Inside the new, insanely luxurious, ‘Apex’ cruise ship

Be gone great whites. There’s a new sheriff in Sharktown.

Celebrity Cruises’ latest ship is the apex predator the travel industry didn’t know it needed. Aptly named Apex, this Cadillac of cruise liners is scheduled to sail everywhere from the Bahamas to the British Isles in 2022. 

What makes Apex the new MVP of the sea? For starters, this 14-deck 130,000-ton ship has an impressive aesthetic. Celebrity Cruises’ list of collaborators (including Tom Wright, the architect behind Dubai’s head-turning Burj Al Arab hotel) reads like a who’s who in the world of design.

Sure, Disney Cruise Line has “Aladdin: A Musical Spectacular.” But Apex has the “Magic Carpet” — the world’s first floating cantilever platform. This tennis court-sized restaurant and entertainment space attached to the side of the ship extends over the open ocean. Visible from a mile away, it travels up and down 13 stories over the course of the day. 

Celebrity Cruises also spared no expense on the ship’s interior. An impressive 99% of its rooms feature something most staterooms aren’t famous for: king-sized beds.

Furthermore, they have cashmere mattresses, $300 300-thread-count Egyptian cotton sheets and a pillow menu designed for picky sleepers. Basically, unless you’re on Celebrity Cruises’ payroll, you’re crashing in pretty posh digs. In fact, rumor has it the word “posh” comes from cruising. On England-to-India voyages back in the day, the best rooms were always portside out (PO), and starboard home (SH).

The line, who worked with Nate Berkus on Apex’s sister ship Edge, hired Sienna Miller’s former stepmom Kelly Hoppen CBE to do the interiors. (The South African-born British designer’s clients include David and Victoria Beckham.) Each room reflects a contemporary spacious condo instead of the industry standard cramped cabin. At double occupancy Apex can accommodate 2,910. 

For Celebrity’s signature red-carpet treatment on steroids, travelers should stay in the Retreat. This all-exclusive, all-inclusive section of the ship boasts two-story villas with floor-to-ceiling windows, penthouse suites with walk-in closets big enough to get lost in and ridiculously large two-bed, two-bath “Iconic Suites.”

With 1,900-square-feet of interior space and a 700-square-foot terrace, they’re more than twice the size of the average New York City apartment. 

“Go big or go home” also applies to the food and beverage scene. Apex has 29 different dining and drinking venues to choose from. They include cozy bars with biodynamic wines, lavish lounges with live entertainment and even a restaurant with a menu personally planned by real life celebrity, chef Daniel ​​Boulud.

Younger guests who don’t get the hype behind Michelin-star quality cuisine can have their palates pleased at Le Petit Chef. This trademarked animated culinary experience (seemingly designed by someone with ADHD) uses 3D mapping technology to bring each course to life. Basically, the table turns into a high-definition TV.  

Worried about gaining weight? Passengers can easily undo all those all-you-can-eat cruise calories on Apex. It’s currently the only ship in the world to offer F45 Training: a station-based cult fitness program backed by celebs like Mark Wahlberg, Cindy Crawford and Magic Johnson.

Those who want to work off the calories without putting in any work can just lay down in the ship’s Iyashi Dôme — one of only 506 in the world. Supposedly, this $45,000 MRI-esque machine uses infrared radiation to fight cellulite. 

Passengers looking to recoup the cost of their fare — 7-day cruises start at $1,000 per person — can camp out in the casino. Apex has 2,015 games and 148 tables ready to tempt players the second they’re in international waters.

Of course, it also has plenty of places to lose potential winnings. Think luxury boutiques like Cartier, Bvlgari and even the only Montblanc shop at sea. Can you imagine going on a cruise and forgetting to pack your favorite $1,000 pen? Apex can’t.