Celebrity Summit - Book 1st Cruise after Dry Dock / Refurbishment

[soccer2010]

So I stumbled across what appeared to be a great price on a 5-day cruise and I saw a banner on the website that refurbishment ends 2 days before the cruise. How risky is booking this cruise? I would be getting a great deal also on non-refundable airfare.

[George C]

We always get insurance on air and cruise

[soccer2010]

I would be booking air on my own (Allegiant Airlines) because it is a great price and gets into San Juan 2 days before cruise. Where is the best place to get that insurance?

[elaineb]

I would be booking air on my own (Allegiant Airlines) because it is a great price and gets into San Juan 2 days before cruise. Where is the best place to get that insurance?

 

We booked this cruise as well! Great perks and price. For insurance, go to http://www.insuremytrip.com. I put in the total between air and cruise. You can add hotel if you like, but most hotels give a 24 hr cancel. Play with price points - i.e. $1900 might be cheaper than $2000.

 

The best insurance I have found through this site is Nationwide cruise insurance. It pays for missed ports, etc.

[gerelmx]

Practically She will be like his first sailing, like a new ship.

[HS2BS]

They never finish prior to the first sailing, and always start during the last cruise prior to dry dock.

We were on the Silhouette three times this spring, and when I asked some of the executive crew about this topic, this is what we were told. The Silhouette is scheduled for drydock in January for Edgeification 2020 and we were booked for the first week in February 2020. They convinced me that if would be to our advantage to switch to a latter date to be sure all the work would be done. We rebooked our b2b for later in the month.

Maybe some others can chime in as to pre and post drydock conditions, and why those cruise need so much promotions to book those cruises.

 

Hal

[BlueLobster]

That's disheartening about the Silhouette. We're booked for the first cruise out of dry dock at the end of January 2020 (to celebrate my 60th b'day). It's a long way off, but we got a great deal including Go Best. I'm hoping that they'll have it down by then since many other ships will be Edgecized before that.

[soccer2010]

So $80 to insure $1600 ($800 flight, $800 cruise) is worth it to me. I'm going with that.

[creel5857]

When is the summit going to dry dock?

[wrk2cruise]

Feb 14, 2019

[jpodds]

They never finish prior to the first sailing, and always start during the last cruise prior to dry dock.

We were on the Silhouette three times this spring, and when I asked some of the executive crew about this topic, this is what we were told. The Silhouette is scheduled for drydock in January for Edgeification 2020 and we were booked for the first week in February 2020. They convinced me that if would be to our advantage to switch to a latter date to be sure all the work would be done. We rebooked our b2b for later in the month.

Maybe some others can chime in as to pre and post drydock conditions, and why those cruise need so much promotions to book those cruises.

 

Hal

I don't know if I agree with this. We were on the Summit in late January 2012 (it was my 50th birthday cruise) and she was just out of a 2 week dry dock. The ship was literally finished an hour before we boarded and it reminded me of buying a new car. Everything was new...new smelling, perfectly pristine. We were also on Reflection last January. She was just out of dry dock too. Again the crew was finished with the last touches just prior to docking. Both cruises were awesome....

[TeeRick]

The Revolution upgrades on these ships are very major undertakings - not the usual Dry Docks. I think there is a decent risk of delays particularly for initial sailings. Just my opinion. We will know more after the first couple of ships are done.

[elaineb]

TeeRick - When are the first couple of ships scheduled to be done?

[Jim_Iain]

Personally I think you will be fine.   The upgrade is indeed a MAJOR overhaul.   ALL ROOMS are to be replaced.   I was talking with some execs on Millennium that is planned for the first upgrade and they told me ALL of the rooms are to be replaced.   They are built as a module and will slip out the old rooms and stick the new ones in their place.   From my understanding they will also totally refurbish the interior, add a Suites Only Sunbathing Area and Hot Tub on Sports Deck 12 Forward.

 

I guess you can keep an eye on Millennium which is the first ship to be upgraded and see if she sails on schedule.  

[bigbeergut]

1 hour ago, Jim_Iain said:

Personally I think you will be fine.   The upgrade is indeed a MAJOR overhaul.   ALL ROOMS are to be replaced.   I was talking with some execs on Millennium that is planned for the first upgrade and they told me ALL of the rooms are to be replaced.   They are built as a module and will slip out the old rooms and stick the new ones in their place.   From my understanding they will also totally refurbish the interior, add a Suites Only Sunbathing Area and Hot Tub on Sports Deck 12 Forward.

 

I guess you can keep an eye on Millennium which is the first ship to be upgraded and see if she sails on schedule.  

 

I'll be really impressed if they can keep to the schedule.   Replacing all of the rooms would be a huge job.  They must have an army scheduled to work 24/7 during the upgrade.  We are scheduled on the second cruise after the drydock on the Silhouette in 2020.  Hopefully we should have a good idea about how well they can keep to the schedule.   

[MightyMike]

The first sailing does not have to be an all or nothing thing. Even if they don't finish all the rooms, they still might be able to sail. I suspect they will hold a few blocks of rooms during the first cruise as a contingency in case they need to move some people around.

