Edge-class cruise ship
{{Short description|Class of cruise ship}}
| {{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image | Ship image = Celebrity Edge - Sept 2018 (cropped).jpg | Ship caption = The lead ship, Celebrity Edge, at Saint Nazaire, France }} {{Infobox ship class overview | Builders = Chantiers de l'Atlantique (France) | Operators = Celebrity Cruises | Class before = {{sclass|Solstice|cruise ship|4}} | Class after = | Subclasses = | In service = | Total ships building = 2 | Total ships planned = 6 | Total ships completed = 4 | Total ships cancelled = | Total ships active = 4 | Total ships laid up = | Total ships lost = | Total ships retired = | Total ships preserved = }} {{Infobox ship characteristics | Hide header = | Header caption = | Ship type = Cruise ship| | Ship tonnage = *{{GT|130818}}{{DNV|id=34827|shipname=Celebrity Edge|access-date=2018-11-02}} | Ship length = *{{cvt|306|m|ftin}} | Ship beam = {{cvt|39|m|ftin}} | Ship height = | Ship draught = {{cvt|8.4|m|ftin}} | Ship depth = | Ship decks = | Ship power = *2 × Wärtsilä 8L46F (6 × 9.6MW) | Ship propulsion = *2 × ABB Azipod
| Ship speed = | Ship capacity = *2,918 in 1,467 staterooms{{cite news |last1=Monk |first1=Dave |title=Celebrity Edge: What to expect on the $1bn cruise ship |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/cruises/articles/celebrity-edge-what-to-expect/ |accessdate=11 December 2018 |publisher=The Telegraph |date=13 September 2018}} }} |
The Edge class is a class of cruise ships operated by Celebrity Cruises, a subsidiary of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. The class is constructed by Chantiers de l'Atlantique of France. At present, there are four active Edge-class ships: the lead vessel of the class {{ship||Celebrity Edge}}, {{ship||Celebrity Apex}}, {{ship||Celebrity Beyond}}, and {{ship||Celebrity Ascent}}. Celebrity Apex was scheduled to begin operations in April 2020, but entry into service was delayed until June 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Celebrity Ascent is the newest ship to debut and welcomed its first guests in November 2023.{{cite web|url=https://cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/2023/11/new-celebrity-ascent-welcomes-first-guests-in-fort-lauderdale|title=New Celebrity Ascent Welcomes First Guests in Fort Lauderdale|date=2023-11-23}} A fifth ship, Celebrity Xcel is currently under construction {{cite web|url=https://blog.swblack.com.au/celebrity-xcel|title=Exploring the Celebrity Xcel|date=2024-07-19}} and a sixth, yet unnamed, ship will enter service in 2028.{{Cite web |date=2025-01-23 |title=New Edge-class ship ordered for Celebrity Cruises – what we know so far |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/celebrity-cruises-new-edge-class-ship-b2684135.html |access-date=2025-01-23 |website=The Independent |language=en}}
Both Celebrity Edge and Celebrity Apex were built with a gross tonnage (GT) of 130,818. Subsequent new builds have a hull extended by {{Convert|20|m|ft}}, bringing the length of the ship to {{Convert|327|m|ftin}}, and an increased gross tonnage to 140,600 GT.{{Cite web|url=https://www.meretmarine.com/fr/content/saint-nazaire-la-construction-du-premier-edge-jumbo-debute|title=Saint-Nazaire : la construction du premier Edge Jumbo a débuté|last=Groizeleau|first=Vincent|date=2020-01-29|website=Mer et Marine|language=fr}} Ships in this class are reported to cost US$1 billion each.{{cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/celebrity-edge-cruise-ship/index.html|title=Celebrity Edge: 'Futuristic' cruise ship completes maiden voyage|last=Street|first=Francesca|date=2018-11-27|website=CNN}}
History
= Orders =
On 4 December 2014, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. announced that it had signed a letter of intent with STX France for two new ships that would compose a new class of vessels for the Celebrity Cruises fleet.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/11946-celebrity-cruises-orders-two-new-ships.html|title=Celebrity Cruises Orders Two New Ships|last=Staff|first=C. I. N.|date=2014-12-04|website=www.cruiseindustrynews.com|language=en-gb}} In June 2015, the letter was converted into a formal order for the first two ships.{{cite web|url=https://www.meretmarine.com/fr/content/celebrity-cruises-commande-de-deux-navires-stx-france-confirmee|title=Celebrity Cruises : Commande de deux navires à STX France confirmée|date=2015-06-05|accessdate=2017-07-05}}
On 25 May 2016, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. announced that it had signed a memorandum of understanding with STX France for two additional ships for the Edge class.{{Cite news|url=https://www.rclcorporate.com/royal-caribbean-orders-three-new-ships/|title=Royal Caribbean Orders Three New Ships|date=2016-05-25|work=Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.}} These two vessels comprise the third and fourth in the class, originally scheduled for delivery in fall 2021 and 2022, respectively.
