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We sailed the Beyond last Thanksgiving. We liked the Infinite Veranda and storage space. We tried all the main dining rooms. We have sailed numerous cruises with HAL. We love the variety of soups offered on HAL. They were very limited on Beyond. Service was very good everywhere. We loved the entertainment, definitely a plus. The shops were empty most of the time, I used to a mgr in a high end jewelry company and I think many people prefer to buy high ticket watches and jewelry from a trusted business in their own city. We are a multigenerational family and our 18 yr old grandson really missed the basketball courts on HAL. That is always his fav place to make cruise friends.
Hi I'm welsh and we are going on beyond in May staying in miami 1st night then boarding, we are in a2 room 10 184 with premium drinks package. Do you have a days itinerary available to browse through, regards carolyn. My husband is a farmer and can't get away often which cruise line do you recommend for solo ladies travels as I love to cruise.
I was on the 4th sailing of the Beyond in the retreat Sky Suite. I loved it. Excited to try it again but in concierge class. You are right about the shopping. I think they need to have a more diverse option and they are missing out on revenue by just having high end shopping.
I just last Sunday disembarked from the Celebrity Beyond and I can honestly say that your review is spot on. We were on the same itinerary as you and also found (surprisingly) Port Taino a very nice port. I really cannot add anything that you did not mention.
In my opinion, the celebrity all in package is a total and complete rip-off. I can go on princess cruises seems to offer a much more cost-effective package that includes alcoholic beverages
I agree with you on the shopping. I was just on the Majestic Princess and there were too many high end stores and usually empty. I would rather have stores that the majority of cruisers can afford to shop in.
port reviews are really helpful for the "normal" among us lol what's the shopping like? how aggressive are the vendors? ect....I paid for the food on the ship...that's where I'll eat!
Expensive shops on the ship seem foolish to me. It reminds me of a American Indian museum where there was almost nothing under $100. Hard to think about a souvenir at those prices
I’ve only sailed on 2 Celebrity cruise ships and they were on the older Solstice Class, but even on these less hip and cool ships I thought the stores were too high end. Of course they need to have some options for high end cruisers who have lots of discretionary income. But please let us mainstream cruisers without tons of extra income have a few stores with low to mid price items!! They only had ONE shop with T shirts, suntan lotion etc, but the selection was very limited and gave you very few options. The store was very bare and almost sad. Celebrity needs to definitely rethink their shopping options!!
It seems to be getting to the point where cruise ships are making it so expensive. You might as well just go to an all-inclusive resort. I mean five specialty restaurants? And something tells me they are very overpriced for what you get.
I really dislike the push to spend spend spend on the ship. I want to see most everything included on such an expensive Cruise. Are the water exercise classes included?
Virgin includes things. But it's a kind of adult party type of ship from what I can tell. There's also a push especially on this ship to access areas that only suite passengers get. There are aspects of Celebrity that are turning me off.
the high end shops provide the Halo Effect, meaning they give the subconscious impression that the cruise is high end because it has high end shops. It won't work for everyone, but it definitely works and can allow Carnival to raise prices for this ship given that it is "high end.'
We just got off our cruise on the Beyond. We usually cruise with Holland or Princess. The Beyond is a really beautiful ship. I know I’m going to be comparing it with the two we usually use but that’s the way it goes. Number one difference is the staff, they really didn’t look like they were happy at all. No one was smiling or friendly. It was really different than what we were used to. Don’t get me wrong, they did a great job just not as easy to get to know. Number two complaint was the lack of regular chairs on the pool deck. They only had comfortable chairs on one side of the pool. The wind was horrible for several days but you couldn’t just move to the other side. I have a hard time sitting on the reclining deck chairs because of a neck injury. I tried to go up to the 15th floor where the garden was but while they have quite a few chairs but very little shade. That also was where the movies in the afternoon were and it was just to hot in the direct sunlight to stay and enjoy the movies. Number three was the food. My husband is in a wheelchair from a bad broken leg so we only went to the restaurants a couple of times. The food is okay but not great. Very small selection for dinner. Breakfast and lunch was better in the buffet. Now for the things I liked. I really liked our cabin. We had a handicapped room and it was so nice. We rented my husband a scooter for the ship. We also had the wheelchair with us. Both fit without a problem. Loved that they actually had a dresser that you could unpack in, not just the closets on other cruise lines. I loved the patio even though it wasn’t the usual outdoor patio. Loved the black out screen. My husband prefers the outside patio more. I liked that the casino was smoke free. On other cruises they had a smoking section and it spread through the whole casino. The entertainment was good, typical cruise entertainment. I went to every show and enjoyed them. I don’t know if we will cruise with Celebrity again. Our favorite is Princess cruise line. We live in Florida only twenty minutes from the port so it’s easy for us to book at the last minute. We are retired as well so getting a great deal is easy.
Thanks for a great review. I agree the food wasn’t up to par. Service was always excellent though. We had the infinite veranda. It worked out well because the first two days we had pretty bad weather and we could still enjoy the space and view! The stores were too expensive. And Cartier store only had watches. Kind of pointless…I want to at least LOOK at expensive jewelry if it’s going to be there. 😂
I agree with you, the items in the shops were really expensive. I saw a little bracelet I liked and I nearly fainted when I asked how much it was and she told me $4,000. dollars! After spending $12,000. dollars on the cruise itself…….I don’t think so. Also the amount of noise on the ship really turned us off. In the evening we couldn’t get away from it in order to have a quiet drink. There seemed to be music and entertainment everywhere.
Watched this review last year, just re-watched it as we are sailing on Beyond in a suite Sept.1 :) THANK YOU for all the details. Do you recall how late the buffet stays open?
Thanks Ilana. Really enjoy your content. Very relevant. We are going on Beyond March 5th. Can’t wait. We've been on many cruises, love Celebrity, but this time even more excited to explore this ship. Your Beyond videos have been helpful. Yes, please do Taino DR video. By the way, we are Canadian as well in Ontario. Nice to hear your perspective. Thanks, Gerry
The one thing that holds me back from this ship is the dramatic cutbacks in complementary dining for dinner. If you don’t want to go through the whole process of an MDR dinner, you have exactly ONE free dining spot (for non-Suite guests): The buffet. And it’s been cut by more than half of what it was. Celebrity is definitely pushing everyone to their paid dining options and is only interested in their suite guests because they know they can charge them triple the price for basically the same experience. It’s this elitist class system which infuriates me. It’s not like I expect a Carnival level experience, you’re already paying a premium to sail on them, so I’d expect an elevated experience for non-Suite guests as well.
