Celebrity Beyond: the finest Edge ship, and the one sailing slowly until November 2026
Celebrity Beyond measures 141,420 gross tons, 327 metres by 39, with 17 decks and 1,646 staterooms for 3,260 guests at double occupancy and up to 3,937 with every berth filled, served by 1,416 crew. Delivered by Chantiers de l'Atlantique on 21 April 2022, she made her first cruise on 27 April 2022 from Southampton to Barcelona and was christened by Simone Biles on 4 November 2022. She carries IMO number 9838395 and sails under the Maltese flag. She works the Caribbean year-round from Miami and then Fort Lauderdale for the whole 2026-2027 season.
The propulsion failure: what an advisor owes you before you sign
The ship suffered a propulsion failure in July 2025, delaying her return to Miami and forcing cancellation of the 20 July departure. Emergency repairs were carried out at Freeport, Bahamas, from 20 to 27 July 2025. Since then, Celebrity Beyond sails at reduced speed and the captain has told guests the fault cannot be fully repaired before the dry dock. The consequences have lasted. On the 12 July 2026 departure, Nassau was replaced by a shortened Bimini call from 10:30 to 18:00. On the 21 June 2026 sailing, St. Thomas shifted to 13:30 and Basseterre to a 17:00 departure. No compensation is being offered, and while Celebrity-booked shore excursions are rebooked or refunded as onboard credit, independently booked tours are covered by nobody. The dry dock is set for 1 to 17 November 2026, with additional restaurants and a casino expansion on the work list.
What the extra 21 metres actually bought
Beyond is the first of the class with the stretched hull and the extra deck, and the space went to the right places. The aft Sunset Bar, redesigned by Nate Berkus, spans two storeys. The Rooftop Garden gained two plunge pools. The Retreat, reserved for suite guests, spreads across a far more generous sundeck than on the first two ships. And Le Voyage, Daniel Boulud's first restaurant at sea, debuted here before being repeated on later ships.
The restaurants and bars, by name
Four complimentary main dining rooms, Cosmopolitan, Cyprus, Normandie and Tuscan, plus Oceanview Café, Eden Café and Mast Grill. Extra-charge venues are Le Voyage by Daniel Boulud, Eden, Fine Cut Steakhouse, Raw on 5, Le Petit Chef and the Rooftop Garden Grill. Luminae serves suites, Blu serves AquaClass. Bars include the World Class Bar, Craft Social, Martini Bar, the two-storey Sunset Bar, Eden Bar, The Club and the Retreat Lounge. The Magic Carpet is fitted on this ship and works as a bar, an evening restaurant and the tender platform.
Which stateroom to pick, and which to refuse
Midship Infinite Verandas on decks 8 to 10 give the best balance of quiet, access and stability. Aft staterooms deliver the wake view. Refuse deck 6 above the public rooms for late-night bass, deck 12 aft under the Oceanview Café for the early morning trolleys, and starboard staterooms on decks 6 to 14 where the Magic Carpet parks and blocks part of the view. High-deck staterooms lose the sun on the balcony because of the overhang from the top deck, a detail that catches many suite buyers by surprise.
Who should not book Celebrity Beyond
Guests who buy a cruise for long port days should look elsewhere while the speed restriction holds. Large families will find few children's facilities and no nursery. Anyone who wants a genuine open balcony should aim for a Sunset Veranda or a Retreat suite. And anyone who needs the contracted itinerary to hold should wait until after the dry dock: Celebrity Cruises reserves the right to change ports, and has been exercising it here for more than a year.
Three ships worth comparing with Celebrity Beyond
Celebrity Ascent is the direct twin without the propulsion problem, and adds a private dining room to Le Voyage. Celebrity Xcel is the newest of the five and swaps Eden for The Bazaar, with a first European season in summer 2026. Celebrity Reflection suits the traveller who prefers a smaller ship and traditional balconies on the same Caribbean routes.