After so many people here at Cruise Critic answered question after question, and especially after folks in the North Sea forum helped me jump-start my cruise selection when Celebrity abruptly canceled my Caribbean cruise last May, I just feel obligated to try and contribute back a little. This is my write-up of our just-concluded cruise. I’ll post a day at a time to keep it from being too much and give room for questions and comments.
DAY 1
Our cruise really started Sunday night on an American Airlines flight out of DFW to London. That flight was delayed two hours as they changed the two tires under the nose of the aircraft (not even kidding). Eventually, we got going, landing at Heathrow around 9 AM Monday morning. We were met by our guide who would conduct us to the Cotswolds and Oxford for two days until the ship sailed on Wednesday. We had the world’s best tour guides there. They were sensational but I’ll save that for another trip report (message if you need a recommendation). By Tuesday night, we were snug in the Paddington Hilton, ready to catch a Celebrity excursion to Southampton in the morning via Stonehenge.
STONEHENGE
The bus picked us up bright and early, we slogged through London rush-hour traffic, and eventually found ourselves deep in the beautiful English country-side. And then there it was - on the hilltop was the most famous pile of stones in the world. I must admit that I didn’t expect to be as impressed as I was. It’s some big stones, and I’ve seen pictures, and even a full sized replica (in Odessa, Texas). But in person, Stonehenge is incredible. I was blown away. It’s huge, it’s powerful on that hill, it’s ancient, nobody knows the answer to all our questions (just how did they get those big rocks up there and why?) And it was super cool. It’s not to be missed.
SOUTHAMPTON
From Stonehenge we went on to Southampton and arrived about 90 minutes later. Our boarding time was slated for 1:30 and things could not have gone smoother. The days of long lines winding trough the port center, keeping eager cruisers from getting on board their ship, are OVER. We jetted through with very few stops, and were on the ship in minutes. In fact, by 2:10 we had gone through check-in, security, visited our muster station, dropped bags off in our room, and were EATING in the Ocean View Café. Well-done, Celebrity!
INFINITE VERANDAS
What the DW and I were most interested in was what an Infinite Veranda stateroom would be like in person. We’d read all the controversy, complaints, and carping. We’d seen videos on YouTube. But what would it be like once we went through the door? Answer: it’s terrific. We realized immediately that no video or picture or description can possibly give you a feel for what one of these cabins are really like. They just can’t. Once you’re in one you realize Celebrity has hatched a genius idea. The cabin is so much larger than usual because you get all that balcony space all the time. It’s like if someone knocked down the wall between your garage and your living room. Do you have some problems now, like where you park your cars (or that all your garage junk is visible when friends come over)? Yes you do, but there’s no doubt your house would seem bigger. IV rooms feel bigger, especially since the back wall is a huge glass window that looks out on the ocean. We loved it and we were traveling with a big group of friends and they all loved it. Not a negative review for anyone. It’s just smart. You can’t sit on your balcony for long in the North Sea anyway - it’s too cold! So re-claiming that space for your cabin makes a lot of sense, and when you need some of that full-on sea experience you can put the window down. We adored it. I know it’s not for everyone, and no, it is not a real balcony. Please don’t start up the controversy about them here - I’m just saying it may be a lot better than you think. It’s not for everyone but it is most definitely for us!
THE APEX
Once we dropped bags we started exploring our ship and we loved it too. The Apex has a very sophisticated and classy vibe. It’s just very laid-back and very cool. This is not another bigger-is-better, how much glitz can we shove in one place ship. It’s calm and cool. So much artwork, so many neat spaces, so many good places to hang out, read, people watch or have fun. The only minor down note to our first night was dinner in the Normandie restaurant. We’ll get to eat in all four dining rooms so we’ll see how it goes but we thought dinner was very average tonight, and dessert was visually appealing but just “meh.” The OceanView, on the other hand, was the most fabulous venue ever. Large, bright, appealing and with a never ending sea of great choices - we talked a little about ditching the MDR and eating there. A comedy show with a guy who was pretty funny (especially his bit on a unicycle) finished Day 1. The cruise could not have begun any better!
TOMORROW: BELGIAN CHOCOLATE IN BRUGES
Edited by BuckeyeMark
fix pictures
