• Lisbon: The Perfect Pre‑Cruise City

I loved having a full day to wander Lisbon before boarding Celebrity Apex. It is such a walkable, easy city to explore: wide pavements, little cafés on almost every corner and those gorgeous tiled buildings around every turn. I spent the day simply exploring the city and eating to many pasteis de nata. I definitely recommend a visit to the Time Out Food Market. Overall the day felt relaxed, which is exactly what you want the day before a cruise.

The next morning, getting to the ship could not have been simpler. It was a quick, stress‑free transfer to the port. Apex docks right in the city, so even on a port day it is incredibly easy to hop off, be in the heart of Lisbon in no time, and then wander back on board when you are ready. No long shuttles, no hassle, just straight from ship to city and back again.

• Boarding & First Impressions

Stepping onto Celebrity Apex you immediately feel that Edge‑class difference. Everything feels that bit more refined and design‑led, like a contemporary boutique hotel at sea rather than a big mainstream ship. There is a really strong adult focus in terms of spaces and atmosphere: stylish bars, beautiful lounges, lots of quiet corners to sit with a drink and watch the sea, and a general feeling of calm.

For me, the Edge‑class ships sit a step above in terms of look and feel: thoughtful lighting, interesting art, and interiors that feel chic and modern without trying too hard. If you enjoy that more grown‑up, boutique style of cruising, Apex really hits the mark.

• Our Infinite Veranda cabin

I stayed in an Infinite Veranda stateroom, which is Celebrity’s newer style of balcony on the Edge‑class ships. Instead of a traditional balcony with a separate door, the cabin runs right up to the exterior window, which is floor to ceiling and cabin wide. At the touch of a button the top half of the window glides down and the whole end of your room effectively becomes the balcony.

In practical terms, it feels like you have more usable space, because the “balcony” area is part of your cabin when the window is up: a lovely spot with chairs where you can sit with a coffee, read or watch the wake, but still be enclosed and cosy if the weather is cooler. Then when you lower the window you get that fresh sea air and open‑to‑the‑ocean feeling, without stepping through a balcony door.

I found it worked really well, it gave the room a very open, airy feel and made it easy to enjoy the views at any time of day. Check out my videos for a room tour.

• Dining

One of the real highlights for me on Apex was the food, especially in the main dining. Rather than one large main dining room, you have four different complementary restaurants, each with its own look and a slightly different menu focus.

They all share a core menu, then each restaurant has its own signature dishes and style. It makes dinner feel a bit more like going out in a city, choosing a different “restaurant” depending on what you are in the mood for, rather than going back to the same room every night. The service was consistently excellent and I was really impressed with the quality and presentation throughout.

The main buffet was definitely a step above other cruise buffets, it was bright and spacious, not overwhelming or noisy. There were extensive options.

There are other options throughout the ship for food, drinks and coffees that are all included.

If that isn't enough the Special Dining on board is excellent, with options from steakhouses to sushi. We dined in Eden, the food and atmosphere was top class.

Overall, I loved Apex and sailing into Southampton and flying home from there with Aer Lingus, was so convenient. I cannot wait to sail on her sister ship Edge next May to Alaska!

If you are looking for a more refined, adult focused cruise line, Celebrity is definitely for you.

Reach out for a chat to help find your perfect cruise and check out this quick 45 tour of the ship