APEX/Beyond best place for pre-dinner drinks?

[tinaincc]

We are taking the 12 day rt Amsterdam in two weeks. We will be a group of 7 and love to have a predinner drink or two in a great bar (we like to keep it at a consistent spot).  Any suggestions?  Martini Bar?  Craft social?

[tfred]

Martini bar is good but loud. Eden is more relaxed with acoustic music. 

[Cruise a holic]

Martini bar.  Fun to watch the "show" that the bartenders put on.  Lots of comfortable seating in the bar area- music and dancing also available often.  The heart of the ship.

[jelayne]

Finding seating for 7  together could be a problem.  World Class bar or Craft Social may be better.  The Sunset bar has a lot of seating and a fair amount is covered. 

[chocolabmom]

On our sailing last year, we went to Craft Social every evening before dinner.  If you sit outside the bar in the hallway area, you can hear whatever music is playing in the Martini Bar area.  

[Sox Fan Cruiser]

There were 9 of us on the Apex back in March.  We tried a different bar for pre-dinner cocktails every night and I recommend Martini Bar.  The "show" is loud but only a few minutes long and the other music is not too bad for conversation.  I am a bar person and don't like sitting at one of the tables for wait service as they are usually slow and don't get the drink order right, especially for such a large group. Celebrity proved me wrong!!  They were fast, attentive, got all 9 (different) drinks correct and were back for our next round in a timely manner.  Why I love Celebrity so much.

Eden bar was not good for such a large group because you end up being a distraction for the performer if you want to talk among yourself.  And Craft Social is really more of a beer place.  They were overwhelmed by 9 different cocktails in one order.  

 

 

[tinaincc]

2 minutes ago, Sox Fan Cruiser said:

There were 9 of us on the Apex back in March.  We tried a different bar for pre-dinner cocktails every night and I recommend Martini Bar.  The "show" is loud but only a few minutes long and the other music is not too bad for conversation.  I am a bar person and don't like sitting at one of the tables for wait service as they are usually slow and don't get the drink order right, especially for such a large group. Celebrity proved me wrong!!  They were fast, attentive, got all 9 (different) drinks correct and were back for our next round in a timely manner.  Why I love Celebrity so much.

Eden bar was not good for such a large group because you end up being a distraction for the performer if you want to talk among yourself.  And Craft Social is really more of a beer place.  They were overwhelmed by 9 different cocktails in one order.  

 

 

Thanks for the detail

[Reesetiff]

I would echo, Eden is so nice, not super busy and relaxing to pre game dinner.  However, world class bar is equally as nice as you can get the vibe from the Martini bar.  I like the sunset bar but it’s always packed and was difficult to get drinks 

 

Cheers. 

 

[cheeseheads4ever]

Of course my choice would be Martini bar. There is a lot of seating not only at the bar but away from the bar. I think you would have a chance with 7 people. But depends on the time you get there. Eden is really nice and quieter than martini bar. 
 

[bikerunner]

I usually go to WCB/Suset  or Crafts social.  Not into the big crowds and seen enough of the Martini Bar antics, if anything it's fun at Martini Bar watching the passengers

[miched]

What time is pre dinner for you?   If it is 5 to 6 all of the bars will be crowded for the  Elite HH.  
 

Craft Social is a small  bar and usually packed by those watching sports as it is also their sport bar

 

WCB is mostly premium drinks and there isn’t much seating.   The chairs are around the bar are usually full and would be difficult to get many chairs together.  
 

The few tables along the rail are are usually occupied 

 

It would also be difficult to get a lot or seating together in the Martini bar 

 

The best place would be Eden or the Club if it is open. 
 

Another option if you  want to all be together and just socialize is the buffet.   There are bars there and plenty of seating in the evening.   You will also get a view of the ocean and maybe sunset 

 

The best is to investigate all of them and then choose.  Every cruise is different and the crowds in the bars change.  

 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

Edited May 24, 2023 by miched

[lv2cruisgrl]

We had a group of 6 and most of the time we went to Eden.  Plenty of room to sit, however we did early dinner so it wasn't a issue. 

[hcat]

World Class Bar is a small venue..not good for a larger group

 

try the bar in the Club..lots of space

we like it there!

[davekathy]

23 hours ago, tinaincc said:

We are taking the 12 day rt Amsterdam in two weeks. We will be a group of 7 and love to have a predinner drink or two in a great bar (we like to keep it at a consistent spot).  Any suggestions?  Martini Bar?  Craft social?

On our March Apex cruise most nights we had our predinner drinks at the Martini Bar. We didn't sit at the bar but at one of the tables in that area. We ate at 6:PM each evening so we would be there at ~4:45 and leave ~5:45. Never had a problem with timely service or finding a table. Also each evening there was live musical entertainment while we were there. We did the Eden two evening. No where as many people. 

