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Celebrity Summit compared to NCL Breakaway


Zenica
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In a month we will be taking a 7 day cruise aboard the Celebrity Summit, our third cruise in total and the first not on NCL.

We wanted to try something different given the kids would be staying at home this cruise so we are booked on the Summit.

 

 

In the past we booked the Haven but the cabins for the Summit were limited so we opted for the Aqua A1. How does it compare to the Haven in terms of amenities? Will Aqua have advanced boarding? We also opted for the "best" grouping for the included perks which includes the upgraded beverage package.

 

 

 

How does the Summit compare? Our TA made note that it isn't really geared for kids which is going to be a welcome change. How is the food? specifically breakfast as that is my preferred meal of the day. I love pancakes and souffle omelettes!

 

 

Our trip is to Bermuda and we'll be there for three days. Looking forward to this trip, what can you share about Bermuda? Any must see areas?

 

 

EDIT:

 

I noticed our booking says "Dining Selection: Traditional Dining", what does this mean?

Edited by Zenica
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In a month we will be taking a 7 day cruise aboard the Celebrity Summit, our third cruise in total and the first not on NCL.

We wanted to try something different given the kids would be staying at home this cruise so we are booked on the Summit.

 

 

In the past we booked the Haven but the cabins for the Summit were limited so we opted for the Aqua A1. How does it compare to the Haven in terms of amenities? Will Aqua have advanced boarding? We also opted for the "best" grouping for the included perks which includes the upgraded beverage package.

 

 

 

How does the Summit compare? Our TA made note that it isn't really geared for kids which is going to be a welcome change. How is the food? specifically breakfast as that is my preferred meal of the day. I love pancakes and souffle omelettes!

 

 

Our trip is to Bermuda and we'll be there for three days. Looking forward to this trip, what can you share about Bermuda? Any must see areas?

 

 

EDIT:

 

I noticed our booking says "Dining Selection: Traditional Dining", what does this mean?

 

I can explain a couple of things, since you are in AQ, your assigned dining room is Blu, you do not have a seat assigned for you in the Main Dining Room. Blu is probably dining between the MDR and a Specialty Restaurants. The dining selection Traditional dining means nothing in your case. Blu is anytime dining and they do not accept reservations. You will receive a letter in your stateroom explaining dining in Blu. First night they may ask you to come at a certain time but you can just ignore it. I know this all sounds a bit silly but this is one of the most asked questions on this board and has to do with Celebrity dysfunctional computer systems.

 

 

The Summit is older, going in next year for a major makeover but the crew is fantastic. Food is excellent, entertainment is not as good as NCL and have been on both. Celebrity does not nickel and dime you as much as NCL. Nice quiet cruise with 1 announcement from the Bridge each day, no hawking of Bingo and Shows on the PA system all day. I have actually met people in Bermuda who were on Breakaway who said they wished they were on Summit.

 

Celebrity excels in their smoking policy. No indoor smoking including staterooms and veranda. I found the NCL ships to be almost like smokestacks especially in the casino. Only a couple of outdoor spots on Celebrity for smoking and all are on the port side so they are easily avoided.

 

Finally, I don't know the date you are going but if it is before the kids go back to school, there will be a lot of kids on board contrary to what your TA said. Depends on date. They do handle the kids very well on Celebrity though.

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Kids on board, maybe, but few kids in Aqua Class because they only allow 2 people in a room. That translates to few, if any, kids in the Blu dining room for breakfast and/or dinner.

 

Breakfasts in Blu are excellent...sit down/menu/waiter service. Blu is closed for lunch, so you have a number of places you can eat...the MDR serves a sit down lunch, the buffet, the aqua spa cafe (named aqua, but open to all passengers), the pool grill...and they may offer a specialty restaurant lunch on one or more of your sea days ($25pp).

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Kids on board, maybe, but few kids in Aqua Class because they only allow 2 people in a room. That translates to few, if any, kids in the Blu dining room for breakfast and/or dinner.

