Summit/Inside Passage July 1 (Final) Long

[Coadysmom]

Part 1 - http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=206567

Part 2 - http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=206825

Part 3 - http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=206906

 

Day 7 – Hubbard Glacier

 

We were scheduled to pick up a pilot at 5:30 am to take the ship to the Hubbard Glacier. We awake about 5:00 and are already sailing amongst small pieces of ice. Hurriedly, we get dressed warmly and head to Deck 10 to get as far front as we can to view the glacier. It is raining, so we retreat to the pool area and seek cover underneath the overhang. We can open the windows and get the camera out to get a clear view of the glacier from the port side of the ship. We had wanted a full 360 degree view, but were unwilling to stand out in the rain. It was so cold. We had layers of clothes on and still it was cold. Finally, we had to go up one deck to the outside and view the glacier. There were calving and great thunderous roars as the glacier creaked and moaned its way down the valley. Up on Deck 11, the waiters were making the rounds with hot chocolate and appropriate libations to warm the body and soul. The ship turns so that you could view the glacier no matter where you were on the ship. After a couple of hours, we make our way away from the glacier and see another ship waiting to get closer for their turn at the magnificent view.

 

 

 

We made out way down to the Waterfall Café for breakfast. It seemed that everyone else had the same idea. This was the only day that we found it crowded in the buffet area. But I’m was hooked on the omelets and freshly sliced toasted sourdough bread. After breakfast, we head to the pool area to sit and relax. While there is no sun. We can sit out on the lounge chairs and cover with blankets and watch the beautiful scenery. Soon, its time for lunch and again, the grill calls my name. The burgers are simply too good to pass up.

 

 

 

After lunch, I decided that it was time to try the Acupuncture at Sea salon. I’ve always been interested and curious about Acupuncture and figured that there was no time like the present to try it out. Fortunately, there was an opening and I had suffered with some pretty severe hip pain during the week, so decided to see if the ancient oriental treatment would help. I was apprehensive at first, but found that there was absolutely no pain involved and as I lay on the bed, my back, hips, legs, and ankles became human pincushions. After all the needles were put in, I laid still for 20 minutes. Finally, the clinician came back in the room, and took the needles out. As I get up, it seems that the needles did the trick. My hip doesn’t hurt anymore and I feel great.

 

 

 

Back to the room I went to tell my DH that I had finally broke down and went for acupuncture. He simply laughed and asked “How much did that cost?” It seemed rather expensive, but what the heck, this was my vacation also. We had to get to the inevitable task of packing for the journey home.

 

 

 

But first, we needed to attend or last night at dinner. We had opted to had not the envelopes with tips in them rather than put them on our account. I had already created envelopes for each member of the staff before we left home with the recommended tip amount. But as I begin gathering them together, we add more bills to each envelope. The service had been impeccable. There was not a single time that we passed a staff member that we weren’t greeted with a smile and a verbal greeting. I also asked DH to make sure that he took care of my wonderful Milton, who always made sure that I had a diet coke in front of me, whether at lunch, dinner or in the lounge. I had purchased a soda card before we boarded through the Celebrity web site and I certainly got my money’s worth and more. Although they served the sodas in small glasses, I had brought along my ‘bubba keg’ and had no problem keeping it filled during the day. At night, I relented and stayed with the glasses while at dinner.

 

 

 

The last night was again casual. During this cruise, we had 2 formal nights, 1 informal night and 4 casual nights. We took the camera and took pictures of our favorite waiters and got their email addresses. Damir even brought me the recipe for Crème Brule from the chef! He told me that I must make it and send him a picture. I promised! But alas, the dinner is over and we must head back to pack.

 

 

 

Packing is a little easier for debarkation. We had plans to continue for two more weeks in Alaska in an RV that we were to rent in Anchorage, but we have decided to mail back all of our cruise clothes. I had inquired earlier in the cruise about a program I had heard about where Celebrity teamed up with FedEx to ship packages directly from the cruise ship upon debarkation, but was told that they had temporarily suspended that program. So we piled our dirty clothes into our carry-ons and then put our cruise clothes into the smaller of the two checked bags. Our RV clothes went into the larger suitcases. We intended to send the mid size suitcases back via UPS as soon as we got going in Anchorage. I got my suitcases set outside the door and waited for DH to finish packing. I then realized that I had forgotten to save out a comb and brush for the morning. I looked outside and my suitcases were just being loaded to be taken away. I quickly grab my large suitcase and retrieve my hair products. Soon DH has finished packing and he puts his large suitcase along with mine outside the door. It was now 11:00 pm. And we were ready for bed.

 

 

 

Day 8 – Debarkation

 

 

 

A notice had been left in our stateroom to meet in the theatre at 6:15 am for our debarkation announcement. Since we were CC we also received an invitation to go to the Cinema to wait instead. There would be coffee and Danish. But we were not to be spared one last meal. Up early, we made our way for one last omelet and then off to the Cinema.

 

6:15 came and went, then 6:30 and then they started calling colors. We waited and waited, then 7:00 am and then another set of colors and then finally, 7:15 and yet another set of colors. We wondered why we had to be there at 6:15 am if we weren’t o be called amongst the first. Not that we really wanted to go, but we had reservations in Anchorage to pick up the RV. Finally, I track down a staff member and ask what the status of our color was. Shortly she returned to the Cinema and called our color. We say goodbye to the beautiful Summit and head for a group of buses. We board the bus and meet with a rather surly crowd. It seems they’ve been waiting for us for more than 45 minutes. It seems that no one came into the Cinema to call our color when it was announced in the Theater. Oh well. We’re on the bus and on our way to Anchorage.

 

 

 

We were to be dropped off at the airport. From there we were to call the RV rental agency and they would come pickup us and our luggage. But first, we must get our luggage. We were directed to a small room where our luggage was grouped by color and spent a while looking for our luggage before we discovered that we were missing our two large suitcases. We had our dirty clothes and our cruise clothes, but our RV clothes were no where to be found. The Celebrity staff member was less than helpful. She simply asked us if we wanted to fill out a form for lost luggage.

 

 

 

My DH swings into action and begins a search for someone who could answer some questions and give us a little more help. After a short time, he returned with another Celebrity representative in tow and she gets all of our info and told us that once the luggage was found, they’d have it sent to us. The problem was that we were going to be traveling throughout Alaska for the next two weeks. I gave her a copy of our planned itinerary complete with RV parks, phone numbers and sightseeing tours that we’ve booked and hope for the best. She was very hopeful that the luggage would be found within the next few hours and asked if we were to be in town for a while. I gave her my cell phone number and hoped for the best.

 

 

 

Fortunately, my cell phone rings about 3 hours later and our luggage had been located. We drive the RV back to the airport and pick up our luggage and are off on our own to investigate the beautiful landscape of Alaska in a 30 ft motor home.

 

 

 

I’ll end this story here, as the RV trip is a whole other adventure. If you ever saw “The Long Trailer” with Lucille Ball and Desi Arnez, you get the picture.

 

 

 

Next time (there will be another), I’ll do the land portion first, and then go cruising.

 

 

 

In short :

 

The Summit was great

 

The crew was greater

 

The service was unsurpassed.

 

 

 

We will definitely be back sailing with Celebrity!

[Cruise Cat]

Great Review!

[crazidude1400]

I've got a question that I would like to get a confirmed answer to:

 

 

Was the summit painted like the infinity, or was it blue with the yellow stripe in the middle?

 

Thanks