Sailing with Celebrity has been on our bucket list for many years, and our dream was realised in early March 2024 with a six-night return cruise from Sydney to Tasmania. Upfront I’ll say that our expectations were met and far exceeded! They say that your best cruise is the one that you're on or have just got off. Have to agree with that, so before our post-cruise euphoria wears off let me share with you why the Celebrity Edge is our new favourite ship. And as usual, at the end of the post, we'll give our overall thoughts on the ship, what we loved, what we didn't quite vibe, and who we think should choose Celebrity for their next cruise.
Our first glimpse of the Celebrity Edge was as we walked down the hill towards Circular Quay. And what a majestic vessel she is! The Edge was built in 2018, so is still relatively new. She was the first of the Edge Class ships, which are characterised by the Magic Carpet, a tennis court sized bar/restaurant platform that extends out over the ocean. We rushed there soon after boarding, to have a look at this unique attraction (and to grab an iced drink out of the midday sun!).
The Magic Carpet is prominently painted bright orange and is usually parked on Decks 14 or 15 (the Pool and Promenade decks). However, it can be lowered down to sea level to allow embarking and disembarking of the tender boats when the ship is moored away from the pier. Access to the very front of this ship is limited unless you’re in a suite or have high loyalty status, so the Magic Carpet provides good forward views of the ocean and when coming into port.
We always advise our travellers to look at a cabin (usually called Staterooms on cruise ships) near the middle of the ship, and about halfway up. The entertainment venues (theatre, clubs, bars etc) are usually on the lower decks, so you don’t want to be right above them. Similarly, being too close to the top can also be noisy due to the pool decks, gyms, games activities etc on the upper decks. So, depending on the size of the ships, Decks 7 – 10 are our preferences. The centre of the ship is also the most stable section if you happen to experience rough seas. Most modern cruise ships have very effective stabilisers, but you will still feel the motion more in the front or back of the ship, and the higher up that you go. We had booked a mid-ship balcony cabin on Deck 8 for this cruise.
One suggestion we have if you’re sailing from Sydney, is to request a port side cabin. The larger cruise ships moor in Circular Quay, generally facing towards the CBD i.e. with the starboard side alongside the pier. Not only do you get a great view of the Opera House on the port side, you also don’t get the noise from the trucks and forklifts reprovisioning the ship as soon as you dock. There is a chance that the ship will moor facing the other way, so just be aware of that.
The corridors and cabins are a lot more spacious than those that we've previously experienced on some of the other cruise lines. Celebrity is a premium product, but not overly expensive. I've posted videos of the cabin and bathroom on our Mana Travel Adventures Facebook page; here are a few screenshots from those videos.
This has been by far the most spacious cabin that we’ve had on any cruise ship. The bed is king-size, there’s plenty of cupboard space and the bathroom is huge by ship standards. Other shower cubicles usually require a bit of gymnastics to manoeuvre in – this one could easily accommodate two people! There are plenty of plug and USB charging points in the cabin, with multi-country power outlets.
Another innovation by Celebrity has been the introduction of Infinity Balcony staterooms. This was something that we were looking forward to experiencing for ourselves, given the mixed reviews that we’d read. It seems that you either love it or hate it, so here are our thoughts on this concept. On most other cruise ships, the balcony is usually open to the elements and with a part screen between yours and the neighbouring balconies. Depending on the construction of the ship, the balcony above may overlook yours and likewise you can look down into the one below. A door and curtain separate the balcony from the main cabin.
On this ship, the balcony is incorporated into the cabin. Instead of a rail, there’s a full-size sliding window which you can raise and lower down to rail height. A drop-down curtain is provided for privacy and to keep the cabin dark. However, this curtain can only be operated when the balcony window is closed; you can’t have both the window and the curtain down at the same time. There are a set of bi-fold doors to seal off the balcony section from the rest of the cabin, but these are opaque glass, so they do still let in light.
We like to have the window open to hear the ocean noise and smell the sea air, but in this cabin it meant that we were woken by the early morning sun entering the cabin. That’s not a problem if you’re an early riser, but can be a bit annoying if you enjoy a sleep-in. We moored for the day in Hobart, directly opposite the Port Control Tower, whose occupants could see right into our cabin. Ordinarily we would keep the balcony door open, with the curtains drawn, but that was not possible this time if we wanted privacy. On the plus side, the infinity balcony does give you a lot more usable space in your cabin. Plus, you do get a lot more privacy from adjacent cabins and those above you. Overall Denise and I are split 50/50 on the concept - what do you think?
