Summit Review - Better than ever

[smdubowsky]

My dear wife and I just returned from a Southern Caribbean cruise on the Summit. We are experienced cruisers having been on 22 cruises with 18 on Celebrity. The Summit was fantastic and we recommend it. This is the 3rd time that we have been on the Summit and this was our best experience. We traveled in Aqua class and ate in Blu with one night at the Tuscan Grill.

 

The ship was in great shape. The refurb was effective and appeared to be improved from our last time on the ship in the summer of 2015. It was hard to believe that the ship is 16 years old.

 

Blu was the best we have experienced on a Celebrity ship. While the menu was familiar and has not changed much, the presentation and quality were excellent. The staff was, as usual, very accommodating. Kudos to Fernando, the sommelier in Blu, and Edward, our waiter in Blu.

 

Rather than going on and on, please ask any questions that you may have.

[Stargirl4]

Do you have any of the dailies? How were the shows? What was your favorite drink? We are cruising in March and are so excited! Thanks!

[Living4acruise2day]

How was the service on the pool deck? Were you able to get a cocktail? Was there enough food? Another poster reviewed the summit and said she was starving.

[C 2 C]

We spent November on board.

 

Best pizza in the fleet.

[smdubowsky]

How was the service on the pool deck? Were you able to get a cocktail? Was there enough food? Another poster reviewed the summit and said she was starving.

 

I would be very doubtful of anyone starving on the Summit. When we were not in Blu we usually ate at the AquaSpa Cafe. BTW, on embarkation day the AquaSpa Cafe was empty while everyone was jammed into the buffet.

 

The buffet had different selections than I remember but they certainly had a big selection. The pizza was great. The drink of the day were good. I only had one or two. There was plenty of pool service. We only has one sea day so we encountered no problems getting drinks by the pool for this cruise.

 

As I stated previously, the food on this cruise for us was never better. We never had over or undercooked food. Our expectations were definitely exceeded.

[Sandi07054]

Hello

I am considering a cruise to Bermuda in July or August on The Summit

I'm looking for a balcony roon. Looks like when booking cheapest was deck 7. I definitely don't want to have an obstructed view. Just returned from a Mediterranean cruise where I was above lifeboats and could not look down from balcony at water. I love to sit and enjoy my balcony

Thanks for any advice on decks

[Living4acruise2day]

I would be very doubtful of anyone starving on the Summit. When we were not in Blu we usually ate at the AquaSpa Cafe. BTW, on embarkation day the AquaSpa Cafe was empty while everyone was jammed into the buffet.

 

The buffet had different selections than I remember but they certainly had a big selection. The pizza was great. The drink of the day were good. I only had one or two. There was plenty of pool service. We only has one sea day so we encountered no problems getting drinks by the pool for this cruise.

 

As I stated previously, the food on this cruise for us was never better. We never had over or undercooked food. Our expectations were definitely exceeded.

Thank you so much. This woman said she was ravenous and could not find any food. Thought this was kind of strange. Never on a cruise where there was no food available and never sat by the pool where there was no service.

[irishayes]

You are misquoting what I said. I said for a certain time., for about an hour between when we return from the port and until 5:30, there was no food available in the Ocean View cafe. People who returned from ports are usually hungry and they should have food out for us. I never stated that I was starving on the entire cruise, just that one time. Where there was no food to be found. And I am not exaggerating, there was no food in the Ocean View cafe.

 

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[Fish Lover]

You are misquoting what I said. I said for a certain time., for about an hour between when we return from the port and until 5:30, there was no food available in the Ocean View cafe. People who returned from ports are usually hungry and they should have food out for us. I never stated that I was starving on the entire cruise, just that one time. Where there was no food to be found. And I am not exaggerating, there was no food in the Ocean View cafe.

 

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I back you up on this. Late afternoon and late night, there is nothing. Once, back from a nighttime excursion in Bermuda, we came back very hungry. The ONLY thing available and about to be shut down was the pizza. I can not understand how anyone can rave about the pizza. It wasn't even as good as grocery store frozen. Certainly nothing even resembling pizza parlor pizza. We tasted it and discarded it went back to our cabin and ordered room service. Great turkey club and fries.

[irishayes]

I back you up on this. Late afternoon and late night, there is nothing. Once, back from a nighttime excursion in Bermuda, we came back very hungry. The ONLY thing available and about to be shut down was the pizza. I can not understand how anyone can rave about the pizza. It wasn't even as good as grocery store frozen. Certainly nothing even resembling pizza parlor pizza. We tasted it and discarded it went back to our cabin and ordered room service. Great turkey club and fries.

