Everything You Need to Know | My Full, Unbiased Review of Celebrity Beyond

If you’re debating whether or not to cruise on Celebrity Beyond, I hope this review helps you decide! For context, this was my first time sailing with Celebrity Cruises. Additionally, I paid for everything myself and have no affiliation with any cruise line, so you can trust this to be completely honest.

And get ready – this review is a long one. Feel free to jump to the sections that are most useful to you.

Why did I choose Celebrity Beyond?

I’ve always had Celebrity Cruises on my radar. Friends, colleagues – even people in the industry – would say things like, “If you love Royal Caribbean, you’ll love Celebrity too!” It was always described as a more elevated, grown-up version of Royal Caribbean. And, when I worked at a travel agency as their graphic designer, I was constantly surrounded by Edge-class brochures. Every time I saw them, I’d think, That looks like a bit of me.

But honestly? I kept finding better deals elsewhere. Other cruise lines offered itineraries and prices that pulled me in first. There was never any real reason why I hadn’t booked with Celebrity yet.

Then, back in January, I started hunting for a cruise for November 2025 – and that’s when I saw a deal on Celebrity Beyond that stopped me in my tracks. A new-to-me cruise line, an Edge-class ship, completely new ports of call, and a price that stacked up well against MSC Cruises and Royal Caribbean. It finally felt like the stars were aligning.

My package onboard Celebrity Beyond

Our Inside Cabin

I booked an Inside cabin for two people on Celebrity Beyond. We went with an inside guarantee purely for budgeting reasons… We actually have four cruises booked for 2026, and we’re paying for them all – so, y’know, budget cuts!

This was our first inside cabin in six years, and my gosh, I forgot how small they are!

Drinks and Wi-Fi

After making the mistake of not purchasing a drinks package on Oasis of the Seas, I went for the All Included package this time, which comes with the Classic Drinks Package and standard Wi-Fi. But after discovering that espresso martinis aren’t included in the Classic (they’re $19 and the CDP only covers up to $13), I decided to upgrade. I’ll chat later about everything I drank on board!

As always, I’ll also be writing a separate blog with a full price breakdown – how much the cruise cost, what I paid for add-ons, and what I ended up spending overall.

Related category: How much I paid for past cruises

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A post shared by Owen • Travel & Cruise Content Creator 🤠 (@owenplaces)

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A post shared by Owen • Travel & Cruise Content Creator 🤠 (@owenplaces)

The embarkation process

As I’d completed all the pre-checks on the Celebrity Cruises app, I was issued an Xpress Pass, which meant I could embark at 11:00am. I arrived at PortMiami and was through security in about 20 minutes. Because I was one of the first passengers to show up, I did have to sit in the waiting area for another 20 minutes – but even with that, I was on board before 11:30am.

If I’m being honest, the embarkation itself felt a little lacklustre. And from the YouTube videos I’d watched beforehand, it seems like other cruisers feel the same. There’s no celebratory vibe, no cheerful welcome from the crew as you step onboard, and no first-day-of-the-cruise buzz. You enter through a side corridor that feels a bit underwhelming.

In comparison, Oasis of the Seas you’re lead into the huge promenade and it feels so grandeur.

My first impressions of the Celebrity Beyond

• The ship is very luxurious and modern.
• There’s a similar taste level to the Norwegian Viva in terms of decor.
• She is so small.
• You can definitely feel her sway.
• The grand plaza is beautiful, but tiny.
• The bars and restaurants all feel tucked away.

The sail away from Miami

The sail away from Miami was quite calm and relaxing. If you’re expecting the full-on energy of Virgin Voyages or Carnival, you might be a little disappointed. But if you love the idea of sipping a glass of champagne and watching the ocean ripples as you drift out to sea, then you’ll be perfectly content.

Personally, I thought the vibe was lovely – though I do wish they’d made a slightly bigger deal of it. I was up on Deck 14 watching the other cruise ships in the distance, with a direct view of the Resort Deck where the pool and dance floor are. There was a small dance party happening, mostly line dancing, but it would’ve been fun to see something a bit livelier. Even just a handful of confetti! That said, I’m fully aware that Celebrity’s crowd is very different from Virgin Voyages.

Either way, I really enjoyed it. And honestly, sailing out of Miami is always absolutely beautiful.

My 7 Night Celebrity Beyond Itinerary

The Celebrity Beyond was sailing from Miami for a 7 night cruise, and this was our itinerary.

