PREVIEW: Eden aboard the new Celebrity Edge class

Eden, the massive indoor rainforest/garden area aboard the new Celebrity Edge class cruise ships, has been designed as a transitional space, with three distinct moods throughout the day.

Chillful. Playful. Sinful.

By morning, Eden is a chillful escape where yoga, a good book, or coffee and a croissant can be enjoyed with expansive views of the world.

In the afternoon, Eden becomes more playful, with hands-on enrichment seminars and tastings to strengthen guests’ culinary prowess, cocktail-making skills and wine knowledge.

RELATED: Celebrity Cruises reveals new Eden rainforest aboard upcoming Celebrity Edge

RELATED: Brand new Seabourn Ovation to cruise from Dubai during 2018 Arabian Gulf cruise season

The afternoon also features performances from sitar players to aerialists. As the sun sets on Eden, the evening ushers in Eve at Eden, a sinful fusion of performance art, culinary exploration and nightlife – like nothing else at sea – that promises to indulge guests’ every sense in the Eden Restaurant.

Here, Edenists will serve a choreographed series of experiential culinary temptations sure to surprise and delight.

RELATED: Dubai Cruise Terminal Review – Terminal 2 and 3

RELATED: SHIP REVIEW: Crystal Symphony and Serenity refit

As dinner comes to an end, guests will be prompted by sensory cues to tempt them back upstairs, past the Tree of Life – the continuation of tradition and evolution of the iconic living tree installation onboard Celebrity’s heralded Solstice Class ships – to Deck 5.

Here, the Library of Plants towers 5.5 metres above Eden Bar, offering its bounty of fresh ingredients and garnishes for hand-crafted, artisanal cocktails.

“When people think of traditional cruise ship entertainment, there’s a very specific image that people have in mind, but the exciting thing about Eden is we’ve actually been invited to break so many of those rules,” said David Ley, Director, Variety Worldwide.

Unique Design

Eden’s breathtaking design by Scott Butler was inspired by the golden spiral as generated by the Fibonacci sequence.

Represented in nature through the bloom of a rose or the curl of a snail’s shell, the golden spiral is brought to life through the thoughtfully crafted architecture of the venue. Eden has a 90-metre ramp enveloping the space enabling guests to meander through the space on a serpentine journey of discovery.

“When creating Eden, my goal was to create a connection to the sea in a space that will stir imaginations and leave lasting memories of the travel experience,” said Scott Butler, AIA, Founding Partner, Wilson Butler Architects.

Patricia Urquiola designed some of the key features of Eden, including the towering Library of Plants and the impressive hanging plant pillars. Her signature furniture is also used throughout the space.

“In working on Eden with Celebrity, I wanted to design a dynamic environment that changes from morning to night, so guests experience something new every time they visit,” Patricia Urquiola, Designer, Architect, Founder of Studio Urquiola.

Celebrity Edge will homeport in Fort Lauderdale, FL., making her first sailing December 16, 2018. Bookings are open at www.celebritycruisesme.com/edge, or through a travel agent, for the ship’s two 7-night itineraries: an eastern and a western Caribbean cruise.

Travelers also have the option to book back-to-back sailings for a 14-night journey. Celebrity Edge will be joined by three sister ships in 2020, 2021 and 2022.