Liveish from the Apex Nov 19-Nov 26

[Gracie115]

The tasting menu at Eden is gone?  It was just available 10 days ago on the Transatlantic.  It was great.

 

We completely enjoyed the Rooftop dinner.  There were 11 of us and had a great time.  Food was very good and service great.  We'll do it again in April.

[BeeMinor]

5 hours ago, vacruizer said:

Ughh…I cancelled that St Kitts Catamaran tour to do Jost van Dyke instead while in Tortola. Thinking I should change it back! 
 

I wanted one boat/beach day and booked the rainforest hike for st Kitts instead. 
 

Thank you for taking time to review…I’m counting down to December 3rd!

 We definitely preferred the St Kitts catamaran, but the beach itself is nicer at Jost Van Dyke. Are you going up Mt Liamuiga? We're hikers and I would love to do that although it seems a bit intimidating.

[BeeMinor]

5 hours ago, gizmodog said:

Was it Pinney beach in Nevis where you stopped for lunch, was it near the Sunshine Bar at all? Looking at that excursion myself, says no bathroom facilities and no beach chairs provided.

It was just a cove, really. There are picnic tables but no loungers. Toilet is on the catamaran so plan ahead.

[BeeMinor]

4 hours ago, Tz2989 said:

How did you book the Mixology class? I see the option on the pre-cruise planner, but it doesn't indicate which day(s) its held.

 

We booked pre-cruise. The time is listed on the wine events card the sommeliers have and there's a reminder card like you'd get for a dinner reservation. If you're concerned about a conflict you can check the time and book with a sommelier on board.

[BeeMinor]

34 minutes ago, Gracie115 said:

The tasting menu at Eden is gone?  It was just available 10 days ago on the Transatlantic.  It was great.

 

We completely enjoyed the Rooftop dinner.  There were 11 of us and had a great time.  Food was very good and service great.  We'll do it again in April.

 

It is. It might just be because this sailing is so full--I keep hearing 3000 people. We asked about it and our server suggested getting multiple dishes to share instead which worked.

[Gracie115]

5 minutes ago, BeeMinor said:

 

It is. It might just be because this sailing is so full--I keep hearing 3000 people. We asked about it and our server suggested getting multiple dishes to share instead which worked.

 

No, doubt that's the reason, the TA was near max capacity too.  

[BeeMinor]

3 minutes ago, Gracie115 said:

 

No, doubt that's the reason, the TA was near max capacity too.  

 

Must just be a change then. It was listed on the app menu at the beginning of the week but has now definitely been dropped. 

[carolina_yankee]

1 hour ago, Gracie115 said:

The tasting menu at Eden is gone?  It was just available 10 days ago on the Transatlantic.  It was great.

 

We completely enjoyed the Rooftop dinner.  There were 11 of us and had a great time.  Food was very good and service great.  We'll do it again in April.

 

28 minutes ago, BeeMinor said:

 

It is. It might just be because this sailing is so full--I keep hearing 3000 people. We asked about it and our server suggested getting multiple dishes to share instead which worked.

 

We had the the option of the tasting menu on our Apex ailing last week - ship at 70% capacity. The servers steered us away from it, though, saying if you liked anything in particular, you only got a couple of bites. I wonder if they are downplaying it with the idea of ditching it?

[amcco]

4 hours ago, BeeMinor said:

 

Must just be a change then. It was listed on the app menu at the beginning of the week but has now definitely been dropped. 

I also read it was dropped on the Beyond as well. Takes a lot of time and they can turn over tables faster without it. 

[vacruizer]

5 hours ago, BeeMinor said:

 We definitely preferred the St Kitts catamaran, but the beach itself is nicer at Jost Van Dyke. Are you going up Mt Liamuiga? We're hikers and I would love to do that although it seems a bit intimidating.

No, this is an easier hike than Mt. Liamuga near Wingfield estate it says? I haven’t hiked as much recently as I once did and want to be back in better shape before I try that one.  The heat and humidity worry me more than the elevation changes!

[Gracie115]

5 hours ago, carolina_yankee said:

 

 

We had the the option of the tasting menu on our Apex ailing last week - ship at 70% capacity. The servers steered us away from it, though, saying if you liked anything in particular, you only got a couple of bites. I wonder if they are downplaying it with the idea of ditching it?

 

Oh...they were definitely downplaying it.  We told the servers with EACH item that they were too large.... so much food.  Probably a loser financially for them would be a more likely reason. 

[miched]

We also were not impressed with Ralph Harris.   For the same reasons you stated.   It was just asking peo-me where they were from.    The rest of his show wasn’t funny.   I feel asleep and we didn’t go to his late night or encore show.   We did a B2B2B2b2B on the Apex.  After the first week we didn’t go to any shows except for those in the Club or Eden.    

 

I also agree with room service.   We were also in a suite and had room service a few times.   The food was always cold,  Eggs Benedict over cooked like being hard boiled  and most times something was missing.  It was very cramped and not enjoyable because of the small table.    I don’t see the fascination.   It would be better to go to the buffet and sit at a table outside at the aft, or the Eden Cafe sitting outside for something different than Luminae.   We found finally found it best to just ask  for Americanos every morning and maybe a muffin or or pastry before going for breakfast.  

