Review: Summit May 2010, Bermuda Penthouse

[JEDIKNIGHT]

Very Suite, and a Little Sour (I thought of that all on my own, yes I did)

************************

 

Warning: A tad long, AND food intensive ;) Some personal details because it's important for the reader to know the writer's perspective, point of view, etc. No animals were harmed for this review, other than the cows I patrionized for those yummy NY strip steaks onboard Summit.

 

ABOUT US

 

Usually opt for upscale travel, be it Regent, Ritz, or Four Seasons. Not too active. Enjoy eating, hanging out, and short lines and light crowds. BUT, having 2 yr old DD, combined with lack of faith in current security attitudes, I've cut down on flying so Baltimore/NJ are an easy drive. Hence, Celebrity (X). Was always leery of "big ships" but in January 2010, we had a superb, 1st class cruise on Mercury. Food, crew, officers, it was fantastic and I figured, X might be my new home.

 

EXPECTATIONS

 

IMO mine were realistic for Summit. I was NOT comparing it to Regent or the Ritz...I didn't pay that kind of money, X doesn't claim to fit that bill either. However, I think it's more than fair to compare them to my recent X-Mercury cruise, or to compare their food to say, an Olive Garden, Old Country Buffet, or such mass-market-middle-of-road- eateries.

 

Please refer to my signature, where two GLOWING reviews for X and NCL are linked. I'm not part of Club Misery, looking for stuff to complain about. HOWEVER, I realize some readers get miffed if their favorite cruiseline is criticized and to them I apologize, but I'm not a member of Club Sycophant either. I believe in highlighting the great, but also the stuff needing improvement.

 

X isn't supposed to be lux, but they do strongly insinuate, and are indeed known to aspire to be "better" than other mass-marketers like NCL or Princess.

 

 

BOTTOM LINE

 

For a mass market cruise, it was a solid "good". However, we did NOT put down a deposit on a future cruise while onboard, while on Mercury I did it on day 3. After Mercury I was ready to say "X is my home". After Summit, my impression would be "X is pretty good. But I'm open to trying others"

 

The officers/crew of Mercury Jan 2010 would defeat this group for sure. They seemed more committed to excellence, and especially the food/buffet was better thought out on Mercury.

 

NAMING NAMES

 

Unless something was downright horrible, I won't use crewmember names if something was bad. They aren't here to defend themselves so it would be a cheap shot and also, I have little to gain by attacking in cyberspace, some dude who works harder than me and probably will never have what I do. I will use names for good stuff, however.

 

 

EMBARKATION

 

Got to port at 12pm. Suite line was short, and desk people were nice. After a 2 hour drive, DD was borderline freaking out and that's not X's fault. I did find the timing odd because after I was good to go, they pulled me aside to alert me to a free Normandie for Suite Pax that night, and if I wanted 7:30. Nothing bad about that, but I'm in line, lugging carryons and a baby, don't know what the program for tonight is....I really don't want to deal Normandie at this time. Besides, I had already made 6:30 reservations online. On Mercury, once they saw the Penthouse reservation, an X concierge personally escorted us to the Suite...very nice. That was no so this time, but we did board in a timely manner where they told us the rooms aren't ready. (No sweat, 4pm is the official time, we were early). I nicely asked the lady that can she check if the Penthouse is ready. She just curtly said they'll be making an announcement soon.

 

DD was really tired/cranky, so I went up and verified the PH was indeed ready. Met the butler and all. Ran back down (oh so fun on crowded embarkation day) and before I could get DW/DD to go, DENNIS, HouseKeeping boss approached us, saw we were having a tough time and offered to help. Told him I was in PH and in 10 seconds, he instructed a crew member to take our handbags, and we were taken to the suite.

 

The crewmember before COULD have radio'd upstairs on our behalf. On Mercury they all went above and beyond, went that extra mile. Decent Embarkation, bit VIP treatment was better for Mercury, and NCL.

 

Oh well, no biggie. The Penthouse awaited, life was good.

 

PENTHOUSE SUITE 6148

 

We were blown away. A lovely foyer with mosaic tile patterns, mirror. it was a mini-lobby from a nice Hyatt hotel. Square footage and pics were accurate compared to the real thing.

 

Plenty of lighting, electronic curtains that shut completely, and lovely LCD TV's, with DVD and VCR.

 

The internet station/desk was fine when satellite worked, huge dining table for 6 adults, and overall the paint, wood floors, furniture was comfy, well laid out, and in excellent condition.

 

Master Bath is GORGEOUS. Walk in shower, seperate WC, and a nice whirlpool tub where you look right out of the window and can see the ocean. 2 sinks, plenty of counterspace. Guest-bath is well lit, and ALSO has a shower! This is a great feature IMO. While I wish there was a shelf to store toiletries, I loved this bathroom. Shower water pressure in both were STRONG. Hairdryers in at least one bath for sure.

 

Bedroom was warm a few nights. Maintenance seemed little concerned. The room was nice and COLD in at daytime...so they told us to call them in the middle of the night if it gets warm. I opted not to do that in the middle of the night....but there is an intermittent A/C problem for sure.

 

Balcony was very spacious, with great furniture.

 

Noticed LITTLE vibration in the Penthouse, hardly an asterisk.

 

Butler's Pantry was perfect. Home-size fridge, freezer, sink, and microwave.

