Key Aspects:
- Celebrity Apex set sail on her first-ever cruise from Port Canaveral on Saturday, November 1, 2025.
- The Edge-class ship is offering 7-night Caribbean itineraries from central Florida through April 2026.
- The Celebrity Cruises ship brings Port Canaveral’s homeport fleet to 13 different vessels from six cruise lines.
It’s time to celebrate at Port Canaveral as Celebrity Apex has officially begun sailing from the Space Coast. Part of the popular Edge class with the iconic cantilevered Magic Carpet, the 130,800-gross ton vessel will be offering itineraries from Florida through April 2026, with great options for eager guests.
Celebrity Apex is not the first in the Celebrity Cruises fleet to set sail from Port Canaveral. That honor belonged to Celebrity Equinox, which began sailing from the central Florida homeport in December 2024. Celebrity Equinox has now moved on to European sailings, but Celebrity Apex is a welcome replacement.
“Celebrity Cruises’ inaugural season from Port Canaveral was hugely successful and we’re thrilled to welcome home the stunning Celebrity Apex to our Port,” said Capt. John Murray, Port Canaveral CEO.
Celebrity Apex is slightly larger than her predecessor and can welcome 3,405 guests aboard, compared to the 2,850 that can sail on Celebrity Equinox. This gives even more eager travelers the opportunity to enjoy a Celebrity cruise from Port Canaveral in the coming months.
“We have a great partnership with Celebrity Cruises and very proud of their success here that continues to contribute economic value to our Port community and beyond,” added Murray.
The ship arrived at Port Canaveral in the early hours of Saturday, November 1, following a 13-night transatlantic cruise from Southampton.
Her arrival was celebrated with a plaque exchange onboard between her master, Captain Panagiotis Skylogiannis, and Canaveral Port Authority Commissioner Kevin Markey.
Not only was the ship’s arrival the beginning of her season at the new homeport, but it is also the first time Celebrity Apex has ever visited Port Canaveral.
The plaque exchange is a maritime tradition whenever a cruise ship first visits a new port. On many vessels, these plaques, photos, and even small sculptures are displayed onboard. This showcase of the ship’s travels can be interesting for any frequent cruisers to see.
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On different ships, the plaque collection may be located near Guest Services, in an observation lounge, or in another public place where guests can enjoy the different mementos.
Now that Celebrity Apex is officially part of the Port Canaveral homeport fleet, she joins ships from five other cruise lines:
- MSC Cruises – MSC Seashore
- Norwegian Cruise Line – Norwegian Prima
- Royal Caribbean – Star of the Seas, Explorer of the Seas, Utopia of the Seas, Adventure of the Seas
- Disney Cruise Line: Disney Wish, Disney Treasure
- Carnival Cruise Line: Carnival Freedom, Carnival Vista, Carnival Glory, Mardi Gras
Of course, homeport fleets shift frequently as new ships begin different seasons and other ships move on to new regions. On November 11, for example, Norwegian Joy will begin sailing from Port Canaveral, while on November 20, Carnival Venezia will return.
Sailing Celebrity Apex from Port Canaveral
Celebrity Apex is now offering 7-night Caribbean and Bahamas itineraries from the Sunshine State. Depending on the sailing date, ports of call the ship will visit include San Juan, St. Kitts, Puerto Plata, Key West, Bimini, Grand Turk, and more.
Celebrity Apex will remain homeported from Port Canaveral until her next transatlantic cruise, a 13-night itinerary departing on April 25, 2026, and heading for Southampton.
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Along the way, she will visit Bermuda, the Azores, and Lisbon. Once in Southampton, she will begin her European season for the summer.
In October 2026, Celebrity Apex will return to Port Canaveral for another winter of Caribbean getaways. While it won’t be her inaugural season from the Florida homeport, she will certainly be welcomed back with great excitement and eager anticipation for another successful season.
