Family veranda, Summit, trip report: long

[wills47]

First Time Cruise Report; Bermuda on the Summit, good and bad.

Our family had our first cruise the week of July 4th. We cruised from Bayonne, NJ to Bermuda on the Celebrity Summit. We had a family veranda cabin on the 9th floor. I will try to make this review useful for first time cruisers, however, of course, these opinions are my own, so take them as you will!

Embarkation: I was impressed with Celebrity. I had read about Bayonne being a lackluster port of embarkation, and indeed, it is a working port, however I thought Celebrity did the best it could with it. The porters were helpful and informative, the check in process pretty painless, the area that you wait to board the buses to board the ship was not unattractive for a short wait. If you have a golf bag you will be required to take it with you to the boat. They do not accept them with checked luggage. They were very prompt at taking it once we boarded the ship. We were allowed to board at about 1215 and rooms were ready at about 2pm. Lunch was served at the buffet, and if you have a drink package, you can immediately avail yourself to a drink. Celebrity has trays of champagne and juice as you board which is a very nice touch.

 

I had brought bathing suits and sunscreen in carryon bags, so we were able to enjoy the pool, it was hot that day in Bayonne. There are two small outside pools, one is an adults only pool. The Thalassotherapy pool is inside and is nice and cool. There is shade on either side of the outside pools on deck 10. Deck 11 overlooking the pools has zero shade. During embarkation the pool area was pleasant, the rest of the cruise it was crowded and inadequate to the number of passengers on the ship. If you want shade at all, be prepared to get up at 0630 to claim a chair. The only solution to this is that Celebrity consider umbrellas for Deck 11 or retire to your balcony, as I did. Ditto for the Thalassotherapy pool area. People liked to go there and fall asleep in the nice teak chairs. Oddly enough, the area for smokers is a very pleasant area to sit, until a smoker sits next to you. It is shaded and has comfortable chairs. I sat us there during embarkation not knowing that it was smoking. I joked that they should make the smoking area in the sun with hard chairs, it might cut down on the congestion.

 

　

As you leave Bayonne, the “thing to do” is to go to the top of the ship as you go under the bridge. You can take pictures etc. If I did it over again, I would have stayed on my balcony with a drink and enjoyed it from there. I dislike crowds.

 

The Ship and cabin: I think that the Summit is a nice ship. Public areas are attractive, and the family veranda cabin was well decorated and surprisingly utilitarian. There was enough storage for four people and indeed the suitcases do fit under the bed, which really surprised me. There are a lot of hangars. We had four garment bags, so we actually had too many hangars and put theirs behind a couch. We had one couch that pulled to a single bed and then another couch that turned into a double bed. We also had a cot. We requested to keep the cot and not use the double bed couch as my daughter said it was very uncomfortable. The bathroom is small. It just is. We managed, and there is a good mirror in the cabin. Zero outlets in the bathroom. Our balcony was also a very nice size, it had a table with four chairs and two lounge chairs with foot rests, and there was space to spare. They are on the back of the ship, so you see what’s behind you. I understood better how large they were later, when we disembarked in Bermuda and I took a better look at the balconies on the sides of the ship which are a lot smaller. The ship is considered a mid-sized ship, and that is quite enough for me. Being on the 9th floor was good and bad. Every morning at about 630am we could hear dragging furniture as the crew presumably cleaned the deck above. You could hear the music/ noise of the 10th floor where the pool is located if you were out on the balcony but otherwise the cabins seemed soundproofed. We barely heard anything from our neighbors. The bars are close, being just up on the 10th floor, as well as the pool and Thalassotherapy pool etc. The majority of the time we used the stairs, huffing and puffing a bit after dinner. The main dining room is lovely and we ate every dinner there except two nights. One night was Harbor Night in Bermuda and one night we went to Normandie.

 

The Gym: It’s very nice and a good size and I didn’t have too long of a wait for a treadmill. I do a lot of calisthenics so I would do those until one was open. I also lift free weights, and that’s where they should really put more resources. There are classes and the young man who runs them was having trouble providing 5lb weights to the attendees. I had managed to snag one 5lb weight to use and he approached me and asked me to give it to him when I was finished, which was fine, but they are too sparse to begin with. There are plenty of mats, exercise balls and towels.

 

The Food: It is my opinion that Celebrity provides excellent cuisine and service in the MDR. We enjoyed the MDR very much and would rate it highly against our other travel experiences. The service was excellent and the sommelier was very kind in recommending wines that were included in the premium package for our dinner. My husband really doesn’t drink wine, so bottles aren’t really a good choice for us. I can’t drink a whole bottle of wine! Having said that, if you do not finish a bottle of wine, they will cork it and set it aside for the next evening for you.

