tanzania2015

Unlimited dining is included with the RS. You make the reservation through the shoreside concierge who will contact you two to three weeks before the cruise. 

We were on an eleven day cruise on the Apex in an Edge Villa last winter and had laundry done four times. When we first met our PRH, we gave him a few things to get pressed for dinner that night. I also sent out dress shirts and my wife sent out outfits to be dry cleaned. There was no charge for the laundry, dry cleaning or pressing. You are provided with multiple nice cloth bags in witch to place your dry cleaning and laundry.  We filled the bags before we went to breakfast, notified our PRH, and got the items the next afternoon. The laundered items were pressed and hung on hangers except for socks and underwear. 

Power strips are extension cords by definition (male plug end and female receptacle end.)  If you look at the confiscated table when you disembark, you will see multiple power strips and extension cords that have been confiscated.  Depending on the screening person and the position of the power strip or extension cord in your luggage, they may slip by.  Be prepared to have them confiscated.  We bring an adaptor for the 220 V European outlet, plug our multiple USB port adapter into the European plug adaptor and then plug all of our USB charged items into multiport USB adapter which leaves the 110 V outlet for other uses.

The Chef's Table is a misnomer.  It should be called the Danial Boulud Table. The menu is set by the contract between Celebrity and Danial Boulud and not by the head chef.  The Chef's Table menu is the same an all Celebrity ships.  We attended the Chef's table eight times when the menu was determined by the head chef.  After attending the Chef's Table twice with the menu by Danial Boulud, we said no more and haven't attended on our last four cruises.  The dinner to attend is the Champagne Veuve Clicquot Dinner where the menu is prepared by the head chef (better quality) and the price is considerably less.

My wife and I spent 11 days in the Edge Villa on the Apex in November and just loved it. The perks of having the refrigerator filled each day with your preference of soft drinks, beer, and mixers is a great plus along with the two bottles of your favorite liquor.  My wife likes orange juice with tonic is the morning, and our butler delivered it each evening and placed it in the refrigerator.  There is also a separate wine refrigerator. The free laundry, pressing', dry cleaning, and included specialty restaurants are fantastic perks.  In our 11 days we only ate in the Luminae for one dinner because of the Luminae's limited menu.  The Fine Cut Steakhouse, Eden, and Raw on 5 were our favorite specialty restaurants. Another perk is the shoreside concierge, who will make all your specialty reservations along with other preferences prior to the cruise.  Once on board is is very easy to change the specialty restaurant reservations with the retreat concierge, which we did a number of times.  You can access the retreat sundeck from the Villa second floor and directly into the retreat lounge via the hallway from the villa first floor door.  It's very convenient to just pop down the hall and have a drink and hors d'oeurves in the retreat lounge pre dinner and an after-dinner drink that you can take to your room.  The hot tub / jacuzzi is more like a small swimming pool.  You need to plan when you want to use the hot tub / jacuzzi because it takes an at least an hour to fill and heat.  The temperature, jets, lights, and bubbles are controlled via a touch pad on the wall.  The hot tub / jacuzzi can probably hold 6 people comfortable and is a little over waist deep. We had our butler fill the hot tub / jacuzzi every day in the afternoon so it would be ready in the evening when we got back from dinner.  The verandah furniture placement was fine with us.  We had two loungers near the sliding door and a chair and loveseat near the hot tub / jacuzzi.  The two bathrooms with showers are a real plus as two people can be showering and getting ready either in the morning or per dinner.   There is an overabundance of closest space.  All of the blinds and curtains are electronically controlled along with lighting/

If you are mobility challenged, the stairs could be an issue for access to the master bedroom on the second floor.  Also, the retreat sundeck door from the second floor takes some effort to open when the ship is underway because of the wind. You need to be organized or have two of everything because it seemed that very time we left the villa there was something we needed on the other floor and required us to go up or down the stairs.  The villa sundeck is a large recessed hitch in the side of the ship and has no overhead sunscreen so the shade is based on the direction the ship is traveling or moored and the time of the day.

We are booked B2B2B on the Celebrity Edge in an Edge Villa from Civitavecchia - Dubai - Singapore - Sidney in the fall of 2023.  The Villa will spoil you.

