Celebrity Apex Norwegian Fjord Cruise Blog – Day 7 – Final Sea Day

September 1, 2025 Randy Young

The saddest day of any cruise, the last day, was finally here. The Celebrity Apex was sailing back from the Norwegian Fjords, so we had one final sea day to enjoy everything onboard.

Norwegian Fjords Cruise Day 7 Overview

Day 7 Schedule
Lazy Morning Start
Fourth of July Celebration
Cloudy Day Poolside Relaxing
Trying Eden Cafe for Lunch
Buffet Extravaganza
Busy Ship on a Cool Day
Musical Murder Mystery in The Club
Sea Day at the Gym
Shopping with Onboard Credit
Craft Social for Pre-Dinner Drinks
Cypress Dining Room for Dinner
Martini Bar
“Rockumentary” in the Celebrity Theater
Karaoke with the Band
Leaving the Celebrity Apex
Stonehenge Excursion
Norwegian Fjord Cruise Wrap-Up

Celebrity Apex Day 7 Schedule

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Lazy Morning Start

This cruise had a lot of early mornings to explore the ports, but today was my first real chance to sleep in. I didn’t set an alarm and stayed asleep until 9 AM, when I was woken by vacuuming in the cabin above us. It was the first time I noticed any noise outside my cabin the whole cruise. No hallway doors slamming, no kids running up and down corridors, and even though we had a connecting cabin, which is usually noisier, I never heard our neighbors once. I don’t know if it was great ship design or just the right passenger mix on this sailing.

I eventually made my way to the Seaside Cafe buffet around 10 AM, just half an hour before closing. It was more crowded than I’d ever seen it. Food stations were still well organized with minimal lines, but finding a table was nearly impossible. After about 10 minutes of circling, I finally found a spot. Today, they had a specialty donut station set up.

Fourth of July Celebration

Today was the Fourth of July, and in the pre-cruise Facebook group, many people wondered if there would be any celebration on board. Since we had departed from Southampton, I honestly didn’t think so. I was wrong.

Yesterday, the ship celebrated Canada Day, and today it was the Fourth of July. At 10:30 AM, Captain Nikolas came over the speakers and invited everyone to the pool deck on 14. According to him, this sailing had 35 different nationalities onboard, with 1,135 Americans (about 25% of the guests) and only 18 American crew members.

An American flag was hung between the large “heart hands” sculpture as officers lined the far side of the pool. It was chilly outside, only about 60 degrees, so the staff walked around handing out blankets. One of the entertainers sang the national anthem as the flag was raised to the ship’s highest point. Bartenders served a festive red, white, and blue frozen cocktail (included in the drink package but not complimentary if you don’t have one). It was tasty but freezing cold on such a brisk day.

It was a simple event but nicely done, and it had a solid turnout considering only a quarter of the ship were Americans.

Cloudy Day Poolside Relaxing

After the ceremony, the crowd dispersed. I grabbed one of the loungers facing the ocean behind the large glass windows. It was cool outside, but with long pants and a jacket, I was comfortable enough to read. I loved that Apex had loungers facing outward toward the sea. Too many Royal Caribbean ships face everything inward, making it easy to forget the ocean is even there.

The pool deck wasn’t crowded, but Celebrity still staffed three bar carts in addition to the full bar. I picked up a Vitamin Water, which I had forgotten was included in the drink package since it’s not on menus or displayed anywhere.

Tip: The Premium Drink Package includes energy drinks, Vitamin Waters, and other non-alcoholic beverages as well as “premium sodas.” You might not see them on display,, or on a menu, so you just have to ask.

Soon after, the staff and officers played guests in a game of pool volleyball. I had to give them credit. Even though the water was heated to 72 degrees, it still looked brutally cold, but they gamely jumped in. It was another nice example of how involved Celebrity’s senior officers are compared to other lines.

Trying Eden Cafe for Lunch

I had spent plenty of time in Eden throughout the cruise, but I hadn’t tried the Eden Cafe yet. Tucked away on Deck 5 with very limited hours, it’s hidden behind curtains when closed.

The cafe has two counters: one for sandwiches and salads, the other for drinks and snacks. Seating is limited, but you can take food anywhere in Eden. Outdoor seating was closed because of strong winds.

I ordered a Reuben, one of my favorite sandwiches, and was given a buzzer. A few minutes later, I picked up my plate. The half sandwich was pressed flat with harsh grill marks and tasted as sad as it looked. The corned beef was nearly missing, and there was no sauce; definitely a miss.

Lunchtime Buffet Extravaganza

Since Eden Cafe was disappointing, I headed back to the Oceanview Cafe. On the final sea day, Celebrity usually puts on an “extravaganza,” and since it was also the Fourth of July, they went even bigger.

The first two buffet islands were filled with premium seafood: oysters, shrimp, clams, and lobster rolls. It felt like a throwback to the grand midnight buffets cruise ships were known for years ago. The only thing missing was crab which was disappointing.

