First Steel Cut for Celebrity Beyond

First steel has been cut for Celebrity Beyond, the third ship in the Edge Series from Celebrity Cruises, at the Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France.

With the second-in-class Celebrity Apex set to arrive in Southampton in April 2020, the brand expects delivery of Celebrity Beyond in fall 2021.

"With the launch of our Edge Series, Celebrity Cruises redefined modern cruising. Celebrity Edge impressed the world with its outward-facing design and innovation; Celebrity Apex takes the onboard vacation experience to the pinnacle; and now with Celebrity Beyond, we're charting new territory once again," added Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, president and CEO, Celebrity Cruises. "While we can't say much just yet, with Celebrity Beyond three's a charm."

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. ordered a fifth Edge-class ship in April last year, with delivery scheduled for fall 2024. Both Celebrity Edge and Celebrity Apex are built with a gross tonnage of 130,818 GT. Future newbuilds are expected to have a hull expanded by 20 meters to 327 meters, and an increased gross tonnage to 140,600 GT. The ships are reported to cost around $1 billion each.