Live - suite life on the Apex (Baltics)

[cavaaller]

I wanted to erase some of the irrelevant pictures but CC would not let me edit 

[chemmo]

1 hour ago, cavaaller said:

I wanted to erase some of the irrelevant pictures but CC would not let me edit 

I don’t know how others feel but the more pictures to me the merrier!

[sunpsyche]

Your pictures are beautiful! It doesn’t look as if there have been any changes to the Retreat deck from the Edge; if so they appear minor. Do wish they’d added some shade.

[cavaaller]

So we really like to have our dinner in a not crowded space. Tonight, the dinner could not have been more perfect:

We went to the Roof Top Garden Grille and were litterally the only guests in the restaurant. We always dine as early as possible and today most of the guests are on long shore excursions to Berlin which left the ship almost empty. 

 

The weather was lovely, it was not very windy and warm enough and the meal and the service were great.

 

It was a lovely evening.

 

We shared some apps: 

smoked chicken wings

braised short ribs

 

and the sliders (we did not order these but our waiter insisted, that this was a very good appetizer - it really was)

for entrées we had the ***** Burger

 

 

, a ribeye steak

 

and a filet mignon

 

I was looking forward to the Cookie desert having read so much about it and ...

 

it lived up to my expectation.

 

 

[djh]

6 hours ago, chemmo said:

Honestly, I cannot believe how a decision was made to give a RS a balcony smaller than some veranda cabins…I know not everyone likes the sun and some guests may only sit on the balcony occasionally and that the Retreat Deck is only a few steps away…..but for us it is a real dealbreaker.
 

 

Us too. We will never book a Royal on E class again because of that balcony. We just got off the Apex and I thought that maybe they might at least have more comfortable furniture on it than the Edge,  but no, still that rock hard concrete square stuff.

[81Zoomie]

3 hours ago, sunpsyche said:

Your pictures are beautiful! It doesn’t look as if there have been any changes to the Retreat deck from the Edge; if so they appear minor. Do wish they’d added some shade.

We will be on the Apex this fall.  Is there any shade up on the retreat sun deck?  I think I have seen some pictures of umbrellas.  It’s not great on the Equinox, but you can find a little shade depending on time of day and direction the ship is sailing.

[suzyluvs2cruise]

40 minutes ago, 81Zoomie said:

We will be on the Apex this fall.  Is there any shade up on the retreat sun deck?  I think I have seen some pictures of umbrellas.  It’s not great on the Equinox, but you can find a little shade depending on time of day and direction the ship is sailing.

We're not sun people and found a few shady areas on the Retreat Sun deck. Some do depend on the time of day and direction the ship is going.  

[drarill]

2 hours ago, cavaaller said:

So we really like to have our dinner in a not crowded space. Tonight, the dinner could not have been more perfect:

We went to the Roof Top Garden Grille and were litterally the only guests in the restaurant. We always dine as early as possible and today most of the guests are on long shore excursions to Berlin which left the ship almost empty. 

 

The weather was lovely, it was not very windy and warm enough and the meal and the service were great.

 

It was a lovely evening.

 

We shared some apps: 

smoked chicken wings

braised short ribs

 

and the sliders (we did not order these but our waiter insisted, that this was a very good appetizer - it really was)

for entrées we had the ***** Burger

 

 

, a ribeye steak

 

and a filet mignon

 

I was looking forward to the Cookie desert having read so much about it and ...

 

it lived up to my expectation.

 

 

Great review!! I felt the same way on our Edge cruise back in April.  My only regret was going to Luminae the last two nights, it was extremely crowded and probably the place I caught the virus.  We had lunch every day at Le Grand Bistro.  Unlimited specialty dining was the best perk that came with our Villa and we loved every lunch at Le Grand Bistro.  Keep enjoying your cruise!! and thanks for taking to share your experiences with us. 

[sunpsyche]

2 hours ago, suzyluvs2cruise said:

We're not sun people and found a few shady areas on the Retreat Sun deck. Some do depend on the time of day and direction the ship is going.  

Yes, there is some..I was hoping for more. They’re the first taken. 

[suzyluvs2cruise]

11 minutes ago, sunpsyche said:

Yes, there is some..I was hoping for more. They’re the first taken. 

