I haven't been on a long cruise in a long time. It's a treat to wander in the space of a 10- or 12-day voyage, but like many in the business, I've been on namings, intro cruises, shakedown and prerevenue sailings plenty of times.
The time to actually try all the restaurants and sit at all the bars is what these ships are built for. The deck chair needs to be pulled up. Stuff a suitcase and carry on full of clothes.
There were places I didn't get to on our recent 10-day cruise to Greece and Italy.
Celebrity Cruises'Beyond was a great place for me to get back into the long- cruise format. The new ship has all the bells and whistles of the most modern technology, as well as the latest in thinking about Celebrity's Edge class.
There is a lounge, entertainment space and restaurant in the area. The photo was taken by Rebecca Tobin.
That unmistakable profile is given by the ship's parabolic ultrabow. The experts say that the bow design allows the ship to cut through the water efficiently.
The ship has a female captain. I've never seen a Q&A in the main theater, but it was packed with people getting ready for the show.
It has a large retreat area. Suite guests have unrestricted access to the lounge, pool deck, and concierges.
Each day, I encountered something special about the cruise, so I've broken it down in 10 installments, with an editorial license as to which day was which.
The embarkation process was a lot of fun. As of this writing, some still require a negative test for Covid, even though testing and vaccination rules have changed. For a short time, I couldn't access our cruise documents because of the broken cellphone reception.
After clearing all the hurdles, the relief and excitement of the vacation came down on us, and I boarded the Beyond like a novice cruiser, ready to be amazed by everything. Let the vacation eating begin.
The Magic carpet was lowered to serve as a tender platform. The photo was taken by Rebecca Tobin.
All the best long voyages start with a day at sea, the better to explore the new environment, take a couple of deep breaths of sea air and put the pre vacation life firmly in the past.
The Magic Carpet, the platform that glides up and down the starboard side of all Edge-class ships, was something that caught my attention.
The Beyond's itinerary was popular, with six calls in Greece and one in Italy.
Due to Covid, a lot of cruise passengers couldn't disembark a ship unless they were on an organized tour. I enjoy self- exploration in port cities. The Athens-on-your-own shore excursion offered by Celebrity is a great example of how sometimes you can get the best of both worlds. Since we climbed up the back side of the cliff in the August heat, the Acropolis has taken my breath away.
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There is a mix of yachtie haven and Med/Moroccan design in the Sunset Bar. The photo was taken by Rebecca Tobin.
The lounge, bar, restaurant and entertainment on the deck 4 and 5 are now being used as a multiuse zone, instead of being used for the main dining room. It is wrapped in a verdant garden design with hanging basket chairs, live plants, and plenty of quiet nooks for reading or relaxing.
The Sunset Bar on the top decks is a fusion of yachtie haven and Mediterranean design. The Beyond is perfect for the Covid era because of its outdoor groupings, which include the main pool, the Magic Carpet, and the Rooftop Garden. I was introduced to a cocktail made with olive oil- infused gin at the Sunset Bar.
It might be relevant to discuss Celebrity's inclusive booking option. Any drink on the ship that was less than 15 dollars was free. I don't think it's a good idea to have a bar tab.
There was a scene at the Martini Bar in the Grand Plaza. The photo was taken by Rebecca Tobin.
The days of set dining times are behind us. The service at the four standard restaurants was friendly and the food was good.
Specialty restaurants at The Beyond require reservations. If the picky eaters go to Camp, Daniel Boulud's new French fusion concept will be worth every dollar. The Martini Bar at Le Voyage, a sumptuous restaurant behind a mysterious door off the Grand Plaza, is where the best cocktails are made.
The rooftop garden grill was the one that we missed. The wind cut across our table and the barbecue seemed too heavy for an alfresco meal.
We didn't spend a lot of time at the rooftop garden. It has a beautiful design, but is dominated by a large TV screen, which may distract some people.
The Beyond doesn't have a laundry room. I was mildly concerned about how we were going to get through the cruise without resorting to the laundry service, but then I received a notice in our cabin: The Laundry Challenge. The ship will wash it all for $50 if you put a lot of clothes in the bag.
I was thankful, even though this might seem expensive. Who doesn't want to wash clothes while on vacation? I enjoy challenges. We put our bag to good use.
Do you want to spend an afternoon sitting in the Magic Carpet reading a book or at the Sunset Bar drinking a drink? Do you want to have a relaxed dinner and not have to fight over your food choices? It's the answer to your prayers.
Our kids were excited to go to camp. The younger one was happy during the set hours, which ended at 10p.m. Our older child was able to check herself in and out of the camp when she was 10 years old. I was a little uneasy at first, but I never saw the small group of preteens who snacked at the Lido and hung out inEDEN, so I'm pretty ignorant. There is emphasis on happiness.
Kate was giving a seminar with passengers. The photo was taken by Rebecca Tobin.
There are a lot of onboard activities on days at sea. There was a Q&A session with Captain Kate.
I had never seen a ship captain's onboard celebrity like that before. With her hairless cat, Bug, she has shown the fun side of seafaring. I'm thinking about a career at sea if I could join the bridge team.
On the last sea day there was a large turnout for the officers vs guests volleyball game. The photo was taken by Rebecca Tobin.
Guests sat in the theater for an hour to listen to her talk about how she caught the cruise bug, how she climbed the ranks and joined Celebrity, and her advice to a college graduate.
On a Beyond sea day, officers versus guests volleyball in the Beyond's midship pool can't be missed. The whole ship turned out for the battle. The match was being watched from the jogging track. The captain is Kate.
The cabin is extended into the balcony and a pull-down window brings in the sea air. We were upgraded to a Sky Suite at the last minute, and we were able to share the space with four people.
The retreat access was one of the perks. The upgrade unlocks a significant portion of the forward section of the ship, including the Retreat restaurant and the sun deck, where there was almost always a good chair.
It's easy to break your routine on a 10 day cruise. On our way back from a late call, we did something out of character and went to the pool and watched the sunset.
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