Looooong trip report of our Mediterranean extravaganza and the Celebrity Edge

[cricketgirl]

06/22/19 – Embarkation Day!

 

We asked our hotel to arrange for a cab to pick us up at 10am.  Note that the Casa Camper hotel is located on a street that is closed to most traffic, so cabs are not sitting out in front at all times – the hotel must call for one for you.  The cab ride to the cruise port was quick (maybe 15 min) and uneventful.  It’s hard to describe the excitement once your ship comes into view on embarkation day, but I can say that it’s even more exciting when it’s a new ship you never been on – the Edge is beautiful! 

 

 

Inside there were a bunch of celebrity reps checking people in with iPads.  We had completed the online check-in through the app and taken our pictures already so the process was really seamless for us (less than 5 minutes).  They told us to take a seat in the waiting area and within 15 minutes they started boarding the ship.  Suite passengers were called first, then 3-4 minutes later Aqua Class, and then finally the riff-raff (aka us).  We were on the ship sipping our welcome champagne by 11am.

 

We went straight to our room to pick up our room key and drop off our bags.  We were in room 7171.  The room of course was not ready yet, but I love that they let you stop by now to drop off your things. 

 

As we were entering the cabin our room steward Dodi came over and introduced himself.  I have to say that Dodi was the best we have ever had.  He was always around, always offering his services, always wanting to help ensure we were having the best vacation possible.  He would ask us about our day every evening and ALWAYS had a smile on his face.  Such a nice guy and he really made us feel special.  He had this strange sixth sense too as to when we left the room.  I swear if we left to eat breakfast we’d be back within 1 hour and our room was already cleaned!  He never once knocked on the door when we were in the room, it’s like he knew when we would be leaving for dinner and magically come in at that time and turn down the room.  Out room was ALWAYS immaculate.  We really loved him and he had a big part in making our cruise the best we’ve ever encountered.  Huge thanks to Dodi!

 

 

This next section about the room may be controversial, as so many seem to despise the infinite verandahs (although I think a lot of those people have yet to actually stay in one).  I suspected the IV may have been designed especially for people like us in mind and thankfully I was right – we LOVED this room and will specifically seek out Edge class ships in the future to be able to have an infinite verandah (IV).  They are not for everyone, but it was perfect for us.

 

I specifically selected a cabin that had the bed by the verandah.  I love to see the ocean from the bed, and I also prefer not having the bed right next to the closet as it makes it difficult to access.  Also, since the tv does not swivel I specifically wanted to see the ocean while I was watching tv so this layout worked well for us.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We never closed the balcony doors, as for us there was no need.  If our IV was open and it got too hot we simply closed the door and had the same view, ceiling to floor.  Our view was gorgeous.  We slept a few nights with the IV open, listening to the waves and it was truly wonderful.  We have always stayed in a balcony cabin on every cruise we’ve taken and did not feel the IV had much of a different feeling of a traditional balcony, except that we had more space in our cabin which was great!

 

We only experienced the IV doors locked once by the captain.  This was the day we were in port at Valencia, and the door was only locked for 1 hour.  They posted a notice in the daily the night before that port side rooms may be locked for a short period of time during window cleaning.  Other than this day our IV was never locked again (that we know of).

 

There was plenty of storage for the two of us, we didn’t even use all of the drawers.  Although for a cruise that is longer than 7 days we may have not had enough hanging space for dresses, etc.  Our empty luggage fit perfectly under the bed.

 

 

As most others have stated, the bathroom is larger than any we have experienced before on a ship; the shower was great!

 

 

 

If anyone has any questions about the room please feel free to ask!

Edited August 15, 2019 by cricketgirl

[cricketgirl]

06/22/19 – Embarkation Day cont.

 

After a dropping off our luggage and a quick glance through the room we went to the Oceanview Café for a quick lunch and explored the ship (and the liquor options) a bit.  The magic carpet is beautiful, and we enjoyed sitting here with a cocktail. 

 

 

 

We spent a great deal of time in the martini bar (in the Grand Plaza), both before and after dinner.  This is a stunning area spanning three floors.  The drinks were very good and the bartenders were so friendly.  They quickly knew our preferences and our drinks were never empty.  During the evenings there is live entertainment in this area, usually a duo or trio playing cover songs in many different genres.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[cricketgirl]

06/22/19 – Embarkation Day cont.

 

We ended up back in our room for sail-away and enjoying our view from the infinite verandah.  Maybe not the most beautiful view to some, but I was fascinated with the huge ocean freight operations, everything seemed to work like a well-oiled machine.  Truly remarkable!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And so we bid farewell to Barcelona...