 

Overall it's a GREAT suite, the only thing I'd add is clearly MARKED switches for all those lights, and a less confusing remote control system for the entertainment center.

****************************

 

 

HOUSEKEEPING

 

MARTHA was headhousekeeper and the suite was PERFECT all week. She was warm, pleasant, and even opened the door for us if she saw us approaching. Very accomodating to our and DD's sleeping schedule.

 

 

NOEL was her assistant and in addition to great work, he was also very friendly and warm. Would also open the door or us, and do other small but memorable things. People like Martha and Noel are what X is about IMO.

 

 

NORMANDIE

 

I made 3 reservations and cancelled 2 after our 1st dinner here. Don't get me wrong we enjoyed it, but not enough to want to repeat.

 

Although my water glass went empty for a long while, the service here was polished and gracious with a lovely dining room to boot.

 

DW had rack of lamb that was overcooked, but not bad. I had surf-and-turf and while the filet was yummy, I'd compare it to Outback on a good night. Lobster was okay, not quite as good as Outback but decent for a cruiseship.

 

After 2 hours/45 mins we had to leave, so skipped desert.

 

 

MAIN DINING ROOM

 

1st dinner: The HeadWaiter is "ok". Kind of fast, not too concerned with specific requests. A smidgeon impatient. I'm not one to complain at dinner too much so when I just pointed to my French Onion soup where the cheese was clearly overcooked, he just kind of shrugged. But then......

 

LARRY the maitre'd came to visit us. Told us he hopes the dining meets our standards, etc. Then he whispered something to the waiter and PRESTO at that second, the waiter went thru a personality transplant and he was very attentive and wanted to make sure things were great for us. It COULD be that the maitre'd whispered the latest hockey scores to the waiter, OR he told him that we're in the PH, and that our comment card would be important. We report, you decide.

 

ARNOLD the sommlier was a pleasure. The assistant waiter while competant, was cold as ice. Hope they don't make him a headwaiter. Our assistant from Mercury was AS GOOD as our HEADwaiter on Summit.

 

Food in detail: (Overall good stuff)

 

*French Onion soup was delicious, though served lukewarm. After the Maitre'd chatted with waiter, soup was hot the rest of the week.

 

*All clear soups/consummes were great as usual.

 

*Had shrimp cocktail nightly, though they were not cold and they are supposed to be. They were cold on Mercury, and nice and chilly via Butler Room service on this cruise. More on that later.

 

*Ditto salads. They were not cold. If Mercury, and Olive Garden can serve nicely chilled salads, Summit MDR should be able to also.

 

*The Asian Springroll appetizers were awesome.

 

*NY Strip Steaks were DELICIOUS, with the Paris Butter.

 

*Rack of lamb was cooked better than in Normandie, could be just luck.

 

*OssoBucco was overcooked.

 

*BRAISED BEEF RIB, and BRAISED BEEF RIB LASAGNA....these are well kept secrets. I loved them both, more so than the lobster on formal night.

 

*Deserts were fine.

 

 

BUFFET

 

Overall good. BUT I must say if it were a reality TV show, Mercury Jan 2010's crew and food bosses could educate these guys a little. What do I mean?

 

*4 times at breakfast, I I had to hunt for coffee or tea cups. Yeah stuff happens, but it never happened on Mercury or NCL for me, and there were crewmembers walking by these stations and not taking notice. Omelette and waffle lines seem to move slower, but that could be just luck.

 

*Many times, the coffee would be depleted at a station, our they'd be out of maple syrup. Sure it can happen anywhere, but it happened here more often.

 

*Some items would be FINISHED early. For instance, chinese dumplings finished at 1pm..with an HOUR to go for lunch. Server was totally unconcerned. Breakfast quesadillas, FINISHED at 8:50...while b'fast went till 10am. Upon nicely asking the server, I got a very clueless look. Looking into his eyes was like looking inside an empty, totally unfurnished home.

 

I don't expect ANY of these hard working crew folk to be English majors or customer-service whizzes . But some of them at the buffet were...well, clue-impaired. Quite different from Mercury where the officer/manager was roving, watching, helping, and perfecting.

 

*MISSED STIR FRY. Yeah, it's personal taste. On Mercury's buffet it was on DAILY and judging by the lines I waited in, people liked it. Here it was 1 time on the buffet.

 

It's a GREAT change from meat/potato/pasta food which i love, but am also able to get at lunch and dinner daily onboard. It's good for asian palettes, many Americans/Brits enjoy it, and it's a fine alternative for vegetarians too, not to mention the low-carb crowd.

 

Also, next to the daily chinese/asian selections they had no Thai or Asian chile sauce....but had crushed red pepper. That's like serving steak with kethup bottles, but no steaksauce. Again...on Mercury, the Asian food was darn authentic right down to the toppings. Someone thought it thru.

 

INDIAN FOOD: Big for me, because my parents traveled with me in a different suite. They are Indian, and were BLOWN AWAY by the quality, and completeness of Indian food on Mercury. Here's it was very, very average. I ate it 12 out of 12 days on Mercury, here I had it once.

 

If I had "one" wish, I'd get whomever managed the Food and Buffet on Mercury to come help out here.

 

Many things WERE good. Shepherd's pie, daily veggies, assorted baked chicken, mashed potatoes, fresh breads...good stuff, as was the ice cream.

