Tell me about Bermuda and the Summit

[midwestchick]

Just got off the phone with one of my BFF's...actually met in Grand Cayman and we've been meeting in the Caribbean every year since. So, chatting away we're talking about getting together this year...her DH would love to cruise and I've (we've) toyed with the idea of Bermuda on and off for a few years. I know Bermuda has a short season...how is the Summit and how is Bermuda. Please give me the pros and cons...seems like more sea days than days in port. Thoughts?

How does the Summit compare to the Silhouette? Guess if I'm going to add another cruise, might as well keep all "my eggs" in one basket...of course meaning Captain's club points.

[DAK76]

We've sailed on the Summit four time (once to Bermuda), and the Solstice once (and also with Azamara, which I see in your cruise history).

 

We very much like the Summit, and may very well repeat an itinerary with her again some time. These days, she feels like a "smaller" ship, now that the S-class and mega-ships are more common, although not nearly as small as the Azamara ships. Since the "Solsticization", the dining options are good, between the MDR, Normandie, Qsine, and Blu (if you decide to go Aqua); we've also enjoyed Bistro on Five for a light dinner on occasion.

 

We've also enjoyed the service on the Summit; there's a friendliness and atmosphere that adds to the general enjoyment of the cruise. Entertainment options are usually pretty good, depending on your tastes and who happens to be on board; we've encountered some of our favorite entertainers on the Summit. The Summit is also large enough to host bigger productions in the theatre, if that's to your liking.

 

As for Bermuda, we went back for our first visit since our honeymoon 30+ years ago. Three days in Bermuda is probably enough. You will have those sea days (we had one extra because of Hurricane Irene); although we usually prefer a destination to a sea day, we were quite happy with the balance on our Bermuda trip.

 

Another nice aspect of the Bermuda cruise for us was that we could avoid air travel and drive from the Boston area to Bayonne for the trip, reducing cost and hassles (if you overlook the small matter of the hurricane...).

 

One caveat, if this matters to you: expect a lot more kids. Since the cruise leaves from Bayonne, it is naturally attractive to families from the New York/New Jersey area, who don't need to fly there. If I recall correctly, there were almost 200 children on our cruise. In a conversation with the Cruise Director, he told us that they had staffed up to handle the large numbers, and I have to say that, because of all the organized activities, it wasn't a big deal for us (my wife teaches first grade).

 

I'm not sure we'll do that cruise again soon, but only because we have other destinations higher on our list; we very much enjoyed the cruise.

 

[Our once-in-a-lifetime hurricane "hassle": our trip was extended a day because we were scheduled to arrive in New York the day Irene hit. We were worried about our car on the pier, but that worked out OK. We almost ran out of gas in Connecticut because much of the state was without electricity, but it all worked out.]

[SailBadtheSinner]

Just got off the phone with one of my BFF's...actually met in Grand Cayman and we've been meeting in the Caribbean every year since. So, chatting away we're talking about getting together this year...her DH would love to cruise and I've (we've) toyed with the idea of Bermuda on and off for a few years. I know Bermuda has a short season...how is the Summit and how is Bermuda? Please give me the pros and cons...seems like more sea days than days in port. Thoughts?

How does the Summit compare to the Silhouette? Guess if I'm going to add another cruise, might as well keep all "my eggs" in one basket...of course meaning Captain's club points.

 

 

Don't know if this will answer your question about Bermuda; but I like to go to Bermuda because the people there are helpful and genuinely friendly, the island is clean, the beaches are beautiful, there is much to see and do beside the beaches, and the island is not a tourist trap. I've never been approached by a panhandler, and have never seen a street vendor. I feel safe when out & about.

You are made to feel as a welcome guest in their home, not someone who is just to be tolerated.

 

 

SBtS

[ondeckatsea]

I agree with everything the above poster has said. We've been on the Summit and have been to Bermuda. It is an unusually lovely island and very clean. We've been to islands all over the world and it is by far the cleanest. We are thinking of Bermuda again this year but haven't decided on the date yet. As for the Summit, it's a great ship and you won't be disappointed. I kind of like the smaller size.

