Hello from the Summit....

Having a wonderful trip in spite of the havoc being caused throughout the ship by groups of Spanish speaking passengers. The adults sit at one table in the dining room with the children far enough away to be ignored. This is our first trip in 16 Celebrity cruises (20 total cruises) that we have asked to be moved. The children throw food, play games, run around knocking into tables carrying their burgers and chocolate milk. These same groups arrive in the Celebrity theatre with the children in wet swimsuits, wrapped in towels with no tops on. They let the children run around the Waterfall Cafe shaking the salt and pepper all over the floor. One of them soiled the pool and it had to be closed for two full days. Management is well aware of the situation but other than acknowledging "inappropriate behaviour" is taking place this cruise these horrors continue unabated. Otherwise, all is well!!!!! The Cirque experience is wonderful and we go each night it is on in The Bar at the Edge of the Earth. I wouldn't say you'd be missing anything if you skipped the White Night but the bar experience is not to be missed. We bought two nice masks at home for $12. but made the mistake of lending them to a "nice" elderly Scottish couple and we haven't seen hide nor hair of them or our masks since. Contrary to rumour the bar is open EVERY day for your viewing pleasure. They have really neat cabans, complete with huge comfy pillows, all along the front of the ship. The highlight of the trip has been our tour with Oscar Brown in Costa Rica where we got to hold a tiny baby monkey, toucans, parrots, macaws. We got to pet sloths and we saw caimen, herons, egrets, bats and howler monkeys. We also toured a banana plantation. We ate at El Faro and the meals were wonderful. The total cost for 5 of us was $41. U.S. A fabulous seven hour tour for $45 p.p. In Panama four of us took a taxi ($40 total!) to the Gatun Locks and our timing was perfect. We saw a ship complete the full transit which was very interesting. We really enjoyed Key West, we had forgotten what a pretty place it is. Today we're at the beach in Aruba and planning a beach day in Grand Cayman. Food and service on the Summit are excellent and you'll be happy to know the pool has been retiled and the ship is in perfect shape! Well, back to the sun!

Food and service on the Summit are excellent and you'll be happy to know the pool has been retiled and the ship is in perfect shape! Well, back to the sun!

Hi Senga !

Glad you are having a great time on Summit. We will be embarking on Summit, as your Cruise comes to an end. I hope that family will be getting off with you as well :)

Enjoy your Cruise !

I am also on Andy's trip - do hope they evict the troublemakers aaagh

Who is the Captains Club hostess just now, do you know?

Us too! You will be getting off as we get on! I was really glad to read your post about the Cirque du Soleil experience and glad to know it is open during the day.

I am sure that you have been having a wonderful time!

Jennifer Prince is the Captain's Club hostess. I didn't realize they had done away with the Social Hostess position. We had dinner at the Captain's Table and it really made a difference without the hostess - not as organized. Just think of the Cirque experience as an interactive nightclub and you'll have a great time. Yes, the Spanish families with either be leaving with (or before if they get thrown overboard) us so it should be smooth sailing for you folks. I must admit though that there are many Americans on board who forgot to pack their manners for the trip. The way they say "gimme" without a please or thank you is extremely annoying! We have fabulous wait staff and all the rest of the crew/staff are also wonderful. Weather has been fantastic and now we can look forward to a land vacation in Greece in September followed by Hawaii on Summit next March.

Jennifer Prince is the Captain's Club hostess. I didn't realize they had done away with the Social Hostess position. We had dinner at the Captain's Table and it really made a difference without the hostess - not as organized. Just think of the Cirque experience as an interactive nightclub and you'll have a great time. Yes, the Spanish families with either be leaving with (or before if they get thrown overboard) us so it should be smooth sailing for you folks. I must admit though that there are many Americans on board who forgot to pack their manners for the trip. The way they say "gimme" without a please or thank you is extremely annoying! We have fabulous wait staff and all the rest of the crew/staff are also wonderful. Weather has been fantastic and now we can look forward to a land vacation in Greece in September followed by Hawaii on Summit next March.

Hi Senga !

Thanks for the update. Glad to hear you are having a great time, and that family is getting off the ship ! Enjoy the rest of your cruise !

Hi Senga,

So glad to hear that Cirque du Soleil does not interfere with the daytime views from that wonderful lounge. We spent so many wonderful hours last year viewing Hubbard Glacier and Alaskan scenery from the Revelations Lounge. I'm already packing for our Summit cruise to Alaska this May 6th!!!

