Celebrity Beyond Magic Carpet: Ultimate Guide & Cabin Tips
Everything You Need to Know About the Magic Carpet on Celebrity Beyond
Are you planning a cruise on Celebrity Beyond and wondering about that massive, bright orange platform hanging off the side? The Magic Carpet on Celebrity Beyond is one of the most innovative design feats in modern cruising.
The cantilevered floating platform scales the starboard side of the ship. It changes decks, and functions throughout the day.
Here is our ultimate guide to the Magic Carpet, how it works, and how it impacts your cabin choice.
🍊 Magic Carpet at a Glance
- • What it is: A 90-ton, tennis-court-sized cantilevered floating platform.
- • Location: Starboard side (right side) mid-ship on Celebrity Beyond.
- • Daytime (Decks 14/16): Free open-air pool bar extension and lounge.
- • Evening (Deck 5): Over-water specialty dining extension for Raw on Five (fee applies).
- • Port Days (Deck 2):Destination Gateway/tender boarding area for easy shore access.
- • Cruiser Warning: Completely empty when moving. Avoid cabins directly behind it on Decks 6–12.
What is the Magic Carpet?
The Magic Carpet is exclusive to Celebrity Cruises’ Edge-class ships. It was engineered to give passengers an unobstructed, uninterrupted view of the ocean.
The single most important safety rule to know is that the Magic Carpet does not move with passengers on it. It is not a theme park ride. The crew entirely empties the platform before repositioning it to a new deck.
The Magic Carpet on Celebrity Beyond.
The Magic Carpet Schedule: Function by Deck
The platform acts as a chameleon, shifting mood and purpose depending on where it parks:
Deck 14 & 16: The Ultimate Sky Lounge (Daytime)
During the day, the platform climbs to the highest decks. On Deck 14, it acts as a stunning, open-air extension of the main pool deck. On select days, it rises to Deck 16 for the exclusive "Dinner on the Edge"culinary event.
The Vibe: Casual, breezy, and relaxing.
Cost: Free to access during the day. You can walk up, grab a drink at the bar, and enjoy the live music.
The Magic Carpet Schedule: Function by Deck
Deck 14 & 16: The Ultimate Sky Lounge (Daytime)
During the day, the platform climbs to the highest decks. On Deck 14, it acts as a stunning, open-air extension of the main pool deck. On select days, it rises to Deck 16 for the exclusive "Dinner on the Edge"culinary event.
The Vibe: Casual, breezy, and relaxing.
Cost: Free to access during the day. You can walk up, grab a drink at the bar, and enjoy the live music.
Magic Carpet during the day on Celebrity Beyond. Photo: Celebrity Cruises
Deck 5: Evening Speciality Dining (Raw on 5)
PWhen evening falls, the Magic Carpet drops down to Deck 5, serving as a dramatic, open-air seating extension for Raw on 5 - Celebrity’s signature sushi and raw bar specialty restaurant.
The Vibe: Romantic, upscale, and scenic. You are eating premium sushi outdoors over the open ocean while watching the sunset.
Cost: Cover charge or à la carte pricing applies. It costs $40 per person for the Prix Fixe package, or you can buy items individually. Specialty dining packages convert into a $35 to $50 per person credit.
Deck 2: Destination Gateway/tender Boarding Station (Port Days)
When Celebrity Beyond visits a port that requires tendering (using smaller boats to get ashore), the platform descends all the way to the water level on Deck 2.
It functions as a luxurious, state-of-the-art boarding platform called the Destination Gateway.
Magic Carpet transforms into Destination Gateway tender platform. Photo: Celebrity Cruises
The Vibe: Efficient, smooth, and spacious. It feels like an upscale, flat airport terminal gate floating right on the water, rather than a cramped metal crew staircase.
Cost: 100% free. Tendering to the shore is entirely included in your cruise fare.
Experiencing Raw on 5 on the Magic Carpet
Designed by expert chef Yoshikazu "Yoshi" Okada, this venue offers an upscale, over-the-water dining experience that frames the sunset perfectly.
Cruisers can choose between an à la carte structure or a structured $40 Prix Fixe option (which includes one small plate, two large plates or rolls, and a dessert). If you are using a standard Celebrity specialty dining package, it usually converts into a $35 to $50 dining credit per person to spend freely across the menu.
What’s on the Menu?
The menu is heavily focused on premium seafood, but it also features warm, cooked options for non-seafood eaters:
Small Plates: Traditional edamame, miso soup, pork belly skewers, pan-seared chicken ginger gyoza, and crispy shrimp.
Sushi & Sashimi: Fresh yellowtail, salmon, albacore tuna, eel, and octopus, alongside standard eight-piece cuts like Spicy Tuna and California rolls.
Large Hot Plates: Rich Tonkotsu pork ramen and grilled beef medallions or teriyaki chicken served over stir-fry vegetables and rice.
The Showstoppers (À La Carte Only): For groups, the restaurant offers massive, multi-tiered Seafood Towers ranging from $48 to $162. The popular Imperial Tower ($90) comes stacked with a whole cold-water lobster tail, crab salad, chilled shrimp, fresh oysters, king crab legs, and sea bass ceviche.
Desserts: Unique treats like tart yuzu sorbet or bold wasabi gelato paired with caramelized gingerbread.
