summit review 8/5-alaska

[nancybruce5]

Just returned from our first trip with Celebrity... and first trip to Alaska..Wow what a beautiful and amazing state...

Traveling was my husband, myself and our 5 daughters.. ages 6 to 10.. This was his parents 50th wedding anniversary and his parents and 4 sisters and family all traveled on this cruise.. we had a group of 24 people...

This was our third cruise with the kids.. we have sailed on Carnival Pride, Norweigan Dawn with them and various other cruise ships on our own.. Princess, Norweigan, RCCL.....

 

We decided to book our own airfare to Anchorage.. we flew out of Boston on America West thru Las Vegas to Anchorage.. Flight was flawless... kids did amazing on the flight!!! our flight was around $400... and we then we rented a limo service to take us from Anchorage to Seward.. 3 hour ride in style and comfort... sat back and relax and enjoy the view.. the ride seems like an hour because you are so excited and the scenery is amazing!! my husbands sister on the other hand,, booked her airfare thru Celebrity.. like they recommend!!

she flew on Alaska Air... left Boston- got to Seattle and they canceled her connecting flight because of Mechanical problems.. they had another plane going to Anchorage but that was full and she was told they had nothing else and she would have to go to Juneau in two days and catch up with the ship..Celebrity apparently did little to help her out also... they told her she was on her own and could catch up with the ship in Juneau.. they did not try to get her on any other flights.. it would be her expense.. anyways she did get on the ship in Juneau two days lost.. they gave her $150 shipboard credit per person and said sorry...(herself, husband and two kids) she put up a big stink as she felt $150 was sufficient compensation for missing two days of the cruise.. they also expected her to pay her expenses for the two days and the hotels & food.. and they didnt have any luggage either.. it was in the Anchorage Airport somehow.. in the end it worked out and she was offered additional compensation, her expenses taken care of, an extra cabin for the kids (teens).. but she wasnt happy that she had to fight so hard to get it...

anyways... back to Alaska.. We had an exceptional week of great weather.. all sun and warm.. in the 80's.... it was the best week of weather they had on the cruise this season.. it made the trip that much better... We ended up wearing the same clothes over and over.. I never imagined when I packed I would need tanks and shorts... we never touched our rain gear and sweaters.. Alaska is amazing.. I loved it.. I never thought I would enjoy it so much.. so serene.. so clean.. the air is pure.. The scenery is so beautiful .. We didnt see as much wildlife as I thought we would.. but enough...

 

The ship was nice.. but I expected more... It is wearing and in some places downright shabby.. Our closet door was broken..the pool area was worn.. the teak needs staining...and tiles were missing everywhere.. I noticed many chairs to be worn out and shabby.. missing buttons etc...The teen area called the "Tower" was actually gross!!!! the seats were disgusting and soiled!! I was actually very surprised at the condition of the ship in some areas... I also found areas to be oddly decorated.. just my opinion..

We had two inside cabins.. fine for us.. cause we are never in our room... we enjoy being up on deck and in common areas.. the views were just fine on deck.. I never missed having a balcony or window... In fact, we were on deck 3 and midship... right down the hall from guest services in main lobby.. it was the most convenient place to be!!! it was a great location..Sleeping was great cause the room was so dark and cool... I didnt mind the inside cabin.. definetly small, but ok.. The hair dryers in the bathrooms stink!! they need better hairdryers.. maybe the "upper" cabins had better ones..In comparison, I felt the cabins on Norweigan to be better and have better amenities.. just my opinion..

Food was great in the dining room.. it is still the old menu.. I have seen talk about new menu.. not yet... the portions were great... I think I had beef every night.. always great.. always cooked properly.. I always order med rare and it was always cooked perfect... everyone was very happy with quality, quantity and choices... Buffet seemed to have the same thing over and over.. it was okay.. Pizza great.. they have pasta station.. salad station.. same stuff you find everywhere... the grill by the pool was good.. good burgers.. Our waiter was okay.. When we sat down with the five kids I am sure I could see his expression... Our kids are very well behaved and getting be experianced cruisers.. so they know how to act at dinner... the waiter did loosen up a couple of days later... He was just okay... My biggest complaint was that I had to cut their food every night...my kids like steak & pork etc.. and so they would order beef.. but my husband and I would end up eating about 10 minutes later after fixing their plates... Even on Carnival they were on us like flies in order to accomadate us and the kids... I never cut an ounce of food... I am not high and mighty.. but when I pay that much to cruise on a luxury ship I would love to have some help!!! just my opinion...

My kids used the Fun Factory only a few times as we were so busy!! And the weather was exceptional so they were outdoors and in the pool when we werent out and about... I didnt think the Fun Factory was really that Fun.. The space itself is really nice and lots of stuff for the kids to do... but the staff were about exciting as rice... Not really outgoing or welcoming to the kids.. I found the director ( a girl, dont remember her name) rude... My youngest daughter is 6.. almost 7 in one month... technically her age puts her in a different group from the rest of the kids.. and she wanted to be with her sisters and cousins in the next group... the director wasnt going to let her be in the other group.. when I mentioned the upcoming b-day she gave me a look like I was fibbing....then I copped an attitude and said if it was such a big problem we could go find something else to do.. she relented.. but not nicely.... again.. Norweigan had a great kids program... maybe its just us.. just my opinion!!

