Celebrity Apex – A Life on the Ocean Wave

A ship to sail the seas, it’s hard to imagine a classier vessel than Celebrity Apex. Surely blurring the line between ship and shore, I was fortunate to board this supreme ship in Lisbon lately and sail to Southampton with a gaggle of media personnel. Our delightful host, Lydia Meakin (Senior PR Manager Celebrity UK), guided us through the ship’s amazing amenities. Not to be outdone, we had our own guardian angel, Val Murphy (Strategic Account Manager at Celebrity Cruises) who whizzed us through every nook and cranny on board. A key representative for the brand, Val knows her stuff and she’s a proud ambassador for Celebrity Cruises here in Ireland.

At our welcome evening, Andy Harmer OBE (Senior Manager CLIA) gave his usual witty speech with a shout out to Irish guests. Claire Stirrup (Managing Director Celebrity Cruises) filled us in on the latest news and mentioned the exciting update of Celebrity taking to the river! Watch this space.

Our short sojourn through the Bay of Biscay and on through the English Channel was made extremely pleasant with endless delicious meals at the speciality restaurants (Eden, Cyprus, Tuscan and Raw @ 5) whilst Oceanview Café served the most wonderful buffet food for breakfast and lunch.

Our media gang was heartily impressed with all facilities on board and had no cabin fever on this trip. Our beautiful staterooms were decked out in splendid style with infinity balconies and spacious living quarters. We were never bored on board with endless activities and opportunities to restore, revitalize and simply enjoy.

Unique, special and celebrated as innovative, The Celebrity brand will thrive and continue as a lifestyle choice to host repeat high end customers. They even have a Sustainable Officer to ensure an eco-friendly passage and save the waves! Just pack your bags once and visit several different counties in one trip. Sounds very tempting for nautical adventures, Avast ye landlubbers and scurvy dogs. You don’t know that you’re missing……. Nothing comes close.

Celebrity Apex: Redefining Modern Luxury Cruising for Irish Travellers

Fresh from our own trade visit onboard Celebrity Apex sailing from Lisbon to Southampton, the Travelbiz team experienced first-hand why this stunning Edge Class ship continues to set the benchmark for premium contemporary cruising. Combining cutting-edge design, world-class dining, immersive entertainment, and a seamless indoor-outdoor concept, Celebrity Apex delivers a cruise experience that feels more boutique luxury hotel than traditional mega ship.

As demand for premium cruise holidays continues to surge across the Irish market, Celebrity Apex offers travel agents an exceptional product for couples, luxury seekers, multigenerational travellers, and discerning clients looking for a sophisticated fly-cruise experience throughout Europe and the Caribbean.

Celebrity Apex is the second vessel in Celebrity Cruises’ award-winning Edge Series and has quickly established itself as one of the most talked-about ships at sea thanks to its revolutionary outward-facing design, innovative Infinite Veranda staterooms, and the instantly recognisable Magic Carpet platform.

A Ship Designed Around the Sea

From the moment guests step onboard, Apex feels different. The architecture is sleek, modern, and intentionally designed to connect passengers with the ocean at every opportunity. Expansive glass spaces, open-air terraces, rooftop gardens, and panoramic public areas create a genuine sense of openness rarely found on ships of this scale.

At 130,818 gross tons and carrying approximately 2,900 guests, Apex strikes an impressive balance between spacious luxury and lively atmosphere. Unlike some larger resort-style ships, Celebrity Apex never feels overcrowded, making it particularly attractive for premium cruise clients seeking a more refined onboard experience.

The Iconic Magic Carpet

One of the defining features of Celebrity Apex is the incredible Magic Carpet — a cantilevered floating platform that travels up and down the outside of the ship between multiple decks. Depending on its position, it transforms into an alfresco restaurant, cocktail lounge, embarkation platform, or elevated viewing deck.

For many guests, sunset cocktails onboard the Magic Carpet become one of the standout moments of the cruise experience. It is not simply a visual gimmick — it genuinely changes how guests interact with the ship and the sea.

Infinite Veranda Staterooms: A Game Changer

Celebrity Cruises revolutionised balcony accommodation with its Infinite Veranda concept, now one of the signature selling points of the Edge Series. Instead of a traditional step-out balcony, the entire living space transforms into an open-air veranda at the touch of a button, maximising both space and sea views.

Accommodation onboard ranges from stylish Inside and Ocean View cabins to luxurious suites within The Retreat — Celebrity’s exclusive ship-within-a-ship concept offering private dining, dedicated lounges, butler service, and exclusive sundecks.

The premium suite categories, including the spectacular Edge Villas and Iconic Suites, elevate the luxury proposition even further with duplex layouts, plunge pools, expansive terraces, and panoramic ocean views.

Culinary Excellence at Sea

Dining is one of Celebrity Apex’s strongest selling points, with 29 restaurants, cafés, bars, and lounges delivering one of the most impressive culinary programmes at sea.

Highlights include:

• Eden Restaurant – a truly immersive dining concept blending performance, atmosphere, and globally inspired cuisine.
• Fine Cut Steakhouse – contemporary upscale steak and seafood dining.
• Le Grand Bistro – Parisian-inspired casual dining.
• Raw on 5 – premium sushi and seafood experience.
• Rooftop Garden Grill – relaxed outdoor dining under the stars.
• Four beautifully designed complimentary main dining restaurants, each with its own cuisine and ambience.

Celebrity Cruises’ focus on high-quality food and elevated service consistently resonates with Irish premium cruise clients and provides travel agents with a strong point of differentiation against mainstream cruise brands.

Entertainment and Wellness Elevated

Celebrity Apex offers a more sophisticated entertainment style than traditional cruise ships, appealing strongly to couples and premium travellers. The stunning theatre features immersive LED technology and contemporary productions, while venues like Eden blend live music, interactive performances, and atmospheric nightlife.

Wellness also plays a major role onboard. The adults-only Solarium, luxurious spa facilities, and state-of-the-art fitness areas create a genuine resort-style atmosphere. The Rooftop Garden remains one of the ship’s hidden gems — an elegant open-air sanctuary perfect for daytime relaxation or evening cocktails under the stars.

A Strong Fly-Cruise Option for the Irish Market

Celebrity Apex continues to operate highly attractive Mediterranean and European itineraries, including sailings from Barcelona, Rome, and Athens, making it an ideal fly-cruise product for the Irish trade. Popular itineraries include the Greek Islands, Western Mediterranean, Adriatic coast, and transatlantic voyages.

The Southampton positioning cruises also offer excellent opportunities for no-fly cruise clients from Ireland, particularly with growing regional access options via ferry and UK flights.

Why Celebrity Apex Works So Well for the Trade

For Irish travel agents, Celebrity Apex ticks multiple high-demand consumer trends simultaneously:

• Premium yet contemporary cruising
• Luxury experiential travel
• Culinary-focused holidays
• Wellness and relaxation
• Europe fly-cruise convenience
• High-quality entertainment
• Modern luxury accommodation

Importantly, Celebrity Cruises continues to attract both experienced cruisers and first-time premium cruise clients, making Apex a versatile and highly marketable product across multiple customer segments.

Following our own onboard experience from Lisbon to Southampton, it is easy to understand why Celebrity Apex continues to receive outstanding reviews and remains one of the standout premium cruise ships sailing today. Combining innovation, style, comfort, and destination-rich itineraries, Apex represents modern luxury cruising at its very best.

For Irish agents looking to inspire clients seeking something beyond the traditional cruise experience, Celebrity Apex is undoubtedly a ship that deserves a place firmly on the sales radar.