 

 

POOL GRILL

 

They cook the burgers totally well done, but I guess that's for safety. No problem. Again, I recall the detail of Mercury, vs this cruise. On Mercury the crew would look at the line, and plop burgers on the grill, and fries in the fryer accordingly. Many times I got nice hot fries. Here, they'd just make all the food and store it under the lamps...whether there were 2 or 20 ppl in line.

 

It's not some high crime or big deal. But these are little things that Mercury did SO well, stuff that differentiated it from the mass-market, stuff that almost hooked me on X.

 

COVA CAFE

 

Enjoyed a yummy croissant (that's french) and an espresso...which was served barely warm. After 25 mins DW went and got our bill, and the crewmember apologized and said she forgot about us.

 

 

LATE NIGHT CHOCOLATE BUFFET

 

I peeked in, and it seemed poorly thought out, bad crowd control and flowing of lines. People pouncing on stuff. It reminded me of the desert buffet on NCL(think, WalMart sale on a saturday morning) ....so I went back to the suite and had fruit with DW.

 

ENTERTAINMENT

 

Subjective, I know. We typically enjoy stuff like magic, stunts, comedy. The comedian was good, as was the magic show. The Cruise Director seems well intentioned, but loves hearing himself talk. One veteran crewmember even told me that a few of them are tired of hearing him on the announcements.

 

 

PORTS/EXCURSIONS

 

 

*Newport: What a treat to see Vanderbilt Mansion. Marvelous tourguide thru X, GREAT cliff walk also. Interesting to learn about the gilded age, and as someone with very strong held political beliefs I'm still having a conversation with myself over things like wealth disparity, the pros and cons of unlimited wealth, the need of zero, heavy handed, or perhaps limited government. I hope to visit New England again for sure.

 

*King's Wharf: Dolphin Swim. Not AS in depth as you might find at other larger aquariums but DW and other participants loved it. The people working there were ALL exceptionally cheerful and helpful. (Check for yourself if its cheaper to reserve direct on your own. X did nothing but tell us to walk to the aquarium. Also, you CAN'T get observer tickets thru X's website, but you can buy them at the aquarium)

 

 

 

And now, the highlight of May 2010 Summit, the International Treasure being held amongst priceless works of art................

 

RIKKI, our Butler

 

The Butler service is a HUGE reason we chose X again and Rikki didn't disappoint.

 

Friendly, eager as heck to fulfill any request, full of initiative where we'd ask for something to be done once, and then he'd incorporate it into his daily route for the week...right down to washing DD's bottles/cups, or the 2 covered fruit plates magically being in our fridge for the night. Tea party for guests, arranging birthday cake/snacks for the mini party we had for DD? Easy.

 

TWICE he served MDR dinner to us via room service. Course by course. And both times, the soup and food was HOTTER than in the main dining room and we loved the whole experience. I know the butlers are 'off' at 9, but he stayed past 10 both times for us. He even went above and beyond on debarkation morning, and made it easier for us as a result.

 

Debarkation was fine. The elevators are clogged, but I'm not sure if it's possible for a big ship to do it in any better fashion.

 

Made good time going home, and between the Campbell Soup dinner, and taking out the trash....Post Cruise Trauma set in slowly. But, it's always nice to be be home, back in our own bed and back in the saddle. Reminding myself that in a world where many face economic uncertanity, and many of our finest are in another country fighting for America...I was darn fraking lucky to be on a cruise ship for the week.

 

 

Summary...

 

After Mercury, I confidently said that if someone is looking for a nice, upscale but not over-the-top cruise, I could HEARTILY recommend. I even booked a VIP associate of mine on an X Alaska cruise for June as a reward. I could confidently tell someone who has sailed smaller, more lux ships that IF they wanted a "big ship" experience but still wanted some of the comforts of a lux ship.....book X.

 

As far as this Summit cruise goes, I would say that if you're looking for a good mass-market cruise, certainly consider this one.

 

 

Next cruises...

 

Possible Winter cruise. 2010: Might book Mercury, as they leave out of Baltimore. Wish Crystal or Holland would be a Baltimore choice too!

 

Possible Spring Cruise with in-laws: Will look at X, but will now also explore Holland and NCL.

 

 

And that's that. That's it. Thanks for reading.

 

Questions, comments or insults are always welcomed.

[nodumblond]

Very Suite, and a Little Sour (I thought of that all on my own, yes I did)

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Questions, comments or insults are always welcomed.

 

Jedi -- what a thoughtful, balanced review. Thanks very much for sharing it -- especially the description of the PH, which allowed me to live vicariously through your eyes, if only for a moment or two! I can only hope to return the favor and promise to describe our interior cabin in steerage so well when we come back from Summit next month :p !

 

DH and I have done HAL, Royal, and Carnival. As HAL has, with the exception of our trip three years ago on Jewel OTS, been the hands down winner in the service department, we're eager to see how X compares. I encourage you to investigate HAL, and hope you won't be disappointed -- like your experience with X, we've had varying levels of service on HAL ships in the past.

 

Of course, in our book, any day cruising is better than NOT cruising, so X will have to work hard to un-impress us to the point of no return -- especially if the price of interior steerage is right. :D

 

Happy sailing! (Oh, and DH can't stand the Bahamas, either. If it weren't for Ardastra Gardens, we'd never leave the ship.)