Time for work.. I will come back and comment on Ports of call and the excursions that we did and anything else I forgot!!!!

[JNLROSE]

Sorry you didn't enjoy your Celebrity experience. Maybe your next cruises aboard either Carnival or NCL will be more to your liking! I had friends on your cruise & they said the Summit was in no way SHABBY! :rolleyes:

[CruisingChick]

My biggest complaint was that I had to cut their food every night...my kids like steak & pork etc.. and so they would order beef.. but my husband and I would end up eating about 10 minutes later after fixing their plates...

 

I have noticed the same problem. Although on one Celebrity cruise our waiter did cut our son's meat when he had it, on others they did not. Unfortunately, not all waiters are created equal and I don't know what Celebrity instructs their waiters about this.

 

Anne Maria

[JNLROSE]

Forgive me for asking, but WHY would you expect a waiter to cut your childs food in ANY restaurant???? I don't have small children now, but when I did, I certainly never expected a wait person to cut their food for them! :confused:

[gkm]

Rosie, I agree with you. I have seen the meat cut maybe twice on all my cruises, and usually it was for an elderly person who had arthritis and the wait staff could tell he/she was having trouble. I was impressed on the way it was handled too so that the passenger didn't get embarrassed. :rolleyes:

 

Garry

[Ma Bell]

I would think if one waiter had to cut meat for 5 children it might be a problem. If it were only one, I'm sure things might be different. He might even have to wait on the other people in his waitstation before their meals get cold. But I guess it would be OK if other people had to wait. If you and your husband had to take 10 minutes to cut meat and there are two of you, those other people would be waiting a long time.

[teedee]

Forgive me for asking, but WHY would you expect a waiter to cut your childs food in ANY restaurant???? I don't have small children now, but when I did, I certainly never expected a wait person to cut their food for them! :confused:

 

I agree. With the possible exception of the youngest I would think the children could handle that themselves. I definitely don't think it's part of the waiters job to do it. They are so busy keeping up with their tables I don't know that they would have time anyway.

Terri

[tuggers]

Ok, I'm not sure I understand this. At home, who cuts their meat? Isn't this just something that comes with the parent territory? If you don't want to do it, then take a cruise as a couple. Don't expect the waiter to do your job with your children! You had 'em, enjoy them yourselves!!

[patnjohn]

Amen to MaBell & Tuggers!

[cruising with marti]

I have a complaint also, While on the Summit this past May no one cut my meat for me, subsuqently I had to eat with my hands. But on a positive note, I did not find the ship to be in such shape as the op described, although I guess thing scould have changed in two and half months. I will be on the Summit again in a little over two weeks and am hoping the waiter I have this time will cut my meat for me.

 

Phil

[JNLROSE]

subsuqently I had to eat with my hands.

 

 

Oh Phil! :eek:

What with all your other bad habits----eating with your hands must have really been a sight!!!

[cruising with marti]

 

 

Oh Phil! :eek:

 

What with all your other bad habits----eating with your hands must have really been a sight!!!

 

What other bad habits??? But your right Marti just got up and left the table, poor darlin:D

 

 

Phil

[JNLROSE]

What other bad habits???

 

 

Your worst bad habit is not having cruised with me before now!!! I'm dying here!!!

[TechKnowBabble]

Forgive me for asking, but WHY would you expect a waiter to cut your childs food in ANY restaurant???? I don't have small children now, but when I did, I certainly never expected a wait person to cut their food for them! :confused:

 

I agree completely. Perhaps next time chicken nuggets would be in order so no cutting would be necessary. The wait staff has numerous table to assist...they don't have time to cut the majority of peoples food.

[TechKnowBabble]

I have a complaint also, While on the Summit this past May no one cut my meat for me, subsuqently I had to eat with my hands. But on a positive note, I did not find the ship to be in such shape as the op described, although I guess thing scould have changed in two and half months. I will be on the Summit again in a little over two weeks and am hoping the waiter I have this time will cut my meat for me.

 

Phil

 

You kill me Phil. All of your posts are a joy to read, even with tears streaming down my face.

[gkm]

O.K. Phil, since you're at my table, I'll cut your meat for you. Sigh. Even though I've got bad arthritis in my hands, since you're my elder I will respect your wishes and take care of you. If Marti would like, I'm sure Bob will cut her meat too. By the way, would you mind having fish every night?

 

Garry

[judyfssw]

We were on the Summit southbound on the 2/22/05 cruise. My husband had a major stroke 5 1/2 years ago. He has no use of his right arm or hand. I usually cut up his food for him which means that my food is usually cooler by the time that I get to it, but that's okay because he's still here.

I feel that a cruise is my vacation too. And, because I don't want to embarrass my husband when we eat in a nice restrauant, I always, quietly, ask the waiter if he/she will cut up his meat for him. They always oblige and because of this extra service, I always compliment the waiter with extra compensation. On the Constellation, last year, the waiter was either new or had too many tables but the asst. maitre d', who was our waiter the year before noticed and usually came over to take care of my husband.

