You are a much more patient traveller than I. I would have asked to speak to the Hotel director. Unless the ship was sold out, there was no reason they could not accommodate you. I am a loyal Celebrity cruiser but I found that our last 2 cruises lacked their normal outstanding guest services. I will be sailing on the Apex in February with my daughter, niece and sister-in-law. Can't wait for our girls cruise!! Thanks for the video. Can't wait for more.
We are sailing on Celebrity Beyond in January 2024 for 11 nights. This is our 26th Celebrity cruise. We loved sailing on the Edge in January 2020. I am surprised that they didn’t change your cabin when you had a continuous problem - especially because you do reviews on TH-cam. Glad you had a wonderful cruise anyway. We booked a Viking Ocean cruise for December 2023, mainly for the 3 nights in Israel. Unfortunately, because of world events, we won’t be docking there. We’re disappointed but that’s the least of the problems happening in that area. Pray for peace.
That's crazy that they didn't move you to an open room with the malfunctions you were experiencing. Esp after spending $6k and it is high-end cruise line. I've never like the "big" cruise ships. Regardless of how many pax, there is still only one Lido/Sun deck of the same size.
To keep the names of crew you want to recognize you can also ask them to take a picture of their nametag. They'll always be happy to have you do that since they know it means there's a good chance you'll be getting their name and position correct for those final reviews and I've heard crew say how very important those reviews are for them
We leave for an 8 day cruise on Apex December 3rd. We “moved” up to a Sky Suite and can’t wait. We love Celebrity and this will be our first Edge class ship.
Luminae, all by itself, is a reason I'll always travel in a suite. I may cruise less, but when I do, I will cruise in a little more style. We've only done a 12 day cruise, and I looked forward to my meals in Luminae. I also enjoyed Blu, Eden, Le Petit Chef, etc., but the food and service in Luminae were incredible. Of course I want to sail Apex again. But an itinerary we desired has us on the Edge next May. 12 days, Barcelona to Rome.
@@ZachtheTravelingMan Our Barcelona to Rome in May is in a Sky Suite. It takes a little scrimping and saving, but we feel it's worth it! I continue to appreciate your videos!
I’ve sailed on Edge (a Preview Cruise) and will be on Apex for 8 nights end of Dec - Jan 2023. Experienced the infinite veranda on Edge, but on my upcoming cruise opted for a Sunset veranda as I love aft facing staterooms and not a fan of the IV. Guest services should have moved you. Like you, I instantly fell for the edge class. Booked on Ascent Dec 2023 in the Retreat. Look forward to more of your great content. Happy sailing!
@12:50 I am glad that the couple shared with you their great experience with gluten free dining. We have been very happy with RC but for next year we now have booked a cruise on Apex and Equinox. Food is important to my husband but to me it could be dangerous so I am now feeling a little less anxious about leaving RC.
Another great video, Zach! Yes, so tough to balance a great ship with bucket-list ports. And yes, Apex Rooftop Garden Grill is great. Collleen also says it edges out Eden - Eden is my favorite. Alejandro is super positive and high energy. Keep up the great work!
We have sailed Celebrity Constellation 3 times; and in 2 months we are sailing on Celebrity Apex for 12 days to Iceland (and Belfast and Glasgow), which is why I am watching this particular video of yours. You are correct that the food and the service on Celebrity are superior, and the entertainment is solid. After watching your review, I am even more excited about cruising on the larger Apex! Thank you!!
Thanks for the awesome review… I will be on this ship over Christmas going to Key West, Belize, Cozumel, and Grand Caymen. Have an infinite veranda booked on deck 9… Hope I dont have issues like you did with it.. Which was your favorite main dining? I have my main dining booked each night already…. You should come on this sailing!
Thanks for the information Zach - we will be sailing on the Apex next summer to Norway. It’s our first time on Celebrity so your tips and reviews will be very helpful.!
I'll be on this ship in April 2023 for a 7 day western Caribbean. It's our first cruise. I hope it's as good as you say. I told the travel agent what we like to do when we travel, and he suggested this ship as our first cruise. He also said, beware, it will be hard to go on another cruise line and compare the food and service. lol.
Another great review Zach. I was just on the Apex for a 14-day transatlantic cruise and I share your assessment - it was amazing, particularly the service and the food. Loved the Rooftop Garden Grill - was mostly empty the two times I went despite the ship being at 80% capacity (guess 18C was too cold for non-Canadians 🙂). Hard to beat having a great meal outside watching the sun set on the coast of Spain. My Main Dining Room experience was also consistently excellent. Sorry to hear about your problems with the infinite veranda window (and how it was handled). I used it mostly as a glorified oceanview room as I didn't want to mess with wind and stateroom temp issues - plus there was less of a need to open the window on a transatlantic crossing. Will try a porthole veranda on an upcoming Northern Europe cruise, as I enjoyed having a traditional balcony on the Eclipse when I went to Alaska. Keep up the great TH-cam work!
I’m a couple weeks away from my 30th birthday cruise in the Retreat on Celebrity Summit. TH-cam recommended your channel and have to say it’s making me curious to try solo cruising as well as an edge class ship, 2 things I haven’t done before. Thanks for all the interesting content!
@laura5518, I think we're going on the same cruise! Dec 8 out of Miami? We're in a suite/Retreat as well. Once you've had Celebrity suite level service, you're spoiled for anything else. I hope you enjoy your cruise!