OK, a few facts and figures about the ship. The Celebrity Edge was built in 2018, is 306m long and carries up to 2,908 passengers, with 1,250 crew. Luxury is apparent wherever you go on the ship, including 4,000 pieces of artwork. I'd won a bit of money at the Casino, so I treated myself to a Behind-The-Scenes ship tour (US$157) which was amazing. The “i95 highway” is a corridor on Deck 2 which runs the length of the vessel, along which everything and everyone moves! I was particularly impressed with the Laundry, a 24-hour operation which measures its output in tonnes of material washed, rather than items. We weren’t allowed to take photos, but imagine a 30m long dryer where wet sheets go in one side and come out dry, neatly pressed and folded on the other. The tour includes a visit to the Bridge, where it was good to see Celebrity’s gender equality in action – 30% of staff including Officers are now women. While there is still a way to go, they lead the cruise industry in this metric. Each Celebrity ship has a Godmother, and fittingly on the Edge it’s Malala Yousafzai, the Pakastani female education activist.
Unlike many other cruise ships, Celebrity Edge doesn't have a main dining room. Instead there are four themed restaurants for you to choose from (Cosmopolitan, Tuscan, Normandie and Cyprus). These are top-class restaurants and we recommend that you book them as soon as you get access to the app, as places do fill up fast. You can book once on the ship, but you may struggle to get the table that you want, especially if you're in a large party. There are also several speciality restaurants (extra charge), including the Le Petit Chef experience which we posted on our Facebook page. The Oceanview Cafe is the main buffet area, with top quality servings and plenty of seating inside and on the rear deck. Smaller cafes are dotted around the ship, ideal for light meals and snacks. Overall, we found the food and service on Celebrity amazing, and it definitely meets their claim to be "The best Dining Experience at Sea".
We loved the entertainment on Celebrity, from the high-quality dance, arcobatic and music shows, to the games (Deal or No Deal was very popular) and the singers in the Martini Bar area. This latter space was in the centre of the main shopping and lounge hub and seemed to draw us in every time we walked past! There was an extensive list of cocktails served up by very skilled and enthusiastic barmen - we chose the tray of six mini "tasters" to help us decide our favourites. The garden-themed Eden area served up more sedate, instrumental sessions, especially at sundown and after dinner.
Celebrity caters for the more mature clientele, so you won't find water slides and climbing walls on their ships! Instead, there are more relaxing pool areas, spas and even a roof-top garden with real plants. Sadly, Australia's strict biosecurity rules meant that these plants had to be covered up, which kind of ruined the space. The ship's facilities are very disability-friendly, with lifts and hoists to allow access into and out of the pools and spas. There are also plenty of discrete lounge areas to relax in, We loved the high-tech lighting and displays around the main pool, which hosted themed evenings and activities. The promenade/jogging track is a novel feature, extending over two decks in a figure of eight shape. I'm used to running on flat tracks, so a bit of up hill and down dale was pretty cool!
Our six-night cruise was far too short (aren't they all?), but what an experience. There's always something to love about every ship, but what stands out for us about Celebrity was the class, without the cost. We've sailed on cruise lines across the price spectrum, and while not an inexpensive option, we came away from our Celebrity cruise feeling that we'd had great value for money. For us this was traditional cruising, without being too "stuffy and old-fashioned". There is a dress code for evening dining, but even that is relaxed - trousers and a collared shirt is fine. I particularly liked how accessible the ship's facilities were for folk who are less abled, and the many discrete places to enjoy a cup of tea or read your book. Basic WI-FI is complimentary with your fare; however we chose to upgrade to a faster package as this was a working trip for us.
I'm scratching my head to find something that we didn't quite vibe with on cruise. The staff are excellent, the ship's facilities are new and kept spotless and we were constantly finding new spots to try out. Given the targeted demographic (mature) and the lack of adrenalin activities, I probably wouldn't recommend Celebrity for families with small children/teenagers. Celebrity do have a Kids Club, but they might have more fun on other family-orientated cruise lines.
On the other hand, if you want to treat yourself to an upmarket cruising experience, then Celebrity will fit that bill without breaking the bank. They say that the cruise ship is a destination in itself, and the Celebrity Edge most certainly is. We will be back.