@@LifeWellCruised Thanks. I have a 14 night cruise booked on the Beyond made before the big cutbacks. At your suggestion, I’ve just sent them an email detailing the thoughts above. I’ll see how they respond to all the negative feedback. If they don’t make changes, I’ll cancel, even if it means losing my deposit. Sad.
@@markolwick2223 there’s just as many, if not more, people who love the ship. You should make your own decision before complaining to the company. They can’t make new places to eat dinner just appear before you sail so complaining about what the person wrote about is not going to be fixable.
I went on the Beyond. The buffet was light-years better than the main dining rooms. We tried 3 out of the 4 locations. Decided not to waste time with the 4th (Normandie). The buffet is decent. There's definitely days where the spread is dialed back, especially around dinner time. I'll be sticking with Princess.
Sorry but NONE of this is appealing to my hubby and me. Too fancy. Too confined too crowded. I’m so grateful you did this video. Definitely notttt a vacay we would enjoy. ❤
There is a category of ship activities that some cruisers enjoy or even prioritize that is not being talked about on the Edge ships. And that is people who enjoy a variety of ship lounges with music and some with dance floors. I've loved Celebrity ships but the older ones provided this vs. the newer ones. Still, there were enough on the Millennium and Solstice class to enjoy. The Edge class sucks when it comes to ship lounges. And I feel that's a major shortcoming that's often not mentioned in reviews of this class of ship and prevents it from being a better ship that includes lounge lovers. Even if I were a foodie and enjoyed the various choices in dining onboard, I'd still want someplace to go AFTER for music with dancing inside the ship. Ship lounges are a staple of cruising since I can remember and I can't think of a class of ship so lacking in them Competitors HAL and Princess's newest ships have plenty of them. And the Sphere ships coming out as Princess's new class has plenty of them. They also lack a library and card room and the slightly smaller Solstice ships have those. Lots of new ships are equally as beautiful if not as chic or slick yet aren't missing these areas. For a long-time Celebrity fan the Edge ships are a major disappointment and a good amount of long-time Celebrity cruisers feel that way about it. Some because of the infinity cabins, and others due to the ship within a ship resulting in losing fore views out of the ships. I do appreciate the improved theater, the four dining rooms are lovely, it has potential for a lot of wonderful food, the art is terrific, the solarium pool and some deck areas are improved and there are nice bars outside and some signature areas have been retained. Food and service are variable. That's not specifically ship based. I've had crap food and borderline sublime food on the same Celebrity ship. I've had better service on some Celebrity sailings than others. So service and food isn't about the ship but more the personnel and product execution. And ultimately, it is the crew and entertainers and fellow passengers that make the crew. But the ship is the platform and missing areas matter. That said, the presentation of the food shown was average and nothing like what Celebrity used to do and should be doing now. It's a fancier ship but far less art in the presentation.that was on ships like the Meridian, Zenith, Horizon and the earlier days of the Century class. i think the Fine Cut Steakhouse should be enclosed and part of it turned into a soundproofed club with a bar and dance floor so it has a swanky supper club than just another specialty restaurant. This ship is crying out for a more romantic, intimate space. I also think that the World Class Bar should be expanded into its own club with soft music played and maybe replace one or two shops somewhere as it would have to be relocated. As for now, it's a bar with a few overlooks but it could be. much more. I'm a Celebrity cruiser and this ship should be for me. But without some type of charming mingle areas, it's just a pretty ship with not a lot of charm (unless you find your corner or spot in a dining room).
I especially want to go on the Beyond when Captain Kate is there I'm really looking forward to the Bug trivia. Is there a way to know when Captain Kate is serving on the ship?
Loving your videos! We’re going on celebrity beyond and we had to choose a 6:00 dining time as the anytime dining was not available. However they are offering us anytime dining in the Tuscan restaurant. If we do this will we be able to eat in the other main dining rooms as well?
I completely agree with you regarding the shopping. It’s nice to have a look at expensive shops but to be completely out of reach for most people is mystifying.
Hi I have booked a state room in June on a Mediterranean cruise. What comments do you have about this. I don’t know what to expect it’s my first on this ship.
You mentioned that the pastries at cafe bacio are included but specialty coffees and teas are not. Does this mean that passengers without a drink package would have to go without a drink when eating dessert there, if they do not want to pay extra?
We just got off of the equinox. The food was not that good. The ship itself to me was very tired looking it need to be done over the workers were excellent, was mostly seniors as myself, and the entertainment was not that good part of the entertainment was singing rap I went to the front desk and ask them to take a good look at the people and maybe that should start playing music from the 60s which they did seventh day out it was a 10 day, southern Caribbean cruise I watch your podcasts quite often and find it very informative. I got my magnets and they came in very handy. I’ll never cruise without them again and this was not my first cruise. It was around the 20th for us. Thanks for all your great tips🎈🇺🇸🎈
Who goes on a cruise to buy a $10,000 Cartier watch or a Montblanc pen ? The ship is beautiful, but personally I find that today all the new ships are beautiful, the only thing that still makes the difference is the price that sorts out the customers, especially in the US because fortunately in Europe there is still a more upscale clientele on cruises.
I enjoy the shops where I can buy a nice T-shirt for 20.00 on sale. I enjoy walking through a fancy shop but I go on cruises because I love them and I think it’s a great deal for your money. So no I would not like the high end all the way
My wife and I would love to take a cruise, but most everyone we know that has gone on cruise, has gotten the flu and stuck in cabin for duration. Do you think it has gotten better in terms of getting sick? Thanks!
