Thoughts on Summit 3/26 Southern Caribbean

[FLbeachbaby]

Transportation- since the ship leaves at 8:00 we flew in same day. No checked baggage so walked to cab stand. $24 for two people and 2 bags to the ship about 20 minute drive but heavy traffic due to construction. We were standing in line waiting for the terminal to open by 11. All in all, easy to get to SJU and the terminal.

 

Initial impression at check in- have been in nicer terminals. Different lines for different classes of cabins but the way the people run the lines it really doesn't matter what line you're in. The wait was not expedited for suite guests in this manner.

 

Boarding- having sailed in suites on other lines we have always been met in the terminal in either a dedicated lounge area or at least by a butler or concierge. We arrived with no information as to where we should go. Not sure if that should've come pre-cruise or if it was an oversight. No one at the entrance had any idea where we should head. (The correct answer was to Michaels to wait for Luminae to open for lunch) Wandered around for 30-40 mins and finally met the lovely hostess from Luminae who escorted us to Michaels.

 

Sky suite- I would call this a large balcony cabin with a small bathroom. No, the Sky suites were not refurbished. The balcony was a good size, furnishings were so-so. No electric in the bath so all matters of hair drying and styling would be in the cabin. The step up to the shower was a good 3 feet+ which then makes a tall man shower with his head in the ceiling and a more petite woman climbing awkwardly in and out. The counter space was also lacking with a large sink taking up most of the counter. The butler didn't offer any service except bringing afternoon tea. He was nice enough but never really hit his stride with us and afternoon tea can be had anywhere so really Butler wasn't needed. Michaels was a nice but underutilized venue. I wish someone would have explained this to me. Coffee, tea, drinks, continental breakfast all at our disposal. Didn't know any of this until about day 3.

 

Food- Tried the buffet for breakfast on the first morning as we had an excursion. That would be the first and last time we would venture there during a meal time. Way too crazy for my taste. Luminae breakfast was good but not especially fast so need to plan accordingly. The first two dinners there had us questioning how this could be their best restaurant. There is apparently a vegetable shortage of epic proportion so each night I had to request some form of veggie to accompany the meals. Days 3-6 were much better as if they found their groove and day 7 was not noteworthy so we opted for Qsine. It was good, didn't feel it was worth $45pp but a change of pace at least. The spa cafe on the back is very nice for light lunches and smoothies. The international offerings on the buffet were great as well. A highlight was at tea time when all sort of lovely offerings were available in many areas of the ship.

 

Itinerary-this was why we picked the ship. We did not plan any excursions except one snorkeling catamaran in Tortola which was wonderful. Probably the best snorkeling of all the stops we had. Each port had plenty of people available vying for your business. We rented cars, took ferries, wandered around, found drivers, hopped on public buses, all on our own time. Don't be afraid to explore but do mind the time, on a few occasions we witnessed families sprinting to the ship in tears. The hardest part of foreign ports was honestly finding restrooms if you're a lady. There aren't many, if any public restrooms. You may have to pay for one if you can find it, so have some change.

 

Amenities- For adults the Thalasso pool area was nice and a bit quieter. Music on deck was generally very good. Pools and jacuzzis were crowded but we don't partake in those so it did not bother us. You could find some quiet shady spots if you looked hard otherwise very sunny and loud. It was Spring break after all. The new outdoor movie area was nice when the weather is perfect. Only saw one production show which was the comedian. Other Vegas/Broadwayish shows were available but not our taste.

 

Overall-absolutely loved the islands. Did not see or experience any drydock improvements. Being boat owners we are cognizant of rust and maintenance issues and felt there is much to be done. There is no excuse for dirty carpets, ratty pool furniture, trash on balconies or looking through dirty windows either.

The first night muster drill was horrendous lasting almost an hour at dinner time with those of us who were punctual being punished for those who were not. Most staff was very friendly only an instance or two of impatience from a barista who was very busy and the very unfriendly muster police. I liked the smaller ship compared to the larger mega ones but would need the small ship to be updated more than the Summit. We didn't feel particularly special or pampered as a suite guest. Not that we need it but we did pay a lot for it. We are spoiled Floridians with gorgeous beaches, aqua waters and a pleasant climate so cruising is an easy escape from busy lives. I wondered if Celebrity would steal my business from other ships, alas it will not. It was adequate, ok, good, but not remarkable. And of course this is but one opinion.

[Clarea]

Thank-you for the feedback.

[squidward]

OP, when were you last on Summit? You say you didn't notice any improvements since the dry dock, which is hard for me to fathom, since I sailed last year on Summit and I was on the 3/26 cruise with you and the improvements were obvious and myriad. The exterior of the ship was spotless and I must have missed the worn carpets, but I am sure there are some because it was a very short dry dock.

 

I do agree with you about Luminae. It was a huge dissapointment for us.

 

Sky suites are what they are, and they are as described in the brochure, which is why i think they are a poor value, except for the corner S1s on S class ships. Only CS and above get escorted as far as I know. We had a letter in our suite describing what was available at Michael's.

 

You can see my other comments in my post entitled Live from Summit 3/26.

