The Candidates for The Best Cruise Ship of 2019 Share DNA, But Aim for Different Targets

Celebrity Edge

With her interior plazas, theater, massive restaurants, extensive spa, large top-deck pool, and capacity for almost three times as many guests, Edge makes Flora look downright dainty. Yet the same care has been applied here and the same drive towards a general theme: this time, it’s tech.

A dedicated app guides guests through the multistory plaza, over to the state-of-the-art theater that seems primed for a TED Talk, and on to the striking cantilevered deck, and rooftop plaza that seems more a Coachella-era product of experiential design philosophies than a typical lido. All of this, as it turns out, was designed in 3D imaging first and directed by a supergroup of creatives including Tom Wright, Scott Butler, Kelly Hoppen, Patricia Urquiola, Jouin Manku, and more. All those voices, though, haven’t led to confusion; all the of-the-moment, LED-tipped spaces are in harmony with each other, from the Advanced Med Spa, to the six themed dining rooms, to the many surprising, hidden goodies around the ship (the barber shop is a favorite in our offices).

Everything here, from the material choices to the scale and ambition, is gargantuan, yet still welcoming. She’s as if Dubai packed a steamer trunk and took to gallivanting around the Mediterranean.