Oh ship! It's my birthday!! A Summit Birthday Cruise LIVE Review!! 7/16-23 sailing!

[cinderellen]

The picture of you holding a cocktail with the sunset behind you is awesome!

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

5 hours ago, IWillGoAnywhere26 said:

Yes, they are fabulous, too! They sometimes took care of us at breakfast. And Mariana is just the sweetest and handles her role as hostess so well. She seems to be able to keep everyone happy. And Serkan certainly keeps you laughing.

 

I know it's your last night but I was wondering if you encountered an assistant waiter named Jen.  We spent lots of time chatting with her 2 cruises ago. Someone told us she was returning the day we got off the ship. Please tell her David and Mary Boyd hope she's well.

 

Enjoy every minute of your last day! It;s always nice to have your next cruise planned before you leave the ship.

 

I saw her for the first time this morning - she was walking around with pastries. If I see her tonight, I'll definitely tell her.

[Reel Love]

On 7/20/2023 at 5:28 AM, WrittenOnYourHeart said:

It’s Teramana tequila, Cointreau, and Ruby Red grapefruit juice. Yummy!!

Thank you  🙂   Sadly, tequila and I do not mix well so I keep a wide berth lol.  Which would explain why I didn't even recognize the name Teremana (insert eye roll here!)  

 

[IWillGoAnywhere26]

1 hour ago, WrittenOnYourHeart said:

 

I saw her for the first time this morning - she was walking around with pastries. If I see her tonight, I'll definitely tell her.

Thank you so much! I was so disappointed when I found out we were missing her by one day. We sailed with her for 3 weeks and had so many interesting conversations. Have a great night!

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

Outlets in the cabin…

 

 

 

[CTCatamounts]

55 minutes ago, WrittenOnYourHeart said:

Outlets in the cabin…

 

 

 

Thank you!  Most helpful!  Enjoy your last night cruising!  

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

I’m back home!!

 

We got in and cleared around 9am - Captain Nigel announced yesterday that we would be getting in at 8:30 at the earliest because there was a large cargo ship using our channel that needed the entire width, so we had to wait for it to get in first. We started getting tied up and the gangways in place around 8:45/8:50 and almost as soon as the gangway was in place we started debarking. I guess someone came aboard with the pilot to clear us? IDK. 
 

I’d pre-reserved an Uber for 10:30 (once we learned we were getting in later) and I had to wait a bit, but on the plus side I had a rate locked in and was not subject to surge pricing.

 

Yesterday I did the Captain’s Club Backstage Theatre Tour

 

 

And the Captain’s Club Wine Tasting

 

 

As well as finishing up packing as much as I could and chilling.

 

At dinner, I saw a small pod of dolphins out the window - I was too slow to get pics, but it felt like a good omen to see them hopping out of the water.

 

I ordered my dinners the night before since I’m gluten-free and had ordered the Beyond Burger because nothing else was really jumping out at me. They all thought there was no problem. Until dinner had already started when Serkan came over and apparently that comes all pre-made so it couldn’t be modified. (Ok…EW!! Why would that have something that pre-made on the menu???? And make it sound like it can be customized on the menu???) He asked if I wanted a filet mignon and I said yes please, with mashed potatoes and veggies. I figured it would be the kids’ one, but the filet (at least) came from TUSCAN!!!

 

 

So yummy! 
 

Dessert was cherries jubilee and a chocolate creation the chef made. Also yum!!

 

 

I went to Soundtrack and remembered - too late - why I always try to sit in the back. Just not good. (And I sadly didn’t since I enjoyed the Broadway show.) Oh well!

 

I was hanging out and chatting in OVC with new friends and they were going to get dessert so I was running up to my cabin for something. On my way down, I decided to stop by the Sunset Bar and get a drink using the back stairs.

 

USE CAUTION on those - especially those on the port side. The bottom step is about 1 1/2 the height as the difference between the other stairs and I stumbled not expecting it. I caught myself on the rail - and bruised my thumb in the process. But what really scared me is there is not that much distance to the RAIL and with enough momentum and slower reflexes to grab the rail, someone could easily stumble

on that last big step and go overboard.

 

 

 

Like I said, I’m ok. My thumb is sore, but it’s just bruised. (And no - it had been well over 2 hours since my one glass of wine at dinner! Imagine if I had had more and didn’t have good enough reflexes!! Pics taken this morning.)

 

Final breakfast was good - and I don’t always get emotional saying good-bye to my servers, but I did today! Still got pics.

 

Serkan the maitre’d 

 

Nuralita and Nila (the one with her head against me) my server and assistant server

 

Mariana the hostess

 

I carried all my stuff off and debarkatuon was very smooth.

 

All in all it was a fabulous trip!! Thanks for following along!!
 

