Celebrity Beyond is Celebrity Cruises’ newest cruise ship. This third vessel in the Edge-Class touts several new features and enhancements when compared to her two sister ships. Are these changes really an improvement? Heidi and I were onboard for 7 sunny days to test out all Celebrity Beyond offers. Now, we share all the details in our Celebrity Beyond cruise ship scorecard review.

Celebrity Beyond Cruise Review

We are no strangers to the Celebrity Edge-Class of cruise ships. We sailed on the namesake, Celebrity Edge, on one of its first voyages in 2019. Since then, we have returned to that ship and its sister ship Celebrity Apex.

Honestly, when pressed to name our favorite cruise line or ship, the Edge-Class is among the first that comes to mind.

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Thus, for this Celebrity Beyond cruise ship review, we paid particular attention to the changes to see if they improved our onboard experience.

One of the noticeable differences is that Celebrity Beyond is larger than the two previous vessels. At 140.6K gross tons, this ship is longer and taller than Edge and Apex. This additional space means there are more passengers as well. The ship has 179 more suites and staterooms, for a double occupancy of 3,260 guests.

Further, this additional space allows for some new venues on Celebrity Beyond, as well as some upgrades to existing venues.

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Pool Deck

One spot to receive a mini-makeover is the Resort Pool on deck 14.

The new and improved pool deck on Celebrity Beyond boasts new seating options, with stylish sunken sofas and plush chairs near the Pool Bar. Certainly, this additional seating gives the pool deck a more resort-style vibe.

The ship’s cabanas have been improved as well to now offer pool deck views, making them a more desirable upgrade.

Beyond the pool bar and cabanas, cruisers still have plenty of options to lounge with deck chairs facing either the pool or the ocean on decks 14, 15, and 16.

Like her sister ships, Celebrity Beyond also features an impressive sculpture near the pool just made for Instagram photos.

Forward on deck 14, there is also the adults-only Solarium. This interior pool means you can utilize the space regardless of the weather outside. The Solarium has basically the same feel as the previous Edge-Class ships.

However, a nice addition to Celebrity Beyond are the two infinity plunge pools on the starboard side of deck 15. Located near the Rooftop Garden and facing out to the ocean, these small pools offer amazing views.

Finally, for those staying in The Retreat, there is a private sun deck with a pool on deck 17 forward. This outdoor area is for those staying in qualifying Celebrity suites only. This Retreat sundeck includes plenty of comfy furniture and a pool bar as well.

Sports Deck

Celebrity Beyond doesn’t feature a typical sports deck like other more family-friendly cruise lines. So, you won’t find rock climbing walls, basketball courts, or waterslides on this class of ship.

For us, we don’t miss these spaces that can take up valuable outdoor real estate on mega ships. Instead, we gladly accept the upscale and elegant additional outdoor spaces, like the Rooftop Garden, that replace these “courts” on other ships.

There are still plenty of ways to stay active on Celebrity Beyond. There is a multi-deck jogging track that rises from deck 15 to deck 16. For the most part, the track provides a dedicated space to enjoy the outdoor weather for those looking to go for a walk or run during the cruise.

There is also a fitness center on deck 15. Like modern cruise ships, the Fitness Center on Celebrity Beyond provides plenty of cardio equipment, free weights, weight machines, and even a few Peloton bikes. Group classes are available for an additional fee, while Aqua Class guests even get a few included fitness classes.

While not technically a sports deck, the Rooftop Garden on deck 15 does offer some outdoor activities. These Garden Games feature larger than life sized games. From cornhole, to giant Jenga and ladder ball, these lawn games are a great way to pass the time.  

Casual Eats

There are several dining options on Celebrity Beyond. For the most part, these offerings are exactly the same as the other Edge-Class ships.

Overall, the casual dining met our expectations based on our previous trips.

The Oceanview Cafe, aft on deck 14, is your standard cruise ship buffet. The Oceanview Café offers diverse selections for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

We are not huge fans of buffet-style dining, so we only ate here a couple times for breakfast and lunch. The food was pretty standard, and the crowds were manageable. We did like that this buffet featured a pizza station at the very back which was open until 2 am.

If you are looking for healthier options, grab and go items are available at the Spa Café in the Solarium. The Spa Café was open from 7 am to 10 am for breakfast and 12 pm to 2 pm for lunch. 

