Spring Break Cruise on the Celebrity Apex

I can't believe it's already been a few weeks since we returned from our spring break cruise on the Celebrity Apex. The tan lines are fading, but the memories are forever! 

I am excited to announce that after years of bouncing around experiencing different cruise lines because we were choosing cruises based on the itinerary and not the ship, we have finally found our favorite that we want to build loyalty with. I mean look at that view from the infinite verandah. Ahhhhh...

Over the years, we have cruised on Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Norwegian, Virgin Voyages, Princess, Disney, and now finally Celebrity. And we felt that Celebrity was the best all around compared to the others. Disney's ships are stunning, but they are so insanely overpriced (it's 2-3x's the price of these other cruise lines and I honestly don't see anything worth the huge mark up. Castaway Cay is my favorite private island in the Bahamas, but it's not worth a double or triple mark up). Celebrity's ships are also stunning, and we thought the food and the service were superior. I'm also a huge germaphobe, and their cleaning standards were the best we've seen at sea. It was the first cruise line I've been on where most people stop to wash their hands before entering the buffet. YES please! 

Another reason we are choosing to build loyalty with Celebrity is that they are owned by the same company as Royal Caribbean, so their loyalty programs handshake. We walked on board with status already since we've cruised with Royal. And we'll definitely still be checking out some of Royal's new mega ships. Lil' Miss will be there for the slides!

We were so excited for embarkation day, and woke up early and felt like Anna in Frozen when it was coronation day. Boarding was seamless, and we were able to be on board by 11:00 with Premier Access. And our room was READY! Usually, you have to wait until 1:00-2:00, but we were able to access our room immediately and drop off our stuff and change for the pool before grabbing some lunch.

Boarding Romper | Sandals | Barrette | Sunnies

The Magic Spritz from the Magic Carpet bar was my favorite beverage order for the whole cruise. And the views from the Magic Carpet. WOW. It's a "magic carpet" because it hangs off the side of the ship and can even go up and down between decks. Gorgeous and innovative spot. 

Black Midi Dress

First night on board, and Lil' Miss begged us to go to kids club which is called Camp at Sea on Celebrity. So, we headed over to the Martini Bar and caught a little of the show that evening in the theater before picking her up. 

And yes, we always do the drink package now (with the exception of our cruise on the Disney Wish since Disney Cruise Line doesn't have drink packages). It's not just about the adult beverages (although it's nice not to be trying to keep a tally of how much we're spending or if a drink is "meh" we can order something different) the package also includes bottled water, specialty coffees, energy drinks, and mocktails which is great for ordering smoothies or milkshakes for Lil' Miss.

The next day was a sea day as we cruised towards the Dominican Republic. Breakfast included my favorite view from the back of the ship before heading to the gym for a quick Peloton bike ride (yes they have Pelotons on board!) and then the pool.

We also popped into a dance lesson in the Rooftop Garden which was a lot of fun. Lil' Miss was called up on stage at the end to demonstrate what she learned.

Stopped back at the room to enjoy this view and get ready for lunch at the Rooftop Garden Grill. Oh my was it delish! Every last bite, and make sure to save room for dessert. Their warm chocolate cookie and s'mores in a jar are everything!

One Shoulder Top in Berry | Wrap Maxi Skirt

Later that afternoon Lil' Miss had a hair cut in the salon before we got ready for dinner which was the 1st Evening Chic night. I brought a dress from the way back of my closet to wear that hadn't been worn since a friend's wedding 15 years ago and paired it with my favorite sparkly pumps. Shop your closet! 

The next morning we enjoyed room service breakfast (always free!) on the balcony as we pulled into Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic. We decided not to book an excursion and just enjoy the port area which had several pools, a lazy river, swim up bars, and lots of restaurants and shops. It was the perfect relaxing Monday. 

Color Block Bikini {only $34} | Sunnies

We walked back to the ship for lunch and a little more pool time before getting ready for dinner. I also tried out my new drink holders that clip onto your lounger. Game changer! Instead of putting drinks on the ground where they always seem to get kicked over. 

And let's just say this romper will be on repeat all spring and summer. So comfy and love the palm print! It's also available in blue.

The next morning we arrived in Puerto Rico where we had booked an excursion to go ziplining. I was nervous Lil' Miss might get scared, but she was a champ! The last run was called "Fast and the Furious" and she was upset at the end that it wasn't fast enough. Oh boy! 

I wore my new tennis dress which was SO comfortable and had built in shorts underneath with a hidden pocket. Loved it so much, I ordered it in hot pink when we got home for Universal days! It was perfect for the tour which also included some hiking and rope bridges. VERY thankful we brought our water bottles with us. 

That night we tried out the Silent Disco which was so much more fun than I thought it would be. Even Lil' Miss had a blast and danced and sung her heart out when the Backstreet Boys came on her station. That's my girl! 

It was also St. Patrick's Day, so we brought our green and she was excited to bump into some of her new friends from the pool and kids club before we went back to the room for the evening.

The next morning was our final port of call which ended up being my favorite stop. The ziplining was my favorite excursion, but St. Kitts and Nevis was a new to me island and it was beautiful! We booked a tour that brought us over to Nevis by boat where we were set up in little cabanas on the beach.

The last two days were sea days as we sailed back towards Florida. The first sea day was their "Poolest Day Ever" which was so much fun. Lots of themed accessories, beach balls, pool games, and even fun drinks from the pool bar.

For the 2nd evening chic night, I pulled out this cutout ruffle dress which was so effortlessly beautiful. I paired it with sandals because of all the walking around the ship which ended up being the perfect decision.

During the last day at sea, Lil' Miss competed in a giant corn hole tournament and did SO well. She didn't win, but we were impressed with how many points she scored.

Dinner on the final evening included a special dessert for Lil' Miss. I also pulled out a one-shoulder dress I had purchased months ago with the cruise in mind. Another beautiful piece that will be worn a lot through the summer. 

Since we didn't have to rush off the ship to catch a flight, we decided to skip the chaotic buffet (always super busy on the last morning) and go to one of the sit down restaurants. It was a much more relaxing way to end an amazing trip, and then we walked off the ship with our luggage and lots of memories. 

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