RECENT REVIEW of Apex: Southampton-based short-cruise, 23-27 May

[Ducky_01]

I am posting this having returned from a four day cruise on Celebrity Apex over the recent UK bank holiday (23-27 May).  In addition to the usual discussion of the ship itself and port visits (in our case, Amsterdam and Bruges), I'm hoping this draws the interest of anyone who may have ever asked one of the following questions:

1. What's it like to do a shorter cruise?

2. What's it like to cruise out of the port of Southampton?

3. How are the earlier Edge-class ships, compared to the larger and newer Beyond or Ascent?

4. How and why would you travel with your mother-in-law (DMIL)?

 

About us. My DW and I inadvertently become brand loyal to Celebrity, having thoroughly enjoyed our 8 day sailing on Beyond last May (my wife's very first cruise).  So much so, in fact, that we took a flyer on the Future Booking deposit during that cruise even though we had no idea if or when we may cruise again.  This was out of character for us, as we enjoy variety in our vacations, we tend never to visit the same place twice and consequently didn't really think another cruise would be on the horizon (no pun intended).  In hindsight, I am very glad we did!  After some reschedules, courtesy of helpful Celebrity telephone agents, we applied that deposit towards this short and sweet sailing and then took advantage of some stellar Black Friday deals last November to make a booking for ourselves and also my DMIL, who would be cruising for the very first time.  I am sure well-seasoned cruisers know this already, but the Future Booking is an almost risk-free deal at a nominal cost: in addition to taking advantage of the latest offers at the time, you will almost always get some sort of OBC and you can secure the sailing and cabin of your choice (this was relevant for us as this sailing seemed very full).

 

Still interested?  Were you on this cruise too?  Please stay tuned for more..

 

[Ducky_01]

Departing from Southampton.  One of the many reasons we chose this sailing is because we live in the UK, about one hour north of the port of Southampton.  I have long envied Florida locals who can just jump on a cruise from Miami or Fort Lauderdale, without having to deal with the hassle of flying.  Turns out, if you live close to any other departure port, you can do the same!  This cruise attracted a very British crowd, more so than on any other X cruise I've taken: we encountered many groups and families who traveled by car from across the UK.  

 

We also met some who booked this as a back-to-back - I believe the following cruise was a 7 night sailing to Scandinavia, which would have extended their holiday to 11 nights with a "port day" in Southampton. Has anyone ever sailed a back-to-back?  If so, I wonder what you would do on that changeover day in Southampton?  If it was me, I'd probably do an "excursion" to IKEA, which is walking distance to City Cruise terminal (Celebrity currently departs from there, and I think Apex is based in Southampton this summer).  Who doesn't love IKEA meatballs?  And since we parked our car at the terminal, I suppose you could even order some flat-pack furniture to take with you on the ride home!  All told, this was a convenient embarkation point and fair play to Celebrity if your intention was to attract more UK guests - this sailing was well-timed to take advantage of the bank holiday.

 

How to get to the port of Southampton and where to park (if by car).  It was incredibly convenient to arrive by car - we chose to park with ABParking, the official car parking provider in the port of Southampton.  From their website, simply select your ship and sailing date and they give clear instructions on how and where to go.  Terminal staff were friendly and welcoming.

 

Southampton is easily accessible by train from London, expect an hour or so journey and then a taxi from the central train station to the cruise terminal.  If arriving by plane, I suppose Heathrow would be the more convenient option, but you would likely need a bus or car service/taxi from there as there are no train options between LHR and Southampton.  Gatwick airport (LGW) is even farther away.  On embarkation, we spotted a few passengers lugging luggage along the sidewalks into the port (I can only assume they were coming from the train station and wanted to save the cost of an Uber?)

 

Download the Celebrity App and check-in online.  Several days prior to sailing, we received emails to prepare us for boarding day, including choosing an arrival time.  Thankfully gone are the days where you queued in the terminal to show your passport and documents, then spent time on embarkation day in a lengthy and uncomfortable muster drill; Celebrity has simply perfected this process ... provided you've done the prerequisite check-in online via their app or website and have an "Express pass" downloaded to your phone or mobile device.  

