REVIEW: Just back from the Edge. OMG is she amazing!

[jt1120]

The term “game changer” gets tossed around quite a bit these days, but to describe the Celebrity Edge, one would be hard pressed not to use game changer as a perfect description to this beautiful and innovative cruise ship.

 

The innovation begins as soon as you arrive at the new, state-of-the-art terminal that Celebrity built expressly for the Edge. Gone are the long lines and dozens of associates at the counter. If you’ve checked in online, they already have most of the info they need. You’ll go through security and then approach someone with a tablet in their hand. If you have downloaded the Celebrity app (highly recommended), then they simply scan your sea pass and that’s it. Actually, it took us longer to get onboard the ship than it did in the check-in area.

“Where are our Sea Pass cards?” we wondered. They are waiting for you at your stateroom in a sealed envelope. If it has been tampered with, you are instructed to go to Guest Relations where they would issue new passes. In our case, we tore open the envelope, took out our cards and in we walked into our infinite veranda cabin.

 

Much has been written about the infinite veranda. The idea is to make the balcony part of your cabin. There are doors that you can close if you wish to separate the balcony from the cabin, but that probably won’t happen very often. On the balcony you find two buttons: one to raise and lower the accordion blinds, and one to raise and lower your infinite veranda window. Keep in mind that they can override your control if they so choose. They did that in Nassau where we were told they were closed for “maintenance and cleaning.” We didn’t leave the ship and saw neither maintenance or cleaning. We were not happy about it. If you pay for a balcony, you should be able to use it. All in all, I probably would not do an infinite veranda cabin again.

 

On the positive side, the bedding was heavenly, the mattress very firm (well, it’s brand new so it better be), and the shower was a bit larger compared to Millennium class or Solstice class showers. The bathrooms feature a bar of what looked like oatmeal soap at the sink and three dispensers for shower gel, shampoo and conditioner in the shower. I recommend bringing your own. We also found the cabins to be very spacious with lots of storage all around.

 

Lots of restaurants to choose from, and the food in all of the ones we sampled (Cyprus, Cosmopolitan, Le Petit Chef and the Oceanview Café) was outstanding. In the four main dining rooms you have the standard choices available in all four plus each dining room has its own specialties. Cyprus is Mediterranean, Cosmo is American fare, Tuscan is Italian and Normandie is French. Le Petit Chef is truly a highlight as it’s unlike anything you’ve probably ever experienced before. The lights are dimmed and (for lack of a better term) a cartoon is projected onto your table and plate. During the presentation, four chefs prepare their own specialties and put them on your plate. Then, when the chef is done, the servers bring the actual dish. The only drawback is that the menu is limited. There are alternate dishes you can order, but they do not sync with what the chefs are preparing on your table. All in all, it was rather enjoyable and very unique.

 

We wanted to have lunch on the Magic Carpet but couldn’t get a seat. To be honest, I wasn’t blown away by the menu so it didn’t really matter that we missed it. Instead, we headed to the Oceanview Café and enjoyed more of their tremendously delicious Indian fare among other offerings. One mark against the buffet is that they have replaced the Purel dispensers with sinks where you can wash your hands. The knock is that hardly anyone used them. I’m hoping that Celebrity rethink this and at least have someone encouraging people to wash their hands before entering the Oceanview Café.

 

Eden is a venue that presents performance art. Singing, acrobatics and other street fare-styled performances are featured. For our tastes, we found it to be a bit weird. Plus, once you’ve experienced it, there’s no reason to go back and the Eden area represents quite a bit of real estate on the ship. If you eat there, someone will come to your table and talk to you. They tell you they are from the planet Wu or something strange like that, and we just didn’t care for it. I’m hoping that they do other things in the space like soloists, duos or perhaps comedians. It just felt under-utilized.

 

When you are onboard the Edge, everything seems re-thought. It’s like Celebrity looked at every experience on a ship and said, “how can we do this better or different?” Case in point, the gangway on deck two. Let’s be honest, there are few times that you get off a ship on the gangway and don’t feel like you’re in a dungeon. It’s not a great experience. On the Edge, they have turned it into something that feels like a welcome center. Everything is bright and airy, including an interesting LED light display on the ceiling. It’s actually pretty gorgeous! On deck two you will also find The Basement, which is the teen hangout area. There weren’t many teens on board so I’m not sure how used the space was. It looked pretty cool though.

 

Also rethought is the water bottle. On the Edge there are no plastic bottles. They now have aluminum water bottles (think the aluminum beer bottle) which are supposed to be better for the environment. I like the idea but I recycle plastic and aluminum so what is the difference?

 

The shows were just ok. We saw two of the three that were presented. Both featured lead singers and a fantastic band. Both vocalists were very good but they seemed a bit self-indulgent and chose lots of songs that we didn’t know. Mind you, we’re not old farts and know lots of popular songs. Still, we felt both shows were just ok (with a slight nod to the African-American gentleman who we felt was awesome).

