Summit Bermuda Review June 2016

[freshjive1479]

Thanks for the review and the fantastic photos. I booked 1140 on the Summit next month to Bermuda for me and my Mom and this is really getting me excited!

[Dreamer68]

Can't say. I was by myself, and they stopped one of the taxis going to Horseshoe Bay and got me in that.

 

I offered the driver $15 and he wouldn't take it, left him $10 .... told him he had to take it.

 

I told Harry at Somerset the story, and he re-imbursed me for the $10. It is their policy to pay for your cab fare to their place.

 

Having experience with Boston Whalers, you should have a great time. Enjoy.

 

Thanks for your review!! Loving all the photos and commentary. We are boarding the Summit this coming weekend (31/7). First time on Celebrity and to Bermuda. So excited. We booked a Boston Whaler for one of our mornings at port. The Taxi fare to Somerset is only refundable IF you have a jetski booking (says so on their website) BUT not for Boston Whaler or kayaks. Did you get any motion sickness on the jet ski? I'm just a wee bit worried about bumpy rides although the Boston Whaler will be nowhere your speed. :)

[iheartbda]

Coming into SG.

 

 

 

Thanks for the great review, my heart is all a flutter since no cruise to Bermuda this year.:(

 

Just imagine going thru The Town Cut on a ship, there is nothing quite like it. You felt like you could touch the trees along the way. The Town Crier would be on the rock ringing his bell, they would shoot off the canon and lots of people would be on the rock waving. People in their houses along the way would also wave. On the way out, there would also be lots of people on the rocks waving. Once, after meeting friends in St. George, they hopped on their scooters and got to the rocks to wave as I went by.

 

It was also wonderful to be docked right in Hamilton. So convenient being almost in the center of the island so very easy to get to most everything.

 

Surprised you didn't see fish at TB since they never disappointed us, especially the rainbow fish. My husband tells the story of seeing a big one and every time, the fish gets bigger. At last telling, it was up to 75lbs.:D

 

What most people call the baby beach to the right at Horseshoe Bay was not always accessible. It was closed off with the rock formations but Hurricane Fabian came through and opened it up. They got hit hard that year and we were there just weeks after but there was hardly ANY evidence of the damage that had been done.

[LA_CA_GAL]

Thanks for your review!! Loving all the photos and commentary. We are boarding the Summit this coming weekend (31/7). First time on Celebrity and to Bermuda. So excited. We booked a Boston Whaler for one of our mornings at port. The Taxi fare to Somerset is only refundable IF you have a jetski booking (says so on their website) BUT not for Boston Whaler or kayaks. Did you get any motion sickness on the jet ski? I'm just a wee bit worried about bumpy rides although the Boston Whaler will be nowhere your speed. :)

 

We were pretty much buzzing around enclosed bays for the most part. Water was pretty smooth. Regardless, I never get motion sickness.

 

The Boston Whaler should be a lot of fun. If I had a couple of people, I might have opted to do that, but I was by myself.

 

What are your plans? Just curious what that would entail, as I am sure I will be doing Bermuda again, and will be paying a visit back to Somerset for some kind of water craft.

[A Sixth?]

Rented a Boston Whaler last time we were in Bermuda

 

Picked it up from Blue Hole Water Sports near the airport

 

 

[Dreamer68]

We were pretty much buzzing around enclosed bays for the most part. Water was pretty smooth. Regardless, I never get motion sickness.

 

The Boston Whaler should be a lot of fun. If I had a couple of people, I might have opted to do that, but I was by myself.

 

What are your plans? Just curious what that would entail, as I am sure I will be doing Bermuda again, and will be paying a visit back to Somerset for some kind of water craft.

 

After interviewing the 3 other members (DH, DD16, DS13) of our family, I settled on 2 water-related choices. One, a Boston Whaler with Somerset, after going through Tripadvisor and seeing photos of visitors moored on small, private-looking, secluded beaches and reading reviews. I wanted a chance to see the island from the water, at our own pace....and the reviews confirmed this was a good choice for us. We are doing that our very last morning....somewhat like a gentle, relaxing and personal goodbye wave to Bermuda. What got us to choose Somerset over the others was in their description of the rentals, everything was the same as their competitors except for their providing cell phones as well....hahaha....that soothed my commando-planning nerves. I mean I'd appreciate the paddles for sure if something ever went wrong with the engines but I sure as heck would like to be able to call ashore for help, y'know? Especially since we are not cell phones carriers. Horrors! Such folks actually exist :)

 

