I have only ever been on one cruise ship, so I was very excited to go onboard Celebrity Apex. It was also my first ever time in Southampton port and I was so impressed with how easy it is to board and head straight off on your holiday!
When I first boarded Apex, we headed straight towards the Eden entertainment venue. Walking through the ship, I was blown away by how stylish and sophisticated the décor was especially in the Grand Plaza. I could quite easily imagine myself sat there drinking a cocktail listening to the live music!
When I reached the Eden venue, it instantly became my favourite place on the ship because of its lovely chilled, relaxing atmosphere surrounded by beautiful greenery. I had a delicious pain au chocolate and a fresh orange juice listening to the lovely sounds of the piano! We were then shown the Eden restaurant where you can pay for a 5-course meal and you can watch your food being made for you! In the evening, Eden becomes an entertainment venue with live music as well as performances from acrobats!
After the Eden venue, I was so excited to be shown the cabins! I first saw one of the balcony cabins where the entire living space opens at the touch of the button to breathe in the amazing sea air! The rooms were very spacious and had everything you could need! Then we were taken to the Iconic Suite, and it was extremely iconic! It had a huge living space, 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and an entire deck area to yourself that had a hot tub on it!
If you purchase a suite, you get instant access to The Retreat. You will gain access to exclusive areas like the Retreat Sundeck which gives you the most stunning panoramic views above the Captain’s Bridge. You get complimentary dining in the private restaurant, Luminae. You can also relax in the Retreat Lounge here you can have complimentary beverages, gourmet bits and services from the incredible concierge! I was amazed at how classy and luxurious The Retreat was and for the amount you pay for a suite, it is an amazing way to elevate your cruise experience!
Then we reached the pool area that leads straight into the buffet. I could not believe how many options there were – Asian, grilled and chef’s favourites, bakery, carving, stir fry, pizza, puddings, chocolate fountains, fruit, salads… The options are endless! All the food looked so fresh; I could have very easily enjoyed a plateful!
We were then shown the spectacular, huge theatre room! Here they put on such amazing productions where you are being treated to high quality performances! I can only imagine how amazing the performances would be!
Finally, we were treated to a meal from the concierge menu in the Normandie restaurant. I chose the butternut squash soup, the salmon and then the chocolate for dessert. Every meal was delicious! The 4 main restaurants on board include the classics menu that is the same in each restaurant and a menu that is unique to the select cuisine of the restaurant:
- Cosmopolitan – American Cyprus – Mediterranean Normandie – French Tuscan – Italian
There are lots more restaurants on board so whatever food you fancy, you’ll find it onboard Apex!!
Sadly, my time on Apex came to an end! For me, Celebrity Cruises have set the bar high in terms of luxury ocean cruises. From the innovative Magic Carpet, that reaches heights of 13 stories above sea level, to the serene, relaxing atmosphere of Eden – Celebrity Apex really has it all! I would highly recommend Celebrity Cruises!
