WB57
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Posts posted by WB57
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Hello -
Not to hijack this thread, but I too am a first time AZ cruiser (cruised Suite Class in X mostly) and had a question on the Ultimate Beverage package purchase. I am sailing on the Nov 5 TA on the Pursuit. Can you purchase the upgraded package middle of the cruise - and just pay for the remaining days? On X you can do that. Thanks.
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Uber came back to Barcelona (after leaving in 2014) in March 2018, but has paused services July 27th because of a cab strike.
I guess iffy for November?
Thank you for the update.
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Northern Aurora - not sure if you commented on a separate post earlier, but would you have any recommendations on servers in Luminae? Thank you for your comments above.
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Ignore my last Northern Aurora. I just checked and you indeed had given me your recommendations. I should have checked before I posted. Sorry
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We left the Summit on July 8th after spending twenty-one nights onboard. The second leg of our B2B was the sailing was the one LisaLeone was also on.
We spent thirty-four nights on the Summit last fall when we had Maggie as sommelier in Luminae. While we were on the Summit from June 17th through July 8th we had Siraz in Luminae, and actually thought he was more creative in recommending wines than Maggie. We enjoy nice wines which was evident from my husband's discussion with him. We just told him what we ordered, and Siraz would bring us something interesting -- such as a 2015 Jean-Luc Colombo Les Abeilles de Colombo. He also was serving interesting wines to others who clearly were interested trying different wines.
Regarding butlers -- we had Judas when on the Summit in 2017. This time we had Rikki. Also onboard when we left is Ram, who we had on the Millennium also in 2017. I thought that Rikki and Ram were equally as excellent as Judas.
Northern Aurora - not sure if you commented on a separate post earlier, but would you have any recommendations on servers in Luminae? Thank you for your comments above.
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There were more than two red wines on hand to offer if you had the premium package, the problem was alot of the selection was "sold out" and were not available for consumption because supplies had not been replenished. An example of this was with Caymus, where they did not have the $75 bottle but did have the "special anniversary" $200 bottle (which we politely declined).
Thanks for the clarification. So one would think that Cellar Masters must have been without supplies as well?! I will hope that they get their supplies prior to our cruise (early August).
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For the posters concerned about which butler you get, Judas is excellent! He and the suite manager, Priscilla seem to work closely together and are committed to providing excellent service. We saw him several times daily. So sorry about the poor service the OP received but I appreciate the way you handled the request for an unearned rating!
LisaLeone - can you comment on the wine selection. Did you also notice only ‘two’ red wine choices within the Premium Beverage Package? Thank you.
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Just returned from the Celebrity Summit cruise to Bermuda and had a good time. It was myself and wife in one room, and my brother in law and his wife/child (17) in another room. While I won't do a full review, I will give you some thoughts on our trip as I always thoroughly enjoyed when others reported back. If you have any specific questions, I will be more than happy to answer. Here is my take:
Positives
Pier Check In - As usual, pier check in was an absolute breeze and we were on the sip within 15 minutes of going through security and checking in for our SeaPass cards.
Suite Experience - We have mixed thoughts about doing a suite again but there are really nice perks by being in a suite such as, express check in/check out (which was a huge bonus when getting back to NJ), Michael's Club (always nice to just get away from the masses), and Luminae were definitely a highlight of our cruise where the food and service were top notch.
Michael's Club Staff- Anastasia and the other bartender from Eastern Europe were top notch. Anastasia was a huge upgrade from the previous host we had on the same sailing/ship nearly a year ago. Anastasia was engaging, helpful, and it was the little things that really made her shine. An example of this would be when we first got on the ship and how she took the time to set us up with internet. Another example is how we chartered a boat in Bermuda to go Marlin Fishing and reached out to Bermuda while on the ship to make sure things all went smoothly. The other bartender was FANTASTIC, remembered our name and our drink order by day 2. Truly remarkable.
Luminae Host- He is from Eastern Europe and was absolutely fantastic. He led by example, ensured things went smooth for the dining room, and when things got busy, you saw him clearing plates and a true team player.
Service - I would say the service overall was fantastic. This is a smaller ship (one of the smallest we have ever sailed on), but there is a certain vibe of the crew that make this work. Practically everyone on the ship always greets you with a smile and this is one of the few ships that you actually feel like the workers are actually happy.
Food: The food in the buffet was great. There was a great amount of variety and always something to please everyone. I also think the grill in the stern of the ship on deck 10 was AMAZING. You can have a cooked to order steak, pork chop, or salmon cooked ot order and then eat it 20 feet away while watching the wake of the ship with a drink in hand.
Martini Bar - This was a huge hit on the ship this year and last year. Poput is a great bartender, who not only makes great drinks, but gets to know his clientale. By day 2 he had our drink orders ready, and was just a great pre and post dinner bar to have a cocktail.
Bermuda: We love Bermuda and have done it now 4X. We decided to go to Elbow Beach and it was nothing short of breath taking. We really loved the fact there were absolutely no crowds (contrary to Horshoe Bay). We loved the fact the ship docked here for 2.5 days.
