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Explorer of the Seas vs Apex
The Royal Caribbean Explorer of the Seas was built in 2000. It was renovated in 2025. Explorer of the Seas was Amplified in 2023 which added many new features, restaurants, and attractions to this ship. It's 20 years older than the Apex, which was built in 2020 and renovated in 2025. The Celebrity Apex features the "Magic Carpet," a moving platform that makes using water tenders a breeze while in port, or adds outdoor dining space while at sea. This Edge-class of ship is known to feel quite different than the rest of the Celebrity fleet as it's less geared towards traditional cruise passengers.
Comparison Overview
- Ship Size
- Number of Passengers
- Food and Restaurants
- Bars and Drinks
- Pools and Hot Tubs
- Ship Features and Activities
- Cruise Costs
- Onboard Costs
- See Our Detailed Cruise Blog
Ship Size
The Explorer of the Seas is considered a medium size ship. Coming in at 1,020 feet long and 157 feet wide, it's roughly the length of 2.8 football fields, as wide as 3 tractor-trailers and the same height as a 14-story building. Compared to the Celebrity Apex, the Explorer of the Seas is 6% larger in terms of overall tons.
Number of Passengers
Royal Caribbean Explorer of the Seas holds 13% more passengers than the Apex based on double occupancy (two people per room). When you look at the "Space Ratio," or the total tonnage of a ship compared to the number of passengers, the Explorer of the Seas has less space per person compared to the Apex.
| Royal Caribbean Explorer of the Seas | Celebrity Apex | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Voyager | Edge |
| Gross Tonnage | 137,308 | 129,500 |
| Length | 1,020 | 1,004 |
| Beam/Width | 157 | 128 |
| Passenger Decks | 14 | 16 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 3,286 | 2,910 |
| Crew | 1,185 | 1,319 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 2.8 | 2.2 |
| Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 42 | 45 |
Food and Restaurants
Food is a big part of any cruise, and the ship you choose can make a huge difference in your food experience.
The Explorer of the Seas has nine different dining options like Giovanni's Table, Cafe Promenade, and Chops Grille. Of those options, eight are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other six options have an additional fee.
The Apex has ten more dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Eden Restaurant, Magic Carpet, and Spa Cafe. Eight of these restaurants are complementary and the other eleven have an additional fee.
If you like having a variety of places to eat, the Apex might be a better choice. It has 111% more dining options than the Explorer of the Seas.
If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Apex might be a better choice then the Explorer of the Seas. More of the dining options are included in the base cruise fare, potentially saving you money.
| Royal Caribbean Explorer of the Seas | Celebrity Apex | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Dining Options | 9 | 19 |
| Complimentary Dining Options: | 8 | 8 |
| Additional Fee Dining Options: | 6 | 11 |
| % of Included Options | 33% | 42% |
| See the options | See the options |
Bars and Drinks
The Royal Caribbean Explorer of the Seas and Celebrity Apex both have 10 bars to choose from during your sailing. The Explorer of the Seas has 10 bars like R Bar, Schooner Bar and Sky Bar. On Apex, you can grab a drink at 10 different bars such as Cafe al Bacio, Magic Carpet Bar and Pool Bar.
| Royal Caribbean Explorer of the Seas | Celebrity Apex |
|---|---|
| •Casino bar • Dizzy's • English Pub • Pool Bar • R Bar • Schooner Bar • Sky Bar • Solarium Bar • Star Lounge • The Tavern | •Cafe al Bacio • Craft Social • Eden Bar • Il Secondo Bacio • Magic Carpet Bar • Martini Bar • Pool Bar • Sunset bar • The Club • The Retreat Pool Bar |
In terms of drinks and cocktails, you have a variety of choices. Both ships serve the Coca-cola family of products. That means Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite and Barqs Root Beer, although the selection can vary by ship. Most Royal Caribbean ships also have Coke Freestyle machines where you can make 100 different flavor combinations.
You can check out recent the bar menus for the Explorer of the Seas and the Apex below.
Pools and Hot Tubs
Nothing beats relaxing by a pool with a nice drink in hand as you feel the fresh sea breeze pass by you. The Royal Caribbean Explorer of the Seas has a total of 3 pools and 6 hot tubs.
The Celebrity Apex has the same number of pools as the Explorer of the Seas and fewer hot tubs. There are more exclusive pools and hot tubs on the Apex. If you don't mind paying for exclusive access to areas in order to have less crowds, this might be a better choice.