 

Café al Bacio is a very nice option for specialty coffees. We enjoyed that everyday, I usually would wake up and go get two capuccinos for my husband and myself before we went to the gym. They have lovely pastries available as well, I didn’t try them, but other people were enjoying them. They remove them quickly for sandwiches somewhere around 10am.

 

Normandie: Excellent. Stellar. Consistent with other reviews. One side of the menu is a wine and food pairing that looked really good. It is $89pp. The other side is the a la carte menu.

 

We had thought to try Qsine, however I had read that it was better with a group, and it would have been just my husband and myself, also, we really enjoyed the MDR food, so we just never got around to it.

 

Celebrity really does put a lot of effort into evening dining and it shows. Having said that, I had the ironic experience of being hungry during the daytime of the cruise, except when out and about in Bermuda. I realize that this is ridiculous, but I’ll explain. Full disclosure, I do not like buffets on the best of days, however my experience on the Summit was unique even to the worst buffet that I’ve encountered. I found the Oceanview café experience repellent. I have never seen such bad manners, impatience and just lousy atmosphere ever. It is absolutely inadequate and a terrible place to eat. Too many people in a badly designed place. The whole tray thing reminds me of a hospital cafeteria, and they were always running out of plates and trays anyway. I have been in resorts across the world, and different types of hotels with breakfast buffets and I really hated this experience. There is small buffet located in the Thalassotherapy pool area, however it just wasn’t what I was looking for. My husband and I enjoy waking up at about 845 on vacation, working out and then having a nice breakfast. Most resorts and hotels provide breakfast until 1030 or 1100am. Celebrity closes the MDR at 9am and the buffet at 1030am, despite the masses of people trying to get breakfast. At 10am they close down 75% of the buffet and what they leave open is unstocked, crowded and completely unpleasant. Forget a mimosa or coffee being served. By the time you gather anything to eat the coffee is cold and so is your food. Generally I do not eat lunch anyway, and I really just wanted to avoid that buffet. The only two breakfasts that I enjoyed were room service the day of arrival in Bermuda and the next day when we went to the MDR. The solution would have been to just wake up early and go to the MDR, however with a late seating for dinner and being on vacation I was not going to do that.

 

We attempted to eat at Bistro on Five, the last morning in Bermuda. I just couldn’t face that buffet again, and Bistro on Five has a menu that includes breakfast items all day. Unfortunately, they decided to do some kind of drill, so all of the eating venues were shut down at 10am.

 

Suffice to say, I found this to be a real detraction of cruising. I felt like I was out of sync during most of the cruise.

 

Drink package: we had the premium package and we really liked it. At no time did we “win”, but then again I don’t think anyone ever wins against the house at an all inclusive resort either. It’s more about knowing that it has been taken care of an there are no surprises at the end of the cruise. We enjoyed specialty coffees often throughout the day, I had a smoothie in the morning, from the Thalassotherapy buffet, and a couple of beers in the afternoon and I had a martini in the evening. Perrier in the dining room with one or two glasses of wine with dinner, and sometimes an after dinner drink. My husband enjoyed beers throughout the day. I would be surprised if more people did not avail themselves to this unique program to Celebrity. We saw a ton of drinking and some seemed to have packages, but a lot were signing for everything. We did notice a difference in service at the Martini bar. It was just obvious. They catered more to the “signing” people and my husband waited longer to get served. This is despite initial tipping in cash. I am not really sure why, since as I understand it, there is a gratuity included for service with each drink, but perhaps it’s different with the package?

 

Shows: sorry, we just went to the comedian’s show and he was pretty good. Others in our group went to the shows and liked most of them.

 

Activities: we went to Bingo, kids and adults, and it was fun. No one won the 5K, the largest payout was $300. Adult bingo is electronic. Lots of people showed up for the fruit cutting and ice sculpting outside on the pool deck, but I was just passing through. There were one or two lectures that I was interested in, but didn’t make it. Our group attended the galley tour and were very impressed.

 

The Staff: On the whole, I was impressed. Very friendly, very patient people. I got the sense that on this cruise they were pretty understaffed, nothing terrible, and mostly evident in bar service and acutely in the buffet. Our cabin steward was excellent. We left the auto tips in place and tipped him and our waiters on top of that.

