Celebrity Apex has built a real following among UK cruisers sailing from Southampton, so the switch is worth understanding. Beyond is her larger sister, and the difference is not marginal. She carries 22 more suites and 157 more staterooms across 17 decks, which has given Celebrity room to do more with the public spaces.
She also returns to Europe for the first time since 2023, following a 2026 refit that added a Mediterranean restaurant called Bora and the Celebrity Pool Club, an expanded poolside area with two new venues, Orange Peel Bar and Grille and Tacos del Sol. So when she arrives in Southampton she will be a genuinely refreshed ship rather than a familiar one with a new itinerary.
Celebrity sits in the premium bracket, which in practice means a more contemporary, adult-leaning feel than the big mainstream lines, strong food across the board, and the Infinite Veranda cabins that the Edge Series is known for. If you have cruised P&O or Princess from Southampton and fancied trying something different without flying anywhere to do it, this is a straightforward way to test that.
Celebrity Beyond 2028 Itineraries: Every Southampton Sailing
The 2028 season opens with a transatlantic repositioning crossing, then runs round trip from Southampton until October.
- 22 April 2028, 13 nights, Fort Lauderdale to Southampton, Bermuda and Portugal Transatlantic
- 5 May 2028, 8 nights, Norwegian Fjords
- 13 May 2028, 13 nights, Best of Scandinavia
- 26 May 2028, 8 nights, Norwegian Fjords
- 3 June 2028, 14 nights, Iceland and Norway
- 17 June 2028, 7 nights, Norwegian Fjords
- 24 June 2028, 7 nights, Norwegian Fjords
- 1 July 2028, 7 nights, Norwegian Fjords
- 8 July 2028, 12 nights, Norwegian Fjords and Arctic Circle
- 20 July 2028, 11 nights, Best of Scandinavia
- 31 July 2028, 12 nights, Norwegian Fjords and Arctic Circle
- 12 August 2028, 14 nights, Iceland and Norway
- 26 August 2028, 14 nights, Norwegian Fjords and Arctic Circle
- 9 September 2028, 12 nights, Best of Scandinavia
- 21 September 2028, 14 nights, Mediterranean, Italy and Spain
- 5 October 2028, 11 nights, Canaries and Portugal
Every departure from 5 May onwards is a no-fly cruise from Southampton. You can drive down, park up and be onboard without a boarding pass in sight.
Best Celebrity Beyond Southampton Sailings for 2028
Best short Norwegian Fjords cruise
The three seven-night Norwegian Fjords sailings on 17 June, 24 June and 1 July are the most accessible way into this season. A week is enough to see Geiranger, Alesund, Flam and Bergen properly, it is the shortest and generally the most affordable option, and midsummer means daylight running well into the evening. If you have never cruised Celebrity before, this is the low-commitment way to find out whether the style suits you.
Best Celebrity cruises for school holidays
The summer holiday window is well served, which is not always the case with premium lines. The 8 July and 31 July twelve-night Arctic Circle sailings, the 20 July eleven-night Scandinavia and the two fourteen-night August departures all fall within school holidays. The 12 August Iceland and Norway is the one to circle if you want the biggest trip of the lot.
Best bucket list itinerary
Fourteen nights combining Iceland and Norway, on 3 June or 12 August, is the standout itinerary of the season. Icelandic ports including Reykjavik, Isafjordur, Akureyri and Seydisfjordur, followed by the Norwegian fjords at Geiranger, Alesund, Flam, Nordfjordeid and Bergen. That is two genuinely different countries in one holiday, no flights, and the kind of trip that would normally involve long haul travel and a lot of logistics.
The Arctic Circle sailings on 8 July, 31 July and 26 August are the other bucket list option, taking you above 66 degrees north during the season when the light never really goes.
Best no-fly sunshine cruise from Southampton
The last two departures break the northern pattern entirely. The 21 September fourteen-night Mediterranean sailing through Italy and Spain, and the 5 October eleven-night Canaries and Portugal, both offer proper warmth without flying. Autumn no-fly sunshine from Southampton is always in demand, and there are only two of these in the whole season.
Best transatlantic crossing
The 22 April sailing is the outlier and appeals to a particular kind of cruiser. Thirteen nights from Fort Lauderdale to Southampton via Bermuda and Portugal, with the sea days that only a crossing gives you. You would fly out and sail home, so it needs a flight at the front end, but as a way to arrive back in the UK it takes some beating.
When Can You Book Celebrity Beyond 2028 Cruises?
General sale for Celebrity’s 2028 Europe programme opens on 25 August 2026. We can pre-register your interest before then, which puts you in a position to book as soon as the season goes live rather than joining the queue on the day.
That matters more than it might sound on a season like this. The seven-night fjords sailings and the school holiday departures are the ones that move first, and cabin choice on the popular grades tends to narrow quickly on a newly released programme.
If you have a sailing in mind from the list above, or you want us to come back to you when pricing lands, give us a call on 01724 808800 and we will get you registered.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Celebrity ship sails from Southampton in 2028?
Celebrity Beyond, replacing Celebrity Apex. She is the larger of the two, with 22 more suites and 157 more staterooms across 17 decks, and returns to Europe for the first time since 2023 following a refit in 2026.
When do Celebrity Beyond 2028 cruises go on sale?
General sale opens on 25 August 2026. We can pre-register your interest before that date so you are ready to book the moment the season opens.
How long are the Celebrity Cruises sailings from Southampton in 2028?
The season runs from seven to fourteen nights, with seven, eight, eleven, twelve, thirteen and fourteen-night itineraries available depending on the departure date.
Are there Celebrity Beyond cruises during the 2028 school holidays?
Yes. The 8 July, 20 July, 31 July, 12 August and 26 August departures all fall within the summer holiday period, ranging from eleven to fourteen nights.
Are Celebrity Cruises from Southampton no-fly cruises?
Every sailing from 5 May 2028 onwards is round trip from Southampton with no flights required. Only the 22 April transatlantic crossing needs a flight, since it begins in Fort Lauderdale.
Where does Celebrity Beyond sail from Southampton in 2028?
Norway, Iceland, Scandinavia and the Arctic Circle make up most of the season, with a Mediterranean sailing through Italy and Spain in September and a Canaries and Portugal itinerary in October.
Explore more: Celebrity Cruises, cruises from Southampton, no-fly cruises from the UK and what to pack for a Norwegian Fjords cruise.
Book Your 2028 Celebrity Cruise from Southampton
A new season on a bigger ship from the UK’s busiest cruise port does not come around often. Whether you know exactly which sailing you want or you would rather talk through the difference between a week in the fjords and a fortnight taking in Iceland, the team is here Monday to Sunday, 9am to 11pm.
Call us on 01724 808800 or get in touch through the website and we will make sure you are ready when booking opens.
