kannna

We are booked on the 2/1/15 Infinity. The price for our CC room has gone up $2000 per person since we booked. And I thought it was a splurge when we booked!

The saying goes "In New England, if you don't like the weather just wait a minute." This is especially true for September.

September and October are my favorite months. Thinking of September gets me through August on Martha's Vineyard. The bulk of the crowds are gone. The water is warm. The weather is typically nice (unless you know there's a hurricane or something). The fishing is good. You may need a sweater layer when your out on the water. I would get a balcony.

We were in 6145 on the Summit at the beginning of the month and had Jose. We liked him very much.

Port Highlights: In Barbados, Husband and I went on a day sail on Silver Moon while everyone else did other things. We had a wonderful time with only 13 guests on the large catamaran. The crew of three were very friendly and accommodating. We snorkeled at two different locations and then had some lunch and beach time at a lovely location. Lunch was delicious and filling with options of fried flying fish or chicken and rice with several side dishes. It was a very laid back nice day.

In Antigua we all went to the Coconut Beach Club at the Yepton Beach on day passes. Our taxi driver Nikki tried to talk us into somewhere else, but we were happy we stuck to our guns and she returned at three as promised. Our day passes included full use of the facilities, chair, palapa, towels, beverages, and lunch. The people staying there seemed to be mostly French and German and were quite friendly and helpful in suggestions for gathering beach chairs for our large group. Once settled, we enjoyed the day. The sand was soft and white and the hotel seemed to be the only one in the cove. The rest of the beach was quite deserted. There were no hawkers or peddlers except for one friendly lady selling jewelry passively sitting by the beach stairs who left at lunchtime. I am a seaglass gatherer at home and away and was not disappointed in my walk to the other end of the cove and back. Lunch was delicious. The ladies that worked there set us up a large table so we could all sit together. On the way back everyone remarked what a lovely day it was.

Disembarkation: I had heard about the lines at immigration, but I truly didn’t appreciate them until I saw them. Five of us were heading to the airport together, Husband and I were renting a car for the day from Budget and the other three had a noon time flight. We had a leisurely breakfast in the buffet area and left when the last number in our group had been called. The porter fast lane was truly an amazing thing and we had our luggage and were outside in a taxi in 5-7 minutes. The taxi dropped us first at Budget which was right at the airport right off the main entrance. The people there were very nice, the woman at the counter had run out of maps, but the young man in the booth lent us his as long as we promised to return it. We drove along the beach road out through the Isla Verde section and beyond through small towns past lots of barbecue places starting their fires and prepping for a busy Saturday. The smell was wonderful. There were lots of families spending the day at the beach or just arriving and staking their spots. We headed to the El Yunque Rainforest where we spent a good portion of the day. The ride back was easy and we left time for any issues. Driving into the airport and drop off took two minutes and the bus was there waiting for us to drive us to the terminal.

Overall we had a lovely time. Too short as usual.

I had some lovely photos in this review, but my brain is having a hard time wrapping around how to include them at this point.

Entertainment: We enjoyed the salsa band they had in Rendevous each night. They were very good and personable with the audience. I enjoyed watching the people that know how to dance well. We also spent some time in the casino. We did not go to any shows. There was an odd dj duo in the martini bar that had a lot of percussion instruments. I never quite got it. There was also a second band, a guitarist, and a piano player that all played separately in venues throughout the ship.

Staff: Throughout the cruise, every staff member we saw always said good morning or hello and smiled from the ship cleaners to Captain Leo. And there were ship cleaners everywhere. We spent a couple of days on ship and throughout the day they were cleaning cleaning cleaning. The ship maintenance guys (excuse me I don’t know their title) were also maintaining the outside of the ship, I saw lots of window cleaning and painting. Some banging one day.

Bar staffing was never hard to find for me. I paid attention because everyone was saying how horrible it was. I would sit down and someone would be there sometimes before I even had gotten settled. We attended the morning and evening Elite Lounges. There were cold and hot nibbles passed at evening cocktails that were very good. I especially enjoyed the little spring rolls and the meat balls. Breakfast was the usual spread with someone always nearby willing to get you a cappuccino.

The only person I didn’t enjoy was a man on the activity staff that gave trivia the first sea day. He was a bit too too what’s the word? Rude? Mean? He made that trivia game not fun and I’m afraid we lost a few trivia players that day for the rest of the cruise. The rest of the activity staff was very nice and friendly. It seemed a few of them were leaving at the end of our cruise.

Dining: Because of our large group we had a table to ourselves at early seating. Our waiter Tuncay and his assistant Zaira were great. Zaira caught on quickly to our party’s love of lemons for the water and extra butter for the bread. She always made the extra effort in her appearance of some king of different sparkly hair accessory every day. Tuncay always had good suggestions and patience with our table. He seemed to only have three tables that I could tell. The kitchen special made two large carrot cakes for two birthdays at our table. They were delicious.

We dined in Normandy one night and it was a lovely evening. We also enjoyed Bistro on Five on embarkation day and I got my favorite Cowboy crepe and it did not disappoint.

After being a CC member for eons, this is my very first review. After reading some other reviews of people on the exact same cruise, I wanted you to hear about our time and that it wasn’t all bad on the Summit 4/5/14.

