It’s sunset and the Florida sky is blushing shades of salmon and coral as I sit on a cantilevered floating platform 13 storeys above sea level.
It’s a setting that takes some beating, and with glasses of champagne in hand, my companions and I toast our brand new home for the next couple of days, the hotly anticipated Celebrity Edge.
Homeporting out of Fort Lauderdale and with its own dedicated terminal at pier 25, this is no everyday cruise ship.
Having been on a fair few cruises, I can already see that Celebrity Edge is set to be something of a game changer; unlike other ships which are designed in 2D, Edge was designed from the ground up in 3D virtual reality — this has given a better flow to the public spaces which seamlessly connect without jarring.
Everywhere you turn there are innovative design features that you won’t see on other ships, including our drinking venue for the evening, the Magic Carpet, which moves up and down and serves not only as a very cool lounge bar, but also a restaurant and even a tender embarkation point.
Right from concept stage, the ship has been breaking the usual rules with Celebrity Cruises engaging a number of world renowned designers to create the ship — a fresh approach which is sure to appeal to new-to-cruisers, as well as millennials and families.
These include Tom Wright who designed Dubai’s Burj Al Arab Hotel and Kelly Hoppen, who designed The Spa, Luminae restaurant and accommodation.
You can spot Hoppen’s influence throughout the ship, from the tasteful taupe colour scheme with pops of colour in the staterooms and suites, to the soft furnishings and exclusive lighting in suite class restaurant Luminae. It’s stylish yet practical and absolutely perfect for Edge.
I’m staying in one of the new infinity veranda staterooms which are 27 per cent larger than the rest of the Celebrity fleet. The rooms have been designed to blur the boundaries between inside and outside; press a button and the top half of the window lowers to create a balcony.
You can then either separate the balcony with the bi-fold doors, or keep them folded back for more space.
Bathrooms are well planned and 10 per cent larger than the rest of the fleet too. Along with own brand toiletries, there are lots of fluffy towels and Italian bathrobes for a modern luxury touch. There’s even complimentary bottled water made out of sustainable packaging.
With deck plans and information on dining, activities and more, downloading the free guest app with its daily planner is a good start — there’s a chat function coming soon so you can keep in touch with friends and family when on board too.
But for me, the real revelation is the ability to control your lights, blind, room temperature and even open your door with your phone — you can also do this when not in your stateroom. If you don’t want to use your phone, there’s also a touch pad on the wall in the room.
If my stateroom was bigger, the suites — which make up 12 per cent of Edge’s accommodation — will take your breath away.
From the 2,500 square foot Iconic Suite that’s positioned above the bridge giving guests better views than the captain, to the split level Edge Villas with private plunge pools, these rival any award-winning boutique hotel.
Led by Michelin-starred chef Cornelius Gallagher, the food offering is as impressive with 29 restaurants, cafes, bars and lounges in total, including four, first-class complimentary main dining restaurants (instead of the one or two you’ll find on most cruise ships), and seven speciality restaurants.
On the first evening I dined in Cosmopolitan, one of the main restaurants, which serves up new American cuisine with global influences. The food was as satisfying as the contemporary design — my coconut sorbet dessert melted in the mouth.
Another highlight is Le Petit Chef, which uses innovative technology to bring your table to life. Immersive, entertaining and clever, a tiny animated character appears beside your plate and prepares each course in front of you before you’re served the dish.
Designed by Kelly Hoppen, The Spa is palatial with a number of first-at-sea treatments and wellness activities on offer, including the first Kerastase Institute on board a cruise ship, teeth whitening and a Medspa. There are even Kid and Teen menus for the younger members of the family.
It takes more than a couple of days to experience all of the wonderful spaces on board, although relaxing in the Rooftop Garden became one of my favourites, an urban playscape featuring treetop sculptures, comfy loungers and evening movies.
Or the Resort Deck features a 25-yard lap pool and decadent two storey martini glass hot tubs which I longed to try out, simply for the kitsch appeal.
The entertainment is also pushing the boundaries, and multi-level venue Eden has a number of personalities. By day you can enjoy an artisan cocktail made with ingredients from the herb wall, participate in a cooking class or simply take in the sea views.
By night Eden comes alive as a performance and nightlife venue, with ‘Edenists’ who playfully interact with the audience and perform acrobatics on a circular stage (which you can sit right next to), and from hanging half-moons.
It’s quirky and a little bizarre at times but I also found it rather captivating; it’s certainly like nothing I have ever seen on a cruise before.
The high-tech Theatre is another must-see — featuring a circular rotating platform, rain curtains, aerial rigging and giant wraparound projection screens, shows and performances are immersive, whimsical and edgy.
While the facilities for adults are second-to-none, kids are certainly not second-class citizens.
Camp at Sea offers youngsters interactive experiences and learning opportunities, along with 500 activities, not least the first youth coding experience at sea and a dedicated hangout space for teens.
There are collaborations with well-known entertainment companies including Anturus which offers scientific and destination-focused adventures at its Explorer Academy, as well as concepts based on STEM subjects.
With its own mission to provide a cruising experience like no other, the idea for Celebrity Edge was to connect nature and the sea with an outward facing feel that would change the face of ship design.
Whether you’ve cruised before or not, the innovations on this trailblazing ship will tempt guests of any age to sail into the future.
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