 

We (read: I) did this for both my DW and I, as well as our DMIL by tethering her reservation to ours.  Then on arrival, we simply showed our Express pass and IDs and within minutes we were aboard.  If you've watched the safety videos in advance (also via the app), then the muster drill is complete by checking in at your muster station where they scan your express pass, and then you're free to move about the ship.

 

Speaking of the Celebrity app, has this been improved recently?  Since last year, we found that the handy WhatsApp-like messaging service has become even more robust (none of us purchased the Wifi package, so we used this feature to keep tabs on each other's whereabouts on the ship).  And we discovered later on the cruise that you could even "vote" for songs in one of the theatre productions (this wasn't as well advertised, so we missed out on voting, but really like the concept). Also, our DMIL was able to control her stateroom television, in addition to in-room lights and blinds (for some reason, we didn't have the TV control feature.. possibly due to our cabin type? DMIL was in a Outside Window; we were in an Infinite Verandah).

 

Drop your bags in your room and explore the ship.  Also gone are the days when you had to wait for cabins to be ready - Celebrity allows you to collect your physical Sea Pass card from your stateroom, and even if the room is not yet ready you are welcome to drop off your carry-on baggage before exploring the ship - a nice touch as it saves having to haul your luggage along with you.  This was especially helpful for me, as I had brought some non-alcoholic canned drinks with me (still allowed on embarkation day, but you must carry it with you through the security check-in).

 

.

[Ducky_01]

Day 1, Embarkation / Day 2, Sea day.  As I mentioned previously, this was an incredibly smooth sail-away.  And also very uneventful.  Same goes for the sea day, as we enjoyed some rare sunshine and calm seas across the English Channel.  So I'd like to take this opportunity to post about the ship, including the differences we observed when comparing Apex, an older Edge-class ship, to a newer one (e.g. Beyond).

 

Overall, we observed few if any differences in design of either the staterooms or the public areas.  Eden?  Check.  Infinite verandahs?  Check.  Modern aesthetic?  Check.  Obviously, newer E-class ships are going to be slightly larger, and consequently the layout of the interior - in particular, the Grand Plaza.  They're also going to have that new ship smell and feel: though well-maintained, I noticed little things like the verandah windows were unclean and they also didn't fully come down (on Beyond, the top half descended to be flush with the bottom half).  If it was a longer sailing, and I was being more nitpicky, these could be annoying gripes or causes for complaint. 

 

On the other hand, due to the slightly smaller size I found the interior spaces on Apex to feel more intimate, and it had the effect of making venues like the Theatre, the Club, and the Grand Plaza feel more lively.  As with all ships of this class, the expert layout is able to magically disburse crowds so that it never felt too busy and you could always find a quiet spot somewhere, if that was your preference.  Our top chill-out areas on sea day were (1) the outdoor space adjacent to Eden cafe, (2) the Solarium, where cushioned sun beds were always available (no chair hogs) and (3) the semi-private dining "room", when you first enter the starboard side of the Oceanview Cafe.

 

I also recently experienced some health issues prior to sailing, and was looking for good ways to reduce my blood pressure.. so DW encouraged me to use most of my OBC on a cruise-long Thermal Suite pass.  At $129 for the duration of the cruise, I thought this was a better deal than the overpriced massage treatments and given my DW had another traveling companion to keep her company in DMIL, I felt less guilty about abandoning them to enjoy the spa, which I did several times during the cruise.  We've never splurged on an Aquaclass cabin or suite, and probably never will, but if we did I would be sure to take full advantage of this as much as possible (as I understand, access is included in your fare).  Yet, surprisingly I found this area to be very, very quiet throughout the cruise - until the final day when every treatment room was filled with 1-2 guests and there were towels/robes scattered everywhere.  Not sure what happened there, perhaps AQ guests weren't aware of this perk?  Or else AQ class didn't sail full?  The lack of cleanliness on that last day was a tad disappointing, but I thoroughly enjoyed my visits up to then and the Spa staff were all very friendly.

 

A not-to-be-missed highlight of the many sea day activities on offer: Street Curling!  Basically, a comically upsized version of shuffleboard played on an inflated "rink", this was as much fun to watch as it was to participate.  The Activities staff did mention this is only available on certain ships, so this is perhaps one to look out for on your next sea day.

