Sailing away

A peek inside a cruise ship that goes Beyond

For years my parents have been telling me to go on a cruise. ‘‘Everything is all in one place’’, ‘‘there’s great entertainment’’ and ‘‘you can have anything you like for dinner’’ were all selling points they tried. I was a tough one to convert.

But I recently got off a two-day preview of Celebrity Cruise’s newest ship Celebrity Beyond, and it is fair to say I get it. I went on board not really knowing what to expect, and while two days without port stops wasn’t enough to understand the full cruise experience, it provided enough of a taster for me to understand the appeal of cruising, especially on a boat like this.

The first thing to note about Celebrity Beyond – the third ship in the Celebrity Edge series that came with a price tag of about US$1 billion (NZ$1.56b) – is that there aren’t any gimmicks. There aren’t any go-kart tracks or slides, but the focus is on relaxation, wellbeing and luxury. Goop’s Gwyneth Paltrow played a hand as the wellbeing adviser for the company.

So if you are looking for a relaxing holiday – without the kids – where you barely have to lift a finger, then this might just be the one for you.

The cabins

There are 1646 staterooms on the ship , catering to 3260 guests. There are inside rooms, rooms with balconies, luxury suites (including one that costs about US$80,000 for a 10-night itinerary) and twostorey villas complete with private plunge pools.

The last two room options give guests access to an exclusive part of the ship called The Retreat. Celebrity describes it as a resort within a resort, with guests gaining access to a private restaurant and lounge space.

While I didn’t stay in one of these rooms (Ronan Keating was on board, so he may have), I was able to peek inside The Retreat to check out the highend suites. The Iconic Suite (the one with a Peloton exercise machine) was the size of my flat.

I stayed in an infinite veranda room. It had a firm yet comfortable bed, a TV, desk, lounge and wardrobe, with a shower in the bathroom. Its name is derived from the floor-to-ceiling window that can be opened to transform the room.

The food

An important note to make after spending just two days on this ship – no-one will be going hungry.

I barely scratched the surface of the restaurant offerings, but I definitely tried my best to taste as much as I could (for research purposes, of course).

There are 32 food and drink venues: 15 restaurants, five cafes, and 12 bars and lounges.

For breakfast and lunch, there are several casual dining options. The Oceanview Cafe was the go-to for me during my stay.

At breakfast, it served breakfast foods from around the world, and changed its offerings throughout the day. While this was a buffet, staff were serving guests the food they requested.

In terms of in-between meals, the cafes are always open to fulfil your coffee and snack needs. You could even sip on a signature Goop smoothie at Spa Cafe And Juice Bar (for an additional cost).

Four main dining restaurants are included in the price of the cruise – the Tuscan, Cyprus, Normandie and Cosmopolitan restaurants – and eight specialty restaurants that come at an additional cost – Eden, Rooftop Garden Grill, The Magic Carpet, Raw on 5, Le Petit Chef, Le Grand Bistro, Fine Cut Steakhouse and Le Voyage.

Each restaurant offers different cuisines and culinary experiences. Raw on 5 transports you to Japan with an array of sushi, sashimi and dumplings, and was a definite standout.

Fine Cut Steakhouse, as the name suggests, specialises in quality cuts of steak with mouthwatering sides – the gruyere cheese tater tots were delicious – and an extensive wine list.

Rooftop Garden Grill offers more relaxed dining options with sandwiches and share plates. And Le Voyage, the first restaurant at sea by renowned chef Daniel Boulud, offers a menu inspired by culinary experiences around the world.

One culinary highlight on my cruise was dinner at Le Petit Chef. It is a digitally immersive dining experience that sees your dinner plate and table come to life with an animation that teaches you about the food you are being served. If you are booking onto this ship and have the opportunity to dine at Le Petit Chef, I would recommend it as it is a unique experience.

In terms of bars, the Sunset Bar, as the name suggests, was a great spot for a drink to watch the sunset. The bar’s decor is beautiful and makes you feel as though you have been transported to the Mediterranean, and this boat goes through the Mediterranean so how perfect is that?

The Martini Bar in the centre of the ship is another great spot to grab a drink and, every night, multiple times a night, the bar staff perform a cocktail show, tossing drinks in the air and pouring almost a dozen martinis blindfolded.

The entertainment

I don’t know what I expected, but I was impressed. I saw two of the three theatre shows – Arte, a performance bringing iconic works of art to life, and Stage Door, a spectacular collection of some of the biggest Broadway hits. If you love musicals – and, like me, have been dying to see Hamilton performed live – the latter is a show I would definitely recommend.

If you are not into big stage productions, you might enjoy the more laid-back Wonder at Eden or The Jazz Joint. Wonder at Eden had my jaw on the ground – the stunts performed by the talented dancers and acrobats were outstanding.

The amenities

On top of all of this, the ship has the basics you would expect from a luxury liner – pools and jacuzzis, sun loungers and relaxation spots.

If you are eager to work off some of the food you have indulged in on the ship, there is a gym with great views overlooking the water, as well as a variety of exercise classes – including the cult fitness class, F45. There are sunrise and sunset yoga classes, and a running track on the top decks.

The routes

Beyond has 35 itineraries on its schedule, from five nights to 14 nights around the Mediterranean and Caribbean.

Some itineraries include nine nights in Italy, Croatia and Montenegro, 11 nights in Italy, Turkey and the Greek Islands, or nine nights in Aruba, Curacao and Cayman.

The cost

Prices vary depending on the room you choose and the itinerary. For a six-night cruise of Bimini, Mexico and Grand Cayman, an inside room for two people costs about US$1621 ($2598) a person, while a suite in The Retreat costs about US$5539 ($8879) a person.

A Covid-19 note

Guests on board a Celebrity Cruise must be fully vaccinated and present a negative pre-departure test.

The writer was a guest of Celebrity Cruises.