Summit in Med.

[Luke916]

Havign never been on Celebrity before we were wondering what to expect as compared to say Holland America, or Princess...What on the ship is not to be missed?

 

Also I noticed alot of you are doing private tours... are excursions thru the ship not usually adequate? Are the more expensive?

 

We are booked right now for early seating but are desperately trying to get into late...is there any surefire tricks to get us changed? They say late seating is closed and no waitlist is provided. Also is there laundry service on this cruise? Being on a longer cruise we just wanted to try not to pack as much either.

 

Is the alternative dining worth doing? We usually have done that at least once on other ships and enjoyed it.

 

Sorry for so many questions but just want to be prepared.

[cruznurz]

Which ports did you like or dislike and why? Who did you use for private tours in Italy. We are on the Summit and have boked 4 private tours the end of June. I can hardly wait.

 

 

I will be trying to get to my review soon- So much to do! But off the Summit last Friday.

 

Let me hit some highlights:

 

The ship in general- Was in good shape. Public areas were fine...except for the kids pool aft- very dirty, and found several pieces of sharp metal on floor. Not good. Our room, a RS was a DISASTER. Deplorable condition. My in laws CC room though seemed in good shape.

 

Food in the MDR was hit or miss. Beef was to be avoided, pasta dishes often not as advertised. (Example- my fettucini alfredo had no cheese sauce, but rather left over chicken bits and diced tomato- neither mentioned on the menu.) But since you can send back anything, and try something new, not a big deal to me. However if you have sailed X in the past, prepare for a downgrade.

 

The buffets were also just OK, but lets face it, they are buffets. We ate breakfast in our room most days, and lunch on shoe on port days.

 

The Normandie was excellent. If we did not have kids with us, I would have eaten there every night.

 

Service- excellent as always.

 

We had great weather and thought the 3 sea days were well placed. Enjoyed some ports more than others..

 

The bloom was off the rose so to speak, but we still had a wonderful time, as we put these sorts of disappointments in perspective.

 

Feel free to ask specifics, and I would be more than happy to reply!

[WineDown17]

I would say the ports we liked and disliked were largely influenced by a few factors.. namely I dont enjoy big cities/crowds and tend to avoid touristy spots.. So my opinion, for sure, will not be shared by all!!

 

I truly loved all of Italy... Rome was my least favorite, mostly becuase of it being a big city...

 

Our wine tasting tour of chianti was tops (we had no interest in Florence), and we also loved the Amlfi Coast- it was breathtaking, and was not crowded. Our tours there also helped influence this i am sure, as they took us to local hang outs and pplaces most tourists would not see. That is how I like to visit new places.

 

I also was captivated by Venice. Even though it was a big city, the absence of cars was so nice! Every corner held a new treasure to behold! It was like being in a fairy tale. The touristy aspects took away from it for sure.. I really want to go back and discover more of the hidden gems....

 

Having been a Fench major i also loved France of course! St paul de Vence was another fairy tale town.

 

For our tours we used Guido Bandinelli in Tuscany- he is from Travels in Tuscany. If you like gourmet food and wine, and dont mid missing Florence/Pisa, book him!! You will not be disappointed. Maybe our favorite day of the trip. (hard to pick just one!)

 

We used Rome in Limo for Rome. They were fabulous... dont know how those drivers do it day in and day out.

 

And for Pompeii/Amalfi coast we used AP Tours.. who were also excellent. I really liked the private tour guide they provided for Pompeii. With only 2 hours there, she makes the most of it for you.. you can get lost there other wise.

 

I did not really love Santorini- which was funny, becuase it was a port that was on my "must have" list. I truly thought it would be magical.. It was beautiful, and I am glad I went, but would not go back. Others said it was their favorite.. but DH and I were not overly impressed....

 

Hope this helps!

[WineDown17]

Havign never been on Celebrity before we were wondering what to expect as compared to say Holland America, or Princess...What on the ship is not to be missed?

 

Also I noticed alot of you are doing private tours... are excursions thru the ship not usually adequate? Are the more expensive?

 

We are booked right now for early seating but are desperately trying to get into late...is there any surefire tricks to get us changed? They say late seating is closed and no waitlist is provided. Also is there laundry service on this cruise? Being on a longer cruise we just wanted to try not to pack as much either.

 

Is the alternative dining worth doing? We usually have done that at least once on other ships and enjoyed it.

 

Sorry for so many questions but just want to be prepared.

 

 

There is laundry- but not self servce. We spent around $125 on it for 4 of us. (No way you could ever pack enough clothes for 2 weeks for a 2 year old anyway!)

