Celebrity Edge: ‘Futuristic’ cruise ship completes maiden voyage

By Francesca Street, CNN
8 minute read
Updated 5:54 AM EST, Tue November 27, 2018
<strong>New era of cruising:</strong> Celebrity Cruises is premiering a new cruise liner, Celebrity Edge, with a new design that it hopes will revolutionize the cruise ship industry.
New era of cruising: Celebrity Cruises is premiering a new cruise liner, Celebrity Edge, with a new design that it hopes will revolutionize the cruise ship industry.
Courtesy Celebrity Cruises
<strong>Under construction:</strong> CNN Travel visited the new ship under construction at the Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard in France.
Under construction: CNN Travel visited the new ship under construction at the Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard in France.
Courtesy Celebrity Edges
<strong>Industry first:</strong> The ship is designed to get travelers as close to the ocean as possible. Its innovative design is the product of an industry first -- it was entirely designed using 3D technology.
Industry first: The ship is designed to get travelers as close to the ocean as possible. Its innovative design is the product of an industry first -- it was entirely designed using 3D technology.
Courtesy Francesca Street/CNN
<strong>New abilities</strong>: "Every ship in the last decade has used 3D renderings [...] to understand what they're building," says Richard Fain, Chairman and CEO of Royal Caribbean Cruises, Celebrity's parent company. "But this was entirely done in three dimensions and it's given us the ability to do things that you couldn't do before."
New abilities: "Every ship in the last decade has used 3D renderings [...] to understand what they're building," says Richard Fain, Chairman and CEO of Royal Caribbean Cruises, Celebrity's parent company. "But this was entirely done in three dimensions and it's given us the ability to do things that you couldn't do before."
Courtesy Francesca Street/CNN
<strong>Ship's core</strong>: The Grand Plaza is the core of the ship. The impressive chandelier is already completed and is a striking centerpiece for Celebrity Edge.
Ship's core: The Grand Plaza is the core of the ship. The impressive chandelier is already completed and is a striking centerpiece for Celebrity Edge.
Courtesy Celebrity Cruises
<strong>Interior vision:</strong> The interior of the ship was the work of Paris designer duo Jouin Manku and is said to fuse modern touches with inspiration from the Golden Age of transatlantic travel.
Interior vision: The interior of the ship was the work of Paris designer duo Jouin Manku and is said to fuse modern touches with inspiration from the Golden Age of transatlantic travel.
Courtesy Francesca Street/CNN
<strong>Hard work</strong>: It's the details, big and small, that make the interior impressive, but before the glamorous design of the ship comes the engineering work.
Hard work: It's the details, big and small, that make the interior impressive, but before the glamorous design of the ship comes the engineering work.
Courtesy Francesca Street/CNN
<strong>Upside down:</strong> Fain explains that the ship is assembled like Lego bricks, ceiling first. "They start the blocks upside down and they do them in small sections and then they flip them over, which I always find fascinating," he says.
Upside down: Fain explains that the ship is assembled like Lego bricks, ceiling first. "They start the blocks upside down and they do them in small sections and then they flip them over, which I always find fascinating," he says.
Courtesy Francesca Street/CNN
<strong>Almost ready</strong>: When CNN Travel visited Celebrity Edge, the ship was 95.6% complete. "That doesn't sound like much to go, but the part to go, that is all the visible part," says Fain.
Almost ready: When CNN Travel visited Celebrity Edge, the ship was 95.6% complete. "That doesn't sound like much to go, but the part to go, that is all the visible part," says Fain.
Courtesy Francesca Street/CNN
<strong>Bigger sizes</strong>: The ship isn't the largest in the market, nor does it want to be. "It was never our intention with Edge to have a bigger ship," Celebrity Cruises CEO Lisa Lutoff-Perlo tells CNN Travel.
Bigger sizes: The ship isn't the largest in the market, nor does it want to be. "It was never our intention with Edge to have a bigger ship," Celebrity Cruises CEO Lisa Lutoff-Perlo tells CNN Travel.
Courtesy Francesca Street/CNN
<strong>Cocktails ahoy:</strong> There are some overly opulent touches. For example, the two hot tubs on the pool deck are shaped like giant martini glasses.
Cocktails ahoy: There are some overly opulent touches. For example, the two hot tubs on the pool deck are shaped like giant martini glasses.
Courtesy Francesca Street/CNN
<strong>Moving spine: </strong>One of the most unusual aspects of Celebrity Edge's design is how the spine has been repositioned. "Ships have traditionally been built with what's known as an exoskeleton, so the skeleton's on the outside of the ship," says Fain.
Moving spine: One of the most unusual aspects of Celebrity Edge's design is how the spine has been repositioned. "Ships have traditionally been built with what's known as an exoskeleton, so the skeleton's on the outside of the ship," says Fain.
Courtesy Francesca Street/CNN