Celebrity Beyond Review: A 10-night Western Europe cruise

Cruising from Southampton to Barcelona on a 10-night European adventure, we are just as dazzled with the offerings of this Edge Series vessel as she is with the ocean views.

Everything should be serene while cruising Spain’s dazzling coastline. But the alarm on my phone is signalling that something is very, very wrong. Dinner at Le Voyage is in 15 minutes, the Celebrity Cruises app informs me, before adding that my booking at Michelin-starred chef Daniel Boulud’s first fine-dining restaurant at sea is clashing with both the Arte stage show and bleeding into my silent disco event.

That’s not the only problem; the booking at Le Voyage is a surprise and comes just as I’m finishing my 20th dish at the Oceanview Cafe buffet. “Oh my God," I moan to a fellow cruiser. “There’s just too much to do on this ship."

I probably should have known better while onboard Celebrity Beyond’s 10-night Western Europe cruise sailing from Southampton to Barcelona. After all, the expectations for this ship – the third in the cruise line’s revolutionary Edge Series – have been huge.

The 3260-guest capacity, 17-deck ship is under the command of the United States’ first female captain of a megaship, Captain Kate McCue. Conceptualised entirely in 3D and built on the reimagined features of its predecessors, it’s designed by a team of Very Big Names (everyone from Kelly Hoppen to Burj Al Arab’s Tom Wright), and features wellness partnerships with the likes of Gwyneth Paltrow.

They’re just the ‘value-adds’ we learn about before embarkation; there’s also the fact this ship has eight speciality restaurants and four main dining rooms. There’s The Retreat – an exclusive resort-within-a-resort space; an expanded roof garden; and the Magic Carpet, a cantilevered floating platform that edges out over the ocean.

the Magic Carpet on the Celebrity Edge — The Magic Carpet goes above and beyond on the Edge Series vessel. (Image: Quentin Bacon)

But I’m most excited about the entertainment options that include ’80s dance workouts, silent discos and the Headline the Band show where you get to live out your rock-and-roll frontman dreams for all of five minutes. I can be anyone I want to be, depending on the space I find myself in.

the sunset bar at Celebrity Beyond — Watch the sun set over the water at Celebrity Beyond’s Sunset Bar.

The itinerary is a dreamy one, taking in parts of Bordeaux, Bilbao, Lisbon, Cádiz, Malaga and Palma de Mallorca, shore excursions (many of them food-related, such as Chef’s Table Flavours of Cádiz and Private Dinner) shoehorned in between manic visits to the spa, thrown-back cocktails at the multi-level Sunset Bar and quick dips in one of many hot tubs dotted around the decks.

My Aqua Sky Suite – a new class of accommodation that combines the best of Celebrity’s AquaClass staterooms with the spaces, services and amenities of The Retreat – is sensational (extra points for the bathtub), but I’m so focused on trying to see and do everything possible that I forget to relax.

a couple enjoying the cocktail hour at Eden — Cosy up during the cocktail hour at Eden. (Image: Beth Koeth)

The good news? I’ve booked another voyage with Celebrity Cruises and, this time, I’m taking my family along for the ride.

The details

Celebrity Beyond will be based in the Caribbean for 2024 with stops in the Bahamas, Mexico, the Cayman Islands and the US Virgin Islands.

The IT Verdict

With its slick design and focus on both top-notch culinary experiences and sinfully good entertainment, Celebrity Beyond delivers style and substance.

We loved

The soothing, pared-back spaces that are more in line with relaxing in the foyer of a five-star hotel than what you’d find on a traditional cruise.

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We’d Change

The shore excursions were hit and miss, with extra points deducted for the eye-watering price of some transfers into town.

Green Credentials

Equipped with a tri-fuel engine model, Celebrity Beyond has the ability to use three types of fuel, including methanol, and is capable of adapting to low-carbon-based solutions as they become available. Celebrity Cruises also has initiatives to reduce food waste, increase operating efficiency and is committed to a partnership with WWF to develop critical conservation initiatives.

