Celebrity Apex cruise: where the ship sails and who it suits

Celebrity Apex at a glance

Line

Celebrity Cruises

Class

Edge

Entered service

2021

Gross tonnage

130,818

Guests

About 2,910 (double occupancy)

Crew

About 1,320

Part of the Celebrity Cruises fleet. Sister ships: Celebrity Beyond, Celebrity Edge, Celebrity Ascent, Celebrity Xcel. Home ports: Port Canaveral, Southampton.

Chantiers de l’Atlantique built Celebrity Apex in Saint-Nazaire, France, and Celebrity Cruises took delivery by video link on March 27, 2020, as the pandemic shut down travel. Its first cruise with guests left Athens for the Greek Islands on June 19, 2021. It is about 1,004 feet long and 130,818 gross tons, the same size as Celebrity Edge, with about 1,320 crew. Reshma Saujani, founder of Girls Who Code, is its godmother, and it sails with Starlink internet.

Where does Celebrity Apex sail in 2026–2027?

Celebrity Apex splits its year between the Caribbean and Northern Europe. From October 2026 to April 2027 it sails 7-night cruises from Port Canaveral, Florida; from May to October 2027 it is based in Southampton, England, for its fourth UK season, sailing to Norway, the Arctic Circle and Scandinavia.

• November 2026 to April 2027: Caribbean from Port Canaveral. 7-night cruises that alternate between an Eastern Caribbean route to St. Thomas and St. Kitts and a Western route to Key West, Mexico and Grand Cayman. Apex first sailed from Port Canaveral in November 2025, and this is its second winter there. See our Caribbean cruise guide.
• April 2027: the crossing. A transatlantic sailing takes it from Port Canaveral to Southampton; its spring 2026 crossing called at Bermuda, the Azores and Lisbon.
• May to August 2027: Norway and Scandinavia from Southampton. 7- to 9-night Norwegian Fjords cruises, a 14-night Norwegian Fjords and Arctic Circle cruise in July, and 12- to 14-night Best of Scandinavia cruises. Our Northern Europe cruise guide compares the routes.
• September to October 2027: south from Southampton. A 14-night Italy, Spain and France cruise and two 11-night Canaries and Portugal cruises, then a 13-night Spain and Bermuda crossing back to Port Canaveral in mid-October.
• Winter 2027–28 and beyond: 7-night Caribbean cruises from Port Canaveral again, now to St. Thomas and St. Maarten or Key West, Grand Cayman and Mexico, plus a 10-night Southern Caribbean holiday cruise and a 4-night Bahamas trip. In summer 2028 the sailings on sale move it to Amsterdam for British Isles, Norway and Scandinavia cruises, and to the Mediterranean in the fall.

Sample Celebrity Apex sailings. From-prices per person, checked October 2026.

Departs	Line and ship	Nights	Itinerary	From	Link
Oct 31, 2026	Celebrity Cruises, Celebrity Apex	7	7 Night Key West, Mexico & Cayman (from Port Canaveral Florida)	$1,153	Check price
Nov 7, 2026	Celebrity Cruises, Celebrity Apex	7	7 Night St. Thomas & St. Kitts Cruise (from Port Canaveral Florida)	$1,463	Check price
Nov 14, 2026	Celebrity Cruises, Celebrity Apex	7	7 Night Bahamas, Mexico & Cayman (from Port Canaveral Florida)	$1,086	Check price
Nov 21, 2026	Celebrity Cruises, Celebrity Apex	7	7 Night St. Thomas & St. Kitts Cruise (from Port Canaveral Florida)	$1,328	Check price
Nov 28, 2026	Celebrity Cruises, Celebrity Apex	7	7 Night Key West, Mexico & Cayman (from Port Canaveral Florida)	$1,197	Check price
Dec 5, 2026	Celebrity Cruises, Celebrity Apex	7	7 Night St. Thomas & St. Kitts Cruise (from Port Canaveral Florida)	$1,033	Check price
Dec 12, 2026	Celebrity Cruises, Celebrity Apex	7	7 Night Key West, Mexico & Cayman (from Port Canaveral Florida)	$1,079	Check price
Dec 19, 2026	Celebrity Cruises, Celebrity Apex	7	7 Night St. Thomas & St. Kitts Holiday (from Port Canaveral Florida)	$1,810	Check price
Jan 2, 2027	Celebrity Cruises, Celebrity Apex	7	7 Night St. Thomas & St. Kitts Cruise (from Port Canaveral Florida)	$2,165	Check price
Jan 9, 2027	Celebrity Cruises, Celebrity Apex	7	7 Night Key West, Mexico & Cayman (from Port Canaveral Florida)	$1,105	Check price
Jan 16, 2027	Celebrity Cruises, Celebrity Apex	7	7 Night St. Thomas & St. Kitts Cruise (from Port Canaveral Florida)	$1,340	Check price
Jan 23, 2027	Celebrity Cruises, Celebrity Apex	7	7 Night Key West, Mexico & Cayman (from Port Canaveral Florida)	$1,128	Check price

Is a Celebrity Apex cruise a good choice?