Ship Design: I never really felt crammed on the ship and we thought the Summit really handles traffic well. We spoke to multiple people who were on the NCL Escape and all had very nasty things to say about their cruise. Most of the issues all dealt with the fact there were too many people. I was on the NCL Breakway a few years ago, and it was by far the worst cruise ship we have ever been on, but not because of too many people, but because of poor ship design. We have been on the Oasis and Allure of the Seas and there are far more people that are on these ships, and never once did it feel crowded. The NCL Escape/Breakaway are terrible in design and I will not sail them unless I am in the Heavan.
Negatives
Wine Selection - We had the UBP and were really dissapointed with the wine selection this cruise. There were only two red wines (yes I counted) that we were able to select that were either in stock or within our $15 per glass alottment.
Sommelier in Luminae - Or shall I say experienced waitor. This individual is not a sommelier but claimed to be one. Last year we had Maggy, who was an absolute delight and a highlight of our cruise. She always paired our meal, made helpful selections which expanded our pallets, and was nothing short of fantastic. This go around, our sommelier was not well trained, asked if we wanted red or white, and was nothing more than a waitor. We did not make mention of it to anyone as we just went with the flow but we believe Celebrity's cut back in wine selection coupled with little to no training is the result we obtained.
Butler - We never met our Butler until day 5 of the cruise (yes day 5). She was absolutely the worst Butler (Tatyana) we have ever experienced on any cruise line. My wife met her while entering the room and she introduced herself to her while I was in the shower. About 30 minutes later, we were having a drink in Michaels when my wife told me that was our butler. Thinking she owuld introduce herself, she never did until the night before we arrived in NJ and her asking me how it is important she gets a 10 for service and to please fill out the survey. I responded with, "Do you really want me to fill out that survery card?" I think she realized I wasn't quite happy, she smiled and walked away. Our Room Steward on the other hand, was fantastic (Fransico). We really don't ask for much, other than ice around 6PM. The second night there was no ice, and I saw Fransico who said he told Tatyana but then said "I will take care of it myself." I tipped him early on in the cruise, and after the cruise as he was great. Tatyana on the other hand was horrendous.
Understaffed - Last year we saw multiple people roaming the decks asking for drink orders etc. This year it was a complete ghost town. We would see one of the bartenders rotate and make 3 rounds per day with their drink cart and that was it. We know this because we sat near the bar. I guess with all the drink packages bought, there is little incentive for the cruise line to push more product on patrons which have already paid.
Deck Police (Or lack there of) - Chair hogs were in full swing and Celebrity really needs to do a better at montioring this. In the solarium there were guests that would leave personal belongings for hours at a time without any reprucssions. Others we saw take multiple seats in the solorium and then take a second set of seats in the sun out on the pool deck. Given there was no deck enforcement, there did this multiple days.
Ship Condition - While in most public areas the ship looked fine, she is looking very tired. There was rust all throughout our balcony, on the outside of the ship, and in our bathroom there was a mold issue. In the buffet area there were chairs which should have been thrown away, and the bedding/mattresses have seen better days. She is up for refurbishment in March of 2019 where she will undergo a major renovation. I spoke with the captain about this and he said they were going to add at close to 50 suites and redo Michaels and Luminae.
In conclusion, we had a good time on the Celebrity Summit. While not as good as last year, we thought it was a solid 7 out of 10 stars. We think we will take a break from the Summit as the value for us simple isn't there. We were charged a 5 star price with our Suite while receiving 3.5 star service. If there was another ship (Solstice Class) that would come to Bermuda, I would give it a shot for the sheer reason we love BErmuda and enjoy Celebrity, unfortunately, the Captain confirm the Summit will not be going anywhere until at least 2020.
Hope this helps, as I tried to give an honest review of the Summit.
Hello - thanks for the review. Do you have any recommendations on servers in Luminae (or ones to avoid)? I am really sorry to hear about the sommelier (and the lack of wine selection). I always enjoy good banter with a knowledgeable sommelier. Also, did you get a chance to visit the new bar (Infusions)? And as a previous poster asked, any comments on parking at the port (assuming you parked there)? Thank you again.
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All of the Luminaes on M-class ships are one long room. Since Summit is a M-class ship the Luminae is one long room.
Thank you for the info Northern Aurora.
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Quick question...does Luminae on Summit also have ‘front’ and ‘back’ sections (like on S Class ships)? Or is it one long contiguous area? Thanks.
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Jole’ is no longer a MC. I heard she is in shore excursions on Summit I believe. I think the MC position can be a very demanding job and seems that some of them are moving on now.
Jole’ was terrific as MC Concierge. We are on the Summit in August...will go by the Shore Excursions Desk to say hello to her.