 

There was a artist on board by the name of Michael.   He was part of the show in Eden.   He had a wine and drawing class that is listed in the planner or in the Elite perk paper.   I don’t remember but you have to sign up.   If you see it be sure to go.   It is fun and you have a nice souvenir of a drawing you made 

 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

[Gracie115]

7 hours ago, miched said:

 

 

I also agree with room service.   We were also in a suite and had room service a few times.   The food was always cold,  Eggs Benedict over cooked like being hard boiled  and most times something was missing.  It was very cramped and not enjoyable because of the small table.    I don’t see the fascination.   It would be better to go to the buffet and sit at a table outside at the aft, or the Eden Cafe sitting outside for something different than Luminae.   We found finally found it best to just ask  for Americanos every morning and maybe a muffin or or pastry before going for breakfast.  

 

 

 

Our butler told us the first time we met that room service was very difficult in the suites that are very forward as ours was.  He stated that those orders come from the MDR kitchen and frequently by the time they got the orders to the rooms they were cold.  I gather he had received complaints and that's why he warned us.    It didn't matter to us as we never used it but we appreciated the warning.  

[BeeMinor]

Day 6: A beautiful Thanksgiving at sea! The weather was sunny and warm, hot in the sun, and all the pools were packed. Even the back Retreat sundeck, which has been more thinly used, got pretty full throughout the day.

 

This is our third cruise over Thanksgiving and this one seemed much more aware of the holiday than the others we've been on. The captain gave a little speech about being thankful for family during the morning announcement and the crew were wished everyone happy Thanksgiving, which some of the non-American guests seemed a bit baffled over. The buffet had a full Thanksgiving spread at lunch: turkey and gravy, stuffing, sweet potatoes, the dreaded green bean casserole, etc. Luminae, at least, was also apparently serving Thanksgiving food to certain tables at lunch and especially dinner, which maybe wasn't a great idea. The regular dinner menu was the lobster entree Evening Chic one, and service was slower than usual. The staff had a slightly wild-eyed look. I hope they made it through . . . both because they have been a very good group and because I want breakfast.

 

A few other miscellaneous points.

 

Wifi: we have premium wifi as part of the Retreat package. It's just okay. I'm able to use social media, post photos, check emails, etc but loading websites is often very slow. We got Spotify to work last night but with lots of buffering.

 

Covid: there are no rules! No announcements, no masks requirements and almost no voluntary masks, but also no significant coughing/sneezing that I've noticed around the ship. Venues are very busy. I haven't seen any room service tables parked outside staterooms. If you are Covid-cautious, holiday sailings might be an especially bad choice.

 

Sports: World Cup games are being shown at the Rooftop Garden and Craft Social as well as on in-room TV. Same for football. There's been a pretty good crowd when I've walked by and yesterday there was a burger/hot dog buffet set up in the Rooftop Garden Grill in the afternoon.

 

One last sea day for us! The time really did change overnight so I was up especially bright and early. Time to find coffee and then do a whole lot of nothing

[BeeMinor]

10 hours ago, vacruizer said:

No, this is an easier hike than Mt. Liamuga near Wingfield estate it says? I haven’t hiked as much recently as I once did and want to be back in better shape before I try that one.  The heat and humidity worry me more than the elevation changes!

 

The Alltrails reviews for Liamuiga make me think it's also not too fun when it's wet because it gets so slippery. I don't even think it was offered for this sailing, at least not the last time I looked at the cruise planner. Someday. Hope you have a great hike!

[karmamule]

With our first Celebrity cruise coming up this January on Apex this is wonderfully helpful. Thanks for taking the time & effort for these posts!

 

Our cabin includes unlimited specialty dining so any and all impressions of the specialty restaurants are especially good because we're debating what to try to cram in during our 7 days. I'm especially happy to hear you like the rooftop garden grill because I love bbq and am looking forward to that! Also useful to hear Eden's food is that good as that wouldn't be my first assumption.

 

Hope you enjoy the last few days of your cruise. 

[Dar & Bob]

12 minutes ago, karmamule said:

With our first Celebrity cruise coming up this January on Apex this is wonderfully helpful. Thanks for taking the time & effort for these posts!

 

Our cabin includes unlimited specialty dining so any and all impressions of the specialty restaurants are especially good because we're debating what to try to cram in during our 7 days. I'm especially happy to hear you like the rooftop garden grill because I love bbq and am looking forward to that! Also useful to hear Eden's food is that good as that wouldn't be my first assumption.

 

Hope you enjoy the last few days of your cruise. 

Just curious which cabin includes unlimited specialty dining.  

[karmamule]

1 minute ago, Dar & Bob said:

Just curious which cabin includes unlimited specialty dining.  

 

Royal Suites, Edge Villas, Penthouse and Iconic Suites. We're going to be in an Edge Villa.

[BeeMinor]

1 hour ago, karmamule said:

With our first Celebrity cruise coming up this January on Apex this is wonderfully helpful. Thanks for taking the time & effort for these posts!