[hshowalter]

JediKnight. my wife & I were on your cruise & were on the Mercury in Feb. 2010 out of Baltimore & I agree withn you the Service & food were better on the Mercury. On the Summit we had Concierge Class & the room service was poorer than on the Mercury with their cabin steward. In the main dining room on the Summit the table next to us whom was served by our waiter had a young lady Come in 1 hr. after the 6pm seating & one night came in at 7:35. When I said something to Mgt. I was told on the Summit Guests can come any time they like & the old 30 minute rule does not apply.The elite lounge served better selection of drinks on the Mercury.

[Texed]

Jed,

Thanks for posting. :)

[WineDown17]

Jedi

Always love your posts! Well written and having been on Summit new then again last year can definitely see your point of view. Never having been on Mercury I would not have considered but now i would after following both your experiences.

 

Thank you for taking the time to post!

[cruiseacecat]

Jedi,

 

Thanks for the excellent review. I have not been on Summit for a couple of years and was just on Mercury last month so this is a little worrying. IMO, the Mercury has been the best of X's ships in terms of service, entertainment and food for quite some time. I think the problem was that you started with the best. :)

 

Anne

[Lois R]

Jedi,

 

Thanks for the excellent review. I have not been on Summit for a couple of years and was just on Mercury last month so this is a little worrying. IMO, the Mercury has been the best of X's ships in terms of service, entertainment and food for quite some time. I think the problem was that you started with the best. :)

 

Anne

 

Hi Anne, I would not worry:)...it sounds like they had a good time:D

And I have a feeling nothing will live up to Mercury these days.;)

I am going on Summit this Sunday and am totally excited.:)

 

Jedi, thanks for sharing your experience with us.

[dalitos]

Thanks for the review, I enjoyed reading it.

We were on Summit a few weeks ago and I agree with your comments about service in the buffet and the bottom line paragraph.

[AAAAmerican]

Thank you for your review.:cool:

 

Are you sure it was not Bull meat and Cow? NY does have a lot of Bull and it is May now...:rolleyes:

 

 

 

On any ship and/or trip the facility and/or ship service quality does so much depend like most things so as how the staff is trained as well managed.

 

 

Perceived is not sometimes what is received...:eek:

 

 

 

One of the best Ship Trips I was on had a HotMan ( Hotel Manager ) from Malta. He ran this ship as his own. It showed well as I asked different staff and crew what they thought of him and without saying anything pro nor con.. Each and everyone said he was great. Which IMHO he was and the best I had ever seen in action. Low and behold..yes it was told.. i was speaking with an elderly gentleman upstairs from a ships affair held in the MDR and was talking ..and then said much about the ship staffing and the HotMan how well and great he was and doing .. low and behold... it is told ...it was the HotMans Father I was and had been conversing with for about an hour... he too was a gentleman.

 

 

 

SO yes if a ship has good management and they function as they should not just how they think they are doing well sets it apart.

 

 

Try HAL as you may well see why this Line of CCL/CUK :NYSE /LSe has been the Only Cruise line to have there own Schools in other Lands for the the Officers, Staff and Crew. There length of Service with the line too speaks massive volumes..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Very Suite, and a Little Sour (I thought of that all on my own, yes I did)

************************

 

Warning: A tad long, AND food intensive ;) Some personal details because it's important for the reader to know the writer's perspective, point of view, etc. No animals were harmed for this review, other than the cows I patrionized for those yummy NY strip steaks onboard Summit.

 

ABOUT US

 

Usually opt for upscale travel, be it Regent, Ritz, or Four Seasons. Not too active. Enjoy eating, hanging out, and short lines and light crowds. BUT, having 2 yr old DD, combined with lack of faith in current security attitudes, I've cut down on flying so Baltimore/NJ are an easy drive. Hence, Celebrity (X). Was always leery of "big ships" but in January 2010, we had a superb, 1st class cruise on Mercury. Food, crew, officers, it was fantastic and I figured, X might be my new home.

 

EXPECTATIONS

 

IMO mine were realistic for Summit. I was NOT comparing it to Regent or the Ritz...I didn't pay that kind of money, X doesn't claim to fit that bill either. However, I think it's more than fair to compare them to my recent X-Mercury cruise, or to compare their food to say, an Olive Garden, Old Country Buffet, or such mass-market-middle-of-road- eateries.

 

Please refer to my signature, where two GLOWING reviews for X and NCL are linked. I'm not part of Club Misery, looking for stuff to complain about. HOWEVER, I realize some readers get miffed if their favorite cruiseline is criticized and to them I apologize, but I'm not a member of Club Sycophant either. I believe in highlighting the great, but also the stuff needing improvement.

 

X isn't supposed to be lux, but they do strongly insinuate, and are indeed known to aspire to be "better" than other mass-marketers like NCL or Princess.

 

 

BOTTOM LINE

 

For a mass market cruise, it was a solid "good". However, we did NOT put down a deposit on a future cruise while onboard, while on Mercury I did it on day 3. After Mercury I was ready to say "X is my home". After Summit, my impression would be "X is pretty good. But I'm open to trying others"

 

The officers/crew of Mercury Jan 2010 would defeat this group for sure. They seemed more committed to excellence, and especially the food/buffet was better thought out on Mercury.

 

NAMING NAMES

 

Unless something was downright horrible, I won't use crewmember names if something was bad. They aren't here to defend themselves so it would be a cheap shot and also, I have little to gain by attacking in cyberspace, some dude who works harder than me and probably will never have what I do. I will use names for good stuff, however.