 

Bermuda: No surprise to anyone, it’s a beautiful island. The water is a lovely shade of blue, which I didn’t expect, as people kept saying “it’s the Atlantic, it’s not the Caribbean”. Very refreshing temperature as well. We went to Jobsen’s Cove, St. George’s, Hamilton during Harbor Night and Tobacco Bay.

 

The first day, Jobsen’s Cove. We acquired a two day transport pass from the ticket booth just outside the terminal. Easy. To get to Jobsen’s Cove we took the #7 bus from King’s Wharf. The beach is beautiful, there is a “bathroom facility” there, but be warned, it’s gross. There is also a hot dog stand. We wanted a less crowded beach, so we knew there would not be much there. If you’re looking at the ocean, to the right is a path to an even emptier beach and cove, and I’m guessing that to the right of that is another. Beautiful beaches! We stayed there most of the day, and returned to the ship to change (tried to grab something to eat at the buffet, and they just had pasta) and then boarded the ferry to Hamilton for Harbor Night. Big crowd! Lots of vendors and stores. Good for a souvenir hunt. Holland America’s ship is parked right there in town. It’s big. Too big for me.

 

The Second day my husband went to golf with the men of the family, so my two children and I took the ferry to St. George’s. The ferry is very pleasant. We explored St. George’s, we saw the replica of the Deliverance. ($1 entry fee) We visited St. Peter’s Church and the Unfinished church. I bought the kids ice cream and drinks to have during the trek to Tobacco Bay. Two small packaged ice cream cones were $7. NYC prices! My kids loved Tobacco Bay. My daughter said it was one of the best beaches that she’d been too, and she’s been all over the Caribbean, Mexico and Eastern US. It was pretty crowded, but no more so than Wildwood NJ on a hot summer weekend. There are facilities there as well as a restaurant. Again, the facilities are kind of gross, but one manages. Again, to the right is apparently another beautiful empty beach, but we stayed at Tobacco Bay. We stayed there until about 2:45pm. The ferries back to Kings Wharf are either 2:30, 3:45 and then 6:30pm. I was advised by one of the dock workers to take the 3:45 because they’d been having problems with the 6:30pm ferry, so we cleaned up, and walked back to St. George’s. I found a grocery along the way and this time, I bought a box with three ice cream novelties for $6, getting savvier! The ferries are orderly. One lines up as one waits and I was glad we’d left the beach a bit early because there was a long line! We saw a few people get turned away after everyone got on. ( It’s over an hour bus ride back to Kings Wharf, with a change in Hamilton.) We also saw something weird. Despite the presence of boats and the ferry, it was incredible how beautiful the water was, even in the harbors. Around the Deliverance, we saw a little Bermudian boy jump into the water and take a swim. My daughter was jealous and wanted to do the same, however I am guessing the little boy wasn’t as far from a change of clothes as she would have been. Anyway, we saw a group of young boys with nice looking bikes come down the dock and look like they were going into the water. Surely not? Two of them jumped in for a swim, the other two with bikes remained on the dock. Then a bigger boy comes over and tosses the smaller boy’s bike into the water. We’re appalled, and we look around for someone to help the child, but he himself doesn’t look that concerned. A ferry worker walked right by them, and nothing. The bigger boy walks off and the ferry was pulling away. We’ll never know.

 

The third day, my daughter wanted to return to Tobacco Bay, however there just wasn’t enough time. I went for a great run outside from King’s Wharf down the causeway and through some neighborhoods. I found overlooks and paths down to the ocean and I really had fun just running and exploring a bit. It was hot and I ran for about two hours with stops at interesting stuff. My husband and daughter went shopping and walking about Kings Wharf. At about 3pm we were all back on the ship.

 

Impressions: I would go back to Bermuda, but probably not until my children are old enough to safely drive a scooter. I would also prepare for Bermuda by learning to drive a scooter. It’s a beautiful island, with very very nice people and gorgeous beaches. Having said that, I dislike waiting for buses. The ferries were pleasant. Also, I would want to be able to explore all of the little coves and spots that are just delightful, and you need a conveyance to adequately do that. It is an expensive island, but I would rent a cottage and do breakfast and lunch self catering and then eat out for dinner. Hamilton struck me as just a town, St. Georges is picturesque and fun to walk around in, as well as the added benefit of being close to Tobacco Bay Beach. I really recommend this as a day trip from a cruise. The ferry is pleasant and feels like part of the outing, not just transport. Kings Wharf is manufactured for cruise passengers, not really that interesting. The Frog and Onion has a brewery, but one can’t really call it Bermudian. If you run, take a run off of the cruise ship, it’s really great.

