Cruising Celebrity Apex

A couple of years ago, we took a family Caribbean cruise aboard Royal Caribbean’s Wonder of the Seas, and I wrote all about the ports, the excursions, and what we did at each stop (read about that here).

For a little change of pace this past holiday season, the family and I spent our Christmas cruising the Caribbean aboard the Celebrity Apex with HBW Hubby’s parents. This trip was a little different. While we visited Puerto Plata (Dominican Republic.), San Juan (Puerto Rico), and St. Kitts (West Indies), we kept things pretty low-key—no big excursions, just wandering, sightseeing, and soaking it all in. Honestly, that was perfect, because this cruise ended up being much more about relaxing, family bonding, and enjoying the ship itself.

Since I have a couple of friends sailing on Apex in the coming months (who very kindly asked me to “scope it out”), I paid extra attention, took photos, filmed videos, made mental notes, and came home with tips. If you’re sailing Apex soon—or just cruise-curious—this one’s for you.

The Stops (Briefly): Caribbean Color & Christmas Cheer

Even without excursions, each port had its own charm, especially dressed up for the holidays.

Puerto Plata was relaxed with lots of shops to explore, with festive touches around the port area. St. Kitts felt busy but had a lot of shops, including a Del Sol, which is a must for us. But, of them all, San Juan, Puerto Rico was hands-down my favorite stop.

San Juan at Christmas is something special. Between the colorful colonial buildings, sidewalk mosaics, and old-world charm, it already feels magical, and the holiday decorations only added to it. It’s vibrant, walkable, and full of character, even if you don’t venture far from the port. If you’re cruising and debating whether San Juan is “worth it” without an excursion: it absolutely is.

Why Celebrity Apex Feels Different

If you’ve sailed Royal Caribbean, you’ll immediately notice a shift in vibe on Celebrity. The most obvious is that it is a considerably smaller ship than many that Royal Caribbean offer. Rather than waterslides and non-stop activities for kids, Celebrity Apex feels more upscale, design-forward, and less kid-centric—more adult-focused. That doesn’t mean it’s stuffy or boring—far from it! The emphasis is on relaxation, quality, and atmosphere.

We saw Vinny Grosso, a magician and mentalist, perform (highly entertaining), as well as a family-friendly comedy show, which was my kids’ favorite and which struck a nice balance for mixed-age audiences.

The Ship Itself

Celebrity Apex truly shines when it comes to design. The overall feel of the ship is modern, polished, and upscale, but never stuffy or intimidating. It feels intentional and calm—more like a floating boutique hotel than a high-energy theme park at sea.

Sailing over Christmas added an extra layer of magic because Celebrity Apex fully embraces the season. From gingerbread village displays throughout the ship to the towering Christmas tree glowing across from the Grand Plaza chandelier, holiday cheer was everywhere. Even Oceanview Café joined in with festively crafted treats that made everyday meals feel special. It was beautifully done without feeling over-the-top, and it made the ship itself feel like part of the celebration.

One of the standout features is the chandelier shows, which take place multiple times a day and are absolutely worth stopping for. The space transforms with music, lighting, and a bar show to rival the movie Cocktail, and even after seeing it once, it’s still fun to catch again. If you happen to walk by when one is starting, stop and watch.

Our stateroom felt thoughtfully designed and comfortable, with smart storage and a clean, contemporary look. One small but very useful detail: all of the wall surfaces were magnetic. If you’re someone who brings magnetic hooks for hats, bags, or lanyards, you’ll have plenty of places to use them, even in the bathroom.

Around the ship, there are so many inviting spaces to relax or explore—from the pool areas to the beautifully designed lounges and restaurants (which I’ll dive into more below). We spent a lot of our time hanging out at Cafe al Bacio people-watching, eating treats, and playing cards. Everywhere you turn, there are little design touches that feel elevated without being overdone.

For those who like to stay active while cruising, Apex has a well-equipped, modern fitness center. The only limitation is that it’s 16+ only, which was a bit disappointing for my oldest who is 14. That said, the ship also has a running/walking track spanning decks 14 and 15, which was a great alternative and a nice way to move while still enjoying ocean views. They also have a variety of fitness, aerobic, and water aerobic classes to participate in.

Whether you’re lounging by the pool, catching a chandelier show, or just wandering through the ship with a coffee in hand, Celebrity Apex makes it easy to slow down and enjoy the experience.

Psst! See my video below for a walk through these spaces and more!

Food on Celebrity Apex: Variety and Quality

One thing Celebrity really excels at is food. There’s a huge variety, and it genuinely feels like there’s something for every palate and craving.