I’m not really sure. However it does seem that we hear about mild sickness on ships, as we hear about it on land. We’ve been on several cruises and have been fine, but unfortunately we can never tell
My husband and I are in our mid-50s and booked the Celebrity Beyond for an upcoming cruise, but I chickened out. Although it looked innovative and fun, as we got closer to the sail date I looked at price (definitely more expensive that the other Celebrity class ships) and weighed my perception of the passenger demographics. I ended up changing my reservation over to the Reflection, which we have sailed on before. I guess I liked the IDEA of trying an Edge class ship but didn't want to risk being disappointed with the experience. We have limited vacation days and funds. We normally cruise on Princess or Celebrity and the Beyond looked a little more like some of the other cruise lines. I'm curious if you would compare this ship to a competitor?
I can understand. For comparisons, this ship (& edge class) really is on its own. I am very curious about Princess’ new ship though. Maybe a comparison video in the future
@@LifeWellCruised I am wondering the same thing about the new Princess ship. It seems like it is marketed for a very different demographic. Strangeness
We really liked the Beyond. The ship is gorgeous and our Infinite Veranda cabin was a pleasant surprise (after looking at other videos that were less than flattering). We did wind up buying chocolates from the shop. I think our 'out the door' cost for a box of truffles (fantastic!), a box of assorted chocolates, and three bars of chocolates was a little over $100. However, there is a shop we go to regularly in Santa Fe, NM where we almost always drop $100 or more so we weren't that shocked. However, other than the truffles, the chocolate was just so-so. We were in Aqua class so most nights ate in Blu which was very good. We did eat one night a Cosmopolitan and it was also very good. I am a little disappointed in the way the Edge Class ships handle dining (YMMV) in that if I want something off of one of the dining room menus (for example Normandie) but my wife wants something from a different dining room (Tuscan), we either have to eat separately or one of us will be disappointed. Although it didn't cause an issue, one way this did affect us is that my wife saw something on the Blu menu one night but I wanted something off of the Celebrity Signature menu (which is only available in the 4 main dining rooms according to the maitre d'). If there was a disappointing aspect of our cruise, it was dinner in Eden. My wife ordered the Lobster entree and didn't like it at all. We decided that if we go back to Eden, we'll just load up on crab cakes and call it good.
I'm sorry if you've done it already; but you're so good at talking about the different styles of cruisers and cruising.. a comparison video would be very interesting I think since you've been on the cruises that explore the NE coast of North America (NYC, USA to Quebec, CAN) it would be really interesting (imho) for you to directly compare how different the feel is, since I hear Caribbean cruises are more a party, and the others, not so much Ty again for all your videos! You're always so helpful and informative! 💕
Hi Llana. A great video, thank you. We have booked a cruise on the Beyond in May and are really looking forward to it. Also, in an infinite cabin as well. Your video certainly helped us answer questions that we might have had. We have already booked several excursions online and are really looking forward to the ships tour on one of the sea days. The last cruise that we did was in Alaska in 2019 and was disappointed with the overall service that we received. Fortunately, it wasn't Celebrity. We can't wait for our Celebrity Beyond cruise in 82 days.
I love Effy, you can find something affordable. But the rest of the shops are really high end and most people can’t afford or don’t want to afford. I do wish they would have more affordable shopping. Loved your video.
I'd like to see more of Taino Bay. Unfortunately, on our recent cruise, we had to skip this port due to swells. We were disappointed but hope we can get back there someday.
My spouse and I are in love with the Edge class ships. I think they're magnificent. We're on the Beyond this winter for the first time and I cannot wait! These ships have the best entertainment, food, staff, atmosphere and rooms. They're simply stunning. We loved the infinite veranda. I do agree the shopping is extremely high-end, but it was fun for me to see the Hermes bags and such; I don't mind that I won't purchase them. Great review!
I wonder about that too. From the videos I've seen and the comments, it seems like many people buy the drink packages and start drinking the moment they embark. Do many passengers drink themselves silly and make a nuisance of themselves? I would feel unsafe in such an environment.
I must compliment you on this wonderful and informative presentation. I am impressed with the picture quality of your videos, which is especially good when viewed on a television.
Hi Illiana, I feel I want to tip my cabin stewarts, how many EUR would you tip each day, I will participate in the celebrity cruise line gratuities programme, but feel the stewarts need extra appreciaton,, EUR 2 - EUR 5 - dont kno how much as am Australian and really only tip the waiters at restaurants - HELP !!
Thank you for doing this video. We are going in August. We have cruised several times before but new to Celebrity. We love Royal Caribbean and our travel agents suggested Celebrity. I am sad to hear about the shopping on board. The last cruise shopping was like that. I don’t want to spend $10,000 on a cruise ship shop. I want to see more fun shopping and reasonable prices. This would make for a fun memory and souvenir when it is reasonably priced.
I have seen many of your videos and so far, for whatever reason, I was reticent to subscribe. I was wrong. As I have a Celebrity Beyond cruise planned I thought your direct approach most refreshing. You are not trying to entice. You are trying to inform. I really appreciate that. So I will gladly subscribe, and thank you! Well done!
Port Taino was legit but if you're ok with walking check out: Umbrella street (about a 10min walk outside the gate), historic town square next to historic Catholic church (15min walk). Theres an old fort (20min). And there is an actual beachfront along a nice street full of local restaurants. We spent the bulk of our day outside Taino.
Celebrity’s new ships have spoiled us, my wife won’t go on a more traditional cruise ship. Having second thoughts about are next cruise with Princess over the Christmas, New Year Holidays 2023
Hello ! Thanks for your informative videos ! I am a follower and like your videos very much! I would like to ask for guidance on this: we already cruises on the Apex , beyond and other celebrity cruises but for the very first time we booked the Sky princess to experience a new cruise line , this time is a family trip our priories when cruising are in this order : safety, Itineraries, fine dinning, cruise-room confort- quality of wine and cocktails- entertainment shows etc. actually this one before wine and cocktails 🍹 😀, would you recommend us to keep cruising with Celebrity ( new ships ) or try princess ? Thank you!