True....and the 1st held with towels etc. for the day. 

[cavaaller]

So we had a time-zone change tonight (+1h) and made it to Luminae for breakfast for the first time. Although it is a sea day (Warnemünde → Riga) Luminae was not crowded at all. We had a lovely table with a beautiful view of the ocean. I love how almost every venue we have been to has unobstructed ocean views. I mentioned that we have sailed within the MSC Yacht Club many times - my favorite ship class the Fantasia-Class has a really lovely Restaurant for the Yacht Club guests but the view is less than attractive: the windows lead to the aft pool so you see people sunbathing etc.... sometimes not really the view you expect/want while enjoying an upscale meal.

 

Here in Luminae, nothing separates you from the ocean, I love that.

 

Same in the retreat lounge: you either sit outside on the sheltered terrasse or on the starboard side with the large floor to sealing windows with sea-view.

I have not yet seen the lounge crowded either.

 

But I wanted to tell you about the breakfast: 

It was like a (good) show:

First we were greeted and served by the coffee-person

secondly came the juice (orange/grapefruit/apple I think)

then our waiter introduced himself and handed us the menus.

 

 

He indicated that if there was anything we wanted - not on the menu - to go ahead and ask him. I gave the eggs Benedict another try - it was perfect!

 

 

I was able to chose toppings (none) and even how I wanted the egg done (medium rare 😉 ).

DH chose waffels

and an omelette -

again ingredients and toppings could be altered.

 

Then came the croissant-person. The most beautiful danish and pains au chocolate and croissants, it was really hard to chose.

 

While we ate our croissants the coffee/juice-persons came back every 2 Minutes to see if there was anything else we needed, the hostess and another supervisor came around asking how our days had been so far, if there was anything they could do for us etc.

I don't think I have ever experienced such an attentive service.

 

After breakfast we went to see if the shops carried the perfume that my DD is aching for. 

But unfortunately no Tom Ford. Tom Ford is really not easy to get back at home and she was hoping that on an American Ship we would be lucky. But alas...

 

They do have the brand of her second choice but not the right one. So we have to look for other ways to spend our OBC (first world problems)...

I was hoping to buy a new Iphone/Ipad but they don't seem to sell them (or any apple products) on board? I will have to ask the concierge.

 

We wandered the decks a little and every time we do, we find new corners that are aw-inspiring. The ship's design is so playful and yet sophisticated. So many corners where you can have a private moment, so many places where you can sit with friends or family - and you always seem to discover new details...there are places (like the Roof Top) where you can hardly tell you are on a ship (it feels more like a parc) [although I do NOT like the giant TV displaying those silly red bull (?) videos all the time, it does not really belong there IMHO]

 

The sea is calm - hardly any wind, our balcony is lovely - I am so grateful for every second I can spend on this incredible ship.

 

 

[cavaaller]

Today’s daily paper:

TOP ENTERTAINMENT.pdf

[chemmo]

“The sea is calm - hardly any wind, our balcony is lovely - I am so grateful for every second I can spend on this incredible ship”….

 

So important on a cruise to find the time to just ‘savour’ the moment….

 

Continue to enjoy…

[Texed]

3 hours ago, cavaaller said:

DH chose waffels

 

Smart guy.  😎

3 hours ago, cavaaller said:

 

and an omelette -

 

again ingredients and toppings could be altered.

 

Then came the croissant-person. The most beautiful danish and pains au chocolate and croissants, it was really hard to chose.

 

While we ate our croissants the coffee/juice-persons came back every 2 Minutes to see if there was anything else we needed, the hostess and another supervisor came around asking how our days had been so far, if there was anything they could do for us etc.

I don't think I have ever experienced such an attentive service.

 

 

 

 

 

[5:00_Somewhere]

I also want to thank you for taking the time to share your journey with us all. We were actually originally booked on this cruise, but chose for various reasons to put it off a year. Just got notice that we will not be doing to overnight in St. Petersburg next year, either, so our itinerary will be similar to yours. We are in a Sky Suite, and I'll be watching with interest. Hope you have a wonderful cruise. 👍

[cavaaller]

Tonight we had our first dinner in Luminae

The menu: 

 

We had an amuse bouche (cauliflower cream with salmon) 

 

chicken salad (had a wonderful dressing), was a lot for an app though!

