I recently sailed across New Zealand with my husband aboard Celebrity Edge, one of the newest vessels in Celebrity’s fleet. For this cruise, we booked an Infinite Veranda cabin, often considered one of the cruise industry’s most controversial stateroom categories.
This was my first time trying this style of “balcony,” and after years of hearing polarizing opinions on both sides, I was curious to experience it for myself.
Our cabin was 9268 on Deck 9, which was considered an AquaClass stateroom with wellness-focused benefits like access to Blu restaurant and the SEA Thermal Suite. While I was excited to experience AquaClass for the first time, I was also eager to see whether we would like the Infinite Veranda.
In fact, Celebrity Edge was the first to debut the concept of an “infinite veranda” when the vessel entered service in late 2018.
Since then, Celebrity Cruises has continued to roll out Infinite Veranda staterooms across the Edge Series, largely replacing traditional balconies in many cabin categories. The design has since expanded beyond Celebrity, with Royal Caribbean also incorporating Infinite Verandas into its newest Icon Class ships.
At the time of its debut, Celebrity explained, “The new Edge Stateroom with Infinite Veranda turns guest quarters into a seamless space, from the room’s door all the way to the water’s edge. The simple touch of a button gives guests open-air access to the sea, bringing the outside in and the inside out.”
However, the response has been mixed among longtime cruisers. Many love the new Infinite Verandas, arguing they’re more functional and versatile than a traditional balcony. However, others absolutely despise the concept, saying they lose the magic of actually being outside.
In a way, you’ll want to think of a traditional balcony a back porch, where you can sit outside and enjoy fresh air. On the other hand, an Infinite Veranda is more like a sunroom or three-seasons room.
While you’re connected to the outdoors with fresh air from the windows, it doesn’t feel like you’re entirely outside.
I had a hard time understanding the concept until I tried it for myself. After our 12-night cruise to New Zealand, I found myself loving the Infinite Veranda more than I anticipated. Here’s what our experience was like, including some of the pros and cons of this stateroom category.
First impressions of the Infinite Veranda cabin on Celebrity Edge
Our New Zealand cruise started in Sydney, Australia, and we couldn’t wait to see what our home-away-from-home would be like. There’s nothing more exciting than getting settled into your cruise cabin on the first day of vacation!
Celebrity’s Edge-class cabins all share a similar design with a very contemporary approach. You’ll find soft greys and whites with subtle purple accents throughout the cabin. The stateroom itself felt very spacious, especially by cruise standards.
It was one of the roomiest standard balcony cabins that I’ve ever had, and certainly one of the best aesthetics. You can tell Celebrity was very intentional with the design, as every aspect felt functional with little wasted space.
On the far end of the stateroom was the Infinite Veranda, which spanned the width of the cabin. The space easily fits two chairs and a small table, with additional space along each side. This extra area of floor ended up being surprisingly useful for us, as my husband stored his suitcase there for the duration of the sailing without it feeling cramped.
The chairs are padded but fairly upright and tall, with no real footrest other than the glass itself. They aren’t lounge-style seating, but they were comfortable enough for coffee, reading, or watching the scenery go by. I would have preferred more comfortable chairs, but this wasn’t a dealbreaker.
How the Infinite Veranda works
Celebrity describes the Infinite Veranda as a way to “bring the outdoors in,” using floor-to-ceiling glass that transforms the entire cabin wall into a view. Instead of stepping outside, the window itself lowers electronically, much like a car window.
A wall panel allows you to lower the glass fully or just a few inches, which is nice if you want to let in fresh air without fully opening the space. The same panel controls blackout shades that cover the entire window, which worked extremely well and made the cabin very dark at night for sleeping.
One of the biggest advantages of the Infinite Veranda became obvious quickly, and that’s the flexibility of the space.
Because the Infinite Veranda is part of the cabin, rather than a separate outdoor space, it’s usable far more often than a traditional balcony. On cooler evenings or rainy days, we still enjoyed fresh air and sweeping views without needing to bundle up or step outside.
Almost every night after dinner, we lowered the window slightly and let in the cool New Zealand air while relaxing or getting ready for bed. This is something we rarely do with traditional balconies, where opening the sliding door can feel disruptive or drafty.
There are some downsides to the Infinite Veranda
The Infinite Veranda’s flexibility does come with compromises. As we sailed into warmer weather, we noticed the expansive glass increased the cabin temperature noticeably throughout the day.
We ended up closing the blackout shades more than once to keep the room cool, which somewhat defeats the purpose of having that constant view. Another frequent complaint is unwanted noise. Some passengers report loud pops, creaks, or clanking sounds as the window expands and contracts.
On our sailing, we noticed only minor creaking during rougher sea days, but it was nothing disruptive. That said, this issue seems to be reported more often on newer and slightly larger Edge-class evolutions rather than Celebrity Edge itself.
The rest of our Celebrity Edge stateroom
While the Infinite Veranda was one of the best aspects of our cabin, there were many things we loved about our stay. First, the bed was a true king-sized mattress and very comfortable. It was firm and supportive, which is what we have at home, and the bedding that felt luxurious.
Each side had a small reading lamp, and one nightstand included a power outlet. We were bummed that both sides didn’t have their own outlet, but my husband’s portable charger came in handy for bedside charging.
Across from the vanity was a comfortable couch. I also appreciated the full-length mirror, along with one of my favorite features: a dedicated charging station that keeps cords organized instead of scattered across the room.
On top of that, storage was well thought out. The large drawers handled most of my clothing, although I definitely overpacked!
The closet, while not the biggest I’ve seen at sea, offered shelves, drawers, and hanging space. Additional storage tucked into the curved wall near the bathroom, which helped keep the cabin uncluttered.
The bathroom was equally impressive, with marble-style finishes, a generous counter, and a surprisingly large shower. We never felt cramped in the bathroom, which is a huge improvement from outdated cruise ships with older designs.
Would I book an Infinite Veranda again?
After our experience, I would absolutely book another Infinite Veranda again. For a scenic itinerary like New Zealand, especially sailing through the sounds, the Infinite Veranda was worth every penny.
We used the space far more than we typically use a traditional balcony and didn’t miss being fully outside, especially in cold, windy, or rainy conditions.
However, this style isn’t for everyone and I can see why some cruisers prefer a classic balcony. If sitting fully outdoors with nothing between you and the sea is non-negotiable, a traditional balcony is still your best option.
But if you value versatility, uninterrupted views, and a space you’ll actually use regardless of weather, you won’t be disappointed with an Infinite Veranda.
Thank you for that review. I was wondering if the Veranda room can have 2 single beds instead of the King bed.
Yes! You can request for the beds to be split. When it’s together as a king, they have a nice mattress topper that makes it hard to tell you can separate it, but you definitely can.