1. Miami, Florida
2. Day at Sea
3. Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic
4. Charlotte Amalie, St Thomas, USVI
5. Bassettere, Saint Kitts and Nevis
6. Day at Sea
7. Day at Sea
8. Miami, Florida

I absolutely loved that this itinerary had three days at sea, which might be an unpopular opinion, but sometimes when your itinerary is jam packed, there’s very little time to rest. And with beautiful Caribbean weather, spending a day lounging around can be exactly perfect.

This was my first time visiting all those ports, and they were all fine.

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What we did in port

Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic

We went for a short walk around Puerto Plata visiting the iconic umbrella street and pink street, then we did the iconic lazy river, which I’ve heard is a total must. And then spent spent the rest of the afternoon lounging on the ship.

Charlotte Amalie, St Thomas, US Virgin Islands

When we arrived in St Thomas, we arrived with a plan: get a taxi to the Mountain Top and try the world famous Banana Daiquiri. We were told by locals that you can’t get a taxi to the top, it’s only through one of their tours… Sure, of course… Anyways, we weren’t bothered as the price still seemed reasonable, So we hopped onto the open air bus and away we went. It was a great day, and the other passengers were a great vibe to have! And of course, we managed to get our banana daiquiri.

Basseterre, St Kitts and Nevis

For our last port day, we visited Bassetere. And let me tell you, it was hot! The port itself was full of colour, and full of the typical Caribbean shops… Effy, souvenir shops, Hard Rock cafe. We were going to do another island tour, but the weather just felt too hot. We grabbed an iced coffee from a local shop, mooched about, and then headed for a lazy day.

In my opinion, I did exactly what I came to do in these ports. Relax, take it easy, and not do too much.

Everything you need to know about Celebrity Beyond

The decor

The ship is really beautiful – classy and elegant, but understated. The interior design of Celebrity Beyond is modern, yet still sophisticated. It has a sense of grandeur without the in-your-face razzle-dazzle. In my opinion, it’s quiet luxury at its finest.

I mentioned this earlier, and I’ll say it again: the interior reminded me a bit of Norwegian Viva. Not in a copycat way, but both have that understated, luxury feel. I’d say Celebrity Beyond leans a bit moodier – think dark brown chairs instead of the natural wood tones you might see on Viva.

The size and layout of Celebrity Beyond

Celebrity Beyond feels like a small ship – at least to me (maybe not if you’re used to Silversea!). You can easily walk from starboard to port, and you can even feel her gentle sway.

There are 16 decks (no deck 13), and Deck 14 is where all the outdoor action happens — the main pool, Magic Carpet, walking track, and Oceanview Cafe. At the aft on Deck 15, you’ll find two of my favourite spots: the Rooftop Garden and Sunset Bar. There are two plunge pools, a space for pickleball, and plenty of seating for all weather conditions.

The Grand Plaza is the heart of the ship, centred around the Martini Bar. Even when most passengers are hanging out here in the evening, it never feels overcrowded.

Shopping options? Plenty. You’ll find the usual cruise ship stores – Effy, Cartier, and the overpriced snack shops. Fancy a Fabergé egg? They’ve got them.

The ship never feels too busy. On a sea day, poolside lounges fill up fast, but the buffet never feels crowded, and you’ll rarely wait more than a couple of minutes for a waiter.

Things you won’t see onboard Celebrity Beyond

Celebrity Beyond caters to an older crowd than her sister company, Royal Caribbean, so you won’t find too many kids on board. There were a handful on our sailing, but not enough to disturb the peace.

You won’t find water slides, rollercoasters, or bumper cars here.

And if you’re looking for a big party vibe, this isn’t the ship for it. On our Caribbean sailing, the closest thing they had was a ‘Poolest Day Ever’ – that was their moment of going a bit wild.

My favourite spaces onboard Celebrity Beyond

Firstly, let me say, the entire ship is stunning! But these were some of my absolute favourites and where I spent the majority of my time!

Café Al Bacio

Café Al Bacio is a casual eatery and coffee spot that I visited multiple times a day. On a morning, it’s where I grabbed my iced coffee. On an evening, I grabbed a wide selection of coffee-based alcoholic drinks. It’s open for the entire day, and at different times there’s cakes, sandwiches, and little bites for you to enjoy.

It’s almost impossible to not visit Café Al Bacio at least once.