How cool! I hope you have a FANTASTIC time for your 30th. I just sailed Summit last weekend and enjoyed that ship. Solo cruising on an Edge class ship is the way to go. :)
Go for it! I did my first solo cruise on the Apex in January and had a blast! I met so many lovely people, and never felt alone, and I am not a big party person. I will do it again! 😊
Great video and review! It is a dream of mine to visit Israel someday and a cruise would be the way to go. I hope they continue this itinerary in the future, I would seriously consider this cruise once I am able to afford it and have time off. The window issue would have irritated me greatly. As you mentioned when you went this ship wasn't at full capacity. I would kind of understand them denying you for an upgrade but just requesting to transfer to another stateroom of the same size isn't that big of a deal especially considering you spent $6k on the cruise. It is poor customer service on that end regarding the window. Glad the rest of your cruise you had exceptional service to make up for it. I've been on 6 cruises all with Princess (3 to Alaska, 1 Caribbean and 2 Hawaii), and I think 7-12 day range is the perfect length for a cruise if you can go. Any shorter and it just feels like you are getting off just as you are starting to enjoy the experience. My Caribbean was 6 days and it felt short because as you know depending on what time you arrive and depart on the bookend days you may technically be only getting a 4 or 5 day ship experience. 7 days you have enough time to enjoy the ship and get the full experience. After about 12 you start getting homesick a bit even though you are having a blast usually. Both my Hawaii trips were 14 days and after about 11-12 days, even though they were my best cruises, I was ready to go home. Long comment but I will say I've watched some of your other videos and you are selling me on Celebrity. My next cruise I'd like to branch off from Princess but still want to sail along the same experience as Princess ships. Celebrity, Viking and the Norwegian Haven experience are the only three close that I have found in watching review videos. You about have me sold on Celebrity!
You were so calm over that verandah situation, i am quite sure i would have been more emphatic that they move me, and i would also go to corporate. Putting it out here is good too. And i am not a complainer i have been cruising yearly since 1972 and I can roll with the punches but your situation was unbelievable 🚢😊 PS loved those ports , always i in memory for these 30 years, and I am so glad you enjoyed
Zach, I sailed on the Apex in January and loved it! Like you, I love Celebrity! This was only my third cruise, but I just love the company! My first sailing was on the Summit, and I was so with the experience that I booked my next cruise on the Equinox and loved it too. It was Celebrity first sailing after everything was shut down during COVID, but even with a skeleton crew, they did what Celebrity does - provide exceptional service! All this to say that my experience on the Apex was amazing! I echo your experience about the wonderful entertainment and dining experience, and Eden was my favorite restaurant. Because, once again, I had an amazing cruise, I am now booked on Beyond for the ABC Cruise. I was actually mesmerized by the video about the ship - amazingly beautiful! But also excited to learn that Celebrity had the first female Captain. I cannot wait to get on that cruise, and I cannot wait to meet Captain Kate! I have heard great things about her from a couple staff members who were on the Beyond's maiden Trans-Atlantic voyage. Thank you for such informative posts. They are really helpful. #celebrityapex #celebritybeyondnext #love Celebrity
Love your videos Zach ! Never cruised on Celebrity yet but I will be cruising on the Edge in January…can’t wait. Glad I took aqua class.. thanks for your videos , very informative. You’ve got a new subscriber!
I'm so glad you loved your cruise! How could you not though, eh? Celebrity Edge class ships are stunning. I can only cruise in the summer and in December so I don't know if or when I could book this itinerary, but hopefully I can soon as I've always been fascinated by Israel and Turkey (it's the history). Can't wait until December to see all your vlogs. Thank you so much for all your time and work--we certainly appreciate you.
Fabulous video! Just discovered you 2 videos ago. Thrilled to hear about gluten free and allergy friendly options for my March trip on the Beyond, my 7th cruise, but first Celebrity one. Exciting to watch your enthusiasm 😁
I'm hoping to get onto this ship next year - interesting to hear that it seems to be quite a 'late' ship. On my Silhouette cruise last year, I found that the ship would get really quiet from about 11pm, but it sounds like there's better nightlife on here!
When we were on it was a ghost town after 11. Nothing open. No people anywhere. Even the 24 hour pub quit at midnight. The security chased you off the pool deck after 12. No nightlife at all.
Thanks a lot Zach, very useful information, I´ll be on the Apex in august 2023 12 days cruise at the Baltic and Scandinavia, what about the drinks packages? you didn´t mentioned in your review.
I’d recommend the Classic if you have more than a few alcoholic drinks, coffees, sodas, etc each day. Only the premium if you must have top shelf liquors (and request they use those when they make you a drink) else it’s not worth it. Have a great time!
We just got off the Equinox cruising to the ABC Islands. Our waiter in Blu was Rambo and you will not find a better person. The first time we met, he made us part of "his family". We were welcomed each time with Good morning or evening Mr. & Mrs. Davis and introduced us to the other "family member". He was a delight. Our room steward was Maricar and she was also tremendous. We did miss the outlets that are available on the Edge class ships. Cruise Director, Eddy, was excellent. We will be on thr Edge in the spring as we head into the Panama Canal. I can hardly wait. Celebrity is the best. #Celebrity
Another great video. 17 days until my first cruise with Celebrity, and it will be on the Apex. I have done a bunch of cruises with NCL, many with Royal Caribbean and in September got to experience Virgin Voyages. I am really curious to see how this compares. I keep hearing great things about the food...but I was so blown away by the food on the Scarlet Lady that it will be an interesting test :) I'm also looking forward to a more relaxed vibe compared to some of my last sailings on Royal.
