Trip report: just off Celebrity Apex - Norwegian Fjords Cruise - May 15-23, 2024

[BuckeyeMark]

After so many people here at Cruise Critic answered question after question, and especially after folks in the North Sea forum helped me jump-start my cruise selection when Celebrity abruptly canceled my Caribbean cruise last May, I just feel obligated to try and contribute back a little. This is my write-up of our just-concluded cruise. I’ll post a day at a time to keep it from being too much and give room for questions and comments.
 

DAY 1

Our cruise really started Sunday night on an American Airlines flight out of DFW to London. That flight was delayed two hours as they changed the two tires under the nose of the aircraft (not even kidding). Eventually, we got going, landing at Heathrow around 9 AM Monday morning. We were met by our guide who would conduct us to the Cotswolds and Oxford for two days until the ship sailed on Wednesday. We had the world’s best tour guides there. They were sensational but I’ll save that for another trip report (message if you need a recommendation). By Tuesday night, we were snug in the Paddington Hilton, ready to catch a Celebrity excursion to Southampton in the morning via Stonehenge.
 

STONEHENGE

The bus picked us up bright and early, we slogged through London rush-hour traffic, and eventually found ourselves deep in the beautiful English country-side. And then there it was - on the hilltop was the most famous pile of stones in the world. I must admit that I didn’t expect to be as impressed as I was. It’s some big stones, and I’ve seen pictures, and even a full sized replica (in Odessa, Texas). But in person, Stonehenge is incredible. I was blown away. It’s huge, it’s powerful on that hill, it’s ancient, nobody knows the answer to all our questions (just how did they get those big rocks up there and why?) And it was super cool. It’s not to be missed.

 

SOUTHAMPTON

From Stonehenge we went on to Southampton and arrived about 90 minutes later. Our boarding time was slated for 1:30 and things could not have gone smoother. The days of long lines winding trough the port center, keeping eager cruisers from getting on board their ship, are OVER. We jetted through with very few stops, and were on the ship in minutes. In fact, by 2:10 we had gone through check-in, security, visited our muster station, dropped bags off in our room, and were EATING in the Ocean View Café. Well-done, Celebrity! 
 

INFINITE VERANDAS

What the DW and I were most interested in was what an Infinite Veranda stateroom would be like in person. We’d read all the controversy, complaints, and carping. We’d seen videos on YouTube. But what would it be like once we went through the door? Answer: it’s terrific. We realized immediately that no video or picture or description can possibly give you a feel for what one of these cabins are really like. They just can’t. Once you’re in one you realize Celebrity has hatched a genius idea. The cabin is so much larger than usual because you get all that balcony space all the time. It’s like if someone knocked down the wall between your garage and your living room. Do you have some problems now, like where you park your cars (or that all your garage junk is visible when friends come over)? Yes you do, but there’s no doubt your house would seem bigger. IV rooms feel bigger, especially since the back wall is a huge glass window that looks out on the ocean. We loved it and we were traveling with a big group of friends and they all loved it. Not a negative review for anyone. It’s just smart. You can’t sit on your balcony for long in the North Sea anyway - it’s too cold! So re-claiming that space for your cabin makes a lot of sense, and when you need some of that full-on sea experience you can put the window down. We adored it. I know it’s not for everyone, and no, it is not a real balcony. Please don’t start up the controversy about them here - I’m just saying it may be a lot better than you think. It’s not for everyone but it is most definitely for us! 
 

THE APEX

Once we dropped bags we started exploring our ship and we loved it too. The Apex has a very sophisticated and classy vibe. It’s just very laid-back and very cool. This is not another bigger-is-better, how much glitz can we shove in one place ship. It’s calm and cool. So much artwork, so many neat spaces, so many good places to hang out, read, people watch or have fun. The only minor down note to our first night was dinner in the Normandie restaurant. We’ll get to eat in all four dining rooms so we’ll see how it goes but we thought dinner was very average tonight, and dessert was visually appealing but just “meh.” The OceanView, on the other hand, was the most fabulous venue ever. Large, bright, appealing and with a never ending sea of great choices - we talked a little about ditching the MDR and eating there. A comedy show with a guy who was pretty funny (especially his bit on a unicycle) finished Day 1. The cruise could not have begun any better!
 

