Celebrity Apex

Celebrity Apex is the second Edge-class cruise ship built for Celebrity Cruises, following Celebrity Edge. The vessel was constructed by Chantiers de l'Atlantique in Saint-Nazaire, France, for Celebrity Cruises, which operates as part of Royal Caribbean Group. It was developed under the Edge-class program, a major fleet initiative intended to combine large-ship capacity with design features emphasizing outdoor access, flexible public spaces, contemporary accommodation, and fuel efficiency. The ship's development originated in an order announced by Royal Caribbean Cruises in December 2014 for two new Celebrity vessels. The ships were planned at approximately 117,000 gross tons with capacity for about 2,900 guests, and were associated with a reported construction cost of approximately US$1 billion per vessel. The second ship was initially announced under the name Celebrity Beyond, but Celebrity Cruises changed the name to Celebrity Apex when construction formally began in 2018. Celebrity Apex shares the Edge class's principal design elements with Celebrity Edge. Among its most distinctive features is the Magic Carpet, an orange cantilevered platform mounted on the starboard side. The platform can move between several decks, supporting tender operations and serving as an elevated guest space. The ship also offers Infinite Veranda staterooms, in which the balcony is integrated into the cabin through a movable window and interior configuration, as well as Eden, a multi-level aft venue combining dining, entertainment, and lounge functions. An open-air garden and other exterior spaces extend the ship's emphasis on views and outdoor use. The vessel's hull and propulsion design incorporates a parabolic ultrabow. This shape was intended to reduce drag and improve hydrodynamic efficiency while providing additional protection around the bulbous bow and propeller area. These engineering and architectural choices formed part of Celebrity's broader effort to position the Edge class as a more design-led and energy-conscious alternative within the premium contemporary cruise market. Construction progressed through steel cutting in July 2018, keel laying in October 2018, and float-out in May 2019. Sea trials were delayed first by bad weather and then by industrial action involving tugboat and port workers. The ship ultimately completed trials in the Bay of Biscay in February 2020, with construction finished in early March. The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted Celebrity Apex before its public debut. Celebrity took virtual delivery of the ship on 27 March 2020, an arrangement necessitated by travel restrictions and public-health controls. The planned Southampton naming ceremony, which was to feature Reshma Saujani of Girls Who Code, was postponed. The ship's inaugural European sailings, including planned departures from Southampton and a later Mediterranean deployment, were cancelled or deferred as Celebrity suspended cruise operations. The vessel also became associated with an early-pandemic outbreak among crew members while it remained in France awaiting delivery. Health authorities reported positive SARS-CoV-2 cases aboard the ship in March 2020, followed by a wider outbreak during a period when the crew was isolated onboard. A crew member subsequently filed a class-action lawsuit alleging inadequate protective equipment, testing, isolation, and medical-care measures. These allegations were reported in the context of the broader cruise-industry crisis; their inclusion does not establish that every claim was proven. Celebrity Apex eventually entered passenger service from Athens on 19 June 2021, beginning with Greek Islands itineraries. Since then, it has operated as a large premium cruise ship serving changing seasonal routes, including Mediterranean, European, and Caribbean programs. Its identity is closely tied to the Edge-class platform, the Celebrity Cruises brand, and the combination of resort-style amenities, contemporary design, and…

