Celebrity Edge – First Impressions – Part 2

General

• Signage is better than most ships.  The walls outside the elevator are simple to understand where you are and which way to travel.  The display inside the elevator is concise and simple.  Throughout the ship, touch screens and digital signage is used to guide passengers.
• Ship is high tech – maybe too high tech.  The Edge relies on technology for everything.  While this may seem great, it was not welcomed by many passengers who do not carry their smart phones or tablets with them.  While NCL does distribute a paper daily program each night, they also have the program on their app.  However, at times the app disagreed with the paper program, causing some confusion.  Also, to play trivia, you must use a connected device.  My wife (and many of the other passengers) does not carry her iPhone with her around the ship and was frustrated that she needed it to play trivia.  I heard this from a number of passengers as well.  While the technology is great, and I am technologically inclined, it does significantly change the experience.  Keeping in mind the average age of the passengers, I think Celebrity would be well advised to provide non-technology alternatives where it makes sense.
• Great internet, but confusing at first.  Celebrity has gone to a full-time access charged by the number of simultaneous devices.  When trying to set up access upon embarking, I was looking for my loyalty minutes.  Apparently, my status now gets me a percentage discount.  I was not aware of this and it was difficult to get access to the Internet cafe staff.  I finally figured it out and all was well.  I chose a one device plan since my wife does not use her phone on board.  I have both and iPhone and an iPad.  What is nice about the plan it that it allows you to connect the number of devices you purchased.  I could easily switch from one device to another.  The only problem with having unlimited internet access is that is it more difficult to disconnect, something which I try to do on a cruise.  However, the internet service was good, albeit slow at time, and, once I figured it out, simple to use.
• No printed ship map provided.  This ties in with the philosophy of using technology. Celebrity did not provide a printed ship map, nor was any available the we could find.  They told us to reference the app.  I heard from several passengers that they would like to have had a printed map, especially since this ship has a new layout.  I think Celebrity should have printed maps available for those who would like them.
• Clever video for mandatory emergency drill.  Celebrity took a unique approach to their emergency drill.  First of all, we did not have to lug our life preservers to the drill.  Second, they displayed a video on the many screens located in the ship (a plus for the technology) that was cleverly crafted to maintain attention – well done, Celebrity.  This was not the dry loud speaker lecture, but crafted into a spy story with all the information presented as part of the video.
• Warm and friendly overall.  The decor, while more contemporary than other ships, was bright and friendly.  Artwork is everywhere with some clever pieces like the mirrored walkway to Eden, moving electronic displays, and the light sculptures by the pool.  While some might be a little modernistic for some, I found it interesting, even when I did not like the piece.
• Tenders with touch of luxury.  Although we had no tender ports, I did get a chance to discuss tenders with one of the crew.  The tenders that are used in tender ports are air conditioned with plush seats similar to a bus.  That is much better than the standard “pack in as many as you can” tenders we are used to.  I am told they cost about $1 million each, but have not been able to confirm this.  I do wish we had a tender port in which to test one.
• Easy exit/entry at ports using Destination Gateway.  This is a special area on Deck 2 that has ample space for the scanners and several gangplanks.  It was designed to facilitate the exit and entry at ports when docked.  We never encountered any crowds.
• Extremely quiet and stable.  Normally, we are eating when the ship leaves port and can hear and feel the thrusters and engines.  On the Edge we heard nothing.  There is very little vibration and no sound.  We were surprised at times to find we had left the port.  On top of that, we felt very little motion, although I must say we had pretty calm seas.

Food Venues

• Buffet.  The Edge has a buffet with sections for various cuisines.  I find this inconvenient since one must visit all the food locations to see what they have.  As a result, I tend to get too much food since I always find something I want after my plate is full.  I understand that this approach is popular since it does distribute the lines, but make sure you take a stroll to all the food stations before loading up your plate.  The food in the buffet was good.  In particular, I like to get fresh pineapple and they always had plenty of pineapple.  While there was a line for omelets in the morning, this line was not long and the omelets were worth the wait.  One great feature is that the ice cream station is well-stocked with both soft-serve and regular ice cream.  For those who like buffets, I think they will find this one meets their needs.
• Dining Room.  We had the early seating (6:00 PM), which was our preference since I am diabetic and need to eat around this time.  The first few nights were confusing.  The edge mixed the fixed seating passengers with the anytime passenger;s.  As a result, there is a out of action in the dining room.  We found out from our wait staff that they were serving both fixed seating and anytime tables, which obviously makes their job much harder.  Everything did settle down by the third day and we were very happy.  Food in the dining room was what we expected – excellent.  While not up to the quality we experienced on some other ships, such as the Queen Mary 2, it was more than adequate and we could not see any reason to try the specialty restaurants.
• Other Eating Venues.  There are many other places to eat on board the Edge.  We ate many of our breakfasts and lunches at the Spa Cafe near the Solarium pool – simple, but healthy, choices and great coffee.  The Rooftop Garden provides a venue that is relaxing and breezy.  The Magic Carpet is available for eating at select times (see daily newsletter).  And there is a plethora of cafes and specialty restaurants to satisfy any taste.

Entertainment

• Main Theater.  The main theater is definitely different.  It has a more “in the round” layout and lots of high tech features, many of which extend into the audience area.  The shows are unique, designed for this high-tech stage.  They are enjoyable and fun to watch, but rely heavily on the tech, masking the quality of the highly talented cast.  The music is more modern, which may turn off some of the older passengers.  And the sound is too loud, a complaint we heard from many passengers – hopefully they have fixed this by now.  At this time, I don’t think there is anything on the seas that compares to the Edge’s shows, so I highly recommend them as they are unique.  Whether you like the shows or not (these are not your traditional cruise shows), check them out and take in this new concept.
• Solarium.  The Solarium has a wonderful pool with a healthy snack bar.  We spent each morning, when not out on an excursion, in this pool.  It is not crowded.  The only complaint is that it was not heated, although it was a comfortable temperature.  The food at the snack bar was great – we enjoyed breakfast and some lunches there.  This is a good place to get away from the crowds and noise.
• Eden.  Eden is an interesting area.  We attended several activities and shows there.  Eden transforms throughout the day.  Located at the aft of the ship, this multi-story venue offers the ability to stage some very interesting effects, such as dancers dangling from the ceiling.  I definitely recommend that you visit this area both during the day and at night to partake of its different personalities.  Some of the activities are very strange, but lots of fun.  Any you will enjoy the entrance with its mirrored sculpture.  At night Eden is very different than during the day, so make sure you go both during the day and at night.
• Magic Carpet.  One of the most touted features of the Edge, the Magic Carpet is a platform that can be moved from the bottom to the top of the ship.  It can be used as a nighttime bar, restaurant, or docking area.  At night, it is positioned at the top of the ship and provided a peaceful location with a panoramic view.
• The Club.  Located just outside the main theater, The Club hosts a variety of activities in the evening, including game shows, interviews, and bands.  In particular, check out the silent disco (see next item) for something unique.  Other shows include interviews with entertainers, bands, game shows, and the popular silent disco.  You can participate in the activities from the lower level or just watch from the upper level.

Unique Artwork Aboard the Edge

Activities

Excursions