On 11 April 2019, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. ordered a fifth Edge-class ship with Chantiers de l'Atlantique, with delivery scheduled for fall 2024,{{Cite web|url=http://chantiers-atlantique.com/en/a-new-order-for-chantiers-de-latlantique/|title=A new order for Chantiers de l'Atlantique|date=2019-04-11|accessdate=2019-05-17}} since revised to 2025.{{Cite web|url=https://cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/2023/11/celebrity-xcel-named-as-next-ship-for-celebrity-cruises/|title=
Celebrity Xcel Named As Next Ship For Celebrity Cruises|date=2023-11-07|website=Cruise Industry News}}
On 21 January 2025, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. added a sixth Edge-class ship order, having previously announced that the fifth would be the last. This additional ship is due for delivery in 2028.{{Cite web |title=Celebrity Orders Cruise Ship for 2028 Delivery - Cruise Industry News {{!}} Cruise News |url=https://cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/2025/01/celebrity-new-cruise-ship-2028/ |access-date=2025-01-23 |website=cruiseindustrynews.com/ |language=en-US}}
= Construction =
Celebrity Cruises marked the beginning of construction for the first Edge-class vessel with the steel-cutting ceremony on 21 November 2016 at the STX France shipyard.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=7357|title=Celebrity Cruises Cuts Steel, Announces Names for First Edge-Class Ships|website=www.cruisecritic.com|language=en-us}} On the same day, the lead vessel's name was announced as Celebrity Edge.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cruise-international.com/celebrity-reveals-names-of-new-edge-class-ships/|title=Celebrity reveals names of new Edge Class ships|last=Pickford|first=Mary Ann|date=2016-11-22|website=Cruise International|language=en-US|access-date=2020-02-06|archive-date=2019-11-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191102072723/https://www.cruise-international.com/celebrity-reveals-names-of-new-edge-class-ships/|url-status=dead}} She was delivered on 31 October 2018.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/19882-celebrity-edge-delivered.html|title=Celebrity Edge Delivered|last=Staff|first=C. I. N.|date=2018-10-31|website=www.cruiseindustrynews.com|language=en-gb}}
Celebrity initially named the second vessel of the Edge class as Celebrity Beyond, but she was renamed Celebrity Apex on the day of her steel-cutting on 23 July 2018.{{cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/cruises/2018/07/25/celebrity-cruises-ship-celebrity-apex-construction-begins/832075002/|title=Construction begins on new Celebrity Cruises ship Celebrity Apex|last=Sloan|first=Gene|date=2018-07-25|work=USA Today}} She was delivered on 27 March 2020.{{Cite news|url=https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/22684-celebrity-takes-virtual-delivery-of-celebrity-apex.html|title=Celebrity Takes Virtual Delivery of Celebrity Apex|date=2020-03-27|work=Cruise Industry News|access-date=2020-03-27}}
Celebrity celebrated the steel-cutting of the third ship, named Celebrity Beyond, on 28 January 2020.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/22345-celebrity-cuts-steel-and-names-new-ship-celebrity-beyond.html|title=Celebrity Cuts Steel and Names New Ship Celebrity Beyond|date=2020-01-29|website=Cruise Industry News}} She is the first of three vessels in the class to evolve in design and expand in gross tonnage. She entered into service on 27 April 2022 with a sailing from Southampton, United Kingdom. Celebrity Beyond has been under the command of Captain Kate McCue, the first American Female to take command of a vessel, since her construction.
The steel cutting for Celebrity's fourth Edge-class vessel, Celebrity Ascent, occurred on 17 November 2021.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/26257-steel-cut-for-new-2023-celebrity-newbuild-celebrity-ascent.html|title=Steel Cut for New 2023 Celebrity Newbuild, Celebrity Ascent |date=17 November 2021 }} The ship entered service with Celebrity on 22 November 2023 on a "preview" sailing out of Port Everglades, Florida.
Ships
References
https://www.meretmarine.com/fr/construction-navale/les-chantiers-de-l-atlantique-vont-mettre-a-l-eau-le-dernier-paquebot-de
https://assets.meretmarine.com/s3fs-public/styles/large_xl/public/images/2023-01/1c.jpg?h=d40dd50c&itok=vfoVR2S2
Le Celebrity Ascent dans la forme B des Chantiers de l'Atlantique le 27 décembre:
(5 pics)
https://assets.meretmarine.com/s3fs-public/styles/medium_lg/public/images/2023-01/1i.jpg?itok=-6EiHCNO
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https://assets.meretmarine.com/s3fs-public/styles/medium_lg/public/images/2023-01/1f.jpg?itok=dhCZbAlZ
https://assets.meretmarine.com/s3fs-public/styles/medium_lg/public/images/2023-01/1j.jpg?itok=ZuDI-O26
Le Celebrity Ascent aux Chantiers de l'Atlantique le 27 décembre.
(3 pics)
https://assets.meretmarine.com/s3fs-public/styles/medium_lg/public/images/2023-01/1l.jpg?itok=r61LNFK5
https://assets.meretmarine.com/s3fs-public/styles/medium_lg/public/images/2023-01/1n.jpg?itok=O4VtkfwO
https://assets.meretmarine.com/s3fs-public/styles/medium_lg/public/images/2023-01/1o.jpg?itok=LlUiORic
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{{Celebrity Ships}}