I think you will enjoy sailing with Celebrity! I got hooked from my first cruise, and I am hooked! Beautiful ships, classy environment, great service, and excellent food, not to mention the destinations!
I’m pretty new to your channel so you may have done this already but have you done a video comparing the Apex, Beyond and Ascent? The last I saw the Ascent had become your favorite Celebrity ship. However I would love to have a ship to ship to ship comparison at some point. Thanks for the great channel.
My dream vacation is to one day to visit Israel to see where the Bible took place. That would be so amazing. I can't wait for your Israel videos to come out.
I agree the Apex is great, although I prefer Aqua class and Blue. I'd mention the Bistro for lunch and for freebies, grab a burger in the grill take it, around the corner, into the magic carpet and drink a Leffe beer while watching the port and consuming your burger. I'd rate 5/5 on food. We will try the Beyond in January b/b, hope it is as good.
Wow we did the apex 14 day transatlantic in October and I couldn’t disagree with you more on several points. Mainly the nightlife. After 11 pm it became a ghost town. Nothing open , no people anywhere. Even the 24 hour pub closed before midnight . The food was hit or miss . The crew was great. The internet sucked up my 150 minutes the first time I connected because it didn’t disconnect even though I was only on for three minutes. The sunset bar was rarely open for sunset. It was a great cruise don’t get me wrong, but it had its problems.
I think you get a different crowd on the one-way repositioning trans-Atlantic cruises, and perhaps the ship is less full as passengers have to fly over or fly back (or both)... Personally we love them! In 6 months, we will try a Panama Canal cruise that is one-way, and we are so looking forward to it!
Hi Zach, thank you for the review….I feel for what you paid the window should have worked without the hassle of returning to guest services. You paid for access to the outside….not an inside or ocean view cabin. I’m appalled that they would not move you! They should be giving you a credit to acknowledge your inconvenience. That is the least they could do! I hope you follow up on it. Cheers!
They should have replaced the window that day!! You know it didn’t just start NOT working when you arrived. They just pass lemon rooms on to the next guests.
Another brilliant video Zach thanks for posting. We will be doing a Transatlantic in April 2023 apparently it will have its upgrade by then. It’s going in for this upgrade in February 2023 for 21 days. We are looking forward to this brand new ship. Are you planing on sailing on the reflection in the future or are you sticking with Edge Class ships only? Thanks Zach safe travels 😊
Have cruised all three classes of ships, but prefer the Solstice class,. The Retreat class gives a feeling of exclusivity. The Edge class has three times the number of suites, so I find Luminare too large. I also thought that the Edge felt more crowded compared to the Solstice class. The exception is the Reflection where they added more suites without increasing the size if the common areas. Found it too crowded.
Totally agree. Reflection was the beginning of a bad trend. I don't know if Celebrity will reverse this to some degree. I don't mind suite perks until they intrude on most of the passengers public space. That's one "feature" of this Edge class that should be discussed and debated IMO. Also, outside of restaurants, public mix and mingle variety of spaces are woefully inadequate in indoor areas.
Loved this series....thanks for sharing your experiences.....still can't understand why Celebrity didn't move you to another cabin.....disappointed to hear this😞but glad you still thoroughly enjoyed your cruise 🚢
Looks like a perfect cruise with the Ports! enjoy watching your reviews. Wondering if you can tell me a little about what people wear in the evenings. I'll be on the Apex in March for Western Caribbean, want to inform friends on what to expect. Are there any formal nights on Celebrity?
There are 2 formal nights so long as the sailing is over 6 nights long. Dress ranges in the evening from dressy jeans and a button down all the way up to suits. Folks go all out! I hope you have a great time.
I too am traveling on the Apex in March to the Caribbean. My second cruise- the first was on the Constellation- Mediterranean islands, Greece, Pompeii and Israel. Love Celebrity
$6,000 for a window that won’t open!!! That would burn me. Personally I want a balcony. If they can’t provide that I’ll get an inside cabin as I leave in the morning for breakfast, drop in a couple times during the day and come back at bedtime. I’m not paying $6,000 for a window. I think those windows will be a maintenance problem the older the ship gets.
On the Apex (and possibly on the other Edge class ships) nearly EVERY cabin on deck 6 looks out onto the TOP of a lifeboat ! Lifeboats are on deck 5, so the top of the lifeboat is right out your window! What I believe is bad, (really bad) is that Celebrity hides this from potential passengers and travel agents. Not only do they not list these cabins as “obstructed”, but they don’t reveal it in any of their information. Even their photos hide it. Their reasoning is that you “can” see out… yes, but OVER THE TOP of an orange lifeboat! Not being able to look down at the ocean is sad. You’ll see it on TH-cam. (Cabins on deck 6.) They should at least let us make our own decision. I just booked the Apex transatlantic, and ran into a real problem changing to a lower category. Deck 3 is BELOW the lifeboats. But Celebrity was totally indifferent to me, wanting to charge $400 more, in less than 24 hours, because their prices had already changed. I’m already Elite with two additional future cruises also booked and this is my third. But… cold as ice. Seriously research (on TH-cam) the view from your cabin and don’t put your deposit down until YOU specify the exact cabin you want.