 

Breakfasts in Blu are excellent...sit down/menu/waiter service. Blu is closed for lunch, so you have a number of places you can eat...the MDR serves a sit down lunch, the buffet, the aqua spa cafe (named aqua, but open to all passengers), the pool grill...and they may offer a specialty restaurant lunch on one or more of your sea days ($25pp).

 

Yes and in the buffet there is a section in the back with fresh grilled items like steak, salmon, chicken, etc.

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My DH and I have sailed on both the Breakaway and the Summit.

IMHO - Comparing the two ships is similar to comparing a hot dog to filet mignon.

Consider these experiences-

Both embarkation and disembarkation for the Breakaway was crowded,uncomfortable and time consuming. For the Summit, both were the easiest we have encountered in over 15 cruises.

The smoking in the Breakaway casino located mid ships permeates through decks 8,7,6. It affects the sitting area for activities,the specialty coffee area and LeBistro, the French’s restaurant. There is no smoking anywhere in the interior of the Summit. A smoke free casino and interior public deck area is a pleasure.

The Breakaway carries up to 4,000 passengers. The Summit carries 2,500. It rarely felt crowded on the Summit.

The Breakaway has Vibe- an adult only area without a pool that you have to compete with other passengers for a pass to the area as soon as you board the ship.

The Summit has an adult only area- the Solarium, which has a glass roof, a calming atmosphere,a pool and hot tubs and a cafe.No pass or fee is needed.

While on the Breakaway two years ago, I overhead a supervisor loudly and publicly chastising a crew member in two separate instances. One instance was in the buffet and another instance was near one of the stairways- unacceptable.

The crew on the Summit were amazing. All that we met were pleasant and showed a helpful attitude.

Although the Breakaway is a newer ship than the Summit, we will never sail NCL again.

We plan to book a cruise on the Summit after an extensive drydock renovation slated for February 2019. The Summit fits our idea of a comfortable,enjoyable ship.

Choice of a ship and /or cruise line depends on personal preference. We appreciate comfort, elegance and a calm atmosphere. We have found that Summit/ Cellebrity to be a good fit for us

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If "in a month" means you'll be on the August 19 sailing, my family group of eight will be there with you, also in AQ1. We've been to Bermuda before and sailed the Summit before but I can't help with any comparison to the Breakaway since we've never sailed NCL. However, my daughter worked the Capital Jazz Cruise to Bermuda on the Breakaway last year so I'm looking forward to what she has to say about comparing the two ships.

 

Everything you've read so far here is true about Blu. We love it and always book Aqua Class for it. The best part is that everything is prepared to order, not banquet style like in the MDR. If you like a particular entree but would prefer other sides, just ask and it's no problem. There are also some "always available" items that you may or may not be told about. If you're not, just ask.

 

You also will have access to Persian Gardens in the spa, a special relaxation area. People complain that it's not as nice as Persian Gardens on Celebrity's Solstice Class ships but I like it. Just go to the desk in the spa and show your card for access.

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If "in a month" means you'll be on the August 19 sailing, my family group of eight will be there with you, also in AQ1. We've been to Bermuda before and sailed the Summit before but I can't help with any comparison to the Breakaway since we've never sailed NCL. However, my daughter worked the Capital Jazz Cruise to Bermuda on the Breakaway last year so I'm looking forward to what she has to say about comparing the two ships.

 

Everything you've read so far here is true about Blu. We love it and always book Aqua Class for it. The best part is that everything is prepared to order, not banquet style like in the MDR. If you like a particular entree but would prefer other sides, just ask and it's no problem. There are also some "always available" items that you may or may not be told about. If you're not, just ask.

 

You also will have access to Persian Gardens in the spa, a special relaxation area. People complain that it's not as nice as Persian Gardens on Celebrity's Solstice Class ships but I like it. Just go to the desk in the spa and show your card for access.

 

Also in Blu you will have everyday items such as a nice steak, Salmon and chicken dish. The menu in Blu changes every day. The MDR has everyday items which you can ask for in Blu such as excellent Onion soup, shrimp cocktail and my favorite Creme Brûlée.

