Summit 4-16-16. Modern Luxury?

[Iamthesea]

The post card promotion put in our cabin said this was offered because we pre booked an excursion online. The CC perks on the coupons they leave in cabin for elite was 15% off

 

Jeff

 

Thank you. I'll have to remember to book something before we leave in October. Will also be on next March. I am glad for both that we will not be in the MDR. Have not had good experiences there for the last two times we have eaten there.

 

As for the OV Cafe, I always find something worth eating in there. Be it a salad, Mexican or pasta. The other foods do not appeal. If it has really gone down, we will have Luminae to eat lunch.

[Aldeya]

Select Dining was excellent.

 

Can you tell me which level of MDR is for Select Dining? How was the experience? :)

 

Thank you.

Edited May 2, 2016 by Aldeya

[bilgeboyPa]

You said you were on Millie 2 years ago but something doesn't pass the smell test....the palate cleanser sorbet disappeared MANY years ago so you shouldn't have been surprised its not there....

 

I said I was on Summit 2 years ago. I said I missed the sorbet from years ago. Not that we had it 2 years ago. Why can't someone have an opinion without being accused of being a troll? Geez oh Pete :confused:. If your happy with current conditions great! I was disappointed at small things being dropped . I don't consider this being Modern luxury. Fine dining FOR ME doesn't include sloppily dressed people at dinner, 3 courses and torn sheets and smelly pillows in your cabin.

Edited May 2, 2016 by bilgeboyPa

[kitty9]

I said I was on Summit 2 years ago. I said I missed the sorbet from years ago. Not that we had it 2 years ago. Why can't someone have an opinion without being accused of being a troll? Geez oh Pete :confused:. If your happy with current conditions great! I was disappointed at small things being dropped . I don't consider this being Modern luxury. Fine dining FOR ME doesn't include sloppily dressed people at dinner, 3 courses and torn sheets and smelly pillows in your cabin.

 

Don't let the cheerleaders get you down. Your opinions of your cruise are just as valid as anyone else's. We've been cruising Celebrity since 2000 and I have to agree with you on the general downgrading of the product over the years. We were on Summit last June, and I realize that it was before this supposed dry dock, but we found Summit to be very lacking in upkeep and we also had the odor problems in both the suite and in the bathroom. Modern Luxury is nothing more than two words that don't mean a darned thing in how Celebrity is run. All of these changes over the years have chased us from Celebrity to Oceania.

[CruiserN1]

Thanks, Jeff, for the review. We'll be on the Summit in November, first time cruising Celebrity, so very interested to hear different opinions on it.

[RiotAct]

• Casual: if you really want formal nights, you might like Disney or Cunard -- but the rest of the world has been getting more casual every year.

 

Disney? :confused: Not so much... even in the upscale restaurants like Palo.

[AZ Ocean Lover]

Thank you for your review. My DH and I were on the same cruise and it was our first Celebrity experience (9 previous cruises with Princess). We had a great time but only had Princess to compare to. We said many times during the week that there were pros and cons for both and neither would stop us from sailing with Celebrity or Princess again.

 

Thanks for the explanation regarding the chaos in the MDR. We had anytime dining and just getting a table was challenging. Not that there wasn't any available but the runners had a chart that they were unfamiliar with and would walk us to one place just to turn us around to go somewhere else. We were in a Concierge cabin and the poor gal manning the desk was so flustered she got defensive at the simplest request. By the end of the week we were bracing ourselves for what was coming that evening.

 

We thought the decor was beautiful and our room and attendants were great. It's interesting to hear a different perspective from someone with a lot more Celebrity experience.

Edited May 2, 2016 by AZ Ocean Lover

[bEwAbG]

...As it was, we met a couple who bought the 3 restaurant deal online, but when they got on board, they couldn’t get a reservation and had to use the MDR. They didn’t get a refund even though they did pay for it and couldn’t use it. From the people I spoke with, Tuscan was just OK, Luminae was just OK..

 

Not that I blame you for repeating what you heard, but I find this very hard to believe. It's certainly the first time I've heard of anyone not being allowed to eat in a specialty restaurant because it was full. Maybe they only had early or late times available and the couple misunderstood. Also, Luminae is the suite restaurant and not a specialty restaurant. Maybe they tried to go there with their package and just didn't understand what they were being told? What pushes it into being beyond believable is that they were refused a refund when turned away if they were turned away for every restaurant for every night. Of course, I have a friend who just doesn't listen so maybe there was some of that at play as well.

Edited May 2, 2016 by bEwAbG

[CruisingChick]

Celebrity is no longer quite the luxury experience it once was -- and that Celebrity cruises don't cost as much as they once did. We have also enjoyed the enhanced luxury on Oceania and Crystal -- but with all that, we think Celebrity today offers excellent value for dollar.]

 

First problem is Celebrity uses the word "luxury" in all their advertising. Not sure what Modern Luxury is but people hear the word luxury and that's what they expect.