Main Dining Restaurants

The Apex has four main dining rooms, each with its own vibe and specialty menu:

• Cosmopolitan Restaurant
• Normandie Restaurant
• Tuscan Restaurant
• Cyprus Restaurant

We dined at Cosmopolitan and Normandie, and both were excellent. The rotating menus and elevated atmosphere made main dining feel like an experience, though each of them also have a standard menu of items that can be ordered across all of them. I’m pretty sure my youngest ordered a cheeseburger, fries, and 10-cookie dessert at every restaurant we ate at (including the specialty restaurants below).

If you’re sailing AquaClass or staying in The Retreat, you’ll also have access to Blu and Luminae, exclusive main dining options for those guests.

Check out what each of these has to offer directly on the Celebrity website.

Specialty Restaurants (Worth Considering)

We also splurged on a few specialty restaurants, which are not included in main dining and do cost extra but they were all worth it:

• Rooftop Garden Grill
• Le Petit Chef
• Eden

Each offered something completely different, and if you enjoy food-forward experiences, they’re absolutely worth looking into. There are many specialty dining options on Apex, so I recommend checking out the full list directly on the Celebrity website when planning. Note that there is a dress code with all specialty restaurants, so plan accordingly.

A Sweet Little Secret: Café al Bacio

Café al Bacio (Deck 4) is a great spot to sit, sip something yummy, people watch, play games, or just hang out with your favorite people. We played so many games of cards while hanging out and I can confirm they have a delicious chai latte served in a cute little pot. But here’s one of my favorite insider tips:

The pastries and desserts in the display case at Café al Bacio are included in your complimentary dining—no extra charge!

Drinks are a different story (they may cost extra depending on your beverage package), but those treats? Fair game. Don’t walk past thinking they’re off-limits.

Oceanview Café Tips

Oceanview Café is the main buffet located on Deck 14, and it’s a popular spot, especially at breakfast and lunch. If you’re dining with a larger group, a little strategy helps.

Port-side seating tends to fill up first, so if you’re hunting for open tables, start on the starboard side or toward the rear/aft of the space. That approach saved us time more than once.

During breakfast hours, you can grab self-serve coffee or tea in to-go cups, which is perfect if you like to take your drink out on deck or back to your stateroom. One small heads-up, though: the coffee sleeves ran out at the stations, and even double-cupping was still pretty hot on the hands. If you (or someone you know) is crafty, I highly recommend bringing a reusable cup cozy. It sounds extra, but it was one of those small things I really wish I’d had. By the way, I have some patterns if you’re looking to make any to take! Check out the basic cup cozy or my XOXO cup cozy.

One thing I loved and was sure to leave room for when I could was tea time at Oceanview Cafe. Even if you’re not much of a tea drinker, the scones, quiche, and other treats were so good. They even had clotted cream for scones! My sons both loved going with me for tea time. Plus, they have a great selection of different types of tea, so win-win!

One other thing worth mentioning, we heard several guests whose staterooms were directly below Oceanview Café say they could hear chairs being scooted around during service hours. Something to keep in mind when selecting a cabin, especially if you’re a light sleeper.

Other Complimentary Dining

Beyond the Oceanview Café, there are three other complimentary dining options included with your fare. The Spa Café offers wellness-inspired fare and a juice bar, Eden Café is perfect for light bites in a bright, airy setting, and Mast Grill is the go-to spot for burgers, salads, and sandwiches.

Check out all complimentary dining options directly on the Celebrity website.

Dress Code: What We Didn’t Know

This one caught us by surprise. We expected a dress code for specialty restaurants, but what we didn’t realize was Main Dining restaurants also require long pants. Think “elevated casual”—no shorts in the evenings but nice jeans would be fine. If you want total freedom to wear whatever you want at night, Oceanview Café is your best bet.

Caribbean Christmas Cruise Video

There’s only so much you can capture in photos and words, so this video fills in the gaps. It shows many of the spaces I talk about throughout this post, like the Oceanview Café, the fitness center, pool area, and other public spaces, as well as a closer look at some of the food and décor in the specialty restaurants we visited. I also included bits from our time wandering around a few of the ports, which really helps bring the whole experience to life.

Final Thoughts

This Christmas cruise ended up being less about ticking off excursions and more about relaxing, family bonding, enjoying the ship, and eating really well. The festive touches all around the ship were just a bonus and exploring the ports at our own pace was so nice.

If you’re sailing Celebrity Apex soon—or deciding whether Celebrity is the right fit for you—I hope this gives you a clearer picture of what to expect (and a few tips you won’t find in the brochure).

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