 

The Bermudian people are absolutely lovely and helpful and we were impressed by what we saw on the buses. In EVERY case that an older person boarded the bus a young Bermudian girl/ boy would offer their seat to them. We saw a camp of boys and their counselor board and heard him merely say to them “respect your elders”. They hopped up for an older person every single time. Really impressive. We were already standing, the buses were really full.

 

Disembarkation: Tiresome. I will go into what I really dislike about cruising, which is the herd phenomena. We followed directions, and placed out tagged luggage outside our cabin early, since our dinner time was 830pm and we usually were not done until 11pm. You’re given a report time to where you wait to disembark. Ours was the theater. We disembarked an hour later. They lost two pieces of our luggage. I am positive that I tagged it properly, but two lost their tags. Fine, perhaps it was my error, but why not have a spot for untagged luggage instead of plopping it down anywhere? I did manage to locate both of them, but it took a long time. A Celebrity person did eventually wander around looking as well, but really a black roller board? Only the owner will recognize it, and I did finally find them. They were put with numbers waaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyy different than ours. Customs and passport control appear to be one in the same and was easy. The porters are great. Parking and pickup crowded.

 

Impressions of Cruising: This is where fanatical cruise people should stop reading. I will just offend you.

 

-Cruising is for early risers. If you get up early you can avoid the buffets, get a chair with a semblance of shade and probably ignore the crowds. You can jump off the ship at ports and perhaps avoid the lines and crowds. You can avoid the line for a treadmill or a ticket for transportation, although the latter I am not sure about since I think that there are disembarkation times for port stops for cruises as well, we only had Bermuda and the gangway stayed open. The first day there were long lines for buses and transport from Kings Wharf. The second day was slightly better. Both days we waited at minimum of an hour to actually board and get underway on the bus and ferry. That’s why I recommend preparing and planning for a scooter. I also understand why people plan excursions and do not just wing it. You waste time. We were in Bermuda for three days, I really cannot imagine how one would manage not getting up early on a cruise with multiple port stops and achieve seeing anything.

 

-Cruising is for people do not mind lines and crowds. There are crowds and lines everywhere. At the pool, at the gym, intensely at the buffet, at the bar, at the café, getting off the ship, getting on the ship, getting transportation at the port, you get the picture.

 

-The crowd. Well this is a Northern NJ and New York crowd. I saw reprehensible behavior and lots of unpleasant people. Sorry. I am amazed that people feel it’s okay to treat staff the way that they do. There were also very nice people and lots of extended families. Lots of kids. Just too many people in a limited space. Frankly, I am hoping that it had something to do with it being a holiday week.

 

-Cruising is an active vacation. I would liken cruises to European sightseeing vacations, they’re fun, you do a lot, but they aren’t really relaxing. They’re experiences. If you approach it that way, I think that you’ll have a good experience. I don’t think that they are relaxing, but that’s tied into the crowd thing for me.

 

-Being on the water: no one really talks about this, so I will. We experienced what I can only term as moments of vertigo. You’ll be walking along and suddenly feel woozy-weird from the motion of the ship. Two of our group had mild sea sickness and were very happy to get to Bermuda. I had a bout of it the sea day after leaving Bermuda. The sea bands do help, but they become uncomfortable after a while. We really couldn’t tell if the Dramamine helped. You also feel the ship more when you’re sitting and definitely when laying down. We were at the very end of the ship so I think we got more motion, the tail phenomenon. When running on the treadmill it’s humorous, you run like a drunken sailor at first. After we returned home, my husband reported swaying as he was shaving. Weird and funny.

 

 

Helpful stuff:

I read a lot of cruise reports before this trip, and this is what I used;

-I got a big hanging vanity-pouch bag from Dress Barn that held all kinds of stuff. I hung this on the inside of the bathroom door. One pouch was anti-bacterial wipes, which I used to wipe down the remote control, switches, doorknobs, etc. It also held bungee cords (for a clothesline), clothespins (INVALUABLE) ziplock bags, and powdered laundry detergent. Other pouches held Dramamine, motion sickness bracelets, ibuprofen, benadryl etc. Sunscreen was a big pouch, and I would also recommend lidocaine post sunburn gel. Scissors, moleskin, brushes, and the night light that we couldn’t use due to no plugs in the bathroom were also in there. Communal shampoo, toothpaste, dental floss and extra toothbrushes were in another pouch. We also brought a power strip, but there was one in the cabinet in the sitting room under the TV.