Background: This was my fourth time on Summit 2 pre-refurb 1 post. Husband and I cruise at least once and if we can swing it, twice a year usually on X. This time we were a family group of nine for a wedding on ship (check out sister JenGTravels review for further on the wedding) with 5 different cabins in varying categories and varying cruise experience.

Precruise: Most of us arrived the day before and stayed at a lovely hotel in the Old Town call La Terraza de San Juan. We were welcomed with beverages at the bar and an introduction to the area with maps and locations of various things noted for our convenience. Our rooms were new and beds comfortable. The elevator was incredibly slow, but that is part of staying in any small hotel that has been shimmied into an antique building. When the place we had planned for dinner was closed, we decided on a second floor bar lounge called Mezzanine. The bartender made every drink with athletic finesse and the mojitos and tapas were fabulous. It was a great find. In the morning, continental breakfast was included, which we enjoyed on the roof top terrace where there was a lovely breeze and view of the harbor and old town. We left our luggage at the hotel and explored town in small groups.

Embarkation: Was pretty easy. The only thing I found odd was that there is someone to check your seapass every five feet on your way through the terminal. There’s someone inside the door. There’s someone at the bottom of the stairs. At the top of the stairs and on the gangway before you cross to the ship. So don’t put it away, whatever you do. Upon entering the ship we were immediately offered some bubbly and welcomed by a group of staff.

Cabin: We originally had a C1 but there was a price drop a couple of months out and we upgraded to an S1. Then on one of my random cabin availability checks 6145 came up and we grabbed it. What a lovely cabin! The bathroom alone is 4 times bigger than the one at home! Dark wood paneling and accents. Lots of room to move. The closet was smaller than it should be for such a room, but after removing the bathrobes there was plenty of room for a one week cruise. Two weeks would have taken a little creativity. The veranda was covered and very nice with a table and two chairs and also two loungers. We had a neighbor that was a chain smoker for the first couple of days and then I am assuming someone asked her to stop. I was on the verge. Our butler Jose was wonderful. Our breakfast rolls and cappuccinos were always hot. We saw Jose and our room attendant Jen several times a day, they were both always friendly with a hello or good morning. We were very well taken care of.

Ship: I really do like the Summit and the M class. It’s the perfect hike from one end to the other not too long. Everything is easy to find and get around. They’ve moved future cruise sales to the little raised area in the shops that had the art auctions and chairs. Which is nice for cruise sales to have the room, but makes the journey from Café al Bacio to the shops seem squeezed. I also miss the card room, but like the Café that replaced it. Michael’s is a private lounge. No one was ever in there when I passed by, except a concierge at a desk that I never saw assisting anyone. The sinky spots entering the Rendevous are still there. They’ve always been there as far as I know. I know to be careful in the heels. It’s not new, but sometime it should be fixed. Someone is going to twist an ankle.

What a nice review :)

Has it been discussed what to do if you have not received yours? We are just back from the Summit and I haven't received it. Two of the relatives did, but one other sister hasn't.

I love my gorilla pods! Can't wait for the rest :)

On our Solstice TA a couple of years ago they gave out raffle tickets to the winners and at the end they had a raffle for items from the glass studio. I won a lovely large blue vase and it made it home in one piece. It was unfortunate not everyone got a prize though.

I'm ok with this new system. It's like getting tickets at the arcade playing skeeball :)

At the time, I believe they all did. Pretty sure it was pre-Solstice

 

I know the Mercury did, we used to watch her come into to San Diego to pick us up!

I remember them. There used to be a view from the promenade deck and one from the bridge :)

I was very disappointed when they made them inaccessible. It was a long time ago that they took them down. Pre solstice class definitely.

Great job. Can't wait to read more :)

I would go with 1111. It's in the middle of the cabins and near the elevator. There's a door to the outside that bangs occasionally on either end of the hall from what I recall from our Bermuda trip.

BTW We are also on this cruise.

No Blu on Connie when we were in a Sky Suite.

Can you expand on this answer. Were you told no for the whole cruise flat out or just one night? Were you given a reason?

I have had no success being thrown back in the pool. However, I have been successful after assignment switching within the category assigned. I got a bit of an exasperated sigh when they did it, but they did do it.

Good Luck :)

The Norwegian Fjords on the Century. Small ship. So much beauty of the natural world to wonder at. Incredibly nice people.

Otherwise I've loved them all.

Did you start with the same points? My husband has miraculously caught up with me :)

Has anyone looked at your own and your spouses points? Are they different?

I love the use of "obfuscation". Great word.

the image with the list seems to no longer be available

 

whats going on :(

Perhaps it will return when Xellent/Nereus/Arno returns from his great Odyssey :)

Why is this thread "ending?" Did I miss something?

Arno had said he was giving up on the thread, but he seems to have changed his mind :D

Sure thing ;)

Glad to hear you had such a nice time. Did you tender or Dock. We are on the Constellation in September and it says tender. I understand the Century is a smaller ship and perhaps she could dock while the Constellation could not. I am wondering where the tender will dock in relation to the train station/ bus square area.

Depending on who you ask on board sometimes they will urge you to take the ship excursion as the only option. Always take this with a grain of salt.