Jim_Iain Live!!! - B2B Summit New England and Bermuda Jun 5 & 16th

[Charles4515]

33 minutes ago, hcat said:

Thanks for posting that...we will make res  when they become available. Not much open for booking yet on our 2020 cruise...just a few Bermuda excursions.

 

How has the weather been? Has turned rain here in NY.

 

I made a reservation every night but it does not seem to make much difference. Except fot the first evening people showing up when they wanted without reservations seemed to only have to wait a few more minutes. 

Edited June 18, 2019 by Charles4515

[hcat]

As long as we are seated close to our res time,  all will be well..  We eat an early dinner( med) ,  and the line up for the dining room to open each night was what caused us to move to AQ/BLU yrs ago.

 

For Summit  we will be doing the mdr , tuscan,  sushi,  Q sine ( if not LPC) and buffet  . 

 

Still mulling over the Chef's special dinner.... we'd skip the wine pairing.  One glass is fine for me  ( meds) and dh max 2.   Not sure if it's offered on EDGE..our next cruise...have to check it out. Can't wait for feedback...is it worth it,???

 

[Jim_Iain]

48 minutes ago, Tatka said:

 

 Interesting. Before makeover it was other way around! Selects were on deck 5.

 

Jim_lain, I am enjoying your review a lot!  I will never be Zenith.. and not sure about suites, but I would love to attend this exclusive talk with Jim Kennedy. Maybe I need to book a suite once. 🙂

 

Enjoy your cruise!

You probably don’t have to book a suite for an exclusive talk with Jim Kennedy.   He is out and about the ship and is very approachable.   He says he really enjoys meeting guests.   His beautiful wife cruises with him and is very engaging.  

[Jim_Iain]

There was a question about the shower and whether it is magnetic.    I tried the magnetic sign on the front door and the walls and to  my surprise they are indeed magnetic.   I'm not sure how well it would hold a basket or shelf as with wet walls the sign would slide down.

 

Someone else suggested a suction cup model and i believe it would work better.    Trish in the Penthouse had brought a suction cup one for the guest bathroom.   Currently there is no basket at all in the Penthouse Guest Bath and they have the bottles on the floor.

 

Since I am at it -    One complaint I have heard is the difficulty of the Aqua Class Showers -  The doors open inward and are a bit tricky to turn on the shower to warm and get in without either drenching your head or the whole bathroom.  I've come up with a way that works for me of slightly opening the door and turning on the water and then slowly open the door slightly and redirect the shower to the wall while i get in.

 

 

 

 

Also wanted to point out that the shower has a laundry line installed in it.

 

Edited June 18, 2019 by Jim_Iain

[Jim_Iain]

1 hour ago, hcat said:

Thanks for posting that...we will make res  when they become available. Not much open for booking yet on our 2020 cruise...just a few Bermuda excursions.

 

How has the weather been? Has turned rain here in NY.

Weather has been incredible so far.   I hope I'm not putting a jinx on us for the remainder of the cruise.    We had  a couple showers on embarkation day but perfect weather ever since.    Temps have been running 75-80 with low winds and sunny.   Lots of puffy clouds but no rain up until now.   I was looking at the Bermuda forecast earlier and looks like chances of rain on Thursday and Friday. 

 

I was watching the weather this evening and looks like you will be getting some wet weather from that big storm coming across the Plains.    I noticed that sections of New Jersey and Pennsylvania had flood warnings.    Hope all that moves out before we return to the Mainland.

[bermadu22]

1 hour ago, Jim_Iain said:

 

We have done it before and cost was $279 per couple or $199 pp including wine pairing.    When we did it last they did not have option for non-pairings.  You should be able to find in cruise planner. 

Thanks for the confirmation of prices Jim. DH and I were discussing the Chef's table we attended on the Summit two years ago, pre Daniel Boulud. We thought we paid less than the current asking price but were fuzzy on the details. So we're pretty sure it was $279 for both of us, we thought the wine pairings were included for this price, but we may have added wine pairings at the going price at the last minute. Don't remember, I do remember having the wine pairing and it was lovely, and very generous pours. They kept offering to refill glasses for us, there was no stinginess with any of the wines. I remember enjoying the dinner, the company and the lovely Tuscan wine cellar room that is no longer there. I wonder if it's still held in the Tuscan Grill.  I hope you both enjoy yourselves wherever it's held. 

