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| Celebrity Apex New Year's Cruise - 2024 Copyright Andy Richards 2024 - All Rights Reserved |
IT IS that time again. Actually, the commercial interests push it forward more and more every year. I saw Christmas displays in some stores and places before Halloween. Geez. Lets get through Thanksgiving first; can we? We are now into December, and radio stations, malls and stores are playing non-stop Christmas music. Sales are everywhere and displays are holiday-oriented. I even have my outdoor lights hung (usually that is my Thanksgiving weekend project). I though it might be an appropriate time to discuss a holiday cruise.
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| Celebrity Apex - Sail-a-way from Ft. Lauderdale - New Year's Cruise 2024 Copyright Andy Richards 2023 - All Rights Reserved |
WHAT DO you think about a holiday cruise? To me that means during the Christmas/New Year season. For us, beginning with Thanksgiving, that time of the year is the time we get with - often far flung - family. Not just immediate family, those who we may not see much of any other time of the year.
What do you think about a "Holiday" Cruise?
IT HAS also been our perception that holidays are among the most expensive times to cruise. Our 2024 New Year Cruise in the Caribbean certainly bore that out. Along with higher cruise fare prices, other modes of transportation - in particular, airfare - also will be more expensive that time of year (especially if you don't plan well ahead). For all those reasons, we had never really considered it. We have some friends (Paul and Linda, for those who have followed here for a while) who may be some of the busiest people we know, with a large, close family, a successful consulting business, and just a lot of social obligations, we try to do some kind of trip together as often as possible. We have been on three cruises with them and we had all agreed it was time for another one. After comparing schedules, it turned out that one of the best times for them to get away was actually the week after Christmas. We are retired and generally more flexible on our scheduling, and we ultimately agreed on that week, boarding the Celebrity Apex in Fort Lauderdale a couple days before year end, 2023.
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| Celebrity Apex New Year's Cruise - 2024 Copyright Andy Richards 2024 - All Rights Reserved |
THAT ACTUALLY turned out to be a good time to travel for us. Since it was a week-long cruise, on an "older" demographic leaning cruise line, it had the typical passenger mix for us and felt neither crowded, nor overwhelming with young families. It was also a welcome diversion from the cold weather in Michigan where they live. Formerly Michigan residents, we now live in Florida, so it is no longer about the weather for us in the Caribbean. But we still love the sun, the cruise atmosphere, visiting some of the islands, and above all, the company.
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we ultimately agreed on that week, boarding the Celebrity Apex in Fort Lauderdale a couple days before year end, 2023
IF YOU are a couple with no children, or children who have other Christmas plans, or a small family who can all travel together, a Christmas Cruise might be in the cards. If you would rather be out traveling and partying than being home for more "traditional" holidays, based upon our experience, a holiday cruise is definitely a fun time.
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| Celebrity Apex New Year's Cruise 2024 Copyright Andy Richards 2024 - All Rights Reserved |
FOR SURE the ship goes all out with its decorations and activities on a holiday cruise. I suspect there are menu choices in the dining rooms that are perhaps elevated. In our case, the food was good, but I don't remember anything over the top. One thing we knew. We would be spending New Year's Eve, and ringing in the new year on one of the centers of activity on board. There were a few, including a special area set up on deck for dancing, a light show and a "ball" drop. WE ended up in the Martini Bar, a long - central feature on Celebrity ships. On the Edge Class ships (Apex is one) they really re-imagined the Martini Bar, making it perhaps the central entertainment area on board. It was decorated lavishly and even had its own mini-ball drop. One of the fun parts of the night was an extended family seated right next to us. They were about our age, and were a couplew sisters and brothers and spoused. Before the night was over, we were holding hands in a large circle and singing Auld Lang Syne, (along with some Detroit style music, like "We Are Family"). Turns out they have been doing this particular cruise for several years and it has become a tradition for them. Who knows, maybe we will see them again one year?
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| New Friends - Celebrity Apex - New Year - 2024 Copyright Andy Richards 2024 - All Rights Reserved |
OUR CRUISE was 7 days and we only made 3 stops: San Juan, Tortola BVI, and St. Kitt's. San Juan. San Juan was a bit odd, as we didn't actually arrive in port until very late afternoon. Really not enough time to do anything much more than walk around a bit. The Old San Juan plaza was nicely decorated for Christmas. We did a little mini-pub crawl and then got back on the ship to watch the BCS college football National Championship game (Michigan was in that game so we had some interest). in Tortola, we hired an open air truck to give us a tour of the island. One of our stops was Pusser's Bar, which is reputed to be the first one (there are a few of them), specializing in Pusser's Rum (a particular favorite of mine). I bought a shirt. We had "painkillers." You can probably imagine. A couple each. The final day, the ladies did some gift shopping and I finished a mission I had started a year ago that didn't work out then but did this trip. Long story. Short version: I bought a watch. Then Paul and I sat at the bar in the middle of commercial shore area, had some beers, and people - watched. Overall, it was a laid-back few days, with the at sea days spent out on deck relaxing. I might have had a cigar (or 3). 😂
Would we do it again? Yeah. Probably. Maybe. Sure 😀
WOULD WE do it again? Sure. If the timing was right. I think we are more likely to head into the Caribbean later in the year (more like February). But it was fun. Whether it sounds like enough fun to do it more than once may well depend on your view toward holiday vacations and cruising in general. Would we recommend it at least once in a lifetime? Yeah. Probably. Maybe. Sure. 😀 Would love to hear your opinions and holiday cruising experiences. Please jump in and let me know in the comment section below.
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