 

Our one and only sea day was also the only Chic (aka formal) night and I must say, the majority of guests on this sailing dressed to impress!  Judging from the number of evening gowns and tuxedos I saw, you could argue that every night was a formal night.  The Brits on this cruise were suited and booted, and I think this really contributed to a feeling of glitz and glamour on every evening, not just Chic night.  If this isn't your thing, just know that there is no dress code at the buffet and evening attire is never required on X but I'd say on this particular cruise you would've stood out like a sore thumb if you didn't dress up in the evening.  We enjoyed this aspect of the cruise, as it made evening dining and nighttime events feel a bit more special.

 

There were surprisingly more children on this cruise - more than any X cruise I'd ever done in the past.  This could be a function of the sailing occurring on or near school half-term in the UK, or else the shorter nature of this cruise enabled more families and/or multigenerational groups to cruise together? We found all of the children to be very well behaved and well supervised - a tribute to responsible parents on this cruise, since I'm told X children's programs are a bit lacklustre.

 

One final positive: some had previously commented that shorter 3- to 4-day sailings based out of the UK had a "booze cruise" reputation, especially if the cruise line offered all inclusive packages.  While I am sure there were many that subscribed to Celebrity drinks packages (my DW mentioned often times she was the only one at Cafe al Bacio with a non-alcoholic coffee order), I am happy to report there were no drunken louts or rowdy parties.  Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves responsibly, without drinking to a regrettable excess.

  

 

 

[Ergates The Ant]

Thanks for your review. We got off Apex as you got on! Re the Infinite Veranda windows, they should go down to be flush with the lower window. However, we did have to press the switch a few times to ensure it went all the way down. Same thing happened when closing the window. We noticed it got rather cold one evening, and it was because we hadn’t completely closed the window. The button seemed to cut out before the last few inches, and had to be held down again.

[Ducky_01]

Tips and tricks.  Since some commented on the usefulness of my last trip report, I thought I'd share a few more that I hope will be helpful to you, as well as some Apex v Beyond differences (with pictures included to explain the more nuanced observations):

 

• Bring your own drinks.  I purchased some mixer-sized cans of our favourite sodas from our local grocery store and brought them onboard (this was admittedly easier since this was a no-fly cruise, but you could equally visit a Tesco in Southampton and do the same). And if you ask your stateroom attendant to remove all the alcohol, then this has the added benefit of removing the expensive temptation to consume anything from the minibar!
• Ask for an electric kettle.  Actually, a kettle and assorted teabags were already available in our cabin so I wonder if this is just an added touch by X on UK-based sailings to cater to British tastes for an in-room cuppa?  This saved us from having to carry dangerously hot water from the buffet or Cafe Al Bacio.
• The footstool is also storage.  I don't recall ever seeing a footstool in our cabin on Beyond? I was further astounded to discover that the top lifts off to provide you even more storage!  Just remember to collect any belongings that you store there, before you disembark.
• Thermal Suite engineering.  OK this one needs explaining .. there were two distinct features of the Thermal Suite that I found better than on Beyond (although this may have since changed).  Firstly, the Rainfall Water Therapy feature contained two benches for sitting - this was a nice touch that I did not notice before?  On Beyond, all of the rainfall showers were standing-room only, and so the lack of sitting area made it feel more like a human carwash. Secondly, the engineers of Apex thoughtfully added a "lip" to the showers in the men's changeroom.  On Beyond, there was no such feature and so water would spill out everywhere.  I only wish the same could be done in the Steamroom and Hammam - to compensate, some resourceful guest rolled up towels against the door to soak up the water before it spilled out of either room.
• Children can swim in the Solarium.  We don't recall a similar sign posted on Beyond, but think this was a thoughtful touch for the many families aboard and a reasonable compromise to allow them to swim in the Solarium pool / hot tub since X doesn't have a splash pool or slides like some of their competitors (the only alternative being the outdoor pool, which is downright uncomfortable on cold or windy days).  Be advised, though, that it makes the otherwise peaceful Solarium sound like a leisure centre between the hours of 5-7PM.   
• Always check your statement of charges before you disembark.  This can be done from your cabin TV, from the Celebrity app, or by visiting Guest Relations.  I unfortunately did not do this, and consequently had to call Celebrity post-cruise to remove some duplicate and erroneous charges.

