Celebrity Cruises orders 6th Edge class ship from Chantiers de l’Atlantique

Celebrity Cruises has ordered a sixth Edge class ship from French shipyard Chantiers de l’Atlantique to join its fleet in 2028.

Parent company Royal Caribbean Group signed an agreement with the shipyard ahead of the delivery of sister ship Celebrity Xcel, which is due to enter service later this year. 

Other ships is the series include Celebrity Ascent, Celebrity Beyond, Celebrity Apex and Celebrity Edge, the class leader delivered in 2018.

The sixth vessel in the line-up will incorporate key features “and make room for other yet-to-be-announced innovations” Royal Caribbean Group said in a release.

This latest order brings Royal Caribbean Group’s newbuild pipeline to a total of eight ships on order, with Royal Caribbean’s Star of the Seas and Celebrity Xcel due to enter service this year. 

“Celebrity’s Edge series redefined premium travel at sea, blending groundbreaking design and unforgettable guest experiences,” said Jason Liberty, Group President and CEO, Royal Caribbean Group. 

“Each ship in this award-winning series has set a new standard for the industry, andCelebrity Xcel, sailing later this year, is no exception,” he added. “Partnering with Chantiers de l’Atlantique to expand the Edge series with Edge 6 is another milestone in our mission to deliver the world’s best vacations responsibly.”

Celebrity Cruises president  Laura Hodges Bethge added that the as-yet-unnamed new vessel will feature seven new experiences, all perfected by the recently announced Xcel Dream Makers – an industry first programme enlisting the power of cruisers to make final decisions across culinary, interior design and entertainment.

The Edge series ships are characterised by the Magic Carpet – a cantilevered, floating platform at sea, as well as other innovations such as Infiniti Balcony cabins and immersive dining and entertainment.

The order of a sixth Edge series ship is another strong indicator of the cruise industry’s post-pandemic recovery and the growing confidence in the newbuild sector. 

With demand for cruising rebounding strongly, this investment reflects optimism in the sector’s resilience and its ability to innovate in response to changing passenger expectations. 

The Edge series, with its Magic Carpet, rooftop garden nightclub and other amenities, aligns with the industry’s shift toward creating differentiated offerings, most recently exemplified by the launch of the new Prima class by Norwegian Cruise Line.