 

Edited August 15, 2019 by cricketgirl

[cricketgirl]

06/22/19 – Embarkation Day cont.

 

Tonight we had reservations at the specialty steak restaurant, Fine Cut Steakhouse (I believe this was a charge of $55 per person).  We had a pre-dinner drink at the martini bar in the Grand Plaza and headed to the restaurant just above the Grand Plaza. We started out with red wine (me) and a Manhattan (DW).  For appetizers I had the baby arugula salad (endive, poached pears, goat cheese fritter, and port wine dressing).  DW had the pan seared scallops (with sweet corn espuma, fava beans, chorizo, and lemon).

 

 

 

 

 

I can’t remember what cuts we selected for our steak entrees but I can say they were both cooked to perfection and delicious.  I selected a bearnaise sauce and DW had a bordelaise sauce.  We shared a few sides – creamed spinach, roasted mushrooms, gruyere tater tots, and smoked beacon mac-n-cheese.  This was by far the best dinner of the cruise, worth every penny to us.  The décor and ambiance of the restaurant was nice, and service was excellent.  I wish we had gone here again.

 

 

 

 

I believe this is the one night we made it to the show.  We are not huge fans of cruise entertainment or shows, we tend to entertain ourselves with drinks and relaxation.  I don’t remember what the show was, but I do remember for us it was a bit boring and we did not stay to the end.  But others may have loved it so I most definitely don’t want to knock it or downplay the ability of the performers.  From here we called it a night, and slept in our cabin with the IV open – between the rocking of the ship and the sound of the waves I slept like a baby!

Edited August 15, 2019 by cricketgirl

[dani negreanu]

Thank you for taking the time to write such a very enjoyable review.

I'm fascinated by this new ship and following along 😀

[cricketgirl]

06/23/19 – Valencia, Spain

 

We had no specific plans today.  We didn’t want to have TOO full of a day because we had excursions planned Wednesday through Sunday and wanted to have a least some relaxation time this vacation.  We decided to take a cab to the City of Arts and Sciences.  We didn’t regret it.

 

For those who don’t know, the City of Arts & Sciences is a large complex in Valencia that houses multiple large buildings that (to me at least) exemplify amazing modern architecture.  Each building is truly stunning.  There are six in total:

 

1.       L'Hemisferic – 3D cinema

2.       El Museu de les Ciències Príncipe Felipe – Prince Philip Science museum

3.       L'Umbracle – landscaped walk of plants native to the area and various sculptures

4.       L'Oceanogràfic – largest aquarium in Europe

5.       El Palau de les Arts Reina – opera house and theater

6.       L'Àgora – exhibition space and sports arena

 

This next picture is an aerial view of the whole area that I borrowed from the internet (NOT my pic), you can ready more about the City of Arts & Sciences here: http://www.valencia-cityguide.com/tourist-attractions/the-city-of-arts-and-sciences.html

 

 

We spent a couple of hours casually roaming this area and snapping photos.  Worth a visit!

 

L'Hemisferic – 3D cinema:

 

El Museu de les Ciències Príncipe Felipe – Prince Philip Science museum:

 

L'Umbracle – landscaped walk of plants native to the area and various sculptures:

 

L'Oceanogràfic – largest aquarium in Europe:

 

El Palau de les Arts Reina – opera house and theater:

 

L'Àgora – exhibition space and sports arena:

[cricketgirl]

06/23/19 – Valencia, Spain cont.

 

The City of Arts and Sciences was truly a remarkable area to visit!  Just a few more pics…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[cricketgirl]

06/23/19 – Valencia, Spain cont.

 

We then took a cab back to the ship.  This proved to be an adventure, as you may remember that our phones for some reason could not get service in Spain.  All other countries there was no issue, but for some reason Spain proved to be a challenge.  We of course ended up with a taxi driver that spoke NO English, and with my very broken Spanish it was interesting trying to communicate where were wanted to go – but we got through it and ended up back at the Edge!

 

 

 

 

 

 

[cricketgirl]

06/23/19 – Valencia, Spain cont.

 

We spent the afternoon enjoying an almost empty ship, strolling around the various decks with drinks in hand and enjoying this truly beautiful new ship.  I have to say it was everything I had hoped; sleek, modern, exciting, and great service everywhere we went!

[cricketgirl]

06/23/19 – Valencia, Spain cont.

 

At some point we ended up in Eden.  We never made it here at night so I can’t comment on the Edenists, but this is a huge area full of nooks and crannies to sit and relax.  It was very quiet during the day and the bartender was eager to serve us drinks.