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Thank you everyone ...these replies are exactly the type of information I was hoping for.

@MJSailors,

Your review confirms what the TA told us. While I've never met my TA in person, he seems to have read me pretty well from our conversations and he highly recommended the Summit despite my objections over the ships age. On that subject, does the ship look

or feel "weathered"? I'm sure each of us has stayed at a hotel where it was apparent in 2 minutes it needs a refresh and by contrast, we've stayed at hotels that must have been either newly refurbished or just built. Each of our sailings aboard the Breakaway showed the ship was overdue for the refit. Carpets were frayed and needing to be stretched, door hinges either semi frozen and hard to open/close, bathroom shower smelled like mold, tub faucets did not work....nothing that prevented us or the kids from enjoying the trip but had it been a hotel, I might have asked for another room.

I saw the menu for Blu states vanilla pancakes with Vermont maple so I am rather relieved to see they use real maple and not Dow maple flavored Monsantos GMO high fructose corn syrup. I usually bring my own maple on cruises just to be safe so its nice not having to.

@2theship,

I was rounding down, ours is the August 26th sailing. Do you plan to write a review of your trip?

@dkjretired;

My wife loves creme brulee but was always disappointed with it on the Breakaway. It never had enough of a vanilla taste and they always

adulterated it with something else, raspberry, lemon or mint. How is it on Summit? is it true to form or an interpretation?

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To The OP

The Summit has had renovations to the public areas. There is new furniture and carpeting in the lounges etc.

Some chairs in the Oceanview Cafe (buffet) are worn and will be replaced in drydock.

However, you can find seating at the beginning of the buffet and towards the end of it where the omelette and grilling station is located.

We had a Conceierge (C2) cabin.

Yes, the couch showed wear and tear. There was a bit of rust near the bathroom door. However, there was ample storage and a comfortable balcony. There were no toilet or AC problems, we found the bed and pillows to be quite comfortable. Our steward kept our cabin clean and tidy.

We are thinking of booking an Aqua class cabin next time. We would like to experience Blu and have spa access.

Perhaps, you could come back to CC and relate your Summit cruise experience.

Bon voyage !

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@↑

 

 

The TA mentioned the ship had a minor refresh, the common areas you mentioned must be what he was referring to.

Is the spa anything of consequence or more flash than substance? The Celebrity web site doesn't go into detail about what

it entails. It seems to be more or less rooms with mood music or settings. It doesn't have anything a traditional spa would

like massage or facials which require someone to administer. This spa seems to be self-governed which limits what you can do--- to yourself--- and still "relax".

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@2theship,

I was rounding down, ours is the August 26th sailing. Do you plan to write a review of your trip?

If I get my act together, I will write one but since I'll be driving home from NJ as you're boarding the ship, I doubt that it will be of much help to you.

Is the spa anything of consequence or more flash than substance? The Celebrity web site doesn't go into detail about what it entails. It seems to be more or less rooms with mood music or settings. It doesn't have anything a traditional spa would like massage or facials which require someone to administer. This spa seems to be self-governed which limits what you can do--- to yourself--- and still "relax".

There is a full service spa complete with many therapists and stylists. The only self-governed area is Persian Gardens which features a heated relaxation bench, sauna, steam and inhalation rooms. There is a fee to use Persian Gardens except for Aqua Class passengers.

 

I suggest that you take a look at http://www.celebritycruises.com. On the drop-down menu in the upper left corner, select "Ships" then "Summit". While Celebrity's website leaves a lot to be desired, you may be able to glean a lot of information about the ship itself and what's available.

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I'm really surprised that no one mentioned Cafe alBaccio, the coffee/desert "bar". Great place for specialty coffees, after dinner drinks, and, most of all, pastries. Since you have the premium drink package you can get anything on the menu.

 

Oh, and all Aqua cabins have what my DW refers to as the "car wash". The shower has multiple body jets to massage you !!!

 

Also, you will find that when boarding at Cape Liberty you will be handed a glass of sparkling wine as you board. Also, when returning to the ship in port you will find cold towels, a place to sit and relax, and "flavored" ice water to cool you down.