Edited June 18, 2019 by bermadu22

[Jim_Iain]

27 minutes ago, bermadu22 said:

Thanks for the confirmation of prices Jim. DH and I were discussing the Chef's table we attended on the Summit two years ago, pre Daniel Boulud. We thought we paid less than the current asking price but were fuzzy on the details. So we're pretty sure it was $279 for both of us, we thought the wine pairings were included for this price, but we may have added wine pairings at the going price at the last minute. Don't remember, I do remember having the wine pairing and it was lovely, and very generous pours. They kept offering to refill glasses for us, there was no stinginess with any of the wines. I remember enjoying the dinner, the company and the lovely Tuscan wine cellar room that is no longer there. I wonder if it's still held in the Tuscan Grill.  I hope you both enjoy yourselves wherever it's held. 

The $279 pricing per couple on the regular Chefs Table did include pairing.   I don’t drink and the paired non-alcoholic  wines for each course.  Was really s nice gesture. 

 

I have not had confirmed but the new Chef Table includes a copy of his cookbook. 

[srdancer]

We were in Concierge last month and had same challenge with shower door. Had to kind of limbo around it to keep my hair dry.

[Jim_Iain]

Captains Club Reception in Sky Lounge today

 

[wrk2cruise]

2 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

 

She is certainly entertaining and pours a mean drink.   I brought Iain back a glass of Chardonnay last night and he claimed she poured a half bottle in the LARGE glass.  He wasn’t even able to finish it.  

 

She he should do Stand Up Comedy. 

 

She calls them a "beautifier".

[klscaz]

4 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

Regarding anytime dining.    I saw this sign out at entrance to Main Dining on 4

 

Hi Jim, we were on the 6/5 Summit sailing and hated Select dining--even with a reservation. We switched to the late seating. Kathy

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

28 minutes ago, klscaz said:

Hi Jim, we were on the 6/5 Summit sailing and hated Select dining--even with a reservation. We switched to the late seating. Kathy

Interesting.  What did you hate?  I would never go back to fixed dining.  Have never had to wait more than a few minutes and don't make a reservation.

[TXranchgal]

1 hour ago, Happy Cruiser 6143 said:

Interesting.  What did you hate?  I would never go back to fixed dining.  Have never had to wait more than a few minutes and don't make a reservation.

 

When we tried to make reservations on the Infinity last month (Select Dining), we were told that they no longer take reservations.  Also, we have requested a specific table in the past and we were told that they don't do THAT anymore either...  We are Elite and being able to reserve a time and a table made the dining much better, in our opinion.  We will be on the Summit in September.....

Edited June 19, 2019 by TXranchgal

[p2lockhart]

We cruise on the Summit in July and will disembark on a Sunday.  We have an 11:35 am 

flight to catch at EWR.   We will have a driver picking us up.  I’m thinking we may need to walk off with our luggage but it appears that it is a mob scene as well.  

Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

[Ariyel]

16 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

 

That is what is currently being charged. You have the option of pairing for $199 or  139 without.     Since I don’t drink I opted for non pairing and selected pairing for Iain.  I have been told but will verify it also includes his cookbook. 

 

Being Zenith or not has no difference for dinners like this.  

 

Thank you very much for looking into this and confirming.  I appreciate it!

[hcat]

Re the  dining rm sign in  the re-post at post at 636 above:

 

Interesting...so suite guests who want to dine in the mdr and Concierge guests may show up anytime and line up with those who have reservations.

 Sounds like they are elevating Concierge perks...but most would prefer the darn footstools!

 

[Luv2Crus40]

Really hoping we get the in-room table back.  We requested one on recent cruise from hotel director at one of the gatherings on board but never got it.  Near end of cruise so never followed up. We just bought 2 cute inflatable footstools for next cruise so we can sit on balcony and put our feet up to reduce swelling.  Other than these little inconveniences the Summit is a wonderful ship IMO.  6th cruise on Summit in April 2020.