 

Celebrity offered some activities in the Eden area during the day, we stumbled across trivia here a couple of times.  We also attended the Captains Club appreciation party here another day (not sure if this is exactly what it was called but you could meet the captain and officers and they passed around drinks and hors d'oeuvres which was nice).

 

 

 

 

 

 

We ate lunch at the Eden café, which I believe is only open for lunch.  They offer various sandwiches, soups, and salads.  We both got some kind of panini that was good, but the potato salad was TO DIE FOR – I had to go back and get seconds!  They also had various cakes and desserts but we didn’t partake.  This place is worth a visit, especially if you’d like a quiet atmosphere for lunch. 

Edited August 15, 2019 by cricketgirl

[hcat]

Enjoying your review .

We love Barcelona, the Gaudi architecture, great food. Your photos were excellent!  Same for Valencia and the Science Complex....would love to return 

 

We  also enjoyed our Infinite Veranda ...and look forward to hearing more of your review.  Have a great cruise !

[Oville]

Great review, thanks, it’s bringing up fond memories of our Edge cruises.

[micruiser12]

Great review and pictures so far!  We will be on the Edge in an IV cabin in a few months and happy to hear you enjoyed it.  It looks like we will enjoy it too from your pictures.  How can you tell if the bed is by the window as I don't know where our bed is and that looks like a nice setup?

[CYNSport]

Thanks for your review and your offer to answer questions about the cabin. I am curious about the storage areas in the bathroom.  From the pictures, it appears they have open shelves instead of the glass door shelves pre-Revolution. I was wondering if things stayed where you put them. Thanks and looking forward to the rest of your review. 

 

p.s. We sailed a similar itinerary last September and really enjoyed the Oceanografic in Valencia.

 

Cheers!

[cricketgirl]

56 minutes ago, micruiser12 said:

Great review and pictures so far!  We will be on the Edge in an IV cabin in a few months and happy to hear you enjoyed it.  It looks like we will enjoy it too from your pictures.  How can you tell if the bed is by the window as I don't know where our bed is and that looks like a nice setup?

 

Glad you're enjoying the pics.  So excited for you that you will get to experience the Edge soon!  You can tell if your bed is by the window based on the jut out of the room on the deck plans.  For example, in the picture below you can see our room 7171 has a  larger width by the bed, this is the space for the bed.  The rooms on either side (7169 and 7175) have a jut-out closer to the bathroom, so their beds are by the bath.  I hope this helps.

 

I really struggled with the decision of bed by bath or bed by balcony.  If you're going to shut the IV doors then you may want the bed by the bath because the space in between the bed and the door is very small.  But we never had a desire to shut them.  Bed by bath could be nice in that your couch and living area are by the IV so the chairs can be turned around and just make an extension of your living area.  If you have people who will be visiting your room this bed by bath may be a better choice.  We did not have people in our room, and when I'm in the room I tend to sit/relax on the bed, so bed by the IV was a great choice for us.  Plus the bed doesn't block the way of the closet.

 

But either way I'm sure you will love your room.  Have a great cruise!

Edited August 15, 2019 by cricketgirl

[cricketgirl]

45 minutes ago, CYNSport said:

Thanks for your review and your offer to answer questions about the cabin. I am curious about the storage areas in the bathroom.  From the pictures, it appears they have open shelves instead of the glass door shelves pre-Revolution. I was wondering if things stayed where you put them. Thanks and looking forward to the rest of your review. 

 

Yes, the shelves in the bathroom are open and have no doors.  There is a lip however, although not a very tall one.  You can see the silver lip in the picture if you look closely.  We never had an issue with anything falling out, actually not even knocking over, but we had very calm seas the entire cruise.   This could be an issue in rougher seas.  There is also an open shelf and a large drawer under the sink.  We never even used these because there is so MUCH storage (there are shelves above the sink on both sides).  

 

Happy cruising!

 

Edited August 15, 2019 by cricketgirl

[Host Anne]

Cricketgirl ~ thanks so much for your detailed review!  I'm loving it and I think  your photos are fantastic!  You are selling yourself short!  We are on Edge again (second time) at the end of this month and seeing your photos makes our countdown even more exciting!!!!  

 

I'm one of those who did not care for the IVs at all.  But I'm very happy you liked it.  We'll been in a sunset veranda this time and I know I will enjoy it alot more.  But that's just me.

 

Looking forward to the rest of your review and photos.  You are doing a GREAT job with both!

