Summit 5/1/16 Review

[siebelqueen]

This was not our first time on the Summit, and we've been to Bermuda several times before. So for us, the cruise was really the destination last week. While we didn't experience everything the cruise had to offer (What in the world is Indulgence???), we did a lot. So here are the highlights you all might be interested in:

 

Cabin 2094 - Outside View Deck 2

Our family of four stayed in this cabin while my parents were in a concierge class veranda cabin on deck 8. When we came on board, we were a bit nervous as the cabin was clearly made up for just two guests. It wasn't until later that evening that the upper berths were set up and extra towels were delivered. We had to beg for extra toiletries, like shampoo. It took a few days before our stateroom attendant finally understood that one tube of shampoo simply wasn't enough for four people.

 

The pros:

• The cabin was large enough for the four of us and could have accommodated a fifth passenger on the pull-out sofa
  
• Tons of storage - more space than we actually needed
  
• Great location - low and center, and very quiet
  

 

The cons:

• One of the upper berths was held together with scotch tape
  
• Sheets were ripped - some holes large enough for our 5 year old to stick her foot through
  
• One of the soap dishes in the shower was broken
  
• When it started raining, the window leaked (water coming into the ship is simply no good)
  

 

The biggest con of all was our stateroom attendant. Not only did we have to beg for things like shampoo, he was often very late to make up our room, sometimes rushing through it cutting corners because his shift was almost over. We asked for a pitcher of water with our ice bucket. Ice was no problem, but the water was something else. On the first day, we were told Celebrity doesn't allow pitchers of water in the cabins. My parents had one in theirs, and I told him so. The next day, he told us that they don't like to use the pitchers for water because they all smell like coffee. But he would see what he could do. On the third day, we finally got the water, and there was no coffee smell. We had to resort to calling guest relations for everything because he was just unable to do anything for us - even giving us laundry bags. When filling out my survey from Celebrity earlier today, I would have mentioned him by name. But he never told us his name. There was no card in the cabin with his name on it. I honestly don't think he ever learned our names either. (Thankfully, we've traveled on Celebrity before. So I know this is not the norm, and it will not stop me from booking with them again.)

 

The Food

The food on the Summit is pretty good. Most nights, dinner was excellent. We skipped the Top Chef night to eat in the Tuscan Grill, which was very nice. I never ate in the Normandy. So I can't say whether or not it was an improvement. We had lunch in Bistro on 5 one day, which was excellent. The service there was top notch, and they were very accommodating with our kids who can be extremely picky eaters. The cafe on deck 10 had lots of good options. But it was very disorganized during peak meal times. Lines were often moving in two different directions at the same time, plates were heavy and the trays that used to be there were gone, and it took several trips for us to carry silverware, heavy plates of food and drinks for four people before we could sit down to eat. Back in the main dining room, our waiter and assistant were great. They did everything they could to make sure we had a great experience. Unfortunately, they didn't get the message that we were celebrating my dad's birthday yesterday, and there was no cake, candles or singing. But we know that's not the waiter's fault.

 

Fun Factory

The ladies at the Fun Factory did an amazing job. There weren't a lot of kids on board last week. But they all had a blast. The programs were entertaining, and the kids always had a good time. We even took advantage of the dinner parties on at sea days, which our kids thought was the best thing ever. Our daughter was practically in tears when she had to leave, and both of our kids can't wait to go on another cruise just to go back to the fun factory.

 

Entertainment

The first show we went to was a comedian who was downright rude. I don't think there was anybody in the audience who wasn't offended by his off color jokes, and we walked out after about half an hour. Fortunately, it was uphill from there. The Summit singers and dancers were good. The iMagic show was great, and our kids even enjoyed it. The second comedian of the week was very good, and it was literally standing room only that night.

 

We're not big drinkers, and we don't really gamble. The only time we were even in the casino was for the muster drill the first day. And although we did look for the Rooftop Terrace, it was hard to find and too cold to sit outside once we did find it. All in all, we did have a great week, and we're booked on the Reflection for our next cruise. We're hopeful that the newer ship on a spring break week will be more our speed. Perhaps the next dry dock for the Summit should focus on the cabins more than the public spaces. Just my two cents.

 

Thanks for reading, and happy sailing!

[Clarea]

Nicely written, thanks.

[PROCRUISE]

Thanks for taking the time to write your nice review. We'll be on The Summit in September for two weeks so your general information was helpful.

Indeed, your cabin attendant sounded less than helpful which is certainly not the norm on Celebrity or any other cruise line we've sailed with in the past.