The attached picture is from our bed.

You have to pay the gratuities on top of the cruise cost. If you want internet, the cost is additional. 

3 hours ago, cruising diva said:

In the Villa bedroom upstairs- is there a way to close off the upstairs from the downstairs? Thank you in advance.

No.  The stairs are open but there is no direct sightline from the bedroom to the lower level.  Once you get to the top of the stairs, there is a short hall (approximately 8 feet, then a 90 deg corner to another hall (approximately 12') to the bedroom.  There is very little sound or light transmission between the  floors.

Date of Cruise:  Nov. 4, 2021                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

Ship:    APEX                                                                                                                                                 

Cabin #: 15104                                                                                                                                                      

Deck #:  15 and 16                                                                                                                                         

Cabin Category:  Edge Villa                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

Cabin Location:   Forward                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

Bed Position:   Facing full height windows                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

Balcony Type:   Totally private terrace  with plunge pool, two loungers, rocking chair and double chair with coffee table.  There are lights under the planters that illuminate the terrace a night.            If the sun is directly overhead or on the suite's side of the ship, there is no shade but this is only 50% of the time.                                                                                                                     

Balcony/Window Size: 211 sf                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

Balcony/Window View/Obstruction:    None                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

Balcony Overhang?:     None                                                                                                                                                 

Magic Carpet Issues?:          None                                                                                                                                        

Noise Issues?:  None                                                                                                                                            

Wind Issues?:  Yes when underway depending on the speed of ship and direction of the surface wind.  The wind was no stronger than the wind on the Retreat Sun Deck.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

Connecting Cabin? No

Where Does it Connect?:   NA    

Suite Details: The two story suite has a master bedroom and bathroom on deck 16 with three hanging clothes closets, a closet with shelves, and lighted vanity cabinet with drawers.  The bathroom has plenty of storage, a large tube and large separate rain shower with a handheld spray shower. The main level (deck 15) has a 4 person dining room table, lounge area (hide-a-bed) and second bathroom with a rain shower with a handheld spray shower.  There is one hanging clothes closet and copious amounts of cabinet and drawer storage on the main level.   Everything is electronic via a control pad or switches.  There is a wine refrigerator, a drinks refrigerator, a cartridge coffee maker along with wine and drink glasses, and coffee cups.                                                                                                                                       

Advantages/Problems/Comments:  The suite has direct access to Retreat Sun Deck from room upper level and direct access to Retreat Lounge via private hallway from room main level.  The plunge pool, which has water jets, bubbles, and colored lights, is great for sail-a-ways and after dinner unwinding.  The master bedroom is stunning to be able to wake up to views of the ocean.

The access to and from the Retreat Sun deck takes a little effort because of the outer storm door has a strong closing spring and some wind forces.                                                                                                                  

Would You Book It Again?: Yes

Photos or Photo Links:  Photo from the master bedroom laying in bed.

49 minutes ago, fsr44 said:

Hi,

We'll be in one of those villas next month.  If you can, could you please tell me if we will have key card access back into the villa from The Retreat on deck 16, or if we can only exit onto 16, but have to return through the main door on 15.

Thank you!

We were in the Edge Villa on the Apex two weeks ago.  The deck 16 villa door has a key card lock just like the entrance door on deck 15.  The only challenge is the holding open outside weather door if it is windy while using your card to get into the villa.  The outside door (weather door) has strong closing springs and takes some effort to open.  We loved the fact that you could use your own bathroom when you were on the Retreat deck 16.  Another nice advantage of the Edge Villa, is the private entrance to the Retreat lounge on deck 15 which is at the end of the private villa hallway. The full height windows in the bedroom were outstanding.  This is a picture that I took from our bed as we were nearing one of the ports.

We are on the Apex in a Edge Villa as I write this and were in a Royal Suite on the Millennium in  September and a Royal Suite on the Reflection in March 2020. The suites were almost at 100 percent capacity on the ships due to the moveup program. As far as service goes in the Retreat Lounge and Luminae, I rate the Apex a 7 and the Reflection and the Millennium both a 9 because of the number of suites. The ratio of staff to suite guests is better on the M and S class ships. There are 3 concierge staff on the Apex and two on the Reflection (S class) and one on the Millennium (M class) but the Apex has so many more suites that you wait quite a while to speek to the Retreat Concierge.  The service is acceptable on the Apex but more personal on the S and M class ships. The Luminae on the Apex is like a large restaurant where the Luminae on Reflection and the Millennium is more intimate. 