Yes, for adults who want Celebrity’s Edge-class design without paying for the newest ships. Apex has the Magic Carpet, Eden, the Rooftop Garden and Infinite Verandas, like its sisters, and its fares often sit below Beyond, Ascent and Xcel. It is smaller than those three, with fewer venues, and has nothing big for young kids.

We don’t rate individual ships. If you’re choosing between lines rather than ships, our Celebrity vs Royal Caribbean comparison and cruise line rankings set out the trade-offs.

Who it suits

Couples and friends. Apex is built around restaurants, bars and outdoor space rather than rides. Celebrity counts 29 restaurants, bars and lounges on board.

Central Florida cruisers. Apex sails from Port Canaveral all winter, so you get an Edge-class ship without driving to Fort Lauderdale or Miami.

Americans planning a Norway trip. A Southampton start pairs easily with a few days in London, and the fjord and Arctic Circle routes are the core of the summer program.

Who should look elsewhere: families with young kids who want slides and big attractions. For the larger version of the same design in the Caribbean, see Celebrity Beyond.

What is inside Celebrity Apex?

• The Magic Carpet: an orange platform on the starboard side that moves up and down the ship, used for tenders in port and as a bar or dining space at sea.
• Infinite Verandas: the balcony is part of the room, and the top half of the window lowers at the push of a button.
• Eden: a three-deck dining and performance venue at the back of the ship, facing the sea, that changes mood from morning to evening.
• The Grand Plaza: a three-story central space modeled on an Italian piazza.
• Normandie: a French restaurant.
• The Theatre, the Rooftop Garden, the Spa and Fitness Center and The Retreat, the suite area with its own restaurant, sundeck and lounge.

Celebrity Apex cabins: which to pick and which to avoid

Most rooms are Edge Staterooms with Infinite Verandas, alongside oceanviews, insides, AquaClass rooms and suites in The Retreat.

Pick:

• Sunset Verandas at the back of the ship if you want a traditional balcony. Cruise Mummy counts six per deck on Decks 7 to 12.
• Midship cabins on Deck 6 or 7 if you get seasick; they move least.
• AquaClass rooms, which Cruise Mummy notes sit in quieter areas near the spa.
• Sky Suites by the Magic Carpet: Cruise Mummy says the partial view isn’t a reason to avoid them.

Avoid or think twice:

• Cabins 12123 to 12182, under the pool deck, where loungers are moved early in the morning.
• Deck 3 cabins, under busy Deck 4 venues such as the theater, casino and shops.
• Cabins at the very front or back of Decks 11 and 12 if you’re prone to seasickness.
• Standard insides with four people; they are small even for two.
• One half of a connecting pair, since the connecting door lets noise through.

Dining and activities

The main dining is included, along with the buffet and casual spots; some specialty restaurants carry a charge. Drinks, Wi-Fi and crew tips are extra unless you book an All Included fare, which bundles a Classic drinks package and Basic Wi-Fi. Our Celebrity line guide explains what each fare covers.

On a Norway sailing, plan for scenic days on the open decks and in Eden; on a Caribbean week, the pool deck and the Magic Carpet fill up on sea days.

Sister ships

Apex is the second of five Edge-class ships. Celebrity Edge (2018) is its near-twin at the same 130,818 tons and sails Alaska and Australia. Celebrity Beyond (2022), Celebrity Ascent (2023) and Celebrity Xcel (2025) are built to a longer, larger design, and a sixth ship, Celebrity Xcite, is due in 2028. Apex was first going to be called Celebrity Beyond; the name moved to the third ship in 2018.

Celebrity Apex FAQ

Where does Celebrity Apex sail from?

Port Canaveral, Florida, from November to April, and Southampton, England, from May to October 2027. The sailings on sale for summer 2028 start from Amsterdam.

How big is Celebrity Apex?

About 130,818 gross tons and 1,004 feet long, with about 2,910 guests at double occupancy and about 1,320 crew. It is the same size as Celebrity Edge and smaller than Beyond, Ascent and Xcel.

When did Celebrity Apex start sailing?

It was delivered in March 2020, but the pandemic delayed its first cruise until June 19, 2021, from Athens to the Greek Islands.

Who is the godmother of Celebrity Apex?

Reshma Saujani, the founder of Girls Who Code.

Are Celebrity Apex cruises good for families?

For families with older kids and teens who like food and scenery, yes; there are no water slides or water park. Families with younger children usually do better on Royal Caribbean.