustic flair; offering a tour of southern Italy’s culinary delights.
Another restaurant we weren’t able to visit onboard our Celebrity Edge ship inspection was the Cosmopolitan Restaurant. Featuring a walkthrough wine display and creative cuisine with global influences, Cosmopolitan Restaurant embodies the essence of the Celebrity Cruises dining experience.
To further elevate the onboard dining experience, the Celebrity Edge features seven specialty dining venues, each offering a unique experience not found elsewhere at sea. These places include Fine Cut Steakhouse, Le Grand Bistro, Le Petit Chef, Raw On 5, Magic Carpet, Dinner on the Edge, & Rooftop Garden Grill.
Le Grand Bistro is a classic French-inspired café and restaurant which sits in the heart of the Grand Plaza overlooking the Martini Bar come alive at night. We found that the design of this restaurant was almost identical to the Parisian restaurants and cafes you’d see walking by in Paris. The colour scheme, all the way down to the details of the menu design, chairs and more was executed perfectly.
We briefly skimmed past the Rooftop Garden Grill, and although it wasn’t open at the time of our ship inspection, the smells of an open-styled BBQ lingered in the air as we walked through. This would definitely be our first preference for dining if we were cruising – we can just imagine how delicious their big juicy steaks would taste!
Eden Restaurant was a highlight for us – from the architectural design and layout, to the greenery and lighting implemented; this 3 levelled space was extraordinary. This restaurant is specially known for its open kitchen, dining experience and creativity with meals. The aim for this restaurant is to create an experience for guests that not only opens up your tastebuds, but other senses as well such as your eyes, ears and nose.
Although we didn’t get a chance to visit other specialty restaurants during our inspection, we can ensure you would certainly not get bored of the limitless options offered aboard the Celebrity Edge.
For a more casual dining experience onboard; you can visit the complimentary dining options including the Eden Café, Spa Café, Oceanview Café and Mast Grill. Think more buffet style, poolside, family friendly type meals – perfect for those nights that you don’t feel like putting in much effort.
There are also two exclusive restaurants onboard Celebrity Edge which allow only suite and Aqua Class guests access – Luminae and Blu. We will go into more details about these in the exclusive perks section further below.
Celebrity Edge Bars & Lounges
Our ship inspection enlightened us to find a plentiful amount of bars available onboard the Celebrity Edge.
A personal favourite included the Martini Bar, where live flare shows are held by experienced bartenders pouring, shaking and throwing around multiple cocktails in hand at once. The layout of the bar is a big open space on the bottom of deck 3 where the Grand Plaza circles around – allowing guests from multiple levels to be able to sit back and watch the shows.
Other bars available are scattered throughout the ship including the Magic Carpet (which unfortunately wasn’t in action when we were onboard), the Casino Bar, the Pool Bar.
‘The Club’ is Celebrity Cruises’ renowned nightclub with multiple levels where guests can attend for a boogie and a few drinks on the dance floor as well as quiz nights, dances nights and other events which are usually held earlier on in the evening and day.
For a great sunset view (hence the name) the Sunset Bar is the best place to be, located at the back of the ship, this bar haS beach-styled decor, with great ocean views. We found it useful that the area had big canopies set up which makes it a more comfortable spot to sit out and lounge around with a drink in hand for hours. We find many cruise ships have smaller umbrellas or less open spaces for their ‘outdoor’ bars, so this was a nice touch.
For coffee lovers, there are a few cafés scattered around with Café Al Bacio being the obvious favourite amongst guests due to the central location & the bustling atmosphere it surrounds. Fresh cakes are supplied each day in the window along with an assortment of drinks and barista made coffee.
Celebrity Edge Exclusive Perks – Retreat, Suites & More
Held for only exclusive guests who are staying in suites onboard, the Retreat is a secluded area located at the front of the ship on deck 16.