Tired of loud kids and splashing? One of the pools and two of the hot tubs are adults only on Explorer of the Seas.| Royal Caribbean Explorer of the Seas | Celebrity Apex | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Pools | 3 | 3 |
| Pools - General Access | 2 | 1 |
| Pools - Adults Only | 1 | 1 |
| Pools - Exclusive | 0 | 1 |
| Total Hot Tubs | 6 | 4 |
| Hot Tubs - General Access | 4 | 2 |
| Hot Tubs - Adults Only | 2 | 1 |
| Hot Tubs - Exclusive | 0 | 1 |
Ship Features and Activities
Both ships have lots of activities to keep you busy throughout your cruise. Below you'll see a list of some of the major features on these ships. On the Explorer of the Seas, 71% of the activities below are included in the cruise fare. On the Apex, only 69% of the activities are included, meaning you might spend more money while on board.
| Royal Caribbean Explorer of the Seas | Celebrity Apex | |
|---|---|---|
| Adult Only Relaxation Area | ✓ | ✓ |
| Arcade | ✓ | ✗ |
| Basketball | ✓ | ✗ |
| Beyond the Podium Talk Series | ✗ | ✓ |
| Bingo | ✗ | ✓ |
| Casino | ✓ | ✓ |
| Climbing Wall | ✓ | ✗ |
| Eden Entertainment Space | ✗ | ✓ |
| Fitness Center | ✗ | ✓ |
| FlowRider | ✓ | ✗ |
| Ice Skating | ✓ | ✗ |
| Jogging Track | ✓ | ✓ |
| Mini golf | ✓ | ✗ |
| Outdoor movies | ✗ | ✓ |
| Pickleball | ✗ | ✓ |
| Pool-side Movies | ✓ | ✗ |
| Rooftop Garden | ✗ | ✓ |
| Shows - musical review | ✓ | ✓ |
| Spa | ✓ | ✓ |
| Thermal Suites | ✗ | ✓ |
| Water slides | ✓ | ✗ |
| Learn more | Learn more |
Cruise Costs
Royal Caribbean is considered a mainstream cruise line. Mainstream cruise lines cater to a variety of guests, hoping to provide something for everyone. These typically cost about $100 - $350 per person per day.
Celebrity, on the other hand, is a premium cruise line. Premium cruise lines typically offer upscale food, accommodations, and service. These typically cost about $150 - $400 per person per day.
Cruise pricing is dynamic and varies for each specific sailing based on factors such as departure point, ports of call, and time of year. To get a good idea of how the pricing compares, visit the cruise line's website to price out the separate cruises or consult a travel professional.
Onboard Costs
Another way to gauge the cost of a cruise is to consider how much you'll spend on board. Even though a lot is included in the base cruise fare, you may still spend money on things like spa treatments, specialty dining, drinks, and excursions. In addition, guests can also have to pay for things like gratuities and tips.
Typically guests can expect to spend about 25 - 40% of the cost of the cruise on onboard expenses. In other words, if the cruise fare is $1,000 per person, you might spend between $250 and $400 on extra expenses.
The table below will help you compare onboard prices to see if you might spend more on a specific ship.
| Royal Caribbean Explorer of the Seas | Celebrity Apex | |
|---|---|---|
| Base Daily Gratuities* (Per Person Per Day) | $18.50 | $18.00 |
| Tip added to drinks & services | 18% | 20% |
| Soda Price | $3.50 | $4.75 |
| Domestic Beer Price | $7.49 See drink menus | $9.99 See drink menus |
| Drink Package Price | $77 - $118 Learn more | $55 - $99 Learn more |
| Internet Plan | $19 to $30 per device per day | $19 to $30 per device per day |
| *Daily gratuities for a standard cabin. Suites or specialty rooms may have higher rates. | ||
Royal Caribbean uses dynamic pricing, which means the pricing for many things will vary per sailing. The daily gratuities and tip are consistent across the fleet, but the pricing for the drink package, internet, and excursions will change. The only way to know your price is to consult the Royal Caribbean cruise planner once you're booked.
Celebrity Cruise Lines offers an "All Included" program. Guests who book a cruise using this promotion will have wifi and alcohol included. Some sailings are available without this program so pay attention when booking. Typically prices are lower if they don't include "Always Included." The wifi and alcohol package are the base levels and can be upgraded for an additional cost.
We sailed aboard the Celebrity Apex
Follow along on our sailing on the Celebrity Apex. We take you through every aspect of our sailing, from getting to the port to debarking the ship. See the schedule of events, menus, what excursions we did, and what we really thought about the ship.
Celebrity Apex – Cruise Blog - Day 1 – Southampton
Celebrity Apex – Cruise Blog - Day 2 – Bruges
Celebrity Apex – Cruise Blog - Day 3 – Sea Day
Celebrity Apex – Cruise Blog - Day 4 – Flam
Celebrity Apex – Cruise Blog - Day 5 – Geiranger
Celebrity Apex – Cruise Blog - Day 6 – Bergen
Celebrity Apex – Cruise Blog - Day 7 – Sea Day
4 Hits and Misses on Celebrity Apex
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