My Edge Review 3/3/2019 - 3/10/2019 Sailing

[bacm]

I love new ships. I booked Edge about a year ago when all the hype was going on. I almost cancelled because of the negative reviews on cruise critic. I’m so glad I decided to see for myself what all the hubbub was all about. Edge is BEAUTIFUL and it may have actually been our nicest cruise yet.

We followed our usual routine of leaving from NY the day before and taking a taxi from FLL to the Renaissance on 17th Street. We settled into our room & then took a walk for dinner. We travelled with another couple & no one was in the mood for a big dinner, so we went to Chipoltle and were all satisfied. The walk was what we all really needed. We also walked to Walgreens across from the hotel to pick up last minute items. We bought yogurt & such, for a quick breakfast in our room the next day (I have allergies & it’s easier for me to feed myself, than it is to order out).

On the morning of the cruise we left our room at the 11:00 checkout time. At this point in our cruising life, we’re here to relax and we’re in no rush to get on the ship. We took a taxi to the pier, which was quick & easy. Although we didn’t spent much time in it, the terminal is modern & beautiful. Check in was a breeze and we were on the ship in about 15 min. We were not a class that has special boarding, but we did complete the boarding requirements online at home. As others have reported, they instruct you to go directly to your room, drop your bags, collect your keys & explore the ship. I was wondering what this new process would be like & felt that it was a pleasure. We met our room steward, who was extremely pleasant & then we were off to explore. Per our Sea Pass cards we were assigned to the Cypress dining room and headed there to report my allergy issues. There was a wait, as usual, but I could not have asked for a nicer reception. They took care of my needs 100% and, although we did venture to other dining spots throughout the cruise, we were always happy to get back to Cypress. Our food and service were better than we expected. As usual, there was a learning curve on the 1st day getting around. We downloaded the Celebrity mobile app on our phones before the trip, but there was a bit more to do when you get on board. We had to link all of the individuals in our party on each of our phones and this proved to be a bit of a challenge. However, once it was done, we were able to text each other while on the ship at no charge. It worked pretty well, but we continued to have some challenges using it. The tech desk on the 1st day was swamped, but it turned out that the matre’d in the dining room helped us. Being tech savvy helps, but isn’t necessary. It was a worth while service, which also provided specialty restaurant menu’s & activity scheduling. After our lesson about the app, we headed to the Eden, because I thought we could get a quick, uncrowded lunch there, but the “included” lunch venue wasn’t open on embarkation day, and we headed to the buffet. As usual, it was crowded, but doable. We usually found a table in the left rear, without too much searching. Buffet, as stated on previous posts, is excellent. After lunch, we headed back to room to unpack & then headed to drill, which had seats for everyone, so it was pretty easy to get through. After the drill we explored the entire ship, rested in our room & then we were off to our 6:00 dinner seating. After dinner, we went to show (getting there 30 min early based on the posts we read). Getting there early is a necessity for getting a seat. They do reserve a good amount of seats for suite guests, but they release any unused seats about 10 min before the show. You can debate this practice all day, however I don’t have time for that. I don’t like it, but on the other hand, I wish for the day when I could afford a suite...lol. In the mean time, I just go with the flow.

Key West - We love this stop. We went out on our own, after a late buffet breakfast. Toured the Truman House which was of great interest to us. (Last time we did the Hemingway House, which was equally interesting). We headed back to the ship after a lot of walking, which was partially our choice & partially getting lost. Those maps they hand out aren’t very accurate. Afterwards, my dh realized we should have just turned on the gps on our phones. All was well though, as we greatly enjoy walking & had a lovely day. We ate lunch in buffet/grill on ship, lounged by pool. Then off the change for dinner and show. Although food is of great importance to me, It is very subjective. Therefore, I’ll just say we all enjoyed our dinner & the service was excellent.

Cozumel & Costa Maya - We have truly experienced many of the excursions in our past 20 years of cruising. We are now happiest with getting off the ship, taking a nice walk around & getting back on ship to enjoy the emptiness...and this is what we did. We had lovely days. It did rain in Cozumel, but we went with the flow & were able to function between the raindrops.

