Celebrity Cruises Celebrity Apex Cruise Ship Review

There are various food options on Celebrity Apex. Some are included in the base fare of the cruise in “main dining,” and other options are available for a small upcharge in “Specialty Dining” venues. There are 4 main and 7 specialty restaurants.

Main dining includes Normandie Restaurant, Cypress Restaurant, Tuscan Restaurant, and Cosmopolitan Restaurant. 

Specialty dining includes Raw on 5, Le Petit Chef and Family, Le Grand Bistro, Fine Cut Steakhouse, Eden Restaurant, Rooftop Garden Grill, and The Magic Carpet. 

Additionally, AquaClass guests can choose to eat at the restaurant, Blu. Guests of The Retreat can enjoy Luminae for breakfast and dinner and sometimes for lunch, depending on the day. The Retreat guests can also opt to have lunch poolside at The Retreat Sundeck. Lite bites are offered in The Retreat Lounge at various times throughout the day, including continental breakfast guests can opt to have in the morning.

Oceanview Cafe is the main dining area open for three meals a day, daytime snacks, and late-night eats. The pizza station there is a guest favorite. They have assorted stations that ensure there’s truly something for everyone, from Asian stations spanning China and India to a meat carving station, a grill and salad station, a made-to-order pasta bar, and several dessert stations.

The onboard casino has plenty of machines and tables for all who want to gamble. 

Shopping onboard includes areas for guests wanting to buy a watch under the Swatch brand (including Omega, Hublot, and Panerai, for example), to jewelry, including precious and semi-precious stones. If you want Celebrity Apex apparel, there is a store with plenty of options. 

There’s an area to book future cruises near a room with dozens of computers to order any photos taken on Apex or in the ports by the ship photographers.

The main atrium is several decks high and is home to The Martini Bar. Here, you’ll find a chandelier whose lights dance to music twice nightly as the bartenders show off their skills with shaker tosses and pours. 

Apex has a lovely spa where you can book treatments from haircuts to manicures and massages or purchase a pass to the SEA Thermal Suite. (Passes to the SEA Thermal Suite are included for AquaClass guests.) 

Staying fit onboard is easy, thanks to a generous fitness room with plenty of cardio machines and weights. An outdoor track is available onboard as well. 

The Magic Carpet is a destination hanging off the ship’s side, famously a feature that’s part of Celebrity’s Edge class. By day it’s open for guests to enjoy drinks in a unique setting; at night, reservations are available for open-air dining. 

A large rectangular pool is by an outdoor bar. Lounge seating surrounds the pool, and the hot tub on the next deck overlooks it all.  

Adults can also enjoy the 18+ Solarium area, that’s completely enclosed yet lets in plenty of natural light.

Hallways to get to staterooms are modern with a neutral palette of grey and white with wood detailing. Incredible art has been selected to adorn many areas on the ship, including the elevator areas. The hallways feature phenomenal photographs printed and framed at a large scale.

Guests can choose from various cabin categories, including inside or outside staterooms. Many outside staterooms either have a balcony or glass window that slides open electronically, so it becomes a Juliet balcony. (Many river cruises have adopted this balcony type over the years.) 

Royal Suites are great for those desiring something larger than an entry-level suite. Upper suite options, including an Edge Villa, Panoramic Suite, and Idyllic Suite on Celebrity Apex, are also included in The Retreat.

AquaClass and Concierge are suite categories allowing guests to enjoy upgraded perks as well, like upgraded bedding, a pillow menu, in-room binoculars, optional shoe shining, and welcome fruit and sparkling wine.

All rooms are modern, equipped with an electronic panel that controls the temperature, lights, and shades.

Celebrity Apex has an incredible state-of-the-art theater where all its main shows and performances are held. Expect shows including comedy acts, magicians, live musical performances, and acrobatics. The 12-paneled LED screen they incorporate into each performance truly is impressive.

The stage shows on Apex include original productions from Celebrity Cruises, like Rockumentary, Crystalize, and Tree of Life.

The Club is used to host assorted games and entertainment during the day as well as at night before it becomes a dancing venue. 

The main pool on the ship has games like volleyball and golf putt during the day. At night, the pool is closed, but the deck surrounding it becomes a dance floor where silent discos are hosted. 

Twice a night, the main atrium’s chandelier illuminates and dances to a pop song as bartenders show off their tricks. There are live bands at The Martini Bar several times a day. 

Eden – a bar, restaurant, dance and performance venue – also has live music several times a night, including acoustic guitar and singer performances, a DJ, bands, and (on occasion) acrobatics.