Jewel vs Celebrity Summit - Need Help ASAP

We booked the Jewel for Tortola and Martinique plus we've never been on the ship before.

Tortola has now been dropped from the itinerary. Here's the dilemma:

Summit is $285 less plus we have $500 OBC vs only $150 OBC with Jewel. Jewel has sea day at the end which is nice. We have a big balcony on both but Jewel will have loungers which is nice.

Final pay tomorrow. Travel agent would like today.

Is Martinique as well as the Jewel really worth the difference in price and perks now that Tortola has been removed. We've been on the Summit before and really like it.

Jewel. St Thomas, St Maarten, St Kitts, Martinique and Barbados.

Summit. St Thomas, St Croix, St Kitts, Dominica and Grenada.

Need to make a decision and fast. Thanks.

We visited Martinique last year and it was nice. Did a historic Rum Estate Tour. Downtown where the ship docked was dirty and didn't have much to look at.

We have visited Dominica twice. Did an island & hot springs tour 3 years ago (Adventure), and did Caribbean cooking class year (Jewel excursion), along with walking around the downtown area off the pier. I did buy some spices & tea. We really enjoyed Dominica.

Martinique was very industrialized and commercial, so it didn't have much of a Caribbean feel for me.

I looked at both of these itineraries too, and choose the Jewel again this year as the Celebrity Summit didn't have very good review.

It seems a little soon for you to be making final payment? We are sailing on the December 6th and our final payment is due on Monday. Maybe your travel agent wants it sooner?

We visited Martinique last year and it was nice. Did a historic Rum Estate Tour. Downtown where the ship docked was dirty and didn't have much to look at.

 

We have visited Dominica twice. Did an island & hot springs tour 3 years ago (Adventure), and did Caribbean cooking class year (Jewel excursion), along with walking around the downtown area off the pier. I did buy some spices & tea. We really enjoyed Dominica.

 

Martinique was very industrialized and commercial, so it didn't have much of a Caribbean feel for me.

 

I looked at both of these itineraries too, and choose the Jewel again this year as the Celebrity Summit didn't have very good review.

 

 

 

It seems a little soon for you to be making final payment? We are sailing on the December 6th and our final payment is due on Monday. Maybe your travel agent wants it sooner?

Final payment is tomorrow because it's a holiday sailing. They are usually sooner. It looks like you favor Dominica. Am I right? Maybe the Summit is the way to go. We've done all the ports on both except for Martinique. We know we like the Summit and it's less.

Can't address your itinerary questions as we haven't been to the Caribbean in awhile. We haven't yet been on the Jewel (booked for next May) but have been on the Radiance, which is very similar. The Radiance is absolutely our favorite ship we've been on - love the open feel, loads of glass providing spectacular sea views all over the ship. Have been on the Summit twice, once back in 2005, the last time a year ago, and don't really care for the ship. In comparison to the Radiance, it felt dark (who decided dark red and brown was a good color scheme for ocean voyage staterooms?) and poorly designed (lots of "you can't get there from here"). Don't know if the ship makes much of a difference to you, but if so, I'd definitely go with the Jewel.

We are on that Jewel sailing and chose the cruise predominately for the Itinerary.

It's a shame no Tortola, but still have Martinique which is not such a common stop.

We are sticking with Jewel.

Plenty still to do in St Thomas or St John..

Also you can still get to Tortola from St Thomas.. 90 minute ferry ride.

We looked at still doing Virgin Gorda Baths, but the price increase swayed us towards Trunk Bay in St John instead.

Happ Days!

If it were my choice, I would do the Summit. The price savings are a good reason but I also like the itinerary better on the Summit. St Thomas and St Martin have become so commercialized with lots of ship passengers. St Croix, Dominica, Grenada will have much less tourist traffic. We did a private tour in Grenada that was excellent. Beautiful island!! Of course, you cannot go wrong...both will be great cruises!

We did a b2b in march- one week on Jewel the second on Summit. I think due to the perks you should go on the Summit. Both are great itineraries and our favorite on Summit was Grenada. It was almost as good as Tortola.

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

We did a b2b in march- one week on Jewel the second on Summit. I think due to the perks you should go on the Summit. Both are great itineraries and our favorite on Summit was Grenada. It was almost as good as Tortola.

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Since you've sailed both, how would you compare the 2 ships as far as food, entertainment, service and decor?

Thanks.

Final payment is tomorrow because it's a holiday sailing. They are usually sooner. It looks like you favor Dominica. Am I right? Maybe the Summit is the way to go. We've done all the ports on both except for Martinique. We know we like the Summit and it's less.

I read a book called The Spice Necklace before we sailed on the Jewel last year. The cooking class we attended in Dominica was held by a person in the books niece. Dominica is relatively untouched by tourism and very Caribbean still.

We also enjoyed St Kitts. Went to the Captain Rum Factory on our own and just took a taxi tour of the island. I saw a show by the Bizarre Foods guy on Food Channel and the food trucks on the island are suppose to be amazing.

We are visiting Grenada for the 1st time in December and very excited to explore their spice markets.

I think the summit had a little bit better food and service - overall both ships though were great. When you cruise out of San Juan you spend so much time at port you are really busy so we really choose the ship by the itinerary.

Since you've sailed both, how would you compare the 2 ships as far as food, entertainment, service and decor?

 

Thanks.

I've also been on both ships. They are pretty similar in décor and ship layout.

We liked the Summit significantly better with regard to MDR food, service and especially the entertainment and quality of live music all over the ship. We were very disappointed with the entertainment on Jewel - the production shows were not up to RCI standards, and the lounge acts were not good at all. The Windjammer is a much better buffet than the one on the Summit.

Hands down, I would pick the Summit.

We have sailed from San Juan at the end of January in 2012, 2013 and 2014 and will be again in January 2015.

The first two years it was on the Summit, last year it was on the Jewel and it will be on the Jewel again in 2015.

Our 2012 cruise was right after Summit came out of dry dock and it was bad. So bad that 2013 was basically gratis of Celebrity.

Our 2014 experience on Jewel was really great. Much livelier, less stuffy, the food in MDR seemed better, buffet had the great outdoor eating areas, a bright and cheerful ship.

The shows on Summit were worse the second year than the first year and the shows on Jewel were even worse.

I would do the Summit. $285 is a decent chunk of change. Plus $500 OBC, you can't go wrong. I've been on both ships. Both are great so either one you choose will be wonderful. Financially speaking the Summit sounds like a better deal