I tried a little of everything. Normally, I’d never order mussels or clams, but one of the best things about cruising is sampling new foods without worrying about the price. In this case, I didn’t care for them, but at least I gave them a shot.

chocolate desserts at oceanview cafe buffet

At dessert, the buffet had dozens of stunning chocolate options. Two staff members plated desserts from the display, but the labeling was poor. I couldn’t tell what most of them were, only that they looked impressive.

Busy Ship on a Cool Day

With highs only around 60, the inside spaces filled up quickly. Sea days are always a test of how a ship handles crowds, even more so when bad weather keeps everyone indoors.

Apex passed with flying colors. The ship was busy, but it never felt overly crowded. It was far more comfortable than my sea day on Norwegian Viva last year and the lay out made it feel less cramped them my sailing on Valiant Lady during inclement weather.

celebrity apex solarium — The Solarium and the Grand Plaza were the busiest areas on this cool sea day.

The busiest spot was Deck 4 of the Grand Plaza near Cafe al Bacio. Guests were playing cards and board games, taking over most of the tables. Celebrity opened one of the dining rooms for games, but without signs, few people knew it was available.

Musical Murder Mystery in The Club

At 3 PM, I went to The Club for the “Musical Murder Mystery.” I wasn’t sure what to expect, but with little else on the schedule, it seemed worth a try. The venue was packed, with both levels full and extra chairs set up.

The event mixed scripted lines with musical trivia. Staff played characters in a murder mystery, and in between scenes, they worked in songs that the audience had to guess. It was a fun twist on traditional trivia, especially when the staff adlibbed lines.

Overall, there were 25 different questions and some were quite hard. But the 45 minutes for this activity felt a bit rushed, there was a lot to cram in to that short time period. They easily could have extended it 15 more minutes. Considering its popularity, I was surprised there weren’t more trivia events scheduled for this sea day.

Sea Day at the Gym

After trivia, I headed to the gym to burn off some of the week’s indulgence. With the sun finally shining, the space looked even better. Located at the very front of the ship, the fitness center has sweeping panoramic views over the bow.

Norwegian’s Prima class ships have a similar setup, but their dark ceilings make the room feel more closed in. Celebrity’s design feels bright and open, although the sunlight did heat the space quite a bit, making cardio more of a workout than usual.

I appreciated the small touches like complimentary headsets, chilled towels, and flavored water. It all added a high-class feel.

Shopping with Onboard Credit

As a Royal Caribbean stockholder, I received $100 in onboard credit. Since I already had the Premium drink package and prepaid gratuities, I had barely spent anything all week, so I still had about $90 left.

Most of the onboard shops weren’t my style. They were focused on high-end jewelry, fashion, and perfumes. While the stores often looked empty, one Fabergé egg on display had been sold, and those can cost tens of thousands of dollars, so I guess a single sale justifies the space.

I ended up at The Celebrity Shops, which offered branded merchandise, some destination items, and the usual duty-free goods. The Celebrity collection felt limited, but I picked up Norwegian-themed coasters, soaps, and wine stoppers to use up my credit.

For pre-dinner drinks, we stopped at Craft Social. The space was buzzing, and bar seating was nearly impossible to find. A woman next to me mentioned how small the bar felt and how few true bar spaces existed onboard. I had to agree. While servers were plentiful and quick to bring drinks to tables, the lack of bar seating made it harder to socialize casually.

The layout leaned toward small groups seated at tables or couches rather than mingling at the bar. Carnival’s Alchemy Bar is a good example of a layout that encourages both seated and standing interaction, something I wish Craft Social offered.

Cypress Dining Room for Dinner

For our final dinner, we returned to the Cypress Dining Room. At 7 PM, the space was only about half full, but service still felt stretched thin. Our waiter was personable and friendly, but clearly covering a lot of tables.

This evening I ordered the exclusive dish, braised lamb shank. It’s nothing I’d usually order at home, but I was feeling adventerous. It was very hearty and tender. Dinner ended with yet another apple pie; I have to say that Celebrity really does that well.

Before we left, the waiter reminded us to complete our surveys but didn’t push for specific scores, which I appreciated.

Martini Bar

After dinner, we set our bags outside the cabin for pickup the next morning. Like most cruise lines, Celebrity encourages guests to put luggage out the night before to make disembarkation smoother. It does mean repacking and keeping out only what you’ll need for the morning, but it’s worth it to avoid dragging bags through crowded elevators and hallways.

With that done, we returned to the Martini Bar for a final drink. The evening’s entertainment was another “DJ Chill and Soul” session, which was essentially a DJ sitting in the corner playing a playlist and looking bored. Thankfully, my Lychee Martini was far more entertaining.

I really grew to enjoy the Grand Plaza and Martini Bar. The natural hardwoods gave the space a warmth that’s rare on modern ships. It felt both sophisticated and inviting, though the tiered seating was tricky to navigate and the bar itself was too small. Celebrity seems to have learned from this, enlarging and re-centering the bar on newer Edge-class ships.