[jgnova]

Ditto most of the other comments. Lovely ship and island. And you're there pretty much for 3 full days (well, most of that last one). You can buy a multi-day ferry pass to get around the place - St. George is lovely. We've gone around Memorial Day both times and did not notice that many kids. And our experience on cruises with more kids (like holidays) is that they've usually been well behaved.

 

There's a trade-off between pricing and the number of kids. If you go when traffic picks up, there may be more families. But if you go before things pick up, you'll have lower prices - but also the risk that they can't fill the ship and start really cutting prices to locals to do that. There was a horror cruise a couple of years ago out of Bayonne when that happened, I think in December.

 

j

[midwestchick]

Thank you for all your replies. I've wanted to see Bermuda for a long time. We don't dislike children...we have grandchildren....what we do mind is children who misbehave and their behavior is allowed by their parents. 200 children is a lot...will definitely be doing more research in the upcoming weeks.

[cynbar]

We have sailed Summit to Bermuda and absolutely would do it again. We actually enjoyed having the 3 days in one port ---- no rushing to get back to the ship each afternoon, the chance to get off the ship in the evening, the lovely views from both sides of the ship. Bermuda is clean, prosperous, friendly with absolutely breathtaking scenery and gorgeous pastel houses (and moon gates!). No rental cars, but most cruisers buy a pass that includes all the ferries and buses, makes it really easy to get around on your own. Buy a good guidebook and just plan out what you want to see, but highlights are Horseshoe Bay beach, St George's (a pleasant historical town with good beaches nearby), Swizzle Inn, the caves and gardens, the bustling town of Hamilton across the harbor from the cruise ship dock --- I could go on and on. Summit is an elegant, more old fashioned ship but very well kept. We would definitely go again.

[Wine-O]

Thank you for all your replies. I've wanted to see Bermuda for a long time. We don't dislike children...we have grandchildren....what we do mind is children who misbehave and their behavior is allowed by their parents. 200 children is a lot...will definitely be doing more research in the upcoming weeks.

 

We did Summit in July one year. Lots of kids, but not in the areas where we frequented during the 3 sea days. Elite breakfast - no kids, Elite happy hour in the evening -- no kids, Solarium/T-Pool -- no kids. AQ Spa Café -- very few kids. Martini bar -- no kids. Cellar Masters -- no kids. Late seating in MDR - few to no kids.

 

Hint: Stay away from the Buffet areas. :eek:

[Carlottalotta]

My husband & I sailed on the Summit last May on their repositioning cruise. There were a couple of sea days, which we thought were very relaxing. The sail from Bermuda back to Cape Liberty got a little rough with the higher seas. My understanding is that's not uncommon between those 2 ports. We really liked the ship & the staff. We are going again the first of next month.

 

Regarding Bermuda, it was our first time there, so we took an excursion through the ship to tour the island. Our guide, Mark Anderson, was very informative & reeeally funny! We loved him & would recommend. We love snorkeling & had planned to snorkel, but the water wasn't calm, so we switched & were glad we did.

 

Hope you have a great time!

[CruisersTimesThree]

We've sailed the Summit the last two years to Bermuda for the pure reason that we love the ship and the island is one of our favorites.

I'm not a fan of the super ships and the Summit is just the right size for me.

Service is wonderful, food is great, drink package is the best.

Entertainment is subjective. I've seen shows I loved and others I wished I didnt attend.

Bermuda itself is a gem.

Clean, friendly people, easy to navigate around the island because of their finely run transportation system (buses, ferries, taxis)

IMHO the beaches in Bermuda are more beautiful then several other places I've been, including Hawaii.

Both cruises we took the second week of June which was a very nice time to be in Bermuda. Not many children at this time of the year onboard as, at least in the NY metro area, the kids are in school till the last week of June.

Also cruise fares jump way up once the kids are out for July and August.

I think you'll really enjoy this trip if you decide to go for it!