Just booked this ship to do a back to back in March 25 Caribbean then Panama Canal and southern Caribbean . Loving watching your videos . We booked a deluxe ocean view cabins at the from of the ship . Thank for all the tips 😊
Im all about the sweets, but the only things I looked forward to on the Beyond were the breakfast pastries, pound cake, cookies and doughnuts. Something about those mini cakes were off. Super gritty and wet. No matter the listed flavor. Im no chef but I'm sure the chefs reading this comment probably know what im talking about. They looked like actual cake but something was off. The icing they used was essentially flavorless also. Looks good for Instagram photos but thats about it. The worst was when they had "cupcakes" one night for dinner. Definitely was a cornbread style muffin that had been decorated as if it were an actual cupcake. I grabbed about 5 different varieties and the only one that was actual cake was the chocolate one. Maybe they had an excess of cornbread mix and didnt want to bother with making white or yellow cupcakes?
Thanks for the review! you have given us SO much good advice! My husband & I are sailing on the Beyond in 2024 for our 10th wedding anniversary for the 10-night southern Caribbean cruise. I went for as much as I thought I could afford, and we are getting a Magic Carpet suite. Hope I don't regret being under it!
Earth_Dragon it appears that my husband and I are going on this same cruise, it's my husbands 49th birthday and he has never been on a cruise before, I hope I didn't choose the wrong cruise for him. I have been on cruises before but not for good 15 years. We are both looking forward to this cruise.
We were on it's 1st eastern cruise in November in a Magic Carpet Sky suite. We mainly do Luminae and specialties but do buffet for breakfast & lunch. We will do a dinner here and there. The buffet for dinner was full like breakfast & lunch at that time. They announced starting 1st cruise of 2023 they were cutting back the buffet to half because of waste. More people were going to the main dining rooms and specialty than the buffet therefore a full size buffet was not warranted. So it's not to push people to pay extra like others insinuate.🤷♀️. Thanks for your review.
Sailed the Edge after it debuted - was not a huge fan - got bored quickly - but it is beautiful. After seeing this review - may try the Beyond while everyone else is hyping the Icon of the Seas - for the money the Beyond looks like a much better deal.
Shopping I never shop on cruises! I Dont need anything and many times they are over priced and just usually not necessary items. On my last cruise I did not have any eye make up remover it got left behind so I purchased some it was expensive but it’s the best I ever used. I’ll never go to an art auction or the Effie thing. Unsure about the cabin you had…. Oh a friend on my recent cruise was looking at a handbag, found that it had a cut in the leather, put it out to them, and they took it away as if they were going to put it in the back room. She went back in the store, and guess what the bag is bad back out on the sales floor! The gangway looks much better than any I’ve seen.
I like the garden 🪴 areas on this ship. I would cruise 🚢 on this ship. I could live with that infinite veranda. It offers some great views; however, it is a bit limiting in those views.
Agree re food in both dining room and Oceanview . January we were on Celebrity Eclipse and found the food not up to the same standard as other pre covid Celebrity cruises. Lacking in choice and not up to standard Ie cold or hard poached eggs, tough steak etc. They have also increased the price of a drink by $3 at least.As you say very accommodating crew , but thought they were niot quite at the same service level - probably lack of practice !
Just got back from our cruise on the Beyond and I'm in LOVE... the princess in me was BEYOND happy lol! Celebrity is our go to cruise line and the Edge class ship do take it to the next level. We ate at the Rooftop Grill and it was delicious, our first time trying a specialty restaurant. Regarding the boutique, yes they are high end, yes they are empty most of the time but I didn't care since I rarely shop onboard except maybe a watch when they have a nice sale.
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I love your content and the thorough and organized way you present videos. As a new subscriber, can't wait to view past videos. Great work, thanks!
Welcome! So glad you enjoyed the video :)
We sailed the Beyond last Thanksgiving. We liked the Infinite Veranda and storage space. We tried all the main dining rooms. We have sailed numerous cruises with HAL. We love the variety of soups offered on HAL. They were very limited on Beyond. Service was very good everywhere. We loved the entertainment, definitely a plus. The shops were empty most of the time, I used to a mgr in a high end jewelry company and I think many people prefer to buy high ticket watches and jewelry from a trusted business in their own city. We are a multigenerational family and our 18 yr old grandson really missed the basketball courts on HAL. That is always his fav place to make cruise friends.
Thanks for sharing!
I love your cute dresses. Where do you buy them? I can never find anything like yours.
No packs of screaming kids and drunk college students? Sign me up.
Lol
Hi I'm welsh and we are going on beyond in May staying in miami 1st night then boarding, we are in a2 room 10 184 with premium drinks package. Do you have a days itinerary available to browse through, regards carolyn.
My husband is a farmer and can't get away often which cruise line do you recommend for solo ladies travels as I love to cruise.
I agree with you on the high end shop's most of us are lucky to go on the cruise let alone spend thousands at these specialty shops.
I was on the 4th sailing of the Beyond in the retreat Sky Suite. I loved it. Excited to try it again but in concierge class. You are right about the shopping. I think they need to have a more diverse option and they are missing out on revenue by just having high end shopping.
It must have been wonderful! Thanks for sharing & I agree, there’s revenue to be had 🤣
Leaving on the beyond for 10 days with 10 friends leaving January 10thru 29th
What is the age brackett😊
Enjoy your reviews❤
I just last Sunday disembarked from the Celebrity Beyond and I can honestly say that your review is spot on. We were on the same itinerary as you and also found (surprisingly) Port Taino a very nice port. I really cannot add anything that you did not mention.
I’m glad to hear your thoughts!
The shops were a waste of space on the Edge. They were either closed or deserted.
Interesting…
In my opinion, the celebrity all in package is a total and complete rip-off.
I can go on princess cruises seems to offer a much more cost-effective package that includes alcoholic beverages
I agree with you on the shopping. I was just on the Majestic Princess and there were too many high end stores and usually empty. I would rather have stores that the majority of cruisers can afford to shop in.
port reviews are really helpful for the "normal" among us lol what's the shopping like? how aggressive are the vendors? ect....I paid for the food on the ship...that's where I'll eat!