“Rockumentary” in the Celebrity Theater

For our last production show, we went to the Celebrity Theater for “Rockumentary.” The description promised guests could “relive the epic performances that defined decade after decade.”

We arrived 20 minutes early, and there were still plenty of seats, even in the front rows. Despite complaints I’d read online about the theater being too small, I found it more than adequate as long as you arrived a little early.

The show featured classics from the Rolling Stones, Beatles, Janis Joplin, and Bruce Springsteen, all backed by the massive LED screens that dominated the set. The visuals were impressive, and the four lead vocalists were perfectly matched to their songs.

After seeing three productions this week, I left impressed. “Rockumentary” and “Tree of Life” were excellent, while “Crystallize” earlier in the cruise felt like a misstep. It was surprising that the same creative team produced such different-quality shows.

Karaoke with the Band

Later in The Club, karaoke returned, this time with a live band. It was a fun idea that worked well with strong singers, but made weaker ones sound even more amateurish.

After karaoke, the venue transitioned into a nightclub. Unfortunately, it didn’t keep much of the crowd. The schedule for sea days felt oddly light, with just a handful of trivia sessions and only one karaoke slot despite their popularity. Silent Disco, one of Celebrity’s most-loved events, was also offered only once the whole week. It felt like the entertainment staff missed opportunities to expand the most successful events.

Leaving the Celebrity Apex

The next morning, it was time to say goodbye. Self-debarkation for guests who kept their luggage began at 6:55 AM, and by 7:10, they were already up to group 8 for those who had tagged bags. Guests exited midship through Raw on 5.

Since our flight wasn’t until later, we booked a Celebrity excursion that combined a Stonehenge tour with airport transfer. All tour groups met in The Club. We arrived at 7:20 and were called 10 minutes later, but the logistics were messy. The Club is on Deck 4 while the exit is on Deck 5, and no one told us we’d need to move between decks. Groups got split up as people tried to squeeze onto the stairs and elevators, which created confusion.

Once off the ship, we breezed through customs and baggage claim. From there, we found our bus, although there was more disorganization. Several guests were on the check-in list but not on the bus list, which had to be corrected before departure. At $167 per person, I expected smoother coordination.

For those not using transfers, taxis were waiting outside the terminal, and the National Express station was only about a 15- to 20-minute walk, making Heathrow accessible by cheap bus.

Stonehenge Excursion

Our bus left at 8 AM and drove through winding English country roads, charming villages, and even a national park with free-roaming ponies. The guide provided commentary on what we passed, though surprisingly not much about Stonehenge itself.

We arrived around 9:20 AM. Buses park near the visitor center, and from there you either take a shuttle (four minutes) or walk to the stones. We opted for the shuttle.

Being among the first buses of the day, we still found the site quickly filling up. The weather was gray, with low clouds and the threat of drizzle, fittingly British.

The stone circle sits in an open grassy field, isolated from nearby civilization. Guests can no longer walk up to the stones except on one special day each year. Instead, a path encircles the site at a safe distance.

A free audio guide was available, but the app was clunky, often cutting off mid-track. Fortunately, the signage around the site explained things well enough. Stonehenge’s marketing team also leaned heavily into social media, encouraging photo poses similar to the “holding up the Leaning Tower of Pisa” gag. Some tourists really went for it.

After a lap of the site, we returned to the museum. It’s small but well done, with multimedia exhibits explaining the many theories about Stonehenge’s purpose. Outside, recreated Neolithic dwellings gave a glimpse of everyday life. The visitor center also offered free Wi-Fi, a cafe, and a gift shop.

Overall, I was glad we went since it only added about an hour and a half to the trip home. I don’t think I’d make a separate journey just for Stonehenge, but it worked well as part of our transfer.

We met back at the bus at noon and arrived at Heathrow by 1:30 PM, leaving us several hours before our flight.

Norwegian Fjord Cruise Wrap-Up

Looking back, this trip was incredible. The landscapes and scenery of the Norwegian Fjords blew me away. It reminded me of my Alaska cruise, but with less focus on wildlife and more on sweeping natural panoramas. I’d recommend this itinerary to anyone who loves dramatic scenery and wants something different from the Caribbean. Whether you want to hike, kayak, zip line, ride the Flam Railway, or just relax and take in the views, the fjords offer something for every kind of cruiser.

As for Celebrity Apex, the ship impressed me at every turn. Its design made enjoying the scenery from multiple vantage points easy, and its slightly smaller size compared to the mega-ships made getting around less stressful. I could pop back to my cabin in minutes rather than turning it into a production like on Icon of the Seas.

This cruise was also my first time sailing with Celebrity, and I’ll admit I worried it might feel too formal or stuffy. Instead, I found the atmosphere relaxed yet refined. The food was excellent, the service was consistently warm, and the overall experience won me over.

I wish there were more activities on sea days, but that’s a minor critique compared to everything else Celebrity did well. Would I sail Celebrity again? Absolutely.