Near the main pool, you will find a more typical lido offering. The Mast Grill is open most of the day grilling up hamburgers and hot dogs with some addictive French fries.

Indoors, you can grab sandwiches and salads at the Eden Café on deck 5. On sea days from 8 am to 9:30 am, the café offers some tasty breakfast options. My go-to here is steak and egg on a bagel. From noon to 1:30 pm every day, the Eden Café serves up paninis and daily carved sandwiches.

Lastly, you will find some scrumptious sweet treats at Café al Bacio. It starts with breakfast pastries and continental items in the morning. Then, cruisers can delight in cookies, cakes, and other desserts in the afternoon and evenings. 

­Main Dining Room

Celebrity Beyond, like the other Edge-Class ships, boasts four complimentary main dining rooms.

With Celebrity Select Dining, there are no traditional seating times. Instead, cruisers can make reservations pre-cruise for these different themed restaurants. Or, you can opt for walk-up service like a restaurant on land.

Each of the main dining rooms offers an exclusive menu of regionally-inspired cuisine. This menu remains the same throughout the cruise. The four main dining rooms also all offer the same signature selections which change nightly and classic dishes that stay the same the entire cruise.

These four main dining rooms included the Greek Cyprus, the Italian Tuscan, the French Normandie, and the American Cosmopolitan. For this Celebrity Beyond cruise ship review, we dined at Tuscan and Cyprus. Further, we dined at Blu, the main dining room for Aqua Class cabins.

Sadly, we were a bit disappointed in the food quality and service at these complimentary venues. This sailing, our experiences did not live up to the high quality we expect from Celebrity Cruises.

I did enjoy the lamb shank at Cyprus, and the waitstaff here were the most attentive and prompt. Although, we felt many of the other starters, entrees, and desserts were not up to Celebrity Cruises usual standards.

We did not dine at the main dining room for breakfast or lunch. Though, each morning, Cosmopolitan served a sit down breakfast from around 7:30 am to 9 am. On sea days, this main dining room opened for lunch as well.

Given that this was our first time staying in an Aqua Class cabin, we did not find the food or service to be any better in Blu during the few times we ate here for breakfast and dinner.

Specialty Dining

During our seven total nights onboard Celebrity Beyond, we dined at 4 specialty restaurants. These meals were the highlight of our dining on Celebrity Beyond.

New to Celebrity Beyond is the specialty restaurant Le Voyage. From executive chef Daniel Boulud, this exquisite and intimate restaurant is nestled in the heart of the ship on Deck 4. 

With a cover charge of $75, this globally inspired menu offers a taste of cuisine from around the world. I was particularly fond of the Tamarind and Peanut-Crusted Prawns and the Brazilian Moqueca. It was one of the best meals I have had at sea.

The other specialty restaurants on Celebrity Beyond are also on her sister ships, some with a few menu changes. Among my favorites is the Fine Cut Steakhouse ($65 a person). It is one of the top American-style steakhouses at sea.

This restaurant offers succulent starters like a Lobster Cocktail and Ricotta Gnocchi. Further, the several premium cuts of beef pair well with gourmet sides like Bacon Mac and Cheese and Gruyere Tater Tots.

More grilled favorites are available at the Rooftop Garden Grill ($45 a person). This al fresco restaurant is on deck 15 offering cruisers a unique dining experience with some newly added wind protection. Smoky favorites here include the chicken wings, seafood skewers, and baby back ribs.

Cruisers can pair dinner with a show at Le Petit Chef on Celebrity Cruises. This digitally enhanced dinner theater on Celebrity Beyond offers a new menu and a new show. Unfortunately, the show nor the menu items were a favorite of ours.

Other dining options include Raw on 5, serving fresh seafood and “land meats”  that are priced a la carte. There’s also the experiential menu at the Eden Restaurant. Located all the way aft on deck 4, this restaurant’s newer menu offers some more approachable items like the Aegean Sea Ceviche and the Tandoori-Style Beef.  

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Service

During our 5-night Celebrity Beyond cruise ship review, the ship was rather full. Overall, we would say the ship was lively but didn’t feel crowded.

The Martini Bar in the Grand Foyer was popular; yet, you could find seats most times, and we never waited long for a drink. The same was true for the rest of the bars on the ship. Service was usually prompt regardless if we ordered at the bar or with the waitstaff.