Great Pro Tip! I do the same but also ask them if I can take a picture of their name badge for the survey. They are always so appreciative that you have asked them. It means so much to the crew to be mentioned in the survey. Thank you so much for adding that. I am also a huge Celebrity fan! My Celebrity Vlog has the highest views on my channel. Great work Zach!
I love Celebrity...But your a bit spoiled in the fact that you haven't sailed on a FULL capacity Celebrity ship yet. I cruised on the Edge as you know, But I refuse to cruise on a Edge Class ship again mainly because of the Infinite Veranda. I do hope they build a Edge Class with Classic Veranda cabins. As for now I am Booked on the Reflection a Solstice Class ship...that is the class of ships I will stay with.
I sailed Equinox with 2700 - just shy of full capacity. Just got off Summit with near full capacity. Still love Celebrity. Loved the balcony on Summit. Solstice is up next!
Paying all that money and feel like an inside cabin, I would want some money back. I’m not looking forward to Apex Aqua Class in March. They will change my room. I will not have that.
I was on the Apex before you. I wondered how you got to eat in Blue? My wife and I paid more than twice what you paid I.e. $13.000 in a Sunset Veranda Aft, and I did not get that?????
That is whack you paid 6 grand and they wouldn't move you for such a significant deficiency. I find it odd. I've never had that problem with Celebrity with getting a different cabin. Every time I've had an issue they've always offered to move me to a better cabin. You should file a complaint with Celebrity customer service. I think a future cruise credit is in order. Yes I agree with the wifi isn't the best and Royal Caribbean has it beat by a mile. I think you can get some better deals than 6 grand for a veranda room. That is crazy expensive. They must be making money hand over fist. My next Celebrity cruise is a short one (5 nights), but only cost $350 including taxes. Just gotta look around.
I would have to disagree with you about the food the free restaurants were ok like wedding food and the oceanview cafe was better but still didnt stand out
I think the problem with your cabin’s window was an “S”(Ship) issue, and it rightfully hurt the rating in this item. Now, the fact that they couldn’t fix it, and wouldn’t come up with any remedy at all (changing you to another room, offering a discount or a partial refund, for example) should be considered bad service. Its when these kind of things happen that you really need their service to shine. Anyone can be smiling and courteous. Not everyone can find an acceptable solution to some problem. I think you overrated their service at 5 out of 5. I would think 4 out of 5 would be more accurate. Just my opinion.
Looking forward to going on The Apex Jan 2024. I’m hoping that Giuseppe is the Cruise Firector as he was an Activity Director on another Celebrity ship ( the Eclipse)before he became a Cruise Director. We’ve Loved the smaller Celebrity ships but are really looking forward to the Apex!
You are a much more patient traveller than I. I would have asked to speak to the Hotel director. Unless the ship was sold out, there was no reason they could not accommodate you. I am a loyal Celebrity cruiser but I found that our last 2 cruises lacked their normal outstanding guest services. I will be sailing on the Apex in February with my daughter, niece and sister-in-law. Can't wait for our girls cruise!! Thanks for the video. Can't wait for more.
...unless the rooms that were vacant had similar or worse problems than Zach's room. :-)
We are sailing on Celebrity Beyond in January 2024 for 11 nights. This is our 26th Celebrity cruise. We loved sailing on the Edge in January 2020. I am surprised that they didn’t change your cabin when you had a continuous problem - especially because you do reviews on TH-cam. Glad you had a wonderful cruise anyway. We booked a Viking Ocean cruise for December 2023, mainly for the 3 nights in Israel. Unfortunately, because of world events, we won’t be docking there. We’re disappointed but that’s the least of the problems happening in that area. Pray for peace.
That's crazy that they didn't move you to an open room with the malfunctions you were experiencing. Esp after spending $6k and it is high-end cruise line. I've never like the "big" cruise ships. Regardless of how many pax, there is still only one Lido/Sun deck of the same size.
To keep the names of crew you want to recognize you can also ask them to take a picture of their nametag. They'll always be happy to have you do that since they know it means there's a good chance you'll be getting their name and position correct for those final reviews and I've heard crew say how very important those reviews are for them
We just got back from Apex.One word.Incredible!! The suite was the best that we ever have stayed in.We will return again!
Great review Zach, very informative. I'm booked on Edge for it's first Australian season in 23/24. I'm really excited to experience an Edge class ship
Hope you enjoy it! Thanks for watching.
You will love it!
We leave for an 8 day cruise on Apex December 3rd. We “moved” up to a Sky Suite and can’t wait. We love Celebrity and this will be our first Edge class ship.
You are going to have a great time!
Luminae, all by itself, is a reason I'll always travel in a suite. I may cruise less, but when I do, I will cruise in a little more style. We've only done a 12 day cruise, and I looked forward to my meals in Luminae. I also enjoyed Blu, Eden, Le Petit Chef, etc., but the food and service in Luminae were incredible. Of course I want to sail Apex again. But an itinerary we desired has us on the Edge next May. 12 days, Barcelona to Rome.
I can see how that would be enticing. I didn’t even stay in a suite and I already want to book a suite next time. 😂
@@ZachtheTravelingMan Our Barcelona to Rome in May is in a Sky Suite. It takes a little scrimping and saving, but we feel it's worth it! I continue to appreciate your videos!
@@brunkerj I'm booked on the same cruise!
