Celebrity Edge vs Celebrity Apex

Celebrity Edge

• Genuinely groundbreaking design that still feels modern years after its 2018 debut — the Eden venue (three decks of living plants that shift from quiet daytime cafe to intimate cocktail-and-performance lounge at night) is the standout space cruisers rave about
• Strong specialty dining, especially Le Petit Chef, where an animated 4D tabletop projection shows tiny characters 'cooking' your dish before the real plate arrives — a gimmick almost everyone enjoys at least once
• Four full main dining rooms (Tuscan, Cosmopolitan, Normandie, Cyprus) instead of one giant hall, each with its own menu and ambiance, so you get variety without specialty upcharges every night
• Decidedly adult, sophisticated vibe — couples consistently praise it as calmer and more upscale than mainstream Royal Caribbean or Carnival, without full luxury-line pricing
• The Retreat (suite-class enclave with private Luminae restaurant, lounge, sundeck pool and butler service) is widely called one of the best ship-within-a-ship products at this price point

• The Infinite Veranda splits opinion hard — it is NOT a true outdoor balcony but an enclosed room with a window that opens halfway; guests who want to step fully outside or sneak out for morning coffee are frequently disappointed
• The Magic Carpet — the orange cantilevered platform that moves between decks — is widely viewed as more marketing gimmick than useful venue; many check it out on day one and rarely return
• The Oceanview Cafe buffet draws steady complaints: very crowded and noisy at breakfast and lunch, and food repeatedly described as bland and sometimes lukewarm
• Main dining food quality is inconsistent — recurring reports of lukewarm dishes and bland meats; foodies often feel the specialty restaurants are where the real quality lives
• Interiors strike some traditional Celebrity cruisers as cool and colorless, with poor acoustics in several public rooms

Celebrity Apex

• Consistently excellent dining across the board, with Fine Cut Steakhouse, Le Petit Chef, and Eden cited as standouts
• The Magic Carpet, a one-of-a-kind 13-story cantilevered platform that moves up the side of the ship for sunset cocktails and special dinners
• Stunning, chic modern design by marquee names like Kelly Hoppen and Nate Berkus that gives the ship a refined, adult feel
• Eden, an innovative multi-level lounge, entertainment, and dining space beloved for its atmosphere
• Infinite Veranda cabins that open the room to the air at the press of a button, with large bathrooms in suites

• Premium and rising prices, with reports of drink costs up roughly 60% versus 2023 and add-ons that stack quickly
• Infinite Veranda cabins cut the air conditioning when the window is open, leaving rooms hot and humid in tropical climates
• Not family-friendly, with a design and amenity set that skews strongly toward adults
• Congested flow and overcrowding in some public spaces at peak times
• The Retreat can underwhelm for the price on Apex, since it's smaller than on the newer sisters