Celebrity Beyond

CELEBRITY CRUISES

Following the success of the first two ships in its game-changing Edge Series, Celebrity Cruises is once again setting out to redefine luxury, this time on the forthcoming Celebrity Beyond, due to set sail in 2022.

Currently under construction at Chantiers de l’Atlantique in France, Celebrity Beyond is designed to cultivate connection, bringing new opportunities for passengers to connect with one another, the surrounding seascape and their journey. Inspired by a vision to take the cruise industry into the next era of luxury, President and CEO Lisa Lutoff-Perlo has assembled a dream team of creatives to develop the spaces and experiences on board. British designer Kelly Hoppen CBE, Paris-based studio Jouin Manku, architect Tom Wright of WKK, and American designer Nate Berkus will reprise their roles from Celebrity Edge in 2018, working to enhance and reimagine their original concepts to new levels of luxury. The ship will also feature cuisine from Michelin-starred chef and restaurateur Daniel Boulud, and products and experiences from Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop.

“Celebrity Cruises has always been an innovator at sea, and now we have challenged the status quo with a vessel that goes beyond expectations, beyond imagination,” explains Lutoff-Perlo. “Celebrity Beyond shatters any and every preconceived notion of the cruising experience. This ship offers a journey at the intersection of elegance and approachability filled with what’s important to our guests today: forwardthinking design, culinary excellence, unparalleled well-being and incomparable service.”

REIMAGINING THE RETREAT

Building on earlier ships in the Edge Series, The Retreat will make its return with reimagined aspects. Designed by Kelly Hoppen, the new two-storey Retreat Sundeck will offer more outdoor space and ways to rejuvenate in the fresh ocean air, with secluded cabanas, chic new seating areas, additional water features and the exclusive Retreat Bar. The Retreat Lounge is a new space to unwind, while Hoppen’s refresh of the Luminae restaurant sees a relocation to

the front of the ship and the introduction of a boldly elegant scheme. Accommodation within The Retreat includes the redesigned duplex Edge Villas with outdoor plunge pools, and Celebrity’s famous Iconic Suites, the largest in the fleet, offering private spaces for relaxation, dining and entertaining. “All of these spaces are so integral to the ship and people’s experience,” explains Hoppen. “For me, the design project became all about this idea that every day, someone’s going to feel different and want to do something different but always want the ultimate holiday. So, there’s music, drinks and places to come together but also cocoons and places of solitude.”

CONNECTING WITH NATURE

With outdoor spaces in high demand, Celebrity Beyond ensures guests are able to experience the ship while soaking in the world around them. Lead architect Tom Wright of WKK has expanded exterior spaces on board, transforming them into serene outward-facing sanctuaries to take full advantage of the ocean vistas. His design both lengthens the ship by 20 metres and raises it to 17 decks tall, allowing for the reimagination of The Retreat, the Resort Deck and the Rooftop Garden. The main open deck, 40% larger than on previous Edge Series ships, features a living Rooftop Garden designed by Hoppen and includes increased seating and more spaces for movie watching, live music and al fresco dining. Highlights include Wright’s incorporation of two floating pools cantilevered over the side of the ship, and the signature Magic Carpet, a feat of engineering that soars over the water and transforms from open-air lounge or restaurant along higher decks to a tender platform for going ashore on lower decks. “There is something about being at sea and looking for the destination that is coming up that is really quite special and is the reason I sail,” says Wright of his enhancements. “The design of the ship is what provides that window to the world – the vantage point. More space on Beyond creates a bigger ‘window’ and enables us to add elements that I had always dreamed of for Celebrity’s Edge Series.”

CONNECTING WITH OTHERS

As well as spaces to connect with nature, Celebrity Beyond brings new opportunities to connect with others in a variety of settings. At the heart of the ship is the Grand Plaza, a Jouin Manku-designed social hub inspired by the piazzas of Italy; larger than on previous ships, it spans three decks and has an airier atmosphere with more intimate seating areas for small gatherings. The Martini Bar has relocated to become a central feature of the space, while Le Voyage is a new addition. Also designed by Jouin Manku, the 50-seat restaurant helmed by chef Daniel Boulud comprises intimate

seating cocoons shrouded in luminous veils, accompanied by layers of light and texture for an enchanting experience.

Another of the most anticipated venues on Celebrity Beyond is the Sunset Bar, again larger than previous iterations, with designer Nate Berkus creating a chic, Moroccan-inspired escape reminiscent of a modern-day Casablanca. In keeping with the vision of connecting with others as well as the surrounding environment, the venue will incorporate more niches and covered enclaves for guests to get together in a more intimate way while taking in the views.

RETHINKING WELLNESS

Taking the view that wellness should extend to every space, Celebrity Beyond has introduced the Aqua Class Sky Suite, an immersive living experience that helps guests find their centre. Featuring floor-to-ceiling ocean views, private verandas, luxurious bedding and spa-style bathtubs, the 400ft2 space is designed for mind, body and spirit. All Aqua Class guests will be treated to perks such as self-care kits from Gwyneth Paltrow’s lifestyle brand Goop, while Paltrow will also serve as the cruise line’s new Wellbeing Advisor.

For Richard Fain, Chairman of Royal Caribbean Group, parent company of Celebrity Cruises, the new iteration of the Edge Series is all about enhancing the guest experience through design. “With Celebrity Beyond, we saw an opportunity to take the extraordinary features of Celebrity Edge – like the focus on the connection with the ocean and the grand spaces – and really amplify them,” he concludes. “We focused on providing more openness, height and spaciousness throughout the ship’s most popular spaces; the end result is a next generation vessel that embodies the intersection of architecture and design.” ON DECK Route: Mediterranean Maiden Voyage: April 2022 Owner: Royal Caribbean International Operator: Celebrity Cruises Architecture and Interior Design: Kelly Hoppen CBE, Nate Berkus, Jouin Manku, Tom Wright Shipyard: Chantiers de l’Atlantique www.celebritycruises.com