I’ve sailed on Edge (a Preview Cruise) and will be on Apex for 8 nights end of Dec - Jan 2023. Experienced the infinite veranda on Edge, but on my upcoming cruise opted for a Sunset veranda as I love aft facing staterooms and not a fan of the IV. Guest services should have moved you. Like you, I instantly fell for the edge class. Booked on Ascent Dec 2023 in the Retreat. Look forward to more of your great content. Happy sailing!
Hi Zach! You are crushing it! We just completed a video highlighting your fast growth. Thanks for your hard work and great content!
Hey guys - thanks so much! I just watched and am so honored you featured my channel. Congrats on all your success as well! Happy holidays!
@12:50 I am glad that the couple shared with you their great experience with gluten free dining. We have been very happy with RC but for next year we now have booked a cruise on Apex and Equinox. Food is important to my husband but to me it could be dangerous so I am now feeling a little less anxious about leaving RC.
I’m so glad that was helpful to you and so glad they told me so I could share! I hope you have a great cruise.
Another great video, Zach! Yes, so tough to balance a great ship with bucket-list ports. And yes, Apex Rooftop Garden Grill is great. Collleen also says it edges out Eden - Eden is my favorite. Alejandro is super positive and high energy. Keep up the great work!
Thanks for watching! It was an awesome experience all around.
We have sailed Celebrity Constellation 3 times; and in 2 months we are sailing on Celebrity Apex for 12 days to Iceland (and Belfast and Glasgow), which is why I am watching this particular video of yours. You are correct that the food and the service on Celebrity are superior, and the entertainment is solid. After watching your review, I am even more excited about cruising on the larger Apex! Thank you!!
Man what a great itinerary to enjoy this awesome ship. I hope you love it as much as I do. Have a great cruise!
Thanks for the awesome review… I will be on this ship over Christmas going to Key West, Belize, Cozumel, and Grand Caymen. Have an infinite veranda booked on deck 9… Hope I dont have issues like you did with it.. Which was your favorite main dining? I have my main dining booked each night already…. You should come on this sailing!
I hope you have a great time. Cyprus was definitely my favorite main dining room.
Thanks for the information Zach - we will be sailing on the Apex next summer to Norway. It’s our first time on Celebrity so your tips and reviews will be very helpful.!
I'll be on this ship in April 2023 for a 7 day western Caribbean. It's our first cruise. I hope it's as good as you say. I told the travel agent what we like to do when we travel, and he suggested this ship as our first cruise. He also said, beware, it will be hard to go on another cruise line and compare the food and service. lol.
Haha he was definitely correct with that warning! I’m absolutely obsessed with Celebrity and especially the Apex.
You will absolutely enjoy it! I sailed on it in January, and it was amazing!
Another great review Zach. I was just on the Apex for a 14-day transatlantic cruise and I share your assessment - it was amazing, particularly the service and the food. Loved the Rooftop Garden Grill - was mostly empty the two times I went despite the ship being at 80% capacity (guess 18C was too cold for non-Canadians 🙂). Hard to beat having a great meal outside watching the sun set on the coast of Spain. My Main Dining Room experience was also consistently excellent. Sorry to hear about your problems with the infinite veranda window (and how it was handled). I used it mostly as a glorified oceanview room as I didn't want to mess with wind and stateroom temp issues - plus there was less of a need to open the window on a transatlantic crossing. Will try a porthole veranda on an upcoming Northern Europe cruise, as I enjoyed having a traditional balcony on the Eclipse when I went to Alaska. Keep up the great TH-cam work!
Thank you so much! I’m so glad you enjoyed your transatlantic on my favorite ship.
Were you on my cruise October 29-November 12?
@@machellep1 yes indeed - hope you enjoyed it as well
Ready for the food reviews 😋
Thanks for the review. We are booked on the Apex in April of 2023. Loved the video!
You’ll have a great time!
I’m a couple weeks away from my 30th birthday cruise in the Retreat on Celebrity Summit. TH-cam recommended your channel and have to say it’s making me curious to try solo cruising as well as an edge class ship, 2 things I haven’t done before. Thanks for all the interesting content!
@laura5518, I think we're going on the same cruise! Dec 8 out of Miami? We're in a suite/Retreat as well. Once you've had Celebrity suite level service, you're spoiled for anything else. I hope you enjoy your cruise!
How cool! I hope you have a FANTASTIC time for your 30th. I just sailed Summit last weekend and enjoyed that ship. Solo cruising on an Edge class ship is the way to go. :)
Go for it! I did my first solo cruise on the Apex in January and had a blast! I met so many lovely people, and never felt alone, and I am not a big party person. I will do it again! 😊
I love the STEPS method! Covers the most important aspects of cruising. Thanks!
Glad it was helpful!
Great video and review! It is a dream of mine to visit Israel someday and a cruise would be the way to go. I hope they continue this itinerary in the future, I would seriously consider this cruise once I am able to afford it and have time off. The window issue would have irritated me greatly. As you mentioned when you went this ship wasn't at full capacity. I would kind of understand them denying you for an upgrade but just requesting to transfer to another stateroom of the same size isn't that big of a deal especially considering you spent $6k on the cruise. It is poor customer service on that end regarding the window. Glad the rest of your cruise you had exceptional service to make up for it. I've been on 6 cruises all with Princess (3 to Alaska, 1 Caribbean and 2 Hawaii), and I think 7-12 day range is the perfect length for a cruise if you can go. Any shorter and it just feels like you are getting off just as you are starting to enjoy the experience. My Caribbean was 6 days and it felt short because as you know depending on what time you arrive and depart on the bookend days you may technically be only getting a 4 or 5 day ship experience. 7 days you have enough time to enjoy the ship and get the full experience. After about 12 you start getting homesick a bit even though you are having a blast usually. Both my Hawaii trips were 14 days and after about 11-12 days, even though they were my best cruises, I was ready to go home. Long comment but I will say I've watched some of your other videos and you are selling me on Celebrity. My next cruise I'd like to branch off from Princess but still want to sail along the same experience as Princess ships. Celebrity, Viking and the Norwegian Haven experience are the only three close that I have found in watching review videos. You about have me sold on Celebrity!
