MIAMI – Celebrity Cruises’ new ship, Celebrity Edge, was greeted with much fanfare yesterday as it arrived at Port Everglades’ Terminal 25 following its first-ever transatlantic crossing.

More than 1,400 crew members stood on the decks as the ship entered the channel for the first time, waving to a sea of shoreside colleagues who gathered to welcome the Edge to its new home.

Celebrity Edge is the cruise line’s first new ship in six years, and the first of a new class in more than a decade.

“The arrival of Celebrity Edge today bookends a major chapter in the growth of Celebrity Cruises,” said Richard D. Fain, Chairman and CEO of parent company Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. “It’s the culmination of years of dreaming, designing and dedication to bring this magnificent ship to life. A new era is truly upon us.”

After the ship’s arrival at T25, Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, President and CEO of Celebrity Cruises hosted a grand opening ceremony in the new terminal. Attended by brand executive and Broward County and City of Hollywood officials, the ribbon-cutting ceremony marked the official grand opening of the first terminal designed exclusively for the Celebrity brand.

T25 features cutting-edge technology such as Expedited Arrival, which will make the check-in process seamless, as well as an interactive light wall art installation. It will also offer The Retreat guests an exclusive lounge called The Retreat featuring elevator lobbies, screening areas and a private rooftop terrace.

While on its 4,000-mile transatlantic voyage from the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France, Celebrity Edge carried more than 1,400 crew members onboard and visited ports in both Azores, Portugal and Freeport, Bahamas.

It will begin its inaugural season with alternating seven-night eastern and western Caribbean cruises, with its Maiden Western Caribbean voyage departing on Dec. 9, 2018, and its Maiden Eastern Caribbean voyage departing on Dec. 16, 2018. Then, in spring 2019, the ship will cross the Atlantic again to offer a range of seven- to 11-night Mediterranean sailings that visit Barcelona, Rome and more.

Calling the completion of its first-ever transatlantic crossing a “historic moment” for Celebrity Cruises, Lutoff-Perlo also added: “This has been more than four years in the making. The collaboration and effort between teams across the world all comes together in this incredible moment. I can think of no better place to be than with Captain Costas and the crew of Celebrity Edge knowing that we are sailing into the future, literally and figuratively, with this beautiful ship.”

Bookings for Celebrity Edge are now open. Celebrity Edge will be joined by its sister ship, Celebrity Apex, in 2020, and two additional ships in the Edge Series will following in 2021 and 2022.