SHIP REVIEW: CELEBRITY APEX
LUXURY ON A GRAND SCALE Celebrity Apex is the second Edge-class liner in the Celebrity fleet, following the award-winning, Sydney-bound Celebrity Edge. Tony Slinn tried her out.
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eally, it’s as if you have your own private yacht,” Billy, a Celebrity Apex barman, tells me, noting there are only about 400 passengers aboard as COVID continues to take its toll on travel and bookings. We’ve sailed with Celebrity since 2008, mostly aboard Solstice-class ships that can carry 2,850 passengers served by 1,271 crew. Celebrity Solstice has been a staple in the Australian market and, with her neatly manicured lawn offering a picnic area on the upper deck, has become something of a legend. Edge and Apex are game-changers. With Celebrity claiming to offer allincluded luxury – a big call for a big-ship line – and with Edge heading for Sydney in 2023, we were excited to try her out. Our immediate impression was that Apex felt more spacious. Maybe that was because 2,500 passengers were missing. She’s also more fuel-efficient, according to chief engineer Argyrios Poulakis, and more eco-friendly. Celebrity describes Apex as “pushing modern travel to bold new heights”. And while echoes of the Solstice-class ships remain, a whole lot is brand-new. This includes The Retreat, which is said to offer unparalleled luxury for the exclusive use of Suite Class passengers. It has its own pool, sundeck, lounge and 32
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restaurant, the Luminae, so you don’t have to mix with the hoi polloi. Celebrity’s Solstice-class ships have a private lounge called Michael’s Club, and other lines, such as Princess and Holland America, have something similar. But Edge-class ships join MSC (the Yacht Club) and Norwegian (the Haven) in having a true ‘ship-withina-ship’ offering. It comes, of course, at a price. To give Celebrity credit, even if you’re in the cheapest Sky Suite, which is not that much more spacious than a standard balcony cabin, you still have access to The Retreat. The other five suites go all the way up to the Iconic. You’ll need deep pockets for that. We were given a tour of The Retreat and the Sky and Celebrity suites. The latter is a ‘proper’ suite with a separate bedroom, ensuite bathroom and a lounge. The Retreat certainly is luxurious. The first thing we noticed was padded, fulllength cushions on the sun loungers, not something you get elsewhere aboard Apex. We were booked in AquaClass, one under Suite Class. AquaClass gives you free run of most things in the ship’s well-appointed spa; a rather nice three-position shower array in the cabin bathroom; the new Infinity balcony that completely opens from the room; and an
exclusive breakfast and dinner restaurant, Blu, which encourages healthy eating. Celebrity cruises now include tips (normally 20 per cent), basic WiFi and a basic drinks package (the Classic). We always upgrade the drinks package (AUD$225 for two for seven days) to Premium, which allows for better wines, among other advantages. Celebrity hangs its hat on its food and wine offerings – for good reason. The Edge-class vessels have one design feature that certainly marks them out.