Next up for me cruise-wise is Anthem of the Seas over Feb break, then the ABCs on Beyond next July, and a Disney Wish cruise for a friend’s wedding.

[CruisinBanka]

Glad you’re home safe (minus the sore thumb) and had a fabulous cruise! Thanks for taking us along!!! Looking forward to sailing on the Summit in September. 

[SSFrance69]

Thanks for your awesome live review! I'll be on board and in your stateroom one week from today! 

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

5 minutes ago, SSFrance69 said:

Thanks for your awesome live review! I'll be on board and in your stateroom one week from today! 

I hope you have a fabulous time!!!

[SSFrance69]

Just now, WrittenOnYourHeart said:

I hope you have a fabulous time!!!

Thank you! I'm glad you had a fabulous time! I'm looking forward to trying that lavender lemon drop martini, as well as the raspberry one. Looking forward to all that yummy food in Blu as well! I started packing today. It's never too early. haha

[Laurab23]

Yes that bottom step on both sides is a killer!!

 

Laura

[helen haywood]

Enjoyed reading your review!!  I think our cats are cousins.

 

 

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

4 minutes ago, Laurab23 said:

Yes that bottom step on both sides is a killer!!

 

Laura

 

Absolutely!! I think if I'd gone down it during the day (or even up it...I was just always going to Sunset from the OVC which I went to from inside. Except last night.

 

I really think they're lucky no one has gone over the side yer.

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

1 minute ago, helen haywood said:

Enjoyed reading your review!!  I think our cats are cousins.

 

 

 

Awww!!!! So cute!!!!

[karmamule]

71 days to go until our 11 days on the Summit in October. Thanks so much for this, it was great to have such a thorough preview, especially one that captures the spirit of cruising like this.

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

1 minute ago, karmamule said:

71 days to go until our 11 days on the Summit in October. Thanks so much for this, it was great to have such a thorough preview, especially one that captures the spirit of cruising like this.

Thank you!!

[CruisinBanka]

Beth, curious what your impressions were of Manuel, the Cruise Director? Thanks!

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

13 minutes ago, CruisinBanka said:

Beth, curious what your impressions were of Manuel, the Cruise Director? Thanks!

I thought he was ok. My all-time fave was Christian on Disney Cruise Line. My least was someone on HAL. I'd put Miguel somewhere in the middle of CDs I've encountered.

 

I loved Captain Nigel though.

[CruisinBanka]

12 minutes ago, WrittenOnYourHeart said:

I thought he was ok. My all-time fave was Christian on Disney Cruise Line. My least was someone on HAL. I'd put Miguel somewhere in the middle of CDs I've encountered.

 

I loved Captain Nigel though.

Thanks for your honest answer. My favorite was Richard Spacey, who was on Royal Carribean for years and then moved to Celebrity. He has since moved on from the cruise industry and is back home in England. He was one funny guy, who never needed a script, and totally interacted with guest all over the ship. I would book cruises based on the ship he was on, because you knew the sailing would be fun. Nowadays most Cruise Directors are just MC’s. 

[lola2013]

6 minutes ago, CruisinBanka said:

Thanks for your honest answer. My favorite was Richard Spacey, who was on Royal Carribean for years and then moved to Celebrity. He has since moved on from the cruise industry and is back home in England. He was one funny guy, who never needed a script, and totally interacted with guest all over the ship. I would book cruises based on the ship he was on, because you knew the sailing would be fun. Nowadays most Cruise Directors are just MC’s. 

Agree…Richard Spacey is hands down the best cruise director…followed closely by Sue Denning who we sailed with on Reflection a few years ago.  

[vickykay]

Beth, 

 

So much enjoyed your live review.   Please let us know on these board when you are posting your Anthem review.

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

1 hour ago, vickykay said:

Beth, 

 

So much enjoyed your live review.   Please let us know on these board when you are posting your Anthem review.

Thank you!! Will do! It won’t be until Feb, but I’ll be on both boards between now and then.

[SSFrance69]

I almost forgot to ask. How was the sail away from your veranda? Did you get good views of the statue of liberty as the ship sailed around it? I ask since I'm in that same stateroom and was wondering how the views are from the aft since I was planning on doing sail away from there, unless you don't get good views that is. 

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

22 minutes ago, SSFrance69 said:

I almost forgot to ask. How was the sail away from your veranda? Did you get good views of the statue of liberty as the ship sailed around it? I ask since I'm in that same stateroom and was wondering how the views are from the aft since I was planning on doing sail away from there, unless you don't get good views that is. 

 

Honestly? I didn't really pay attention to it?

 

I know that sounds awful, but having been to the statue 3 times, gone by it on a taco boat, and done multiple trips on the Staten Island Ferry with friends who didn't want to pay to go to it, I didn't really make it a priority to watch.

 

I'm so sorry!!