Pros And Cons Of A Celebrity Edge Cruise To Alaska

Alaska is a destination that tops many travelers’ bucket lists. Its beauty is awe-inspiring. One way to explore the Last Frontier is by taking a cruise. In 2024, the Celebrity Edge made its Alaska cruise debut, inviting guests to enjoy its modern amenities.

We compare the pros and cons of the Celebrity Edge for Alaska in this article based on our recent experience. This review lets you decide if it is the right choice for you.

First, let’s look at the pros of taking the Edge to Alaska. As a larger vessel, the Edge offered plenty of amenities and activities to entertain us at sea. We also liked the selection of dining venues.

Overview Of Celebrity Edge

The Celebrity Edge is the first of Celebrity Cruises’ Edge Class fleet. It was designed to provide a unique and modern cruising experience, focusing on innovation and luxury.

One of the most notable features of this Edge-class vessel is the Magic Carpet. This movable platform can be raised and lowered to different levels of the ship. Depending on the time of day, it transforms into a restaurant, a bar, or a lounge.

This feature provides a unique experience for guests, allowing them to enjoy drinks and dining while taking in stunning ocean views.

The ship also features several other innovative amenities. One of them is Eden, a multi-level space that serves as a lounge, restaurant, and performance venue.

We thought Eden was a beautiful space with its living wall, a library, and a bar. Its window seats offer stunning aft views. The darkened hallway to reach it was unusual and quite mystical.

Regarding accommodation, the ship offers a range of staterooms and suites, including the Infinite Veranda, a new type of balcony that provides guests with more space and flexibility. More on that below.

The ship also boasts several opulent suites, including the Iconic Suites, which offer breathtaking views and a range of exclusive amenities. Their Edge Villa suites span two decks and include a private hot tub.

Pros Of Taking An Alaska Celebrity Edge Cruise

When Celebrity announced the Edge would offer Alaska sailings, we couldn’t wait to jump at the chance to try her. Celebrity is a great cruise line for Alaska for those seeking a more adult experience with fewer children.

As a big fan of the Celebrity brand, we wondered if an Edge-class vessel was suited to a cold itinerary instead of the Caribbean and Mediterranean.

Here are some of the pros of sailing on this innovative ship:

Innovative Ship Design

The Edge is a game-changer in ship design. Its unique outward-facing design allows for incredible views of Alaska’s stunning scenery.

We particularly liked the walking and jogging track, which had different levels and was designed in a figure eight rather than the standard oval shape.

We also liked Eden; a garden-inspired multi-level venue that made us forget we were on a cruise ship.

Although the ship is six years old now, she still looks relatively new, and we loved that so much thought went into the stateroom design.

Alaska Presentations With Celia Garland

On their Alaska itineraries, many cruise lines include naturalists and presentation speakers, but none are as engaging as Celia Garland.

An expert on Alaska’s history and wildlife, Celia provided fascinating presentations during our cruise. Her captivating talks provided insight into Alaska’s marine life, making our trip even more memorable. Her talks included:

• Epic Alaska
• Whales of Alaska
• Bears of Black and Brown
• Sea Otters, Seals and Sea Lions
• Bald Eagles

If you miss a presentation, don’t worry. The talks are recorded and available to watch on your stateroom TV.

Luxurious Accommodations

This vessel offers luxurious accommodations designed to make you feel right at home. The staterooms are large, with insides starting at 200 sq. feet.

The cabins are well designed, with lots of USB ports and plugs, desks that multi-purpose as vanities, and stools that convert to tables. The bathrooms are gorgeous, with larger showers and curved glass doors.

The touch-screen wall controls made it simple to control the room’s temperature, open the window, or change the lighting to suit our mood. When selecting a stateroom on Celebrity Edge, there are several options.

Suite-class accommodations offer a range of amenities and perks for those seeking a more luxurious experience. These include access to a private restaurant, lounge, sundeck, a personal butler, and the Retreat Pool.

While suite-class accommodations come with a higher cruise fare, they offer a level of comfort and convenience that may be worth the investment for some travelers.

The Iconic Suites have two bedrooms and are very spacious, at almost 1,900 sq. feet. They can accommodate up to six guests. Two-level Edge Villas span decks 15 and 16, steps away from the Retreat Pool.

Solo travelers will appreciate the single stateroom options, which offer all the amenities of a standard stateroom in a smaller, more affordable package. These 16 staterooms on deck 6 are perfect for those looking to cruise to Alaska in a solo cabin without paying a single supplement.

Celebrity Edge offers a range of accessibility features to make cruising more comfortable and convenient for all travelers. These include wheelchair-accessible staterooms, visual and audible alarms, and closed-captioned televisions.

Exquisite Dining Options

The ship has a wide range of dining choices to delight even the most discerning palate, including specialty restaurants. Instead of one main dining room, the Edge has four. Choose from:

• Normandie, which offers French classics.
• Cyprus, with a Mediterranean menu.
• Cosmopolitan has a globally inspired cuisine.
• Tuscan offers French favorites.