 

Our cabin includes unlimited specialty dining so any and all impressions of the specialty restaurants are especially good because we're debating what to try to cram in during our 7 days. I'm especially happy to hear you like the rooftop garden grill because I love bbq and am looking forward to that! Also useful to hear Eden's food is that good as that wouldn't be my first assumption.

 

Hope you enjoy the last few days of your cruise. 

 

We're not visiting Petit Chef or Fine Cut on this cruise, but have in the past on Edge, so we've tried all of them I think. Petit Chef is fun one time. It's very orchestrated. Fine Cut does a nice job with steak, but there are plenty of good steaks all around the ship. My husband says Le Grand Bistro had the best steak of the ones he's had to date. Raw on 5, the Bistro, and the Rooftop Grill are all open for lunch, too, at least sometimes. You won't go hungry!

[karmamule]

7 minutes ago, BeeMinor said:

 

We're not visiting Petit Chef or Fine Cut on this cruise, but have in the past on Edge, so we've tried all of them I think. Petit Chef is fun one time. It's very orchestrated. Fine Cut does a nice job with steak, but there are plenty of good steaks all around the ship. My husband says Le Grand Bistro had the best steak of the ones he's had to date. Raw on 5, the Bistro, and the Rooftop Grill are all open for lunch, too, at least sometimes. You won't go hungry!

 

Thanks for the additional detail! With all the options my main worry is they'll need a forklift to carry us off the ship at the end of the cruise.

[Barwick Cruiser]

Enjoying your review, thanks for taking the time to post. Question about your excursion in St. Kitts, was anyone snorkeling during the beach time or was it more of a lay around on the beach kind of thing! We’re visiting in Feb and have Thenford Grey booked but are looking for snorkeling options too and the catamaran and lunch sounds interesting. 

[westcoasttech]

On 11/24/2022 at 4:53 AM, BeeMinor said:

Back in dry clothes, BeeMajor and I went to the mixology class in Eden. I've mentioned this is a pretty full cruise and it seems this event was oversold because the last people to show up got turned away due to lack of seats even though it sounded like they'd signed up and prepaid. An Eden Bar bartender led a group of 20 people through making (and attempting to drink) 3 cocktails. I've attended several cocktail seminars before, never on a cruise, and this one had good drinks and was pretty fun. I think it would be better with a smaller group actually at the bar, but we've found the whole ship experience to be a bit impersonal so maybe that's just us.

Thanks for the review and the details of the Mixology class.  I'm on Apex later in December and just hopped onto the website to book the class - making a mental note to turn up early to ensure I get a seat!  Honestly I prefer the more "fru-fru" drinks (the sweeter and creamier the better), but I do like these type of cocktail class type things, even if I end up just taking one sip of the creations.

 

Just curious, did they provide a list of Captain's Club benefits up front to you?  I took a "50% capacity" Alaska cruise earlier this year and there was little to no communication of the benefits (I happened to stumble on the Elite breakfast area, and the Welcome Back party, never saw if there was a "happy hour" location, as I didn't need any "free" drinks!), and as I booked as an "all-inclusive" deal in Aqua, many of the benefits/priorities were pretty much "void", but as it was a few years since my last Celebrity sailing I would have appreciated a clear list of what benefits should have been included.  

[acstall]

On 11/24/2022 at 9:40 AM, vacruizer said:

Ughh…I cancelled that St Kitts Catamaran tour to do Jost van Dyke instead while in Tortola. Thinking I should change it back! 
 

I wanted one boat/beach day and booked the rainforest hike for st Kitts instead. 
 

Thank you for taking time to review…I’m counting down to December 3rd!

Don't cancel Jost. We went on this tour from the Equinox in August and it was awesome.  For us the drink tickets included beer. But here's what you do to make the best of the day. The White Bay beach is one of the most beautiful in the Caribbean. Think of this excursion as the easiest way to get there. Once at the beach, claim a chair with your towel and then walk down the beach to Soggy Dollar then to Hendo's for the best painkillers (traditional at Soggy, but the best at Hendo's), enjoy lunch on the deck at Hendo's, have fun in the water, have another painkiller, then return to your chair for a couple of beers. Transportation back to the ferry is easy. One of the best days!

Edited November 25, 2022 by acstall

[dlh015]

8 hours ago, karmamule said:

 

Thanks for the additional detail! With all the options my main worry is they'll need a forklift to carry us off the ship at the end of the cruise.

Worse, they'll have the gall to make you pay for it!! 😂

[BeeMinor]

10 hours ago, Barwick Cruiser said:

Enjoying your review, thanks for taking the time to post. Question about your excursion in St. Kitts, was anyone snorkeling during the beach time or was it more of a lay around on the beach kind of thing! We’re visiting in Feb and have Thenford Grey booked but are looking for snorkeling options too and the catamaran and lunch sounds interesting. 

 

The beach itself was not very exciting and I don't think anyone was snorkeling. People were bobbing around in the water but the highlight was the catamaran/lunch experience. Neither of us are snorkelers so great for us but I do think there is a separate excursion option that might be more water-forward. Our excursion was operated by Leeward Island Charters, or something similar.