 

 

EMBARKATION

 

Got to port at 12pm. Suite line was short, and desk people were nice. After a 2 hour drive, DD was borderline freaking out and that's not X's fault. I did find the timing odd because after I was good to go, they pulled me aside to alert me to a free Normandie for Suite Pax that night, and if I wanted 7:30. Nothing bad about that, but I'm in line, lugging carryons and a baby, don't know what the program for tonight is....I really don't want to deal Normandie at this time. Besides, I had already made 6:30 reservations online. On Mercury, once they saw the Penthouse reservation, an X concierge personally escorted us to the Suite...very nice. That was no so this time, but we did board in a timely manner where they told us the rooms aren't ready. (No sweat, 4pm is the official time, we were early). I nicely asked the lady that can she check if the Penthouse is ready. She just curtly said they'll be making an announcement soon.

 

DD was really tired/cranky, so I went up and verified the PH was indeed ready. Met the butler and all. Ran back down (oh so fun on crowded embarkation day) and before I could get DW/DD to go, DENNIS, HouseKeeping boss approached us, saw we were having a tough time and offered to help. Told him I was in PH and in 10 seconds, he instructed a crew member to take our handbags, and we were taken to the suite.

 

The crewmember before COULD have radio'd upstairs on our behalf. On Mercury they all went above and beyond, went that extra mile. Decent Embarkation, bit VIP treatment was better for Mercury, and NCL.

 

Oh well, no biggie. The Penthouse awaited, life was good.

 

PENTHOUSE SUITE 6148

 

We were blown away. A lovely foyer with mosaic tile patterns, mirror. it was a mini-lobby from a nice Hyatt hotel. Square footage and pics were accurate compared to the real thing.

 

Plenty of lighting, electronic curtains that shut completely, and lovely LCD TV's, with DVD and VCR.

 

The internet station/desk was fine when satellite worked, huge dining table for 6 adults, and overall the paint, wood floors, furniture was comfy, well laid out, and in excellent condition.

 

Master Bath is GORGEOUS. Walk in shower, seperate WC, and a nice whirlpool tub where you look right out of the window and can see the ocean. 2 sinks, plenty of counterspace. Guest-bath is well lit, and ALSO has a shower! This is a great feature IMO. While I wish there was a shelf to store toiletries, I loved this bathroom. Shower water pressure in both were STRONG. Hairdryers in at least one bath for sure.

 

Bedroom was warm a few nights. Maintenance seemed little concerned. The room was nice and COLD in at daytime...so they told us to call them in the middle of the night if it gets warm. I opted not to do that in the middle of the night....but there is an intermittent A/C problem for sure.

 

Balcony was very spacious, with great furniture.

 

Noticed LITTLE vibration in the Penthouse, hardly an asterisk.

 

Butler's Pantry was perfect. Home-size fridge, freezer, sink, and microwave.

 

Overall it's a GREAT suite, the only thing I'd add is clearly MARKED switches for all those lights, and a less confusing remote control system for the entertainment center.

****************************

 

 

HOUSEKEEPING

 

MARTHA was headhousekeeper and the suite was PERFECT all week. She was warm, pleasant, and even opened the door for us if she saw us approaching. Very accomodating to our and DD's sleeping schedule.

 

 

NOEL was her assistant and in addition to great work, he was also very friendly and warm. Would also open the door or us, and do other small but memorable things. People like Martha and Noel are what X is about IMO.

 

 

NORMANDIE

 

I made 3 reservations and cancelled 2 after our 1st dinner here. Don't get me wrong we enjoyed it, but not enough to want to repeat.

 

Although my water glass went empty for a long while, the service here was polished and gracious with a lovely dining room to boot.

 

DW had rack of lamb that was overcooked, but not bad. I had surf-and-turf and while the filet was yummy, I'd compare it to Outback on a good night. Lobster was okay, not quite as good as Outback but decent for a cruiseship.

 

After 2 hours/45 mins we had to leave, so skipped desert.

 

 

MAIN DINING ROOM

 

1st dinner: The HeadWaiter is "ok". Kind of fast, not too concerned with specific requests. A smidgeon impatient. I'm not one to complain at dinner too much so when I just pointed to my French Onion soup where the cheese was clearly overcooked, he just kind of shrugged. But then......

 

LARRY the maitre'd came to visit us. Told us he hopes the dining meets our standards, etc. Then he whispered something to the waiter and PRESTO at that second, the waiter went thru a personality transplant and he was very attentive and wanted to make sure things were great for us. It COULD be that the maitre'd whispered the latest hockey scores to the waiter, OR he told him that we're in the PH, and that our comment card would be important. We report, you decide.

 

ARNOLD the sommlier was a pleasure. The assistant waiter while competant, was cold as ice. Hope they don't make him a headwaiter. Our assistant from Mercury was AS GOOD as our HEADwaiter on Summit.

 

Food in detail: (Overall good stuff)

 

*French Onion soup was delicious, though served lukewarm. After the Maitre'd chatted with waiter, soup was hot the rest of the week.

 

*All clear soups/consummes were great as usual.

 

*Had shrimp cocktail nightly, though they were not cold and they are supposed to be. They were cold on Mercury, and nice and chilly via Butler Room service on this cruise. More on that later.

 

*Ditto salads. They were not cold. If Mercury, and Olive Garden can serve nicely chilled salads, Summit MDR should be able to also.

 

*The Asian Springroll appetizers were awesome.

