Edge-class cruise ship

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 is one active Edge-class ship: the lead vessel of the class, Celebrity Edge. Celebrity Apex was scheduled to begin operations in April 2020, but entry into service is delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A third ship, Celebrity Beyond, is currently under construction, scheduled for a debut in fall 2021.

Celebrity Edge, the lead vessel of the Edge class
Class overview
Builders: Chantiers de l'Atlantique (France)
Operators: Celebrity Cruises
Preceded by: Solstice class
Planned: 5
Building: 2
Completed: 1
Active: 1
General characteristics
Type: Cruise ship
Tonnage:
Length:
  • 306 m (1,003 ft 11 in)[1]
  • 327 m (1,073 ft)[2]
Beam: 39 m (127 ft 11 in)[1]
Draught: 8.4 m (27 ft 7 in)[1]
Installed power:
Propulsion:
Capacity:
  • 2,918 in 1,467 staterooms[3]
  • 1,650 staterooms[2]

Both Celebrity Edge and Celebrity Apex are built with a gross tonnage (GT) of 130,818. Future new builds are slated to have a hull expanded by 20 metres (66 ft), bringing the length of the ship to 327 metres (1,072 ft 10 in), and an increased gross tonnage to 140,600 GT.[2] Ships in this class are reported to cost US$1 billion each.[4]

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.[5] In June 2015, the letter was converted into a formal order for the first two ships.[6]

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.[7] These two vessels comprise the third and fourth in the class, scheduled for delivery in fall 2021 and 2022, respectively.[7]

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.[8]

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.[9] On the same day, the lead vessel's name was announced as Celebrity Edge.[10] She was delivered on 31 October 2018.[11]

Celebrity initially named the second vessel of the Edge class as Celebrity Beyond,[9] but she was renamed Celebrity Apex on the day of her steel-cutting on 23 July 2018.[12] She was delivered on 27 March 2020.[13]

Celebrity celebrated the steel-cutting of the third ship, named Celebrity Beyond, on 28 January 2020.[14] She is the first of three vessels in the class to evolve in design and expand in gross tonnage.[2] She is scheduled to enter into service in fall 2021.[2]

Ships
NameStatusEntered service for CelebrityGross tonnageFlagNotesImage
Celebrity EdgeIn service25 November 2018[3]130,818 Malta
Celebrity ApexDeliveredSpring 2020 (planned)[13]130,818 Malta
Celebrity BeyondUnder construction2022 (planned)[15]
originally plannes for Fall 2021		140,600TBASteel cut on 28 January 2020[2]
Hull lengthened to 327 m (1,073 ft)[2]
Gross tonnage expanded to 140,600 GT[2]
TBAOrdered2022 (planned)140,600TBA[2]
TBAOrderedFall 2024 (planned)140,600TBA[2]

References
  1. "Celebrity Edge (34827)". DNV GL Vessel Register. Det Norske Veritas. Retrieved 2018-11-02.
  2. Groizeleau, Vincent (2020-01-29). "Saint-Nazaire : la construction du premier Edge Jumbo a débuté". Mer et Marine (in French).
  3. Monk, Dave (13 September 2018). "Celebrity Edge: What to expect on the $1bn cruise ship". The Telegraph. Retrieved 11 December 2018.
  4. Street, Francesca (2018-11-27). "Celebrity Edge: 'Futuristic' cruise ship completes maiden voyage". CNN.
  5. Staff, C. I. N. (2014-12-04). "Celebrity Cruises Orders Two New Ships". www.cruiseindustrynews.com.
  6. "Celebrity Cruises : Commande de deux navires à STX France confirmée". 2015-06-05. Retrieved 2017-07-05.
  7. "Royal Caribbean Orders Three New Ships". Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. 2016-05-25.
  8. "A new order for Chantiers de l'Atlantique". 2019-04-11. Retrieved 2019-05-17.
  9. "Celebrity Cruises Cuts Steel, Announces Names for First Edge-Class Ships". www.cruisecritic.com.
  10. Pickford, Mary Ann (2016-11-22). "Celebrity reveals names of new Edge Class ships". Cruise International.
  11. Staff, C. I. N. (2018-10-31). "Celebrity Edge Delivered". www.cruiseindustrynews.com.
  12. Sloan, Gene (2018-07-25). "Construction begins on new Celebrity Cruises ship Celebrity Apex". USA Today.
  13. "Celebrity Takes Virtual Delivery of Celebrity Apex". Cruise Industry News. 2020-03-27. Retrieved 2020-03-27.
  14. "Celebrity Cuts Steel and Names New Ship Celebrity Beyond". Cruise Industry News. 2020-01-29.
  15. https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/23355-royal-caribbean-newbuilds-will-be-delayed.html
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