 

Steve

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@Stevea36,

 

 

I couldn't find Cafe alBaccio on the Celebrity Summit page listing the restaurants. There is an Aquaspa Cafe, Eden Cafe and Oceanview Cafe. I was able to one on the Solstice though.

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As for the port we love Bermuda. Horseshoe Bay beach is breathtaking. It can get crowded but not too bad. We’ve been twice and roadie the public bus both times. We just asked the bus driver to let us know when to get off. We also went to the Crystal Caves. It was also amazing. We had our kids with us then and they are into caves. Also took the bus and ferry here. The people are so kind in Bermuda. The Summit was great. Laid back. 2 summers ago there were only 250 kids onboard and we felt like we barely saw kids!

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Zenica, I decided to pop in because we have sailed in the Haven on the NCL Bliss so I can't post about the Breakaway but do know a bit about NCL. Also, we are sailing on the Infinity in September in a suite and have been comparing the two cruise lines (recognizing that NCL is mainstream and Celebrity is premium).

 

From what I can tell, unlike NCL's Bliss that has the Haven suites, restaurant and lounge in one place (keycard entry), there is nothing equivalent to that on Infinity but I am not sure about other ships. The suite restaurant and lounge are in different places.

 

Since you know whether or not the NCL Breakaway has an enclosed area for the Haven, perhaps posters that have sailed on the Summit can let you know the layout there.

 

I posted this to open the subject of how the Haven is configured so that it can be compared to the Celebrity ship that you will be on.

 

I believe that Traditional Dining is being seated at the same table each night at the same time.

 

Have a great cruise!

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@Stevea36,

 

 

I couldn't find Cafe alBaccio on the Celebrity Summit page listing the restaurants. There is an Aquaspa Cafe, Eden Cafe and Oceanview Cafe. I was able to one on the Solstice though.

 

It's not really a restaurant, it is a coffee "bar". It is located on deck 5, midship.

 

Steve

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Kids on board, maybe, but few kids in Aqua Class because they only allow 2 people in a room. That translates to few, if any, kids in the Blu dining room for breakfast and/or dinner.

 

).

 

And you can be guaranteed there will not be any kids in Blu during lunch. 🤗

 

Hopefully you, the OP, will post your thoughts about the cruise after completion.

 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

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My DH and I have sailed on both the Breakaway and the Summit.

IMHO - Comparing the two ships is similar to comparing a hot dog to filet mignon.

Consider these experiences-

Both embarkation and disembarkation for the Breakaway was crowded,uncomfortable and time consuming. For the Summit, both were the easiest we have encountered in over 15 cruises.

The smoking in the Breakaway casino located mid ships permeates through decks 8,7,6. It affects the sitting area for activities,the specialty coffee area and LeBistro, the French’s restaurant. There is no smoking anywhere in the interior of the Summit. A smoke free casino and interior public deck area is a pleasure.

The Breakaway carries up to 4,000 passengers. The Summit carries 2,500. It rarely felt crowded on the Summit.

The Breakaway has Vibe- an adult only area without a pool that you have to compete with other passengers for a pass to the area as soon as you board the ship.

The Summit has an adult only area- the Solarium, which has a glass roof, a calming atmosphere,a pool and hot tubs and a cafe.No pass or fee is needed.

While on the Breakaway two years ago, I overhead a supervisor loudly and publicly chastising a crew member in two separate instances. One instance was in the buffet and another instance was near one of the stairways- unacceptable.

The crew on the Summit were amazing. All that we met were pleasant and showed a helpful attitude.

Although the Breakaway is a newer ship than the Summit, we will never sail NCL again.

We plan to book a cruise on the Summit after an extensive drydock renovation slated for February 2019. The Summit fits our idea of a comfortable,enjoyable ship.

