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Celebrity Edge Jan. 30. 2022 Finding Eden


twangster

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I am starting this thread on the last night of the cruise as we sail back to Port Everglades so it is somewhat of a recap.

I haven't cruised Celebrity very often since my primary cruise line is Royal Caribbean but when an opportunity for a rare Edge deal comes along for a solo cruiser you have to say... YOLO!

I chose an interior cabin since I was solo.  I found these slightly squarish cabins on deck 6 that looked like a convenient location.  My cabin was 6186.

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I enjoy trying these unusual or unconventional cabins and so I booked it.

My rate included Xcelerate Stream internet for two devices, the premium beverage package and gratuity.  Why not?

This will be my first time trying Edge class and the first time trying the new Terminal 25 in Port Everglades built for Edge.

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I had an early appointment time so after a brief wait we commenced boarding.

Cabins were to be ready at 1pm but I was advised I could drop by my cabin to drop off my carry on and collect my cabin card.  As a Royal Caribbean cruiser this was a nice surprise.

Like Royal Caribbean cabin cards were found outside the staterooms.  My neighbor's card:

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With bags dropped and key card in hand I watched the safety video in the app and visited my muster station to complete the safety briefing process early.  

Exploring the ship brought me to deck 14 where I could look over at the port.  I drove to the port on cruise day.  Terminal 25 uses the midport parking garage a short walk from the terminal.  It's somewhat in the middle of this photo.

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Celebrity regulars will have to forgive me as I post what must seem obvious to you.  Here are some of my first glimpses from the Edge.

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Over at terminal 18 we don't get to see these container ships up close and personal like this.

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The pool deck.

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From the magic carpet.

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On Royal this would be a sign of chair hogs.  It's one of many things I like about Celebrity - no need to sign out towels.

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Back in my cabin I noted the mini bar prices:

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Elite benefits VIA status recognition from Royal Caribbean Crown and Anchor - very nice!

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One thing a bit odd about this cabin is the outlet beside the bed, behind the lamp that doesn't move.

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At least the lamp bends a bit.

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Note to self - bring water back to the cabin so you don't wake up in the night thirsty. $5.50 per bottle plus 20% service charge.  But it is from the French Alps so there is that.

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Dinner in Tuscany tonight.

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Hmmm.  Am I too early for dinner?  Too late?  Where is everyone?  Oh well...

Tuscany Exclusives:

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Signature items.

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Octopus Carpaccio

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Wedge Salad

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Braised Short Ribs Pappardelle Pasta

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Dessert time

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Kiwi Sorbet (felt like something light after a full dinner)

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Yum.  

Everything was very good.

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Time for the comedian in the theater.  CD said there are 743 guest on board.  Wow.  That explains the crowds, that I'm (not) seeing.

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Afterwards... I found Eden!  

More live music.  I feel bad for the entertainers playing to a nearly empty venue.  #clappingbymyself

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To the Martini Bar! 

Gangster Martini.

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Such a beautiful ship.

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Another martini.  This could get dangerous.

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Meanwhile I explored further...

The Club

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Deck 4 next to the Grand Plaza area.

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Back up to the pool.

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The Solarium.

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Near the Magic Carpet and Cabana "hallway"

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While the Nassau construction of the outer pier is nearly completed the middle pier was the focus of activity in Nassau this stop.

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Something striking about the color of the water in contrast with the rooftop garden.  So peaceful and pretty.

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Washy washy.  Time to clean the ship.  Can you spot the crew member way up near the stacks?

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I was set to go ashore to get some ship pictures but then the upgrade fairy left a voicemail on my phone.  Okay it wasn't exactly the upgrade fairy voicemail I hoped for, but she did say Sunset Verandah. 

I'm a sucker for aft balconies and even though there was a $300 upgrade charge when I thought after the low fare I had paid combined with the super low guest count I decided to contribute to the Jason Liberty GoFundMyCorp effort and went for it.

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I like the bathroom layout better.

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Yeah I'm a sucker for an aft end.

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Looking to starboard.

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Looking to port.

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Looking down.

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In some ways the storage in the interior was more effective but it's an aft balcony so I'd probably be okay with my clothes piled on the floor, not that it came anywhere close to that.

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Dinner in Eden... now that I found it.

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Drink menu

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Dinner menu.  Pick the left or the right for each of the five courses.

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As I thought about my choices I was pretty surprised when the waiter pulled out a lighter and lit a real candle.  I am so used to seeing literally no flame on a ship that an actual candle took me by complete surprise.

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I wasn't sure about ordering a drink called "Pea" but when you're in Eden...

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A quick offering to cleanse the palate.  

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Raindrops.

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Namaste

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Oops.  Forgot to get a picture of the Tidal Pool.

Mangalista

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The Looking Glass.  Or what my waiter referred to an as a terrarium in a glass.

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As an added bonus my waiter also brought me The Forbidden Fruit for dessert.

 

I have to say I'm not that adventurous when it comes to food.  Meat and potatoes - check.  

Reading reviews almost led me to think twice about dinner in Eden.  I'm so glad I didn't cancel.  The food was really good and not so out there as I feared.

