Celebrity Beyond Goes Beyond Edge & Apex Design

For the first time in the lifecycle of Celebrity's Edge-class of ships, the line has been able to make some important changes to reflect passenger needs. Celebrity Beyond is longer and one deck taller than Celebrity Edge or Apex, and boasts larger spaces for popular venues, along with a new restaurant and bar.

"Throughout the process of designing Edge I remember often thinking, this ship is going to be extraordinary but wouldn’t it be nice if it were a little bigger so we could create even more extraordinary experiences for our guests," said Celebrity president and CEO Lisa Lutoff-Perlo during the ship's inaugural ceremony. "We really wanted to enhance the series and the guest experience."

New Restaurant & Bar
One of the biggest changes to the series is the addition of the Le Voyage restaurant helmed by Michelin-star chef Daniel Boulud, located just off the Grand Plaza. The fine-dining venue is hidden behind an oversized automatic door (to cut down on noise from the atrium) and features white table cloths and fine china and crystal. Fare is French, with an emphasis on steak and shellfish. The intimate venue carries a $75 per person surcharge, or diners can indulge in $125 five-course Tasting Menu.

In order to make room for the upscale restaurant, two 33-feet sections were added forward and aft of the Grand Plaza in a move Lutoff-Perlo called the “Harry Stretch” – named after Harri Kulovaara, Royal Caribbean Group’s executive vice president of maritime and newbuilding. The stretch also permitted the line to significantly enlarge the Martini Bar, which Lutoff-Perlo said has turned out to be the hub of the two previous Edge-class ships.

The actual Martini Bar has been moved to the center of the Grand Plaza, surrounded on three sides by three-levels of tiered seating divided into smaller sections to give the entire space an intimate feel that’s still in the middle of it all.

“It’s full all the time,” she said during a press conference onboard the ship. “It’s the heartbeat of the ship.”

A little further down from the atrium is the World Class Bar, one of the line’s most popular drinking venues, which is making its first appearance on an Edge-class ship thanks to passenger demand.

Expanded Sunset Bar & Resort Deck
Anyone who’s been on Celebrity Edge or Celebrity Apex knows how tiny the aft-facing Sunset Bar is. This has been wonderfully corrected on Celebrity Beyond. (It’s actually 180% larger than on Edge and Apex.) In addition to a larger central area, two elevated wings have been added making it one of the nicest spots onboard by far. In fact, Royal Caribbean Group president and CEO, Jason Liberty, said during the press conference, that it’s his favorite spot onboard.

The Resort Deck is also longer, giving the Rooftop a little bit more breathing room. Extra alcoves have been added and moved away from the center of the Rooftop, which is now used exclusively for backyard style games or movie watching on the big screen.

A cantilevered pool extending out over the side of the ship was also added to the Resort Deck, and has already proved to be one of the most popular spots onboard.

Two-Deck Retreat Sundeck & More
Also larger on Celebrity Beyond is The Retreat suites-only enclave with more suites added, a larger Luminae restaurant and, for the first time, a two-deck Retreat sundeck (because, as Captain Kate McCue said during the press conference, "hashtag size matters.") The two-level sundeck features cabanas, cozy seating areas, new water features and an outdoor Retreat Bar.

Also enlarged was the Fine Cut Steakhouse.

The walls in The Club were cut open to add large windows that let in natural light, making it easier to host daytime events there. The upper level of the space was reconfigured into small private areas, each with a screen so groups can watch whatever's going on down below without a problem.