Beyond is a fantastic cruise ship. Got a bit crowded with the ship almost certainly fully booked but you can manage the times you want to enter certain venues and find times when crowds aren't a factor
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Cruise portion of Port Everglades - Terminal 25 for us and the primary Celebrity cruises cruise terminal. From dropping our luggage off to opening our cabin door took about 25 minutes. Celebrity uses scheduled boarding's and local terminal personnel enforce them. Don't try to enter the terminal early. You'll be directed to return at your boarding time. Enforcement of boarding times makes guest processing and structured and efficient. The technology that Celebrity introduced several years ago - the App - also helps speed boarding. You can select boarding times 45 days before sailing. If you want an early boarding time (11am) you have to check in with the app as soon as it opens. Prime early boarding times go fast.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
4 out of 5
We've sailed with Celebrity since 2001 and the industry has changed dramatically - most notably with the number of cruise ships sailing. For corporation providing cruise vacations its a rush to profitability post pandemic. Accordingly, there are some shortcuts being taken and cost savings on food is one of them. I'd still rate Celebrity's food service as being good. The meat and fish entrees where routinely overcooked and dried out. This might be partly buying less expensive products but I think the majority of it can be blamed on head chef's (corporates?) design of food processing - preparing 3200 guests meals 3X per day is a daunting task. Preparing meat and fish entrees has to start early in the day and if you dine late, your going to be served entrees that may have been plated hours ago, kept in heating trays and dried out doing that.
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
We don't do the games and were not pool or sun people. We mostly do nothing and that's a nice change from our busy at home schedules We both like being off the grid but love to mingle with people at before and during meals.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
Probably the best production shows we've seen. The Edge Class ships offer some very hi-tech shows incorporating the $2m screen at the back of the stage. Singers and dancers are Broadway/West End caliber just waiting for a chance to go to NYC or the West End and get hired for a show. They have contracts with Celebrity, they are well paid and it's a tough decision for them when their typical 9 month contracts end. It's a tough life style being on board. Edge Class ships also offer small venue production shows designed for The Club and Eden. Cast members for these shows are different than the main theater performers but, just as good at their craft. The Cruise Director on Beyond, Shawna, is responsible for putting together the head liners that also perform in the main theater. Top level talent is recruited for sure. All the shows in the main theater, Club and Eden were always packed. You have to get their early - like 45 minutes or more - to get the seat you want with good visibility.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
No question. The best across the entire cruise industry. This is one area that continues Celebrity's excellence or X.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
Beyond is a reflection of a process of improving the Edge Class ships. We've sailed Edge, Apex and Beyond and the differences in the three ships is easily identified and probably reflects what past guests put into their post cruise surveys. It took us a while to embrace the design and decor of Edge Class ships. Now, we like it a lot. Public spaces are immaculate and places you'd expect some messiness - like Ocean View Cafe - are spotless through the entire period that venue is open. Of course, this a new ship (2y old) so, it still looks new.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
I like the Concierge class perks and especially the 5 Captain's Club points per sailing day. The infinity Verandas are nice making the cabin feel much larger. The pricing of what cabins were on offer drove our selection - at time of booking - Concierge cabins were cheaper than regular verandas. We were aft starboard side and directly underneath the kitchen area of the Ocean View Cafe. Lots of noise - tolerable but I can't recommend this aft area port of starboard. There is plenty of well designed storage in the room and in the bathroom.
Ship tip
Don't select an aft cabin on deck 12 underneath the OV Cafe.
We've been through it both East and Westbound (entire transit) and once just passing though the Aqua Clara locks on the Atlantic Side - this cruise. Interesting history and a engineering marvel.
We took a ship's tour (unusual for us) that visited multiple places including a shore side view of the Aqua Clara locks. There is a very new, clean and nicely designed Visitor Center. This Ship's tour was long and involved over 2h of riding a bus to and from. It also took us to old town Colon which was very nice. The company that organizes this tour was outstanding. Everything went smoothly and our tour guide the whole trip very good. Would recommend this tour.
Also been to this port at least 5X. Maybe the best walking, self guided tour of the three ABCs. If you wander outside the port area - which is very nice - there is a big circular market where everything is at least 40% less than closer to the port. Good for souvenirs
Facial recognition speeds this process by 50%. If you can, request the earliest debarkation time you can get (i.e., are driving home not flying). We use luggage service and asked for an 8:15 time to get off the ship. If you leave later, it's hard to hail Uber. Those pick-ups are to the left as you exit. Cell service is weak plus, the numbber of people trying to get an Uber ride overload the system. Cabs used to be shaky and expensive. No more. They are to the right and if there is a line, it moves fast.
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