May 16, 2023
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Celebrity Cruises Edge Class of ships has been introducing cruise industry firsts since the launch of Celebrity Edge in 2018—including the Magic Carpet, a cantilevering floating platform reaching 13 stories high.
During the day, it acts as a gangway to help passengers access tender boats; and at night, it transforms into a chic dining and bar area. On March 28, Royal Caribbean Group announced plans for their fifth Edge Class ship to have a groundbreaking flex fuel engine.
This innovation will be able to run off three types of fuel, one of which is methanol, allowing for significantly reduced emissions. To make this possible, Wärtsilä is delivering two 8-cylinder Wärtsilä 46F engines, which will help promote carbon-free cruising.
This flex-fuel engine addition to Royal Caribbean Group’s portfolio demonstrates their progress toward achieving net zero emissions by 2050: Destinations Net Zero. However, the launch date and name of the fifth ship are yet to be revealed.
Currently, in order to reduce its carbon footprint, only AIDAnova uses LNG fuel (liquefied natural gas) which cuts cruise ship’s carbon emissions by approximately 30%.
However, Icon of the Seas will be the first Royal Caribbean Group ship to use LNG when it sets sail in January 2024 after its multi-fuel engine was first turned on March 15th at Meyer Turku Shipyard.
The fourth and fifth Edge Class ships have several differences from other Celebrity ships, such as four complimentary dining venues with different cuisines (Cyprus, Normandie, Cosmopolitan, and Tuscan), plus Eden—a three-story multipurpose nature-inspired venue with café breakfast and lunch options; bar; sit-down dinner restaurant; dance floor; evening entertainment; 7 000 square feet of glass windows for enjoying your morning coffee; plus infinite veranda staterooms that mesh together balcony space with living space—which is also being extended onto Icon of the Seas.
Reference: Cruise Blog, Yahoo Finance
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