Expensive shops on the ship seem foolish to me. It reminds me of a American Indian museum where there was almost nothing under $100. Hard to think about a souvenir at those prices
I’ve only sailed on 2 Celebrity cruise ships and they were on the older Solstice Class, but even on these less hip and cool ships I thought the stores were too high end. Of course they need to have some options for high end cruisers who have lots of discretionary income. But please let us mainstream cruisers without tons of extra income have a few stores with low to mid price items!! They only had ONE shop with T shirts, suntan lotion etc, but the selection was very limited and gave you very few options. The store was very bare and almost sad. Celebrity needs to definitely rethink their shopping options!!
Lol, hope they hear us 😉😂
No photographers?
There was a studio I believe. Not a lot of in your face selling or soliciting
It seems to be getting to the point where cruise ships are making it so expensive. You might as well just go to an all-inclusive resort.
I mean five specialty restaurants?
And something tells me they are very overpriced for what you get.
There are more than 5.
I really dislike the push to spend spend spend on the ship.
I want to see most everything included on such an expensive Cruise.
Are the water exercise classes included?
Virgin includes things. But it's a kind of adult party type of ship from what I can tell. There's also a push especially on this ship to access areas that only suite passengers get. There are aspects of Celebrity that are turning me off.
the high end shops provide the Halo Effect, meaning they give the subconscious impression that the cruise is high end because it has high end shops. It won't work for everyone, but it definitely works and can allow Carnival to raise prices for this ship given that it is "high end.'
Interesting thoughts on this. Thanks
This is owned by royal not carnival
It lived up to the hype for us. This ship blew every other ship we've been on out of the water.
Great to hear your thoughts!
We just got off our cruise on the Beyond. We usually cruise with Holland or Princess. The Beyond is a really beautiful ship. I know I’m going to be comparing it with the two we usually use but that’s the way it goes. Number one difference is the staff, they really didn’t look like they were happy at all. No one was smiling or friendly. It was really different than what we were used to. Don’t get me wrong, they did a great job just not as easy to get to know. Number two complaint was the lack of regular chairs on the pool deck. They only had comfortable chairs on one side of the pool. The wind was horrible for several days but you couldn’t just move to the other side. I have a hard time sitting on the reclining deck chairs because of a neck injury. I tried to go up to the 15th floor where the garden was but while they have quite a few chairs but very little shade. That also was where the movies in the afternoon were and it was just to hot in the direct sunlight to stay and enjoy the movies. Number three was the food. My husband is in a wheelchair from a bad broken leg so we only went to the restaurants a couple of times. The food is okay but not great. Very small selection for dinner. Breakfast and lunch was better in the buffet.
Now for the things I liked. I really liked our cabin. We had a handicapped room and it was so nice. We rented my husband a scooter for the ship. We also had the wheelchair with us. Both fit without a problem. Loved that they actually had a dresser that you could unpack in, not just the closets on other cruise lines. I loved the patio even though it wasn’t the usual outdoor patio. Loved the black out screen. My husband prefers the outside patio more. I liked that the casino was smoke free. On other cruises they had a smoking section and it spread through the whole casino. The entertainment was good, typical cruise entertainment. I went to every show and enjoyed them.
I don’t know if we will cruise with Celebrity again. Our favorite is Princess cruise line. We live in Florida only twenty minutes from the port so it’s easy for us to book at the last minute. We are retired as well so getting a great deal is easy.
Thanks for a great review. I agree the food wasn’t up to par. Service was always excellent though. We had the infinite veranda. It worked out well because the first two days we had pretty bad weather and we could still enjoy the space and view! The stores were too expensive. And Cartier store only had watches. Kind of pointless…I want to at least LOOK at expensive jewelry if it’s going to be there. 😂
Thanks for sharing! Lol, only Cartier watches? Haha you’re right, at least a bracelet would be nice 😂
@@LifeWellCruised CC
I agree with you, the items in the shops were really expensive. I saw a little bracelet I liked and I nearly fainted when I asked how much it was and she told me $4,000. dollars! After spending $12,000. dollars on the cruise itself…….I don’t think so. Also the amount of noise on the ship really turned us off. In the evening we couldn’t get away from it in order to have a quiet drink. There seemed to be music and entertainment everywhere.
Eeek, thanks for sharing
Ooh, I wouldn’t like that!
Watched this review last year, just re-watched it as we are sailing on Beyond in a suite Sept.1 :) THANK YOU for all the details. Do you recall how late the buffet stays open?
Thanks Ilana. Really enjoy your content. Very relevant. We are going on Beyond March 5th. Can’t wait. We've been on many cruises, love Celebrity, but this time even more excited to explore this ship. Your Beyond videos have been helpful. Yes, please do Taino DR video. By the way, we are Canadian as well in Ontario. Nice to hear your perspective. Thanks, Gerry
Nice cruise coming up for you! Great to “meet” fellow Canadians! Enjoy 🥂
Would love to see a video just about Port Taino. We will be headed there later this year
Great!! I’ll definitely do that
The one thing that holds me back from this ship is the dramatic cutbacks in complementary dining for dinner. If you don’t want to go through the whole process of an MDR dinner, you have exactly ONE free dining spot (for non-Suite guests): The buffet. And it’s been cut by more than half of what it was. Celebrity is definitely pushing everyone to their paid dining options and is only interested in their suite guests because they know they can charge them triple the price for basically the same experience. It’s this elitist class system which infuriates me. It’s not like I expect a Carnival level experience, you’re already paying a premium to sail on them, so I’d expect an elevated experience for non-Suite guests as well.
Let them know your thoughts on this. Appreciate you sharing
@@LifeWellCruised Thanks. I have a 14 night cruise booked on the Beyond made before the big cutbacks. At your suggestion, I’ve just sent them an email detailing the thoughts above. I’ll see how they respond to all the negative feedback. If they don’t make changes, I’ll cancel, even if it means losing my deposit. Sad.
We won’t cruise on them just for this reason.
@@markolwick2223 there’s just as many, if not more, people who love the ship. You should make your own decision before complaining to the company. They can’t make new places to eat dinner just appear before you sail so complaining about what the person wrote about is not going to be fixable.
I went on the Beyond. The buffet was light-years better than the main dining rooms. We tried 3 out of the 4 locations. Decided not to waste time with the 4th (Normandie). The buffet is decent. There's definitely days where the spread is dialed back, especially around dinner time. I'll be sticking with Princess.