 

Maybe we were just lucky but we feel the prices have gone up on most Celebrity sailings from when we first sailed back in 2002.

 

Overall we still enjoy sailing Celebrity but do long for the "good old days".

[sheba2008]

Don't let the cheerleaders get you down. Your opinions of your cruise are just as valid as anyone else's. We've been cruising Celebrity since 2000 and I have to agree with you on the general downgrading of the product over the years. We were on Summit last June, and I realize that it was before this supposed dry dock, but we found Summit to be very lacking in upkeep and we also had the odor problems in both the suite and in the bathroom. Modern Luxury is nothing more than two words that don't mean a darned thing in how Celebrity is run. All of these changes over the years have chased us from Celebrity to Oceania.

 

I sailed summit last year and I was not pleased, I don't think it is Modern Luxury. Not satified.

[LabGuy64]

WOW......you must originally be from Europe. I can't believe you miss spending 2 hours on dinner unless, you were in a big group of friends...

 

 

 

 

 

 

This was our 13th cruise on Celebrity, 3rd on the Summit and I was really disappointed with the MDR. It was chaos. After the refurb, they re-did the MDR. On deck 4, it seemed that was dedicated mostly to Select dining. Deck 5 seemed to be either the early and late seating dining. I always liked the late seating because it was always nice relaxing after a day ashore, taking a nap and getting ready for dinner. Stopping for a drink before dinner at Rendezvous. The first night was downright frustrating because none of the tables had the table numbers on them. The waiters had a print of the tables and weren’t familiar with the new layout. We were seated at one table, met our waiter, who was great and were presented with the menu. It really was a pared down selection. You had the everyday staples, but the other choices were limited. I remembered a soup, salad, sorbet, main course, dessert format. This was basically Olive Garden menu. I liked the way it used to flow. I enjoyed a 2-hour meal. It was paced. Now it just seemed rushed. We were seated at table 535, or at least we thought. The second night, we were told we were in the wrong spot and then moved again. We got a new waiter and assistant. Chon and Freddy. They were wonderful. Don’t get me wrong, the food was good, but it seems Celebrity is trying to push you out of the MDR to go to a specialty restaurant if you wanted the old style service you used to get in the MDR. BTW, no more Captains table. That is gone as well. The area where we sat was condensed so they could add more tables because more than half of the deck 5 MDR on the port side was removed to make way for Luminae. They were really pushing the specialty restaurants but we didn’t bite. As it was, we met a couple who bought the 3 restaurant deal online, but when they got on board, they couldn’t get a reservation and had to use the MDR. They didn’t get a refund even though they did pay for it and couldn’t use it. From the people I spoke with, Tuscan was just OK, Luminae was just OK. Can’t comment on them personally. The food in the MDR was good overall. I am just not crazy about the way it changed from the old days. I spoke to the head maître d and he said he didn’t like the changes either. We spoke about 45 minutes by the pool one day. He said that’s the way things are heading too. The freestyle way. Plus, it’s cheaper. Money talks I guess. Celebrity really changed when Royal bought them.

I know there were tons of questions about the Chic night. Not so Chic. Unless jeans, shorts, sandals are the new Chic. The dress was not so dressy. I felt overdressed in a tie.

Overall it was a great cruise. Anytime not at work is fun. Would I still cruise on Celebrity? Of course. Would I sail on Summit? Yes. I guess we just have to adapt to “Modern Luxury”

 

Next….Canyon Spa experience.

[LabGuy64]

WOW......you must originally be from Europe. I can't believe you miss spending 2 hours on dinner unless, you were in a big group of friends...

 

 

 

 

 

 

This was our 13th cruise on Celebrity, 3rd on the Summit and I was really disappointed with the MDR. It was chaos. After the refurb, they re-did the MDR. On deck 4, it seemed that was dedicated mostly to Select dining. Deck 5 seemed to be either the early and late seating dining. I always liked the late seating because it was always nice relaxing after a day ashore, taking a nap and getting ready for dinner. Stopping for a drink before dinner at Rendezvous. The first night was downright frustrating because none of the tables had the table numbers on them. The waiters had a print of the tables and weren’t familiar with the new layout. We were seated at one table, met our waiter, who was great and were presented with the menu. It really was a pared down selection. You had the everyday staples, but the other choices were limited. I remembered a soup, salad, sorbet, main course, dessert format. This was basically Olive Garden menu. I liked the way it used to flow. I enjoyed a 2-hour meal. It was paced. Now it just seemed rushed. We were seated at table 535, or at least we thought. The second night, we were told we were in the wrong spot and then moved again. We got a new waiter and assistant. Chon and Freddy. They were wonderful. Don’t get me wrong, the food was good, but it seems Celebrity is trying to push you out of the MDR to go to a specialty restaurant if you wanted the old style service you used to get in the MDR. BTW, no more Captains table. That is gone as well. The area where we sat was condensed so they could add more tables because more than half of the deck 5 MDR on the port side was removed to make way for Luminae. They were really pushing the specialty restaurants but we didn’t bite. As it was, we met a couple who bought the 3 restaurant deal online, but when they got on board, they couldn’t get a reservation and had to use the MDR. They didn’t get a refund even though they did pay for it and couldn’t use it. From the people I spoke with, Tuscan was just OK, Luminae was just OK. Can’t comment on them personally. The food in the MDR was good overall. I am just not crazy about the way it changed from the old days. I spoke to the head maître d and he said he didn’t like the changes either. We spoke about 45 minutes by the pool one day. He said that’s the way things are heading too. The freestyle way. Plus, it’s cheaper. Money talks I guess. Celebrity really changed when Royal bought them.

