Last weekend my husband and I got a taste of what Celebrity Cruises newest ship, Apex, has to offer while sailing on a 2 night preview cruise out of Ft Lauderdale. If you’re not familiar with the Celebrity brand, they are the sister company to Royal Caribbean Cruises. Think of it like this…If you are cruising with the kids or grandkids, Royal Caribbean is your best option. If you are celebrating your 25th wedding anniversary sailing with just the 2 of you…think Celebrity. They are a premium cruise line featuring a “modern luxury” decor, upscale dining and fantastic entertainment options.
Apex is the sister ship to Edge, which was the first ship to set sail on June 26, 2021 from a US port since the pandemic shut down the entire cruise industry. Apex was sailing in Europe this summer and just crossed over to depart from Fort Lauderdale for the winter season. The thing that I love about Celebrity is that their ships are filled with all kinds of unique unexpected touches that add to the overall cruise experience.
The Cabins
On this sailing, we enjoyed an Aqua Class infinite veranda stateroom. Aqua Class cabins are the same as regular cabins, but offer unlimited visits to the spa’s thermal suite, priority spa reservations and access to their private dining room, Blu. The infinite veranda that is featured on both Edge and Apex is a game changer. It doubles as both an enclosed sitting area in your cabin and opens up to a balcony at the touch of a button. It brings unobstructed views of the sea into the cabin to enjoy all day, but you can lower a darkening screen with another button to block out the light for sleeping in. I mean, you’re on vacation, right!?! Beds were super comfortable, we had plenty of storage space and the bathroom was larger than on some of the older ships. Here’s a quick video tour:
The Food
The dining experience on Celebrity Apex is a notch above normal, with unique taste combinations and beautiful presentation. Foodies will not be disappointed. My husband had filet both nights (actually surf and turf the second night) and declared it the best steak he has ever had. Coming from a meat and potatoes guy, that is no small compliment. I have a sweet tooth and sometimes find cruise line desserts to be a bit bland and uninspired. Apex offered amazing options which could have really done a number on my waistline if we had been onboard for more than 2 nights!
The Drinks
The Magic Carpet Lounge featured on Celebrity Apex and Edge hangs off the side of the ship and is a fun place to grab a drink off the pool deck during the day or after dinner when it moves down to deck 5. The Sunset Bar on the aft of the ship offers breathtaking views of the wake and, of course, the sunset. And they of course have Celebrity’s signature Martini Bar featured in the main centrum area of the ship. If you time your visit right you may catch the bartenders on top of the bar doing their classic multi martini show!
The Experience
The artwork throughout the ship is captivating. There are little nooks and crannies to discover and explore throughout the ship, each with their own unique style and theme. The shows were high tech and high energy. Think Cirque Du Soleil meets MTV. The Eden lounge and dining areas on the rear of the ship were interesting. We visited both during the day and night and at one point in the evening while the Alice in Wonderland performers were wandering around the lounge I leaned over to my husband and whispered “I don’t get it” to which he replied “I don’t think we are supposed to get it”, so that made me feel a little less stupid. Lol!
So, to sum things up, there is nothing not to love about Apex. Celebrity is promoting their “Always Included” pricing, which adds their drink package, wifi and gratuities to your cruise fare for an all inclusive experience. Right now their ships are sailing at reduced capacity and they require that all passengers (and crew) be fully vaccinated in order to sail. So, once you step onboard, it is really like a safe bubble vacation experience that is currently at some really great price points. There has never been a better time to sail with Celebrity, so connect with one of our agents here and start packing. You deserve to treat yourself famously. 🙂