 

For Captain’s Club members, the special cocktail reception that is usually held in a lounge from 5-7 has been replaced. Now, Celebrity loads three drinks on your Sea Pass card and you can get your drinks in any of the lounges, with the exception of Eden and the Magic Carpet. We prefer drinks and appetizers in a lounge instead of the freedom to go anywhere you choose. We couldn’t find a place to sit in the Martini Bar on one night and the other night we didn’t get service there because it was so busy. I hope this isn’t a change at Celebrity and that all future Captain’s Club cocktail receptions are conducted this way.

 

All in all, the Celebrity Edge is definitely something to experience. The style and décor is jaw-dropping, the food is top notch, and the service is amazing. We will definitely be back to the Edge and hopefully soon. Just wow!

[lv2cruisgrl]

Thank you for the review.  We are deciding if we want to make our final payment and take our March cruise. We have a  IV stateroom and disappointed to hear they lock them shut at times.  I agree with you, I want my balcony open to utilize and enjoy the air.  We are just afraid we will be disappointed after paying a premium to be on this ship.  

[Jim_Iain]

Thanks for your well balanced review.

[puppycanducruise]

Thanks for taking the time to post your comments.

Very informative.

[Esprit]

Thank you.

Can't wait to see it for myself when I board this Sunday

[nednrom]

Thank you for a well balanced review.  More and more we have started to think that the infinite veranda is like a bigger ocean view cabin.  We didn't know how it would turn up when we booked it 2 years ago.  We are excited to see the rest of the ship though in 38 days!

[portofrome]

Thanks for your review!

[jagoffee]

Nicely done.  Very well balanced.

[Muushka]

At the risk of being redundant, thank you for your fair and balanced review. 

I love reading reviews like this!

[bajathree]

I am not saying this in any negative way at all jt1120....but even with a review titled "Just back from the Edge. OMG is she amazing!

It comes down to this...."If you pay for a balcony, you should be able to use it. All in all, I probably would not do an infinite veranda cabin again."

I think these IV's really need to be rethought.

 

[dodger1964]

Thanks for the review. I'm not sure, after reading it, that I would say what you wrote in the review matches your title of the thread.

 

We cruise more on the "budget" side, so I doubt the Edge will be in our cards, but I'm glad you enjoyed it. (I have found the IV discussions interesting)

 

For me to basically pay double the price of other similar cruises for the experience you described wouldn't be worth it.

 

 

[hcat]

Thanks for a concise and helpful review. Glad you enjoyed your cruise..Would you book EDGE again,?

 

 Somehow your title does not  match a number of experiences you described.  The ship may look awesome but there's more to it for us..esp at current price we are paying!

 

Question:

You wrote:

Eden is a venue that presents performance art. Singing, acrobatics and other street fare-styled performances are featured. For our tastes, we found it to be a bit weird. Plus, once you’ve experienced it, there’s no reason to go back and the Eden area represents quite a bit of real estate on the ship. If you eat there, someone will come to your table and talk to you. They tell you they are from the planet Wu or something strange like that, and we just didn’t care for it......"

 

If you tell them to GO AWAY or ignore them do they persist..or move on..?

 

We can accept that they feature that type of  interactive performance show in the EDEN restaurant for those who sign up for that experience ,  but find it annoying that the main  hangout space will be intruded upon...We,ll find out in a few weeks if it is changed.

[Turtles06]

56 minutes ago, dodger1964 said:

Thanks for the review. I'm not sure, after reading it, that I would say what you wrote in the review matches your title of the thread.

 

35 minutes ago, hcat said:

Somehow your title does not  match a number of experiences you described.  The ship may look awesome but there's more to it for us..esp at current price we are paying!

 

 

I appreciated the OP's taking the time for the review, but I had the same reaction to the "OMG is she amazing" title not really matching the substance of the review -- so many things the OP didn't like, and especially this statement: "If you pay for a balcony, you should be able to use it. All in all, I probably would not do an infinite veranda cabin again."  The IVs are one of the things Celebrity has hyped the most about this ship.

 

I also wanted to note that handling embarkation check-in at the terminal via reps roaming around with tablets, rather than waiting on lines for reps at desks, is not innovative; RCI has been doing this for years.  Same with having your sea pass card in an envelope outside your cabin. 

[jagoffee]

Didn’t you recent posters read the last paragraph of the first post?

 

”All in all, the Celebrity Edge is definitely something to experience. The style and décor is jaw-dropping, the food is top notch, and the service is amazing. We will definitely be back to the Edge and hopefully soon. Just wow!”

 

A well balanced review critized by cruisers that have not yet experienced the ship?

 

I will hold my judgement until after I experience the ship, which is not likely to be for a while based on the price premium. I will certainly not debate those that have experienced the ship and provided their feedback.

[bajathree]

6 minutes ago, jagoffee said:

Didn’t you recent posters read the last paragraph of the first post?

 

”All in all, the Celebrity Edge is definitely something to experience. The style and décor is jaw-dropping, the food is top notch, and the service is amazing. We will definitely be back to the Edge and hopefully soon. Just wow!”