I know there were tons of questions about the Chic night. Not so Chic. Unless jeans, shorts, sandals are the new Chic. The dress was not so dressy. I felt overdressed in a tie.

Overall it was a great cruise. Anytime not at work is fun. Would I still cruise on Celebrity? Of course. Would I sail on Summit? Yes. I guess we just have to adapt to “Modern Luxury”

 

Next….Canyon Spa experience.

[LabGuy64]

Get what you are saying......have to say that is my first time with the "old adage" must be alot of frogs where you are from. I thing we might have a few adages out here about jackalopes and i think one dealing with something that happens to a gerbil in a bar.......not sure about that one

 

 

 

Hi Jazz. Yes there were good things of course. I mentioned quite a few. I hadn't been on a Celebrity cruise in a few years because I was ill and couldn't travel. It's like the old adage. If you put a frog in cold water and turn on the heat, you don't really notice the increased temp. But throw a different frog in the water with the other frog, and it will jump out. I guess these changes were gradual to the very frequent cruiser, but if you haven't been through the gradual and went from your last experience to the new experience, you do notice a stark difference

 

Jeff

[LabGuy64]

that animation is freaking me out

 

 

 

Wrap up. I’m sure you are all happy about that:D. Celebrity. It’s still a good product. Is it the same as when I boarded Century in 2001? No. Was the service as good as it was back then? Not so much, but it still is good service. Since there are so many different venues, they have to split their staff all over the place. The friendliness is still there. The elegance of years ago has faded but I guess maybe that is where cruising today is heading:(. More casual. I suppose it’s due more to airlines charging a king’s ransom for multiple bags. My guess is that Celebrity too is paying more attention to their larger ships and trying to get away from the smaller mid-size ships. Is it a good thing? Is that what people want? I assume so since that is the way they are steering the company. I will always love Celebrity and I will continue to sail with them because the perks are still pretty good as an Elite member. Next time I will just pack lighter and lower my expectations from years gone by experiences.

If anyone has any questions, I will be happy to try to answer them

 

Jeff

[sound_guy0918]

First problem is Celebrity uses the word "luxury" in all their advertising. Not sure what Modern Luxury is but people hear the word luxury and that's what they expect.

 

A fair point, but all cruise lines (even CCL and RCCL) use words like "luxury," "pampered," and "royal treatment," and so do dirt resorts like Atlantis or even Holiday Inn. If you consider a downtown Sheraton or Radisson hotel to be "luxury" then I personally think X does a fine job.

 

The fact is, X is now part of a huge corporation and they will do whatever it takes to streamline and trim costs. Some of this is (mostly) transparent to the general consumer, but other aspects are obvious, especially to returning customers.

[CruisingChick]

If you consider a downtown Sheraton or Radisson hotel to be "luxury" then I personally think X does a fine job.

 

 

No not even close, I barely classify the Waldorf=Astoria as luxury any longer.

 

I just wish they would get rid of the promotions where they add things in. They are charging for the add-ons so you really aren't getting a deal.

 

I'd rather get $$$ off like RCCL does. I'll decide if I want drinks, internet, etc.

[bilgeboyPa]

Thanks all for your thoughts. Maybe I went the round about, but that was my point about their new slogan Modern Luxury. It wasn't horrible and we had a great time. And yes we had 2 hour dinners every night in the "olden days" :D. It was a larger table . It just isn't "luxury " it was just nice.

My one standout observation , though I am a fan of the drink package, was there were a more than a few that wanted to get there money's worth out of it. Saw lots of stumbling by 3 pm :). One more oddity and I'll shut up :rolleyes:. I couldn't sleep one night and went up by the pool for a stroll and the music was loud but during sail aways, there wasn't music. I thought that odd.

 

Thanks again all

 

Jeff

[bEwAbG]

Thanks all for your thoughts. Maybe I went the round about, but that was my point about their new slogan Modern Luxury...

 

They've been using this term since 2011 so I don't think I'd call a 5-year-old campaign "new" at this point. And it is just that: a branding campaign. The fact that they add "modern" to "luxury" is your first clue that it's not really a luxury line experience. Then compare prices to the real luxury lines and you should have an idea of what's at play.