[Lois R]

I have sailed Summit 6 times, most recently back in August to Bermuda:D

I love the this ship:) and Bermuda is really nice too. It is a different

type of itinerary......you sail from New Jersey for 2 days and then the

ship is docked for 3 days and then back home for 2 days. So the ship

is more like a hotel. The gangway is open 24/7 so you can come and

go as much or as little as you like.

 

As for the ship comparison? The S class ships are larger and carry more

people. The deck plans are different......and of course they are newer.

 

And yes, more families sail to Bermuda because the season is May to

September so it is when kids are out of school and you are sailing from

the Tr-state area.

 

I enjoyed my cruise very much and would do Bermuda again:)

Edited January 11, 2014 by Lois R

[rebeccalouiseagain]

The Bermuda cruises will have lots of kids after the first week of June and before the first week of September. Just be warned.

 

I did the Summit to Bermuda and loved it BUT the pool area was absolutely packed on the sea days. The ship was filled to capacity with famiiies traveling 4 to a cabin.

 

The children were all well- behaved and a good time was had by all.

 

The Millenium Class ships are older and the spa isn't as nice on Summit as on S- class ships. The Persian Gardens for example is not worth paying for on Millenium class ships like Summit.

 

The food was great and I love "Bistro on Five" and "Qsine"

 

Bermuda is a great place and we thoroughly enjoyed snorkling, swimming with the dolphins and visiting the zoo/aquarium and crystal cave while we were there. The island is lovely and you aren't pestered to buy things like in the Caribbean.

 

I highly recommend this cruise. We came home feeling refreshed!

[jayoldschool]

We've done Bermuda on X twice. Still sad that they can't dock at the old sites anymore, it is not as enjoyable to be in the new dock.

[jdarch]

As you can see I love the Summit and I love Bermuda:)

[DAK76]

Thank you for all your replies. I've wanted to see Bermuda for a long time. We don't dislike children...we have grandchildren....what we do mind is children who misbehave and their behavior is allowed by their parents. 200 children is a lot...will definitely be doing more research in the upcoming weeks.

 

I think I was the one who mentioned "almost 200 children", but if you're OK with kids in general, I don't think you would have minded the cruise we were on. Yes, we saw more kids than usual in the dining room and engaged in activities, but we saw few, if any, cases of "misbehavior".

 

If you want to see Bermuda, and you're OK with kids, please don't let my advisory stop you. Bermuda is a beautiful island, and the Summit has been great for us for four trips, so I don't see how you can go wrong.

[20pluscruises]

I'll give you my honest opinion...I find the ships that need to be soon refurbished or sold now do the Bermuda itinerary. 1990 is when Celebrity first started doing the Bermuda ...so many have done it that it has lost it's customer base.

 

My guess...it's nowone of the less expensive cruises with Celebrity...this is your fisrt clue as to ship condition, crew, etc.

Edited January 12, 2014 by 20pluscruises

[F5Loar]

It got a total refurb 2012. Should still be decent. I think it's still too big dock in Hamilton.

The kids on an X cruise are way better controlled than you will find on Carnival or NCL.

Let's face if you can afford this cruise, you likely could afford to have raised your children a proper way. However on every cruise you will have that one kid that will punch all the buttons on the elevator and then leave.

[20pluscruises]

It got a total refurb 2012. Should still be decent. I think it's still too big dock in Hamilton.

The kids on an X cruise are way better controlled than you will find on Carnival or NCL.

Let's face if you can afford this cruise, you likely could afford to have raised your children a proper way. However on every cruise you will have that one kid that will punch all the buttons on the elevator and then leave.

 

There's always one little "Eddie Haskel" :D

[midwestchick]

All afternoon and evening I've been searching for a spring vacation. I'm not opposed to sailing to Bermuda but the more I think of it, I don't think 3 days is truly enough. When we visit the Caribbean, we normally do a resort...10-14 days. We love to snorkel, sit on the beach and venture out. When we visit our favorite places, we do not see vendors and no one bothers us...thank goodness. We've been to some of those places and done that...one reason why we will not return.