 

 

[Ducky_01]

Day 3, Amsterdam.  This was an excellent port of call with plenty to see and do (it will be a shame if large cruise ships will be limited in future from docking at the convenient cruise terminal, just a 10-15 minute walk to Centraale station).  Most of the main sights are very walkable from the cruise port / central train station, we explored the city on our own with one destination in mind: the Bloemenmarkt.  We thought this was well worth a visit, and easily reachable after a scenic 20 minute walk past the Nieuwmarkt with an obligatory stop for a fresh stroopwafel!  If you intend to purchase tulip or other flower bulbs from any of the vendors, remember to shop around - the farther into the flower market you go, the better the deals.  We meandered along the canaled streets of the De 9 Straatje district, stopping occasionally into shops for cover during frequent bouts of rain.  One tip that probably applies in many European ports: visit the local supermarket for reasonably-priced souvenirs; in our case, we left the local Albert Heijn with tins of stroopwafels, chocolates, and mints.  We slowly made our way back towards the ship, stopping at Dam square and observing the leaning and crooked Dancing Houses at Damrak before returning to the train station.  I believe future itineraries will stop in Rotterdam, and I think there's enough to see in the city of Amsterdam to make it worth a train trip or excursion from there, even if it will be less convenient. We were glad to reach the cruise terminal well before the departure time, with the skies finally clearing after some inclement weather.  We very much enjoyed the scenic sailaway from the city, past large wind turbines and carefully through the IJmuiden sea lock.

 

 

Edited June 9 by Ducky_01

[abbydancer2003]

On 6/6/2024 at 9:45 PM, Ducky_01 said:

Departing from Southampton.  One of the many reasons we chose this sailing is because we live in the UK, about one hour north of the port of Southampton.  I have long envied Florida locals who can just jump on a cruise from Miami or Fort Lauderdale, without having to deal with the hassle of flying.  Turns out, if you live close to any other departure port, you can do the same!  This cruise attracted a very British crowd, more so than on any other X cruise I've taken: we encountered many groups and families who traveled by car from across the UK.  

 

We also met some who booked this as a back-to-back - I believe the following cruise was a 7 night sailing to Scandinavia, which would have extended their holiday to 11 nights with a "port day" in Southampton. Has anyone ever sailed a back-to-back?  If so, I wonder what you would do on that changeover day in Southampton?  If it was me, I'd probably do an "excursion" to IKEA, which is walking distance to City Cruise terminal (Celebrity currently departs from there, and I think Apex is based in Southampton this summer).  Who doesn't love IKEA meatballs?  And since we parked our car at the terminal, I suppose you could even order some flat-pack furniture to take with you on the ride home!  All told, this was a convenient embarkation point and fair play to Celebrity if your intention was to attract more UK guests - this sailing was well-timed to take advantage of the bank holiday.

 

How to get to the port of Southampton and where to park (if by car).  It was incredibly convenient to arrive by car - we chose to park with ABParking, the official car parking provider in the port of Southampton.  From their website, simply select your ship and sailing date and they give clear instructions on how and where to go.  Terminal staff were friendly and welcoming.

 

Southampton is easily accessible by train from London, expect an hour or so journey and then a taxi from the central train station to the cruise terminal.  If arriving by plane, I suppose Heathrow would be the more convenient option, but you would likely need a bus or car service/taxi from there as there are no train options between LHR and Southampton.  Gatwick airport (LGW) is even farther away.  On embarkation, we spotted a few passengers lugging luggage along the sidewalks into the port (I can only assume they were coming from the train station and wanted to save the cost of an Uber?)

 

.

Very nice review - we're on the Apex (2nd time) in August, for the 7 day Norway, then 4 days in Lymington, then back on the ship for Scandinavia, so we'll miss your intinerary.

And it's unlikely (but of course possible) that the people with luggage were coming from the train station.  Both the Holiday Inn and Moxy hotels are right by the terminal.  We walked from the Moxy last time, and will likely do the same in August.

[hcat]

very nice review with photos!  thank you

 

we'll be on Apex next Jan in the Carib..looking forward to it!

Edited June 9 by hcat

[billc23]

Thanks for the detailed review. I just booked the Apex for a Caribbean sailing in December and appreciate your comments/tips on the ship.

