Live Aboard the Summit

[Bababooey Land]

thanks for your postings doggfan! hope you continue to have a great cruise!

[FunForUs]

Thanks for posting.

 

Would like to know if all of the shows are scheduled at 7 PM and 9 PM? Thanks, Shirley

[golfrette]

HI Doggfan7,

 

thanks for the notes! I'm glad to hear the food is generally good. I was getting worried from all the other threads about the Summit. We are leaving a week from Sunday.

 

Sounds like you'd pick Qsine over Normandie if you had to pick one?

 

Did you notice if they had a discount on board for the first night?

 

Did you get a chance to check out the Persian Gardens?

 

Thanks!!!!!!

[Beach Ball]

Hi thanks for the review. Do you know where the Elite party was held in the evening? Was it in the Michaels' Club or the Sky Lounge? I know it fluctuates on number of elites. We sail on July 21 and can't wait. Glad you had a good time. Thanks for the info.

[galleycook]

I am on board the beautiful Summit in the iLounge overlooking marvelous King's Wharf and thought I would pop on here to see if there was anybody that had any questions that I could answer for them while on board until Sunday. I got a lot of help from many of you and wanted to take a few seconds to do the same.

 

I will post a long review afterwards (not wasting cruise time now :D). But some quick highlights:

 

- The reviews I have read going into this cruise about the Summit 'showing her age' is GREATLY exaggerated. Prior to this cruise, I have sailed only on ships that were 3 years or younger (see my signature), and this ship does not seem any different. She's wonderful, and I actually love the layout and design more than any ship I've sailed previously (with the exception possibly of the Nieuw Amsterdam).

 

- The food has been very good with the exception of our dinner last night in the MDR. We have select dining and despite making reservations each night have been with a different wait staff. The waiter/asst. waiter we had last night were rude, slow, and lacked service skills entirely. The food was not good either. Not sure what happened but every other meal we have had has been stellar, including the Normandie on Tuesday night (wonderful!). Tonight we try Qsine and will let you know how it goes.

 

- My wife and I do not really drink alcohol (1 or 2 here and there but nothing crazy). For those of you that are like us, the Premium Non-Alcoholic package is the single best deal at sea. $18 per day plus 15% gratuities and we have doubled, some days tripled our savings. We only got it for one of us because the waiter that sold it to us told us that they care much less about sharing for non-alcoholic packages and to only get one. What a tip! We have gotten Pelligrino, Aqua Panna at every meal. Several bottles of Evian each day as we head out to Bermuda and before bed and at each meal. My wife has her specialty coffee every morning and after dinner and has had more virgin daiquiris/miami vices/etc than she would probably admit. Overall, great investment for those that are not big drinkers.

 

Let me know if anybody has any questions!

 

Thanks for taking the time to post and field questions while on your cruise. Excellent way to get the most up to date information. Enjoy the rest of your cruise.

[jfer8580]

Thanks for posting....any escargot on the menu yet?

[espo56]

HI Doggfan7,

 

thanks for the notes! I'm glad to hear the food is generally good. I was getting worried from all the other threads about the Summit. We are leaving a week from Sunday.

 

Sounds like you'd pick Qsine over Normandie if you had to pick one?

 

Did you notice if they had a discount on board for the first night?

 

Did you get a chance to check out the Persian Gardens?

 

Thanks!!!!!!

 

Just got off the Summit last week. I ate in birth Normandie and Qsiine. While both were excellent, Qsine, was amazing. I wish I had selected it both times. Since it was only me and my DH it as just too much food and we were t able to try as many items as we would have liked. We Re definitely going to Qsine on our next cruise.

[doggfan7]

Hi Doggfan

 

If you get a chance and happen to pass the gym I would be grateful if you could see if they have a place where you can do chin ups and dips, thank you.

 

I took a quick peak this afternoon and did not notice any such equipment, sorry :(

 

I haven't yet been on the Summit, and I've seen Alice Ripley only on Broadway. (She was phenomenal in Sideshow and in Next to Normal , for which she won a Tony Award.) But I would hardly take Jimmy Iovine's word as gospel about Broadway singers or about cabaret; that's not remotely his expertise. I have no desire to listen to his kind of music, and I love Broadway and cabaret. Clearly different people have different tastes. Some don't like cabaret. Some of us love it -- and I'm hoping the Broadway stars are still on the Summit when I sail on the ship next spring.

 

I'm sorry Bessinfla, but I am sure the reviews in the coming days will reflect what I am talking about. I love broadway. Although I haven't seen Alice, I have heard her the soundtrack from Next to Normal and thought she was wonderful. In fact, during her performance this week when she sang songs from her broadway career she was great. The problem was that 80%-90% of her set were pop songs that she butchered with over-the-top dramatics.

 

Listen, to each their own, but by the end of the show there were less than 60 people in the audience and from what I have heard around the ship, it was less than that for the other performance.

[doggfan7]

My wife and I are booked on the 8/18 sailing and have Select dining.In your opinion would you recommend Select dining after the problem you just mentioned.

