The Celebrity Apex has officially completed its five year mark for Celebrity Cruises after joining the fleet on March 27, 2020.

Amid the Covid-19 pandemic, the vessel was handed over by the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in a unique virtual delivery ceremony.

Via a video conference, Captain Dimitris Kafetzis, who served as Apex’s first master, ordered the exchange of the French and American flags while each country’s national anthem played in the background.

With its inaugural season cancelled due to the global health crisis, the 129,500-ton ship sailed to North America with no guests onboard in October 2020.

After returning to Europe in 2021, the Celebrity Apex finally welcomed its first passengers in July 2021, kicking off a summer deployment in the Aegean.

Sailing from Piraeus, the ship offered a series of seven-night cruises to the Greek Islands and Cyprus during its maiden season, visiting destinations such as Mykonos, Santorini, Rhodes and Limassol.

The Celebrity Apex then repositioned to the Caribbean in November 2021 for its first winter season in the region.

As a sister to the 2018-built Celebrity Edge, the ship debuted as the second ship in Celebrity’s Edge series.

The 2,900-guest vessel debuted a series of new culinary experiences, including the Craft Social Bar and a new 3-D digital animation dining experience at Le Grand Bistro.

In 2025, the Celebrity Apex is set to offer itineraries in Northern Europe, the Mediterranean and the Caribbean.

After completing a winter season sailing from Fort Lauderdale, the ship is set to arrive in Southampton in early April.

Sailing from the British port, the vessel offers seven- to 14-night cruises to the Norwegian Fjords, Scandinavia, the Arctic Circle, the Canaries, the Mediterranean and Western Europe.

In early November, the Apex returns to Florida for seven-night cruises to the Caribbean and the Bahamas departing from Port Canaveral.