Summit Cruise - our first ever

[NeilMak]

Heyo -

 

Looking for some expert advice/tips

 

My wife and I leave in a few days for our Night Southern Caribbean Cruise on the Summit.

 

There are sooo many options for packages it sometimes seems a little over whelming

 

Thoughts for this newbie and his wife?

 

Thanks

[BethV114]

Just enjoy yourselves. Summit is a beautiful ship with wonderful staff. They will treat you well. If you enjoy wine, my one suggestion would be to visit the wine bar (Cellar Masters). They have a great selection of wine tastings and the sommeliers there are quite knowledgeable.

 

We have been on Summit twice and are looking forward to our third time in March. For wonderful staff, service and food, you really can't beat it.

[aashleyjc]

Don't overthink it and don't try to do everything!

 

We did the 7 night Southern Caribbean on Summit last year and had a wonderful time. One thing we found that was because it is such a port intensive cruise, we didn't do much on board other than eat, sleep and relax on the balcony. We were some of the first off the ship in the morning and the last on to maximize our time in port.

 

What packages are you interested in?

[neverbeenhere]

Keep your clothes on (while out of your stateroom) and enjoy the ride. Don't worry about missing anything because if you get addicted to cruising you will be back soon enough. Remember: IT only gets better after a little experience.

[Champagne Cruiser]

We are just off our 5th cruise on the Summit. The crew is very, very welcoming. Stop by the Captains Club desk so you can sign up and start collecting points. Meet Ashley the very personable Captain Club hostess. Here are a few of our favorite things:

1. Cafe al Bacio for great coffees and teas (fee) but great free pastries

2. The thalassotherapy pool - heavenly.

3. Afternoon tea at the Oceanview Cafe at 3 pm

4. Sushi at the Oceanview Cafe at 5:30.

5. The Liars Club, funniest event we have seen in a long time.

6. Panini grill at the very back for lunch

7. Pizza at any time.

 

Do sign up for your roll call here on Cruise Critic to connect with fellow passengers before sailing. Also sign up for your Meet and Mingle. If you have 25 signups Celebrity will hold a special event for you.

 

Enjoy! We are on the Summit AGAIN in February. Yeah us!

[chrismakris]

Just off our third Summit cruise.

 

My things are:

 

1)Martini Bar before, in between or after dinner/shows. Busy and lots of great people there and good bartenders.

 

2)A book by the windows at Cafe Al Bacio.

 

3)Dan & Radley in the Fortunes Casino Bar. Great bartenders and great interactions between them and you.

 

4)Pizza. Like Champagne Cruiser said, can't go wrong with it at any time. Escpecially around 12:00 am.

 

5)Normandie. Specialty restaurant. Must do before the restaurant is replaced. Fine dining at its best.

 

6)Bistro on 5. Easily the most under-appreciated dining venue on the ship.

[cb at sea]

It's a vacation...no "right or wrong" way to vacation! Read up on your ports, so you can make the most of your time ashore, if that's important to you!

Most people vacation to unwind....if that's you...relax...do what you want, when you want!

[MartinsCruise]

The Summit is one of our favorite ships after being on her six times. Something we enjoy is sitting out at the Oceanview bar during sailaways. It's also a great place to eat breakfast or lunch if you're getting food at the buffet. For breakfast they make fresh Belgium waffles at the back of the buffet right before you go out to the deck. :)

 

You'll always remember your first cruise. Have fun!

[alcpa1]

We'll be on her again in a month.

Try to find a spot on deck when you sail out of San Juan and around El Morro (the fort.) It's magical and will set the tone for the entire cruise.

Adjacent to every elevator, or in the cabin deck hallways are direction signs. There are very few clocks so if you need to adjust your watch head to the Purser's desk and check the overhead clocks.

Plan on being back onboard 45 minutes before you sail. Some of the ports are very congested and it's way too easy to dwadle on a lovely beach.

Don't hesitate to ask the crew questions and directions. Your cabin steward is a great resource. Seasoned cruisers are also generally helpful.

Enjoy your cruise!!!!!

[wwcruisers]

You picked an amazing ship! And, don't worry about all of the "package" offers. Most of those will be available when you board. So, you can wait and make up your mind then.

 

One thing not to miss is the Solarium and it's wonderful T-pool. If you have a port day where you decide not to go ashore -- that's a great place to spend it! :cool:

[junetraveler2014]

We have been on Summit two times June 2016 will be three times. I always bring a highlighter and a few paper clips. I get up, shower order coffee and sit and relax. Then I read the dailies. Highlight my interests, cut out any coupon that interests me and DH and I head out for the planned day. But somewhere along the line, our plans changed because we saw something else and joined in. One thing I will assure you of....You will have a great time no matter what comes your way. Enjoy the cruise.:cool:

[spearmint]

Summit, like all the M-class ships, has the Rendez-vous Lounge, where you can dance, or listen, to music before/after dinner .... much better than dancing at the bottom of a staircase like the S-class. Check the dailies for exact times. Other small events happen there during the day as well.

 

Another thing like about Celebrity ships is the "back deck" aft of the cafe. This is one of our favourite places. When you board, you will be invited to go for lunch at the cafe which is aft of the pools.

 

Bill

[wallie5446]

Heyo -

 

Looking for some expert advice/tips

 

My wife and I leave in a few days for our Night Southern Caribbean Cruise on the Summit.

 

There are sooo many options for packages it sometimes seems a little over whelming

 

Thoughts for this newbie and his wife?

 

Thanks

Heyo back at ya'lls:D

 

Which 'packages' are you thinking about?

 

Beverage, dinning, tours, spa?