Celebrity Apex was conceived as part of Celebrity Cruises' Edge-class expansion. In December 2014, Royal Caribbean Cruises announced that it had ordered two new ships from STX France, later known as Chantiers de l'Atlantique. The project called for vessels of roughly 117,000 gross tons and an approximate guest capacity of 2,900. The ships were intended to introduce a new design language to Celebrity's fleet, following the established line's emphasis on premium cruising and modern onboard environments. Celebrity Edge was the first vessel in the class. During the November 2016 steel-cutting ceremony for Celebrity Edge, Celebrity announced that the second ship would be called Celebrity Beyond. When construction of the second ship formally began at Saint-Nazaire on 23 July 2018, Celebrity announced that the name had been changed to Celebrity Apex. The keel was laid on 31 October 2018, in a ceremony held alongside the delivery of Celebrity Edge. The ship was floated out on 17 May 2019. The construction program encountered delays during sea trials. The first trial, planned for 15 January 2020, was cancelled because of poor weather. A second attempt scheduled for 17 January was affected by a strike involving a tugboat and port sailors. Celebrity Apex eventually departed for trials in the Bay of Biscay on 4 February and completed them on 8 February. Construction was completed in early March 2020. The ship's delivery and christening plans were then overtaken by the COVID-19 pandemic. Celebrity had expected to take delivery in March 2020 and had planned a Southampton naming event for 30 March, with Reshma Saujani, founder and chief executive of Girls Who Code, designated as the ship's godmother or christening figure. The ceremony and related inaugural activities were postponed. Celebrity accepted delivery virtually on 27 March through a video conference between the cruise line and the shipyard, an unusual process shaped by travel restrictions. Before the ship entered normal passenger service, a significant health incident developed among its crew. In late March 2020, French authorities reported SARS-CoV-2 infections aboard Celebrity Apex while more than a thousand crew members were onboard awaiting the ship's transfer into service. Reports described a party held during the early phase of France's lockdown and subsequently detailed a progression of positive tests, hospitalizations, and isolation measures. The entire crew was placed in isolation after the first cases were identified. A crew member who tested positive later initiated a proposed class-action lawsuit against Celebrity Cruises, alleging failures involving personal protective equipment, boarding controls, testing, lockdown procedures, and medical care. The allegations formed part of wider criticism directed at cruise operators during the pandemic. The outbreak and the industry's suspension of operations cancelled the vessel's original European plans. Celebrity Apex had been scheduled to sail from Saint-Nazaire toward Southampton, conduct a pre-inaugural trip to Bruges and Amsterdam, and then begin a maiden voyage along the Spanish and Portuguese coasts. A later proposed Barcelona debut was also abandoned. Planned seasonal deployment to the Mediterranean and a later move to Port Everglades were likewise affected by the suspension. After the prolonged delay, Celebrity Apex made its passenger debut from Athens on 19 June 2021, sailing to the Greek Islands. The ship subsequently became part of Celebrity Cruises' active Edge-class fleet, operating seasonal programs that have included Mediterranean, European, and Caribbean cruising. Its public identity rests on both its role as a premium cruise product and its distinctive physical design. The vessel carries forward several features introduced with Celebrity Edge. The Magic Carpet is a movable orange platform cantilevered from the starboard side, capable of supporting tender operations and functioning as a guest venue at different deck levels. Infinite Veranda cabins use an interior window and movable configuration to merge balcony and cabin space. Eden occupies three aft decks and combines dining, entertainment, and lounge functions. The ship also includes an outdoor garden and design features intended to improve the use of exterior space. Its parabolic ultrabow was developed to reduce drag and improve efficiency around the bow and propulsion system. Together, these features distinguish Celebrity Apex within Celebrity Cruises' fleet and express the Edge-class strategy of integrating architecture, hospitality, and maritime engineering.

• 2021

  Passenger debut from Athens

  [1]Celebrity Apexen.wikipedia.org

  Celebrity Apex entered passenger service on 19 June with a Greek Islands sailing from Athens.

• 2020

  Sea trials completed

  [1]Celebrity Apexen.wikipedia.org

  Following two delays, the vessel completed sea trials in the Bay of Biscay between 4 and 8 February.

• 2020

  Virtual delivery

  [1]Celebrity Apexen.wikipedia.org

  Celebrity accepted delivery of the ship virtually on 27 March because pandemic restrictions limited normal shipyard and travel arrangements.

• 2019

  Ship floated out

  [1]Celebrity Apexen.wikipedia.org

  Celebrity Apex was floated out from the Saint-Nazaire shipyard on 17 May.

• 2018

  Construction begins under the Celebrity Apex name

  [1]Celebrity Apexen.wikipedia.org

  Steel cutting took place at the Saint-Nazaire shipyard, accompanied by the announcement that Celebrity Beyond had been renamed Celebrity Apex.

• 2018

  Keel laid

  [1]Celebrity Apexen.wikipedia.org

  The ship's keel-laying ceremony was held on 31 October in conjunction with the delivery of Celebrity Edge.

• 2016

  Second ship initially named Celebrity Beyond

  [1]Celebrity Apexen.wikipedia.org

  Celebrity announced the original name of the second Edge-class vessel during Celebrity Edge's steel-cutting ceremony.

• 2014

  Order for the Edge-class program finalized

  [1]Celebrity Apexen.wikipedia.org

  Royal Caribbean Cruises announced orders for two new Celebrity Cruises ships from STX France, establishing the program that produced Celebrity Apex.

