Celebrity Cruises has taken a step closer to revealing its newest cruise ship, Celebrity Beyond. It’s now less than three months until the third in the Edge-class is sailing on her maiden voyage. The ship is being constructed at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard and will only need a short cruise to her first homeport, Southampton.
The sea trials for Celebrity Beyond took place in the infamous Bay of Biscaye and were overseen by her new Captain, Kate McCue.
Third Apex-Class Cruise Ship Completes Sea Trials
Celebrity Beyond is a little closer to her maiden voyage on April 27, 2022. The newest ship in the Celebrity Cruises fleet has been under construction in the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in Saint Nazaire, France, since November 2020. At just 16 months since the keel was laid down and 22 months since the first steel was cut, the build has gone surprisingly quickly given the situation around COVID-19.
The third Edge-class cruise ship completed her sea trials under the watchful eye of Captain Kate McCue. According to Celebrity Cruises, the vessel “showcased that its strength, excellence and superb sailing capabilities go beyond its breath-taking amenities.”
“Successfully completing these sea trials was a thrill of a lifetime for me,” said Celebrity Beyond Captain Kate McCue. “Her smooth sailing and maneuverability is a testament to her innovative design and I can’t wait to take the helm of this awe-inspiring ship and take our guests to equally beautiful destinations.”
The ship’s Parabolic Ultrabow was first seen on her sisters Celebrity Apex and Celebrity Edge and replaced the traditional bulbous bow with a casing with a parabolic shape that encapsulates the bulb on the bow of the Edge. This helps with fuel savings and provides a much smoother sailing.
“I can’t tell you how excited I am to have completed this important milestone as it brings us that much closer to welcoming our guests onboard to enjoy their own ‘Journey WonderFULL,’ on Celebrity Beyond,” said Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, President and CEO, Celebrity Cruises. “Beyond showed why there is so much more to her than just her looks. Like her sister ships – Celebrity Apex and Celebrity Edge – she went beyond what was needed to demonstrate she’s ready.”
Celebrity Beyond Significantly Longer Than Sisters
Celebrity Beyond has seen some significant innovations compared to Celebrity Edge, which debuted in 2018, and Celebrity Apex, in 2020. Besides being 21 meters (63 feet) longer than her sisters, she is also 10,000 gross tons heavier at 140,600 gross tons, versus 130,818 for Celebrity Edge. Besides that, the interior spaces have been reimagined and significantly expanded.
On her first voyage, sailing from Southampton, UK, on April 27, the ship will be sailing on a 10-night Western Europe cruise visiting Bordeaux, France; Lisbon, Portugal; and Seville, Malaga, Palma de Mallorca, and Barcelona, Spain.
After her maiden voyage, Celebrity Beyond will be sailing a series of cruises in the Mediterranean for her inaugural season, including nine-night Italian Riviera and France itineraries and 10-night cruises around the Greek Isles through early October when she heads to the Caribbean.