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Forums mobile app

[DrivesLikeMario]

I think you might be better suited to Oceania, Windstar or Azamara. They have smallish ships and a higher caliber of customer service, generally speaking.

 

Thanks for the review. Sad to read you didn't notice any changes in the ship after refurbishment. I hope I have more of Squidward's view on my next 3 cruises.

Edited April 5, 2016 by DrivesLikeMario

[AlbertaCruisers]

We were on the March 19 and 26th sailings (we have now been on the Summit 9 times), I do agree with the OP in a way about the dry dock, the big noticeable changes were Tuscan and the deck 12 movie theater but we didn't notice much else. But I don't usually notice rust or other issues, they just aren't items I'm looking for. I hadn't previously noticed rust or worn carpets (when we were on in November), so I definitely didn't notice any now. We love the Summit and the experience on it.

 

We just had an oceanview cabin and had great food and service in the main dining room (except my lobster the first week as not great, but I didn't say anything to them - it was much better the second week).

 

As for the suite experience, we have done a suite on NCL and agree we were very pampered, it doesn't seem quite the same on Celebrity, but we have never been on a suite on Celebrity. I would choose Celebrity in an oceanview room every time though over sailing NCL again (even in a suite), I just like the Celebrity experience, food, etc. better.

 

The March 26 sailing taught us that we do not ever want to do another 7 day cruise near Easter/spring break as we like to cruise without many kids on board (and normally that is the case on Celebrity - we normally don't even notice any of the kids being around at all). There were more kids on the March 26 sailing then on all my other 12 Celebrity cruises combined. The pool deck was a gong show. I like to relax at the pool, and that was pretty hard the March 26 week with all the kids flinging themselves off railings, etc. We had the same two weeks around Easter booked for 2018, but have changed that to 14 days on the Eclipse in earlier March because of this experience.

[Woobstr112G]

OP;

 

Thank you for taking the time to post your thoughts......:):):)

 

Bob

[Keith1010]

Thank you for your report.

 

Keith

[KirkNC]

Thanks for your report.

[cbbandit]

We are booked on the Summit for May 29th sailing to Bermuda. After reading all of the recent reviews I am now wondering if we made the right choice in ships. We are a first time cruising couple, both myself and hubby have never been away except weekend getaways. I was so excited thinking that the Summit was going to be great, guess I had really high expectations. Now not so much. UGGGG

[snyniew]

We are booked on the Summit for May 29th sailing to Bermuda. After reading all of the recent reviews I am now wondering if we made the right choice in ships. We are a first time cruising couple, both myself and hubby have never been away except weekend getaways. I was so excited thinking that the Summit was going to be great, guess I had really high expectations. Now not so much. UGGGG

 

I was on the March 26th sailing and took my 2 nieces who this was their first cruise experience. I didn't have any issue w/ the ship, service or food w/ teh exception of 1 bartender at the pool who kept giving my niece a hard time when ordering a drink as she is only 22. Maybe my standards are low, IDK. My nieces were very impressed by the whole experience and are begging to go back again very soon. We had an amazing time and I can't wait to go back in December. Go in w/ an open mind and enjoy your vacation. There may be small hiccups but you are on vacation so you can let that ruin it for you or just brush it off and go on to the next experience.

[cbbandit]

Thank you for your kind reassurance, we booked this almost 1 year ago.

[conquesodor]

I'll be sailing on the Summit on the 23rd and will be glad to offer my impressions or answer questions when I get back. Everyone has their own taste and benchmark for what will make for an enjoyable experience, so don't take the opinion of any one person too seriously. If you look at the recently published 2016 "cruisers choice" awards, you will see that Summit is ranked in the top 10 large ships overall, #6 for value, and #5 for food. Your mileage may vary, but I have had very good experiences with Celebrity so far and I'm looking forward to my cruise on the Summit! :)

[vplsh]

We are booked on the Summit for May 29th sailing to Bermuda. After reading all of the recent reviews I am now wondering if we made the right choice in ships. We are a first time cruising couple, both myself and hubby have never been away except weekend getaways. I was so excited thinking that the Summit was going to be great, guess I had really high expectations. Now not so much. UGGGG

 

We have sailed on the Summit 5 times, most recently 3/19. Since you have never cruised before, you will not notice some of the issues that others who have cruised newer ships have. That being said, we thought there were definite noticeable changes since we last sailed Summit 2 years ago. The outside of the ship is newly painted and the furniture and carpets in many public areas have been replaced and look lovely. Again, you wouldn't notice this as a first time cruiser, but they are definitely there.

 

One thing to know about the Summit- they have a wonderful crew! And that makes all the difference in my cruising experience.

 

Have a wonderful time and don't worry!!

[boscobeans]

Thank you for your kind reassurance, we booked this almost 1 year ago.

 

We've been on the Summit a few times and have another cruise on her in May. Great ship and crew. We like the M class more than the larger ships, but no matter which Celebrity ship we've sailed on over the past 16 years we have never had anything but a great experience.

 

Have a great time.