[steveso]

I've just got back from a 12 night trip on the Apex round the Baltic

 

My wife and I are regular UK based Royal Caribbean cruisers (Diamond level) and this was our second Celebrity trip, the first about 10 years ago on the Silhouette. (We have also used P and O).

 

Here are a few extra thoughts

 

1. We only eat at the buffet as we are vegetarian and I am pleased to say that the Apex Buffet was generally the best buffet we have seen on a cruise ship. A great variety for veggies like us! 

 

2. Whilst the entertainment team were really good, they do face one major obstacle on the Apex (and I guess other Edge ships) that the main entertainment venue is The Club and that is really too small for larger entertainment shows. Even a couple of Trivia quizzes had no seating left. There are also some really badly designed sofas on the ground floor level which take up space but have people facing the wrong way (you have to see to believe). Half the seating is upstairs which also restricts the activities. RC has much better single level venues.

 

3. On the same point, the Eden area at the back of the ship is used for evening live entertainment and again it is far too small which is a shame as a couple of the shows there were excellent.

 

4. The central area (the Grand Plaza/Martini Bar) is not dissimilar to other RC type layouts but again is probably too small for the main purpose.

 

5. The only prizes for any quizzes were "Pop sockets), (some T shirts for evening game shows), something you can attach to your phones to make them easier to hold. Surely they could extend to something else as well. I appreciate all prizes on cruises for quizzes and competitions have gone down due to costs.

 

6. We had an outside view cabin which was great and the shower was the largest I have seen on any ship for that level of room.

 

7. Whilst the level of decor is superb throughout the ship, my overriding impression was that the ship is designed to extract every last penny/cent out of the users. I realise that is the way that things are heading in the industry but the number of specialist dining areas definitely detracts from the areas that could be available for more entertainment.

 

8. Not that it affected us but if you eat in one of the regular dining rooms then you will have to pay around $5 for coffee after a meal which seems wrong. Free regular coffee in the buffet.

 

If anyone wants to ask any other questions on Celebrity Apex vs something like Independence or Anthem then let me know and I will try and help!

[Ducky_01]

27 minutes ago, steveso said:

I've just got back from a 12 night trip on the Apex round the Baltic

 

My wife and I are regular UK based Royal Caribbean cruisers (Diamond level) and this was our second Celebrity trip, the first about 10 years ago on the Silhouette. (We have also used P and O).

 

Here are a few extra thoughts

 

1. We only eat at the buffet as we are vegetarian and I am pleased to say that the Apex Buffet was generally the best buffet we have seen on a cruise ship. A great variety for veggies like us! 

 

2. Whilst the entertainment team were really good, they do face one major obstacle on the Apex (and I guess other Edge ships) that the main entertainment venue is The Club and that is really too small for larger entertainment shows. Even a couple of Trivia quizzes had no seating left. There are also some really badly designed sofas on the ground floor level which take up space but have people facing the wrong way (you have to see to believe). Half the seating is upstairs which also restricts the activities. RC has much better single level venues.

 

3. On the same point, the Eden area at the back of the ship is used for evening live entertainment and again it is far too small which is a shame as a couple of the shows there were excellent.

 

4. The central area (the Grand Plaza/Martini Bar) is not dissimilar to other RC type layouts but again is probably too small for the main purpose.

 

5. The only prizes for any quizzes were "Pop sockets), (some T shirts for evening game shows), something you can attach to your phones to make them easier to hold. Surely they could extend to something else as well. I appreciate all prizes on cruises for quizzes and competitions have gone down due to costs.

 

6. We had an outside view cabin which was great and the shower was the largest I have seen on any ship for that level of room.

 

7. Whilst the level of decor is superb throughout the ship, my overriding impression was that the ship is designed to extract every last penny/cent out of the users. I realise that is the way that things are heading in the industry but the number of specialist dining areas definitely detracts from the areas that could be available for more entertainment.

 

8. Not that it affected us but if you eat in one of the regular dining rooms then you will have to pay around $5 for coffee after a meal which seems wrong. Free regular coffee in the buffet.

 

If anyone wants to ask any other questions on Celebrity Apex vs something like Independence or Anthem then let me know and I will try and help!

