Matthew Hawtin Roper steps aboard The Edge, Celebrity Cruises’ newest and most luxurious ship

While most passengers generally have at least a week to enjoy a modern-day cruise, my stay of just two days was not short of adventure. From the second I embarked on Celebrity Edge unexpected moments - which is, in my opinion, the true definition of luxury travel - were at every turn.

Nothing quite prepared me as I walked on board and was greeted with face recognition security - this ship is a floating five-star boutique resort offering the absolute best in luxurious accommodation, food, drink and world-class entertainment.

For ease and speed, there’s an App. This enables you to book all reservations from your phone as well as a whole host of other essentials you never knew you needed. It is also cleverly activated as your room key, even guiding you back to your room should you get lost on board (as I did more than once) and controls the lighting and blinds in your suite. They have simply thought of everything.

There are 1,467 state rooms onboard the Celebrity Edge with interiors by leading British designer Kelly Hoppen. Neutral in design with sleek lines and little splashes of colour each offers all the home away from home comforts you could want. Little touches like well-stocked fridges, UK, EU and US plugs and USB sockets to charge your devices. What’s more, all of the exterior rooms have been designed to maximise on space with floor-to-ceiling windows or balconies. There are even rooms designed specifically for single travellers.

We are staying in one of the Sky Suites on Deck 9. As we walked to our door we were greeted with a bottle of Champagne by our very own personal butler, Milan. It almost felt like we were staying in the Savoy in London. Something that really stood out was the enormous king size bed that was facing the full-length balcony. Nothing quite beats waking up to see the ocean horizon.

Another luxury you have when staying in one of the suites is access to The Retreat. Located at the front of the ship it literally is a private retreat with panoramic views, a full-size pool, cabana-style sun-loungers, a Jacuzzi and complimentary butler service. If you want to unwind and retreat from the crowds and just sit in the sun this is the ideal location.

Entertainment at sea has also seen a revitalisation aboard the Celebrity Edge, largely thanks to recent technological advances that render your stock-standard production shows a thing of the past. The Theatre is a contemporary space designed to blur the line between the audience and the performance, creating a more immersive experience. A Hot Summer Night’s Dream was the show on offer; a tale of love, intoxication and madness. Evoking the mystical, whimsical nature of Shakespeare’s similarly titled play, the production fuses music, dance, and aerial acrobatics with state-of-the-art projection to electrifying effect - it certainly is a visual feast.

But entertainment isn’t confined to The Theatre. One of the more unique venues of the Edge is Eden, a multi-level space featuring a lively open-air kitchen and bar, where experiential dishes and drinks are served by performance artists called ‘Edenists’. There’s also the dynamic club, which changes its persona depending on the hour. A gathering place by day for games and creative activities, by night it kicks things up a notch with live music, talk shows, and DJs to take you into the small hours.

The Resort Deck provides a variety of areas to take in that fresh, sea air. The Rooftop Garden is a Wonderland playscape, complete with oversized art installations and outdoor cinema. The pool deck has a distinctly more resort-style atmosphere, with its 25-yard lap pool as the centrepiece. Surrounded by private cabanas, with the Pool Bar close at hand, it’s a serene spot to sip your favourite cocktail and gaze over the open ocean.

When it comes to food and drink, there are 29 different restaurants, lounges, cafes and bars. Of all the dining options, five are complimentary and a vast improvement on the huge dining halls you find on other cruise liners with a more intimate restaurant feel. Celebrity Edge has several restaurants that are available on a pay basis. The Magic Carpet, which literally hangs off the side of the ship, relocates to deck 16 at night to offer ‘Dinner on the Edge’.

What stood out to me was their unique dining experience, Le Petit Chef, at their French restaurant Le Grand Bistro. Using clever technology created by TableMation Studios, your plate becomes the screen for a 4D animated film showing animated chefs creating your meal.

If all that isn’t enough for you and you’re looking for a slice of wellbeing thrown in, you will be blown away by the Edge’s spa and spend hours deciding between its 124 treatments.

I could quite happily spend a month on The Edge without ever disembarking, there is so much to do on board.

Celebrity Cruises

t: 0845 163 2304 w: celebritycruises.co.uk

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