BuckeyeMark

The information here is exactly what I'm looking for. Props for "travel french press" and "La Marzocco" (envy!). We haven't sailed Celebrity in years but this is exactly what I feared. So many cruise ships have fabulous equipment and absolutely untrained baristas. I've seen steam wands with so much dried and crusty milk on them I wonder if they'd ever been cleaned. I've seen espresso shots "pulled" that ran in under five seconds. Sigh. Guess we'll be packing the trusty AeroPress...

Please post details on how you managed the DIY - did you use a guide, book your own hotels (which one), who you used to go rafting, etc. This sounds very hopeful and we'd like to try do the same thing. Any and all info on that would be much appreciated!

We don't want to miss these fabulous fjords but the cruise line doesn't necessarily tell you when they are entering the fjord. So I'm looking for information here. If we are in Flam at 8 AM when will the ship start the fjord? If we are in Geiranger at 8 AM when will the ship enter the fjord? Are there notable sights not to miss - like the Seven Sisters waterfall and how about how far are these into the fjord?

Kinda worried this thread could get sideways ... not meaning to offend anyone who loves drinking day-old diner coffee that is reheated in a rusty microwave with a dash of stagnant pond water added for flavor (hey, if you like it, enjoy it! no judgment!) but I'm looking for folks who enjoy a pour-over, a V60, an Americano, an AeroPress and especially people who grind beans fresh before they make a coffee (Coffee Nerds Unite!) ... how's the coffee on the Apex? If they can make good coffee then I don't have to schlep a lot of gear on my cruise. Who's had good coffee on the Apex and how do you normally make coffee at home? Please: no comments or judgment on us coffee geeks. Let's keep it centered, folks: coffee nerds, how's the coffee on the Apex?

How important is it to get the time exactly right? Our group is stopping by Stonehenge on the way down and is scheduled to be at the port at 1:30. So we put 1:30 for wellness check, right? What if we're late? I figure that it won't be a big deal but need a more definitive answer. What should we put as our wellness check in time if we are sked to be at the port at 1:30? The thread below covers this question but am interested in anyone who has gone out of Southampton recently to see if we can still do the wellness check on the app before we arrive at the port or if there is a "real" appointment?

Looking for May-June 2026 Mediterranean. So ... May June 2024?

We have sea day activities for our group too... really important to spend a few minutes (it's a short hunt) getting everyone up and around the ship, finding the key venues, etc. We make sure it doesn't interfere w/anything.

I want to put together a photo scavenger hunt for my group for the first day onboard. That gets everyone out and about and learning the ship. What have you seen on the Apex that would make a good "go find and take a pic of __________" without it being impossibly difficult? Looking for iconic images as well as important places to find on the ship. Your suggestions welcome. Thanks!

Do it! It's amazing, even if you don't hike out onto the rocks.

Who's got the best waffle in Bruge?

You'd better book as soon as you possibly can - the train sells out and sells out quick. Buying tix on the day you arrive probably will not be a possibility. The cruise lines vacuum up huge amounts of tickets and then others jump in and buy too. I doubt there will be tickets available when you walk off the ship.

Wonderful. Thank you so very much!

Here you go ...

Kristiansand is not a port with a ton of great options. The Sedestal railway is the best thing there ... and today Celebrity canceled it (don't know why). Now everything else is sold out, although none of that looked really amazing (Mineral Park, historic walk downtown, etc). What have you done in Kristiansand that was good, or maybe something outside of Ksand that is worth going to see? Got a tour guide to recommend? I need some help for my day in Ksand. We'll be there from 1:00 to 8:00 p.m. Thanks.

Wanting to see what we see in the TV shows and movies. Thames House, etc. Who has done one with a quality guide?

When you dock at Zeebrugge you cannot walk off the ship and grab a cab, shuttle, etc. They shuttle you out of the port to a kind of terminal where taxis etc are waiting, correct? So if I am on an official Celebrity tour will I be picked up at the bottom of the gangway or do I shuttle to the "terminal" like everyone else and the tour forms up there?

I found that article too, and here it is for those who don't want to have hunt it up: https://www.cruisehive.com/celebrity-cruises-changing-multiple-itineraries-for-one-ship/124295 Interestingly I can't find anything that says Norway passed/ratified/changed a law in the past week or so that affects cruise ship speeds, AND Celebrity has modified ports in the Caribbean that the Apex will visit. Hmmm.... why does a change in Norwegian law mean the Apex has to make changes in the Caribbean too? Hmm....

Was told that it was Norwegian law that caused it ... anybody got any news/info?

Celebrity announced today they are skipping Nordfjordeid on May 17 (Constitution Day) and instead will stop at Brugges instead. The itinerary was Southampton, Sea Day, Nordfjordeid. Now it's S-hampton, Bruges, Sea Day. Not real happy about it. It happens (I know) but they waited till a couple of days after final payment to jerk one of Norway's ports out from under us. GRRRR

I'll be on the Apex this spring and am trying to figure out Eden. It seems to be a two-story area that is beautiful and relaxing. It features a cafe that does breakfast and lunch and is complimentary. And a upscale "extra charge" restaurant for supper that most say is amazing. Is all that correct? I also see people saying "Get to Eden for the evening show but hurry, it fills up fast." There's a theater there too? What else am I missing?

That's incredible shot!

You've done a tremendous job here ... really good stuff and I appreciate your answer so much. If you decide being a TA is not for you consider being a travel writer - you have what it takes!

I would be interested to know if you feel like you got "enough" Antartica on this trip. There has been talk of other lines that sail longer in Antartica etc. Not trying to diss your cruise - it looked amazing and your photos were great. This is just a really different cruise - the sea days are the highlight! So, how do you feel about it? Did you see enough Antartica? You got what you wanted?

I have emailed EidTaxi and Grønvik Taxi- og Flyplasservice https://www.eidtaxi.no/ https://gronvik-taxi-og-flyplasservice.business.site/?utm_source=gmb&utm_medium=referral

We'll be in Nordfjordeid on May 17 (Norway's Independence Day). Some in my group will need a taxi or shuttle to get to the Sagastad Viking center (even though it's not that far a walk they are senior citizens and can't walk it). Ideas on who you've used in Nordfjordeid?