 

Thanks for your comments, it's nice to hear from someone who stayed longer on the ship!  As a fellow UK-based cruiser, isn't it nice to have a Southampton based Edge-class ship?  If you could choose, would you have preferred a Solstice-class ship (e.g. Silhouette) over Apex?  On Beyond last year, we found the opposite: when not sailing full, the public spaces seemed too large.  Some evenings, it felt eerily quiet as if we were the only ones on a ghost ship.  

 

Completely agree about the buffet, I'm not vegetarian per se but I did find it very easy to get my five-a-day fruit and veg at Oceanview Cafe and I think X has always had some of the best quality buffets at sea.

 

Re: the nickel-and-dime approach - yes, especially if you've cruised for awhile it would definitely seem as if they encourage you to spend more.  My wife is newer to cruising, my DMIL even more so (this was her first cruise), so they got in the habit of regularly checking their accounts and we had an aim to spend only up to our OBC. But I do agree, I miss those simpler days when more was included in the base fare. Thanks again!

Edited June 9 by Ducky_01

[Ducky_01]

Day 4, Zeebrugges / Bruges.  The final day on this brief itinerary was the port of Zeebrugges.  As far as we could tell, there is not much to do in the actual port of Zeebrugges and this was ever more evident on a quiet, drizzly Sunday.  We had booked well in advance the X excursion, Bruges On Your Own, which was comprised of a 30 minute coach ride to the bus drop-off area into the old medieval town of Bruges.  I have read that it is possible to do Bruges on your own, possibly by arranging your own bus or attempting to get there by tram/train but given the limited amount of time and the actual distance from port we thought it prudent to book with Celebrity.  Sure enough, the sailaway was later delayed by an hour or so - could this have been because a cruise-sponsored excursion was struggling to return on time?  If so, those passengers must've been glad they booked with the cruise line.  In some cases, it does sometimes make sense to pay the higher cost with the reassurance that the ship will wait for you.  

 

In our case, once the bus dropped us off we were free to roam about town with the only caveat being we had to be back at the bus at an allotted time.  I believe, all told, we had about 3-4 hours to explore on our own which really isn't much time at all.  Our strategy, so as not to feel rushed, is to focus on doing one thing rather than trying to cram as much into the day as possible (although one fellow guest shared that they had gone to both Bruges and Brussels while in port.. that must've been a whirlwind tour!).  We arrived to drizzly weather so thought it best to wander the medieval old town, sidestepping the rain by window shopping the many chocolatiers (how do you even tell the difference between them?).  Once we arrived at the canal we thought a 35 minute boat trip would be a perfect way to pass the time and provide a unique perspective of the town from the water.  We embarked from the Huidervettersplein, but all of the boat companies run the same tour, for the same price (€15 per person).  You do not need to book this in advance, we just found the stall with the shortest queue, but we advise you do this as soon as possible as the boat companies wait until a boat is full before leaving (and you wouldn't want to run out of time, or be caught on a boat too late in the day).  We had a hilarious multilingual guide in Alan who shared interesting facts along the way; this was well worth the price of admission!

 

At the conclusion of the boat trip, the clouds cleared and we enjoyed blue skies with just enough time to visit the picturesque Market Square.  I would have liked to climb the Belfry tower to enjoy the scenic overlook but sadly this must be booked in advance.  Oh well, lesson learned!  Since Zeebruges seems to be a frequent stop for many Northern European itineraries I guess I will have to save that for another time.  Has anyone been able to do this?  Do you have other suggestions of things to do while in port? We thought that the town of Bruges must be beautiful in winter, with festive markets and Christmas lights.  But alas, another downpour signalled our time this day was up, and after a quick local beer we caught the bus just in time to return to the ship for one final evening.

 

That evening, I would've thought that the ship would be quiet as guests furiously packed their things for departure (as with most cruises, you're expected to pack your luggage the night before so they can be ready for pickup when you disembark) but discovered quite the opposite: the ship was absolutely buzzing with excitement and the corridors were filled with guests ready for one final hurrah.  Bars and lounges were filled with passengers calling drinks orders (possibly to get their money's worth from drinks packages!), the queue to the theatre for the Rockumentary show started well before the production time (tip: get there early), and excited crowds filled the atrium with laughter all evening.  As previously mentioned, we were pleasantly surprised to see many dressed up, which begs me to ask - how and where do you pack all these clothes if your stateroom attendant has already collected your suitcase?  I didn't see anyone in high heels or a cocktail dress leaving the ship the following morning, so if any experienced cruisers can help uncover this mystery for me, I'd greatly appreciate it.