 

*NY Strip Steaks were DELICIOUS, with the Paris Butter.

 

*Rack of lamb was cooked better than in Normandie, could be just luck.

 

*OssoBucco was overcooked.

 

*BRAISED BEEF RIB, and BRAISED BEEF RIB LASAGNA....these are well kept secrets. I loved them both, more so than the lobster on formal night.

 

*Deserts were fine.

 

 

BUFFET

 

Overall good. BUT I must say if it were a reality TV show, Mercury Jan 2010's crew and food bosses could educate these guys a little. What do I mean?

 

*4 times at breakfast, I I had to hunt for coffee or tea cups. Yeah stuff happens, but it never happened on Mercury or NCL for me, and there were crewmembers walking by these stations and not taking notice. Omelette and waffle lines seem to move slower, but that could be just luck.

 

*Many times, the coffee would be depleted at a station, our they'd be out of maple syrup. Sure it can happen anywhere, but it happened here more often.

 

*Some items would be FINISHED early. For instance, chinese dumplings finished at 1pm..with an HOUR to go for lunch. Server was totally unconcerned. Breakfast quesadillas, FINISHED at 8:50...while b'fast went till 10am. Upon nicely asking the server, I got a very clueless look. Looking into his eyes was like looking inside an empty, totally unfurnished home.

 

I don't expect ANY of these hard working crew folk to be English majors or customer-service whizzes . But some of them at the buffet were...well, clue-impaired. Quite different from Mercury where the officer/manager was roving, watching, helping, and perfecting.

 

*MISSED STIR FRY. Yeah, it's personal taste. On Mercury's buffet it was on DAILY and judging by the lines I waited in, people liked it. Here it was 1 time on the buffet.

 

It's a GREAT change from meat/potato/pasta food which i love, but am also able to get at lunch and dinner daily onboard. It's good for asian palettes, many Americans/Brits enjoy it, and it's a fine alternative for vegetarians too, not to mention the low-carb crowd.

 

Also, next to the daily chinese/asian selections they had no Thai or Asian chile sauce....but had crushed red pepper. That's like serving steak with kethup bottles, but no steaksauce. Again...on Mercury, the Asian food was darn authentic right down to the toppings. Someone thought it thru.

 

INDIAN FOOD: Big for me, because my parents traveled with me in a different suite. They are Indian, and were BLOWN AWAY by the quality, and completeness of Indian food on Mercury. Here's it was very, very average. I ate it 12 out of 12 days on Mercury, here I had it once.

 

If I had "one" wish, I'd get whomever managed the Food and Buffet on Mercury to come help out here.

 

Many things WERE good. Shepherd's pie, daily veggies, assorted baked chicken, mashed potatoes, fresh breads...good stuff, as was the ice cream.

 

 

POOL GRILL

 

They cook the burgers totally well done, but I guess that's for safety. No problem. Again, I recall the detail of Mercury, vs this cruise. On Mercury the crew would look at the line, and plop burgers on the grill, and fries in the fryer accordingly. Many times I got nice hot fries. Here, they'd just make all the food and store it under the lamps...whether there were 2 or 20 ppl in line.

 

It's not some high crime or big deal. But these are little things that Mercury did SO well, stuff that differentiated it from the mass-market, stuff that almost hooked me on X.

 

COVA CAFE

 

Enjoyed a yummy croissant (that's french) and an espresso...which was served barely warm. After 25 mins DW went and got our bill, and the crewmember apologized and said she forgot about us.

 

 

LATE NIGHT CHOCOLATE BUFFET

 

I peeked in, and it seemed poorly thought out, bad crowd control and flowing of lines. People pouncing on stuff. It reminded me of the desert buffet on NCL(think, WalMart sale on a saturday morning) ....so I went back to the suite and had fruit with DW.

 

ENTERTAINMENT

 

Subjective, I know. We typically enjoy stuff like magic, stunts, comedy. The comedian was good, as was the magic show. The Cruise Director seems well intentioned, but loves hearing himself talk. One veteran crewmember even told me that a few of them are tired of hearing him on the announcements.

 

 

PORTS/EXCURSIONS

 

 

*Newport: What a treat to see Vanderbilt Mansion. Marvelous tourguide thru X, GREAT cliff walk also. Interesting to learn about the gilded age, and as someone with very strong held political beliefs I'm still having a conversation with myself over things like wealth disparity, the pros and cons of unlimited wealth, the need of zero, heavy handed, or perhaps limited government. I hope to visit New England again for sure.

 

*King's Wharf: Dolphin Swim. Not AS in depth as you might find at other larger aquariums but DW and other participants loved it. The people working there were ALL exceptionally cheerful and helpful. (Check for yourself if its cheaper to reserve direct on your own. X did nothing but tell us to walk to the aquarium. Also, you CAN'T get observer tickets thru X's website, but you can buy them at the aquarium)

 

 

 

And now, the highlight of May 2010 Summit, the International Treasure being held amongst priceless works of art................

 

RIKKI, our Butler

 

The Butler service is a HUGE reason we chose X again and Rikki didn't disappoint.

 

Friendly, eager as heck to fulfill any request, full of initiative where we'd ask for something to be done once, and then he'd incorporate it into his daily route for the week...right down to washing DD's bottles/cups, or the 2 covered fruit plates magically being in our fridge for the night. Tea party for guests, arranging birthday cake/snacks for the mini party we had for DD? Easy.