[Turtles06]

1 hour ago, hcat said:

Interesting...so suite guests who want to dine in the mdr and Concierge guests may show up anytime and line up with those who have reservations.

 

I read it that way as well.

 

They've already carved up the MDR to create Luminae, and, as I understand it, suite guests in Luminae may order from the MDR menu.   Select Dining is becoming more and more popular and crowded; I don't think suite guests should be able to just show up in the MDR and take spots away from those for whom that is their main dining room.   Maybe a one-off here and there with non-suite guests with whom they wish to dine.   At the very least, they should be in the non-reservation line.

 

Or, how about this  -- each time the MDR host seats a suite passenger, the host must ask the next non-suite passenger in the waiting line if he/she would like to dine in Luminae that night (and keep asking till there are volunteers).  

[Minya]

I prefer  set dining if it sometimes doesnt suit I let the table and waiters know the night before out of courtesy  then after whatever event I go to the buffet or the anytime dining if the food is better. I have been able to change  table mates too on the very odd occasion. I was once led to a table with just two very elderly, extremely deaf Romanians they were nice enough but it was impossible my throat was really sore with trying to get them to hear and their English was limited so I changed . Normally I  pre-request a six person  table but on the last cruise  I was led to  a ten person one. I refused it too far too many people  for my liking and they redirected  me to a six person one.

on one cruise there was a quite dizzy lady who was tired of female only tablemates .  She was very friendly  with the very obliging maitre'd ed and said to him  "bring me a man" ! He sure did a very rich ,well conducted  and pleasant ,  quite shy Thai who dressed immaculately in silk suits each day and by the end of the cruise she was off to his bachelor  pad in Thailand hoping to live in paradise  for ever and ever.I don't know if it worked out.

[Jim_Iain]

8 hours ago, p2lockhart said:

We cruise on the Summit in July and will disembark on a Sunday.  We have an 11:35 am 

flight to catch at EWR.   We will have a driver picking us up.  I’m thinking we may need to walk off with our luggage but it appears that it is a mob scene as well.  

Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

I think you should be ok.   On last cruise all were off the ship by about 9:30.   Time to EWR approx 20. minute 

[kenevenpar]

3 hours ago, hcat said:

 Sounds like they are elevating Concierge perks...but most would prefer the darn footstools!

 

 

LOL ... how true!

[Jim_Iain]

Dinner last night.   Our waiter has been finding some nice off menu items for us since we are B2B.  We also found out the MD Menu is available in Blu.  

 

 

 

 

delivering lime wedges for our water. 

 

 

Pork Tenderloin

 

 

[klscaz]

13 hours ago, Happy Cruiser 6143 said:

Interesting.  What did you hate?  I would never go back to fixed dining.  Have never had to wait more than a few minutes and don't make a reservation.

 

Maybe it depends on the ship. The Summit doesn't have many specialty dining options so it seemed that the MDR was unprepared for the number of diners. Even when we were ushered in from the hallway, we had to wait while staff conferred on walkie talkies about whether tables had been cleaned. 

 

Also, table for 2 are literally separated by about 10 inches so it always felt like a table for 6 or 8. We don't mind dining late so we were happy to switch to a more private table with a great waiter!

[Mike981]

I believe it does very from ship to ship and cruise to cruise. So many variables.
This past January on the Equinox we did anytime dining and had two or three times where we got the hockey puck with lights. Longest I believe we waited was 20-30 minutes and that was because we requested the same server and were not alone. She was a gem.

[Quo Vadis?]

10 hours ago, p2lockhart said:

We cruise on the Summit in July and will disembark on a Sunday.  We have an 11:35 am 

flight to catch at EWR.   We will have a driver picking us up.  I’m thinking we may need to walk off with our luggage but it appears that it is a mob scene as well.  

Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

We disembarked on Sunday at 8:05 am, while the ship was still being moored.  The new facial recognition software was awesome: step up to the line, stand still, cleared to go.  15 minutes from walking off to outside.