Glad your children had such a good time too! :)

[Grandma Rambo]

Hi, we were on the same cruise. It was the second week of a B2B. We were in 3099 and our stateroom attendant, Susan, was outstanding as was her assistant, Fatkur. There was an area just above the baseboard in the shower that had been patched and had a little rusty area. We didn't mind it, but on the first or second day they asked our permission to have the men come in and fix it. The previous passengers had refused. We said "sure". They came in the next day and fixed it so that it looked like new.

 

I'm sorry you had such a bad experience with your attendant. Did you ever report it to the head housekeeper?

 

We ate twice in Bistro and really enjoyed the ambiance and service. It was always at least half full. They make nice ice cream floats. Cynthia in there not only remembered our names the second week, she remembered the color of the shirt I wore on embarkation day and at which table we sat!

 

We enjoyed both weeks and both sets of fellow passengers. We booked the repositioning cruise again for next April.

[portofrome]

Thanks for your review.

[Redtravel]

The highlight of our cruise was being together with our family to celebrate my husband's birthday. I requested a cake before the cruise. I told my TA who said he made the request. I also called Celebrity directly twice. No cake at dinner to celebrate. We could hear waiters singing Happy Birthday to other people in the MDR. You might say that we should have told the waiter in advance. In hindsight, we should have told the waiter. However, we have celebrated birthdays on Celebrity Summit previously with a cake at dinner. We have sailed on Celebrity many times. We are elite plus. We were very disappointed. Our waiter was very apologetic. He was a terrific waiter. He did send a cake later to our cabin. Nice gesture. It didn't makeup for celebrating with the family at dinner.

[lbrush]

Thanks for your review. We will be on the Summit on 5/15/16 and heard really great things about the ship. Were you able to use the pool since the weather here is a little chilly. Were you able to go to the beaches and swim. This is our first time to Bermuda.

[siebelqueen]

Our kids used the pool on the ship when we were at sea. The water was a bit too chilly for me. But there were several people in the hot tubs. The indoor pool was very crowded, and there seemed to be a lot fewer chaise lounges in the solarium as opposed to four years ago. So we stayed by the outdoor pool most of the time on board. It was in the 70s in Bermuda last week - not quite beach weather. But a lot can change in a couple of weeks.

 

One more thing I forgot to include in my review was our excursion on the Fantasea Glass Bottom Boat. We bought the excursion from Celebrity, and it was one of the best things we did in the short time we were in Bermuda. The guide was a local Bermudian, and he was very knowledgeable and entertaining. The boat took us to two locations for viewing the fish. The first was along the natural reef, and the second was the site of the shipwrecked ironclad Vixen. The fish were amazing, and we, our children and my parents all had a great time.

 

Hope that helps!

[siebelqueen]

Hi, we were on the same cruise. It was the second week of a B2B. We were in 3099 and our stateroom attendant, Susan, was outstanding as was her assistant, Fatkur. There was an area just above the baseboard in the shower that had been patched and had a little rusty area. We didn't mind it, but on the first or second day they asked our permission to have the men come in and fix it. The previous passengers had refused. We said "sure". They came in the next day and fixed it so that it looked like new.

 

I'm sorry you had such a bad experience with your attendant. Did you ever report it to the head housekeeper?

 

We ate twice in Bistro and really enjoyed the ambiance and service. It was always at least half full. They make nice ice cream floats. Cynthia in there not only remembered our names the second week, she remembered the color of the shirt I wore on embarkation day and at which table we sat!

 

We enjoyed both weeks and both sets of fellow passengers. We booked the repositioning cruise again for next April.

Yes, we reported our frustrations to the head housekeeper and guest relations. Midway through the cruise, we had one night where everything we needed magically appeared in our cabin after dinner. Laundry bags and the Celebrity logo bag everybody else had mysteriously appeared in the back of the closet. There was an entire shelf filled with shampoo and conditioner in the bathroom. There were pool towels waiting for us to go ashore, and even a towel animal (a bunny, I think) on one of the beds. The cabin steward even knocked on the door later that night to make sure the kids saw the animal he made specially for them. Unfortunately, after that night, things went back to the way they were. Oh well. Fortunately, it sounds like he was the exception rather than the norm.

[CruiserN1]

Thanks for your review, we're sailing on Summit in November. Do you recall which night was the Top Chef menu? I've seen it and think we'd prefer to do Qsine that night.

[Redtravel]

Tuesday is the night that the MDR menu is Top Chef. We also opted to skip it having tried it on other cruises. Some people like the Top Chef menu. That night we decided to try the Tuscan Grill. It was good. The service was excellent. The food was good . However, it was not nearly as good as we had remembered from previous dinners at Tuscan on the Eclipse and Silhouette.

[hypercafe]

We were also on this trip. I think it was mistake to put those couches around. People lay on them taking up lots of space. I found the chair hogs out in big numbers. That really annoys me, wish there was a answer. Otherwise had a nice time. Staff told me Bistro will go to Susi in October.

