After two years of construction, the last shipyard Chantiers de l'Atlantique leaves for Miami this Sunday. As with every ship's exit, we wait for the crowd.
It's the big day this Sunday in Saint-Nazaire. At 2 pm, the most luxurious cruise ship ever built at Chantiers de l'Atlantique leaves the city where it was born to reach Miami, its home port.
Who just bought the Edge liner?
The Celebrity Cruise Company
. This is the high-end branch of the American group Royal Caribbean Cruise Line (RCCL) which captures 25% of cruises in the world. The Harmony and Symphony of the Seas built in Saint-Nazaire is already RCCL. The week price on the Edge range from € 1,200 to € 2,000 (excluding promo), some suites climb to € 30,000.
Where does the ship leave?
He will join his home port in Miami (Florida) in 9 days with a stopover in the Bahamas. The first customers will embark on December 1 for cruises in the Caribbean. The Edge will return to Europe in the spring of 2019 for a tourist season in the Mediterranean. The godmother of the ship is the young Pakistani Malala.
What are its dimensions?
The Celebrity Edge is 54 meters shorter than the world's largest cruise ship, the Symphony of the Seas , delivered last March. With its 306 m, the Edge is closer to the size of France , released in 1960 Chantiers de l'Atlantique. The Edge is 38 meters wide, stacks 16 floors and will carry 3,200 passengers in some 1,450 cabins. 1,320 crew members will be on board.
Why is this ship unique?
It is the most luxurious cruise ship ever built in Saint-Nazaire. "Five stars plus," says a shipyard engineer. Innovations are everywhere. The most visible is the Magic Carpet , a kind of orange glazed elevator that runs on the right side of the ship between the water and the liner's roof. As needed, it serves as a restaurant terrace, poolside bar or boat dock.
Is this really a challenge for Saint-Nazaire?
Yes. Millions of hours of work for today's result. The shipyard started from scratch four years ago to design and build this ship. Celebrity wanted it exceptional for its wealthy cruisers and followed the construction very closely, on site in Saint-Nazaire. Until the end it was necessary to adapt. As for this corridor tail ship that had to turn into a museum.
The ship is now ready but 200 people from the yards and subcontractors will still work on board during the crossing.
Where and when to see the ship this Sunday?
The liner must begin a first maneuver this Sunday, December 4 at 6:45 back to the form Joubert is the only exit point of the port of Saint-Nazaire.
At 2 pm (and not 3 pm as planned), the ship will begin its maneuver in Loire, always in reverse, to position itself in the channel of the river. The best views are: the old pier, the east and west jetties of the southern entrance of the port of Saint-Nazaire, the tip of Villès and the beach of Saint-Marc.