I'm also not opposed to being on a ship for days...I don't know if there is anyone that loves being on a ship, or boat and water more than I do...back in the day, I could outlast everyone in the family fishing on our boat...yep....keep me on water and I'm one happy lady.:D

All the replies were wonderful and I appreciate all the advice.

I'll do a little more exploring, but the resorts are beginning to sound much more to our liking....on the beach for days..snorkeling...truly a relaxing vacation. I'm hoping Bermuda is one more thing to cross off our bucket list......we want to see it all with one visit.

[Stateroom_Sailor]

We're planning to do the Summit to Bermuda in 2016, but on the Repositioning cruise from San Juan to New Jersey. There's only one date to choose from, and you get a day less in Bermuda, but you also get to see 3 other islands on the way.

[NorthCarolinaBelle]

I'll give you my honest opinion...I find the ships that need to be soon refurbished or sold now do the Bermuda itinerary. 1990 is when Celebrity first started doing the Bermuda ...so many have done it that it has lost it's customer base.

 

My guess...it's nowone of the less expensive cruises with Celebrity...this is your fisrt clue as to ship condition, crew, etc.

Summit, the ship that goes to Bermuda, is a beautiful, traditional-looking ship, and other than normal wear and tear, we haven't noticed it looking older. It's the smaller Millenium class, but we like that better anyway. We cruised on Reflection and despite all the bells and whistles, we liked Summit better!:)

Edited January 12, 2014 by NorthCarolinaBelle
spelling error

[RSLeesburg]

Thank you for all your replies. I've wanted to see Bermuda for a long time. We don't dislike children...we have grandchildren....what we do mind is children who misbehave and their behavior is allowed by their parents. 200 children is a lot...will definitely be doing more research in the upcoming weeks.

 

We sailed on Grandeur out of Baltimore to Bermuda at end of Sep, and there were less than 50 kids on board (our son being one of them). This might be another option for Bermuda.

[Lois R]

Once September rolls around there are usually less kids. Summit's Bermuda

run only goes to the very beginning of Sept. She has been doing 14

night New England/Canada cruises for the past few years. They usually take up almost the entire month of Sept going into the middle of Oct.

 

Oh, Summit had a 3 week drydock in Jan 2012 and because she does

Bermuda? That does not mean she is being sold:eek:

[cyntil8ing]

I'll give you my honest opinion...I find the ships that need to be soon refurbished or sold now do the Bermuda itinerary. 1990 is when Celebrity first started doing the Bermuda ...so many have done it that it has lost it's customer base.

 

My guess...it's nowone of the less expensive cruises with Celebrity...this is your fisrt clue as to ship condition, crew, etc.

 

I disagree. Airfare notwithstanding, right now my 8/10 Bermuda cruise costs more than a week in the Med on an S-class ship.

 

I've been to Bermuda three times on the Summit and will be going again next summer. I've found new things to do each time. I will never understand the people that consider an island "done" once they've been there once or twice. We still find new things to do in Nassau!

 

And again, you're wrong about the ship condition and certainly about the crew. Wonderful ship. Fantastic crew.

[jgnova]

After our first Summit sailing to Bermuda, we thought about flying over for a week. Then I started researching and found out how expensive that would be. Even though the Summit Bermuda prices are more than some other sailings (Bermuda charges a hefty amount for docking, etc.), it's still cheaper than the hotels and food. And we get 3-4 days at sea!

 

Summit was completely redone a couple of years ago and is lovely. The only reason there is a reputation of the older ships being used for the Bermuda runs is that until they built the new Royal Dockyard facility and started regular ferry runs, the only ships that could go to Bermuda without tendering were the older and smaller ships that could dock in Hamilton and St. George's. At this point, there aren't many of those. The last HAL ship had to tender St. George's after they renovated the ship and made some change that made docking in St. George's too risky.

 

The Bermuda government has been considering some major work that would let larger ships dock in Hamilton & St. George's but I don't know the status of that project. I think they're also going to allow the ship casinos to stay open in an effort to keep the ships coming.

 

j