Totally agree we missed the standard stores.
Lol, glad to know it’s not just me 😂
Sorry but NONE of this is appealing to my hubby and me. Too fancy. Too confined too crowded. I’m so grateful you did this video. Definitely notttt a vacay we would enjoy. ❤
There is a category of ship activities that some cruisers enjoy or even prioritize that is not being talked about on the Edge ships. And that is people who enjoy a variety of ship lounges with music and some with dance floors. I've loved Celebrity ships but the older ones provided this vs. the newer ones. Still, there were enough on the Millennium and Solstice class to enjoy. The Edge class sucks when it comes to ship lounges. And I feel that's a major shortcoming that's often not mentioned in reviews of this class of ship and prevents it from being a better ship that includes lounge lovers. Even if I were a foodie and enjoyed the various choices in dining onboard, I'd still want someplace to go AFTER for music with dancing inside the ship. Ship lounges are a staple of cruising since I can remember and I can't think of a class of ship so lacking in them Competitors HAL and Princess's newest ships have plenty of them. And the Sphere ships coming out as Princess's new class has plenty of them. They also lack a library and card room and the slightly smaller Solstice ships have those.
Lots of new ships are equally as beautiful if not as chic or slick yet aren't missing these areas. For a long-time Celebrity fan the Edge ships are a major disappointment and a good amount of long-time Celebrity cruisers feel that way about it. Some because of the infinity cabins, and others due to the ship within a ship resulting in losing fore views out of the ships.
I do appreciate the improved theater, the four dining rooms are lovely, it has potential for a lot of wonderful food, the art is terrific, the solarium pool and some deck areas are improved and there are nice bars outside and some signature areas have been retained.
Food and service are variable. That's not specifically ship based. I've had crap food and borderline sublime food on the same Celebrity ship. I've had better service on some Celebrity sailings than others. So service and food isn't about the ship but more the personnel and product execution. And ultimately, it is the crew and entertainers and fellow passengers that make the crew. But the ship is the platform and missing areas matter. That said, the presentation of the food shown was average and nothing like what Celebrity used to do and should be doing now. It's a fancier ship but far less art in the presentation.that was on ships like the Meridian, Zenith, Horizon and the earlier days of the Century class.
i think the Fine Cut Steakhouse should be enclosed and part of it turned into a soundproofed club with a bar and dance floor so it has a swanky supper club than just another specialty restaurant. This ship is crying out for a more romantic, intimate space. I also think that the World Class Bar should be expanded into its own club with soft music played and maybe replace one or two shops somewhere as it would have to be relocated. As for now, it's a bar with a few overlooks but it could be. much more. I'm a Celebrity cruiser and this ship should be for me. But without some type of charming mingle areas, it's just a pretty ship with not a lot of charm (unless you find your corner or spot in a dining room).
I especially want to go on the Beyond when Captain Kate is there I'm really looking forward to the Bug trivia. Is there a way to know when Captain Kate is serving on the ship?
I was on the Celebrity Beyond in January, 2023. We were part of a group and my whole group did not like the food or the entertainment.
I wouldn't go anywhere near those ridiculous, overpriced shops. I like to browse around in normal stores and see if anything strikes my fancy.
Awesome review ! Which floor was this hun ? Would love to have an idea on the room number if possible .. This room looks aesthetically perfect !
I will be on the Beyond in 10 days and looking forward to it. Thank you so much for your video.
Loving your videos! We’re going on celebrity beyond and we had to choose a 6:00 dining time as the anytime dining was not available. However they are offering us anytime dining in the Tuscan restaurant. If we do this will we be able to eat in the other main dining rooms as well?
I was afraid of Dominican Republic after being kidnapped there from an all inclusive when went on a white water rafting excursion.
I completely agree with you regarding the shopping. It’s nice to have a look at expensive shops but to be completely out of reach for most people is mystifying.
I'd enjoy a video on Port Taino! This seems like a new port for several cruise lines, and I don't know anything about it yet.
Hi I have booked a state room in June on a Mediterranean cruise. What comments do you have about this. I don’t know what to expect it’s my first on this ship.
Ilana, don’t pay any attention to those few negative comments. You do a great service and many of us appreciate that so much!
Thank you so much!
Please expound why you would not choose Celebrity for Kids Club?
Celebrity shops, with the exception of the beauty shop, are always empty on all their ships. Why they have such high end shops is beyond me!
You mentioned that the pastries at cafe bacio are included but specialty coffees and teas are not. Does this mean that passengers without a drink package would have to go without a drink when eating dessert there, if they do not want to pay extra?
Disney has high end jewellery shops. Not my price range.
We just got off of the equinox. The food was not that good. The ship itself to me was very tired looking it need to be done over the workers were excellent, was mostly seniors as myself, and the entertainment was not that good part of the entertainment was singing rap I went to the front desk and ask them to take a good look at the people and maybe that should start playing music from the 60s which they did seventh day out it was a 10 day, southern Caribbean cruise I watch your podcasts quite often and find it very informative. I got my magnets and they came in very handy. I’ll never cruise without them again and this was not my first cruise. It was around the 20th for us. Thanks for all your great tips🎈🇺🇸🎈
Thanks for sharing! You make an interesting point about the cruise entertainment including music, catering to the demographic they have
Who goes on a cruise to buy a $10,000 Cartier watch or a Montblanc pen ?
The ship is beautiful, but personally I find that today all the new ships are beautiful, the only thing that still makes the difference is the price that sorts out the customers, especially in the US because fortunately in Europe there is still a more upscale clientele on cruises.
A lot of people buy luxury items on a cruise because they are duty free and usually priced better than in retail stores.
I enjoy the shops where I can buy a nice T-shirt for 20.00 on sale. I enjoy walking through a fancy shop but I go on cruises because I love them and I think it’s a great deal for your money. So no I would not like the high end all the way
Thanks for sharing:)
My wife and I would love to take a cruise, but most everyone we know that has gone on cruise, has gotten the flu and stuck in cabin for duration. Do you think it has gotten better in terms of getting sick? Thanks!