Grand Caymen - We stayed on board & enjoyed the quiet ambiance of the ship.

Other items I feel I should mention:

Our friends easily made reservations in the Normandy Restaurant one night & we enjoyed it very much.

We went to the Captain’s Club Wine Tasting, which was very informative & we enjoyed it very much. We also attended the Captain’s Club Entertainment Experience(which was an interview with the show performers) and this too, was very good. We did not attend the other Captain’s Club events, but heard they were overcrowded & the attendees seemed disappointed.

We went to La Petit Chef and my party of 4 were all greatly disappointed. The presentation was cute, but the food was not up to par & the service was disappointting. I don’t like to be negative, but it is what it is. I can not review it any other way, when I felt that my allergy issue was not of importance to them & a member of our party had to send their fillet back twice because it was COMPLETELY raw, when it was ordered medium. The second time the server brought it back and placed it harshly on the table & stated: “ the chef cooked it to well done, since you weren’t pleased with anything else”...as if, we had ever received it cooked medium, which we did not. We were all shocked at her disrespectful attitude, but just wanted to get out of there at that point. My friend ate her well done fillet, which looked horrible, and we moved on.

We took advantage of the Luggage Valet, where the cruise line checks you & your luggage onto your flight & you don’t see your bags until your home airport. This is the 2nd time we used it and all went well.

Last day was split between relaxing at pool & packing. Overall, We felt it was an excellent cruise & had a wonderful relaxing week.

Also want to mention that the cabin (Infinity Verandah) was beautiful. The new balcony didn’t bother me at all, as others have complained about (to each their own). I actually felt that the whole glass window, enhanced the room & made the room feel much larger. We also loved the king size bed. This is of course, only our opinion & I understand that there are others who disagree. I only mention it because we almost canceled this cruise because of all the negativity surrounding this & we found it to be a non issue & had a wonderful cruise.

Also, we went to most of the shows & enjoyed all of them. They are different, they are not the same old thing, but they are filled with greatly talented individuals & we felt refreshed by the different direction they take. The comedians were very good.

Now about Eden...I was actually afraid for my husband to visit Eden. I can deal with just about anything, but he does not. Our 1st encounter with Eden was a lecture on the Fibonacci Sequence (it’s a math thing - not kidding). He loved it & looked at Eden from a totally different perspective. It wasn’t the weird, creepy experience that others had described. It was now an area built & based on a mathematical concept, with a connection to nature & everyday life. It changed our perspective & we were able to greatly enjoy this venue. We however, only lasted 1/2 hour into the show, but our friends stayed the whole 90 minutes.

Make sure you go to the Liar’s Club Show. It’s a lot of fun.

The captain & officers on the ship were wonderful & very visible throughout the whole cruise. The captain is quite the comedian. All in all, this was a great trip, that we plan on repeating.

[Bo1953]

b - Thank you, thank you, thank you for your review!

 

It has gone a long way to prepare me for our sailing in November..

 

Perchance, are there places/venues on the ship which you did not fully experience and want to on another sailing?

 

bon voyage

[portofrome]

Thanks for your review!

[mafig]

You had traditional dining, then?  

Did you go to the casino?

 

During the days you stayed on board, what did you do?  Did you experience the pools, hot tubs?  

 

By any chance do you know if Concierge Class gets to have lunch in the (one of the) dining room on embarkation day?

 

Thank you !! 

[JoePDX]

Thanks for the review!   We are looking forward to our cruise in April.

 

Joe

[bacm]

Glad to answer you questions.

 

We enjoy the Enrichment Activities:

I only rated enrichment activities a 3, as I felt there wasn’t enough of them & some  seemed to be sponsored by an area to make money, like the art auction, spa, etc. That being said, it doesn’t mean some weren’t worth attending. We went to the art history lecture, Fibonacci sequence lecture & a talk by the captain on how Edge operates. We also attended the Captain’s Club event on entertainment on Edge & enjoyed that also. I was kind of sad to see how effected the entertainers were to get caught up in all the negativity revolving around the entertainment on Edge. A review is a review & people’s opinions should be respected. However, hurling harsh insults against the entertainment on Edge, does take it’s toll on singers, dancers & performers in the shows. Some of the entertainers (including Asia, from American Idol) were there & you could really feel for them. They are all very talented individuals, whose goal is to wow their audience.