Thanks for your post!

SoCalGal

Having a wonderful trip in spite of the havoc being caused throughout the ship by groups of Spanish speaking passengers. The adults sit at one table in the dining room with the children far enough away to be ignored. This is our first trip in 16 Celebrity cruises (20 total cruises) that we have asked to be moved. The children throw food, play games, run around knocking into tables carrying their burgers and chocolate milk. These same groups arrive in the Celebrity theatre with the children in wet swimsuits, wrapped in towels with no tops on. They let the children run around the Waterfall Cafe shaking the salt and pepper all over the floor. One of them soiled the pool and it had to be closed for two full days. Management is well aware of the situation but other than acknowledging "inappropriate behaviour" is taking place this cruise these horrors continue unabated. Otherwise, all is well!!!!! The Cirque experience is wonderful and we go each night it is on in The Bar at the Edge of the Earth. I wouldn't say you'd be missing anything if you skipped the White Night but the bar experience is not to be missed. We bought two nice masks at home for $12. but made the mistake of lending them to a "nice" elderly Scottish couple and we haven't seen hide nor hair of them or our masks since. Contrary to rumour the bar is open EVERY day for your viewing pleasure. They have really neat cabans, complete with huge comfy pillows, all along the front of the ship. The highlight of the trip has been our tour with Oscar Brown in Costa Rica where we got to hold a tiny baby monkey, toucans, parrots, macaws. We got to pet sloths and we saw caimen, herons, egrets, bats and howler monkeys. We also toured a banana plantation. We ate at El Faro and the meals were wonderful. The total cost for 5 of us was $41. U.S. A fabulous seven hour tour for $45 p.p. In Panama four of us took a taxi ($40 total!) to the Gatun Locks and our timing was perfect. We saw a ship complete the full transit which was very interesting. We really enjoyed Key West, we had forgotten what a pretty place it is. Today we're at the beach in Aruba and planning a beach day in Grand Cayman. Food and service on the Summit are excellent and you'll be happy to know the pool has been retiled and the ship is in perfect shape! Well, back to the sun!

In Costa Rica how did you find Oscar Brown, was he at the pier and you booked the tour with him?

Was on the same cruise in 2002 on the same tours. My friends are on there right now. we wanted to go but coudn't go we already had a cruise planned with my mother-in-law for her 80th. They are having a blast.

I love the ship, we have already talked about going again . When we went we went on the train ride in Panama also to the Locks.

we drove in the Caymans, Shopped in Aruba, Stayed on the ship in the Keys(raining and to much security there after 9-11). We are from Florida so we can see it anytime.

Glad you are having a great time. My friends are first sitting. They lucked out somehow this time and received a suite. I have to ask more later about that.:)

Senga- :confused: I am not sure if you went with the same oscar brown we did - wow what a disappointment-it was the most poorly organized tour of our entire cruise! We were promised things by carol brown- specific questions asked that did not follow through-our van was not airconditioned and it was a miserably uncomfortable drive to almonds and coral to zipline.(1 1/2 hours) Ziplining was fabulous and I would highly recommend it to anyone interested- they were very professional at almonds and coral- Oscar, however, was checked out mentally on holiday-what was particularrly annoying is they would never give you a straight answer. How long- down the road a bit

where are we going to next? over here we have something special.

seemed to me no one knew what the other was doing- very frustrating! his wife came to the rescue at the end of the day and took us to the canals which were beautiful- If I were to do it again, I would do the canal with oscars company(preferrably Carol) and almonds and coral independently.

By the way, I would have to agree about a few of the families- there was also a french familywho were unbelievably rude and oblivious to those around them

The ;) summit youth staff- wow , really exceptional- my two loved the fun factory.

We did the tour with Oscar Brown. Booked it on the internet. He met us at the pier as planned. It was fabulous. He was very much a gentleman & very helpful. The whole day was fabulous. Sorry you had such a bad experience.

I wondered if anyone else experienced these guys, and I too can confirm the group of families from Mexico City far exceeded annoying and bordered dangerous. Some of my experiences with them are as follows, (3/21/05 Summit Cruise)

- Left a present in one of the pools causing it to be closed for two days.

- An ~ 6 y/o was readying to throw a beer bottle in the pool when I intervened.

- According to a crewmember members of the family "broke" one of the glass elevators, I don't know the details though.