A design-focused premium cruise ship combining resort amenities, destination cruising, distinctive outdoor spaces, and Edge-class accommodation and entertainment concepts.

• Cruise ship · 2021

  Edge-class cruise ship

  Celebrity Apex is a large premium cruise vessel designed for multi-night international itineraries. Its onboard proposition combines accommodation, restaurants, bars, entertainment, wellness facilities, outdoor areas, and destination-focused shore programming. The ship's Edge-class architecture gives particular attention to views, adaptable public spaces, and the relationship between indoor and outdoor areas.

• Ship feature · 2021

  Magic Carpet

  The Magic Carpet is an orange platform cantilevered from the ship's starboard side. It can move vertically between several decks, allowing it to support tendering operations, provide a changing vantage point, and function as an additional guest-facing space while the vessel is at sea.

• Accommodation · 2021

  Infinite Veranda

  Infinite Veranda staterooms integrate the balcony into the cabin's main structure. A movable window and interior configuration allow guests to alter the relationship between the enclosed room and the exterior-facing balcony area, creating a more flexible accommodation layout.

• Dining and entertainment venue · 2021

  Eden

  Eden is a three-deck aft venue combining dining, lounge, and performance functions. It is one of the signature Edge-class spaces and is designed to change character across different periods of the day and evening rather than serve a single conventional onboard purpose.

• Outdoor amenity · 2021

  Rooftop Garden

  The ship's upper-deck outdoor garden provides an open-air leisure environment and contributes to the Edge-class emphasis on landscaped exterior space, views, and less formal resort-style use of the top decks.

• 2020

  COVID-19 outbreak and crew-treatment allegations

  While awaiting delivery in France, Celebrity Apex experienced a reported SARS-CoV-2 outbreak among its crew. Reports described positive cases, hospitalizations, and isolation measures. A crew member later filed a proposed class-action lawsuit alleging inadequate protective equipment, testing, lockdown procedures, and medical care. The allegations were reported claims made during the pandemic and are not presented here as adjudicated findings.

  Source

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• 2021

  Launch passenger operations from AthensProduct launch

  Background

  The ship's original 2020 European debut was cancelled during the COVID-19 suspension of cruise operations.

  Action taken

  Celebrity Apex began passenger service from Athens on 19 June with Greek Islands itineraries.

  Aftermath

  The vessel entered Celebrity Cruises' active Edge-class fleet and subsequently operated seasonal international cruise programs.

  Source

• 2020

  Accept delivery virtuallyOther

  Background

  Travel restrictions and pandemic conditions made a conventional shipyard delivery ceremony impractical.

  Action taken

  Celebrity accepted delivery through a video conference with Chantiers de l'Atlantique on 27 March.

  Aftermath

  The ship remained affected by the wider suspension of cruise operations, and its planned inaugural voyages and naming events were postponed or cancelled.

  Source

• 2018

  Rename the second Edge-class vesselStrategy

  Background

  The second ship in Celebrity's new Edge class had originally been announced as Celebrity Beyond.

  Action taken

  Celebrity changed the vessel's name to Celebrity Apex when construction began.

  Aftermath

  The renamed ship continued through construction, delivery, and eventual passenger service as the second vessel in the Edge class.

  Source

• 2021

  Celebrity Apex begins passenger service from Athens[1]Celebrity Apexen.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  The ship's delayed debut began with a sailing from Athens to the Greek Islands on 19 June 2021.

• 2020

  Celebrity Apex completes sea trials[1]Celebrity Apexen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  After weather and labor-related delays, the ship conducted sea trials in the Bay of Biscay from 4 to 8 February.

• 2020

  Celebrity takes virtual delivery of Celebrity Apex[1]Celebrity Apexen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  Celebrity accepted delivery through a video conference with the shipyard, reflecting travel restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic.

• 2018

  Second Edge-class ship renamed Celebrity Apex[1]Celebrity Apexen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  At the start of construction, Celebrity changed the vessel's announced name from Celebrity Beyond to Celebrity Apex.

• 2016

  Celebrity announces the second Edge-class ship[1]Celebrity Apexen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  Celebrity announced the name Celebrity Beyond for the second ship in the planned Edge class during the steel-cutting ceremony for Celebrity Edge.

1. 1Celebrity Apexen.wikipedia.org