 

Things I wish we had done:

I kind of felt we did everything we set out to do, which was to relax. We have very hectic lives & cruising for us is a time to step back. In our early years, we did excursions in every port & were busy all the time. It takes some skill, but we’ve learned to leave all the chaos behind & just relax. We spent a huge amount of time in the Solarium. The chairs are SO comfortable, but wish it wasn’t so HOT in there. They have a couple of windows that help with ventilation, but they are not enough & they have to actually be opened to help. The couple we were with couldn’t sit in there because of the heat.

 

Actually wish we hung out at the Rooftop Garden more during the day. We never really thought of it. It was very windy up there at night, found ourselves just walking through & never stayed.

 

Walked on to the Magic Carpet, but it wasn’t my thing, because I could feel the suspension of it, like the feeling on a bridge, when your standing still on it. I personally don’t like that feeling, so walked on & walked off.

 

The other thing I would do, is try more of the restaurant venues. I have allergy issues & sometimes it’s a hassle to explain to waiter after waiter, what you can & can’t eat. However, it seemed that they are very on top of their game on Edge & would feel comfortable moving around more.

 

Dining:

Yes, we had tradition dining at 6:00, which was our preference & it went very smoothly. We enjoy the dining experience with friends & we were not in a rush. I’m sure it’s not for everyone.

 

Casino:

Yes, my husband is the Casino person. It is 100% non smoking, thank goodness. Casino is on the small, but never seemed crowded. They give certain free drinks, during certain times.

 

What to do while on board:

Just relax...sleep in, have leisurely meals, go to trivia, lectures, relax by pool...and before you know it, it’s time for dinner. It’s not for everyone, but we enjoy it.

 

 

 

 

[hcat]

Thanks  for your review...seems EDGE is evolving and improving with some exceptions.  But overall good!

 

We were treated rudely at Finecut Steak- house when we went a day ahead  to confirm our res. We learned  they changed our time without notice to something inconvenient,  and got huffy when we opted to cancel.  Staff in BLU, Tuscan and Cosmopolitan were very pleasant and helpful.

 

We enjoyed our IV cabin..but will have a Sunset Veranda in Nov. We were on the go for our first EDGE  cruise  but will follow your plan next time..pool, relax ..all leisurely!

[bacm]

Someone asked about Concierge class, but I have no experience with that...sorry. It shocks me that staff would be rude, especially in the restaurants that you pay a fee. Honestly, everyone on Edge was so nice, and had so much patience with guest, especially, since there is a large learning curve because things are different on this ship. Our attitude was, if they were willing to teach us, we were willing to learn & it worked out great.

[hcat]

Most everyone we encountered was nice but exception was  the Finecut maite d on duty,  and  it would seem your server at  LPChef...

 

Overall..a happy staff with alot of work to accomplish! Especially pleased with CD and his staff!

[bacm]

Agreed

[CruisinNole]

bacm - we were also on the March 3 sailing and you expressed our opinion of our Edge cruise perfectly. We were apprehensive before sailing because of the negativity on Cruise Critic. We were sure that we'd never cruise her again. But, by the end of the cruise, we'd changed our tune. It is not Solstice Class 2.0 and if you spend your cruise comparing Edge to Solstice Class, you'll probably be disappointed. 

 

I don't want to hijack your thread, so I'll just respond to the question about the Concierge Class embarkation lunch. Yes, there is a CC lunch until 1:00 pm. I believe it was in the Tuscan restaurant. There will be a card in your cabin giving you details. It was so nice to be able to drop off hand luggage and go to a nice lunch. Great way to start off a great cruise.

[vtcruising]

Glad you enjoyed the cruise overall, but sorry your friend was treated that way in LPC. There is no excuse (and I hope she put it on her questionnaire), though I know there is an issue if someone is a slow eater or there is another delay because they have to wait until everyone is done to start the animation for the next course. The food was quite good the two times we ate there (but not my favorite), with the mushroom ravioli my favorite dish - I could eat that every day. I think one of our group sent back a steak too.  