- When the second pool was opened I took my children into it to escape these a$$e$, the security gaurd told me that if I wasn't in the pool with my children they would have to go to the other pool, both of my children are proficient swimmers and have been taking swim lessons weekly since age 4 and I was sitting at the edge of the pool with my feet in the water. Anyway I moved over to the insane pool where the group of families were terrorizing each other. Within ten minutes an older, approx 17, male began throwing an approx 9 y/o male into the pool, same security gaurd that ejected us from the other pool watching and not saying a thing, by the third throw the kid almost hit my daughter, again I intervened, however it was too late for the kid being thown into the pool, he was clutching his neck gasping for air, at this point the sec gaurd was laughing and talking on her phone / walkie talkie. My wife had to yell to get her over to the pool to check on this child. When all was said and done the offender was still in the pool and the child left the pool area clutching his neck and crying. At that point we left the pool and decided not to return for the remainder of the cruise.

- On the sea day prior to Grand Caymen two members of the same group of families threw stink bombs into the teen disco at the tower during a teen dance. A crewmember said an unsuccessfull attempt to remove the family from the ship was made on Grand Caymen. The whole thing made me wonder just what it would take to get thrown off of the ship.

- On the last night of the cruise the kids were swimming in the Thalassotherapy Pool while security stood and watched.

They did not ruin my cruise but they certainly put a cramp in my swimming fun. FWIW, they were mainly in the pool area from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM, my favorite, shady time, to swim.

Needless to say I wrote a really nasty note about this group on my survey card. I have also offered up video and images of some of the antics of these guys to Celebrity, but for some reason I'm sure they are very well aware of how poorly these people acted on the cruise.

The ;) summit youth staff- wow , really exceptional- my two loved the fun factory.

100% agreed they were awesome my kids had the best time with them. My daughter actually spent time filling out the survey card for the youth program, including an additional page detailing how much fun she had at the fun factory!!

Also, the kids video is hoot and is far better than the "official" Cruise in Review offering. I'm actually converting it to DVD format as I type this.

I agree those kids were pretty rowdy...I had NO IDEA that the pool was closed because of THAT!! Eeeww!! They were extremely annoying at the last bingo too....

I wonder why their "attempt" to get them off the ship was unsuccessful?

Suzanne

My understanding is that it was a family reunion consisting of around 40 people, all from Mexico City. All of the crewmembers I spoke with were aware of them and all seemed quite unhappy with them. I wonder how bad there waiter and assistant waiter got stiffed this cruise, especially if they were responsible for all 40 of them.

This was our fourth cruise and I have never seen anything like what I saw on this one. After watching these clowns for the last 11 days I'm convinced that it would be next to impossible to be thrown off of a Celebrity ship.

:eek: ed-wow- I guess I am glad I had the early seating for dinner and missed this family the whole cruise! Happy to say there were also a lot of really nice families and nice polite kids on board too!

We stayed in the family suite and we loved it! what a great veranda and awesome view off the aft. I am glad to be home, but I wish I was still cruising- my kids talked a lot today about the counselors and how they miss them! If you remember, my 7 yr old was the one who "wasnt going to any stupid daycare"- I couldnt get her out of the fun factory!:) :)

 

After watching these clowns for the last 11 days I'm convinced that it would be next to impossible to be thrown off of a Celebrity ship.

I'm guessing there would be hell to pay if they disembarked any part of this lovely group. :rolleyes:

:eek: ed-wow- I guess I am glad I had the early seating for dinner and missed this family the whole cruise! Happy to say there were also a lot of really nice families and nice polite kids on board too!

 

We stayed in the family suite and we loved it! what a great veranda and awesome view off the aft. I am glad to be home, but I wish I was still cruising- my kids talked a lot today about the counselors and how they miss them! If you remember, my 7 yr old was the one who "wasnt going to any stupid daycare"- I couldnt get her out of the fun factory!:) :)

We too had early seating but on days when I didn't like the menu I would take the kiddies to the pool instead. Feel fortunate that you never crossed paths with these guys as I'm sure you would remember them. Every crewmember I spoke with knew who they were and were unhappy with them. One of the Fun Factory staff told me about the stink bomb at the teen disco incident.

As for the Fun Factory, they were excellent!! I had to drag my 6 y/o out daily, we would be on the beach and he'd ask if the Fun Factory was open yet.

