Gymnastics star Simone Biles christens Celebrity Cruises' new flagship Celebrity Beyond

   November 7, 2022 ,   Cruise Industry

7-time Olympic medalist Simone Biles welcomed Celebrity Cruisesnewest ship last week in Port Everglades/Fort Lauderdale (Florida USA).

The Godmother of Celebrity Beyond led the official christening ceremony ahead of the vessel’s inaugural Caribbean season based on rotating Western and Eastern Caribbean itineraries.

The new liner came to Port Everglades following the inaugural season in Europe/Mediterranean. 

The ship's Master (Captain Kate McCue) is the first and currently only woman mastering a mega-liner.

Celebrity Beyond cruise ship

Celebrity Beyond is the 3rd in a series of 5 EDGE-class sisterships - Celebrity Edge (2018), Celebrity Apex (2021), Celebrity Ascent (2023) and TBN2 (2025). In comparison to Apex and Edge, Beyond is longer (20 m / 66 ft), taller (1 deck), with a bigger capacity (179 more staterooms), and ~12% larger (GT 140600 tons). Celebrity Beyond also features significant design changes, with new venues and expanded public spaces.

New venues and spaces on Celebrity Beyond include "Le Voyage by Daniel Boulud" (50-seat specialty restaurant by Daniel Boulud/celebrity chef and restaurant chain owner), redesigned Luminae (Suite-only restaurant designed by Kelly Elaine Hoppen/ South Africa-born British interior designer), redesigned Pool Deck, expanded Rooftop Garden (with larger shaded seating areas, 2x infinity pools, bigger Rooftop Grill Bar), twice-larger Sunset Bar, larger Retreat (Suite-only bar lounge).