Celebrity Apex is officially launched as of today.
Celebrity Cruises held a naming ceremony at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida on Tuesday to celebrate the newest ship in the fleet, which included introducing the ship's Godmother and giving the vessel a proper sendoff.
Apex's godmother is Reshma Saujani, who is the founder of groundbreaking non-profit Girls Who Code and author of bestseller, “Brave, Not Perfect.”
With the naming ceremony complete, Celebrity Apex is ready to begin her U.S. cruise season. The ship was originally to begin cruises in March 2020, but Covid-19 halted those plans.
Following a short run of Greek Island sailings earlier this summer, Apex will now offer rotating Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries.
“We are elated to welcome Celebrity Apex to our family of magnificent vessels that push the boundaries of what’s possible on a cruise ship,” said Richard Fain, chairman and CEO, Royal Caribbean Group. “As we welcome guests back to the seas aboard the newest Edge class ship, we are excited to deliver the very best vacation experience that is the hallmark of every Celebrity cruise.
“Celebrating Celebrity Apex is certainly long overdue and it’s a day I have been waiting to celebrate for quite a long time - 581 days, to be exact. This stunning ship truly represents a new standard in new-luxury travel, and we can’t wait for our guests to finally experience it for themselves,” said Celebrity Cruises President and CEO Lisa Lutoff-Perlo. “As we say in our new brand campaign, we know guests will not only, ‘Journey WonderFULL,’ aboard this beautiful ship, but that she will also be the industry’s most talked about new ship.”
About Celebrity Edge's Godmother
Reshma Saujani is renowned for her advocacy of educational opportunities for girls everywhere. Saujani also represents women breaking ground, having led the charge to provide opportunities for women in the traditionally male-dominated tech field.
Saujani said that she was inspired to start Girls Who Code after losing a 2010 race for the United States Congress. She wanted to address the problem she first noticed on the campaign trail and couldn't stop thinking about: the lack of girls in the computer science and robotics classrooms at the schools she visited.
In honor of Saujani’s work, Celebrity Cruises will offer fun, interactive beginning coding activities from the Girls Who Code curriculum as part of the cruise line’s onboard Camp at Sea program.
What makes Celebrity Apex different
Celebrity Apex is the second ship in the Edge Class, and offers many of the seam features Celebrity Edge first introduced.
Here's some of the top features of Apex:
- A re-imagined Eden experience, with a new dinner menu and refreshed programming.
- The exclusive The Retreat with its stunning suite accommodations, a private restaurant, and an exclusive lounge and sundeck to rival any high-end resort.
- In addition, a dedicated team of Personal Retreat Hosts on-hand 24/7, ensures everything is taken care of while on vacation.
- Modern two-story villas with plunge pools, and staterooms with infinite verandas
- The Magic Carpet, a cantilevered lounge above the ocean that offers uninterrupted vistas while sipping cocktails or having dinner.
- A curated collection of 29 culinary venues including the brand-new Craft Social Bar, offering 40 handcrafted boutique beer selections, creative cocktails and a wide selection of a la carte, gourmet comfort food and bar bites. Globally-inspired menus, crafted by Michelin-starred chefs bring the flavors of the world straight to the plate, providing an epicurean journey unmatched at sea.
- 7,000 square feet of retail offerings featuring such renowned luxury stand-alone boutiques as Bvlgari, Cartier and the first-ever Montblanc lifestyle boutique.
- First-at-sea F45 classes, along with Peloton bikes, and “Women in Wellness” onboard content and experiences from some of the most influential female leaders in wellness augment well-being offerings throughout the ship.
- New spa and wellness offerings
Celebrity Apex facts
- 16 guest decks
- Tonnage: 125,500 tons
- Length: 306m/1,004 feet
- Beam: 39m/128 feet
- Draught: 8m/27 feet
- Cruising speed: 22 knots
- Crew members: 1,319
- Guest occupancy: 2,910 at double occupancy
- Ship's registry: Malta
- Ship builder: Chantiers de l'Atlantique
- Godmother: Reshma Saujani
- Total staterooms: 1,467
- Verandas: 81%
- Ocean view: 10%
- Inside: 9%
- Suites: 176
- Connecting: 343
Matt Hochberg
Matt loves to cruise, and started Cruise.Blog as a place to share different cruise experiences, advice, and what to know before going on a cruise.
He lives in Florida with his wife and two daughters, where he can be found on any given day trying to convince his wife they "need" to book another cruise.