 

We had early seating, so cant help you there. However if you dont mind the service charge, IMHO, I would eat specialty every night. So much better than MDR. (Service in MDR was great, food, not so much)

 

In terms of tours... Think of being on a tour with 50 other people- it has to be all things to all people.. so you end up having a very generic experience, and can not see as much as if you took a private tour.

 

The private tours will also cater to whatyou want to see, and can get to places large tour buses can not navigate.. So if you want a more personal experience, go private. If you can find a few couples to share the costs, you see more for less than or equal to what a ships tour costs.

[eandj]

We are booked right now for early seating but are desperately trying to get into late...is there any surefire tricks to get us changed? They say late seating is closed and no waitlist is provided. Also is there laundry service on this cruise? Being on a longer cruise we just wanted to try not to pack as much either.

 

 

Sorry for so many questions but just want to be prepared.

 

Nothing for sure to get you assigned late dining, but...as soon as you get on board, head to the restaurant and speak to the maitre d....along with the line of others trying to do the same. ;) But even if you can't change, know that if you head to the dining room for the late dinner seating if there are openings, you can get in. Remember, many people choose the specialty restaurant, eat in their cabin or head to casual dining...especially if overtired from a long day of touring. So there WILL be open seats on any given night. If you can't get in, just head to the other venues.

 

Because we'll be gone for 16 days due to pre and post cruise stays, we are packing for 7 or 8 days and just sending most of our clothes to the laundry at half way point to start again. Seems like the easiest method. Guess the clothes will be returned within 24 hours. Can even do express for an extra fee. Try to pack in mix and match colors so that you have more variety.

[cruznurz]

We have booked Romeinlimo for tours of Cinque Terre, Rome and Amalfi coast. Jany has been great as we have been organizing a van with couples from three countries, some we have only met through the c/c message board.

 

We spent four days in Santorini in 2007 and fell in love with the island. I think you have to stay on the island to really appreciate it. Sitting on the caldera at sunset is not to be missed.

 

As for private tours vs ship tours. We have had great experiences with both. One drawback to bus tours is the inflexibility. In Russia, we were given 15 minutes for shopping! There were some very unhappy ladies. In Berlin the entire tour group had to stand on a street corner while the tour guide tried to find a restroom for a passenger. By the time they returned there wasn't enough time for the tour before the bus returned. (The bus washrooms were locked because they had no pump out services). Private tours from companies recommended by other c/c members are IMO the best way to go. You have to do your research though.

 

Whichever you choose, you will enjoy seeing new sights.

 

I would say the ports we liked and disliked were largely influenced by a few factors.. namely I dont enjoy big cities/crowds and tend to avoid touristy spots.. So my opinion, for sure, will not be shared by all!!

 

I truly loved all of Italy... Rome was my least favorite, mostly becuase of it being a big city...

 

Our wine tasting tour of chianti was tops (we had no interest in Florence), and we also loved the Amlfi Coast- it was breathtaking, and was not crowded. Our tours there also helped influence this i am sure, as they took us to local hang outs and pplaces most tourists would not see. That is how I like to visit new places.

 

I also was captivated by Venice. Even though it was a big city, the absence of cars was so nice! Every corner held a new treasure to behold! It was like being in a fairy tale. The touristy aspects took away from it for sure.. I really want to go back and discover more of the hidden gems....

 

Having been a Fench major i also loved France of course! St paul de Vence was another fairy tale town.

 

For our tours we used Guido Bandinelli in Tuscany- he is from Travels in Tuscany. If you like gourmet food and wine, and dont mid missing Florence/Pisa, book him!! You will not be disappointed. Maybe our favorite day of the trip. (hard to pick just one!)

 

We used Rome in Limo for Rome. They were fabulous... dont know how those drivers do it day in and day out.

 

And for Pompeii/Amalfi coast we used AP Tours.. who were also excellent. I really liked the private tour guide they provided for Pompeii. With only 2 hours there, she makes the most of it for you.. you can get lost there other wise.

 

I did not really love Santorini- which was funny, becuase it was a port that was on my "must have" list. I truly thought it would be magical.. It was beautiful, and I am glad I went, but would not go back. Others said it was their favorite.. but DH and I were not overly impressed....

 

Hope this helps!

[DarrenWoof]

We are sailing on the June 27 Summit from Barcelona - Venice. We are very excited are currently trying to put together our final excursion plans. We are trying to figure out which ones we should do with organized tours and which ones we will be able to do ourselves. Its hard not always knowing how far the port is from destination town too though.

