T+L’s Ship Review of Celebrity Apex From Celebrity Cruises

It was 6 a.m. and I was on waterfall watch as we sail toward Norway’s Geirangerfjord on Celebrity Apex.

As luck would have it, the waterfall was on the same side of the ship as my cabin, which had a comfortable sitting area next to a floor-to-ceiling window. It was the perfect viewing perch as we sailed through the Norwegian fjords, a part of the world high on the ‘must’ list for cruisers. The scenery was spectacular, with snow-capped mountains and deep valleys dotted with picturesque waterside villages. It was peak waterfall season: the snow was melting fast and the waterfalls were gushing, tumbling noisily down craggy cliffs from vertiginous heights, spraying those who got close with a chilly mist.

“I loved having the chance to visit such a breathtaking destination for the first time,” says Laura Hodges Bethge, the president of Celebrity Cruises. She was on Apex the week after us, starring in a President’s Cruise with all sorts of special parties and exclusive shore excursions, while also getting feedback on passengers’ likes and dislikes.

If you can drag yourself from the wonderful views, Celebrity Apex is quite the spectacle, too. With 1,467 staterooms and suites, it’s a new breed of designer ship, with cool art, a tunnel coated in tarnished mirrors, and a lounge buzzing after dark with bands and cabaret shows.

There are hot tubs atop giant martini glass stems and a Magic Carpet, a.k.a. a cantilevered platform the size of a tennis court that ‘flies’ up and down the side of the ship. One minute it’s a bar, the next it becomes a tender platform. (So I was told, I never experienced either as it was undergoing maintenance during my sailing.) There is also an exclusive part of the ship called Retreat, for only passengers staying in suites. It has a private sundeck and pool, lounge, and Luminae, a restaurant with dishes created by celebrated chef Daniel Boulud, the line’s global culinary ambassador.

Here, my full review of the Celebrity Apex ship.

The Staterooms

I stayed in an Infinite Veranda cabin, which has an indoor balcony (that sitting room with a stunning floor-to-ceiling window). I was a big fan of this “indoor balcony”—I opened the expansive window whenever the weather was nice.

My Infinite Veranda was an AquaClass cabin, which came with a shower with jets, free bottled water, access to the spa’s thermal suite, exclusive access to restaurant Blu, and other perks.

Taking the high ground at the top of the ship are the Retreat Suites and Iconic Suites. All suites have outdoor balconies and come with butlers, included drinks, laundry, tips, and Wi-Fi.

For those on a budget, there are inside cabins with no view and rooms with a window that doesn’t open.

Bars and Restaurants

With four main restaurants (Cyprus, Tuscan, Normandie, and Cosmopolitan), an all-day buffet, and various cafés, you can spend a week on Apex and not pay extra for food. That said, the specialty restaurants, all of which cost extra, are excellent.

I loved Blu, my exclusive AquaClass restaurant, but skipped off a couple of evenings to dine in Fine Cut, the steakhouse, and Eden, which I enjoyed more for its views over the ship’s wake than its eclectic menu (salmon and apple anyone?). There’s also dining under the stars in the Rooftop Garden Grill and the fishy Raw on Five.

You would need more than a week (and a strong constitution!) to try all the bars and lounges. Service was lovely but slow, and with even a small glass of sauvignon blanc costing $23, the Premium drinks package at $105 per person per day was a good value. I enjoyed sundowners at the Sunset Bar, cocktails amid the greenery in Eden, and drinks at the lively Martini Bar.

Where Celebrity Apex Sails

This is Apex’s second summer season sailing from Southampton, England, and it will be back in 2026. Cruises are from four nights to two weeks and explore Iceland, Scandinavia, the British Isles, and the Mediterranean Sea.

There are lots of one-week Norwegian fjords cruises; longer voyages pair the fjords with Arctic Norway. A one-off solar eclipse Portugal and Spain sailing in August 2026 puts Apex in the path of totality as the moon passes over the sun.

Between its Southampton stints, Apex is cruising the Caribbean from Port Canaveral, Florida, visiting islands including St Kitts, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and Grand Cayman.

Shore Excursions

Excursions offered at each port were mostly sedate—a boat-and-coach combo, a journey on the steep Flam Railway, and chocolate-making lessons were all on offer. On occasion, though, they switched things up with cycling, kayaking, zip lining and high-speed RIBs (rigid inflatable boats).

I joined a coach tour in Geiranger, Norway, that involved driving around bends and hairpin turns as we visited two scenic viewpoints. The views were great, but skip it if you get vertigo or have a weak stomach.

The rest of the time I explored with my travel companion, climbing to the tumbling Brekkefossen waterfall in Flam and hiking the 327 steps alongside Geiranger’s surging Storfossen waterfall.

Amenities and Entertainment

There are endless entertainment offerings on board: music quizzes; archery; ballroom dancing; wine-tasting classes, acupuncture seminars; and scavenger hunts. There are indoor cycling and Pilates classes and any number of treatments in the spa.

I took it easy, joining a tour of the art around the ship (there are 4,000 pieces including ostrich-feather trees and a beautiful frozen wave) and dipping into excellent lectures about whales, dolphins, and seabirds by on-board naturalist Celia Garland. I also took advantage of the free pass that comes with AquaClass cabins to luxuriate in the thermal suite.

All that’s before the evening kicked in with live music, cabarets acts, and theatre shows. A magician and the rock show were among my favorites.

Family-friendly Offerings

There were only a few children on our cruise. Don’t expect waterslides, roller coasters, and the like. Instead, kids are entertained in clubs (Camp at Sea for ages 3 to 12, Teen Club for the 13 to 17s) offering supervised games and activities for youngsters, and discos and sports contests for teens.

Families can book connecting cabins or an adjoined Iconic and Royal Suite that sleeps up to 10.

Accessibility

Guests can bring wheelchairs or scooters on board (or borrow one), but are encouraged to advise Celebrity as early as possible. There are a limited number of accessible cabins on Apex, so it’s best to book early.

Not all ports will be accessible. In Nordfjordeid and Geiranger, I walked ashore on floating piers that move with the waves and would have been tricky for wheelchair users.

Seven-night cruises on Apex start from $934 per person.