We purchased a 6 night specialty dining package for a November Cruise on the Apex.  Previously, when we purchased a dining package on the M and S Class ships, we go to one of the specialty dining venue's (M class- Qsine; S class -Murano) to make reservations.  On the Apex where is the best place to make reservations for the specialty dining package upon boarding?

We've have done the Chefs Table on every cruise except our last one to Alaska on August 27th.  The ships include the M class (Infinity, Millennium, and Constellation) and the S class ((Solstice, Equinox, Eclipse, and Reflection.)  On the M class the dinner is held in the Tuscan in the open dining room and on the S class it is in the private dining room on the Murano.  Most of the time there are 8 to 10 guests and a hosting officer if there are less then 10 guests.  I agree with the post #2 that a lot of the enjoyment of the meal is based on your dinner companions. We only had one experience in 14 dinners where their was two couples that tried to dominate the conversation.  Since Celebrity formed an agreement with Chef Daniel Boulud, the selection and quality of the dinner (in our opinion) has declined.  Prior to Daniel Boulud, the executive chef chose the menu which was outstanding.  Now is is fixed and is the same on all ships year after year.  Currently, the wine pairing is an extra charge where it previously was part of the dinner cost.  If Celebrity reverts to the executive chef selecting the menu we will resume partaking in the Chefs Table, but until then skip the chefs table and instead partake in the Veuve Clicquot Yellow Champagne dinner at a lower cost and better menu.  I don't know if they have reinstituted champagne dinner since Covid.  We did both the Chefs Table and champagne dinner on the Reflection and Constellation just prior to Covid at the beginning of 2020.  On the Millennium on our August 27th sailing, we were eating in the Tuscan next to the table where the Chefs Table was being held.  I appeared that only one of the 5 couples had the wine pairing.  The table was linear so if your were on the end you only got to converse the the people directly across from you.  The S class ships have a much better table in the Murano (oval.)

My wife and I have done the Chefs Table on both the S class and M class ships multiple times.  The Chefs Table on the S class ships is held in the wine cellar room of the Murano while the M Class ships hold the Chefs Table in the Tuscan Restaurant.  We were very disappointed with the Chefs Table on the Constellation just before the Covid shutdown.  The cost of the dinner was $139 and the wine pairing was $60 making the total for a couple $398.  The food was definitely a down grade due to the executive chef having to follow the Daniel Boulud menu rather than have the executive chef chose the menu. There is another dinner called the Veuve Clicquot dinner for $150 which was considerably better than the Chefs Table.  Your enjoyment of either the Chefs Table or the Veuve Clicquot dinner depends on your dinner partners.  In all our experiences with the dinners we have only had three other couples which were obnoxious and a handful that did not fit the group dynamics. 

In addition to the above comments, the laundry includes dry cleaning and pressing. The in-suite beverages includes beer and mixer for the liquor replenished daily.  Depending on the port, you have a special luggage drop off and escort through security, check-in and boarding the ship.  The shore side concierge is another amenity that permits you to request dinner reservations prior to boarding the ship or request other special items like extra hangers, blankets, pool towels, and additional deck lounger.

Gratuities and onboard credit that you might receive at booking are perks and not amenities that come with the suite.

I have repriced my B2B cruise twice and also used the lift and switch on them (Transpacific from Vancouver to Japan and the Best of Japan.)  My perks of onboard credit and gratuities remained in place. 

6 hours ago, Alakegirl said:

The OP — Steven Mar — never said “unlimited” 

Look at post #4.  It references unlimited package twice.

There is something strange about the OP.  The unlimited dining has been discontinued for a number of years now.  When it was available, you could only buy it onboard but it wasn't available on every cruise.  The only unlimited dining package comes with the Royal or Penthouse suites.   Maybe the OP meant to say a 7 night dining package.  I have a hard time believing that the OP.