 

TWICE he served MDR dinner to us via room service. Course by course. And both times, the soup and food was HOTTER than in the main dining room and we loved the whole experience. I know the butlers are 'off' at 9, but he stayed past 10 both times for us. He even went above and beyond on debarkation morning, and made it easier for us as a result.

 

Debarkation was fine. The elevators are clogged, but I'm not sure if it's possible for a big ship to do it in any better fashion.

 

Made good time going home, and between the Campbell Soup dinner, and taking out the trash....Post Cruise Trauma set in slowly. But, it's always nice to be be home, back in our own bed and back in the saddle. Reminding myself that in a world where many face economic uncertanity, and many of our finest are in another country fighting for America...I was darn fraking lucky to be on a cruise ship for the week.

 

 

Summary...

 

After Mercury, I confidently said that if someone is looking for a nice, upscale but not over-the-top cruise, I could HEARTILY recommend. I even booked a VIP associate of mine on an X Alaska cruise for June as a reward. I could confidently tell someone who has sailed smaller, more lux ships that IF they wanted a "big ship" experience but still wanted some of the comforts of a lux ship.....book X.

 

As far as this Summit cruise goes, I would say that if you're looking for a good mass-market cruise, certainly consider this one.

 

 

Next cruises...

 

Possible Winter cruise. 2010: Might book Mercury, as they leave out of Baltimore. Wish Crystal or Holland would be a Baltimore choice too!

 

Possible Spring Cruise with in-laws: Will look at X, but will now also explore Holland and NCL.

 

 

And that's that. That's it. Thanks for reading.

 

Questions, comments or insults are always welcomed.

[RodPat]

I think it is a lot easier to have good service on a small ship like Mercury. Less people to serve. Mercury was our first Celebrity ship we sailed on and we loved her. I am glad that you had a good time in your PH on Summit. We have sailed M ships many times and some were exceptional and some just alright. Just depends what crew members are serving you. It is like a day in your life, some are just nicer than others.

 

Pat

[mahdnc]

Terrific write-up. Thanks for taking the time to put it together.....

[portofrome]

Thank you for the review.

[CruisingChick]

Thank you so much for your review.

 

We sailed Mercury March 29 - April 9. The crew and service was exceptional.

 

We are trying to decide on an October 2010 cruise and it's between Summit and Mercury (since we don't want the expense of flying). I'm leaning toward Mercury again event hough it's only an 11 night cruise and Summit is a 14 night cruise. Also Summit in NJ is much closer than Mercury in Baltimore, but it was such a great cruise on Mercury that it's hard not to go back.

[JEDIKNIGHT]

Hi MaryC....thanks for reply and tip on HAL. I'm checking it out. Even if nothing happens...it's just fun to nose around cruiseline websites :)

[JEDIKNIGHT]

HI Hso...

 

Yes, there were other pax on this cruise who expressed the same sentiment. I think the best we can do is nicely write to the corporation. I'm going to do it...not with hopes of getting a free wine bottle or OBC, but in the hopes of helping. I think X truly wants to be a quality outfit. And if WE don't help guide them, then, well, we're part of the problem.

 

Apathy and low standards are part of the reason why airlines have devolved into cattlecars. Pax sent a message that all they care about is price, that's it, period.

[jcpc]

Jedi,

 

Thanks for your review.

 

After sailing Celebrity many times I will say that the whole cruise experience (from service to quality of food) that I received on Mercury in the fall of 2009 was without a doubt the BEST that I have ever received on any Celebrity sailing. The officers and crew of that ship were one well-oiled, very happy machine. My presumption is that you received this outstanding service also when you sailed Mercury.

 

I'm sailing Summit on May 30 so I'll be curious to compare my experience with yours.

 

I've also sailed HAL a few times recently and while their service was absolutely great I definitely was not impressed with the food.

 

Again, thanks for taking the time to post and may the force also be with you :)

 

Janice

[sarahc78]

Great review... I am having a problem uploading my pictures so hopefully within the next day or two I can have mine up :o

[Mabers]

Jedi.....

 

Can't say I disagree with anything you said....had the exact same observations for the most part, altho' mine were from Deck 2, with only a cabin steward to attend to my very few needs! He was OK....any disappointment I had came in the food area.

 

The unfortunate part for me was that I had my daughter along with me, (and her SO), and I had previously given them blow by blow descriptions from Constellation about how wonderful everything/body was. Summit was a bit of a lunchbag letdown, but did not ruin our cruise by any means. It just made me out to be an over exuberant cruiser.....guilty as charged!

 

I enjoyed meeting your mom and dad.....sorry I didn't get to meet you!

 

Sheila.

[JEDIKNIGHT]

Hi WineDown.....

 

Thanks for the kind words and yes, Mercury was indeed better.

 

But of course it could be luck....depends on if the right officers are running the show in a visible and hands on way. But, my guess is that the 'culture' of Mercury crew is more service oriented...so transferees and newbies aspire to that, vs the "okay" or "so-so" attitude on Summit.

[Gasdoc]

Excellent review. We first sailed Summit to Alaska in 2004. Rikki was our butler and was the highlight of our cruise. Nothing was to difficult for him, and always done with a great attitude and a smile. On Constellation in Northern Europe in 2006 our butler was ok, but no Rikki. We were back on Summit in the Med in 2008, and alas Rikki was on vacation. Our butler meant well, but again was no Rikki. I am about to book Bermuda for 2011 and I am very hopeful Rikki will not be on break. He is the standard in my opinion and a tremendous asset to Celebrity.