Accessibility

Accessible staterooms with wider doors, roll-in showers, lower sink and vanity, bathroom grab bars, higher toilets and ramped thresholds are available across various cabin categories.

Why is it so hot in Europe?

Signs of a hot summer loomed in May, when the mercury hit unprecedented spring highs. Now, extreme high temperature warning alerts have been issued in countries such as Spain, Italy, France, England, the Netherlands and Germany.

France saw its hottest day on record on Wednesday, with an average temperature of 30°C across the day and night. This surpasses the average temperature for June, which is 15°C to 25°C. Dozens of people have died, including 40 from drowning.

In Spain, 212 deaths have been linked to the heatwave.

The UK recorded its hottest June day ever on Wednesday with temperatures soaring to 36.1°C. In an article published by the Met Office – the UK’s national meteorological service – Professor Stephen Belcher CBE, Met Office Chief Scientist, shared his concerns about June’s heat. “To see temperatures like this in the UK in June is sobering. Events like this bring home the implications of climate change, with very high temperatures and humidity bringing significant health implications from heat stress, as well as impacts to a range of sectors such as transport, energy and water supply,” he said.

Heatwaves are becoming increasingly common in Europe and the UK, neither of which is prepared for such extremes. The World Meteorological Organization reported that in 2025, at least 95% of Europe experienced above-average annual temperatures and that the continent was heating up twice as fast as the global average.

How travel is impacted

A pharmacy sign displaying 40 degrees Celcius

A pharmacy broadcasting local weather data. (Credit: Getty/Dragoncello)

During a heatwave, power grids, water systems and transport networks can be affected, resulting in disrupted itineraries for travellers. In France, power outages have left thousands without electricity and early closures have been implemented for two of Paris’s biggest attractions, the Eiffel Tower (early afternoon rather than late at night) and the Louvre (two hours early). Eurostar cancelled its London to Paris and Paris to London services from the 22nd to the 25th, and major UK rail companies have been advising travellers to avoid using trains where possible, or to travel during early hours.

If a heatwave is predicted, being flexible with your itinerary and having fully refundable/changeable tickets is key, as extreme heat can force the cancellation of outdoor activities, impact rail and flight services and change the opening hours of sites and eateries.

Why does summer in Europe often feel hotter than summer in Australia?

People swimming in the Canal Saint-Martin in Paris to cool off. (Credit: Rachael Thompson)

With some of the highest UV levels in the world, Australians are no strangers to the heat, adapting well to intense weather. But our infrastructure is largely equipped to withstand soaring temperatures with climate-responsive passive design, refrigerated air conditioning or evaporative coolers, as well as swimming spots aplenty.

Buildings in Northern and Western Europe and the UK, however, are constructed to retain heat and handle frosty winters. The lack of universal air conditioning means it generally feels hotter even though the temperature on your app might not look it. During a heatwave, it can feel like you’re in a sauna as cities act like heat traps.

How to stay cool and prepare for another heatwave

Relief is expected across Europe and the UK later this week, but more heatwaves are still possible in the coming months. Summer heat typically peaks in July and August.

Public transport often doesn’t have air conditioning, and buses in particular can be swelteringly hot. If you’re heading outside or your accommodation has no air conditioning, it’s worth buying a spray bottle and a handheld fan from a pharmacy or tourist stand. Check ahead of time if restaurants and cafes have air conditioning and make a booking in advance. The highest temperatures typically hit between 3pm and 6pm, so aim to head outdoors outside of these hours.

Rising temperatures invite travellers to enter a more intentional era of seeing the world. Now more than ever is the time to embrace lower-impact “coolcations” and off-season getaways.

A 10-night Western Europe cruise with Celebrity Beyond

Cruising from Southampton to Barcelona on a 10-night European adventure, we are just as dazzled with the offerings of this Edge Series vessel as she is with the ocean views.

The details

The IT Verdict

We loved

We’d Change

Green Credentials

Accessibility

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