Celebrity President's Cruise 2025 in the Norwegian Fjords

On May 17th, 2025 the Celebrity Apex set out on the Celebrity President's Cruise amongst the Norwegian Fjords. While the Apex has done this cruise several times before this time it was doing it with the President of Celebrity Cruises onboard and had special events and parties planned.

What is a President’s Cruise?

Not all cruise lines do a President’s Cruise, but Celebrity still does. It’s a chance for the president of the cruise line, Laura Hodges Bethge, to personally appreciate and thank all the cruisers of Celebrity. It’s mostly popular with the most loyal, and highest Captain’s Club members.

The Celebrity President's Cruise is done annually on different ships, at different times, and in different locales. It has become a bucket list item for many long time cruises. Generally, an already existing cruise will be selected a year in advance evolving it like a Pokémon into a President’s Cruise. 

What happens on a President’s Cruise?

Because it’s a once a year event, they pull out all the stops when it comes to celebrating. You will find additional parties, shows, lectures, and gifts. Additional crew may join, like this year there were two cruise directors juggling all the events and activities. Because the top brass is on board, you might also find that every crew member is on their A game.

For 2025 the President’s Cruise has activities like a chocolate night, complete with building a giant chocolate statue of the Celebrity Apex ship. A resident artist who created several large artworks while party goers watched on. For those highest in the Captain’s Club there were additional meet and greet with the president and special dining event.   

Where was the cruise this year?

As mentioned above, this year’s Celebrity President’s Cruise was the Celebrity Apex. The Apex is a Edge class ship that is only six years old. She was decked out in special English garden decorations for the cruise. 

Her center Chandelier Bar was a hot spot for events like the Chocolate party. The Apex has the Magic Carpet, a platform that hangs over the ship that can move up and down. This was perfect for viewing the waterfalls of the fjords.

The itinerary was out of Southampton and made its first stop in Bruges in Belgium. Then onto Norway for Olden, Geiranger, Ålesund, and Stavanger. The majestic fjords of Norway were a sight to behold and something you should definitely see. 

Was it worth it?

The Celebrity President's Cruise was like a normal cruise with an elevated events schedule. It’s a great way to experience the best of what a cruise line has to offer. 

If you’re just looking for a cruise and the schedule and itinerary of the President’s Cruise is speaking to you, it’s going to be a fun time. Because of its popularity though, it may end up being a bit pricier. 

For those who are committed or love a cruise line, it’s definitely a bucket list item to experience.