Cruise Spotlight
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Spectrum of the Seas vs Apex
The Royal Caribbean Spectrum of the Seas was built in 2019. It's 1 year older than the Apex, which was built in 2020. 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
Ship Size
The Spectrum of the Seas is considered a large size ship. Coming in at 1,139 feet long and 135 feet wide, it's roughly the length of 3.2 football fields, as wide as 2.5 tractor-trailers and the same height as a 14-story building. Compared to the Celebrity Apex, the Spectrum of the Seas is 31% larger in terms of overall tons.
Number of Passengers
Royal Caribbean Spectrum of the Seas holds 46% 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 Spectrum of the Seas has less space per person compared to the Apex.
| Royal Caribbean Spectrum of the Seas | Celebrity Apex | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Quantum-Ultra | Edge |
| Gross Tonnage | 169,379 | 129,500 |
| Length | 1,139 | 1,004 |
| Beam/Width | 135 | 128 |
| Passenger Decks | 14 | 16 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 4,246 | 2,910 |
| Crew | 1,551 | 1,319 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 2.7 | 2.2 |
| Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 40 | 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 Spectrum of the Seas has 23 different dining options like Windjammer, Sorrento's Pizza, and Jamie's Italian. Of those options, 11 are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other 11 options have an additional fee.
The Apex has 5 fewer dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Oceanview Cafe, Cosmopolitan Restaurant, and Le Grand Bistro. 8 of these restaurants are complementary and the other 10 have an additional fee.
If you like having a variety of places to eat, the Spectrum of the Seas might be a better choice. It has 28% more dining options than the Apex.
If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Spectrum of the Seas might be a better choice then the Apex. More of the dining options are included in the base cruise fare, potentially saving you money.
| Royal Caribbean Spectrum of the Seas | Celebrity Apex | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Dining Options | 23 | 18 |
| Complimentary Dining Options: | 11 | 8 |
| Additional Fee Dining Options: | 11 | 10 |
| % of Included Options | 52% | 44% |
| See the options | See the options |
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.
There are also plenty of bars available on these ships. You can check out recent the bar menus for the Spectrum 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 problem is that with thousands of people on a ship, there's not always room. If you want to spend all day for 7 days in a pool, a cruise isn't for you. You would have a much better bet choosing a resort with a huge pool complex. That being said, a quick dip in the pool can be nice on a hot day.
The Royal Caribbean Spectrum of the Seas has a total of 4 pools and 4 hot tubs. Tired of loud kids and splashing? 1 of the pools are adults only. 1 of the pools are exclusive access, which means there's either an extra charge to access them or you need to book a certain class of cabin to have access to them.
Celebrity Apex has fewer pools than the Spectrum of the Seas and the same number of 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.
| Royal Caribbean Spectrum of the Seas | Celebrity Apex | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Pools | 4 | 3 |
| Pools - General Access | 2 | 1 |
| Pools - Adults Only | 1 | 1 |
| Pools - Exclusive | 1 | 1 |
| Total Hot Tubs | 4 | 4 |
| Hot Tubs - General Access | 4 | 2 |
| Hot Tubs - Adults Only | 0 | 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 Spectrum of the Seas, 75% of the activities below are included in the cruise fare. On the Apex, only 67% of the activities are included, meaning you might spend more money while on board.
| Royal Caribbean Spectrum of the Seas | Celebrity Apex | |
|---|---|---|
| Adult Only Relaxation Area | ✓ | ✗ |
| Arcade | ✓ | ✗ |
| Basketball | ✓ | ✓ |
| Beyond the Podium Talk Series | ✗ | ✓ |
| Bingo | ✗ | ✓ |
| Bionic Bar | ✓ | ✗ |
| Bumper Cars | ✓ | ✗ |
| Casino | ✓ | ✓ |
| Climbing Wall | ✓ | ✗ |
| Eden Entertainment Space | ✗ | ✓ |
| Fitness Center | ✓ | ✓ |
| FlowRider | ✓ | ✗ |
| Indoor Sky Diving | ✓ | ✗ |
| Jogging Track | ✗ | ✓ |
| Laser Tag | ✓ | ✗ |
| North Star | ✓ | ✗ |
| Outdoor movies | ✗ | ✓ |
| Pool-side Movies | ✓ | ✗ |
| Rooftop Garden | ✗ | ✓ |
| Shows - musical review | ✓ | ✓ |
| Spa | ✓ | ✓ |
| Splash park | ✓ | ✗ |
| Thermal Suites | ✗ | ✓ |
| 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 Spectrum 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 | $4.00 |
| Domestic Beer Price | $8.25 See drink menus | $8.00 See drink menus |
| Drink Package Price | $70 - $125 Learn more | $60 - $125 |
| Internet Plan | $17 to $30 per device per day | $20 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.
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