April 5, 2025 - Sea Day

It is our second last day of the cruise. We are on our way back to Fort Lauderdale after a relaxing trip to the Southern Caribbean. We are currently 648 nautical miles from Fort Lauderdale, east of Haiti. We have cruised 2430 nautical miles. 

Tonight is the captain’s dinner and Marg is especially excited because they will be serving lobster.

We were on the Celebrity Beyond which is a luxurious cruise ship operated by Celebrity Cruises. It's part of their Edge Series and is designed to offer an excellent travel experience with innovative architecture, expanded open-air spaces, and world-class amenities. Or at least that’s what their ads say and for the most part I can’t disagree. The ship is very spacious, and you rarely feel crowed despite the large number of passengers. 

The Beyond offers a wide range of staterooms and suites, including The Retreat, which is an exclusive area for suite guests. We have a veranda cabin with an infinity balcony. 

There are over 32 distinct restaurants, bars, and lounges, featuring culinary experiences curated by renowned chefs, including a restaurant by the Michelin-starred chef Daniel Boulud.  We ate at a restaurant call Cyprus, but the menu choice included special dishes from other restaurants. There is a bar that over hangs the side of the boat, called the Magic Carpet.

The central area of the ship has many bars and restaurants and tends to be full most of the evening.

There is a variety of onboard activities, including a spa, fitness center, and immersive entertainment options, such as trivia contests on a wide range of topics. There are at least four trivia sessions each day.

The current captain is a Greek sailor by the name of Nikolaos Christodoulakis. The ship was captained by Kate McCue, the first American female cruise ship captain up until November of 2024. The legendary American gymnast Simone Biles was named the ship’s godmother in 2022.

Celebrity Beyond was constructed at the Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard in France. It entered service in 2022.

Here are the physical specifications of Celebrity Beyond:

Length: 326.5 meters

Beam (Width): 39.5 meters

Height: 57.9 meters

Gross Tonnage: 141,420 metric tons

Passenger Capacity: 3,260 (double occupancy), 3,937 (maximum)

Crew Members: 1,416

Decks: 21 

Onboard shopping on Celebrity Beyond is a luxurious experience, featuring a carefully curated selection of high-end brands, sustainable collections, and first-at-sea boutiques. You’ll find designer fashion, jewelry, watches, fragrances, beauty products, and even gourmet chocolates. Some standout brands include Bulgari, Cartier, Gucci, Montblanc, Stella McCartney, Marni, and La Maison du Chocolat. They claim that with over 21,000 square feet of retail space across two decks, shopping on Celebrity Beyond is designed to rival high-end destinations on land. I can’t comment on this because I didn’t come here to shop. We did continue our tradition of buying Christmas tree ornaments from countries that we have visited for the first time.

Karaoke is very popular and Olive’s son-in-law Dave has been a star.

There is a casino on Celebrity Beyond which is located on Deck 4 and offers, as you would expect, a variety of slot machines and table games. I’ve heard the payout is very low, although Dave, who is the youngest member of the cruise crew, did win several hundred dollars playing poker. Marg put a couple of dollars into the machine but came out empty.

There is an outdoor garden retreat with a huge video screen.

The swimming pool is large, but I think it could use with a couple of more hot tubs.

The artwork is very strange to the point of being laughable.

One of the hallways, reminded me of the House of Mirrors. If art is supposed to be controversial, then I guess it succeeded because everyone who saw it wondered what the heck it was.

The evening shows were OK, but I seen better on previous cruises. Other people who we are cruising with might disagree with me as they seemed to enjoy each show.

I would recommend this ship, but I would be careful on what excursions you select. We like to see historical and cultural sights of significance. Unfortunately, a couple of the excursions, it seems to me, were more about shopping. I think a Caribbean vacation is for people who like the water and don’t mind staying on a resort. Snorkeling and swimming are the top attractions.