Returned yesterday... Summit So. Caribbean, any questions?

[BarbJ52]

I am interested in these answers also.

Patty, would love to see you again. Maybe we could connect when you are in Boston or Portland? Fred & Mom, also, remember you fondly and would love showing you a bit of NE while you're here. Let us know, and take care. Barb

[JLind]

We are thinking of cruising on Summit in April (bermuda, out of NY). Do you know if balconies are connecting ? Can we buy a wine package?

Thanks

 

Connecting Balconies? No, I don't think so... I've just read your question and pulled up photos of our balcony on the Summit. It does not look to me that there was any way the balcony could have been "opened up" to connect to a neighboring balcony. I did notice that you've posted the connecting balcony question as a separate thread and you may get someone who can answer with absolute confidence, but my photos look like the answer is "no". However, we were traveling alone this time and did not specifically ask to have a balcony connected. We have done this on our previous two cruises (learned about the idea on cruise critic years ago) and both on Princess and on Cunard we loved having the connecting balcony. My point is, I do understand your question :)

 

Wine package? Yes they do offer wine packages. We thought about it and opted not to do it. I believe the options are described on the Celebrity website, as we read about it online and considered getting it. When we were embarking on our first day, there were several tables set up in the checking-in area, before actually getting onto the ship, promoting various amenities, and there was a "wine table" with the whole package thing laid out. It was definitely available.

[apelleti]

Thanks JLind for your quick reply! Have you posted your pictures on this website ? I had also (many) other questions ... if ever you can help me out, that would be greatly appreciated. Do you think the Concierge Balcony stateroom is worth it ? Have you noticed any larger balcony in the regular balcony stateroom? Is there shuffleboard and Ping Pong ? Can a 13 yearsold boy go to the solarium ? Thanks again.

[hcat]

Is the pool area at the Marriot St Kitts nice?

 

On our last cruise to St Kitts in 2009,.., it was undergoing renovations so we went to Frigate Bay Resort instead--it was a lovely day & no extra charge to use the pool or other amentities--just buy drinks & lunch at their amazing restaurant Jasmines. It was a short walk past the big golf course down to the beach.,,,,,

 

Next time we'd like to try the Marriot...We will be there for a short day so if we do not want to use the pool can we use beach facilites (rent chairs etc) & have lunch without incuring the day rate?

[JLind]

Thanks JLind for your quick reply! Have you posted your pictures on this website ? I had also (many) other questions ... if ever you can help me out, that would be greatly appreciated. Do you think the Concierge Balcony stateroom is worth it ? Have you noticed any larger balcony in the regular balcony stateroom? Is there shuffleboard and Ping Pong ? Can a 13 yearsold boy go to the solarium ? Thanks again.

 

apelleti:

Pictures... I have not posted any photos, mostly because I haven't taken the time to figure out how and where to do it- But we did get some really great ship photos.

 

Other questions... always fun to answer when I know answers, and having sailed so recently I can give an updated view regarding some topics- however I'm not an expert as some are... but ask away and I'll do my best! (check out the posts of LoisR, she's got tons of great information)

 

Concierge Balcony Stateroom & larger balconies in regular staterooms: We had a cabin where the ship changes shape and our regular stateroom balcony was a bigger size. You'll see these balconies referred to on these boards as "bump" balconies. My amazing friend did a quick look on Travelocity and found 7080 for us. It had a triangular balcony, with a full chaise lounge, 2 regular chairs and was great. After weighing the pros and cons of amenities/cost for the concierge room, we decided that we'd prefer our 'regular' balcony room - it was a category 2B- with the big balcony, rather than the concierge one. So this is what I have to say on this topic: there is lots of information and opinions about this. If you go to Travelocity and put in the information as if you are really going to book your cruise, toward the end of the process, you can see a very specific diagram of the ship and the flashing staterooms are the ones that have not yet been booked. This gives you the ability to see what rooms have been booked for a specific cruise. It also has fairly accurate representation of the room and balcony sizes. In addition, there are 16 balcony rooms on the M-class ships referred to the "Sweet 16" cabins that are favored for this reason. This is a link to a recent thread about that. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1148306

One last thing on this topic... although I didn't want to trade our balcony for the concierge 'upgraded' amenities, I will say that our cabin, with blue bedding, was in need of refurbishing. After speaking to friends on the ship, we figured out that the concierge cabins, decorated with orange furnishings were in nicer condition, though one person said that though their bedding was in good shape, the shower was not great (black stains). So I'd go out on a limb here and conclude that they've replaced bedding and upholstery in concierge cabins. I am not a person looking for problems, as a matter of fact, I hold onto my rose-colored glasses with enthusiasm. But I could not help noticing that this room needed to be re-done.

