Fantastic 8 days at Sea by klp604
Sail date: / Traveled as: Family (young children)Ship: Celebrity Apex / Destination: Europe - Eastern Mediterranean
Our family of four from the United States, two adults and two children ages 7 and 10 had the pleasure of cruising with Celebrity Apex the week of July 9-17, 2021. We were very pleased with Celebrity Apex. The service, food and amenities on board were truly top notch. What made this cruise unforgettable was truly the service our family received on board. The staff worked hard to make sincere connections to guests and went out of their way to provide exceptional service. We stayed in a Celebrity Suite and it was incredible. The room was spacious, had great storage and a wonderful balcony. Staying in a suite allowed us access to The Retreat. The staff in the Retreat Lounge, Retreat Sundeck and Retreat restaurant, Luminae, were truly exceptional at customer service and went out of their way to make sure our vacation was one we will never forget. The level of service and attention to detail was top notch and so appreciated. The only negative experience we had on board was at the spa. It was the worst massage and facial I've ever had in my life. My therapist interrupted my massage and facial MULTIPLE times to try to sell me on a number of products and additional add-on services. She told me how my body had cellulite, not enough collegian in my face, among other hurtful comments. I came to relax, not to be sold on additional services and products by telling me how my body wasn't perfect. I had purchased a week-long thermal pass and after such a negative experience during my massage I stopped going to the spa. I didn't feel comfortable and didn't want to be approached again to hear about how my face didn't have enough collegian in it, or how I could decrease my cellulite. It's the only negative experience we had on board, but after spending almost $300 for the thermal pass and $200 on my spa treatment it leaves a VERY bad taste in my mouth as to how I chose to use my on board credit. The food on board was plentiful and delicious. We dined for dinner most nights in Luminaee the restaurant that was reserved for guests staying in the Retreat (suites). Our two servers in Luminaee were beyond FANTASTIC. Gary and Sony were two of the best servers we've ever had anywhere in the world. The food was incredible and portion sizes were appropriate. The service in the Retreat Lounge and Retreat pool was also incredible. The staff would often walk around offering guests drinks, cold towels, fruit, and other special treats while enjoying the sun deck. There were always plenty of chairs by the pool and on the sun deck. We also appreciated that there were a number of options for chairs that had shade and sun, depending on what felt best. The two bar tenders in the Retreat Lounge were WONDERFUL at their craft and worked so hard to please each guest. A BIG thank you to Oksanya and Demitri. Our Retreat host (butler), Diana and stateroom attendant Natalia both worked so hard to make our trip unforgettable. They both showed tremendous love to our family and children. We dined in two specialty restaurants while on board. Eden and Le Chef de France. Both dinners provided exceptional food and service. We could not have been happier. It was our first time on Celebrity and we look forward to our next trip and hope the spa goes better next time.