 

It’s easy to pull out a piece of luggage from under the bed and use it as a laundry receptacle. I did bring a vacuum bag that I already had, for dirty laundry packing purposes at the end of the cruise but I don’t know if it really helps.

 

We discreetly clothes-pinned wet clothes to the chairs out on the balcony. It’s a humid environment, so nothing really dried well, but having the clothespins meant nothing floated away.

In the corner of my luggage I also carry a foot pump to blow up floats for the beach. $10 at Walmart. My favorite thing is to float in the ocean, but blowing up a float is always problematic. Usually we’re at a resort and I pump up the float in the room. Not as easy on the beach, I’m hoping my foot pump doesn’t sand-rust and lives for another day.

 

Suggestions:

-If you’re a family and going to Bermuda, plan and schedule excursions where you’re picked up. You’ll save time and see more. I did really consider the Blue taxi tour, but we decided to go to St. George’s by ourselves and that was fun. If you’re just going to the beach, take a taxi. You’ll be there faster. I knew this, but I took the bus anyway. You do get to encounter local people this way, and that is a plus.

 

-Pictures: if you have a busy family like I do, this is a real opportunity to get some nice professional pictures. Everyone looks nice and you’re all there together! The photographers are very professional and quick, and I believe that there is a way to schedule a session with them for more posed pictures. I am really mad at myself for not figuring this out. I think that there is also a photo package of unlimited pictures available as well. For a busy family, this is really an opportunity without hassle factor.

 

-Dinner time. This is a non answer from me, but here it is. I liked the late seating, I liked having a longer day and a cocktail hour, however it did play in how our day started. We dined as a group and we had a great time. Evenings were lovely on Celebrity. Still, it was just not for us to dine until 11pm and then jump out of bed at 7am. So unless you don’t need a lot of sleep, consider an earlier dinner to be able to wake up early.

 

-Wake up early. The MDR has a lovely breakfast. Ideally, Celebrity would extend its time to 1030, but they do not, so if you work out early and make it by 9am, you’ll have a nice start to the day. On your way to the gym, snag your chairs. Survival of the fittest and cutthroat. Otherwise, no chair for you later. For ports disembark early and take another form of transport than the crowd. See above.

 

-AVOID THE BUFFET.

 

-Café al Bacio has little sandwiches that are nice for lunch.

 

-The Thalassotherapy buffet has nice things for lunch or a snack. Breakfast is mostly yogurt and fruit. There is also a pool grill that makes great cheeseburgers.

 

-Bring sticky address labels for your disembarkation tags and ask for twice as many as you need and put two on each suitcase. Trust me.

 

-Deck 4 has an outside walkway with chairs. Windy, but fun if you want to just watch the ocean for a while.

 

-If you cruise, and think that you will again and you have to buy luggage, buy the loudest, most flamboyantly easy luggage to find that you can. This way, if they lose it, you’ll find yours right away. This works for airlines too. I do carry-on 99% of the time and all of my luggage is black. Not optimal.

 

We had a lot of fun with our extended family on this cruise. Overall, I think Celebrity has a great product. There are very nice touches, such as when returning to the ship from being out and about, they have cold towels and drinks for you, and the champagne upon embarkation is lovely. The specialty restaurants seem worth the extra charges and are nice to have available. The kids loved the ice cream and unlimited soda from the soda package, although I wish it included bottled water. Everything they did seemed organized and well thought out, with the exception of Deck 10, that infrastructure is inadequate.

 

Would I cruise again? Probably not. I am not agoraphobic but I dislike crowds and lines, especially on vacation. The cruise was an extremely generous gift and our cabin and balcony were lovely. I think a lot of it is how you view a vacation and due to unavoidable events I began the vacation exhausted. It took me a few days to catch up and by that time I was pretty irritated by the whole breakfast thing. Summer vacations for us are usually on a beach at a resort and lots of relaxation. I think my mistake was expecting that from the cruise. If I had approached it like a European vacation it would have been a better mental fit with appropriate expectations. If you like to cruise and your personality fits it, I would recommend Celebrity, my preferred travel method just doesn’t fit the cruise profile.

There is one area that Celebrity really failed at, but that I will put in a separate post so it’s searchable for those who need it.

[HappyCruiser54]

As you have found out crusiing is not for everone. I have done AI's and crusiing and each is fun in its own way. For me cruising is relaxing. I don't need to do alot if I don't want to. I am an early riser, up at 6-6:30, coffee on a lounge chair by the adult pool while I wait for everyone else. Usually do breakfast at 8:30-not buffet. I love sea days where I can just relax and read. I thank you for your fair assesstment of your crusie.

