Our Celebrity Apex Cruise Review: First Impressions and Highlights

 

This was our first time on a Celebrity Edge class ship, the Celebrity Apex. First impressions were that this was a classy, modern ship with a laid-back vibe. We were able to drop our carry-on bags in the room right away without having to hang around until rooms were totally ready later on and then grab lunch at the Mast Grill before taking a ship tour. the Mast Grill hot dogs and burgers were an easy way to grab lunch and the ice cream self-serve was there, too!

The ship isn’t a huge mega-ship, holding about 2,900 passengers, but it’s designed in a way that gives everyone plenty of space to spread out. It never felt crowded (except maybe in the buffet) and there were lots of venues for shows and activities throughout the ship.

We booked this cruise 18 months in advance and were able to grab a Sunset Veranda stateroom. These are located at the very back of the ship and offer a beautiful wake view, which is my favorite view on any ship. They’re also some of the only “true” balconies on this class of ship. Most of the other balconies are called Infinite Verandas, which feature a large window that opens to create a balcony feel, but you’re technically still standing inside the room. We loved having a real balcony and spent a lot of time just enjoying the views.

There are four main dining rooms on the Apex that you can visit any evening without a reservation. We were “assigned” to the Normandie dining room the first night and ended up eating there each night. We could still order off the menus from the other dining rooms, which was a nice touch. The food was very good, especially the fish dishes, and one night the steak and shrimp scampi really stood out.

We also tried two specialty restaurants during the cruise, Fine Cut Steakhouse and the Rooftop Garden Grill. Both were excellent. We ordered filet at each and they were cooked perfectly.

The buffet felt crowded and it was often hard to find a table, so we chose to eat in the main dining rooms as much as possible for breakfast. It was a calmer and more enjoyable way to start the day.

As far as entertainment and shows go, I would say they were half and half. The musical performances were great, while the magic and comedy acts were a bit hit or miss. We did enjoy playing trivia and games in The Club and even won a t-shirt and a bag.

When it came to bars and lounges, we really enjoyed the nightly Champagne Show at the Martini Bar, where the bartenders put on a short performance with lights and music. One sea day we also joined the Mixology 101 class, which was well worth the extra cost. We learned how to make three full-sized drinks and had a great time doing it.

It was nice to meet and wait for excursions in the theater rather than outside. We could relax in comfortable seats and head straight to the bus instead of standing in the sun or rain. The complimentary massages they offered while waiting were a nice touch as well.

We appreciated that the stateroom was serviced twice a day with both morning and evening turn-down service. The chocolate on the pillow each night was a welcome treat.

The overall vibe of this ship, especially for this itinerary, was relaxed and adult-oriented. Our dining crew in the Normandie restaurant was fantastic, and the bartenders at the Sunset Bar quickly became some of our favorites.

This experience turned out to be more than we could have hoped for. We would definitely sail on this ship again, and in fact, we’re already looking forward to being on another Edge class ship, the Celebrity Beyond, this December.