TOMORROW: BELGIAN CHOCOLATE IN BRUGES

 

Edited May 26 by BuckeyeMark
fix pictures

[CaptainBazz]

Looking to do a TA on the Apex next year so this review is very timely. Looking forward to following along.

[lydnsyd]

Enjoying your review & looking forward to reading more. We are on the Apex in July so any handy tips will be great.

[Jim_Iain]

Thanks for your post.   Really enjoying your review.   Glad you got to see Stonehenge.   It truly is amazing.

[canadianjovigirl]

Following as we are doing Norway on this ship next year 

[cruizingOmi]

1 hour ago, BuckeyeMark said:

After so many people here at Cruise Critic answered question after question, and especially after folks in the North Sea forum helped me jump-start my cruise selection when Celebrity abruptly canceled my Caribbean cruise last May, I just feel obligated to try and contribute back a little. This is my write-up of our just-concluded cruise. I’ll post a day at a time to keep it from being too much and give room for questions and comments.
 

DAY 1

Our cruise really started Sunday night on an American Airlines flight out of DFW to London. That flight was delayed two hours as they changed the two tires under the nose of the aircraft (not even kidding). Eventually, we got going, landing at Heathrow around 9 AM Monday morning. We were met by our guide who would conduct us to the Cotswolds and Oxford for two days until the ship sailed on Wednesday. We had the world’s best tour guides there. They were sensational but I’ll save that for another trip report (message if you need a recommendation). By Tuesday night, we were snug in the Paddington Hilton, ready to catch a Celebrity excursion to Southampton in the morning via Stonehenge.
 

STONEHENGE

The bus picked us up bright and early, we slogged through London rush-hour traffic, and eventually found ourselves deep in the beautiful English country-side. And then there it was - on the hilltop was the most famous pile of stones in the world. I must admit that I didn’t expect to be as impressed as I was. It’s some big stones, and I’ve seen pictures, and even a full sized replica (in Odessa, Texas). But in person, Stonehenge is incredible. I was blown away. It’s huge, it’s powerful on that hill, it’s ancient, nobody knows the answer to all our questions (just how did they get those big rocks up there and why?) And it was super cool. It’s not to be missed.

 

SOUTHAMPTON

From Stonehenge we went on to Southampton and arrived about 90 minutes later. Our boarding time was slated for 1:30 and things could not have gone smoother. The days of long lines winding trough the port center, keeping eager cruisers from getting on board their ship, are OVER. We jetted through with very few stops, and were on the ship in minutes. In fact, by 2:10 we had gone through check-in, security, visited our muster station, dropped bags off in our room, and were EATING in the Ocean View Café. Well-done, Celebrity! 
 

INFINITE VERANDAS

What the DW and I were most interested in was what an Infinite Veranda stateroom would be like in person. We’d read all the controversy, complaints, and carping. We’d seen videos on YouTube. But what would it be like once we went through the door? Answer: it’s terrific. We realized immediately that no video or picture or description can possibly give you a feel for what one of these cabins are really like. They just can’t. Once you’re in one you realize Celebrity has hatched a genius idea. The cabin is so much larger than usual because you get all that balcony space all the time. It’s like if someone knocked down the wall between your garage and your living room. Do you have some problems now, like where you park your cars (or that all your garage junk is visible when friends come over)? Yes you do, but there’s no doubt your house would seem bigger. IV rooms feel bigger, especially since the back wall is a huge glass window that looks out on the ocean. We loved it and we were traveling with a big group of friends and they all loved it. Not a negative review for anyone. It’s just smart. You can’t sit on your balcony for long in the North Sea anyway - it’s too cold! So re-claiming that space for your cabin makes a lot of sense, and when you need some of that full-on sea experience you can put the window down. We adored it. I know it’s not for everyone, and no, it is not a real balcony. Please don’t start up the controversy about them here - I’m just saying it may be a lot better than you think. It’s not for everyone but it is most definitely for us! 
 