 

A well balanced review critized by cruisers that have not yet experienced the ship?

 

I will hold my judgement until after I experience the ship, which is not likely to be for a while based on the price premium. I will certainly not debate those that have experienced the ship and provided their feedback.

 

I have experienced the Edge first hand 😉

[Jim_Iain]

50 minutes ago, jagoffee said:

Didn’t you recent posters read the last paragraph of the first post?

 

”All in all, the Celebrity Edge is definitely something to experience. The style and décor is jaw-dropping, the food is top notch, and the service is amazing. We will definitely be back to the Edge and hopefully soon. Just wow!”

 

A well balanced review critized by cruisers that have not yet experienced the ship?

 

I will hold my judgement until after I experience the ship, which is not likely to be for a while based on the price premium. I will certainly not debate those that have experienced the ship and provided their feedback.

I find that one or two extreme negative posters bring little or none to the discussion.   Easy to deal with.  

 

Hover over their name and click IGNOR -  Bye Bye.... 

[ATLgirl15]

Thanks for the review - glad to see another one who enjoyed it as much as us!

[RDC1]

2 hours ago, Turtles06 said:

 

 

I appreciated the OP's taking the time for the review, but I had the same reaction to the "OMG is she amazing" title not really matching the substance of the review -- so many things the OP didn't like, and especially this statement: "If you pay for a balcony, you should be able to use it. All in all, I probably would not do an infinite veranda cabin again."  The IVs are one of the things Celebrity has hyped the most about this ship.

 

I also wanted to note that handling embarkation check-in at the terminal via reps roaming around with tablets, rather than waiting on lines for reps at desks, is not innovative; RCI has been doing this for years.  Same with having your sea pass card in an envelope outside your cabin. 

problem is if you want a true balcony you pretty much have to go suite level. Other than IV the pictures others have posted of the SV rooms show a round opening in a mostly enclosed balcony space.

[Stateroom_Sailor]

I would not sail on a ship without purel dispencers, especially on a 10 day + cruise.  The Carnival Pride had the same setup last year, nobody using the sink.  By day 14, 2/3 of the passengers were sick, the rest soon to follow.  Granted, there were some miserable people seemingly trying to share it, sneezing and coughing on each other, using snotty fingers to grab tongs, which hopefully wouldn't be as prevalent on X.  Still, no desire for even a partial repeat.

[Rojocruiser]

8 hours ago, lovrccl said:

Thank you for the review.  We are deciding if we want to make our final payment and take our March cruise. We have a  IV stateroom and disappointed to hear they lock them shut at times.  I agree with you, I want my balcony open to utilize and enjoy the air.  We are just afraid we will be disappointed after paying a premium to be on this ship.  

When we sailed the preview cruise our IV window (I call it that as it is not in any sense a balcony or veranda) was "locked" the entire embarkation day. While the IV was a disappointment, the cruise itself was fantastic and I will sail the Edge again but in a traditional balcony stateroom.

[lienf]

29 minutes ago, Rojocruiser said:

When we sailed the preview cruise our IV window (I call it that as it is not in any sense a balcony or veranda) was "locked" the entire embarkation day. While the IV was a disappointment, the cruise itself was fantastic and I will sail the Edge again but in a traditional balcony stateroom.

 

Does the Edge have traditional balcony staterooms like the M and S Class ships?

[The_Big_M]

3 hours ago, Turtles06 said:

 

I also wanted to note that handling embarkation check-in at the terminal via reps roaming around with tablets, rather than waiting on lines for reps at desks, is not innovative; RCI has been doing this for years.  Same with having your sea pass card in an envelope outside your cabin. 

 

And also with the hand washers being installed as part of the buffet entrance.

And Eden being a copy of 270.

 

With these reviews, it does sound more and more like it appeared that Edge is based off Quantum class.

[The_Big_M]

9 hours ago, jt1120 said:

Also rethought is the water bottle. On the Edge there are no plastic bottles. They now have aluminum water bottles (think the aluminum beer bottle) which are supposed to be better for the environment. I like the idea but I recycle plastic and aluminum so what is the difference?

 

 

Aluminium is pretty much infinitely able to be recycled into itself. Plastic on the other hand in many cases can only be recycled into other forms e.g. industrial furniture and is not as efficient.

 

Costs come into it, but aluminium is a more efficient material to recycle.

[Cruise Junky]

1 hour ago, RDC1 said:

problem is if you want a true balcony you pretty much have to go suite level. Other than IV the pictures others have posted of the SV rooms show a round opening in a mostly enclosed balcony space.

No, that’s not the SVs. That’s the 1As and 1Bs. SVs on Edge have great balconies. 

[Germancruiser]

Thanks for this great review- and all the time it took you to write at such length and detail. Just ignore those who tell that crap about the Title and the review itself. It´s was wonderfully written- well balanced and reflected how enjoyed your Edge experience- without leaving out the negativs. One can still have a " Wouw- experience and tell about the things that were not so " Wouw! Again - thanks- very much appreicated!