I’m not really sure. However it does seem that we hear about mild sickness on ships, as we hear about it on land. We’ve been on several cruises and have been fine, but unfortunately we can never tell
So unbelievable that anyone pays that kind of money for upscale items. Those shops do not appeal to me one bit.
I’m sure some do, and I don’t have a problem with it, but it just didn’t seem like most passengers did
sale away from Manhattan, what hotel did you stay near the port were you could leave your car and get a free shuttle? Please
My husband and I are in our mid-50s and booked the Celebrity Beyond for an upcoming cruise, but I chickened out. Although it looked innovative and fun, as we got closer to the sail date I looked at price (definitely more expensive that the other Celebrity class ships) and weighed my perception of the passenger demographics. I ended up changing my reservation over to the Reflection, which we have sailed on before. I guess I liked the IDEA of trying an Edge class ship but didn't want to risk being disappointed with the experience. We have limited vacation days and funds. We normally cruise on Princess or Celebrity and the Beyond looked a little more like some of the other cruise lines. I'm curious if you would compare this ship to a competitor?
I can understand. For comparisons, this ship (& edge class) really is on its own. I am very curious about Princess’ new ship though. Maybe a comparison video in the future
You made the right choice. We are early “young”60s and the ship is mostly much older.
@@lisaw4050, The Beyond is much older?
@@LifeWellCruised yes a comparison video please ...😀
@@LifeWellCruised I am wondering the same thing about the new Princess ship. It seems like it is marketed for a very different demographic. Strangeness
Great and very thorough review. Absolutely beautiful ship. ❤ 🚢 🌊
Doing a 7 day cruise October 2025
Going on my first cruise in 2025 on Princress Ship.
This is gonna be my first cruise, 31 March
We really liked the Beyond. The ship is gorgeous and our Infinite Veranda cabin was a pleasant surprise (after looking at other videos that were less than flattering). We did wind up buying chocolates from the shop. I think our 'out the door' cost for a box of truffles (fantastic!), a box of assorted chocolates, and three bars of chocolates was a little over $100. However, there is a shop we go to regularly in Santa Fe, NM where we almost always drop $100 or more so we weren't that shocked. However, other than the truffles, the chocolate was just so-so.
We were in Aqua class so most nights ate in Blu which was very good. We did eat one night a Cosmopolitan and it was also very good. I am a little disappointed in the way the Edge Class ships handle dining (YMMV) in that if I want something off of one of the dining room menus (for example Normandie) but my wife wants something from a different dining room (Tuscan), we either have to eat separately or one of us will be disappointed. Although it didn't cause an issue, one way this did affect us is that my wife saw something on the Blu menu one night but I wanted something off of the Celebrity Signature menu (which is only available in the 4 main dining rooms according to the maitre d').
If there was a disappointing aspect of our cruise, it was dinner in Eden. My wife ordered the Lobster entree and didn't like it at all. We decided that if we go back to Eden, we'll just load up on crab cakes and call it good.
Thanks for sharing your experience as well! Super helpful
I'm sorry if you've done it already; but you're so good at talking about the different styles of cruisers and cruising.. a comparison video would be very interesting I think
since you've been on the cruises that explore the NE coast of North America (NYC, USA to Quebec, CAN) it would be really interesting (imho) for you to directly compare how different the feel is, since I hear Caribbean cruises are more a party, and the others, not so much
Ty again for all your videos! You're always so helpful and informative! 💕
Thanks for the great ideas! I definitely have to try something like this :)
Hi Llana. A great video, thank you. We have booked a cruise on the Beyond in May and are really looking forward to it. Also, in an infinite cabin as well. Your video certainly helped us answer questions that we might have had. We have already booked several excursions online and are really looking forward to the ships tour on one of the sea days. The last cruise that we did was in Alaska in 2019 and was disappointed with the overall service that we received. Fortunately, it wasn't Celebrity. We can't wait for our Celebrity Beyond cruise in 82 days.
Have a wonderful cruise!
Great video...thanks for producing this as we have been very curious and interested in this vessel !!
Glad you enjoyed it!
I love Effy, you can find something affordable. But the rest of the shops are really high end and most people can’t afford or don’t want to afford. I do wish they would have more affordable shopping. Loved your video.
Thanks so much!!
Beautiful ship! Excellent review!
I'd like to see more of Taino Bay. Unfortunately, on our recent cruise, we had to skip this port due to swells. We were disappointed but hope we can get back there someday.
Too bad. I get the feeling this port is going to be even better, so hopefully you’ll be back 😊
This video is so well done! Thank you so much!
We're going on this ship this July!
I love the beyond and the edge class as a whole. Our favorite design.
The Edge also had empty high-end stores. We love the infinity balcony ❤
Interesting… thanks for sharing
My spouse and I are in love with the Edge class ships. I think they're magnificent. We're on the Beyond this winter for the first time and I cannot wait! These ships have the best entertainment, food, staff, atmosphere and rooms. They're simply stunning. We loved the infinite veranda. I do agree the shopping is extremely high-end, but it was fun for me to see the Hermes bags and such; I don't mind that I won't purchase them. Great review!
Oh pretty!!
This video was perfect timing. We board Celebrity Beyond in 2 days. So excited to experience it first hand. Great tips as always.
Hope you enjoy it!
I don't drive alcohol. Can you enjoy the martini bar without drinking?😊
I wonder about that too. From the videos I've seen and the comments, it seems like many people buy the drink packages and start drinking the moment they embark. Do many passengers drink themselves silly and make a nuisance of themselves? I would feel unsafe in such an environment.
I will definitely have to do this soon. Decor looks better. Restaurants are more upscale.
I totally agree!
It’s too beyond for me..for free..
I must compliment you on this wonderful and informative presentation. I am impressed with the picture quality of your videos, which is especially good when viewed on a television.
Thanks so much! Glad you enjoyed it
Hi Illiana, I feel I want to tip my cabin stewarts, how many EUR would you tip each day, I will participate in the celebrity cruise line gratuities programme, but feel the stewarts need extra appreciaton,, EUR 2 - EUR 5 - dont kno how much as am Australian and really only tip the waiters at restaurants - HELP !!