 

Smart to acclimate the DH to Eden with the Fibonacci Sequence (I had studied it after the Eden reveal)! I almost sent my DH to that too, but he ended up not having time. We both ended up liking Eden anyway, but it took some time. Did you smell any incense there? I hop it is gone by now! Are there Edenist shows there every night?

 

Glad you liked the IV. It is a very personal thing, but for us it was a matter of dropping our preconceived notions about past cruise ships and try to embrace something unique. Once we did that, I think we just relaxed and enjoyed the ship. 🙂

 

 

 

 

Edited March 23, 2019 by vtcruising

[vtcruising]

2 hours ago, mafig said:

By any chance do you know if Concierge Class gets to have lunch in the (one of the) dining room on embarkation day?

On our Jan cruise the Concierge Lunch was in Cosmopolitan (on deck 4) from 11:30-1:00.  Lunches on Sea Days were also in Cosmo from 12-1:30.

[villauk]

3 hours ago, Bo1953 said:

b - Thank you, thank you, thank you for your review!

 

It has gone a long way to prepare me for our sailing in November..

 

Perchance, are there places/venues on the ship which you did not fully experience and want to on another sailing?

 

bon voyage

 

 

November 🤔?

 

 

[vtcruising]

3 hours ago, Bo1953 said:

b - Thank you, thank you, thank you for your review!

 

It has gone a long way to prepare me for our sailing in November..

 

Perchance, are there places/venues on the ship which you did not fully experience and want to on another sailing?

 

bon voyage

Can't wait to hear how all of your group likes the ship! 🙂

[Sandy1975]

Well, reading this is just what I needed to prep for tomorrow! Finally! After almost 2 years I am getting on Edge. Many times it also crossed our minds cancelling but we stucked with it and now we will experience it !

[bacm]

If there was incense in Eden, it had to be very faint, as I usually react to such things, but it didn’t bother me. The other thing I was dreading was loud music, as some had mentioned. The music, even in the show, was not too loud & I really appreciated that.

[bacm]

You will be so glad you stuck with it! It is wonderful! Enjoy!

[vtcruising]

38 minutes ago, Sandy1975 said:

Well, reading this is just what I needed to prep for tomorrow! Finally! After almost 2 years I am getting on Edge. Many times it also crossed our minds cancelling but we stucked with it and now we will experience it !

Have fun Sandy! You must be sooooo excited!

[Sandy1975]

25 minutes ago, vtcruising said:

Have fun Sandy! You must be sooooo excited!

I am beyond excited!!! I will do a review when I return but may create a thread with quick short comments. Not sure yet.

 

[lv2cruisgrl]

We are packed and leave Sunday. We also thought of cancelling but now hope we enjoy it. We will review when we get back.

[vtcruising]

1 minute ago, lovrccl said:

We are packed and leave Sunday. We also thought of cancelling but now hope we enjoy it. We will review when we get back.

Have a great cruise! Be sure to pat Mr Edge for me! 😉

[Lastdance]

 

 

bacm, thanks so much for your opinion of Edge, along with sharing your learning curve...I know that will be how I will feel about many things on Edge, but also feel like I have somewhat of a handle on things due to all the reviews that have been shared.  As long as I am able to cruise to and around Europe, I believe that Edge will be a unique adventure in itself...

[leadvocal]

20 hours ago, bacm said:

We downloaded the Celebrity mobile app on our phones before the trip, but there was a bit more to do when you get on board. We had to link all of the individuals in our party on each of our phones and this proved to be a bit of a challenge. However, once it was done, we were able to text each other while on the ship at no charge.

 

How did you go about linking all of the individuals in your party? I'm sailing on the March 31st cruise with about 20 people and we would all like to use the chat feature in the app to communicate with each other.

 

TIA

[hcat]

14 hours ago, Sandy1975 said:

Well, reading this is just what I needed to prep for tomorrow! Finally! After almost 2 years I am getting on Edge. Many times it also crossed our minds cancelling but we stucked with it and now we will experience it !

BON VOYAGE....Enjoy your cruise and let us know what's new on board!

Hcat