 

lamb balls (loved the yoghurt sauce)

 

duck breast (very tender and a really interesting - fruity sauce)

 

and Spaghetti Carbonara (creamy, interesting, really good) with fresh parmesan

and a poached egg - totally different from what we are used to but excellent.

 

I enjoy Spanish wines and they have a really nice Crianza that accompanied the dishes perfectly IMHO. (The glass never runs empty - the service is 100 % attentive!)

 

 

I can always eat dessert so I had a baileys on ice with the caramel ganache

 

 

DH and son took the apple tarte tatin- the presentation was somewhat surprising (it not really being a tarte) - but it was very tasty with a slight hint of cinnamon - 

the vanilla ice cream was great aswell.

 

As a conclusion to this dinner let me ask you this question:

 

Who would want to dine in a specialty restaurant, when they have access to luminae?

Until now, the best meals we had were in luminae!

 

Of course, we will try Eden and Raw but I am not holding my breath!

 

I have to say: not only the food is fabulous but also the staff is just wonderful. I love it!

(I did have another reservation for the steakhouse"fine cut" but I am really thinking of cancelling this one!).

 

[sunpsyche]

We’re in complete agreement with you.   We prefer Luminae above all other venues. Service, food and ambiance cannot be beat. 
 

Your photos are mouthwatering 🥂

[asnaleah]

9 minutes ago, sunpsyche said:

We’re in complete agreement with you.   We prefer Luminae above all other venues. Service, food and ambiance cannot be beat. 
 

Your photos are mouthwatering 🥂

100%

[George C]

1 hour ago, cavaaller said:

Tonight we had our first dinner in Luminae

The menu: 

 

We had an amuse bouche (cauliflower cream with salmon) 

 

chicken salad (had a wonderful dressing), was a lot for an app though!

 

lamb balls (loved the yoghurt sauce)

 

duck breast (very tender and a really interesting - fruity sauce)

 

and Spaghetti Carbonara (creamy, interesting, really good) with fresh parmesan

and a poached egg - totally different from what we are used to but excellent.

 

I enjoy Spanish wines and they have a really nice Crianza that accompanied the dishes perfectly IMHO. (The glass never runs empty - the service is 100 % attentive!)

 

 

I can always eat dessert so I had a baileys on ice with the caramel ganache

 

 

DH and son took the apple tarte tatin- the presentation was somewhat surprising (it not really being a tarte) - but it was very tasty with a slight hint of cinnamon - 

the vanilla ice cream was great aswell.

 

As a conclusion to this dinner let me ask you this question:

 

Who would want to dine in a specialty restaurant, when they have access to luminae?

Until now, the best meals we had were in luminae!

 

Of course, we will try Eden and Raw but I am not holding my breath!

 

I have to say: not only the food is fabulous but also the staff is just wonderful. I love it!

(I did have another reservation for the steakhouse"fine cut" but I am really thinking of cancelling this one!).

 

I agree and eat most meals in Luminae but always do Le Petit Chef once , love the show and the streak restaurant prime rib is excellent.

[cavaaller]

So tomorrow we will dock in Riga.

Unfortunately our ship is 6 meters too long so it cannot dock near the centre but will be docking in the industrial harbor 30 Minutes away.

The Port provides a free shuttle running every 15 Minutes (it will take 30 Minutes to get to the Riga Castle → drop off).

 

We have had very bad experiences with shuttles during the pandemic: The last time we took a cruise shuttle, we had to wait for 45 Minutes in a tunnel with hundreds of people. They were all wearing masks but we are still pretty sure that this is where we caught covid. This is also the reason why we are so paranoid - avoiding people, wearing masks all the time. We had a beautiful cruise in a beautiful suite cut short right after it started - and we had to quarantine and were not allowed to leave the country before we tested positive.

 

 

Compared to what goes on in the world right now it was a first world problem / not a problem at all really - but right then for us it was a horrible experience. It almost made me cancel the celebrity cruise.

I am glad I did not but I cannot shake the fear and I certainly will NOT be boarding any shuttle tomorrow.