[mahdnc]

wills47, thanks for posting your review. Your fresh perspective made for interesting reading.

 

Our last cruise was aboard Summit to Bermuda in an FV cabin. Back then, there was an electrical outlet in the housing of the hair dryer mounted on the bathroom wall. It is either not there anymore or perhaps you did not see it.

[wills47]

The hairdryer is in the closet to take out and use. There's a glass picture/ thing hanging where the dryer used to be I think. I am guessing that there's a safety reason or something for the move.

[junglejane]

Thanks for your well written review. It was very enjoyable to read. You did an especially good job of presenting your criticisms and objections to cruising in a thoughtful, neutral tone. Sometimes we read angry rants where nothing was right, and that makes people defensive about their favorite cruiseline. I'm glad you found parts of your vacation enjoyable even if you haven't caught the cruising bug. ;)

[Lois R]

Thanks for your review.:) No offense but I would like to point out

a few differences I see (no offense back either;)).

 

Cruising is only for early risers? really? Maybe on certain itineraries,

like in Europe where you are going all day long to see wonderful cities

but going to the Caribbean? I usually sleep in till around 9. I am up

at 5:30 every day at home so 9 is late:D

 

Cruising is an active vacation? Again, this depends on the itinerary.

It can be as active or as sendentary as you want it to be...there

are times I find a chair, bring my book, get a drink, and 1/2 read and

1/2 nap.....very relaxing.

 

As for the rude passengers? Cruising is just a small part of real life

so they are all over the place:(....that happens everywhere. It is

just easier to see on a ship.

 

Anyway, thanks again for your review....please post what the failure

was so others can read what happened.

 

Oh, glad you enjoyed the time with your family though:)

[junglejane]

Cruising is an active vacation? Again, this depends on the itinerary.It can be as active or as sendentary as you want it to be...there are times I find a chair, bring my book, get a drink, and 1/2 read and1/2 nap.....very relaxing.

 

I totally agree with this. When we go on a European cruise, or to a port we've never been to before, we do feel the need to maximize our day in port. But we have also taken several cruises where we consider the ship to be the destination, and we take a much more relaxed, unscheduled approach. I like to do the 1/2 read and 1/2 nap thing too! We have our first Christmas cruise coming up, and we've been to all 3 ports several times. We have nothing scheduled and just plan to enjoy the week with our family.

[Lois R]

I totally agree with this. When we go on a European cruise, or to a port we've never been to before, we do feel the need to maximize our day in port. But we have also taken several cruises where we consider the ship to be the destination, and we take a much more relaxed, unscheduled approach. I like to do the 1/2 read and 1/2 nap thing too! We have our first Christmas cruise coming up, and we've been to all 3 ports several times. We have nothing scheduled and just plan to enjoy the week with our family.

 

That nap/book/drink activity? One of my favorite things to do:D:):D

I think I learned about that after my 3rd or 4th cruise...LOL....

 

My upcoming cruise is also on SUMMIT going to the Southern Caribbean

in November. At this point? I have nothing planned except to have

a good time;)

 

It sounds like the OP partially had fun with her family but as she stated

cruising is not for her and that is what makes the world go round.

Different strokes.......

[agathasmum]

Will47 I felt like I was reading my review of the same cruise I am halfway through writing. I wish we had bumped into each other, I think we would have got along.

 

I too am not a line or crowd person so you won't find me at the buffet or the pool. Cafe al Bacio, the thalossotherapy pool later in the day and my balcony were where I lived.

 

I had the premium drink package and was able to get fabulous teas and coffees all day long at Cafe al Bacio so could avoid the buffet. I ate the pastries there for breakfast, and the sandwiches there for lunch if the dining room wasn't open.

 

I have cruised enough to know where the quiet uncrowded places are likely to be.

 

This time I felt I lost my favourite place, the Sunset bar, because of all the smokers, particularly cigar smokers out there. However the trade off was a nice smoke-free ship which was worth it.

 

I too often felt out of synch with the ship. I am an early riser, not through choice, but because I wake when it gets light. This means I am also ready for bed early, so was never awake for any of the other non-show entertainment, like the theme parties. Maybe they should have started earlier! Whenever we sat down for a pre-dinner drink it seemed the music stopped. Whenever we sat down for a post dinner drink the music stopped. I guess the choice is go where the herd goes, or sit quietly in empty bars and chat.