Eden

Potentially my favourite space on the entire ship. During the day it feels calm and laid-back, a peaceful spot that serves breakfast and lunch on sea days. At night it completely changes character, becoming a warm, woodsy venue with live entertainment that can be anything from acoustic sets to acrobatics.

There’s a few side spaces that are attached to Eden: an outside smoking area, Eden cafe, Eden restaurant (speciality), and then a few little side nooks to enjoy.

Sunset Bar

If you want the most golden sunsets at sea, head to the Sunset Bar — and yep, that’s exactly where the name comes from. Seriously, it’s incredible!

Even though it looks small, there’s plenty of seating, so you’ll always find a spot. Bonus: there’s a sneaky little entrance into Oceanview Cafe right from the bar!

Rooftop Garden

This is a fabulous space with lots of seating and shade, and it’s really transformative from both day to night. If you’re wanting to seek a space away from the main pool, then you’ll love this space!

Oceanview Cafe

I never thought I’d say this, but the Oceanview Cafe was another favourite spot of mine. Unlike both Oasis of the Seas and Costa Smeralda, where the buffet was a total disaster, this one was so spacious, chilled, and actually felt fit for purpose. I’ll cover more about this in my food section, but honestly I was really impressed.

The Solarium

I absolutely loved using the solarium onboard Celebrity Beyond. It was especially relaxing when the sun was at it’s peak and being outdoors became a little bit unbearable. Plus, I got to meet my favourite waiter, Shihan, in the solarium!

My least favourite spots onboard Celebrity Beyond

There’s no bad spots on Celebrity Beyond. If you’re looking for a quiet little nook somewhere, you’ll find it. If you’re looking to be part of the action, you’ll find that too.

But, if I honestly had to think of some things, it would be one:

The walkway leading to Eden

Once you leave the glitzy mirrored hallway, you enter Eden through an underwhelming entrance. There’s a staircase leading down to the restaurants, Blu, and a tiny luxury chocolate stand. Honestly, this whole area feels a bit wasted. The chocolate bar is closed most of the time, and the vibe is just… lacklustre — especially when you’re heading up towards Eden.

In my opinion, this space could’ve been used better. More seating areas or even an open-concept library would have made a big difference.

What was the service like onboard Celebrity Beyond?

Service on Celebrity Beyond was spectacular. I often notice bad service more than good, but here, everything was consistently excellent.

A special shout-out goes to the teams in the Main Dining Room, Sunset Bar, Cafe al Bacio, and the Solarium – especially my absolute favourite, Shihan!

Waiters and bar staff were attentive, knowledgeable, and genuinely passionate. Even if you were the classic “what do you recommend?” customer, they had suggestions ready and made everything feel personal.

Let me tell you about the entertainment onboard Celebrity Beyond:

It was fine! If you’re expecting Broadway-level productions like on Royal Caribbean, you might be a little disappointed – but it’s still fairly decent.

They had the usual shows, including Love and Marriage, karaoke, and a silent disco, so you won’t get bored. I, unfortunately, was asleep far too early to catch most of it… Jetlag.

I did manage to see one show, Arte. Honestly, it wasn’t my favourite. The concept was about art coming to life, but it felt like they retrofitted it around some pop tunes. I think it could have been a bit stronger.

What was the vibe like onboard Celebrity Beyond?

Pretty chill! It’s nothing like Royal Caribbean or Virgin Voyages – I’d say it’s closer to NCL: relaxed and quiet, but there’s always a spot to dance if you want.

The ship really comes alive during events like Poolest Day Ever and the Shine the Night party, but aside from those, most people keep to themselves.

My review of the food onboard

I always mention in my reviews that I’m not really a person that appreciates fine dining and good food is probably wasted on me. I used to be a vegetarian, but now I’m open to all foods.

Main Dining Rooms & Speciality Venues

We dined in the Main Dining Room every evening and made sure to try all four venues: Cosmopolitan, Normandie, Cyprus, and Tuscan. All were absolutely superb, though Cyprus was probably my favourite.

With four main dining options, we didn’t feel the need for any speciality dining packages. Honestly, none of them had that wow factor – but that’s not really a criticism. On Norwegian Viva, having two speciality dining venues made choosing exciting, but on Celebrity Beyond, we were genuinely happy to dine in the main venues every night. No FOMO here!

One thing to note: the dining rooms are quite dark. Some guests were even using their phone torches to read the menus, which made taking photos a challenge.