The other water-related choice for the family was to go reef fishing with Capt. Baxter. Their company has a solid 5* review on Tripadvisor and we have that booked for our first afternoon at port. They were already full on Thursday and since we could not guarantee that the Summit would arrive on time, we took the afternoon availability. DH and the kids saw all the visitor photos and are quite excited at knowing that they WILL be catching fish. The chance to get our freshly caught fish at a local restaurant for only $12/pax was I thought a steal, considering how much restaurant outings cost in Bermuda. And yes, yes, I am aware that I am providing the fish. :) I figured this was almost a guaranteed highlight for our first day at port. We'd do a leisurely walk around the Dockyard that first morning after breakfast, again, different from most people who'd do the Dockyard on the last day to be close to the ship. We'd check out the stores, museum & Dolphin Quest, mini-putt...and whatever we don't get to check out, we leave it for our final afternoon.

 

Our Thursday at port is a leisurely half day walking the South Shore park from Warwick Long Bay beach towards the Horseshoe Bay with a stop at Jobson Cove...somewhat opposite direction than most people. Partly because based on one seasoned traveler, I agree with him that I'd rather end my beach combing at a beach with washroom facilities and snacks than at a beach that doesn't have that. :) And I figure I'd get some crowdless photos for Warwick Beach to make up for the crowded photo at Horseshoe. The other half of the day, we'd have to choose between visiting St. George & nearby sights or Hamilton & nearby sights. The kids are more interested in nature than in buildings so I will forego all the architecture/history related activities in favour of something more nature friendly... I am aware there are the Crystal Caves but we've seen caves in our trips to Asia so, okay to miss that and the hefty price to get in. :)

 

We are most likely taking public transportation on the Thursday so I am reading like mad, all the info pertaining to tokens and ticket booklets. I received my package from the Bermuda Tourism Board 2 weeks ago which included a very cool, fold-out map, so I've been memorizing bits and pieces of interesting information every night. And the Fodor's Guide is helpful too. LOL!!! Also thinking of walking the Bermuda Railway Trail that starts in Somerset. I think the bus ticket from the Dockyard to Somerset is cheap so, yeah... those are our plans. Plus, I won't sweat it if we don't get to do everything I think we'd want to do. It's the first time for our kids to go on a cruise so everything will seem like a luxury and it will be fabulous. :)

[LA_CA_GAL]

Ask Harry at Somerset where the reef is with the fish. Literally hundreds of them that will literally eat out of your hands, you just need to bring some bread.

 

Looks like you have done the planning. You will have a great time.

[Dreamer68]

Ask Harry at Somerset where the reef is with the fish. Literally hundreds of them that will literally eat out of your hands, you just need to bring some bread.

 

Looks like you have done the planning. You will have a great time.

 

Will do!! Have seen Harry's name mentioned lots of times as well as Tony, whom we dealt with. Supposedly before we can take the boat out, they will show us where we can / are allowed to go. We get a map coz unlike you with the jetski, we will not have a guide. So, we will find our way to HMS Vixen. The rental also comes with a cooler with ice, bread for fish and noodles (assuming those are not the kind to eat but to float with). :D Now, we hope for Mother Nature to cooperate and not have a windy or rainy fit when we are there. :) THANKS again for your review!

[bouy]

Thanks for your review it was awesome! I have a question this is my first trip out of Bayone leaving on September 3rd and just wondering how long it takes to disembark? I was an NCL girl and typically leaving out of Boston but not liking the direction they are going in so I'm giving Celebrity a try . I'm taking the train back home and just trying to figure out if a noon train is possible or if I should do later ? Does Celebrity do easy walk off ?

[LA_CA_GAL]

Bayonne is great.

 

We packed light, one suitcase each, and we walked off at about 8:00.

 

BTW, we also booked the September 3 cruise, so we will be along with you.

[Charles4515]

Thanks for your review it was awesome! I have a question this is my first trip out of Bayone leaving on September 3rd and just wondering how long it takes to disembark? I was an NCL girl and typically leaving out of Boston but not liking the direction they are going in so I'm giving Celebrity a try . I'm taking the train back home and just trying to figure out if a noon train is possible or if I should do later ? Does Celebrity do easy walk off ?

 

 

 

Yes, the self walk off starts at 7:30. Everyone is off the ship by 9:30. The debark does not take long. You don't even need easy walk off to make a noon train. A noon train will be easy. I do the train home from every cruise out of Bayonne and never do self disembark. I have always caught a train before noon.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Edited October 22, 2016 by Charles4515

[bouy]

Great thanks according to an email I got yesterday we won't be getting back at 8 instead of 7 but sounds like I should still be ok time wise . Charles do you leave out of Penn or Jersey ?