 

 

Edited June 9 by Ducky_01

[Ducky_01]

Final thoughts.  If I could sum up this four day, no-fly cruise in one word, it would be: convenient.  From being able to park your car metres from the ship to an itinerary timed to arrive on the UK bank holiday, from the near perfect Express Pass embarkation process to the very walkable ports of Amsterdam and Bruges, everything about this journey made it easy to enter relaxation mode  as quickly as possible.

 

On this cruise, I once again had the opportunity to see someone embrace cruising for the very first time (last year it was DW, this year my DMIL).  I regularly frequent this board, often just to live vicariously through the trip reports of others, and I know from time to time this community may become slightly jaded about the rising travel costs, the declining value when services are cut, or else that ridiculous debacle with pricing for solo cruisers (what was that all about?).  All that said, I hope we all can remind ourselves how wonderful a cruise vacation can be, and how privileged we are to enjoy it.  And if you're still feeling a bit negative, my suggestion is to bring someone with you on your next cruise who has never ever gone before, and see the experience from their eyes.

 

Thanks for reading my post, safe and happy travels everyone!

 

 

Edited June 9 by Ducky_01

[hcat]

Thanks again.  Nice insights.

 

I think this photo would  make a lovely remembrance of your cruise..well done!

[Shiba_Lover]

Nice write up, thank you for sharing!  On the Bruges on Your Own excursion - did they have busses running back through the day, or was it only one specific time you had to be back?  We are considering this instead of bothering with the train.  Thanks!

[Ducky_01]

18 minutes ago, Shiba_Lover said:

Nice write up, thank you for sharing!  On the Bruges on Your Own excursion - did they have busses running back through the day, or was it only one specific time you had to be back?  We are considering this instead of bothering with the train.  Thanks!

You received a specific numbered group sticker and were assigned a specific bus there and back.

[PH2]

We were on this sailing! Loved it. We came from the US and did this quick trip sandwiched between 4-day visits in London and Dublin. It was really interesting to be in the minority compared to US-based sailings - especially given it was a short cruise and over a long UK holiday weekend. I believe the cruise director or comedian said over 2000 of the 2900 passengers were from the UK. The comedian's first 10-15 minutes were geared toward the local crowd. Now I know what's it's like for internationals cruising out the US to listen to north/south US jokes, ha! I think the only Americans we met were on our excursions.

 

You guys definitely dress better than we do over here, which I expected. I felt under-dressed the entire time in jeans and (mostly) short-sleeve shirts, sometimes a zip-up sweater. I broke out the business casual attire (slacks, button down shirts) for dinner, but that seemed to be the norm for most people just lounging around the ship.

[Jim_Iain]

On 6/6/2024 at 9:45 PM, Ducky_01 said:

Has anyone ever sailed a back-to-back?  If so, I wonder what you would do on that changeover day in Southampton?

 

I've done a number of B2B's in Southampton.    One time we took a Ship's B2B tour to Windsor Castle.   The other choice was Stonehenge.     Next time we just spent the day in Southampton exploring the city. (so much to do and see).   Last time -  Iain wanted to go back to Windsor -  we walked to the train station and then took the train to Windsor.   Unfortunately it was packed as it was the weekend before the coronation. 

[flora_76]

Many thanks for the review. I am on Apex next month, it will be my first cruise. We have booked ABP parking too as it's so convenient. Something I have not been able to find an answer is the following. We'd like to stay in Southampton for the day when we disembark. Do you know if you can leave your car there until the afternoon or you need to leave your parking spot the moment you disembark? Thanks!

[kwokpot]

On 6/9/2024 at 10:11 AM, steveso said:

Not that it affected us but if you eat in one of the regular dining rooms then you will have to pay around $5 for coffee after a meal which seems wrong. Free regular coffee in the buffet.

That is absolutely, 100% INCORRECT and is WRONG INFORMATION. Drip coffee and various teas are available for all three meals, INCLUDING DINNER, in every main dining room. 

