Celebrity Cruises, Royal Caribbean's premium cruise line, celebrated the keel laying of Celebrity Edge, the first ship in its new Edge class. The ceremony took place at the STX shipyard in St. Nazaire, France. This marks a milestone in the ship's development as it signifies the beginning of its innovative construction.
During the ceremony, an 875-ton block was lifted onto the dock by a crane. Several newly minted coins were placed beneath the keel and will remain there until construction is complete. Once the ship is finished, the coins will be retrieved and presented to the captain and crew. According to maritime tradition, the coins are said to bring good fortune to the vessel during its construction and to the captain and crew during its voyage.
Representatives from both Celebrity Cruises and STX France were present at the event to celebrate this new milestone. The Celebrity Edge will be based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and will make its maiden voyage on December 16, 2018. Reservations are now open for the ship's two seven-night Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries. The Celebrity Edge will also offer 14-night itineraries. Three new ships will join the new Edge class in 2020, 2021, and 2022.