And yes that's how I found your great review I was looking at the roll call and saw that you had done the review

[Charles4515]

Great thanks according to an email I got yesterday we won't be getting back at 8 instead of 7 but sounds like I should still be ok time wise . Charles do you leave out of Penn or Jersey ?

And yes that's how I found your great review I was looking at the roll call and saw that you had done the review

 

You want to leave out of Newark, New Jersey. The Amtrak station in Newark you want to leave from is called Newark Penn Station. Not to be confused with New York Penn Station. The station name is the same, the city different. And you don't want Newark Airport Station. It is 20 to 25 minutes from the port to Newark Penn Station. You will be okay time wise for a train around noon. Between 11:30 or 12:30 probably for trains to Boston. You don't have to get to the station an hour or two early. They don't have a security line or a boarding line at that station. You check the departure board for the track and go up and wait on the platform about ten minutes before the arrival. Get an e-ticket in advance. You can do it on a smartphone.

Edited October 22, 2016 by Charles4515

[bouy]

Thanks Charles I look into that funny everyone was telling me I'd have to go back to NY penn to get the Amtrak train and I keep saying are you sure there isn't something in NJ.

[OceansOfTravels]

I enjoyed your review!! You had great pictures, and I really enjoyed your commentary and illustration throughout the review. Quick question: Do you by chance know if the Summit always docked with the Port side facing the shore? I ask because if I were to get a balcony, I would want to be on the side that faces the dock. Is there a good island view from the other side if you do not face the dock?

[Charles4515]

I enjoyed your review!! You had great pictures, and I really enjoyed your commentary and illustration throughout the review. Quick question: Do you by chance know if the Summit always docked with the Port side facing the shore? I ask because if I were to get a balcony, I would want to be on the side that faces the dock. Is there a good island view from the other side if you do not face the dock?

 

 

 

The Summit does not always dock with the same side facing the Dockyard. (there is shore on both sides but one side has a water view to the shore). Maintenance, lifeboat testing, and winds dictate which side the Captain will dock the ship.

 

In my opinion the view from the other side is good. But take a look...

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Edited November 23, 2016 by Charles4515

[OceansOfTravels]

The Summit does not always dock with the same side facing the Dockyard. (there is shore on both sides but one side has a water view to the shore). Maintenance, lifeboat testing, and winds dictate which side the Captain will dock the ship.

 

In my opinion the view from the other side is good. But take a look...

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

You're right, it does look nice. Thanks for your fast reply! :D

[tweetylori]

Loved your review and pics, thanks!

[madelinerose]

Yes, the self walk off starts at 7:30. Everyone is off the ship by 9:30. The debark does not take long. You don't even need easy walk off to make a noon train. A noon train will be easy. I do the train home from every cruise out of Bayonne and never do self disembark. I have always caught a train before noon.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

Do you take the train from Maryland the day of or the day before your cruise?

[Charles4515]

Do you take the train from Maryland the day of or the day before your cruise?

 

 

Since I have friends in northern New Jersey I have usually been going the day before and staying with them. One time I stayed in an Embassy Suites/Meadowlands. I have gone the same day a few times with no issues but I prefer going the day before.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Edited November 25, 2016 by Charles4515

[riclop]

Thanks for the review.

[2theship]

Do you take the train from Maryland the day of or the day before your cruise?

 

Since I have friends in northern New Jersey I have usually been going the day before and staying with them. One time I stayed in an Embassy Suites/Meadowlands. I have gone the same day a few times with no issues but I prefer going the day before.

 

I don't know where either one of your are starting from but last year my daughter in DC took the train to the Newark Airport Amtrak station. She could then grab the shuttle from the airport to our hotel, the Country Inn and Suites. The hotel has a reasonably priced shuttle to and from the cruise port.

[shipfriend_max]

Hello,

 

Thanks for the review.

 

I ahve just one question regarding the new Rooftop-Terrace being installed on the M-Class-ships:

Do the passengers get served FREE snacks (popcorn, cookies etc) like on Princess' Movie Under the Stars?

[marycruz]

Hello,

 

Thanks for the review.

 

I ahve just one question regarding the new Rooftop-Terrace being installed on the M-Class-ships:

Do the passengers get served FREE snacks (popcorn, cookies etc) like on Princess' Movie Under the Stars?

 

When we were on the Summit last June the snacks up there were $10.00. Not sure about if you only get the popcorn.

Edited January 13, 2017 by marycruz

[shipfriend_max]

When we were on the Summit last June the snacks up there were $10.00. Not sure about if you only get the popcorn.

 

REALLY????? :eek:

 

Thought the 10$ are for the "taste of film" event, but snacks for 10$ are far toooo high IMHO, especially on a Premium cruise line.

Sure you did not get anything for free, not even popcorn??