 

Yes and no. I do miss the personal touches that come with having the same wait staff every night. I'm not sure how true it is, but somebody we sat with this morning at brunch hypothesized that they place their best waiters in the traditional dining sections. I do, however, enjoy picking our dining times each night to fit in with our entertainment of choice. If given the option again, I would try to get traditional seating.

 

Thanks for posting.

 

Would like to know if all of the shows are scheduled at 7 PM and 9 PM? Thanks, Shirley

 

No. The second night the show was 8 something and 10:45 PM. Another night they were 7 and 9:30. Many nights, however, they were 7 and 9 pm.

[doggfan7]

HI Doggfan7,

 

thanks for the notes! I'm glad to hear the food is generally good. I was getting worried from all the other threads about the Summit. We are leaving a week from Sunday.

 

Sounds like you'd pick Qsine over Normandie if you had to pick one?

 

Did you notice if they had a discount on board for the first night?

 

Did you get a chance to check out the Persian Gardens?

 

Thanks!!!!!!

 

The food the first four nights was generally good. I am sad to say that the quality of food in the MDR the last few nights has been subpar. Of course, food is subjective, so this is just our opinion.

 

QSine was being offered at half off the first night, not sure about Normandie. Still, our waiter in Qsine told us that even with half off on Sunday it was not overly packed.

 

I would definitely pick Qsine over Normandie. While I liked Normandie, it was certainly not worth $45 and felt a little old-fashioned.

 

Hi thanks for the review. Do you know where the Elite party was held in the evening? Was it in the Michaels' Club or the Sky Lounge? I know it fluctuates on number of elites. We sail on July 21 and can't wait. Glad you had a good time. Thanks for the info.

 

I do not know, I'm sorry.

[doggfan7]

Thanks for posting....any escargot on the menu yet?

 

Yes!!! My wife has had it three times this week! lol

[landrusiek]

The food the first four nights was generally good. I am sad to say that the quality of food in the MDR the last few nights has been subpar. Of course, food is subjective, so this is just our opinion.

 

QSine was being offered at half off the first night, not sure about Normandie. Still, our waiter in Qsine told us that even with half off on Sunday it was not overly packed.

 

I would definitely pick Qsine over Normandie. While I liked Normandie, it was certainly not worth $45 and felt a little old-fashioned.

 

 

 

I do not know, I'm sorry.

 

How do you scoop up these first night deals? Like half price Qsine?

[Keith1010]

Enjoying your posts.

 

Keith

[A Sixth?]

Just curious... what's the demographic mix? Lots of families? Kid count estimate? :confused:

[cruiseacecat]

Just curious... what's the demographic mix? Lots of families? Kid count estimate? :confused:

The kid count for last cruise was 400 plus. Happy to be home and I have learned my lesson.

[A Sixth?]

The kid count for last cruise was 400 plus. Happy to be home and I have learned my lesson.

 

Actually that number doesn't sound too bad... we cruise every year after Christmas and that would be about right... but out of San Juan they were very family close...

 

Bermuda cruise kids wilder? Only done that cruise once at the end of May, before school is out.

[ricethief]

I took a quick peak this afternoon and did not notice any such equipment, sorry :(

 

Hi thanks doggfan for having a look :)

[Rachel302]

Do you remember the name of your waiter in QSine, or if Matin is still working there? Hoping to see him again on an upcoming trip to Qsine on Summit! He was an outstanding server. Best we've had on a cruise.

Also wondering if Rumen is still serving at the Martini Bar but since you mentioned you do not really drink, no need to make a special trip for little ol' me! If you happen to notice, though. Thanks!!

[barbaragrace]

Thanks for your posts Doggfan.

Now get off that ship - it's my turn! ;)

[Spf12]

Thanks for your posts and your response to my question and a safe trip home.

[doggfan7]

How do you scoop up these first night deals? Like half price Qsine?

 

They were advertising it in the embarkation lounge in the terminal before we were able to board. I'm sure that they were offering it elsewhere throughout the ship but that's we're I saw it.

 

 

 

 

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[doggfan7]

Just curious... what's the demographic mix? Lots of families? Kid count estimate? :confused:

 

About 400 kids is accurate actually. For the most part however all very well behaved and caused no problems. We spent most of our time in the solarium and didn't see many kids throughout the week.

 

 

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[Lois R]

I bet you are off the ship now....thanks for keeping us posted and I hope

you had a wonderful cruise:)

[doggfan7]

Do you remember the name of your waiter in QSine, or if Matin is still working there? Hoping to see him again on an upcoming trip to Qsine on Summit! He was an outstanding server. Best we've had on a cruise.

Also wondering if Rumen is still serving at the Martini Bar but since you mentioned you do not really drink, no need to make a special trip for little ol' me! If you happen to notice, though. Thanks!!

 

Matin was our waiter and he was wonderful!!! Our best waiter of the trip. I'm not sure about rumen but the bartenders we encountered were very talented.

 

Ill type out a longer review later. There is something so nice about leaving a cruise ship at 8:30 and being home by 9:15!

 

 

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[landrusiek]

About 400 kids is accurate actually. For the most part however all very well behaved and caused no problems. We spent most of our time in the solarium and didn't see many kids throughout the week.

 

 

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Thanks so much! You have been very helpful!