 

Shuffleboard/ping pong/solarium... Our itinerary was port intensive and we didn't have our kids with us for this one- there were very few kids on the ship during our week. In other words, we didn't make the effort to find all of these activities that we do find under other circumstances. I know for sure that there was ping pong, I'm almost positive that there was shuffleboard and I just have no idea about a 13 year old in the solarium...

[apelleti]

Thank you !

[apelleti]

Thank you. That is quite helpful. I'll try to find such a stateroom. Would you suggest any specific hotel in NJ where we could leave our car for the duration of the cruise? I'd like to have a nice view on NY that I never had the chance to visit.

Regards,

Ap

[AAAAmerican]

apellti,

 

In a hotel with parking for cruise duration..are you flying in?

 

In Essex County, Newark our largest and lets say not niceest city.. near the Liberty International Airport there are quite a few Hotels there with parking as well let you whilst on a cruise. Some even have shuttles to the Old MOTBY at the Cruise Terminal in Hudson County, Bayonne as well.

 

 

Someone here or other threads via the search may know much more on this. Seek and ye shall find.

 

But most of all may youall have a great, safe and wonderful cruise!;)

 

 

 

 

Thank you. That is quite helpful. I'll try to find such a stateroom. Would you suggest any specific hotel in NJ where we could leave our car for the duration of the cruise? I'd like to have a nice view on NY that I never had the chance to visit.

Regards,

Ap

[nealstuber]

And some of us saililn Celebrity with our kids hope there are not too many people who feel the way you do.

[JLind]

And some of us saililn Celebrity with our kids hope there are not too many people who feel the way you do.

 

nealstuber: I've read your post a few times and am confused by what you've written. I don't know whether you misunderstood my answer to a question a few posts back, or ...?????

It was my intension to convey that we did not travel with our children this last cruise a few weeks ago and so I was not really noticing (the poster asked about ping pong, shuffle board, and whether a 13 year old would be allowed in the solarium) activities that I might have had a higher consciousness of, if our children had been with us.

 

I realize that I could just have let that post fly by, but I'm particularly the "kid whisperer" and would never want to leave an impression that I had negative comments on that topic. :)

[JLind]

Is the pool area at the Marriot St Kitts nice?

 

On our last cruise to St Kitts in 2009,.., it was undergoing renovations so we went to Frigate Bay Resort instead--it was a lovely day & no extra charge to use the pool or other amentities--just buy drinks & lunch at their amazing restaurant Jasmines. It was a short walk past the big golf course down to the beach.,,,,,

 

Next time we'd like to try the Marriot...We will be there for a short day so if we do not want to use the pool can we use beach facilites (rent chairs etc) & have lunch without incuring the day rate?

 

Hcat: We were in St. Kitts on March 2nd, and it was a big birthday for my husband who loves to play golf. Though I don't play, my husband seemed to want me to ride along, so that's what I did. The Royal St. Kitts Golf club is affiliated with the Marriott and located right there. It was a hot day, and I looked longingly at that Marriott, sometimes dreaming of escaping with an "I'll be right back honey" and running over there to enjoy the beach...

 

We struck up a quick friendship with our neighbors on the ship and I had shared with them, that my mom who has often worked on high-end cruise ships as a guest artist, had recommended the Marriott as a great place to spend the day in that port. Our ship neighbors took my suggestion and said it was the best day of their cruise. They just walked in, and went to the beach there. They had beach chairs, and I think a cabana- they said it was known that they were from the ship, they did not 'sneak in' , and did not pay and were not asked to pay for a day pass. Though they clearly spent their time on the beach and did not mention the pool there, they did say that they had massages on the beach, lunch, drinks, and felt it was a perfect day.

 

We went to dinner with them and they could not stop raving about how hospitable the Marriott was to them. We did wonder if during a busier time, they might have been asked to pay for a day pass, but they were welcomed and relaxed and did not pay any additional fees. Of course they paid for their drinks, lunch and massages.

 

Hope you have as fun and relaxing a cruise as we did :)