[MauiMagic]

On 8/13/2019 at 3:46 AM, cricketgirl said:

  We booked this trip in July of 2018 so waited almost a year for this vacation to finally arrive.  Although in a way that was almost necessary so I could have enough time to prepare.  I am a huge planner and tend to find almost as much enjoyment in the planning stage as the vacation itself.  I also tend to be somewhat obsessive-compulsive with researching and reading reviews to find the perfect hotel/tour/ship/restaurant, etc.  I will never claim to be “normal” (whatever that is), and instead try and embrace my idiosyncrasies – so please bear with me! 

 

When reading this (in preparation for my upcoming Edge cruise) I felt like I could have written these exact words myself! Thank you so much for taking the time to write this review! 

[little britain]

Great review so far!

I will need to find that cat wall building In Barcelona next time! 

 

FYI for others in Valencia... you can take the yellow free port bus 🚌  to the port gate; cross the road to the other side of the roundabout then take the #95 bus direct to the museum for €1.50pp e/w.  #4 also runs into the city but doesn’t stop as close to the museum. Both busses run very frequently. 

 

 

[Pushka]

Thankyou. Loving your review. July 2020 for us!

[cricketgirl]

10 hours ago, Host Anne said:

Cricketgirl ~ thanks so much for your detailed review!  I'm loving it and I think  your photos are fantastic!  You are selling yourself short!  We are on Edge again (second time) at the end of this month and seeing your photos makes our countdown even more exciting!!!!  

 

I'm one of those who did not care for the IVs at all.  But I'm very happy you liked it.  We'll been in a sunset veranda this time and I know I will enjoy it alot more.  But that's just me.

 

Looking forward to the rest of your review and photos.  You are doing a GREAT job with both!

 

Thanks Anne, you are too kind.  I know a lot of people have not found the IV to their liking, I can see if one enjoys sunning themselves on the balcony or eating out there that the IV may not be ideal.  Also if one person arises before the other they can't enjoy the view without bringing light into the cabin and awaking the other.  For us, these were non-issues but I know many others may not want an IV.  I think what's most important is for people to understand the pros and cons going in and make a decision that's best for them.

 

How exciting you will be on the Edge again soon, I cannot wait to cruise her again.  Hope you enjoy your SV!

[cricketgirl]

4 hours ago, little britain said:

Great review so far!

I will need to find that cat wall building In Barcelona next time! 

 

FYI for others in Valencia... you can take the yellow free port bus 🚌  to the port gate; cross the road to the other side of the roundabout then take the #95 bus direct to the museum for €1.50pp e/w.  #4 also runs into the city but doesn’t stop as close to the museum. Both busses run very frequently. 

 

 

 

Glad you are enjoying the review.  The cat building was in El Raval, just a couple blocks off of Las Ramblas.  

 

Your tip about the transportation to the museums is fantastic!  Just goes to show that no matter how much research/planning you do there's always room for improvement.  Thanks for sharing!

[cricketgirl]

06/23/19 – Valencia, Spain cont.

 

After lunch at the Eden Cafe we continued to roam around and explore the ship…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[cricketgirl]

06/23/19 – Valencia, Spain cont.

 

We ended up on the pool decks and spent some time enjoying the beautiful sunshine (and some beverages of course).  The deck above consists of the Sunset Bar at the back of the ship and also the Rooftop Garden. We never spent much time here because there wasn’t much shade and it was hot, but they were lovely areas.

 

 

[cricketgirl]

06/23/19 – Valencia, Spain cont.

 

We chose select dining, which meant that we were not assigned a specific restaurant or time for dinner.  I especially wanted this option, as we wanted to try all four main restaurants on the Edge.  I made reservations at each restaurant months before our cruise.  Tonight we ate in Tuscan, which is Italian themed.  For starters I had the Cream of Wild Forest Mushroom Soup and DW had the French Onion Soup.  Both were very good.

 

 

 

 

My entrée was the Stuffed Portobello Mushroom (spinach, goat cheese, roasted red pepper coulis, basil pesto, fried onion) and DW had the Roasted Colorado Rack of Lamb (mashed potatoes, steamed broccoli florets, glazed baby carrots, rosemary lamb jus).  Both were very good – not quite as exciting as the specialty steakhouse, but darn good for a main restaurant.

 

 

 

I think we may have ended up in the martini bar for a nightcap, then not far off our comfy cabin was calling my name and we ended up watching some tv and enjoying the view.  This was another night of sleeping with the IV open and it was wonderful!

 

Edited August 16, 2019 by cricketgirl