You were so calm over that verandah situation, i am quite sure i would have been more emphatic that they move me, and i would also go to corporate. Putting it out here is good too. And i am not a complainer i have been cruising yearly since 1972 and I can roll with the punches but your situation was unbelievable 🚢😊 PS loved those ports , always i in memory for these 30 years, and I am so glad you enjoyed
Thank you for watching!
Zach, I sailed on the Apex in January and loved it! Like you, I love Celebrity! This was only my third cruise, but I just love the company! My first sailing was on the Summit, and I was so with the experience that I booked my next cruise on the Equinox and loved it too. It was Celebrity first sailing after everything was shut down during COVID, but even with a skeleton crew, they did what Celebrity does - provide exceptional service! All this to say that my experience on the Apex was amazing! I echo your experience about the wonderful entertainment and dining experience, and Eden was my favorite restaurant. Because, once again, I had an amazing cruise, I am now booked on Beyond for the ABC Cruise. I was actually mesmerized by the video about the ship - amazingly beautiful! But also excited to learn that Celebrity had the first female Captain. I cannot wait to get on that cruise, and I cannot wait to meet Captain Kate! I have heard great things about her from a couple staff members who were on the Beyond's maiden Trans-Atlantic voyage.
Thank you for such informative posts. They are really helpful. #celebrityapex #celebritybeyondnext
#love Celebrity
Thanks for watching, Gail! So glad you enjoyed the Apex also.
Love your videos Zach ! Never cruised on Celebrity yet but I will be cruising on the Edge in January…can’t wait. Glad I took aqua class.. thanks for your videos , very informative. You’ve got a new subscriber!
Thank you so much! You will love Aqua class and the Edge. Very excited for you!
I'm so glad you loved your cruise! How could you not though, eh? Celebrity Edge class ships are stunning. I can only cruise in the summer and in December so I don't know if or when I could book this itinerary, but hopefully I can soon as I've always been fascinated by Israel and Turkey (it's the history). Can't wait until December to see all your vlogs. Thank you so much for all your time and work--we certainly appreciate you.
And I appreciate you watching! I can't wait to put out the other vlogs - I'm so excited to share what all I got to see.
Fabulous video! Just discovered you 2 videos ago. Thrilled to hear about gluten free and allergy friendly options for my March trip on the Beyond, my 7th cruise, but first Celebrity one. Exciting to watch your enthusiasm 😁
Thank you so much! I’m glad you enjoyed. 😊
I'm hoping to get onto this ship next year - interesting to hear that it seems to be quite a 'late' ship. On my Silhouette cruise last year, I found that the ship would get really quiet from about 11pm, but it sounds like there's better nightlife on here!
Definitely better nightlife on these newer ships. Thanks for watching!
When we were on it was a ghost town after 11. Nothing open. No people anywhere. Even the 24 hour pub quit at midnight. The security chased you off the pool deck after 12. No nightlife at all.
Sailing on the Apex TA from Barcelona to Ft Laud in Nov. So excited!!
Have a great time!
Zach, so glad you got to try Luminae! My favorite & so looking forward to dining there on my upcoming Summit cruise. Happy travels 🚢✈️
I loved it so much. So fortunate to get to try it.
Thanks a lot Zach, very useful information, I´ll be on the Apex in august 2023 12 days cruise at the Baltic and Scandinavia, what about the drinks packages? you didn´t mentioned in your review.
I’d recommend the Classic if you have more than a few alcoholic drinks, coffees, sodas, etc each day. Only the premium if you must have top shelf liquors (and request they use those when they make you a drink) else it’s not worth it. Have a great time!
We just got off the Equinox cruising to the ABC Islands. Our waiter in Blu was Rambo and you will not find a better person. The first time we met, he made us part of "his family". We were welcomed each time with Good morning or evening Mr. & Mrs. Davis and introduced us to the other "family member". He was a delight. Our room steward was Maricar and she was also tremendous. We did miss the outlets that are available on the Edge class ships. Cruise Director, Eddy, was excellent. We will be on thr Edge in the spring as we head into the Panama Canal. I can hardly wait. Celebrity is the best. #Celebrity
Thank you for sharing. So glad you had a great cruise. I hope to do that itinerary sometime myself.
enjoyed the review, been studying up on celebrity as my brother will be going on the beyond this weekend.
I hope he has a great time - Celebrity Beyond is a beautiful ship!
Another great video. 17 days until my first cruise with Celebrity, and it will be on the Apex. I have done a bunch of cruises with NCL, many with Royal Caribbean and in September got to experience Virgin Voyages. I am really curious to see how this compares. I keep hearing great things about the food...but I was so blown away by the food on the Scarlet Lady that it will be an interesting test :) I'm also looking forward to a more relaxed vibe compared to some of my last sailings on Royal.
I hope you have a great time!
How did you like Virgin?