THE APEX

Once we dropped bags we started exploring our ship and we loved it too. The Apex has a very sophisticated and classy vibe. It’s just very laid-back and very cool. This is not another bigger-is-better, how much glitz can we shove in one place ship. It’s calm and cool. So much artwork, so many neat spaces, so many good places to hang out, read, people watch or have fun. The only minor down note to our first night was dinner in the Normandie restaurant. We’ll get to eat in all four dining rooms so we’ll see how it goes but we thought dinner was very average tonight, and dessert was visually appealing but just “meh.” The OceanView, on the other hand, was the most fabulous venue ever. Large, bright, appealing and with a never ending sea of great choices - we talked a little about ditching the MDR and eating there. A comedy show with a guy who was pretty funny (especially his bit on a unicycle) finished Day 1. The cruise could not have begun any better!
 

TOMORROW: BELGIAN CHOCOLATE IN BRUGES

 

We loved, loved ,loved our IV ON Beyond, looking forward to our Norway Cruise Sept.2025 on Apex.

Did you do excursions, offered by Celebrity or Private? 

[hcat]

great review so far...love the photos!

 

We are fans of the IV.. more space..no outdoor wind etc...and much quieter than sitting on outdoor balcs. Can open the window for  views, photos or a bit of fresh air.  Just wish it were a larger area..like a true sitting/ dining rm.

 

We are booked on APEX in Jan 2025.. can't wait to hear more!

[mahdnc]

Nice report and very nice photo of Stonehenge.  During our Panama Canal sailing last month, the astronomy enrichment speaker did a presentation on Stonehenge which has been an interest of his.  Made me want to go and see it someday.

 

[BuckeyeMark]

1 hour ago, cruizingOmi said:

We loved, loved ,loved our IV ON Beyond, looking forward to our Norway Cruise Sept.2025 on Apex.

Did you do excursions, offered by Celebrity or Private? 

Did both - and I'll cover those in upcoming posts!

[Canada17]

We are booked on Apex next June for this same itinerary, so thank you for your kindness in providing this review. One thing that caught our attention was your Celebrity excursion from London to Southampton via Stonehenge. Can you please tell us how you booked this excursion, we don’t see it on the listed excursions.

4 hours ago, BuckeyeMark said:

After so many people here at Cruise Critic answered question after question, and especially after folks in the North Sea forum helped me jump-start my cruise selection when Celebrity abruptly canceled my Caribbean cruise last May, I just feel obligated to try and contribute back a little. This is my write-up of our just-concluded cruise. I’ll post a day at a time to keep it from being too much and give room for questions and comments.
 

DAY 1

Our cruise really started Sunday night on an American Airlines flight out of DFW to London. That flight was delayed two hours as they changed the two tires under the nose of the aircraft (not even kidding). Eventually, we got going, landing at Heathrow around 9 AM Monday morning. We were met by our guide who would conduct us to the Cotswolds and Oxford for two days until the ship sailed on Wednesday. We had the world’s best tour guides there. They were sensational but I’ll save that for another trip report (message if you need a recommendation). By Tuesday night, we were snug in the Paddington Hilton, ready to catch a Celebrity excursion to Southampton in the morning via Stonehenge.
 

STONEHENGE

The bus picked us up bright and early, we slogged through London rush-hour traffic, and eventually found ourselves deep in the beautiful English country-side. And then there it was - on the hilltop was the most famous pile of stones in the world. I must admit that I didn’t expect to be as impressed as I was. It’s some big stones, and I’ve seen pictures, and even a full sized replica (in Odessa, Texas). But in person, Stonehenge is incredible. I was blown away. It’s huge, it’s powerful on that hill, it’s ancient, nobody knows the answer to all our questions (just how did they get those big rocks up there and why?) And it was super cool. It’s not to be missed.