The main dining venues are the heart of the ship’s culinary experience. Each restaurant has three unique starters and three entrees, while the rest of the menu is shared across all four venues.

Guests can choose anytime and dine in the restaurant of their choice each evening or go for a set time and place. Since I have food allergies, I dined in Cyprus each night but could order from one of the other venues.

If you’re looking for a quick bite or a more casual dining option, there are plenty of choices. The Oceanview Cafe is the ship’s buffet-style restaurant. We loved the décor and two-story windows which invite the outside in.

The buffet offered afternoon snacks including fresh scones with jam and cream. It also had a late-night buffet from 10 pm to 1 am, with extensive food offerings.

We particularly liked the Eden Café with its healthier choices of salads and sandwiches. Cafe al Bacio, another popular choice, is a great spot for a midday pick-me-up.

For those who prefer to dine in the comfort of their own stateroom, room service is available 24 hours. The menu is limited, but there are still plenty of options to choose from.

The Edge also has a variety of bars and lounges, including the Martini Bar, which is perfect for a pre-dinner drink.

Environmental Sustainability

Celebrity is committed to environmental sustainability, making it an excellent choice for eco-conscious travelers. The ship uses advanced technology to reduce its environmental impact, including a state-of-the-art wastewater treatment system and energy-efficient lighting.

Guests can further reduce their environmental impact by opting to have their cabins cleaned once a day. This creates less laundry, and we were rewarded with an extra day of cruise credits towards their loyalty program.

Indoor Pool

When planning a cruise to Alaska, it’s best to choose a ship with an indoor pool. While the Edge’s Solarium Pool is adults only, it featured a children’s session from 5 to 7 pm daily.The Solarium had one large hot tub, a welcome addition on a cold day in Alaska.

Cons Of Sailing On Celebrity Edge To Alaska

Alaska has a short cruise season, from May until September. While many cruise lines offer sailings, some are better suited to certain preferences.

Premium Cost

We must admit that a cruise on the Celebrity Edge can be quite expensive. The premium cost of this ship can be a deal-breaker for some travelers, especially those on a tight budget.

We cruised to Alaska in a balcony cabin on the Quantum of the Seas, which cost 50% less than a similar stateroom on the Edge. While the ship offers luxurious amenities and high-end services, it comes at a steep cost.

Another great option when staying within the brand is Celebrity Solstice. Celebrity Solstice offers roundtrip Alaska cruises from Vancouver, British Columbia.

Small Bow

One of the Celebrity Edge’s drawbacks is its small bow. On glacier viewing day, ships often open their bows to guests so they can enjoy a front-row seat to a glacier.

The ship’s design doesn’t allow for a large observation deck at Dawes Glacier, which can be a disadvantage when sailing to Alaska.

Infinite Verandas Aren’t Suited To Alaska

The Edge-class vessels are known for their innovative Infinite Verandas, which allow passengers to transform their staterooms into open-air spaces.

Most of Edge’s Veranda staterooms are in the Infinite category. These aren’t the best choice for Alaska’s colder climate, so book a regular or cove balcony instead.

We cruised during the third week of June when the weather was pleasant and dry. However, once the window on the Infinite Veranda was opened, the temperature in the room immediately dropped ten degrees, making it frigid.

The Infinite Verandas is a creative concept much more suited to warm areas such as the Caribbean or Mediterranean.

Limited Itinerary

Another downside of sailing on the Edge to Alaska is its less-than-desirable visit to Endicott Arm. Glacier Bay National Park and Hubbard Glacier are premium Alaska destinations that the Edge doesn’t visit.

If you want to cruise to Alaska on the Edge, avoid the early weeks of May, as ice often blocks the ship’s passage in the fjord.

Two Specialty Restaurants Options Are Outside

Several specialty restaurants, including Eden, Fine Cut Steakhouse, and Le Grand Bistro, offer a more upscale dining experience.

However, dining on the Edge (Magic Carpet) and Rooftop Garden Grill aren’t ideal for Alaska due to their outside locations.

While the ship was in motion, we found it more comfortable to dine indoors. We only ventured to the Magic Carpet and Rooftop Garden when the ship was docked.

Final Thoughts

Considering the unique dining experiences and the ship’s overall amenities, the Celebrity Edge is a great choice for those seeking a cruise in warmer destinations. However, when planning a trip to the Last Frontier, where the weather can be unpredictable, there may be better choices than this one.

If you are lucky enough to have warmer weather, you may be able to dine on the Magic Carpet and Rooftop Garden while cruising.

Although the Edge is a large ship and our sailing was sold out, none of the venues ever felt crowded. However, with only two sets of elevators, we often waited for an elevator that wasn’t full.

We have discussed the pros and cons of the Celebrity Edge for Alaska, so now you can decide if she’s the right choice for your family.

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