Raw on 5 Insider Tips
Ask for the Real Stuff: The restaurant defaults to standard green horseradish paste. If you ask your server directly, the kitchen will often bring out authentic, freshly grated green wasabi at no extra charge.
Watch the Drink Package Limits: The restaurant features premium Snow Sake and custom cocktails. Some of these exceed the standard Classic Drink Package price cap, meaning you will just have to pay the small cash difference on your SeaPass account.
Book Before You Board: Because outdoor seating on the Magic Carpet framework is highly limited, these tables fill up almost instantly. Snag a reservation in your Cruise Planner weeks before your sail date.
Is the Magic Carpet a Ride? (Can You Ride It Between Decks?)
A common question first-time cruisers ask is whether you can stand on the Magic Carpet while it moves up and down the side of the ship. The short answer is absolutely not.
For strict safety and mechanical reasons, the Magic Carpet is never used as an elevator or a theme park ride. Before the captain or crew moves the platform to a new deck, the entire structure is completely cleared of all passengers and staff. The bar is locked down, the gates are closed, and it repositions entirely empty.
If you want to experience the platform, you have to walk onto it once it is safely locked into place on its designated deck for the day.
Cabins near the Magic Carpet: what you need to know
If you are looking at the Celebrity Beyond deck plan, you will notice a cluster of staterooms located midship on the starboard side (the right side of the ship if you are facing forward). These rooms sit directly behind the vertical tracks of the Magic Carpet on Decks 6 through 12.
While Celebrity markets these as premium locations - including the dedicated Magic Carpet Sky Suites and select Infinite Veranda rooms - they come with major trade-offs that many cruisers should consider before booking.
1. Permanent View Obstructions
Because the massive 90-ton platform and its heavy steel tracks sit right outside your room, your view of the ocean is severely compromised. Instead of a wide-open horizon, you will likely be looking directly at bright orange steel and industrial structural beams, depending on your cabin.
2. Severe Privacy Concerns
When the Magic Carpet parks on your deck level to serve as a lounge or dining venue, it sits just feet away from your balcony. This means dozens of passengers enjoying a cocktail or dinner can look straight into your steroom. If you value your privacy, you will find yourself keeping your automated blinds down for a large portion of the cruise.
3. Lack of Natural Light
The sheer size of the Magic Carpet creates a massive overhang. If your room is directly underneath or behind it, it blocks the sun from reaching your window. These cabins are notorious for feeling much darker and shadowier than identical rooms located further forward or aft.
Magic Carpet Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Is there a dress code for the Magic Carpet on Celebrity Beyond?
During the day on Decks 14 and 16, the dress code is entirely casual (standard pool attire and cover-ups are fine). In the evening on Deck 5 for Raw on 5, the dress code shifts to Celebrity’s "Smart Casual"—meaning no swimwear, flip-flops, or t-shirts.
Can you go on the Magic Carpet for free?
Yes. Accessing the Magic Carpet is completely free during the day when it is parked on Deck 14 or 16 as a pool deck lounge. You only pay for the drinks you order at the bar. A cover charge only applies in the evening when it transforms into a specialty dining venue.
Does the Magic Carpet move while you are on it?
No. For strict passenger safety, the Magic Carpet never moves while guests or crew members are on board. The platform is completely cleared and locked down before it is mechanically shifted to a different deck level.
Which side of the ship is the Magic Carpet on?
The Magic Carpet is located exclusively on the starboard side (the right side) of Celebrity Beyond, positioned directly mid-ship.
Does the Magic Carpet close in bad weather?
Yes. Because the platform is completely cantilevered outside the ship's superstructure and open to the elements, the captain will close the Magic Carpet during periods of high winds, heavy rain, or rough seas for passenger safety.
Cruise Lowdown Verdict: Is it worth the hype?
Absolutely. The Magic Carpet completely changes the relationship between the ship and the sea. Watching the sunset with a cocktail while suspended 16 stories over open water is an unmatched cruise experience. Just be strategic about which cabin you book nearby!
The Lowdown
Let’s be real: when you first see the Magic Carpet hanging off the side of Celebrity Beyond, painted a striking, vibrant orange, it looks a bit like an industrial construction elevator painted eye-popping tangerine.
However, it also makes Celebrity Beyond instantly identifiable from a distance and has easily become the most iconic silhouette in modern cruising
In my opinion, it is easily one of the coolest design innovations at sea right now, but only if you use it correctly.
If you are treating it as a daytime lounge on Deck 14, it is an perfect. Grabbing a cocktail and sitting right over the ship's edge with nothing but open ocean under your feet feels incredibly exclusive. Best of all, it costs absolutely nothing extra during the day (apart from maybe a few hours sleep - you’ll have to get up early to bag one of these exclusive spots).
However, the specialty dining experience on Deck 5 is a bit more of a gamble. While the sunset views at Raw on 5 are unmatched, you are at the absolute mercy of the weather. If the wind picks up or a sudden downpour hits, your romantic open-air dinner will be abruptly relocated indoors. If you love sushi and want that perfect Instagram photo, book it - but have a backup mindset for the weather.
My Ultimate Takeaway:
Enjoy the Magic Carpet as a public venue, but do not buy a cabin behind it. The permanent orange steel obstruction and the fact that other passengers can look directly at your balcony when it parks on your deck completely kills the privacy of a veranda room. Save your money, book a standard Infinite Veranda further forward or aft, and just walk up to the Magic Carpet when you want to enjoy the vibe.