Sailing on Celebrity Apex in the Caribbean

Now that our seven-day, Western Caribbean cruise on Celebrity Apex is over, it’s time to summarize our overall experience. So here goes:

Through the years, we’ve taken a number of cruises on Celebrity, both on their Solstice and Millennium-class ships. Apex is the first Edge-class we’ve experienced (see my All Things Cruise post on the Apex U.S. debut, here). Following the short debut visit, I was so impressed I requested a regular cruise to really get to know her. After eight days and seven nights aboard, I can say I’m even more impressed.

Let’s review the overall experience:

EMBARKING/DEBARKING: Getting on a ship and getting off are two of the more stressful times for most people taking a cruise. There’s a certain amount of check-in, check-out protocols that have to take place, and with COVID, that has further complicated the process. Celebrity really does an excellent job of minimizing the pain.

First and foremost, download their app beforehand. While you’ll get regular email updates as your cruise nears, the app is your best friend for streamlining the boarding process. You can take the health questionnaire, upload your VAX cards, your passport info and a photo of yourself for facial recognition. You can even complete almost all of the muster drill via the app. Thank you, Celebrity! You will still need a negative COVID test within 48 hours of your departure, which you bring with you to the port.

Using the app, you pick a 30-minute window for your arrival time, and they ask you to adhere to it. That helps to spread out the almost 1,700 people that were on our cruise. In fact, it took us all of 10 minutes to show our documents, get checked-in and go through security.

When it was time to get off, we waited for our luggage tags to be called and were soon heading to the customs area. Our bags were waiting, and we didn’t even need to get out our passports. You simply stand in front of a facial recognition screen and that’s it. It couldn’t have been easier.

OUR STATEROOM: We were in Aqua Class, which has perks like daily delivery of hors d’oeuvres, use of the Spa’s thermal facilities and access to Blu restaurant, open for breakfast and dinner on a first come-first serve basis. On the Edge-class ships, Celebrity has incorporated the balcony into the room, and guests can lower the floor-to-ceiling window and screen with a touch of a button. Some like it, some don’t. We think it’s brilliant. The bed is large and comfortable; storage space was adequate and well-planned. The spa-style, high-tech shower takes a little getting used to, but once you master all the modes and jets, you’ll want to take it home in your suitcase. Pam loved the C.O. Bigelow toiletries provided as well. No complaints here.

DINING: Where to start? The ship is a food lover’s paradise. Yes, there are the specialty restaurants for every taste, but the non-specialty eateries are pretty darn special. Instead of one big main dining area, Celebrity has created four main dining rooms, each with its own specialty. There’s Cosmopolitan (American), Normandie (French), Cyprus (Mediterranean) and Tuscan (Italian). You can’t go wrong in any of them. Oceanview Cafe, the “they-serve-you” buffet (COVID has pretty much killed the old-style, self-serve buffet, which isn’t a bad thing, by the way) on deck 14, is wonderful as well, with its wide range of food choices, including Scoops ice cream and gelato bar. You can also get a fabulous slice of pizza there until 1 am. Guests in the Suites also have their own restaurant, Luminae. We got to eat there as well, and not only is the food outstanding, but also the service. There are coffee bars and other food and snack options all over the ship. Trust me, you won’t go hungry.

ENTERTAINMENT: There’s a different show every night in The Theatre, and most take full advantage of the wrap-around screens that provide eye-popping graphics and special effects that rival just about anything you’ll see on land. The onboard singers, dancers and aerialists showcase their talents across the ship in shows not only here but also in The Club and Eden. “Rockumentary” (rock music across the decades) and “Uptown” (a salute to Motown) were both excellent. The only disappointing offering was the Jessica Jane magic show, which seemed a bit amateurish. Elsewhere, the Next Stage house band, led by Philippines singer Lanie Corvera, rocked the house in the Grand Plaza. Dancing and cocktails — is there anything better?

SHORE EXCURSIONS: Our route took us to Bimini, Belize, Cozumel and Grand Cayman, and we took a Celebrity excursion in each. First, a shout-out to Fabio, who works the shore excursion desk — he did a great job assisting us with our planning. The good news here is more ports are easing their COVID rules. Some masking is required, but mostly not. Also, everyone is so thrilled and happy to have tourism returning, people are extra friendly and accommodating just about everywhere we went. Our excursions themselves are detailed in the daily posts.

THE STAFF: Honestly, when it comes to customer service and taking care of their guests, I would have to rank Celebrity at the top of that list, at least based on this cruise. From Fabio in shore excursions and Marjan in restaurant operations to Katie in the Spa and Richard, our stateroom attendant, guests are treated literally like royalty across the board. The 1,100 members of the crew are not only eager to please, but also genuinely happy to have the opportunity. Since our cruise was about 60 percent of the 3,000-guest capacity, no doubt we got extra attention. Still, based on the dozens of cruises we’ve taken, it’s the staff above all else that creates long-term loyalty and return business. Give Celebrity a big “edge’ here.

THE SHIP: There’s no other way to say it: Celebrity Apex is a work of art, literally. Celebrity has always been known for their onboard art, and Edge-series ships take that to another level. Besides the stunning art installations, the decor and attention to detail in the design of the various areas, like Eden — the three-story lounge at the back of ship with its floor-to-ceiling windows — is breathtaking. It’s no surprise the price tag for building Apex came in at a cool one billion dollars. It shows everywhere you look. I also give Apex high marks for all the ways they make it easy to navigate the ship. Elevators light up red or green for down and up; venues are clearly listed by floor in the elevators and lobbies, as well as the hallways. You would have to work hard at it to get lost.

SUMMARY: Our one week on Apex provided a lot of exceptional memories. As I noted in an earlier post, Celebrity has crafted a truly upscale experience without the pretension. You can dress up, or down, and still feel at home. Glitter and glam, T-shirt and shorts — doesn’t matter. (For the record, Pam definitely prefers the former).  It’s also a plus that when you book a cruise with Celebrity, your fare includes some WiFi, drinks up to $9 and gratuities — all extras that can really add up a la carte. Overall, we really didn’t want it to be over. But as Apex Cruise Director Giuseppe Moschella wisely said: “Don’t be sad it’s over; be happy it happened.” He’s right.

This story is compliments of Gerry Barker,