GMoney

1 minute ago, toad90 said:

Was it booked through Celebrity? My understanding is they are just changing the time. Granted that may mean more people in a group or other negatives. 

No

On 3/7/2024 at 4:05 PM, Port Power said:

Welcome to Cruise Critic.  Thank you for posting the letter.  It confirms that Ascent and Icon passengers are not being inconvenienced, so there won’t be any unhappy passengers on those ships.  Only the Nova’s guests are being forced to rearrange flights, etc, at great inconvenience.

 

Enjoy your cruise.

Not quite. I'm on the impacted Ascent sailing and am definitely inconvenienced having to reschedule my $1500+ shore excursion in Tortola. It's nowhere near comparable to what the SS guests are dealing with, but it still disrupts plans that were made a long time ago at some cost. I'm not the only one in this position. 

I've stayed the the Iconic, Edge Villa, and PH suites. I prefer the other 2 to the PH; however, the PH is absolutely lovely. 

Pros: Spacious, HUGE master bath and shower, large dining table. 

Cons: As mentioned, the overhang over the balcony and a few odd wasted interior spaces. N

Apex does not have the plunge pools. Only on Beyond and Ascent.

I used OBC to purchase a new MacBook Air with M2 chip on the Beyond Christmas sailing.

I hiked Deer Mtn on my own last year. Logistics are straightforward from the cruise pier and the hike is a good challenge. Didn't see much due to the weather but thats Ketchikan. I still recommend doing it. 

I love the Eden cafe cookie and chocolate cake

I'm on the same cruise...

Take it from someone who has actually done it; you can easily make a 930am flight out of FLL from PE.

My experience disembarking Beyond on 12/26:

7:25 - Left ship

7:31 - Outside on curb ordering Uber

7:37 - In Uber

7:45 - Arrived at airport

7:50 - At gate

I'm considering purchasing a 6 night dining package on my upcoming sailing on Apex. Does anyone know if / how Raw on 5 is covered since it's a la carte?  Thanks. 

Great pictures. Thanks for taking the time to share.  E class ships (and especially the retreat) are amazing. I recently spent a week on Apex and 2 weeks on Edge. I know we are both Pinnacles on RC, but I will never go back.

2 hours ago, LGW59 said:

• Outdoor terrace is only semi-private, and may not be completely usable / enjoyable in high winds.  Curious as to why you say only semi-private, there are no balconies above, correct?  Do the slanted glass wind shields help deflect light winds?

Jeremiah answered the privacy angle perfectly. 

As far as winds go, the glass shields do provide some protection. There's just a noise factor that comes into play when the winds howl. Again, first world problems. 

Maryland - Really good question. As you know, in a regular stateroom, beds can be configured 2 ways - together as one king / queen, or split into 2 twins and separated with space in between them.  In a villa, the bed can only occupy a fixed footprint, because the floating nightstands are physically attached to the wall, rather than being freestanding. As a result, the beds can be split and made up as 2 twins, but they cannot be separated with space between them. It's a little awkward for friends staying in the same room. Hope that makes sense. 

Over the past month, I've had the unique opportunity of sailing in 3 different types of suites on Edge class ships: Iconic (Edge), Penthouse (Edge), and Villa (Apex). I don't have time to do a full blown review of each, but thought I would just highlight some of the pros and cons. All of these accommodations provide high-end, luxurious experiences, and any criticisms are really very minor first world problems. I'm extremely grateful to have had the chance to experience them, and am completely sold on X's Retreat product on E class ships. 

Iconic Suite (Edge 12100) - 2 bed, 2 bath, Sq ft: 1,892 interior / 689 terrace

Pros

• Top of the line experience - largest suite in the fleet, one of the largest at sea. You almost never have to leave the room. 
• Amazing, unparalleled panoramic, forward-facing views
• Butler's Pantry with refrigerator, freezer, sink, and separate entry
• 2 separate bedrooms and bathrooms 
• Insane amount of storage
• Great indoor / outdoor integration with huge terrace that really negates the need for the Retreat sundeck
• Good quality outdoor hot tub that works reliably (unlike Edge Villas)
• Good quality Lavazza coffee machine (superior to other suites)

