Fresh off the success of the 2024 President’s Cruise, Celebrity Cruises has announced the destination and dates for next year’s elite sailing. For the first time, the exclusive event will be held in a new location.
In May 2025, the Celebrity Apex will take guests on the President’s Cruise to the breathtaking Norwegian Fjords. The roundtrip sailing will depart from Southampton, UK, marking a unique experience for the cruise line’s loyal guests.
A Unique Journey
The exclusive sailing, set to depart on May 17, 2025, promises unique events and activities unavailable on any other cruise. The highlight for many travellers will be the opportunity for Captain’s Club members to meet, greet, and interact with Laura Hodges Bethge, President of Celebrity Cruises, and other cruise line executive team members.
Not only will executives meet with travellers for comments and photo ops, but they will also take the time to gather feedback and suggestions from the cruise line’s loyal guests. This feedback will be studied, considered, and integrated into the cruise line’s operations where possible.
Laura Hodges Bethge said, “It is gratifying to hear guests’ stories and experience Celebrity through their eyes. The feedback and ideas we receive while onboard are instrumental in shaping the future of Celebrity Cruises, allowing us to innovate and enhance our offerings in ways that truly resonate with our guests.”
Exclusive Activities and Benefits
While the exact details of the 2025 activities list have not yet been revealed, the 2024 sailing—a 6-night Caribbean itinerary aboard Celebrity Beyond—included performances from the Team USA Artistic Swimming team and Guinness World Record holding hula hoopers, as well as an Officers vs. Guests pool volleyball game.
These unique sailings often offer premium shore excursions, additional meet-and-greet sessions, new menu items, and other exclusive benefits, which are sure to sell out quickly.
The 2025 Itinerary
The 2025 President’s Cruise will depart Southampton, UK, on May 17, 2025, for an 8-night Norwegian Fjords itinerary. Scheduled calls include Zeebrugge, Belgium, and four unique destinations in eastern Norway: Olden, Geiranger, Alesund, and Bergen. Two days at sea are also part of the itinerary.
The 130,818-gross-ton Celebrity Apex joined the Celebrity Cruises fleet in 2020 and is no stranger to Norwegian waters. The ship is homeported from Southampton through October 2024, currently offering a diverse season that includes Norwegian Fjords, Best of Scandinavia, and Arctic Circle sailings, along with Spain, Portugal, Iceland, Ireland, and Canary Island offerings.
The ship will reposition in Fort Lauderdale to spend the winter in the Caribbean. Her first tropical departure will be on November 4, 2024, following a 12-night transatlantic cruise from Southampton to Florida. Celebrity Apex will return to Southampton in April 2025, several weeks ahead of the highly anticipated President’s Cruise.
The Edge-class ship can welcome 3,405 guests aboard and is home to over 1,300 international crew members.
Looking Back at the 2024 President’s Cruise
Celebrity Cruises’ 2024 President’s Cruise just concluded at the end of June. The exclusive voyage was held aboard Celebrity Beyond, a sister ship to Celebrity Apex, on a 6-night Caribbean itinerary.
The Caribbean cruise was especially suitable for this year’s President’s Cruise as it highlighted Perfect Day at CocoCay, a new destination for Celebrity Cruises and the number one destination in Royal Caribbean Group. To showcase the island’s beauty and what the destination offers, travellers were treated to jet ski and flyboard stunt performers, Caribbean junkanoo bands, and other great activities.
The cruise also calls in Grand Cayman and Bimini, with each stop offering unique shore tours and exclusive opportunities for travellers. The event ended with a spectacular fireworks send-off from Bimini before the ship headed back toward Port Everglades.
The 2025 President’s Club cruise will be the first available to travellers since Royal Caribbean Group announced an unprecedented one-for-one loyalty tier match across all its brands – Celebrity Cruises, Royal Caribbean International, and Silversea. This is a first in the cruise industry and offers incomparable benefits to all travellers, no matter what type of cruising they prefer.