[mringenoldus]

Thanks for your review. We will be on the Summit on 5/15/16 and heard really great things about the ship. Were you able to use the pool since the weather here is a little chilly. Were you able to go to the beaches and swim. This is our first time to Bermuda.

 

 

Have you found our roll call - sorry if you are already listed and I missed your name.

[MOcruiserman]

One more thing I forgot to include in my review was our excursion on the Fantasea Glass Bottom Boat. We bought the excursion from Celebrity, and it was one of the best things we did in the short time we were in Bermuda. The guide was a local Bermudian, and he was very knowledgeable and entertaining. The boat took us to two locations for viewing the fish. The first was along the natural reef, and the second was the site of the shipwrecked ironclad Vixen. The fish were amazing, and we, our children and my parents all had a great time.

 

Hope that helps!

 

We were on your cruise and on the Fantasea boat with you. We really enjoyed the experience too. And the free rum swizzle was an added treat!

[MOcruiserman]

One thing about the cruise that was a real disappointment was the new Rooftop Terrace located on the top deck (deck 12). Too windy and too cold to comfortably watch a movie, in my opinion. I don't know why Celebrity installed it - it makes no sense. And worse, there were no movies at all offered in the indoor theater - the first cruise I've been on where I didn't see a movie.

[DrivesLikeMario]

Do you know how many kids were onboard? You said "a lot" so I'm wondering what that amount is to you.

 

Thanks for the review.

[CruisingChick]

Do you know how many kids were onboard? You said "a lot" so I'm wondering what that amount is to you.

 

Thanks for the review.

 

She said there weren't a lot of kids on board.

 

Fun Factory

The ladies at the Fun Factory did an amazing job. There weren't a lot of kids on board last week. But they all had a blast. The programs were entertaining, and the kids always had a good time. We even took advantage of the dinner parties on at sea days, which our kids thought was the best thing ever. Our daughter was practically in tears when she had to leave, and both of our kids can't wait to go on another cruise just to go back to the fun factory.

Edited May 9, 2016 by CruisingChick

[dkjretired]

She said there weren't a lot of kids on board.

 

There wouldn't be a lot of kids on the cruises in May or the first couple of weeks in June. After that there are loads of kids for the summer.

[CruisingChick]

There wouldn't be a lot of kids on the cruises in May or the first couple of weeks in June. After that there are loads of kids for the summer.

 

In the Northeast most schools get out the 2nd or 3rd week of June. So from Father's Day to Labor Day always has the most kids onboard.

[JEDIKNIGHT]

Thank you for an excellent, balanced, fair and detailed review.

 

The stuff about begging for extra shampoo, etc - - sort of worries me. Some days I think cruise lines are slowly learning that they can treat people like cattle...and get away with it sort of like airlines did.

 

I hope this experience was an aberration and not the norm.

 

To each his own - but I'd NAME the steward on the email survey. If we don't police this stuff, it'll get worse.

[DrivesLikeMario]

She said there weren't a lot of kids on board.

 

Thanks - missed that all-important word! :o

 

There wouldn't be a lot of kids on the cruises in May or the first couple of weeks in June. After that there are loads of kids for the summer.

 

Makes sense & that's why I was asking. Sorry I missed the word "weren't". Got distracted. :cool:

[CruisingChick]

Thanks - missed that all-important word! :o

 

 

 

Makes sense & that's why I was asking. Sorry I missed the word "weren't". Got distracted. :cool:

 

It happens. I am guilty of the same thing at times.

[tgm]

I was "your neighbor" in room 2098. We also had to go to customer relations regarding our room steward. We did not get "turn down" service the 1st night sailing. Therefore we didn't get Celebrity TODAY to plan our activities for Monday. We also did not get our Captain's Club coupons in the cabin. Customer relations told us that the room steward should have told us that we needed to go to deck 3 for coupons, however, 1 of the 3 rooms booked did get the coupons in their stateroom. The room steward only introduced himself and told us that if we needed anything to just let him know.

[Luv2Crus40]

Also on this cruise -haven't written review yet. I thought they discontinued the coupons because of the perk's being offered. Hello to VA man!

Any trouble with room stewards usually taken care of if you speak with housekeeping. We've been lucky so far with stewards. We speak with steward first day if we have any needs. Most stewards okay. Sorry you got a bad one.

[Luv2Crus40]

Also on this cruise -haven't written review yet. I thought they discontinued the coupons because of the perk's being offered. Hello to VA man!

Any trouble with room stewards usually taken care of if you speak with housekeeping. We've been lucky so far with stewards. We speak with steward first day if we have any needs. Most stewards okay. Sorry you had a bad one.