Would I expect a waiter to cut up my children's food - I'm sorry, but I don't think so.

I'm sorry that you didn't enjoy your cruise. Some lines are not for everyone.

[cruising with marti]

O.K. Phil, since you're at my table, I'll cut your meat for you. Sigh. Even though I've got bad arthritis in my hands, since you're my elder I will respect your wishes and take care of you. If Marti would like, I'm sure Bob will cut her meat too. By the way, would you mind having fish every night?

 

Garry

 

 

Nah, i will cut my own meat (or fish) it will be a sacrifice, but what the heck, you and Bob are worth it

 

Phil

[toban]

So let me get this straight ?? You boarded the ship with 5 children and expected the waiter to cut their meat ?? Oooohhhhh myyyyyy.

 

Doesnt that waiter have several other tables to tend to ??

[cruising with marti]

So let me get this straight ?? You boarded the ship with 5 children and expected the waiter to cut their meat ?? Oooohhhhh myyyyyy.

 

Doesnt that waiter have several other tables to tend to ??

 

Sure does, but if I had been at the table next to her, I would have cut the little darlings meat, for a nominal fee of course:D

 

 

Phil

[Karynanne]

Garry, just have Phil order pasta! He can easily slurp it....

 

I'm with all of you regarding cutting kid's meat...they have 2 parents that decided to bring em along, and so it goes with the program. I'm amazed that they would expect the waiters to go above and beyond their usual duties.

[trcori]

OMG, I could NEVER imagine a waiter in even a triple-digit-per-entree restaurant cutting my kid's meat for him! Much less EXPECTING him to! I feel sheepish enough when they do the trick where they take the lobster tail out of the shell on lobster night ... heck, my kid tries to do the WAITER's work for him, you know when they come along with the little razor-edge thing to scrape the crumbs off the tablecloth before dessert? He always offers to help, and there've been a few in the past couple years (kid's 9 1/2 now) who've let him :) -- TR

[waltw]

Hmmmm. Mom, Dad, 5 kids, 1 waiter, 1 ass't waiter. Moms always get the grunt jobs so she cuts for 2 kids, Dad does one and the wait people each do one. Thirty to 45 seconds tops, perhaps a minute. Shoot everyone is eating by the time the blessing is done. And if it is a table for 8 the other seatmates could jump in and the wait staff wouldn't have to cut any food. Where were all the other family members sitting anyway? More than once that I have helped a nephew or grandson get his food in order.Or perhaps a word to the waiter who could have had the kitchen do the cutting at the time of plating.

 

More importantly, the events prior to the cruise point out the problems related to same day arrivals. Always worth considering day prior arrival!

 

And each of us looks at things with a different pair of eyes. Nancy has thoughts on the conditions of the ship. Her thoughts are justified! She may make future plans based on these thoughts just as we do. And boy did she like Alaska, makes me want to go!

[nancybruce5]

In response to the above mentioned commnets.... I did expect more from this cruise line in the condition of the ship... I am not saying I didn't like the ship, but Celebrity puts themselves in different and higher level of service and quality. I am simply pointing out what I see.. Take a walk thru the Kids Tower, check out some the chairs in the main dining, look at the decking at the pool and tile work... Sorry, but it seemed shabby to be and I would expect all that be top notch... I have been on "lesser" quality lines ( according to some) and I personally found the ships in better shape..

 

As for the situation with the cutting of meat that everyone finds so humorous!!!! My first cruise with my children was on Carnival ( yes... that line) and I didnt know what to expect.. At dinner the first night..( oh my children dont eat chicken nuggets...) my waiter and asst waiter came over to assist us with the children so that we could all have any enjoyable experiance.. I was very thankful and expressed that .. every night after that they gave us the same attentive service... My next cruise with the kids was on Norweigan.. guess what.. without even asking or expecting the same... The waitstaff was on us like flies to help out with the kids.. and with smiles on their faces.... so would I naturally expect the same when I boarded the Celebrity Line with my five children...??? I guess I did.. shame on me.... Could it of been the waiter, maybe.. or the cruise line mandates that the waiters shouldnt go above and beyond to make their cruisers feel special and help them out in anyway possible without affecting others around them... My waiter had my table of 12... my family, and 4 other family members..2 adults 2 teens, another table of 4 and a table of 3 who were a no show.... I also observed my waiter standing in the waitstation with nothing to do... Its not like I didnt look around and observe the situation before I made the simple observation....

[nancybruce5]

Sorry you didn't enjoy your Celebrity experience. Maybe your next cruises aboard either Carnival or NCL will be more to your liking! I had friends on your cruise & they said the Summit was in no way SHABBY! :rolleyes:

 

I dont remember actually saying I didnt like my cruise???? I made comments regarding the cruise ship and my experiance... isnt that what this is designed to do...Obviously you werent on the ship, so I guess it would be hard for you to see first hand the condition.... perhaps your friends arent as observant as I.. I didnt come on this web site and give my opinion and expect comments as rude as yours.. perhaps you could find a better way to use your time