I too am glad to be home and in clean clothes but am already starting to think about the next vacation.

I was on this cruise also, and I can tell you it was a real pain in the behind. I found one little boy (maybe 4 or 5) wandering the hall on deck 6 at just before midnight wearing nothing but a swimsuit---no parent in sight. He was just running the halls and yelling. They had to announce in the casino on more than a couple of nights that children aren't allowed in the casino because they would bring the young ones and have them sit on their laps while they played machines. And it wasn't just the final bingo where the kids were out of control. Every day the group of young ones and about 6 teens tried to buy bingo cards, even though they were all under 18. Marc Brown, one of the guys who sells the cards, refused to sell them to the kids. The oldest boy, who was 16, started with the most foul language, in English, (interesting how they can speak swear words in English, but no other words) demanding that Marc sell him the cards. I mean, this kid used the "F" word and and every other swear word you can imagine. Marc said that you had to be 18 or have a parent buy the cards and since the kid had the minor card, it proved he wasn't of age. You would not believe how out of control the kids got after that and they really gave Marc a lot of trouble. The next day, the kid again tried to buy cards and Marc got really smart---he checked the records and found out that the kid really was only 16 even though he insisted he was 18. Their behavior got to be a real problem all over the ship. But heck, we still had a great cruise.

The parents of these kids were rarely in sight and when they were they were too busy BS'ing or doing something else to watch their children. They certainly didn't ruin my cruise either but I'd be willing to bet they did ruin at least one persons cruise. Imagine having a cabin next door to or worse yet, in between them.

There is a clause that says Celebrity has the right to put people off the ship. If the whole crew and passengers were so unhappy with this group, why didn't they just disembark the whole shipload of them. This seems to happen everytime there is a large number on board so it's not as if they should want the repeat business anyway. I have never understood why a group like this gets catered to and the rest of the passengers have to suffer. :rolleyes:

I was on this cruise too, but didn't run into this group as much as others, but I know they were there. One evening we were listening to Mario in the aft bar and there were a couple of little kids blowing a whistle right in front of him. On another night, two different kids were without their parents and were going in the elevators pressing every button. Our tablemates told us that that they ran into them twice. Once was in the Rendez Vous lounge where couples were trying to dance...the kids were being crazy on the dance floor and a passenger told them to knock it off. The father freaked out and pushed his kids back on the dance floor. The other time involved some incident in the casino where one of the men claimed that he really didn't place a bet and demanded his money back. It takes all kinds. However, my favorite incident of the trip didn't involve this group-it's a chair hog story. We're early risers and found our spot in the T pool area. There was a man who place is towel and one sandal down on a chair at 6:30ish and didn't appear again until around 1 o'clock. Well, about 9:30 a man moved the sandal so he could sit next to his wife. When the sandal man came back 7 hours later, he demanded his chair back and the other man told him sorry. Sandal man pitched a fit and started screaming "Happy F'ing Easter." I truly believe that Celebrity would rather have the passengers fight it out over the chairs than for their employess to get involved.

Was the guy very tan and wearing alot of gold?? If so I ran across him as well. I'm not really into the sun so I tended to swim early in the morning or late afternoon.

Other cruiselines, as kitty9 knows, have experienced similar problems and have responded in the same manner as Celebrity, which is basically to do nothing although everyone onboard is aware of the troublemakers. The reason, I believe, is fear of lawsuits, not loss of revenue.

this thread is bringing back memories of our cruise on the milli in 2000. It was her second week out, brand new, AND the Christmas cruise. A family from Italy. Huge family! It was a nightmare. The weather was bad, and kids played with there snorkle gear in the thalassotherapy pool all week.:mad: They would stand up and guard two entire rows in the theater for the night show. You could hear there walkie talkies all over the ship.:mad: The crew was unfamiliar with this new ship, christmas, and booked to the very last bunk. To top it off, we got "Upgraded" to 9099, right under the pool deck. :eek: It was so sad to have spent so much money and be so disappointed. Learned my lesson though.;) Let a new ship sail for a while and work out the kinks, before I cruise on it. Also, avoid cruises out of Florida for christmas. As americans, we were the minority. A huge hold up at disembarkation. One person was holding up customs for 2 hours. So sad. I have not been on the mill class sense. I need to give it another chance.

I just dont understand. If the rules are posted and there are printed rules of conduct, then why does the cruise line let the behavior continue?:confused: