Bimmer 09 sails APEX to Iceland June 2023

[perfect match]

14 hours ago, Bimmer09 said:

sunshine and lollipops

And rainbows. Everything that’s wonderful is what I feel when we’re together. Brighter than a lucky penny………

 

Wait, I’ve never met you in person yet so we’ve never even come close to being together but I do remember the early 60’s song by Lesley Gore! 😂🎶

 

I think there was another song lyric reference or two in that same post as well, but I’m sticking with this one.

 

@clanger beat me to the Nancy Sinatra song, These boots were made for walkin’  

Edited June 24, 2023 by perfect match

[montythecat]

“Come gather round people….”

 

The Times They Are A-Changin’

 

His Bobness

[chemmo]

Sooooo enjoying your epic tale, calling it a review doesn’t do it justice.

 

Your comments on the cushions had me in fits. We cruised on Equinox after her partial refit in a RS…can you imagine the number of cushions Kelly got rid of from her surplus shop in there? 
 

First evening we squashed as many as we could in the walk in wardrobe so you could actually lie on the bed and sit on the sofa. We went to dinner and they were all back out again. Next day we instructed our room attendant to leave them in the wardrobe for the duration. 

 

In typical fashion the new balcony furnishings didn’t have a cushion between them and the numerous inside ones were the wrong shape and size…We ended up getting our butler to ‘borrow’ a couple from the suite deck…

 

C’est la vie!

[Bimmer09]

                         Sea Day, Day 2 on the North Sea

June 7, Wednesday and I am up and dressed to go on deck. There are only 2 elevator banks on this big ship. We are in an aft-most cabin so when I grout into the hallway without a molecule of coffee Imagine my horror when I see the path ahead..

 

 

I make it to the elevator and touch lightly the button for deck 14. The Oceanview cafe is here.

There's a person who stands near the multiple sinks with their automatic soap dispensers and faucets and paper towels and welcomes guests and thanks them for washing their hands.

I have photos of all of this stuff but later with those as this is my first day and if I don't get a coffee soon it may be my last.

It's a coffee to go so I grab a paper cup, load up 2 sachets of white sugar, grab a stirrer, pour coffee from a big tank with a tap, move to the half and half dispenser, feeling weaker by the second, stir the coffee then cap it with an ill fitting lid and a paper sleeve to stop it burning my hand. Back into the elevator and make my way to deck 5. Walk the same distance to Eden where they have automatic doors and out into the cold fresh air/wind to the smoking section.

 

The first sip of this Melita coffee is life affirming and I feel I have been saved.

 

This the Port aft section outside Eden. It's windy.

Below is my destination-more sheltered.

 

There's some crazy woman peeping into Eden

 

 

I am wearing my puffy winter coat with a scarf as the F temperature starts with a 5.

 

 We have passed some oil rigs way back to the right-they'll never catch up

 We are into our second day which will be our first full day on board. First impressions are strong, besides the Guinness can fiasco.  We haven't met many staff yet but the ones we have were smiling and eager to be of service so we are impressed by the service but there's a lot more staff to meet.

My days will begin where I am now, by Eden. We are dining there tonight at 7 pm. After Eden?

Carol had questioned my need to book a Specialty restaurant when the MDR food was good enough. I had done my research and had a good idea of what was awaiting our tummies this evening. She has since thanked me for my steely resolve.

 

It's time for me to wander until the coffee's life-affirming balm wears off.

What's nearby?

There's this lonely little shop all by itself like an afterthought...

 

 

 

and opposite-a whimsical seating area

 

 

 opposite this is Blu, for Aqua and Suite guests

 

 As it's not open yet I mosey inside for some pics

 

On Apex Blu looks out onto lifeboats, unlike on Silhouette where they look upon the sea

 

 

The wandering will continue....

Norris

[Bimmer09]

8 hours ago, perfect match said:

Album by Queen reference or literally your night at the opera? 😀

Both Nancy.

Norris

[AF-1]

Thank you for sharing the wonderful pics and your cruise with us.  I love your ship pictures; they really do tell a story

[Bimmer09]

I mentioned Eden earlier and along with Destination Gateway it is one of the most striking things about the ship. I'll have photos of D Gateway when we use it tendering in Isafjordur. Eden I will do a separate feature. 

We were looking at some X cruises for 2024 yesterday and I found one that might fit. Not an E Class.

Carol asked- does it have Eden? 

Nope.

Then forget it!

 

Another shop

 

 

 

Fine Cut steakhouse

 

 

 

Grand Plaza Martini Bar

 

 

The loose plan for the day is meet for breakfast at Eden Cafe (sea days only) then a lecture in the theater for Carol and another wander for me, then lunch in Oceanview as there are some Brit items featured followed by whatever until Eden dinner at 7 p.m. Followed by a show.

Edited June 24, 2023 by Bimmer09
pitiful grammar

[rocklinmom]

Popped into this because my sister is sailing on Apex in July and OMG you are killing me! Thanks for such an entertaining review, you should be a comedian 😂

[Texed]

Thanks for posting the report and pictures.  😊

[kwokpot]

50 minutes ago, Bimmer09 said:

On Apex Blu looks out onto lifeboats, unlike on Silhouette where they look upon the sea

Although that's the case on the Edge and Apex, Celebrity thankfully changed this on the Beyond and Ascent and removed a lifeboat so that almost every table save a few at the very rear have uninterrupted views BEYOND the ship.

[Bimmer09]

 Even though I don't wear one I take my hat off to the designers of the E Class for thinking way outside the box. The Apex is a striking looking ship with the orange Magic Carpet, inclined walking track above the pool, the pool itself and the asymmetrical aft where Eden lives. Destination Gateway where you tender is a game changer.

 

The S Class was a similar Home Run for me, the Silhouette being my favorite design. I loved the grass and the lawn dwellers with their picnic baskets listening to a singer guitarist as the sun went down. Then we'd have dinner at the Lawn Club Grill which had overhead heaters on cooler nights.

 

One thing lacking on Apex though is shade around the pool.You'll get roasted. Ditto by the Sunset Bar. The Cabanas on the pool deck have zero privacy and you share your cosy nook with another party-maybe a group of drunken jocks. We used to pay the $199 for a cabana on the grass on Silly but we'd be silly to book one on Apex. There will be photos of course at some point.

 

Just musing.

Norris

[kwokpot]

1 hour ago, Bimmer09 said:

I am wearing my puffy winter coat with a scarf as the F temperature starts with a 5.

I'm on the July 7th sailing with almost the same itinerary (We have Glasgow and Cobh instead of Liverpool) and as I'm gathering my wardrobe for packing I'm reading with bated breath the weather and temps. I literally just applied my first coat of Scotchgard waterproofing spray to my walking shoes. I don't want a repeat of last year's issues on a Norwegian Fjords cruise where we got drenched in Bergen and my shoes were soaked throughout. 

Edited June 24, 2023 by kwokpot

[davekathy]

14 minutes ago, Bimmer09 said:

 Even though I don't wear one I take my hat off to the designers of the E Class for thinking way outside the box. The Apex is a striking looking ship with the orange Magic Carpet, inclined walking track above the pool, the pool itself and the asymmetrical aft where Eden lives. Destination Gateway where you tender is a game changer.

 

Agree. We were on the Apex in March. We said the same thing about Destination Gateway.  Open and inviting. The only minor thing we weren't to impressed with was the one level MDRs. We prefer the open multi level MDRs. Reminded us of the one level MDR on the Zenith. But that was our favorite ship for years. 

[Bimmer09]

 

 

 

 

Eden Cafe will be to your left once you pass these chairs-that will be a separate feature

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Bimmer09]

The morning unfolds- a light breakfast in Eden Cafe. Notes tell me I had;Yoghurt parfait with a bear claw and drip coffee. Carol yoghurt parfait, cinnamon bun, fruit bowl and some cold cuts, no coffee.

She will get her latte with an extra shot from Cafe il Bacio II in the buffet when I get my next cup to take on deck.

On deck 15 aft I attempt to have a cigarette with said coffee but the wind has other ideas. I predict Sunset Bar sales today to be Zero. 

Carol had a lecture to attend at 10 a.m in the theater which she said was a waste of time. It was a destination lecture which was basically the excursions listed on line with some slides and no useful information on the ports. A snooze fest.

 

She retired to try out the seats high above Eden for a quiet read

 

 

She loved these seats!! That is until the morning stretch class started behind her followed by the Cha Cha Class for half an hour. In future she made a note to self-bring Bose noise canceling headphones. After cha-cha it was the Golf Chipping class...

 

I wandered and came to the theater, deck 4 and 5 forward

 

 

There was a man giving a lecture on NASA to a small non-crowd. Amazing theater!

 

 

Theater art

 

 

Park West in the House!