While Cafe al Bacio usually had a long line, the staff were quick to make espresso beverages and dish out sweet treats. Although, it would have been helpful to have a separate line for desserts and drinks.

Arriving at the theater 20-30 minutes before showtime was adequate for prime seats at the production shows and headliners. Although, the theater did fill up by showtime.

For the nighttime shows in Eden and The Club, prime seats were gone 30 minutes (or more) before showtime. These smaller venues offer unique seating arrangements. So, if you want good seats with prime views, you do need to show up early. Luckily, each of these venues has a bar to order some drinks while you wait.

At the complimentary restaurants, we did walk-up dining and never had to wait more than a few minutes for a table. At the specialty restaurants, we were promptly seated when we arrived for our reservations.

However, service at these restaurants was slow, with all dinners taking at least two hours. Often times, the pacing of meals was inconsistent too, with long delays between some courses. Further, our water glasses were often empty and most times our waitstaff didn’t even check in to see how the meal was going. Le Voyage was the exception, as our waitstaff here were very attentive.

The same could be said about our stateroom attendant. While he was cordial, he didn’t interact with us much, and it often took a while for our cabin to be serviced.

Unfortunately, the personalized service we are used to on Celebrity Cruises was missing on our Celebrity Beyond cruise. We often rave about the service on this cruise line, but it was rather on par with other contemporary cruise lines this time particularly when it came to dining. Perhaps, this issue is related to staffing, as we commented that many venues did seem a bit short-staffed.

Onboard Activities

During our total of seven days onboard (2-day media sailing and 5-day Caribbean sailing), there were only two ports of call. With several days at sea, the cruise line offered the typical lineup of daytime and nighttime events.

During the day, there was trivia in the morning and afternoon. Further, there were other brain teasers and events, like sudoku, scavenger hunts, and an escape room experience. All of these activities are complimentary, and first come first serve.

One fun activity is the regular officers vs. guests challenges. From baggo, to pool volleyball, and table tennis, these interactive activities were back on Celebrity Beyond.

Other classics like dance classes, live music, adult coloring, the Silent Disco, and deck parties were on the agenda as well. Some of these parties included the brand’s typical white party, the celestially-inspired Cosmic Night party, and Ritmo: Upbeat Latin Party.

It was nice to see Cruise Director Luigi about the ship and partaking in many of these activities.

From a duo, to several acoustic performers and solo vocalists, to a celloist and DJs, the outdoor decks and inside venues alike were filled with music day and night.

Further, outdoor movies and featured sporting events were showcased on the screen in the Rooftop Garden. In the evenings, there were game shows, like Yes or No and Deal or No Deal as well.

Regardless of your interests, there is always something fun and engaging to do on Celebrity Beyond!

Signature Entertainment

For this Celebrity Beyond cruise ship review, we were able to watch all of the new shows. Happily, we can report that these signature productions were phenomenal.

In the main theater, the award-winning Arte is a new production show. With a talented cast of 22 dancers, singers, and featured acts, it bring famous art pieces to life. What truly sets this show apart is the dynamic use of the digital screens and circular stage.

While a toss-up, my next favorite was Stage Door while Heidi enjoyed Elements more. Stage Door is a more traditional Broadway revue show featuring a varied range of songs and energetic dance numbers. Elements showcased various acts from acrobats to strength and balance performers. Again, it was also a captivating show with strong vocals and talented performers.

In addition to the main theater, there is another production cast. This troupe performs two shows in Eden and one in The Club. The Jazz Joint, held in the Club, transforms the venue to a Prohibition era speakeasy. I enjoyed the era-themed songs, dancer numbers, and more intimate setting of the show.

We both agreed that Paradise was the best of the two shows in Eden. This whimsical 30-minute production included great costumes and a fantastical set of dance and song. It felt like the perfect fit for this grand space with earthy finishes and décor.

Decadence was the second show performed in Eden. Though, it felt more appropriate for The Club. Still, with tap dancers, strength performers, dancers, and two vocalists, this bubbly show is worth checking out.

Overall, Celebrity Beyond exceeded our expectations in the entertainment realm. These original productions definitely caught our attention even if they weren’t as flashy as the stage shows on sister brand, Royal Caribbean.

Bars and Lounges

Celebrity Beyond has many of the signature bars and lounges found throughout the Celebrity Cruises’ fleet.