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Hello All - I am wondering if this type of discount also applies to upgrade from Classic ‘non-alcoholic’ to Premium ‘non-alcoholic’. I know 20% of the difference between the two isn’t much - but was just wondering if this is doable. And in case it makes a difference, the Classic non-alcoholic was a perk given by Celebrity at the time of the booking (I.e. we did not purchase that). Thank you all in advance.
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We were also on the cruise that ended in July 8th. Our server was Kavi and he was delightful. He is going on vacation after the current cruise. The staff in Michael's is absolutely wonderful and, if you are fortunate enough to get Judas as your butler, you are in for a treat!
Thank You LisaLeone. I hope we get Judas as our butler!
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I am currently on Summit. Maitre’d who replaced Charles is Vladimir from Croatia. He just arrived on the ship on Sunday morning and although this is his first time on Summit in Luminae he appears to be excellent and he is in Luminae every night helping out with clearing/setting up tables etc. Siraz, the sommelier, is scheduled to go on vacation on August 5 but has requested an extension. So he may or may not be here when you sail.
The hours of the Infusion Bar are 5:30 pm to 10:30 pm - I’ve only walked by 3 times this week but again - not a sole there (not even a visible bartender twice!)
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Thank you jcpc. Do you have any server recommendations as well for Luminae?
Cheers...
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Good miring. I was reading another post on Celebrity site that there is apparent construction in/around Bayonne (or Turnpike) on weekends impacting cruise traffic. Any truth to these rumor? We depart on August 5th (and are planning on driving from South Jersey that morning). Thank you all in advance.
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Meant to say ‘Good Morning’
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Good miring. I was reading another post on Celebrity site that there is apparent construction in/around Bayonne (or Turnpike) on weekends impacting cruise traffic. Any truth to these rumor? We depart on August 5th (and are planning on driving from South Jersey that morning). Thank you all in advance.
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Thank you (again) !
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We are presently on the Summit on the second leg of a B2B. Both legs are in suites.
The current Luminae maitre'd is Charles, who we met on the Summit when we were on B2B2B last fall, but he will leaving when this cruise ends on July 8. I have met his replacement, but don't remember his name. While all of the waitstaff are excellent we have been primarily using Gede (we had him on the Infiity in 2017 when we were on for a month); Gede is rather concerned that I don't eat enough so I forwarn him when we plan to have a large lunch on shore. Dominic and Jay Ar are also very good. The assistant waiters Alper and Alexander are excellent.
The Luminae sommelier is Siraz. We just tell him what we have ordered and he selects the wine. We think he is excellent.
The Michael's Club bartender is Alexandra. She has a wonderful personality and is a great bartender.
Life has been good on the Summit and we will be sad to leave on July 8th.
I am happy to hear that you are enjoying the trip. It’s always sad to depart a cruise. Thank you for the information - and safe travels for the remainder of your trip.
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Hello folks -
We will be on the Aug 5th Summit cruise. We have been on multiple X ships and have really enjoyed the Luminae experience. In my humble opinion, the one thing that made the experience even more wonderful was the wait staff. I am wondering if any recent Summit cruisers can comment on their Luminae experience. Particularly, if they can recommend a particular waiter/waitress that gave them outstanding service. Also, name of the Sommelier would also be welcomed.
Also - if anyone has frequented the new Infusion Bar (in the Gelateria space), any comments on it would also be welcomed.
Thank you all in advance.
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Hello -
I will likely post a separate post on this topic...but you may get me a head start. Do you have any recommendations on current Luminae servers (we board on 5 August)? Also, in December, Summit added (or experimenting with) a new bar called 'Infusion'. It is/was co-located with the Gelateria (across from Cafe Al Bacio). Is it still there? And if so, any feedback would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you.
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We will still be onboard -- possibly we will meet in Michael's Club.
Hello - can you also comment on the Luminae Maitre D - and any recommendations on specific servers in Luminae? We will be on board 5 Aug. Thank you and enjoy your cruise.
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Hello -
Am sailing on Westbound TA on Pursuit this Fall. I am currently in 7036 (V2 category). I can save almost $700 by going to V3 on the same deck (7010, 7015, 7107). Can any of the experienced Azamara cruisers give me their two cents worth on this question? Thank you all in advance.
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We showed up around 1PM, so the garage was full, so we parked in the surface lot. I would actually recommend that over the garage, since we literally had the Porter bring luggage to the lot, and we were out of the complex instantly. I imagine parking on the 5th floor of the garage, there'd be some delay with traffic trying to get out of the garage. The surface lot was great.
Getting down there, we hit some traffic on the GW bridge, but other than that, very uneventful driving there/back. Parked at 1:15PM, and was in the OV Cafe by 1:40PM. Literally.
Thank you for the quick note back. Cheers
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Celebrity Cruisers Thinking About Trying Azamara
in Azamara
Posted
Thanks for the info uktog. I thought I had read somewhere that it was an 'all or nothing' proposition. Glad to hear that it is not. This way I can try a few days of the 'included complimentary spirits/wine'...and if it doesn't satisfy me, I can purchase the package just for the remaining days.
Cheers...