Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Edge has officially launched her first season in Alaska and is poised to begin a summer-long series of sailings to the Great Land roundtrip from Seattle. The 2,900-guest ship is the first of the line’s pioneering Edge class, and entered service in 2018.
Celebrity Edge will sail her maiden voyage from Seattle on May 17, 2024, operating a 7-day cruise calling at Juneau, Ketchikan, and Skagway. The “Alaska Dawes Glacier” itinerary, offered through mid-September, features immersive experiences with local Alaskan culture and food.
The ship arrived in Vancouver, British Columbia on May 11, 2024 following a transpacific sailing from Honolulu, and then operated a 6-day sailing to Seattle, her seasonal homeport. Celebrity Edge will sail the opposite route on September 13, 2024, returning to Honolulu and then to Sydney, Australia, sailing seasonal cruises Down Under and to New Zealand.
Celebrity Edge’s “Alaska Dawes Glacier” itinerary calls at Ketchikan, Juneau, Endicott Arm/Skagway, and Victoria, British Columbia.
“There’s no better way to see the pristine Alaskan wilderness than onboard Celebrity Edge, which was specifically designed to create a closer connection between guests and destinations. Our elevated vacation options are redefining travel, especially in this region,” said Laura Hodges Bethge, president of Celebrity Cruises.
The ship’s inaugural season in Alaska promises to be a memorable one, thanks to the line’s Sea the Future program. Planned activities for Celebrity Edge guests include the Ketchikan Salmon Walk, a 2-mile hike created with the Tongass Historical Museum that enables cruisers to learn about salmon migration and life cycles in Ketchikan Creek.
Other Sea the Future initiatives include A Taste of Alaska, a local sourcing partnership that provides guests with access to locally-made products, plus retailers and local vendors such as Seafood Producers Cooperative and Alaska Specialty Seafood.
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The program also offers a Locals Onboard partnership with Voyij.com, which connects guests to an online marketplace where they can buy goods from more than 250 Alaska artists and retailers. Since the partnership began in 2021 it has provided about $1 million in sales to the local businesses and artists.
The Sea the Future initiative has a local educational component, too, in collaboration with the Sitka Sound Science Center, in which local scientists partner with school children to learn about science and Alaska’s ecosystems.
Guests Can Embrace Ship’s Edge-Class Amenities
While the Alaskan scenery, wilderness, and marine life are no doubt incomparable cruise experiences, Celebrity Edge is a destination in her own right, offering guests ground-breaking experiences such as the popular Magic Carpet, the cantilevered, multi-purpose floating platform that functions as a dining venue, lounge, and viewing area.
The ship offers 29 restaurants, bars, and lounges, and eight stateroom categories: The Retreat, AquaClass, Concierge Class, Infinite Veranda, Single Infinite Veranda, Veranda, Oceanview, and Inside.
The ultra-luxury area called The Retreat is exclusive for all guests booking suites and features a private dining venue, lounge, and sundeck. Guests who book these accommodations benefit from a team of butlers and concierges who handle virtually all requests.
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Other highlights of the Edge-class ship include the three-story Grand Plaza, modeled after the piazzas of Italy, and the popular lounges Martini Bar and Cafe al Bacio.
Along with Celebrity Edge, the cruise line has deployed two additional ships to Alaska for the 2024 season: The 2,200-guest Celebrity Summit, a Millennium-class ship that debuted in 2001, and the 2,852-guest Celebrity Solstice, a Solstice-class ship that entered service in 2008.
Celebrity Solstice is sailing 7-night cruises roundtrip from Vancouver, while Celebrity Summit offers 7-night sailings between Vancouver and Seward, Alaska. Celebrity Cruises operates a fleet of 16 ships and is a brand of Royal Caribbean Group.
