I've been on quite a few cruise ships.
Some I've sailed.
Some I've toured.
And after a while, you start noticing the little things that separate one ship from another.
This past Sunday, I had the opportunity to tour Celebrity Beyond, and I walked away impressed.
But not everything impressed me. 😂
There were a couple of things where I literally thought:
Really, Celebrity?
So let's talk about it.
And just to be clear before we start: I toured Celebrity Beyond. I did not sail on her.
There are things I can tell you from actually seeing, walking through and eating on the ship, and there are other things I'd need a full sailing to properly judge.
First Impression: This Ship Is Designed WELL
Celebrity Beyond entered service in April 2022 as the third ship in Celebrity's Edge Series, so she's still a relatively young ship.
And one of the biggest things that stood out to me wasn't necessarily one particular feature.
It was the overall design.
The ship makes good use of its space.
Celebrity definitely has a more upscale feel than some of the other cruise lines I've experienced. There were spaces where I could see myself just sitting down, relaxing and enjoying the ship instead of constantly feeling like I needed to be doing something.
And then I walked into Eden.
Eden? Celebrity Did That Right.
Eden was probably one of the spaces that stood out to me the most.
It's a three-story venue toward the back of the ship with huge windows looking out toward the ocean, lots of natural light and some very unique furniture.
And when I say unique chairs…
I mean UNIQUE. 😂
Some of those chairs had me looking at them like, “How am I supposed to sit in this thing?”
But it works.
The entire space was beautifully designed.
Celebrity describes Eden as a place that changes throughout the day, with space to relax, eat, drink and experience entertainment.
Obviously, because I was touring the ship during the day, I didn't get to experience everything Eden becomes during an actual cruise.
But based purely on the space?
Eden gets a big thumbs-up from me.
The Interior Cabins Surprised Me
This one surprised me.
The interior cabins felt big.
I've toured and stayed in enough cruise cabins to know when I walk into one and immediately notice the difference.
Celebrity lists Beyond's Inside Staterooms at approximately 181 to 202 square feet, depending on the category.
And walking through one, it showed.
There seemed to be good use of space, storage and a bathroom that didn't make the entire room feel cramped.
For somebody who says:
“Eric, I don't need a balcony. I'm only going to my cabin to shower and sleep.”
I wouldn't automatically steer you away from an interior cabin on this ship.
That's why seeing these rooms in person matters.
A cabin category called “Interior” doesn't tell you the whole story.
Let's Talk About the Food
Celebrity got me here.
Because one of the dishes they served us…
did not photograph well. 😂
I'm looking at this plate thinking, “What exactly did they just put in front of me?”
Then I tasted the beef.
Listen.
That meat was GOOD.
Tender. Flavorful. Falling apart.
This is exactly why I tell people you can't always judge food by how it looks in a picture.
Then came dessert.
The dessert tasted good too, but the texture?
My tongue couldn't figure out what was happening. 😂
I kept eating it because it tasted good, but the texture was different from what I expected.
That's part of traveling, though.
Try something.
You might love it.
You might hate it.
Or your taste buds might spend five minutes trying to hold a meeting about what just happened.
Four Main Dining Rooms Instead of One
Here's another feature I really liked.
Celebrity Beyond doesn't have one giant traditional main dining room.
It has four complimentary main dining restaurants:
Cosmopolitan.
Cyprus.
Normandie.
Tuscan.
Each has its own design and some signature dishes.
That gives dinner a different feel because you're not necessarily walking back into the exact same massive dining room every night.
Depending on your dining arrangement, you may have an assigned restaurant, but guests can request another of the main restaurants, subject to availability.
So maybe tonight you want Tuscan.
Another night you want to try Cyprus.
There could be a wait depending on availability, but I like having the options.
For a seven-night cruise, that variety matters to me.
The Magic Carpet Let Me Down 😂
Okay, Celebrity.
We need to talk.
One of Celebrity's most recognizable Edge Series features is the Magic Carpet.
If you've seen pictures of Celebrity Beyond, you've probably seen that bright orange platform hanging off the side of the ship.
It actually moves vertically along the side of the ship and serves different purposes depending on where it's positioned. At different levels it can function as an outdoor venue, an extension of the pool area, a dining space or part of the tendering operation.
So naturally I'm thinking:
I'm about to ride this thing up the side of a cruise ship!
Nope. 😂
That's not what happens.
It's not an amusement ride where you're sitting there with a drink while it carries you from one deck to another.
Guests enjoy the Magic Carpet when it's positioned at its operating level.
BOOOOO! 😂
I'm joking…sort of.
It's still an extremely creative piece of engineering, and I'd absolutely want to sit out there with a drink overlooking the water.
But in my head I had turned the Magic Carpet into a cruise-ship elevator ride.
Celebrity did not promise me that.
My imagination did. 😂
“Adults Only”…16?!