Thank you for doing this video. We are going in August. We have cruised several times before but new to Celebrity. We love Royal Caribbean and our travel agents suggested Celebrity. I am sad to hear about the shopping on board. The last cruise shopping was like that. I don’t want to spend $10,000 on a cruise ship shop. I want to see more fun shopping and reasonable prices. This would make for a fun memory and souvenir when it is reasonably priced.
Are you a travel agent?
I have seen many of your videos and so far, for whatever reason, I was reticent to subscribe. I was wrong. As I have a Celebrity Beyond cruise planned I thought your direct approach most refreshing. You are not trying to entice. You are trying to inform. I really appreciate that. So I will gladly subscribe, and thank you! Well done!
Port Taino was legit but if you're ok with walking check out: Umbrella street (about a 10min walk outside the gate), historic town square next to historic Catholic church (15min walk). Theres an old fort (20min). And there is an actual beachfront along a nice street full of local restaurants. We spent the bulk of our day outside Taino.
Don't like the serve yourselves buffet. Too many people handling the utensils. Prefer like Holland America where they serve you.
Celebrity’s new ships have spoiled us, my wife won’t go on a more traditional cruise ship. Having second thoughts about are next cruise with Princess over the Christmas, New Year Holidays 2023
Hello ! Thanks for your informative videos ! I am a follower and like your videos very much! I would like to ask for guidance on this: we already cruises on the Apex , beyond and other celebrity cruises but for the very first time we booked the Sky princess to experience a new cruise line , this time is a family trip our priories when cruising are in this order : safety, Itineraries, fine dinning, cruise-room confort- quality of wine and cocktails- entertainment shows etc. actually this one before wine and cocktails 🍹 😀, would you recommend us to keep cruising with Celebrity ( new ships ) or try princess ? Thank you!
Great info. Thanks so much.
Glad it was helpful! Thanks for watching
Just booked this ship to do a back to back in March 25 Caribbean then Panama Canal and southern Caribbean . Loving watching your videos . We booked a deluxe ocean view cabins at the from of the ship . Thank for all the tips 😊
Im all about the sweets, but the only things I looked forward to on the Beyond were the breakfast pastries, pound cake, cookies and doughnuts. Something about those mini cakes were off. Super gritty and wet. No matter the listed flavor. Im no chef but I'm sure the chefs reading this comment probably know what im talking about. They looked like actual cake but something was off. The icing they used was essentially flavorless also. Looks good for Instagram photos but thats about it. The worst was when they had "cupcakes" one night for dinner. Definitely was a cornbread style muffin that had been decorated as if it were an actual cupcake. I grabbed about 5 different varieties and the only one that was actual cake was the chocolate one. Maybe they had an excess of cornbread mix and didnt want to bother with making white or yellow cupcakes?
Excellent review. Thank you for posting. We're cruising on the Beyond in March 2024 and this review is very helpful.
Thanks for the review! you have given us SO much good advice! My husband & I are sailing on the Beyond in 2024 for our 10th wedding anniversary for the 10-night southern Caribbean cruise. I went for as much as I thought I could afford, and we are getting a Magic Carpet suite. Hope I don't regret being under it!
Happy anniversary! Sounds like it will be wonderful 👏
Earth_Dragon it appears that my husband and I are going on this same cruise, it's my husbands 49th birthday and he has never been on a cruise before, I hope I didn't choose the wrong cruise for him. I have been on cruises before but not for good 15 years. We are both looking forward to this cruise.
We were on it's 1st eastern cruise in November in a Magic Carpet Sky suite. We mainly do Luminae and specialties but do buffet for breakfast & lunch. We will do a dinner here and there. The buffet for dinner was full like breakfast & lunch at that time. They announced starting 1st cruise of 2023 they were cutting back the buffet to half because of waste. More people were going to the main dining rooms and specialty than the buffet therefore a full size buffet was not warranted. So it's not to push people to pay extra like others insinuate.🤷♀️. Thanks for your review.
So how much was everything, drinks and all? That’s fairly important and helpful.
Nobody forces you to buy. It's there if you want it
Absolutely
Sailed the Edge after it debuted - was not a huge fan - got bored quickly - but it is beautiful. After seeing this review - may try the Beyond while everyone else is hyping the Icon of the Seas - for the money the Beyond looks like a much better deal.
It's TYE EE NO, it's the original tribe that were in Puerto Rico and Dominican Republic
Thanks or this video. I'm going on Celebrity Beyond and I'm paying close attention to all your tips.
Wow what a great review, as always. Thanks!
Glad you liked it!
Shopping I never shop on cruises! I Dont need anything and many times they are over priced and just usually not necessary items. On my last cruise I did not have any eye make up remover it got left behind so I purchased some it was expensive but it’s the best I ever used. I’ll never go to an art auction or the Effie thing. Unsure about the cabin you had…. Oh a friend on my recent cruise was looking at a handbag, found that it had a cut in the leather, put it out to them, and they took it away as if they were going to put it in the back room. She went back in the store, and guess what the bag is bad back out on the sales floor! The gangway looks much better than any I’ve seen.
I like the garden 🪴 areas on this ship. I would cruise 🚢 on this ship. I could live with that infinite veranda. It offers some great views; however, it is a bit limiting in those views.
Agree re food in both dining room and Oceanview . January we were on Celebrity Eclipse and found the food not up to the same standard as other pre covid Celebrity cruises. Lacking in choice and not up to standard Ie cold or hard poached eggs, tough steak etc. They have also increased the price of a drink by $3 at least.As you say very accommodating crew , but thought they were niot quite at the same service level - probably lack of practice !
Just got back from our cruise on the Beyond and I'm in LOVE... the princess in me was BEYOND happy lol! Celebrity is our go to cruise line and the Edge class ship do take it to the next level. We ate at the Rooftop Grill and it was delicious, our first time trying a specialty restaurant. Regarding the boutique, yes they are high end, yes they are empty most of the time but I didn't care since I rarely shop onboard except maybe a watch when they have a nice sale.
Shopping in the ship stores would be my lowest priority, except maybe a little souvenir. I would rather shop in the ports.
Yes please, video on Port Taino! Love your vlogs!!!❤
Will do!! (& thank you!)