 

bosco

[FLbeachbaby]

Everything in life is subjective-food, marriage, the weather. You could be snowed in with no electricity and I could say well at least you have the change of seasons. I do hesitate to bring real opinions to these boards when people are so fast to defend their favorite line. We are builders/designers/architects who may happen to notice different things than someone else. These are of course opinions of my party of two with a good amount of experience in yachting. Ultimately only you can decide which things matter and make a difference; what you choose to spend your money on and where you want to save it. Celebrity is not a cheaply priced product and therefore you should get what you pay for. In retrospect, I should have saved thousands and procured a balcony cabin and picked through the food to find things I liked. For $2500 that may be a good option. For $6000 yes, I have higher expectations. Call me crazy.

[cbbandit]

Thanks everyone for your thoughts. We will have a great time regardless, we will enjoy the peace and quiet if nothing else. Bound and determined to see at least 1 sunset and sunrise from our balcony with a glass of bubbly in my hand.. :)

[squidward]

Everything in life is subjective-food, marriage, the weather. You could be snowed in with no electricity and I could say well at least you have the change of seasons. I do hesitate to bring real opinions to these boards when people are so fast to defend their favorite line. We are builders/designers/architects who may happen to notice different things than someone else. These are of course opinions of my party of two with a good amount of experience in yachting. Ultimately only you can decide which things matter and make a difference; what you choose to spend your money on and where you want to save it. Celebrity is not a cheaply priced product and therefore you should get what you pay for. In retrospect, I should have saved thousands and procured a balcony cabin and picked through the food to find things I liked. For $2500 that may be a good option. For $6000 yes, I have higher expectations. Call me crazy.

 

Ouch. $6000 is a lot for a sky suite, even with the extras. We paid $1000 less and had a Celebrity Suite on the same saiking as you, plus we got $1000 OBC. The CS is a real suite with a separate bedroom and a living room with a dining table. It comes with extra attention and service from the butlers and concierge. My advice to you would be to shop around for a better deal next time and maybe you'll find X to be a better value.

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Forums mobile app

[Finabear]

We are booked on the Summit for May 29th sailing to Bermuda. After reading all of the recent reviews I am now wondering if we made the right choice in ships. We are a first time cruising couple, both myself and hubby have never been away except weekend getaways. I was so excited thinking that the Summit was going to be great, guess I had really high expectations. Now not so much. UGGGG

 

We love the Summit and plan to return to her this Summer. The first time repeating a ship or an itinerary. Bermuda is fantastic. The staff on the Summit are the best. Enjoy your first cruise!

P.S. the drive in to the port (Bayonne) is ugly. Don't pay any attention to that.

[sound_guy0918]

We are booked on the Summit for May 29th sailing to Bermuda. After reading all of the recent reviews I am now wondering if we made the right choice in ships. We are a first time cruising couple, both myself and hubby have never been away except weekend getaways. I was so excited thinking that the Summit was going to be great, guess I had really high expectations. Now not so much. UGGGG

 

It's all about expectations. On your first-ever cruise, you will probably be too busy soaking in the experience to notice details, anyways. That being said, our expectation for our first cruise (on Carnival) was a "Holiday Inn" caliber experience, and we were satisfied using that benchmark. We held higher expectations for the Summit, and we were rewarded with a MUCH classier, friendlier, and QUIETER experience. I would categorize Celebrity with a downtown Radisson or Sheraton experience (hotel and food), with some touches of "boutique" hotel service and some truly exceptional food available at the different venues.

 

The OP was careful to point out that their expectations were different based on private boat ownership (and maintenance), previous suite experiences on other lines, etc.

 

We loved the Summit in '13 and we can't wait to sail her again.

[sound_guy0918]

Everything in life is subjective-food, marriage, the weather. You could be snowed in with no electricity and I could say well at least you have the change of seasons. I do hesitate to bring real opinions to these boards when people are so fast to defend their favorite line. We are builders/designers/architects who may happen to notice different things than someone else. These are of course opinions of my party of two with a good amount of experience in yachting. Ultimately only you can decide which things matter and make a difference; what you choose to spend your money on and where you want to save it. Celebrity is not a cheaply priced product and therefore you should get what you pay for. In retrospect, I should have saved thousands and procured a balcony cabin and picked through the food to find things I liked. For $2500 that may be a good option. For $6000 yes, I have higher expectations. Call me crazy.

 

I have found that Celebrity is a very affordable product. Depending on when you book and what category you are looking at, often Celebrity is the 2nd lowest pricing after Carnival. Holland, Princess and Disney are almost always higher.

[tartan cruiser]

We are booked on Summit 2/17. We've sailed Millie, Connie and Infinity previously but a while ago. Also sailed Eclipse a few times more recently. Reading about the current upgrades I'd like more information about Liquid, Taste of Film and Rooftop Terrace.Have not read anything about Liquid yet. I understand the concept of movies but do you have to buy the food in order to watch the movies. Someone said they got an email that the food will be $10. What is included for $10. Love the MUTS on Princess (I know, not everyone does) mostly because they show recently released movies. Some said the movie they were showing a couple of cruises ago was about an Indian couple buying a hotel. We saw that film more than a years ago on Princess. It will be interesting to see how this evolves. Keep the reports coming.