I might not do it every Edge sailing but I could see myself coming back.

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In between courses I played with that augmented reality game I mentioned earlier.

It's in the Celebrity app.

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As a frequent Quantum class guest on Royal Caribbean I've seen the app already.  In fact once the game launches it has the same Two70 name found on Royal.  It's cool to check out some day if you are on Edge or Quantum class.    

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Another subtle difference between Royal's newest ship and Edge is the app stateroom controls.

These were functional for my balcony cabin on Edge.

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On Odyssey of the Seas the stateroom lighting and cooling controls only work in Junior Suites or above.

TV controls work on Odyssey in balcony cabins but not the lighting and cooling controls.

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Day Three - Sea Day

Cloudy with a very good chance of a sunrise.

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We've had some Mickey Mouse Captain following us all night.

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I recorded a 360° video at this moment and posted it on YouTube.  YouTube doesn't support embedding a 360° video in this forum so you'll have to click the URL to visit YouTube.  Once there you can click inside the video and move the view to look around in 360°.  

https://youtu.be/K-QNKziojjA

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25 minutes ago, twangster said:

Another subtle difference between Royal's newest ship and Edge is the app stateroom controls.

These were functional for my balcony cabin on Edge.

eg-1-30-22-129.jpg

eg-1-30-22-130.jpg

On Odyssey of the Seas the stateroom lighting and cooling controls only work in Junior Suites or above.

TV controls work on Odyssey in balcony cabins but not the lighting and cooling controls.

 

38 minutes ago, twangster said:

Dinner in Eden... now that I found it.

eg-1-30-22-128.jpg

Drink menu

eg-1-30-22-126.jpg

Dinner menu.  Pick the left or the right for each of the five courses.

eg-1-30-22-125.jpg

As I thought about my choices I was pretty surprised when the waiter pulled out a lighter and lit a real candle.  I am so used to seeing literally no flame on a ship that an actual candle took me by complete surprise.

eg-1-30-22-127.jpg

I wasn't sure about ordering a drink called "Pea" but when you're in Eden...

eg-1-30-22-131.jpg

A quick offering to cleanse the palate.  

eg-1-30-22-132.jpg

Raindrops.

eg-1-30-22-133.jpg

Namaste

eg-1-30-22-134.jpg

Oops.  Forgot to get a picture of the Tidal Pool.

Mangalista

eg-1-30-22-138.jpg

The Looking Glass.  Or what my waiter referred to an as a terrarium in a glass.

eg-1-30-22-139.jpg

eg-1-30-22-140.jpg

As an added bonus my waiter also brought me The Forbidden Fruit for dessert.

 

I have to say I'm not that adventurous when it comes to food.  Meat and potatoes - check.  

Reading reviews almost led me to think twice about dinner in Eden.  I'm so glad I didn't cancel.  The food was really good and not so out there as I feared.

I might not do it every Edge sailing but I could see myself coming back.

All of your pictures should be in a book for both Royal and Celebrity!  I'm such an avid admirer of your talent!  You bring the ships to life for all of us.

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Now that I am well established in Eden it's time for breakfast in Eden.

The app is a little confusing because it says Eden Cafe is open yet the times state Lunch starting at noon.  Nonetheless Eden Cafe is open on select days for breakfast.

This is not be confused with Eden the dinner restaurant.  Eden Cafe is a different venue and it is complimentary.

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Not pictured is a specialty coffee station which is covered by the Premium Beverage package.

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There is also an outdoor seating area and I love outdoor seating areas for breakfast and lunch on a ship.

Steak and Egg Bagel with a Good Start Wrap.

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When I heard how low the guest count was I knew the ship could use some on board revenue so I booked specialty dining.  That brings me to the Fine Cut Steakhouse tonight.

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Soft rolls.

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The Steakhouse Wedge

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Peppered Bacon

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Blue Cheese Crust

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Parmesan Truffle Fries

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Grilled Asparagus

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My medium rare request was not what I expected.

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No worries, it was soon replaced with something that I was expecting.

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Dessert time

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NY Strawberry Cheesecake

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Dinner tonight with Le Petit Chef (and family) in Le Grand Plaza Bistro.

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Menu:

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The presentation is based on the four courses displayed here:

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Alternatives are available however the presentation doesn't change.  I will better understand that comment after the meal begins.

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I'm not really sure what I expected but I was eager for dinner to commence.  Very soon it did but I'm quite sure nothing could have prepared me for this experience.  Wow.

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Projectors in the ceiling illuminated a ring around our plates.

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And then it began...

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As our animated Chef threw ingredients on the plate our next course grew before our eyes until our wait staff presented that course to match in real life.

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And so each course progressed with the life of our Petit Chef and family progressing before us.

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You have to experience it to understand.  This is a poor substitute but here goes:

Great food and an unforgettable experience.

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Day Five - Roatan

Roatan requires all guests including vaccinated to book a ship excursions so no self exploring today.

After we docked a ship appeared on the horizon.  It was the Reflection!

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Roatan has changed since my last visit a few years ago when there was only one pier.

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More pics from the ship since I've got nowhere to go.

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