Of course, on a cruise you eat about 6 meals a day, so the following are some of my favourite eateries outside the Main Dining Rooms:

Oceanview Cafe

“Oceanview Cafe was probably the most luxurious and spacious buffet I’ve experienced. Unlike Costa Smeralda, where finding a seat felt impossible, there was always plenty of room here – even on sea days!

The food was incredibly diverse: Latin dishes, vegan options, carvery cuts, and even a full Caribbean selection when we were in St. Kitts.

We visited Oceanview Cafe a few times for lunch and even as a late-night post-dinner spot.

P.S. Don’t miss the pizza bar tucked just behind Oceanview Cafe – the pizza is amazing!

Eden Cafe

We first visited Eden Cafe for lunch on our first sea day, and it was incredible. It’s a more curated, smaller selection compared to Oceanview Cafe – think quinoa salads, paninis, bearclaws, and fresh fruit.

We ended up visiting every morning for breakfast because we enjoyed it so much. I’d grab a coffee and a fruit bowl, and it was just enough to start the day.

There’s also a small outdoor section where you can enjoy your food with a sea view. It’s pretty hidden, so not many people seem to know about it!

The Mast Grill

Since both my partner and I are now meat eaters, we were excited to try a proper American hot dog and cheeseburger — and they did not disappoint. Seriously tasty!

If you’re a fan of fine cuts of meat, you might turn your nose up, but in our opinion, the food was absolutely incredible.

Cruising keto? Just order it without the bun!

Cafe al Bacio

Like I said earlier, we visited Cafe al Bacio almost every single day for our morning and evening pick-me-up. The bites here are gorgeous too! We’re talking: slices of cakes, tiny sandwiches, little croissants, and so much more. If you’re into your afternoon teas, you could do a complete DIY with all their offerings!

Scoops

No food review is complete without dessert! Scoops, the ice cream bar just off Oceanview Cafe, is perfect for a sweet treat – and it’s completely free.

Flavours change daily, so there’s always a reason to go back. My favourite? An espresso (or espresso martini) with a scoop of vanilla – hello, DIY Affogato!

Let’s talk drinks package

As part of my original cruise deal, I had the Classic Drinks Package, which covers any drink up to $13. A few days before sailing, I spotted espresso martinis at Cafe al Bacio priced at $19. You know how much I love an espresso martini, right? Well, planning to have at least two per day made splurging on the Premium Drinks Package a no-brainer.

I’d definitely say I got my money’s worth – but I’ll cover all the details in my cost breakdown blog post.

My 5 favourite drinks onboard Celebrity Beyond

1. Iced Lavender Haze from Cafe al Bacio
2. Miami Vice from Pool Deck Bar
3. Wairau River Sauvignon Blanc from any Main Dining Room
4. Salted Caramel Martini from Cafe al Bacio
5. Frosé from Pool Deck

You can tell I loved Cafe al Bacio can’t you? But seriously. Every drink I had was really good!

Questions you may be wondering:

Who I think will love Celebrity Beyond:

If you’re looking for a relaxing vibe where you can lounge without feeling you would have FOMO

Who I think may not love Celebrity Beyond:

If you’re an extrovert looking for a non-stop party vibe you may be better suited for Carnival or Virgin Voyages. Equally, if you’re travelling with children, you may prefer Royal Caribbean or NCL – cruise lines that have water slides and more outdoor activities.

Would I sail onboard Celebrity Beyond again?

Yes! I had an absolutely amazing time onboard Celebrity Beyond, and I would love to travel on her again, as well as her edge-class sisters. However, like every cruise I go on, I would want to try something completely different before rebooking. Unless the price was unbeatable.

Celebrity Beyond Review Overview

Thank you for reading my Celebrity Beyond review. If you’d like to know anything else, please reach out to me over on Instagram, Threads, or Facebook.

More reviews you may like:

Oasis of the Seas Review

I cruised Oasis of the Seas in September 2024, sailing from Barcelona and visiting ports in Spain and Italy. Read my full review here of the itinerary, and my full ship review here.

Costa Smeralda Review

If you’re looking to try Costa Smeralda, I highly encourage you to read my review before booking. I sailed from Dubai and visited ports in the UAE, Qatar, and Oman. Additionally, if you’re looking for information about the drinks package onboard Costa Smeralda, you can find that here.

Norwegian Viva Review

Back in May 2024, I cruised onboard the Norwegian Viva visiting ports across the Greek Isles. It was an amazing trip, and if you like the look of Celebrity Beyond, you’ll love Norwegian Viva. You can read my review here.