 

 

 

 

 

I will eat here at some point!

 

 

 

Time to go back to the cabin and work on some pictures...

[kwokpot]

28 minutes ago, Bimmer09 said:

 

She loved these seats!! That is until the morning stretch class started behind her followed by the Cha Cha Class for half an hour. In future she made a note to self-bring Bose noise canceling headphones. After cha-cha it was the Golf Chipping class...

 

Those chairs were originally in the Infinite Verandas until they swapped them out for more upright seating position chairs.  

[Bimmer09]

37 minutes ago, kwokpot said:

Those chairs were originally in the Infinite Verandas until they swapped them out for more upright seating position chairs.  

Thanks for the info. I will have a special section on Apex chairs and why it's often better just to stand or bring your own...

Norris

[Bimmer09]

Time to return to the cabin before lunch to download some pics from the camera to the computer for processing (MacBook Air)

 

 

The hallway art helps me gauge how far I have to go

 

 

Long way to go

 

 

Getting closer

 

The end is nigh!

[hcat]

On E class our fav places for dinner are Cyprus and Tuscan..they are smaller and  have great atmosphere..esp Tuscan with its  Fellini decor..

[hcat]

4 hours ago, kwokpot said:

Although that's the case on the Edge and Apex, Celebrity thankfully changed this on the Beyond and Ascent and removed a lifeboat so that almost every table save a few at the very rear have uninterrupted views BEYOND the ship.

BLU on BEYOND was  so much nicer..better views...

We booked AQ on Ascent so hopefully the better views. Also booked a SV on APEX so we have the 4 mdrs..and no BLU issues

[Bimmer09]

I had a small lunch at the buffet-fish and chips/liver and onions to start  and then Carol asked me why I didn't get a steak pie. Huh? If there's a steak and ale pie I want one so I went back and found where they were so this is lunch stage 2

 The fries were good and a 2nd helping was in order. Don't judge me...The Bavarian mousse found it's way onto both our plates somehow.

Carol had made to order stir fry, broccoli, liver and onions.

 

That would tide us over until 7 pm when we dine at Eden!

Nap time!

[SeaHunt]

20 hours ago, Bimmer09 said:

I'm sure  liver ice cream is on a menu somewhere. We just have to find the chef making it and pummel him mercilessly...

Norris

 

You can always take home a carton of Philippe Faur's Foie de Canard/duck liver ice cream and pummel it! 😁

[Bimmer09]

                               DINNER AT EDEN

 

 

 

 

Only one table for two twixt us and the windows to the sea. Waiter is Desy from Indonesia,

Suno our busboy from India and our Sommelier Yan from China. They were Olympic Gold Medalists in Food Service .

Carol ordered a glass of Prosecco- Ah, Happy Bubbles said Yan.

I ordered my usual Cabernet Sauvignon

When Desy asked me if I wanted still or sparkling water I replied "I'll have a glass of sea water please" She laughed and so had passed my test for loose waiters who can take a joke.

 

The man at the table next to us has just had the filet mignon and is telling his wife and the Maitre 'd Danilo how this steak is better than any he has had near his home in Tampa.

 

Food next...

 

 

 

 

 

 

[lola2013]

41 minutes ago, Bimmer09 said:

I had a small lunch at the buffet-fish and chips/liver and onions to start  and then Carol asked me why I didn't get a steak pie. Huh? If there's a steak and ale pie I want one so I went back and found where they were so this is lunch stage 2

 The fries were good and a 2nd helping was in order. Don't judge me...The Bavarian mousse found it's way onto both our plates somehow.

Carol had made to order stir fry, broccoli, liver and onions.

 

That would tide us over until 7 pm when we dine at Eden!

Nap time!

Liver???  This just gets better and better 😋 (although I love mine with bacon)

[Bimmer09]

Sorry I didn't take a pic of the Cocktail menu. I never order them. Here's the food....

Amuse bouche of white asparagus with crispy leeks

 

Carol's "Garden Bouquet" before the gardener (Desy) does her work

Carol is an expert in salad and gave this two thumbs up

 

My crab cake

It's crabalishus!

 

I love Indian food so I had to order the Mulligatawny soup

Earth's most flavorful soup-bar none

 

The food is cooked a la minute so there is a nice pause between courses for wine supping, talking and looking out at the sea churning in the wake behind us. We have already decided that this is the best meal we have had at sea-even surpassing Murano by X. 

Next will be entrees...