I think you will enjoy sailing with Celebrity! I got hooked from my first cruise, and I am hooked! Beautiful ships, classy environment, great service, and excellent food, not to mention the destinations!
I’m pretty new to your channel so you may have done this already but have you done a video comparing the Apex, Beyond and Ascent? The last I saw the Ascent had become your favorite Celebrity ship. However I would love to have a ship to ship to ship comparison at some point.
Thanks for the great channel.
Great review. Thanks. Hope you try and review a Holland America ship at some point.
I hope to as well! Holland America looks awesome. Thanks for watching!
Thank you so much for taking the time to share this video with me. Amen
Thank you for watching, Katrina! 😊
Great video
Thanks for watching!
Hi Zach! Great video, thank you. What cabin were you in? We just booked Apex in 7245 infinite veranda. Any thoughts on that location?
I think that’s a great location! Right near the stairs and elevators as well.
Tht corn n seafood looks soooooo good 🌽 🦀
Going on Apex in Jan! In The Retreat. Looking forward to it
You’ll love it. Have a great time!
My dream vacation is to one day to visit Israel to see where the Bible took place. That would be so amazing. I can't wait for your Israel videos to come out.
They start next Sunday, December 4th!
I agree the Apex is great, although I prefer Aqua class and Blue. I'd mention the Bistro for lunch and for freebies, grab a burger in the grill take it, around the corner, into the magic carpet and drink a Leffe beer while watching the port and consuming your burger. I'd rate 5/5 on food. We will try the Beyond in January b/b, hope it is as good.
The Beyond is amazing also. You’ll love it. Thanks for watching.
Very helpful review, thank you. I know that not long ago you were very upset with Celebrity about their pricing for solo travelers. Has that changed?
They’ve changed their solo pricing on SOME of their ships and cruises but are still gouging on others. I’m not happy about it.
Wow we did the apex 14 day transatlantic in October and I couldn’t disagree with you more on several points. Mainly the nightlife. After 11 pm it became a ghost town. Nothing open , no people anywhere. Even the 24 hour pub closed before midnight . The food was hit or miss . The crew was great. The internet sucked up my 150 minutes the first time I connected because it didn’t disconnect even though I was only on for three minutes. The sunset bar was rarely open for sunset. It was a great cruise don’t get me wrong, but it had its problems.
Glad you had a great cruise - thanks for sharing your experience. And thanks for watching!
I think you get a different crowd on the one-way repositioning trans-Atlantic cruises, and perhaps the ship is less full as passengers have to fly over or fly back (or both)... Personally we love them! In 6 months, we will try a Panama Canal cruise that is one-way, and we are so looking forward to it!
Wow you were very patient not to demand they move you. That’s too bad you had that experience with the veranda.
is there any rooms with traditional style balcony?
we just booked Apex for an Ireland & Iceland cruise for Jun 2024
Hi Zach, thank you for the review….I feel for what you paid the window should have worked without the hassle of returning to guest services. You paid for access to the outside….not an inside or ocean view cabin. I’m appalled that they would not move you! They should be giving you a credit to acknowledge your inconvenience. That is the least they could do! I hope you follow up on it. Cheers!
They should have replaced the window that day!! You know it didn’t just start NOT working when you arrived. They just pass lemon rooms on to the next guests.
Another brilliant video Zach thanks for posting. We will be doing a Transatlantic in April 2023 apparently it will have its upgrade by then. It’s going in for this upgrade in February 2023 for 21 days. We are looking forward to this brand new ship. Are you planing on sailing on the reflection in the future or are you sticking with Edge Class ships only? Thanks Zach safe travels 😊
Thanks for watching! I hope to try Reflection one of these days.
My favorite ship too!
Have cruised all three classes of ships, but prefer the Solstice class,. The Retreat class gives a feeling of exclusivity. The Edge class has three times the number of suites, so I find Luminare too large. I also thought that the Edge felt more crowded compared to the Solstice class. The exception is the Reflection where they added more suites without increasing the size if the common areas. Found it too crowded.
Thanks for watching!
Totally agree. Reflection was the beginning of a bad trend. I don't know if Celebrity will reverse this to some degree. I don't mind suite perks until they intrude on most of the passengers public space. That's one "feature" of this Edge class that should be discussed and debated IMO. Also, outside of restaurants, public mix and mingle variety of spaces are woefully inadequate in indoor areas.
Loved this series....thanks for sharing your experiences.....still can't understand why Celebrity didn't move you to another cabin.....disappointed to hear this😞but glad you still thoroughly enjoyed your cruise 🚢
Thank you for watching! I had an amazing cruise.
I’m really looking forward to hearing about Israel ports especially. But I think it is ridiculous that the crew didn’t move you.
Looks like a perfect cruise with the Ports! enjoy watching your reviews. Wondering if you can tell me a little about what people wear in the evenings. I'll be on the Apex in March for Western Caribbean, want to inform friends on what to expect. Are there any formal nights on Celebrity?
There are 2 formal nights so long as the sailing is over 6 nights long. Dress ranges in the evening from dressy jeans and a button down all the way up to suits. Folks go all out! I hope you have a great time.
I too am traveling on the Apex in March to the Caribbean. My second cruise- the first was on the Constellation- Mediterranean islands, Greece, Pompeii and Israel. Love Celebrity
@@bjb2880 I’m in the 18th of March, how about u?