 

Anyone else have any advice for us or on this sailing?

 

We have sailed on RCL before but this will be our first Celebrity experience.:)

 

 

-Ashley and Darren

[Peteymil]

Have you checked the June 27 roll call? There is a lot of info there, and you can see what people are doing on their own, and what they are using tours for.

[brazilgirl]

We did the Barcelona-Venice cruise last year on the Summit and had a wonderful time.

 

Villefranche- We caught a train to Monaco and spent the day there. A fun , low key day , visited the palace and a park.

 

Livorno- Our favorite day..We had a private tour with Andreas. We had planned to go to Cinque Terre , but we ended up changing our plans on a whim. We made a quick stop in Pisa (the kids really wanted to see the tower) and then visited a little coastal town called Lerici. We had the best pasta of my life at a simple seaside restaurant for 8 Euros!!

We then visited Lucca (ah...Lucca..what a place) , where we rented bikes and rode around the wall , then we went on a crazy bike ride through the town ( unforgettable!) , stopping for gelatto. Amazing.

 

Rome -had a private tour-the guide Marco was a bit of a dud. However , we had a picnic at the gorgeous Palatino , saw the Coliseum , forum etc. Very impressive.

 

Naples-Giovanni gave us a private tour of the Amalfi caost. We had a lovely lunch in the wonderful mountain town of Ravello-really neat little town.Also visited Pompeii , which was very educational.

 

Athens-got a taxi at the port , paid 50 Euros for a 3 hour tour , visited the Acropolis-neat festival when we were there.

 

Santorini-We rented a car , went to a beach , drove all over the island and ended the day exploring Oia (loved!!!!) and having yogurt and honey overlooking the Caldera. Good place to rent a car. Had lots of fun and freedom.

 

Dubrovnik-another favorite. Took the day just walking around and "walking the wall". Visited a few museums.

Easy to do on one´s own.

 

Venice-what a dream. Gondola ride (kids loved it) , dinner at night (just DH and I) ,explored the city and loved every minute.

 

You can check out my photos of the trip at http://www.picasaweb.google.com.br/brazilgirl1987 the photos say January , but they were taken in mid may

 

You can get a good idea of each place through the photos.

 

It was a marvelous trip.

 

Have fun.

Kim

[Peteymil]

We did the Barcelona-Venice cruise last year on the Summit and had a wonderful time.

 

Venice-what a dream. Gondola ride (kids loved it) , dinner at night (just DH and I) ,explored the city and loved every minute.

 

 

 

Have fun.

Kim

 

Kim,

Your review is great, and as we leave in 3 weeks, I am very excited. Where did you eat in Venice?

[brazilgirl]

Peteymil-

 

To tell you the truth , I don´t know the name of the restaurant!!It was dark , and we kept turning down dark "alley like" streets off St. Mark´s square. The restaurant was full of mirrors and wood. I ate gnocchi and DH had a fish platter.

 

Our meal at the seaside in Lerici was more impressive , although it was a third of the price!I can´t stop thinking about our pasta with huge prawns on top , simply presented , but delicious . My daughter still talks about it too.

 

Sorry I can´t remember the name!

 

Eat gelato in every city you visit in Italy! And try the Greek yougurt!

 

Kim

[Peteymil]

Peteymil-

 

To tell you the truth , I don´t know the name of the restaurant!!It was dark , and we kept turning down dark "alley like" streets off St. Mark´s square. The restaurant was full of mirrors and wood. I ate gnocchi and DH had a fish platter.

 

Our meal at the seaside in Lerici was more impressive , although it was a third of the price!I can´t stop thinking about our pasta with huge prawns on top , simply presented , but delicious . My daughter still talks about it too.

 

Sorry I can´t remember the name!

 

Eat gelato in every city you visit in Italy! And try the Greek yougurt!

 

 

 

Kim

Thanks, I will take your advice!

[DarrenWoof]

Have you checked the June 27 roll call? There is a lot of info there, and you can see what people are doing on their own, and what they are using tours for.

 

How do we find the roll call? i know this must sound obvious but we have always gone with groups before and not on our own.

 

Looks like we will be on the same cruise!

[DarrenWoof]

We did the Barcelona-Venice cruise last year on the Summit and had a wonderful time.

 

Villefranche- We caught a train to Monaco and spent the day there. A fun , low key day , visited the palace and a park.

 

Livorno- Our favorite day..We had a private tour with Andreas. We had planned to go to Cinque Terre , but we ended up changing our plans on a whim. We made a quick stop in Pisa (the kids really wanted to see the tower) and then visited a little coastal town called Lerici. We had the best pasta of my life at a simple seaside restaurant for 8 Euros!!