However, one bar you won’t want to miss on Celebrity Beyond is the new and improved Sunset Bar. This two story space embodies the elegant and thoughtful design of the entire ship.

Located on deck 15 aft, the Moroccan design offers lush seating, amazing views, and a signature menu with cocktails and light bites. We loved the décor and layout of this space. Not to mention, there was live music here in the evenings.

Still, the most happening bar in the evenings is the Martini Bar. This hub of nighttime activity boasts a signature martini menu, a grand chandelier, and the most talented bartenders on the ship. There are a variety of cocktails including the popular Espresso Martinis on tap. These drinks pair perfectly with craft mixology skills, vibrant chandelier shows, and live music.

For something more exotic, the Eden Bar offers some of the most unique drinks at sea. These libations are as photogenic as they are tasty.

Making its sophomore debut is the Craft Social. As a beer lover, I was in heaven with the diverse selection of ales, pilsners, and lagers. Plus, there are small bites, priced a la carte, to nibble on throughout the day.

Found on Solstice-Class ships, the World Class Bar makes a comeback on Celebrity Beyond. This deck 5 midship establishment showcases fresh ingredients and the finest spirits for a sophisticated “fine drinking” experience.

Another bar with a signature menu is the Magic Carpet. Whether docked on deck 5, or up near the resort pool, this bar offers fantastic views with exclusive drinks.

Of course, all your poolside favorites are available at several outdoor locations as well, including the Mast Bar on deck 16 and the Pool Bar on deck 14.

Stateroom

We stayed in an infinite veranda Aqua-Class stateroom during our 5-day sailing. Cabin 9246 was a starboard side stateroom located next to the aft elevators. It offered the ideal location for accessing either the pool deck or indoor areas.

According to the Celebrity Cruises’ website, the room measured 243 square feet with a 42 square foot balcony. Immediately upon entering the room, our bathroom was on the left. Likewise, our bed was located right after the bathroom, facing aft, with the closet tucked around the corner. Between the closet and the dresser drawers, there was plenty of storage space.

Beyond the bed, there was a sofa on the left and a desk and dresser on the right. The desk included several outlets in one centralized location for charging multiple devices.

Honestly, we are not fans of the infinite veranda. We prefer a more traditional balcony. For us, this arrangement is essentially a glorified window.

Still, the king bed was comfortable, and the finishes were sleek and elegant. The color palette was mostly muted featuring light wood tones with pops of red color. The marble bathroom is also more chic than most contemporary cruise lines. It has plenty of counter space, storage, and an oversized stand-up shower.

During our 2-day media sailing, we stayed in a Sky Suite also located on deck 9. These cabins are a noticeable upgrade in size measuring in at 319 square feet. This extra space is evident in both the main cabin and the bathroom. This Sky Suite also features a traditional balcony and access to the exclusive Retreat. Let’s just say we got a little spoiled with this stateroom!

Celebrity Beyond Cruise Ship Scorecard Review Recap

As big fans of the Edge-Class, we are happy to report that Celebrity Beyond is a lovely addition to the fleet. With a few small upgrades and tweaks, it’s perhaps the best ship in this class. We were particularly fond of the additions to the outdoor decks. The enhancements to the Resort Pool, Rooftop Garden, and Sunset Bar really shine.

The redesigned Martini Bar offers more seating and a new way to enjoy the diverse nightlight here. Further, Le Voyage is a great addition to the specialty restaurant line-up offering upscale menu items and an intimate dining space.

Just like her sister ships, Celebrity Beyond is opulent and gorgeous. The design is intuitive, and the décor offers a luxury resort feel at sea. While there are still many of the onboard amenities that you’d expect to find on a mega-ship, the ship exudes class instead of flashy bells and whistles.

Surprisingly, for this Celebrity Beyond cruise ship review, we were not impressed with the main dining rooms. Further, we did feel that service was a bit off for Celebrity Cruises. We are not sure if this is related to staffing issues or if the cruise line just needs to work out inaugural kinks.

In contrast, the specialty dining on Celebrity Beyond was a highlight with well-prepared and delectable dishes.

Further, we liked the new shows, as they were dynamic and featured a talented cast of singers and dancers.

Overall, we really enjoyed our time on Celebrity Beyond, with it ranking on our short list of favorite cruise ships. That is why we have already booked another sailing on this ship for our anniversary trip next year to Greece and the Mediterranean.

Comments

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