 

To be honest, I never even thought about room service. It is weird to me that I have to do that on a cruise in order to eat. I guess gone are the days when you could eat 20 times a day if you were fast enough . . .

 

The reason it was disappointing to me is because I remember how Celebrity cruising was a few years ago, and I very much saw the difference on this cruise.

[smdubowsky]

They must have changed the recipe for the pizza since you were on board. I live in northern NJ and I know pizza. While this wasn't a "top line" pizza as far as NJ standards, it was decent and quite edible and much better than the chain store pies.

 

As far as availability of food, there were always light snacks,pastries (at El Bacio) pizza , and pasta available and we often survived for two hours until dinner without starving.

[Cruizen Susan]

My dear wife and I just returned from a Southern Caribbean cruise on the Summit. We are experienced cruisers having been on 22 cruises with 18 on Celebrity. The Summit was fantastic and we recommend it. This is the 3rd time that we have been on the Summit and this was our best experience. We traveled in Aqua class and ate in Blu with one night at the Tuscan Grill.

 

The ship was in great shape. The refurb was effective and appeared to be improved from our last time on the ship in the summer of 2015. It was hard to believe that the ship is 16 years old.

 

Blu was the best we have experienced on a Celebrity ship. While the menu was familiar and has not changed much, the presentation and quality were excellent. The staff was, as usual, very accommodating. Kudos to Fernando, the sommelier in Blu, and Edward, our waiter in Blu.

 

Rather than going on and on, please ask any questions that you may have.

 

I am so happy to hear your POSITIVE review, because I am currently planning a Bermuda cruise on the Summit for 2018. I was trying to decide between a C1 or an A1, both the same price. Your post about Blu has helped me decide. We normally like to eat in the specialty restaurants most nights, but Blu it will be. Our experience on the Equinox last March was not so wonderful in Blu, but I'll give it another try based on your review. Also love the aft cabins on the Summit as well, small ship, less of a walk to get from A to B, etc.

 

Thanks for the timely review, there is one particular cabin that is available, which I want to snatch up!!

[smdubowsky]

In reply, there are only two specialty restaurants on the Summit, Tuscan Grille and Q-Sine and Q-Sine is kind of quirky. I think Blu is your best bet and IMHO, Summit has the best Blu kitchen in the fleet.

[smdubowsky]

On Summit, Deck 7 is not obstructed by the lifeboats. Should be okay!

[smdubowsky]

BTW, just to add, Celebrity has replaced Bistro on 5 with Sushi on 5. Never saw anyone in there. The menu there is a la carte with each item running $10.00 or $11.00 dollars. My guess is that it will not last.

[Cruizen Susan]

In reply, there are only two specialty restaurants on the Summit, Tuscan Grille and Q-Sine and Q-Sine is kind of quirky. I think Blu is your best bet and IMHO, Summit has the best Blu kitchen in the fleet.

 

Thanks again. I'm not a fan of Q-sine, but will probably go to Tuscan one night for a nice filet. Murano is our favorite and it's a non-issue on the Summit. Blu it is! And I saw your other post about Sushi on 5. No one was ever in there on the Equinox or Eclipse this past year. We miss the Bistro crepes!!

[djhsolara]

Thank you for you review. Sorry I haven't done my research yet, but we're considering Summit in the fall (cruised on Millennium several years ago and remember really enjoying it and regularly cruise on HAL). Other than dining in Blu, what does Aqua Class do for you? Is the T-pool open to everyone or just spa guests?

 

Thank you!!

 

 

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Edited January 16, 2017 by djhsolara

[smdubowsky]

There are several amenities offered for Aqua Class such as an upgraded bathroom and use of the Persian Gardens but for us the main attraction is Blu. It's not just the slightly different food but also the intimacy of the smaller venue. For us, it gives us the best features of being a "ship within a ship." Over the years it has averaged around $200.00 per person over a 7 day cruise. That's about $28.00 pp/per day and we have felt that it was worth it.

Edited January 16, 2017 by smdubowsky

[fleckle]

.....As I stated previously, the food on this cruise for us was never better. We never had over or undercooked food. Our expectations were definitely exceeded.

When I ordered a steak medium-rare in the MDR on a recent Summit cruise, it actually arrived medium-rare, a rarity (pun intended) for a cruise ship dining room.

 

 

In reply to djhsolara, the T-pool is available to all passengers age 16 and above.

They occasionally open it to younger children during limited hours as well, usually on cold weather cruises.

 

Edited January 16, 2017 by fleckle