Celebrity Apex: Sanitation Record & Health Report
ShipTea Verdict
A perfect 100 on the CDC inspection. One hundred. Not 98, not 99 — the full, glorious, no-notes score that most ships only dream about while quietly hiding a lukewarm shrimp situation in the buffet line. Celebrity Apex pulled it off on its November 2025 inspection, which means at that exact moment in time, the ship was operating at a level of cleanliness that the CDC literally could not find fault with. That's not just good for Celebrity — that's elite by any measure, in a fleet where the industry average hovers around a 95. Paired with a 96.0 food safety score (a "Spotless Galley" designation, which is exactly as smug and satisfying as it sounds), the Apex is essentially the overachiever in the class photo who also somehow has great hair.
For an Edge-class ship that markets itself as a premium, design-forward experience, the Apex is putting its money where its mouth is — at least when it comes to not giving you food poisoning. The food safety grade especially matters on a ship where the dining program is a genuine selling point. When Celebrity tells you to care about the culinary experience, it helps that the galley backs it up with a score that would make a health inspector tear up a little. No outbreak history to hand-wring over here. Just clean hands, cold food kept cold, hot food kept hot, and inspectors who presumably left with nothing to write on their clipboards.
Who it's for: Cruisers who want a premium-leaning Celebrity experience without the anxiety spiral of wondering what's lurking in the lido deck ceviche. Couples, design nerds, and people who have been burned by a sketchy buffet before and are done taking chances. Who should skip it: Budget travelers who find Celebrity's pricing a bit aspirational and don't need a perfect CDC score to justify the upgrade. Also anyone who resents an overachiever on principle — the Apex will not apologize for having its act together.
Celebrity Apex at a Glance
Celebrity Apex is a Celebrity EDGE-class ship in the Celebrity fleet, built in 2021 and refurbished in 2026. It carries 2,918 passengers and measures 129,500 gross tons. Celebrity Apex has 50 sailings on the schedule through December 2027, mostly from Port Canaveral (32) and Southampton (18), most often on 7-night voyages (trips run 7 to 14 nights). The next departure is September 26, 2026 from Southampton.
Its most recent CDC inspection scored 100 out of 100 on April 19, 2026. A trend needs at least two inspections, so we will add one when the next result is published.
Celebrity EDGE-Class Sister Ships
Celebrity Apex has 1 sister ship in the Celebrity EDGE class. Here is how its latest CDC score compares.
| Ship | Line | Latest CDC score | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Celebrity Beyond | Celebrity | 100 | Feb 18, 2026 |
Score History
Outbreak Timeline
No outbreaks on record for the Celebrity Apex.
Outbreak history for this ship is not currently available from the CDC.
Environmental Rating: B-
Making Effort
Score Breakdown
Friends of the Earth Report Card
USCG Environmental Compliance
✓ Clean environmental compliance record — no MARPOL deficiencies on file.
Spotless Galley
Food Safety Sub-Score based on 3 inspections with item-level data.
Food Inspection Breakdown
Item-level deductions from the most recent inspection with detailed data.
| Item | Category | Type | Deducted | Max |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #11 | Employee Health & Illness Management | Critical | 0 | 5 |
| #12 | Employee Cleanliness & Handwashing | Critical | 0 | 5 |
| #13 | Food Safety Management & Knowledge | Critical | 0 | 5 |
| #14 | Employee Appearance | Non-Critical | 0 | 2 |
| #15 | Food Sources & Receiving | Critical | 0 | 5 |
| #16 | Food Temperature & Time Control | Critical | 0 | 5 |
| #17 | Food Protection & Prep Practices | Non-Critical | 0 | 2 |
| #18 | Cross-Contamination Prevention | Critical | 0 | 5 |
| #19 | Food Storage & Handling | Non-Critical | 0 | 2 |
| #20 | Food Display & Service | Non-Critical | -2 | 2 |
| #24 | Food-Contact Surface Cleaning | Critical | 0 | 5 |
| #25 | Wiping Cloths Cleanliness | Non-Critical | 0 | 2 |
| #26 | Equipment Sanitization | Critical | 0 | 5 |
| Total Food Deductions | -2 | 50 | ||
How Is This Calculated?
The Food Safety Sub-Score extracts deductions from 13 food-specific CDC VSP inspection items (items 11-20 and 24-26) covering employee hygiene, temperature control, cross-contamination, food storage, and equipment sanitation. The maximum possible food deduction is 50 points. Score = 100 × (1 - food deductions / 50).
Crew Treatment: Crew's Choice
This score reflects how Celebrity treats its crew — based on employee reviews, flag state quality, safety compliance, and editorial assessment. All ships in the Celebrity fleet share this line-level rating.
Glassdoor Employee Rating
★★★★☆ 4.0Based on 394 employee reviews
Score Breakdown
Flag State Quality
Celebrity Apex is registered under a Paris MOU White List flag state — the highest safety and compliance tier. Flag State Score: 100/100
Upcoming Sailings
| Voyage | Departs | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| 11 nights, round-trip from Southampton, United Kingdom | Sep 26 | 11N |
| 11 nights, round-trip from Southampton, United Kingdom | Oct 7 | 11N |
| 13 nights, one-way from Southampton to Port Canaveral | Oct 18 | 13N |
| 7 nights, round-trip from Port Canaveral, USA | Oct 31 | 7N |
| 7 nights, round-trip from Port Canaveral, USA | Nov 7 | 7N |
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Frequently Asked Questions
The latest CDC sanitation score for the Celebrity Apex is 100/100 as of April 19, 2026.
No, the Celebrity Apex has never failed a CDC inspection. All recorded scores have been 86 or above.
No, the Celebrity Apex has no recorded gastrointestinal illness outbreaks on file with the CDC.
The Celebrity Apex has a latest CDC sanitation score of 100/100. See the full inspection history and our ShipTea verdict for a complete assessment.
Based on CDC VSP inspection item-level data, the Celebrity Apex has a food safety score of 96/100 ("Spotless Galley"). This sub-score focuses on 13 food-specific inspection items covering temperature control, cross-contamination, and sanitation.
The Celebrity Apex was last inspected by the CDC on April 19, 2026.