Cons

• Almost too big, especially for just 2 people. 
• Poor bathroom lighting
• Outdoor terrace is only semi-private, and may not be completely usable / enjoyable in high winds
• No / limited streaming capabilities that reduce the benefit of the huge TV

Penthouse (Edge 12110) - 2 bed, 2 bath, Sq ft: approx 1,300 interior 

Pros

• Premier location across from Luminae, very close to forward elevators with easy access to the Retreat Lounge and Sundeck
• 2 separate bedrooms and bathrooms 
• HUGE doorless walk-in shower in primary bathroom. It's like a car wash. 
• Insane amount of storage
• Very long balcony

Cons

• Poor bathroom lighting
• Low hanging chandelier in living area
• No / limited streaming capabilities that reduce the benefit of the huge TV
• Lower quality Lavazza coffee machine that wasn't well maintained

Villa (Apex 15100) - 1 bed, 2 bath, Sq ft:739 interior, 211 balcony

Pros

• Quiet and private
• Super convenient location, integrated into retreat sundeck
• Amazing views with floor-to-ceiling glass on both floors
• Great indoor / outdoor integration with large balcony 

Cons

• Unreliable hot tubs that don't always work as designed (ie - achieve and maintain high water temp).  Few people on the ship seem to know how to maintain / fix them. 
• Poor bathroom lighting
• Very low hanging chandelier in living area 
• Only 1 bedroom with beds that split, but do not separate. 
• No / limited streaming capabilities that reduce the benefit of the huge TV
• Lower quality Lavazza coffee machine that wasn't well maintained
• 2 story room that can sometimes be inconvenient if you leave something on one level

3 hours ago, Straughn said:

I am scheduled on the Jan. 23 cruise. What has the entertainment been like? Are there shows in the theatre or just individual performers? I realize things can change in a week, but interested in the current situation. Thanks.

There have been at least 2 shows - Kaleidoscope and Color of Life

3 hours ago, Susanb10567 said:

Question about Eden on the Edge…is it the same menu as the Apex…people have raved about the Apex menu but I have not found a recent menu for the Edge…is the Edge the same from when they first started sailing or has it been updated?

Eden on Edge has a different menu than Apex, which I loved.

12 hours ago, PiperHolliday said:

 

 

Those three cocktails were all I needed for the whole evening. Because they were done right. 

 

🤡

You cannot get a good mixed drink / cocktail on RC.

Thanks for your posts. I'm on the same sailing (and the one before), and learned some things along the way. 

We did get our third CD yesterday. Sorry if you already posted this and I overlooked it. 

10 hours ago, cruisestitch said:

They no longer escort you to the ship from T 25

I was escorted on Apex on 12/20 and Edge on 1/2.

I was on the 12/20 Apex sailing and enjoyed the thermal suite, but it was just before Omicron blew up. Reservations were not required; I just came and went. It was never busy, but afternoons had more activity. I'm on Edge right now and have avoided the Thermal Suite; spa employees have come down with Covid (although things seem to be better now), and I'm trying to avoid being contract traced to anyone who might test positive. 

Not sure about the current mask policy - sorry - but can tell you that on Edge, masks are required in the gym and Solarium.

2 hours ago, miaminative0853 said:

We were second couple on the Retreat Deck at 8:30 am. By noon it was very crowded at the front of the deck. Empty at the back. W have been in Retreat on Edge pre-COVID. I'd say very little difference in terms of social distancing but we fell fairly comfortable. I'm guessing the suites are at much great capacity than the balance of the ship. We heard this morning 850 passengers total, which fits with my guessimate of 33% when we got on. Definitely higher in suites.

I'm on the second week of a B2B in the retreat and agree with this. Last week, the Retreat was slightly more crowded and there were a handful that hogged the pool. This week, people in the retreat seem better about wearing masks when appropriate. 

FWIW, I saw Night of Dreams in Eden and Tree of Life in the theatre on the Christmas cruise...

On a B2B on Edge now. Luminae is very nice but I stay out of there - too many concerns about Covid and being contact traced. 

Eroller - Have booked Beyond?

I sailed Apex for Christmas and am currently on a B2B on Edge and completely agree with you. X hit a home run with these E class ships and the Retreat is really the only way to go for me now. I'm Pinnacle on RC but and pretty much done with them. 

Yes there is 

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