Extend Your Stay Option On Apex

[kebrown]

Celebrity is offering a shore excursion on my Apex cruise called "Extend Your Stay" which would allow us to stay on the ship up to 90 minutes before the ship sails for the next cruise.  It says that we could enjoy the amenities of the ship and continue to use our beverage package until we debark.  It also includes a $30.00 credit to be used in Le Grand Bistro.  The next sailing leaves at 5:00 pm which means we would not have to leave the ship until 3:30 pm.  The cost of this option is $69.00.  Has anyone tried this option before and if so, do you feel it was worth $69.00 to spend extra time on the ship?

[hopeless holiday booker]

You'll have to go back a few pages but this has been talked about quite recently.  It seems to have worked very well for the last person and not so great for others.  I'm doing it at the end of my february cruise so I will report back.  The price changes a lot so keep looking

[mikkelhansen]

The thread is here:

 

 

Edited February 18, 2020 by mikkelhansen

[CruiserMickey]

I did the Extend Your Stay on Edge a couple of weeks ago.  It worked well for me, and I would definitely do it again. Apparently it works even more smoothly in Europe, as you don’t have to get off the ship and reboard? Please report back your impressions if you do it.

[twins_to_alaska]

I did it on Equinox in January... there's a whole other thread. I'm signed up for Apex Nov 7. Note that you don't get to 'continue to use your beverage package'. The excursion includes a Classic beverage package so if you had premium you won't for the extended stay. My January stay didn't have a $30 food credit and it doesn't list that currently for November although I've read that folk got comped food at I believe Le Grand Bistro for lunch when they pulled out their credit card.

I enjoyed it... as in the other thread you couldn't bring back on board any luggage or carry ons... just purse sized... which made folk unhappy. That's because you go through customs the first time you get off the ship before you get back on for the extended stay and not again later. You'll be escorted off the ship to the luggage storage when you leave. Luggage was securely stowed/guarded and you had a claim receipt to retrieve it later.

[kebrown]

Thank you for clarifying that we won't be able to use our premium beverage package for the extended stay.  We will be in Europe so we will be able to stay on the ship until 3:30 pm.  Regarding only being able to bring a purse size bag back on the ship, does anyone know it a backpack is acceptable.  Backpacks are smaller than a carry on but a little larger than a purse.

[twins_to_alaska]

I'll just clarify I was in FLL not Europe... I've heard differences for Extend Your Stay for Europe. 

[Jim_Iain]

1 hour ago, kebrown said:

Thank you for clarifying that we won't be able to use our premium beverage package for the extended stay.  We will be in Europe so we will be able to stay on the ship until 3:30 pm.  Regarding only being able to bring a purse size bag back on the ship, does anyone know it a backpack is acceptable.  Backpacks are smaller than a carry on but a little larger than a purse.

I believe @CruiserMickey reported in an earlier post that on her cruise they allowed backpacks and carry-on to be brought back aboard.   It sounds like enforcement  is consistently inconsistent.    Hope she will clarify again.

 

 

[CruiserMickey]

1 minute ago, Jim_Iain said:

I believe @CruiserMickey reported in an earlier post that on her cruise they allowed backpacks and carry-on to be brought back aboard.   It sounds like enforcement  is consistently inconsistent.    Hope she will clarify again.

 

 

 

We were able to bring a backpack and a large tote bag back onboard with us. I didn’t see anyone bringing a rolling carry-on, but we were not told explicitly that we couldn’t.

[Jim_Iain]

3 minutes ago, CruiserMickey said:

 

We were able to bring a backpack and a large tote bag back onboard with us. I didn’t see anyone bringing a rolling carry-on, but we were not told explicitly that we couldn’t.

 

Thanks Mickey.    I thought I remember reading your experience. 

 

[CruiserMickey]

2 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

 

Thanks Mickey.    I thought I remember reading your experience. 

 

 

I am happy to share, @Jim_Iain! I have benefitted so much from your knowledge and expertise and just hope my experiences can help others, too.

 

I think the key (for me) with the Extend Your Stay Program was finding the quiet, out of the way places that the new passengers won’t yet know about. Having the Solarium all to ourselves for three hours (ok, there was one other couple, but still...) was pure heaven!