$6,000 for a window that won’t open!!! That would burn me. Personally I want a balcony. If they can’t provide that I’ll get an inside cabin as I leave in the morning for breakfast, drop in a couple times during the day and come back at bedtime. I’m not paying $6,000 for a window. I think those windows will be a maintenance problem the older the ship gets.
On the Apex (and possibly on the other Edge class ships) nearly EVERY cabin on deck 6 looks out onto the TOP of a lifeboat ! Lifeboats are on deck 5, so the top of the lifeboat is right out your window! What I believe is bad, (really bad) is that Celebrity hides this from potential passengers and travel agents. Not only do they not list these cabins as “obstructed”, but they don’t reveal it in any of their information. Even their photos hide it. Their reasoning is that you “can” see out… yes, but OVER THE TOP of an orange lifeboat! Not being able to look down at the ocean is sad. You’ll see it on TH-cam. (Cabins on deck 6.) They should at least let us make our own decision. I just booked the Apex transatlantic, and ran into a real problem changing to a lower category. Deck 3 is BELOW the lifeboats. But Celebrity was totally indifferent to me, wanting to charge $400 more, in less than 24 hours, because their prices had already changed. I’m already Elite with two additional future cruises also booked and this is my third. But… cold as ice. Seriously research (on TH-cam) the view from your cabin and don’t put your deposit down until YOU specify the exact cabin you want.
nice B737 model
Love your channel. Where are you from?
Thank you! I’m from Tennessee.
Great Pro Tip! I do the same but also ask them if I can take a picture of their name badge for the survey. They are always so appreciative that you have asked them. It means so much to the crew to be mentioned in the survey. Thank you so much for adding that. I am also a huge Celebrity fan! My Celebrity Vlog has the highest views on my channel. Great work Zach!
Thank you for watching!
Thanks!
I love Celebrity...But your a bit spoiled in the fact that you haven't sailed on a FULL capacity Celebrity ship yet.
I cruised on the Edge as you know, But I refuse to cruise on a Edge Class ship again mainly because of the Infinite Veranda.
I do hope they build a Edge Class with Classic Veranda cabins.
As for now I am Booked on the Reflection a Solstice Class ship...that is the class of ships I will stay with.
I sailed Equinox with 2700 - just shy of full capacity. Just got off Summit with near full capacity. Still love Celebrity. Loved the balcony on Summit. Solstice is up next!
Book a sunset veranda, but they go fast, so early is essential.
@@fitfrog65 I do not like Sunset Verandas.
Paying all that money and feel like an inside cabin, I would want some money back. I’m not looking forward to Apex Aqua Class in March. They will change my room. I will not have that.
Have a wonderful and glorious Thanksgiving for you and your family. Amen
Happy thanksgiving to you and your family as well. I appreciate you watching and commenting each week.
@@ZachtheTravelingMan I really appreciate you posting this information for all of us so that we can make educated choices. Thank you.
I was on the Apex before you. I wondered how you got to eat in Blue? My wife and I paid more than twice what you paid I.e. $13.000 in a Sunset Veranda Aft, and I did not get that?????
I hope you had a great cruise. I didn’t go to Blu. And I only got to try Luminae because someone invited me to dine with them. Thanks for watching.
@@ZachtheTravelingMan I think we should all try Blue. Thanks for the update
I wish RC had guest lecturers. Even in the Caribbean, there could be a speaker on some interesting topic. I’m sorry but trivia is not my thing.
Just finished a cruise on Apex, great {Infinity verandah) room, great staff, no impressed with the rest.
5 for service sounds kind considering your treatment by guest relations! They should have been more willing to work with you...
That is whack you paid 6 grand and they wouldn't move you for such a significant deficiency. I find it odd. I've never had that problem with Celebrity with getting a different cabin. Every time I've had an issue they've always offered to move me to a better cabin. You should file a complaint with Celebrity customer service. I think a future cruise credit is in order.
Yes I agree with the wifi isn't the best and Royal Caribbean has it beat by a mile. I think you can get some better deals than 6 grand for a veranda room. That is crazy expensive. They must be making money hand over fist. My next Celebrity cruise is a short one (5 nights), but only cost $350 including taxes. Just gotta look around.
I would have to disagree with you about the food the free restaurants were ok like wedding food and the oceanview cafe was better but still didnt stand out
Not moving you is ridiculous when the ship was not full :( my guess is this is a chronic issue!
Was this a complimentary cruise given to you by Celebrity?
Nope. Celebrity doesn’t give me anything. I paid for it like everyone else.
I think the problem with your cabin’s window was an “S”(Ship) issue, and it rightfully hurt the rating in this item.
Now, the fact that they couldn’t fix it, and wouldn’t come up with any remedy at all (changing you to another room, offering a discount or a partial refund, for example) should be considered bad service. Its when these kind of things happen that you really need their service to shine. Anyone can be smiling and courteous. Not everyone can find an acceptable solution to some problem.
I think you overrated their service at 5 out of 5. I would think 4 out of 5 would be more accurate. Just my opinion.
U love a good salad 😋
Celebrity Apex
Looking forward to going on The Apex Jan 2024. I’m hoping that Giuseppe is the Cruise Firector as he was an Activity Director on another Celebrity ship ( the Eclipse)before he became a Cruise Director. We’ve Loved the smaller Celebrity ships but are really looking forward to the Apex!
🙋Hi Zach 🛳
Hi there Deidre! Thanks for watching.
Oh i would've been so iterated if i knew thr were empty rms but u won't move me 😠 😠 I wrk for Hilton...jst move the guest GEESH