Overheard: Heading ashore in Cozumel from my Celebrity Apex cruise ship, I heard a passenger from the Royal Caribbean Oasis of the Seas docked nearby ask a question of our security guard. “What is that strange device on the side of your ship?” I listened for the answer, although I already knew what it was. “It’s called The Magic Carpet,” the security guard answered. “It can move up and down to be used for different things.” Positioned on …
When I boarded the Celebrity Apex in Fort Lauderdale and headed to my stateroom, a crew member greeted me with, “Welcome to paradise.” He wasn’t far wrong. The new Apex is a beauty and my stateroom in the Retreat on deck 10 is mighty grand. Room 10140 has a queen-sized bed, nightstands, large interactive TV, bedside phone, safe, desk, chair, sofa, roomy closet and drawer space, slippers and robe and a refrigerator stocked with complimentary soft drinks, …
Celebrity’s newest spectacular ship has the perfect name. Apex. Meaning the highest point, the peak, the summit, the Celebrity Apex is all this and more. Because of COVID-19, it took 581 days longer than anticipated for the Apex to arrive in U.S. ports. The vessel’s launch was originally planned for late March 2020. Instead, Apex kicked off its inaugural Caribbean cruise in November, setting sail from Fort Lauderdale for the ship’s official naming ceremony by godmother Reshma …
Right before our very eyes, two astronauts seem to float in the International Space Station. First, the man and woman were tilted up, then down, seeming to move gracefully without the pull of gravity. Even the woman’s ponytail would flip and look as though it were moving of its own accord. Then, unbelievably, an actual reproduction of the Wright Flyer flew over our heads. There sat Orville Wright guiding the primitive aircraft just as he did on …
When I took my first cruise on the magnificent Mississippi Queen in 1976, the entertainment was mostly a jazz band, ragtime piano player and powerful-voiced female singer. We were thrilled with the music on our riverboat cruise. Years passed, of course, and now I am cruising on one of the biggest cruise ships ever made – the mighty Royal Caribbean Symphony of the Seas. Therefore, the entertainment must be so much larger, grander, varied and breathtaking. It …
A gentle ocean breeze wafts through his office as Mario Salcedo takes time away from his computer work to chat with me. The sound of seagulls diving for dinner echoes in the distance. Ocean air? Seagulls? What kind of office does Mario have? Well, it certainly is not a typical office. And Mario is not a typical financial advisor. Although he is working away, Mario is actually on a cruise ship – the Royal Caribbean Symphony of …
For her 25th wedding anniversary celebration, Lauren Evans of Miami pictured herself sitting on the balcony of a ship stateroom, perhaps reading the newest Nora Roberts novel. She and her husband would enjoy leisurely restaurant meals, strolls on a beautiful island beach and Broadway-style shows in the evening. Her husband, Larry Evans, on the other hand, was looking forward to rock climbing, swimming, ice skating, zip lining, surfing and maybe even boogie boarding. Then he would be …
A reader asked me to describe my stateroom on my Royal Caribbean Symphony of the Seas cruise. So here goes. My stateroom is 326 on Deck 7. My cruise key card, which looks like a credit card, was waiting in a sealed envelope in a slot next to my stateroom door when I boarded the ship. No need to stand in line at the cruise terminal to wait my turn to pick up a key. By the …
Not even a mask could disguise the smile on his face. “Because of you, we have a job,” says Kadek, the assistant waiter on my Royal Caribbean Symphony of the Seas cruise. “We are so happy to be back.” That sentiment was repeated over and over on my seven-night Eastern Caribbean cruise. “We are so excited to be back doing what we love,” says Cruise Director Brian Leavitt. Of course, I am excited to be cruising on …
What a delicious looking candy apple. Scrumptiously juicy. Gloriously red. Covered in tempting caramel. The sweetness seems ready to melt in your mouth. Ah, but this is a Walt Disney apple. Most people are aware of what that means. Yep, this is the poison caramel apple used in the 2007 Disney film Enchanted. And we know what happened to the beautiful young lady who took a bite of the poisoned fruit in that fairy tale. However, this …
Heidi, Editor-In-Chief