 

SOUTHAMPTON

From Stonehenge we went on to Southampton and arrived about 90 minutes later. Our boarding time was slated for 1:30 and things could not have gone smoother. The days of long lines winding trough the port center, keeping eager cruisers from getting on board their ship, are OVER. We jetted through with very few stops, and were on the ship in minutes. In fact, by 2:10 we had gone through check-in, security, visited our muster station, dropped bags off in our room, and were EATING in the Ocean View Café. Well-done, Celebrity! 
 

INFINITE VERANDAS

What the DW and I were most interested in was what an Infinite Veranda stateroom would be like in person. We’d read all the controversy, complaints, and carping. We’d seen videos on YouTube. But what would it be like once we went through the door? Answer: it’s terrific. We realized immediately that no video or picture or description can possibly give you a feel for what one of these cabins are really like. They just can’t. Once you’re in one you realize Celebrity has hatched a genius idea. The cabin is so much larger than usual because you get all that balcony space all the time. It’s like if someone knocked down the wall between your garage and your living room. Do you have some problems now, like where you park your cars (or that all your garage junk is visible when friends come over)? Yes you do, but there’s no doubt your house would seem bigger. IV rooms feel bigger, especially since the back wall is a huge glass window that looks out on the ocean. We loved it and we were traveling with a big group of friends and they all loved it. Not a negative review for anyone. It’s just smart. You can’t sit on your balcony for long in the North Sea anyway - it’s too cold! So re-claiming that space for your cabin makes a lot of sense, and when you need some of that full-on sea experience you can put the window down. We adored it. I know it’s not for everyone, and no, it is not a real balcony. Please don’t start up the controversy about them here - I’m just saying it may be a lot better than you think. It’s not for everyone but it is most definitely for us! 
 

THE APEX

Once we dropped bags we started exploring our ship and we loved it too. The Apex has a very sophisticated and classy vibe. It’s just very laid-back and very cool. This is not another bigger-is-better, how much glitz can we shove in one place ship. It’s calm and cool. So much artwork, so many neat spaces, so many good places to hang out, read, people watch or have fun. The only minor down note to our first night was dinner in the Normandie restaurant. We’ll get to eat in all four dining rooms so we’ll see how it goes but we thought dinner was very average tonight, and dessert was visually appealing but just “meh.” The OceanView, on the other hand, was the most fabulous venue ever. Large, bright, appealing and with a never ending sea of great choices - we talked a little about ditching the MDR and eating there. A comedy show with a guy who was pretty funny (especially his bit on a unicycle) finished Day 1. The cruise could not have begun any better!
 

TOMORROW: BELGIAN CHOCOLATE IN BRUGES

 

 

[Canada17]

Can you let us know how you booked the Celebrity excursion from London to Southampton via Stonehenge?

[BuckeyeMark]

10 minutes ago, Canada17 said:

Can you let us know how you booked the Celebrity excursion from London to Southampton via Stonehenge?

We were traveling in a big group, and we arranged it through Celebrity's group desk. It wasn't available to individuals. On the way home we used International Friends for an excursion to Bath and Windsor Castle. I believe they do a London to Southampton trip via Stonehenge - I'd recommend them.

[Canada17]

2 minutes ago, BuckeyeMark said:

We were traveling in a big group, and we arranged it through Celebrity's group desk. It wasn't available to individuals. On the way home we used International Friends for an excursion to Bath and Windsor Castle. I believe they do a London to Southampton trip via Stonehenge - I'd recommend them.

Thank you for the quick reply. Will have to look into booking a local Stonehenge tour out of London. Looking forward to the rest of your review. 

[tscoffey]

We were on Apex for the transatlantic, May 2-15, just before your cruise.

We found the IV to be perfect for an ocean crossing. With the cooler temps (50s during the overnight) we found that we could have the window open all night and be very comfortable. Also, we never needed A/C, so having it be turned off while the window was open during the day was of no consequence.