[JerseyGem]

Thanks for your detailed review. Our DD is considering the Summit for her wedding (July 2011 cruise to Bermuda). I hope your comments to the cruise line will result in significant improvements by then! We have "commented" in the past to cruise lines and always wonder if our comments are even read, let alone taken seriously. (We had several "issues" in the MDR on our Nov 2009 cruise on the Constellation. We and the others at our table felt that the food services on that ship were not as tightly controlled (or supervised) as on previous cruises. The end result was a less pleasant experience for the passengers; certainly less pleasant than many of us expected from X).

 

My DD's main concern is the condition of the Summit. She's read that the ship is old and worn; she's concerned that chipped paint and frayed furnishings will be the backdrop for her wedding pictures! The Summit isn't scheduled for dry dock until after her cruise, so it will be as it was for your cruise (just a year older). What is your opinion on the condition of the ship's public rooms?

 

Also, I realize that you traveled with a very young DD, so you may not have had a chance to particiate in the nightlife, but do you remember reading about any late night activities? DD and her friends will want to "party hearty" until the wee hours!

 

Thank you!

[RodPat]

Thanks for your detailed review. Our DD is considering the Summit for her wedding (July 2011 cruise to Bermuda). I hope your comments to the cruise line will result in significant improvements by then! We have "commented" in the past to cruise lines and always wonder if our comments are even read, let alone taken seriously. (We had several "issues" in the MDR on our Nov 2009 cruise on the Constellation. We and the others at our table felt that the food services on that ship were not as tightly controlled (or supervised) as on previous cruises. The end result was a less pleasant experience for the passengers; certainly less pleasant than many of us expected from X).

 

My DD's main concern is the condition of the Summit. She's read that the ship is old and worn; she's concerned that chipped paint and frayed furnishings will be the backdrop for her wedding pictures! The Summit isn't scheduled for dry dock until after her cruise, so it will be as it was for your cruise (just a year older). What is your opinion on the condition of the ship's public rooms?

 

Also, I realize that you traveled with a very young DD, so you may not have had a chance to particiate in the nightlife, but do you remember reading about any late night activities? DD and her friends will want to "party hearty" until the wee hours!

 

Thank you!

 

I sail on Summit on Sunday. I will be glad to come back to this thread and tell my honest thoughts about this ship. I am sailing with Lois R who is well known on these boards. She sailed Summit already this year and said the condition of the ship was fine. I will make sure to see if there are late night things happening on the ship for you.

 

Pat

[sarahc78]

Thanks for your detailed review. Our DD is considering the Summit for her wedding (July 2011 cruise to Bermuda). I hope your comments to the cruise line will result in significant improvements by then! We have "commented" in the past to cruise lines and always wonder if our comments are even read, let alone taken seriously. (We had several "issues" in the MDR on our Nov 2009 cruise on the Constellation. We and the others at our table felt that the food services on that ship were not as tightly controlled (or supervised) as on previous cruises. The end result was a less pleasant experience for the passengers; certainly less pleasant than many of us expected from X).

 

My DD's main concern is the condition of the Summit. She's read that the ship is old and worn; she's concerned that chipped paint and frayed furnishings will be the backdrop for her wedding pictures! The Summit isn't scheduled for dry dock until after her cruise, so it will be as it was for your cruise (just a year older). What is your opinion on the condition of the ship's public rooms?

 

Also, I realize that you traveled with a very young DD, so you may not have had a chance to particiate in the nightlife, but do you remember reading about any late night activities? DD and her friends will want to "party hearty" until the wee hours!

 

Thank you!

The only party area on the boat in the evenings was The Revelations. Live music and dancing til the wee hours.

[Pirate1]

Hi Anne, I would not worry:)...it sounds like they had a good time:D

And I have a feeling nothing will live up to Mercury these days.;)

I am going on Summit this Sunday and am totally excited.:)

 

Jedi, thanks for sharing your experience with us.[/quote]=======

 

Yes overall we had a good time also (more because of the company!).

 

I think Jedi while a very good writer has been very diplomatic !

 

BEWARE, if you are on the Summit ......When you come across POOR SERVICE , ask to see the Hotel Manager Julian. LET HIM KNOW.

 

As a business owner / manger, I know the "speed" of the boss is the "speed" of the employees !

 

If Mercury ( Hotel Manager Jill ) spoiled us and we have to settle for less on the other X ships....Management beware, that is exactly how once great companies ( Remember GM?) go down hill....fast !

 

More later.

 

P

[CruisingChick]

I sail on Summit on Sunday. I will be glad to come back to this thread and tell my honest thoughts about this ship. I am sailing with Lois R who is well known on these boards. She sailed Summit already this year and said the condition of the ship was fine. I will make sure to see if there are late night things happening on the ship for you.

 

Pat

 

Pat I would appreciate an honest review when you return. We are trying to decide between Summit and Mercury for our October cruise. We were just on Mercury March 29 and the service and food were exceptional. We had a wonderful time. But we'd like to do Summit because it's 14 nights as opposed to Mercury's 11 nights and NJ is much closer to CT than Baltimore, MD. So we are torn which sailing to choose. Better service and food are important to us.

 

I hope you and Lois R have a fantastic cruise. I on the other hand will be heading to Syracuse, NY on Sunday to move our son back home from college.