[Nado44]

I think you're on the June 6th sailing of Apex out of Rotterdam and not the Beyond.

 

Apex doesn't have the World Class Bar venue. Your best bet for a party of 7 is probably the bar inside The Club (Deck 4 forward). It should be relatively empty and quiet prior to dinner time. Eden is a nice venue but popular with the pre-dinner, happy hour crowd. Martini Bar will be raucous. Sunset Bar will probably be too chilly.

 

See you onboard!

[Deegirl825]

I loved Eden and went there most nights pre-dinner as it seemed Martini Bar was often packed.  I was solo so sat at the bar most nights, and loved the bartenders who were very attentive.  There are lots of tables away from the bar though and there were usually larger groups there.  

[tinaincc]

2 hours ago, Deegirl825 said:

I loved Eden and went there most nights pre-dinner as it seemed Martini Bar was often packed.  I was solo so sat at the bar most nights, and loved the bartenders who were very attentive.  There are lots of tables away from the bar though and there were usually larger groups there.  

Love this and I think it is great that you cruise solo, probably a perfect vacation! Have you, by chance, sailed in one of the single veranda cabins?

[tinaincc]

On 5/24/2023 at 8:54 AM, miched said:

What time is pre dinner for you?   If it is 5 to 6 all of the bars will be crowded for the  Elite HH.  
 

Craft Social is a small  bar and usually packed by those watching sports as it is also their sport bar

 

WCB is mostly premium drinks and there isn’t much seating.   The chairs are around the bar are usually full and would be difficult to get many chairs together.  
 

The few tables along the rail are are usually occupied 

 

It would also be difficult to get a lot or seating together in the Martini bar 

 

The best place would be Eden or the Club if it is open. 
 

Another option if you  want to all be together and just socialize is the buffet.   There are bars there and plenty of seating in the evening.   You will also get a view of the ocean and maybe sunset 

 

The best is to investigate all of them and then choose.  Every cruise is different and the crowds in the bars change.  

 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

6pm. I try my hardest to avoid the buffet at all costs 🙂 based on the responses - we will try the Club and then go from there. Thanks!

[Deegirl825]

38 minutes ago, tinaincc said:

Love this and I think it is great that you cruise solo, probably a perfect vacation! Have you, by chance, sailed in one of the single veranda cabins?

No, I haven't sailed in one of those.  I was in a regular veranda on Solstice and a Sky Suite on Apex.  Both of those sailings I lucked out and there was no single supplement!  I have previously been in a solo (studio) balcony on RCL.  The staterooms are small but having a balcony is nice!  

[kabmab]

We've been on the Apex twice, September 2021, March 2023 and will be on next month.  We found in March the Club was often closed to guestś pre-dinner.  There were either rehearsals for evening shows in the Club, or Captain's Club events.   

[hcat]

4 hours ago, Nado44 said:

I think you're on the June 6th sailing of Apex out of Rotterdam and not the Beyond.

 

Apex doesn't have the World Class Bar venue. Your best bet for a party of 7 is probably the bar inside The Club (Deck 4 forward). It should be relatively empty and quiet prior to dinner time. Eden is a nice venue but popular with the pre-dinner, happy hour crowd. Martini Bar will be raucous. Sunset Bar will probably be too chilly.

 

See you onboard!

disappointing APEX  lacks World Class Bar..Does ASCENT have one?

 

Club is a good alternative.

[miched]

1 hour ago, tinaincc said:

6pm. I try my hardest to avoid the buffet at all costs 🙂 based on the responses - we will try the Club and then go from there. Thanks!

You are not there to eat.  There are 2 bars in the buffet on the Beyond.  One has stools at the bar and is at the rear.  It isn’t crowded in the evening and you could get some snacks to go with the drinks if wanted. 

 

The buffet can’t be that bad as the Captain and other officers often seen  dining there.   It is also where the ice cream station is and on the Beyond the Gelato is free but they only have one flavor per day.  The seating is comfortable and the views are great.  
 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅😝😫

[davekathy]

2 hours ago, hcat said:

disappointing APEX  lacks World Class Bar..Does ASCENT have one?

 

Club is a good alternative.

There is a WCB on deck 5 according to the deck plan on Celebrity's website. 

[phoenix_dream]

So many suggestions for Martini Bar but I say good luck with that, unless you get there early in the afternoon.  On our recent Apex sailing, even when we arrived at 5:00ish we couldn't even find seating for the four of us most of the time.  You can try it, but Eden might be a better choice as there is more seating (granted not all of it necessarily ideally located).

[kabmab]

19 hours ago, tinaincc said:

6pm. I try my hardest to avoid the buffet at all costs 🙂 based on the responses - we will try the Club and then go from there. Thanks!

 

17 hours ago, hcat said:

disappointing APEX  lacks World Class Bar..Does ASCENT have one?

 

Club is a good alternative.

 Club often closed pre-dinner for rehearsals and special events.