Riga is beautiful - I am sad that I am going to miss it. If the weather forecast were any better I would have asked the concierge if a private transport could be arranged (paid of course) but given that it will rain pretty much the whole day, I guess we will just call it another sea day.

 

So this is where you can see where your ship docks. KRS means Krievu Sala (industrial harbor) MKS is in the town. (This is the page for "Ships in Port")

 

This is a map with the sights of Riga (© tourist information). You see the drop off point (Riga Castle south of the city)

 

 

Krievu Sala is not on the map.

 

[Scottishclover]

17 minutes ago, cavaaller said:

So tomorrow we will dock in Riga.

Unfortunately our ship is 6 meters too long so it cannot dock near the centre but will be docking in the industrial harbor 30 Minutes away.

The Port provides a free shuttle running every 15 Minutes (it will take 30 Minutes to get to the Riga Castle → drop off).

 

We have had very bad experiences with shuttles during the pandemic: The last time we took a cruise shuttle, we had to wait for 45 Minutes in a tunnel with hundreds of people. They were all wearing masks but we are still pretty sure that this is where we caught covid. This is also the reason why we are so paranoid - avoiding people, wearing masks all the time. We had a beautiful cruise in a beautiful suite cut short right after it started - and we had to quarantine and were not allowed to leave the country before we tested positive.

 

 

Compared to what goes on in the world right now it was a first world problem / not a problem at all really - but right then for us it was a horrible experience. It almost made me cancel the celebrity cruise.

I am glad I did not but I cannot shake the fear and I certainly will NOT be boarding any shuttle tomorrow.

Riga is beautiful - I am sad that I am going to miss it. If the weather forecast were any better I would have asked the concierge if a private transport could be arranged (paid of course) but given that it will rain pretty much the whole day, I guess we will just call it another sea day.

 

So this is where you can see where your ship docks. KRS means Krievu Sala (industrial harbor) MKS is in the town. (This is the page for "Ships in Port")

 

This is a map with the sights of Riga (© tourist information). You see the drop off point (Riga Castle south of the city)

 

 

Krievu Sala is not on the map.

 

We are on the next cruise on the Apex and I only discovered last week we were docking at KS. It is not ideal. We have a private tour booked and the guide is going to pick us up outside the main KS port area ( he has done this already for other guests on RCCL ) I am a bit concerned about getting to the entrance as the port seems very industrial so would be interested if tomorrow you see anybody walking instead of getting the shuttle. Thank you so much for taking the time to report on the port location/ logistics. I really appreciate it.

[Jim_Iain]

On 7/9/2022 at 5:35 PM, calicakes said:

So, why is it only UPPER level suites are tagged priority.  I'm traveling in a Sky Suite in September, so that means I have no priority?  If so, wow. 

It's like on airlines.    Everyone has a priority but some priorities are better than others.   I really don't worry about my bag whether in an Upper Suite or Aqua.   Upper Suites have a special location to drop off bags at the Priority Desk and luggage is suppose to get to your room faster... .I've never noticed it really made a difference except to make you feel "Special"

[Jim_Iain]

On 7/10/2022 at 6:20 AM, cavaaller said:

I wanted to erase some of the irrelevant pictures but CC would not let me edit 

You can only edit a post on CC for about 15 minutes after original post then they disable the ability to edit or delete. 

[Chrissi3010]

1 hour ago, cavaaller said:

I am glad I did not but I cannot shake the fear and I certainly will NOT be boarding any shuttle tomorrow.

Riga is beautiful - I am sad that I am going to miss it. If the weather forecast were any better I would have asked the concierge if a private transport could be arranged (paid of course) but given that it will rain pretty much the whole day, I guess we will just call it another sea day.

 

Why not getting a taxi?

[cavaaller]

10 hours ago, Chrissi3010 said:

Why not getting a taxi?

Taxis are not allowed to enter the port area so you have to take the provided shuttle first (see “transportation”)

 

A taxi would have been my choice of course, I even downloaded the bolt app (like uber) but as reported by previous cruisers on the voyager ots that does not seem to be an option.

 

I will check later, if I can see any “walk offs”

 

Edited July 12, 2022 by cavaaller