 

I think the NY and NY clientele are an acquired taste ;)

 

Finally, despite agreeing with some of your points, I have to say I had a great cruise. there were so many positives - the food, the staff, the beautiful ship. I wish I was back on her right now.

[Cruise Arizona]

I totally agree with this. When we go on a European cruise, or to a port we've never been to before, we do feel the need to maximize our day in port. But we have also taken several cruises where we consider the ship to be the destination, and we take a much more relaxed, unscheduled approach. I like to do the 1/2 read and 1/2 nap thing too! We have our first Christmas cruise coming up, and we've been to all 3 ports several times. We have nothing scheduled and just plan to enjoy the week with our family.

 

I usually choose a cruise with a max amount of Sea Days... Sleep in, power nap ect. On a cruise with lots to sea days the MDR is usually open for lunch on those Sea Days, so it can make for a nice alternative to the buffet area. I'm not a big fan of buffets, but I have always found a way to navigate and get something I like. The biggest problem then is finding some place to sit with the whole family, for us.

 

We too have enjoyed the FV on the Summit and I would choose this cabin class again in a heart beat.

[Diane Rose]

Wills47,

Thank you for your very detailed review. We are fans of cruising and will be on the Summit to Bermuda in a few weeks. I do respect your view of cruising, but do want to mention, please do not discount other options. We enjoy the small ship experience as well. Azamara provides a wonderful experience that may be much more to your liking. We recently did the T/A on the Journey and that was definitely one of our best cruises ever.

 

Diane

[wills47]

Thank you for the replies. We did have a great trip, and although I am not a cruiser, I learned a lot from this board about what to do, what to bring and other nuggets of wisdom. I believe that if you take advantage of other's posts and kind information, you should return the favor. There were a lot of things that I wish I had known before the cruise, and hopefully I can help another person who hasn't cruised before, or perhaps is curious about a FV cabin. These boards tend toward multiple cruise cruisers, but people looking for information come here too.

 

I was unprepared for the crowds, and I think that people play this down. That ship was a crowd fest, and I can't imagine other cruises are that different. It would have helped me to know that. I was also unprepared for the constant lines, again, it would have helped me to know that. We were so fortunate in having this cruise as a gift, but what about the person who books it and pays for it expecting something different? I think that I gave some potential solutions for avoiding lines and crowds. Anyway, I hope that the trip report helps someone else have a great vacation. Knowledge is power!

[wills47]

Oops, dupe. Happy cruising!

[ljk76]

I do think Summmit Bermuda cruises are more crowded because there are many cabins filled with families of four. Unless it is a vacation week, most of those rooms house couples during a Caribbean cruise. We found our August Bermuda cruise last year to be the busiest we had ever encountered. We still had a great time, but used lots of strategies to avoid the crowds. We rarely used the buffet, and only used the T pool. So I'm sorry this was a first cruise experience for the OP because I have no doubt her observations are valid, and a different cruise likely would have been a better first experience.

[shofer]

"I have never seen such bad manners, impatience and just lousy atmosphere ever. It is absolutely inadequate and a terrible place to eat. Too many people in a badly designed place. The whole tray thing reminds me of a hospital cafeteria, and they were always running out of plates and trays anyway. I have been in resorts across the world, and different types of hotels with breakfast buffets and I really hated this experience. There is small buffet located in the Thalassotherapy pool area, however it just wasn’t what I was looking for. My husband and I enjoy waking up at about 845 on vacation, working out and then having a nice breakfast. Most resorts and hotels provide breakfast until 1030 or 1100am. Celebrity closes the MDR at 9am and the buffet at 1030am, despite the masses of people trying to get breakfast. At 10am they close down 75% of the buffet and what they leave open is unstocked, crowded and completely unpleasant. Forget a mimosa or coffee being served. By the time you gather anything to eat the coffee is cold and so is your food. Generally I do not eat lunch anyway, and I really just wanted to avoid that buffet."

 

If DH and I have one gripe with X, it is the short hours for breakfast and lunch onboard. We like to stay up late on vacation and to sleep in. DH happens to love breakfast while on vacation and it is a challenge to find something to eat. Often I have just had a cup of coffee and waited for the lunch buffet to open.

 

Coming back from a late excursion can find you without a lunch option, although now with Bistro on 5, there is something you eat. But, one time we did notice they kept the buffet open late to accommodate about 200 people coming back from early Mexican excursions. But, that was an exception.