 

As to the MDR(s) - we found them to be OK. Nothing on the MDR menus screamed, “Must have!”, so quite a few nights we just opted for OceanView cafe instead. We also booked 3 specialty dinners: Eden, Fine Cut, and La Petite. Of those, only Eden was exceptional, if very pricey. Fine Cut and La Petite were merely OK.
 

Other than the unfortunate experience of coming home with CoVID (which could have occurred on the Tube in London, post cruise), I consider our 13 days on Apex as being exceptional. Our best cruise so far.

Edited May 27 by tscoffey

[hawkesbaynz]

Following too. Usually sail X but actually on a Princess 14nt cruise to Norway next month. Good to hear embarkation was quick. Am told that Princesses have been long/busy in Southampton. Trying out X-class on the Ascent in September.

 

Have driven past Stonehenge numerous times over the years but not been there since a child (when we could climb on it). Must go back. 

[VALM]

Excited to see your review as we are sailing on Apex in July to Norwegian Fjords. We have only sailed on Royal before and excited for change.

Edited May 27 by VALM

[Justpackingmybags]

1 hour ago, hawkesbaynz said:

Following too. Usually sail X but actually on a Princess 14nt cruise to Norway next month. Good to hear embarkation was quick. Am told that Princesses have been long/busy in Southampton. Trying out X-class on the Ascent in September.

 

Have driven past Stonehenge numerous times over the years but not been there since a child (when we could climb on it). Must go back. 

The only time Princess was busy at check in for me was when we had to wait to hand the car over for parking. that took a while, but once we were out of the car it was no more than 15 minutes to get on the ship. It was the same when I sailed with X and RCL - dropping the car off took longer than check in!

[BuckeyeMark]

1 hour ago, hawkesbaynz said:

Following too. Usually sail X but actually on a Princess 14nt cruise to Norway next month. Good to hear embarkation was quick. Am told that Princesses have been long/busy in Southampton. Trying out X-class on the Ascent in September.

 

Have driven past Stonehenge numerous times over the years but not been there since a child (when we could climb on it). Must go back. 

Our experience with Princess in Southampton was not very good. Someone had cut the Internet cable in the harbor and everything was being done manually! We waited in long lines to board that day ... but I think that was the exception not the rule. One funny note: DW heard an employee in the bathroom say, "It's back to the old way today but I think it's faster than our new system!" So maybe it wasn't the exception...

[Eno]

Loved boarding in Southampton last month, was the easiest ever.  Arrived around 10:30 and walked right on.  Went straight to Alfredo's for lunch and eating by 11:30.  It helped that I had the medallions shipped to me so didn't have to wait in any lines.

[Ex-Airbalancer]

21 minutes ago, Eno said:

Loved boarding in Southampton last month, was the easiest ever.  Arrived around 10:30 and walked right on.  Went straight to Alfredo's for lunch and eating by 11:30.  It helped that I had the medallions shipped to me so didn't have to wait in any lines.

Are you commenting in the correct section ,🤔 as Apex doesn’t  have that restaurant 

Edited May 27 by Ex-Airbalancer

[Eno]

No was on Princess, responding to the post that started with - Our experience with Princess in Southampton was not very good

[Ex-Airbalancer]

3 minutes ago, Eno said:

No was on Princess, responding to the post that started with - Our experience with Princess in Southampton was not very good

Maybe than you should of quoted that in your post 🙄

 

[KKB]

@BuckeyeMark Thanks for this!

We LOVE LOVE Eclass ships! (IV balconies suit us just fine)

I didn't love Norway but we didn't cruise the fjords to looking forward to your thoughts.

Regarding Celebrity desserts--yep, the look lovely but have always been lacking in flavor, imo.

Luckily not a huge dessert person!

Edited May 27 by KKB

[KKB]

Sry duplicate post

Edited May 27 by KKB

[TMLAalum]

2 hours ago, KKB said:

@BuckeyeMark Thanks for this!

Regarding Celebrity desserts--yep, the look lovely but have always been lacking in flavor, imo.

Luckily not a huge dessert person!

Best desserts (and morning pastries) are at Cafe al Bacio. Can get them to go.