 

Here is a great review from an experienced cruiser, on a different line, the first time they sailed Celebrity on the Summit.

 

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1987902

[NeilMak]

Thanks everybody who has chimed in with thoughtful hint and tips

 

We are staying in A2 Cabin 9116

 

We are considering the upgrade to the premium package for beverages - we both love a few glasses of wine and - I am a big coffee drinker.

 

What about the Wi-Fi? I have heard it's certainly not the best both value for money and speed - however I may need to check into work occasionally :rolleyes:

 

Thanks again!

[wallie5446]

Thanks everybody who has chimed in with thoughtful hint and tips

 

We are staying in A2 Cabin 9116

 

We are considering the upgrade to the premium package for beverages - we both love a few glasses of wine and - I am a big coffee drinker.

 

What about the Wi-Fi? I have heard it's certainly not the best both value for money and speed - however I may need to check into work occasionally :rolleyes:

 

Thanks again!

 

The wifester is a red wine person too. We have upgraded the last 2 cruises, 2013 & 14, and will do so in 24 days again! :D

 

One glass of wine over the Classic limit and you could have paid for the upgrade. There were a few on the Classic, but the offerings on the Premium were much better. Coffee, you will be fine staying with the Classic, unless you get wild and creative!:eek:

[kenevenpar]

The Wifi is slow, but serviceable.

 

If you are comfortable ordering "red" or "white" wine, the classic is OK. If you like something better than a house wine, go with the premium package.

 

Ken

[NeilMak]

can't remember that last time we had the house wine .... so Premium sounds like they way to go

[Tudorcruisers]

We cruised on Summit for the first time in August and really loved it. Bit smaller than some we had been on previously and turned out to be one of our favourites. Staff are so friendly and helpful and I didn't get lost so much 😄

 

Great tips from everyone. We also upgrade on the drinks package and then you can really enjoy your wines. Have a great trip.

[Champagne Cruiser]

You don't need to upgrade the Beverage Pkg right away. You might want to try some of the wines the first day and then decide. We do upgrade not only for the wine but for the better champagne.

[stratixman]

You should have a wonderful time. Just don't wear yourselves completely out trying to cram everything in. Make sure to schedule a bit of down time along the way to just relax.

 

If you can manage it, make plans to fly to San Juan at least one day ahead of time and then enjoy your time pre-cruise exploring the way cool, historical old city on your own. Or, if you are into nature, take a day trip to the rain forest.

 

You didn't say if you are a beach people or tour people. I am just guessing at your itinerary. Each of your stops will offer both plenty of both options, as well as endless shopping opportunities. I would hit the beach in St. Thomas, Magens Bay is very popular and beautiful with good amenities. St. Lucia, likewise would be a beach destination for us. I recommend taking a taxi ride to Marigot Bay and then the small skiff across to the sand spit that is on the opposite side (I think its called Mango Beach). If you are going to Barbados I might recommend a tour. Don't know if it is still offered but we did a Celebrity tour that took us around a bunch of the island with stops at the Four Square rum factory, the Sunbury Plantation House, and Medford Craft World - a unique, neat mahogany sculptor's shop. Unfortunately Rihanna wasn't home, so didn't stop there. St. Maarten offers several options - shopping in Philpsburg and a pretty nice beach right downtown, or perhaps take a trip to the French Side (big flea market and other shopping) or Orient or Maho beaches (Maho is a real unique experience). St. John is probably a beach destination, Trunk Bay being very popular.

 

Last but not least don't forget to come back and rate your cruise experience and fill us in on your opinion of the ship and itinerary.

[monicajay]

We loved the Summit and the Southern Itinerary and would have gladly booked a 3rd trip but she is dry-docked the week I'm off school.

 

I highly recommend upgrading to the premium not only for the better wines but the fun you can have at the Martini Bar. I usually don't drink any fancy drinks but it was sure fun watching the bartender's show and trying some new drinks. The best one I had was not on the menu and was just a creation of one of the bartenders.

 

If you only want to check e-mail occasionally I wouldn't bother with a ship package. This is a very port intensive trip and you will easily find free or almost free (buy a beer) Wi-Fi in each port.

 

Also, don't let yourselves be overwhelmed when you meet up with people who have done 31 cruises. Sometimes they want to share too much information.....

 

Lastly, remember, it's your vacation, enjoy it the way you want and have lots of fun!!

[poffles]

Loved it so much I just booked again for April 2016. Love the smaller ship and going out of San Juan. See my review in my signature to get a glimpse of my thoughts on my trip last year.

 

The ship may be small but with such a port intensive cruise it doesn't matter so much. I tend to always get a balcony but this time opted to go a bit cheaper and go oceanview with the thought so much time is spent off the ship that I won't mind so much, just means more time out and about up on the decks near the bars enjoying the drink package. :D

 

Have a great trip!

[BubMunkeyBles]

I love the Summit. She sold us on Celebrity. I've done the Summit twice on Southern itinerary's now and have another Southern on her booked in January. I love cruising out of San Juan. We've done the Antigua, Barbados, St Marten, St Thomas and St Lucia run twice and this time doing the Rouseau, St Thomas, St Kitts, Martinique and Tortola run. Can't go wrong. We've always booked the 3 meal package and really enjoy both QSine and love Normandie (which is being replaced soon after our next cruise unfortunately). I do fine on the standard beverage package but the premium is nice too (we have premium for our 5 day on the Connie coming up). I'm not a big wine drinker though.

[Redtravel]

I have sailed on the Summit 3 times. Loved it. On it for b2b in January.

[vplsh]

We'll be on Summit for our 5th time in March, having done both San Juan itineraries and Bermuda. You'll love her!! The staff is the best on the seas!!