The Celebrity Beyond has successfully completed her sea trials over the weekend and returned to the Chantiers de l’ Atlantique shipyard in Saint Nazaire, France. In less than 80 days, on Apr. 27, 2022, the ship will make her debut when she sets sail from Southampton, England.
The latest ship in Celebrity Cruises’ Edge Series, the Celebrity Beyond, conducted her sea trials during the first week of February in the Bay of Biscay near the shipyard.
According to a press release, the ship displayed that sailing capabilities “go beyond its breath-taking amenities,” displaying a “superior level of comfort, safety, maneuverability and fuel efficiency.”
The sea trials were overseen by more than 50 crew members, including Captain Kate McCue, engineers and nautical experts.
“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 the Celebrity Beyond,” said Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, president and CEO, Celebrity Cruises. “The Beyond showed why there is so much more to her than just her looks. Like her sister ships – the Celebrity Apex and Celebrity Edge – she went beyond what was needed to demonstrate she’s ready.”
The Celebrity Beyond Captain, Kate McCue, said that the successful completion of the sea trials was a “thrill of a lifetime for me.”
“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,” McCue noted.
Celebrity said that the Beyond will not only hold the title of the largest ship in its fleet but the distinction as the brand’s “most luxurious vessel.”
Standing at 17 decks high and 21 meters longer than her predecessors the Celebrity Edge (2018) and Celebrity Apex (2020), the Celebrity Beyond has been enhanced with newly imagined spaces and expanded versions of the brand’s signature spaces, including:
• The Retreat, an exclusive area for suite guests, now featuring a two-story sundeck;
• Transformational accommodations, from modern two-story villas with plunge pools to staterooms with Infinite Verandas, “blurring the boundaries between indoor and outdoor living”;
• An expanded Rooftop Garden and resort deck featuring cantilevered float pools;
• A multi-level, multi-terraced Sunset Bar on the ship’s aft from American designer Nate Berkus;
• A first-ever Daniel Boulud restaurant at sea called Le Voyage;
• A redesigned Grand Plaza spanning three decks and flanked by the new World Class Barand Le Voyage;
• The Magic Carpet Restaurant suspended on the side of the ship.
The Celebrity Beyond will depart on her maiden voyage on Apr. 27, 2022, from Southampton, England, on a 10-night Western Europe cruise visiting Bordeaux, France; Lisbon, Portugal; and Seville, Malaga, Palma de Mallorca and Barcelona, Spain.
She will then offer a variety of Mediterranean journeys including nine-night Italian Riviera and France itineraries and 10-night Greek Isles itineraries through early October, when she then heads to the Caribbean.