Choice of a ship and /or cruise line depends on personal preference. We appreciate comfort, elegance and a calm atmosphere. We have found that Summit/ Cellebrity to be a good fit for us

 

Interesting post. We're in Florida for december travelling around. I'm toying with the idea of jumping on a cruise ship for a week. The Breakaways sister ship Norwegian Getaway appears to have very cheap balconies but more importantly an itinerary that appeals as we've not done most of the ports yet. I've just expressed my thoughts on Summit elsewhere based on our own personal experiences from a back to back last december and as a result, it's highly unlikely I'd sail on Summit again.

 

That said when we embarked there was only one other couple doing so at the same time which was nice. I also appreciate a smoke free atmosphere.

 

Are the NCL ships really that bad? We'll have a 5 year old with us and I thought Getaway may suit him.

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@↑

 

 

Breakaway was a madhouse each sailing we were on it.

We never tendered at GSC due to waves and thus the pools turned into a free-for-all. Adults behaving as poorly as the juveniles and children in their care.

 

 

Luckily the Haven has a *cough* wading pool and separate bar so we avoided the mayhem.

 

 

I have to run out but I'll expand on this later when I return.

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Interesting post. We're in Florida for december travelling around. I'm toying with the idea of jumping on a cruise ship for a week. The Breakaways sister ship Norwegian Getaway appears to have very cheap balconies but more importantly an itinerary that appeals as we've not done most of the ports yet. I've just expressed my thoughts on Summit elsewhere based on our own personal experiences from a back to back last december and as a result, it's highly unlikely I'd sail on Summit again.

 

That said when we embarked there was only one other couple doing so at the same time which was nice. I also appreciate a smoke free atmosphere.

 

Are the NCL ships really that bad? We'll have a 5 year old with us and I thought Getaway may suit him.

 

Mynki

 

Give Equinox a shot, great ship...

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Interesting post. We're in Florida for december travelling around. I'm toying with the idea of jumping on a cruise ship for a week. The Breakaways sister ship Norwegian Getaway appears to have very cheap balconies but more importantly an itinerary that appeals as we've not done most of the ports yet. I've just expressed my thoughts on Summit elsewhere based on our own personal experiences from a back to back last december and as a result, it's highly unlikely I'd sail on Summit again.

 

That said when we embarked there was only one other couple doing so at the same time which was nice. I also appreciate a smoke free atmosphere.

 

Are the NCL ships really that bad? We'll have a 5 year old with us and I thought Getaway may suit him.

 

If you are interested in NCL learning about NCL ships you might want to post your questions on the NCL board.

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Hello Mynki

Since Getaway is the sister ship of the Breakaway, I would assume the same atmosphere of crowding, a smokey atrium area, small balconies and a certain demographic would be the same on the Getaway as the Breakaway.

You could check out recent reviews of the Getaway on CC.

You mention that you will be in Florida in December. I might suggest that you try a Princess cruise out of Ft Lauderdale. We have taken several Caribbean cruises while spending the winter in Florida on the Crown Princess and the Regal Princess and we have enjoyed them all.

But , since this is a Celebrity board, I might consider the suggestion of another poster who recommends the Equinox. I am not certain,but the Equinox could be an S class ship making it different from the Summit which is an M class ship.

You mention that you will be traveling with a five year old. While the NCL ships offer water slides,a rock wall, a ropes course, and miniature golf, I am not certain if all these activities would appeal to a young child.

I would choose a calmer atmosphere ship for my grandchildren so they would feel comfortable onboard.

We recently traveled with an eight and eleven year on the Summit. They loved the ship. They enjoyed the pool,ping pong and the ice cream.

Summit did not have lot of bells and whistles for them, but they were very comfortable on the ship and had a great time !

As for the embarkation/ disembarkation, the Breakaway was located at the Manhattan Terminal,Pier 88. This pier is decades old and may not be large enough to comfortably accommodate 4,000 passengers.

When we sailed from this pier in 2001 on the QE2 ( a smaller number of passengers ), it was a fine embarkation. The Summit left from a new pier at Cape Liberty which allowed for a pleasant embarkation/ disembarkation.

Florida ports may be busy because some accommodate many ships a day.

Whatever cruise you choose, I wish you a pleasant vacation and Bon voyage !

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