Edited June 10 by kwokpot

[Ergates The Ant]

You will have to remove your car from the cruise parking when you get off the ship. They will be filling the car park with passengers for the next cruise, and you could risk getting locked in until the ship gets back from the following cruise! 
However there are plenty of car parks off West Quay Road, ( turn left at the roundabout after leaving through Dock Gate ) most are open 24 hours apart from the Ikea car park which I think doesn’t open till 10am. You can find details and charges on line. 
 

[Ducky_01]

1 hour ago, kwokpot said:

That is absolutely, 100% INCORRECT and is WRONG INFORMATION. Drip coffee and various teas are available for all three meals, INCLUDING DINNER, in every main dining room. 

I think what was meant by the post is espresso-based drinks, and in fact I’ve been caught out on this in both the main dining room and Oceanview cafe .. if you do not specify “drip coffee” then they will assume you meant an espresso-based drink, which is subject to charge. On Beyond last year, one waiter at the OVC was so oblivious to the difference between filter coffee and non-filter coffee that I just gave up and ordered an Americano (which I then had to pay for). Conversation went like this..

Me: “I’d like a coffee please”

Waiter: “What kind?”

Me: “Regular coffee”

Waiter: “Espresso?”

Me: “No, the one in a pot”

Waiter: “Cappucino?”

Me: “No, the free one that’s filtered, that you can get in the buffet”

Waiter: “Americano?”

Me: “Ok fine, an Americano”

 

[kwokpot]

58 minutes ago, Ducky_01 said:

I think what was meant by the post is espresso-based drinks, and in fact I’ve been caught out on this in both the main dining room and Oceanview cafe .. if you do not specify “drip coffee” then they will assume you meant an espresso-based drink, which is subject to charge. On Beyond last year, one waiter at the OVC was so oblivious to the difference between filter coffee and non-filter coffee that I just gave up and ordered an Americano (which I then had to pay for). Conversation went like this..

Me: “I’d like a coffee please”

Waiter: “What kind?”

Me: “Regular coffee”

Waiter: “Espresso?”

Me: “No, the one in a pot”

Waiter: “Cappucino?”

Me: “No, the free one that’s filtered, that you can get in the buffet”

Waiter: “Americano?”

Me: “Ok fine, an Americano”

 

I have been on 27 Celebrity cruises and was on the Apex last July out of Rotterdam and we have never, ever had any confusion with regards to ordering coffee in any Celebrity MDR. 

If I had the exchange you did above I would have immediately asked for the either the head waiter if they weren't or asked to speak to the matre D. 

If the wait staff has been instructed to only serve espresso based coffees at dinner time that would be inappropriate and something that I would raise holy hell with. That's ridiculous and I don't care what country the ship is sailing from.

 

As an aside when we sailed on a Carnival ship for a TP from Seattle to Brisbane as I was researching the ship some reviews that was from the reverse TP (Australia to Seattle) said something similar and people were complaining that there's a charge for coffee or a pot of tea. 

Of course nothing of the sort was true. There was never any confusion when we sailed about free coffee or tea vs the premium selections. 

 

Edit: The surprise from the waiter at Oceanview Cafe was probably due to the fact that coffee is self-service and if you asked the waiter who was taking bar orders for coffee they assumed you wanted the selections from Segundo Al Bacio. 

 

 

Edited June 10 by kwokpot

[Ergates The Ant]

Agree, the wine waiters circulating in the buffet were there to serve paid for drinks, including coffees from Il Secondo Bacio. Free coffee and teas were self service. Having said that, in the mornings, there was often a server circulating with flasks of coffee, offering free tops ups without having to head back to the machines.

[Sleepybluegiraffe]

On 6/10/2024 at 6:22 PM, flora_76 said:

Many thanks for the review. I am on Apex next month, it will be my first cruise. We have booked ABP parking too as it's so convenient. Something I have not been able to find an answer is the following. We'd like to stay in Southampton for the day when we disembark. Do you know if you can leave your car there until the afternoon or you need to leave your parking spot the moment you disembark? Thanks!

There are one or more NCP car parks nearby that you can book in advance online. I used one when I thought the ABP parking was too expensive - now I think it’s the best thing ever!