We then visited Lucca (ah...Lucca..what a place) , where we rented bikes and rode around the wall , then we went on a crazy bike ride through the town ( unforgettable!) , stopping for gelatto. Amazing.

 

Rome -had a private tour-the guide Marco was a bit of a dud. However , we had a picnic at the gorgeous Palatino , saw the Coliseum , forum etc. Very impressive.

 

Naples-Giovanni gave us a private tour of the Amalfi caost. We had a lovely lunch in the wonderful mountain town of Ravello-really neat little town.Also visited Pompeii , which was very educational.

 

Athens-got a taxi at the port , paid 50 Euros for a 3 hour tour , visited the Acropolis-neat festival when we were there.

 

Santorini-We rented a car , went to a beach , drove all over the island and ended the day exploring Oia (loved!!!!) and having yogurt and honey overlooking the Caldera. Good place to rent a car. Had lots of fun and freedom.

 

Dubrovnik-another favorite. Took the day just walking around and "walking the wall". Visited a few museums.

Easy to do on one´s own.

 

Venice-what a dream. Gondola ride (kids loved it) , dinner at night (just DH and I) ,explored the city and loved every minute.

 

You can check out my photos of the trip at www.picasaweb.google.com.br/brazilgirl1987 the photos say January , but they were taken in mid may

 

You can get a good idea of each place through the photos.

 

It was a marvelous trip.

 

Have fun.

Kim

 

Kim,

Thank you SO much for your review. It was very helpful - we appreciate it!

 

-Ashley and Darren

[Peteymil]

How do we find the roll call? i know this must sound obvious but we have always gone with groups before and not on our own.

 

Looks like we will be on the same cruise!

 

Go to Boards, but instead of choosing Celebrity, look under Roll Calls, select Celebrity "connections" roll Calls.

You will then see the Celebrity Summit, and when you click that, the trips are organized by date, and you will see our cruise. Let me know if you have any problems.

[chaser1]

Kim,

Thank you SO much for your review. It was very helpful - we appreciate it!

 

-Ashley and Darren

 

Would love to do a private tour in Athens. We have already connected with other couples for Naples and Livorno through this site. Let me know what you think and we can put something together. It's such fun to meet people from all over. Thanks, Elaine and Emil /Chaser 1

[WineDown17]

Hey Kim-

 

Wanted to say thanks again for all your advice before we set sail last month! Hope all is well..

 

:) Leeanne

[brazilgirl]

Leeanne-

 

I have been anxiously awaiting your review! Did your kids enjoy the trip?How did your little one do?

 

Sorry to hear your Royal Suite wasn´t up to par..I am sure that was disappointing (not very royal from the sounds of it!).

 

Your private tours sound lovely. I regret not seeing more of the Villefranche region (Eze etc).I think that is the only regret on the whole wonderful trip.

 

We will be leaving in 12 days..getting excited. Hope my FOV is in good shape.

 

 

I am glad all that are going to the Med soon thought my review was helpful If you have any more questions , I´ll be happy to help out.

 

Kim

[WineDown17]

Maybe tonight I will get to it!!

 

I have been so frazzled lately.. Took the day off for kids MD visits.. Brought the baby to his 2.. then got swept up cleaning the kitchen and forgot my DS 4:30 ortho appt! Can you imagine?? I took the day off for it! HA!

 

I think I need another vacation!

 

I will draft it and post it soon! I am sure your FOV will be AMAZING... Like I said, my in laws room was spotless, so we were probably just an exception....

 

Safe travels.

[brazilgirl]

Being a mom can be a challenge!! I understand the concept of having a vacation from a vacation!

 

Looking forward to your review when you have time!

Kim

[RJG1011]

We are sailing 7/9 on the Summit. What kinds of things did you do on your own? Did you use private guides or just buses and trains? Any suggestions would be welcome. Which shorex did you do in Naples?

 

Thanks!

[MisterBill99]

When is the Connections party? Is it the first day at sea? Or is it later in the cruise?

[eandj]

How difficult is it to find public bathrooms in places like Athens, Santorini, Florence, Dubrovnik....where we aren't taking any tours.:o

 

Just don't know if we head to a restaurant will they let us just use their bathroom or where to find one.:confused:

[Cruisergang]

what is the roll call?

[MisterBill99]

what is the roll call?

It's a thread in a different forum where people on your specific cruise discuss stuff. Check the "Go to: Celebrity Roll Call Forums" link at the top of this page (or just click the link in my post :-) ).