[bigbeergut]

As I've been thinking about this, why would anyone want to take the risk with problems from unfinished updates or modifications?  Are the prices that much better?  I guess I haven't seen any huge discounts to warrant the risk.  In my case we booked a B2B in February before we realized it was close to the upgrade and the Silhouette had the best itineraries. It isn't until 2020 and if it looks like they are having problems we'll cancel.

[MightyMike]

37 minutes ago, bigbeergut said:

As I've been thinking about this, why would anyone want to take the risk with problems from unfinished updates or modifications?  

For some of us, choices are limited. Spring break is when school says spring break is. 

 

The best cruise I ever took was one immediately after a dry dock aboard the Windjammer Polynesia in October 2001. Flying was extra tense as the events of 9/11 happened only a month before. The ship got a new and substantially lighter engine, so it was leaning the whole trip (until they could figure out ways to rebalance it). There would be a constant pool of water at one end of the shower that could never make it to the drain. One evening the entire ship lost power because a plastic bag somehow found its way into the fuel line and clogged it. The only lights that night were from the emergency lights on the mast. Dinner was delayed until they figured out how to get power back. Only a few toilets flushed during parts of the cruise. They had to turn off all hot water because the new engine was overheating it (virtually to steam). 

 

We had a blast! We brought our pillows out and slept on deck. Drinks were free. It certainly made for great conversation! And we all got a free replacement cruise to boot.

 

Granted, Windjammer passengers are a different breed from Celebrity cruisers, but the lesson I learned is that it's all in what you make it. As long as they still plan to sail the Summit in March, we'll be there.

Edited October 31, 2018 by MightyMike

[bigbeergut]

6 minutes ago, MightyMike said:

For some of us, choices are limited. Spring break is when school says spring break is. 

 

The best cruise I ever took was one immediately after a dry dock aboard the Windjammer Polynesia in October 2001. Flying was extra tense as the events of 9/11 happened only a month before. The ship got a new and substantially lighter engine, so it was leaning the whole trip (until they could figure out ways to rebalance it). There would be a constant pool of water at one end of the shower that could never make it to the drain. One evening the entire ship lost power because a plastic bag somehow found its way into the fuel line and clogged it. The only lights that night were from the emergency lights on the mast. Dinner was delayed until they figured out how to get power back. Only a few toilets flushed during parts of the cruise. They had to turn off all hot water because the new engine was overheating it (virtually to steam). 

 

We had a blast! We brought our pillows out and slept on deck. Drinks were free. It certainly made for great conversation! And we all got a free replacement cruise to boot.

 

Granted, Windjammer passengers are a different breed from Celebrity cruisers, but the lesson I learned is that it's all in what you make it. As long as they still plan to sail the Summit in March, we'll be there.

 

I'm glad you were able to make lemonade but I would have thought you could have found another ship with a similar itinerary.  Perhaps not if you really wanted the Windjammer experience.

[Hatteras51]

How long is the refurbishment supposed to take?

[39august]

I would not take a cruise as close as two weeks from or after a scheduled refurb. I know of too many people who have run into major disruptions aboard a cruise that was timed this way, i.e. materials piled up on the pool deck, unfinished floors, some venues unfinished and not available, etc. 

[Fred&Lily]

I'm looking at the opposite problem.  Booked on Summit for Jan 17 - 29, 2019 and have seen warnings that everything in stores and supplies runs down before a ship goes into dry dock. 

[elaineb]

We took the risk and are doing the first cruise on the Summit after her refurbishment.  We know their might be some hiccups.  But we booked mostly due to the price - we got an amazing price and perks, $1790 for 2 for a concierge balcony room.  We haven't been on a Celebrity cruise yet, and at this price we were willing to try it.  Also I had free airfare with points from Southwest, so my airfare was free and only had to purchase my husbands.  I had to cancel a Royal cruise last summer due to an injury/2 surgeries, so what I got back from the insurance claim more than paid for this cruise.  This itinerary is also an more unusual one - St. Croix, St. Kitts and Antigua.  We are roll with it kind of people, so we don't expect everything to be perfect.  

[clskinsfan]

On 11/1/2018 at 3:33 PM, Fred&Lily said:

I'm looking at the opposite problem.  Booked on Summit for Jan 17 - 29, 2019 and have seen warnings that everything in stores and supplies runs down before a ship goes into dry dock. 

 

I cant speak to a post dry dock cruise. But I have been on  a pre cruise and it was fine. Yes. They will be working on things. Especially towards the end of your cruise. But I havent experienced a shortage of food or supplies. They may close some sections of the ship on you though.

[sofietucker]

On 9/26/2018 at 9:06 PM, soccer2010 said:

I would be booking air on my own (Allegiant Airlines) because it is a great price and gets into San Juan 2 days before cruise. Where is the best place to get that insurance?

Allianz. We have had amazing complete coverage--for the trip, our own-booked airlines, hotels before & after. Covered several $$$ medical, a 3-day snow-in at Atlanta, etc.