This area can be accessed directly from the guests suite rooms – which is the ultimate luxury. Featuring a private lounge, sun deck, pool and cabanas this area was super peaceful.
Not only do suite guests have their own private area, but service and amenities onboard are exceptional. Guests are granted anything they may need in the retreat. From sunscreen, hand creams, soft towels, to fans etc., allowing you to soak in the sun and the royalty privileges provided onboard.
Not only do suites get exclusive access to their own pool and sunlounge area, but also to two specialty restaurants as well. Blue and Luminae Restaurants are exclusive to suite and Aqua Class guests only.
Luminae at The Retreat is the highest-rated restaurant in the Celebrity Edge fleet. Luminae is sumptuously designed by Kelly Hoppen and features daily changing menus not available in any other restaurant on board. This dining venue is only accessible to suite guests onboard.
AquaClass guests can enjoy their own exclusive restaurant featuring clean, crisp flavours and inventive cuisine complemented by an extensive list of sustainable, biodynamic wines. Pair all of that with personalized service, inviting surroundings, and natural light, and you have the fresh and bold experience of Blu Restaurant.
A close second to Eden Restaurant, this dining venue had some amazing decor and really followed through with the name of the restaurant. From the real-life roses attached to the signage out the front to the lighting and furnishings inside, this place would be a magical spot to dine.
Celebrity Edge Cabins
Our ship inspection provided us exclusive access to view the Aqua Class Stateroom and the Edge Stateroom Infinite Verandah cabins aboard the Celebrity Edge.
The AquaClass Stateroom offers a total living space of 243 sq. ft. and a 42 sq. ft. verandah, providing a spa-inspired and wellness-focused experience. It features a cashmere mattress and pillow menu, exclusive access to the Blu restaurant, and unlimited access to the SEA Thermal Suite. Additional amenities include daily in-room bottled water service, a yoga mat, healthy room-service menu options, complimentary fitness classes, and preferential rates on AquaClass spa packages with a personal spa concierge for customised treatments and services.
All stateroom and cabin bathrooms are uniformly spacious, featuring a large LED mirror, a decent shower, a toilet, and a large sink with basin cabinetry. This design offers more room compared to many other cruise ship cabin bathrooms.
The balconies are internal with a large window that can open, a unique design that can make the room feel more enclosed compared to traditional cruise ship balconies. Despite this, the room remains relatively spacious and luxurious.
Edge Stateroom With Infinite Verandah
The Edge Stateroom with Infinite Veranda offers a luxurious and innovative experience with a total living space of 243 sq. ft. and a 42 sq. ft. veranda. The standout feature is the Infinite Veranda, which transforms the entire living space into an outdoor veranda balcony just at the touch of a button, providing open-air access to the sea. The balcony is spacious, and the shade provided based on the architecture of the balcony layout makes it a stand out in comparison to other cruise ship balcony rooms.
The stateroom includes a king-size bed with Celebrity eXhale® bedding as well as a cashmere mattress, enhanced storage space, and a larger modern bathroom with all the same amenities as the AquaClass bathroom.
While the complimentary champagne and gift basket aren’t standard, their inclusion during our inspection for a special guest offers a glimpse into the special touches Celebrity Cruises can provide for special occasions, enhancing the overall luxurious experience for guests.
Celebrity Edge Summary
The Celebrity Edge impressed us with its size and features, including 29 dining options, exclusive retreats for suite guests, a spa, three pools, a nightclub, and the unique Magic Carpet—a floating platform offering various uses. We explored the Grand Plaza, dined in one of the main restaurants, and admired the luxurious cabins. The AquaClass Stateroom and Edge Stateroom with Infinite Veranda stood out for their spacious, innovative designs and premium amenities. The Infinite Veranda, transforming the living space into an outdoor area, was particularly notable. Our experience highlighted the ship’s luxurious offerings and attention to special occasions.
If you’re looking to cruise with Celebrity Cruises, get in touch with a tour and cruise specialist today