Now here's one where Celebrity and I are going to disagree.
The Solarium is Celebrity's adults-only indoor pool area.
Sounds perfect.
Until I learned Celebrity defines adults-only in the Solarium as 16 and older.
Celebrity.
Come on now.
Sixteen?! 😂
They can't even order a drink.
I understand that Celebrity attracts a different demographic than some of the more family-heavy cruise lines, and during my tour I didn't see a lot of children onboard.
But I was also touring in October while kids are generally in school, and the ship was preparing for a seven-night cruise. So I'm not going to tell you that Celebrity Beyond doesn't have kids based on one Sunday morning tour.
Celebrity does welcome families.
But personally?
If I'm going to an adult-only area, part of the reason I'm going there is because I'm trying to get away from children.
I don't want to get into the hot tub and somebody's 16-year-old is sitting next to me.
Maybe that's just me.
I'd prefer 18+.
Celebrity says 16+.
We're just going to have to agree to disagree on that one. 😂
The Club Gets a Plus From Me
Now let's talk nightlife.
Celebrity Beyond has a venue simply called The Club.
During the day it can host activities and entertainment, while at night it becomes part of the ship's nightlife.
Walking through it, one thing stood out:
It felt roomier than some other cruise-ship clubs I've seen.
I've been in the clubs aboard Virgin Voyages' Scarlet Lady and Resilient Lady. I've had a good time, but when those clubs get busy, they can feel tight.
I've also seen the nightclub on Margaritaville at Sea Islander, and that's a smaller space too.
The Club on Celebrity Beyond looked like it had more breathing room.
Now, I'm not going to tell you Celebrity's nightclub is better.
I didn't experience it at midnight with the music going and a packed dance floor.
I toured an empty venue during the day.
But strictly based on the space?
That's a plus.
I'd definitely want to come back and experience it during an actual sailing.
Royal Caribbean Cruisers: Don't Forget Your Loyalty Status
This is important.
If you've been loyal to Royal Caribbean and you're thinking about trying Celebrity, don't assume you're starting completely from scratch.
Royal Caribbean Group currently offers loyalty status matching across Royal Caribbean's Crown & Anchor Society, Celebrity's Captain's Club and Silversea's Venetian Society.
For example, Royal Caribbean Diamond corresponds with Celebrity Elite, and Diamond Plus corresponds with Elite Plus under the current matching structure.
There are rules and some benefits that status-matched members don't receive, and your points themselves aren't simply combined because of a status match.
But the big takeaway is:
If you've earned status with Royal Caribbean, look into your Celebrity status before you sail.
You earned those benefits.
Don't leave them sitting on the table.
Who Do I Think Celebrity Beyond Is For?
This is where actually touring the ship helps me as a travel advisor.
Because Celebrity Beyond isn't going to be the perfect ship for everybody.
If you're looking for water slides everywhere, nonstop family attractions and a ship designed primarily around entertaining young children, I'd probably show you some other options first.
But if you tell me:
“Eric, I want something upscale.”
“I want good food.”
“I want beautiful spaces.”
“I want nightlife, but I don't need the entire ship to feel like a party.”
“I want to relax.”
“I want a cruise that feels a little more refined.”
Now Celebrity Beyond is entering the conversation.
Couples?
Absolutely.
Friends traveling together?
Definitely.
Solo travelers?
I'd look at it.
Adults who enjoy Royal Caribbean but are wondering what else is available within the Royal Caribbean family?
This is one I'd want you to consider.
Families can certainly sail Celebrity too. But based on what I saw, I personally think the ship is going to appeal especially well to adults who want a more relaxed, upscale cruise experience.
So…Would I Sail Celebrity Beyond?
That's ultimately the question.
After walking the ship, seeing the cabins, exploring Eden, checking out The Club, experiencing the dining and getting a feel for the layout…
Yes.
There are things I want to experience that a ship tour simply can't answer.
I want to see what The Club is like at midnight.
I want to see Eden come alive at night.
I want to experience the four-main-restaurant concept over an entire week.
I want to see what the atmosphere feels like on a sea day when everybody is actually using the ship.
And yes…
I guess I'll forgive Celebrity for not letting me ride the Magic Carpet up the side of the ship. 😂
The Solarium being 16+?
I'm still side-eyeing y'all for that one.
But overall?
Celebrity Beyond impressed me.
And this is one of the reasons I take opportunities to tour ships when I can.
I can look at pictures online.
I can read a deck plan.
I can watch somebody else's YouTube video.
But walking onto the ship myself, seeing the cabins, sitting in the spaces and tasting the food gives me something different when a client asks:
“Eric, do you think this ship would be right for me?”
Now I've seen Celebrity Beyond for myself.
And for the right traveler?
Yes. I absolutely think she's worth considering.
Poet's Year-Round Travel
Turning travel wishes into reality.