 

Sue

[librarylady19]

Hopefully the crowds aren't there on our September cruise (kids will be back in school by then). We always avoid holidays and school,vacations and have never noticed crowding on X ships, except at the outdoor pools on a sea day which is to be expected.

I agree with the poster that noted that you have to seek out the quiet places onboard - they are there.

[CathyCruises]

Thanks for the review and your honest opinions. We have been on S class ships three times (Eclipse x 2 and Solstice x 1) and I do have to say that we never encountered lines/crowds/frustration such as you describe. Now, we normally do Med cruises, which are different from those where the pool is big attraction. And it's usually somewhat cool--but we could always find our favorite lounge chairs in the shade on the pool deck, right next to the windows--we spend a lot of time there!

 

I also detest buffets--we order a light breakfast/coffee/juice from room service and avoid the buffets completely except for afternoon tea or sushi. S Class does not have trays. And the layout is in stations, not the long lines of the M class ships. But we do eat lunch so a light breakfast works for us.

 

We did a transatlantic this spring, where you lose an hour on many nights. We were up till 3AM on a couple of occasions and slept till 10--not a problem, room service was there with our coffee and mini-croissants within 10 minutes. We frequently had lunch at Bistro on 5 or in the MDR.

 

So I think you may not have had as much of an issue had you been on a newer, S class ship. Something to keep in mind in case anyone wants to give you anther 'gift'!

[cocobakerchica]

Thank you for the replies. We did have a great trip, and although I am not a cruiser, I learned a lot from this board about what to do, what to bring and other nuggets of wisdom. I believe that if you take advantage of other's posts and kind information, you should return the favor. There were a lot of things that I wish I had known before the cruise, and hopefully I can help another person who hasn't cruised before, or perhaps is curious about a FV cabin. These boards tend toward multiple cruise cruisers, but people looking for information come here too.

 

I was unprepared for the crowds, and I think that people play this down. That ship was a crowd fest, and I can't imagine other cruises are that different. It would have helped me to know that. I was also unprepared for the constant lines, again, it would have helped me to know that. We were so fortunate in having this cruise as a gift, but what about the person who books it and pays for it expecting something different? I think that I gave some potential solutions for avoiding lines and crowds. Anyway, I hope that the trip report helps someone else have a great vacation. Knowledge is power!

 

I would like to point out that the huge crowds you experienced may have been due to timing; you're cruising in July, during the week of Independence Day. Mid/late June-August are extremely popular months to cruise for families for obvious reasons, and the ship is at full capacity. We sail the Summit in early September(the week of Labor Day and the week after), and the crowding is much less. I appreciate you taking the time to post a review of your experiences. I've sailed the Azamara Journey on the same itinerary(and out of the same port), and with less passengers(and a higher crew/passenger ratio), it's an amazing experience, so maybe a smaller ship could be a possibility if you ever decide to give cruising another try in the future.

[happygran]

I think cruisers are split into two camps - they go for the ports or they go for the actual cruise (time onboard). We come under the first category.

 

The first time we cruised (about 20 years ago), I hated it. Hated the crowds and felt that we couldn't 'get away' from people. A couple of years ago we agreed to go on another cruise (that's another story). We were off the ship every day and just treated it as a floating hotel (transporting us to the next port). We found a different way of dealing with the crowds and lines, and absolutely loved it.

 

We're absolutely hooked now BUT we're not 'cruisers' although we love cruising. We look for the minimum number of sea days, never go to shows etc, the pool on a sea day is not for us (we sit on the balcony with our kindles), and basically avoid the crowds.

 

Cruising, we've found, you can do whatever you want to do, whether you join in all the activities or none of them.

 

But the one thing we all do is look forward to the next port.

[pltraveler]

I had thought when they Solsticized the Summit they would have made the buffet area like the one on the Silhouette and other "S" class ships. The Silhouette had separate stations for different foods which really worked well. We never waited on line. I am very disappointed. Did they upgrade the staterooms on the Summit? What exactly did they do when they Solsticized the Summit?

[amelie0119]

Thank you for this review. As first time cruisers on the Summt on August 5th, it definitely helped to provide much needed insight as well as set expectations. I sound very much like you in that I don't like crowds so the pool and buffet will be areas I avoid. I am glad we booked a suite as I have a feeling we will be spending a lot of time on our balcony, enjoying the peace and quite!

 

I also am eagerly anticipating your post as to how X failed in a larger way.

 

Thanks again for your balance perspective,

 

Amy

[PathfinderEss]

Thanks for your honest review. Sorry it didn't work out so well for you.