Breakfast is my favorite meal in the Luminae.  If you want things that are not on the menu like a bowl of berries, a single pancake with peanut butter and jelly, a plate of smoked salmon with poached eggs on top or anything else, just ask.  You can mix and match anything on the menu.  The same thing goes for lunch.  You can order items that are not on the dinner menu by requesting them the day before.  If you don't like the main courses offered but like the appetizers, just order a main course sized portion.  The staff in the Luminae is outstanding and will make every effort to accommodate your likes and wishes.

We have been in the Royal Suite on the Solstice, Reflection and Constellation.  I would suggest that you put together a list of your wishes and email them to the shoreside concierge when they contact you.  The list will normally be taken care when you get to your cabin.

Include items:

brands for the 2 bottles liquor (our preference is Hendricks gin and Belvedere vodka)

brand of champagne that comes with the room (we change the champagne for a nice bottle of wine)

brand of beer, soft drinks, water (sparkling or still) that you want stocked in the minibar refrigerator

mixers for your type of liquor

lime or lemon wedges for your drinks

extra towels for the bathroom

pool to towels for lounging on your deck

blanket for lounging on your deck if it is cool weather

list of dates and times for the specialty restaurants - If you wait until on board some time slots and dates not available

(dinners - chefs table, champagne dinner etc. are not included with the royal suite dining)

extra lounger for your deck (pool deck type)

One great perk that you get is unlimited laundry, dry cleaning and pressing.  We will have a number of items pressed the first day due to the wrinkles from the suite cases.   We also have laundry done every three to four days which helps to reduce the undergarments we have to pack.

Also ask the concierge in the (Retreat or Michaels Club) about the bridge tour which normally included a lunch with the officers.

I assume the cruise you have referenced in September 2020 on the Millennium is the Transpacific from Vancouver to Tokyo (Yokohama.)  We were booked on that cruise in a royal suite but used the lift and switch to change it to the Transpacific in September 2021.

The royal suite experience is great and you will enjoy it.

Great news. Zaandam is moving toward the canal for a nighttime passage and should be through the canal by 8:00 am.  Passengers must not go out no their balcony after 7:00 pm and have balcony lights off.

The Smoked Salmon & Peekttoe Crab Parfait for an appetizer is outstanding. My wife made it for a dinner party (recipe in Celebrity cook Book that you get with the Chef’s Table) and everyone loved it. 

My wife and I attended the Riedel workshop on the Solstice las fall.  It was fun to see the difference in how wine tasted in the different glasses.  The cost was $82 per person.  Each person gets a certificate for two Riedel glass of you choice.  You redeem the certificate on line from a fulfillment center.  There is a $25 dollar shipping/handling charge which brings the total cost for two glasses to $107 which is about the retail cost of the glasses but you had the enjoyment of the workshop.  Be careful with the glasses as they break easily.

The chefs table is held on a sea day starting at 7:00 PM with champagne and hors d'oeuvres, then a tour of the kitchen followed by dinner in the Murano cellar (private dinning room.)  The wine parring is an extra $60.00 per person making the dinner $398 per couple which is a little steep for the dinner which in my opinion is ok but not exceptional.  The best thing about the dinner is the people you meet.  We have been to the chefs table on every celebrity cruise and have only had one bad experience with out table mates.  The best items of the dinner are the mushroom risotto and the short ribs. Be prepared to lug a 10 pound cook book home with you.

I am a believer in the roll calls that are handled properly.  Currently I am on four roll calls for upcoming cruises this year.  Three of roll calls are great but one has an over abundance chit chat between a group of people that know each other.  They produce posts that don't add to the general knowledge for the cruise and create clutter when trying to keep up with the roll call posts.  I finally just gave up reading the roll call.

1 hour ago, Jim_Iain said:

To me it would not be worth $130 pp for a 7 night cruise.   About all you get is embarkation lunch in MDR and extra points per night.   Also remember the $130 may just be the minimum bid.

I agree that it is not worth the cost.  However if you do get the move up cabin, I don't think you get the additional points when you change cabin categories through the move up process.

Waiting area - yes, baggage drop off no.