Jim_Iain Live!!! - B2B Summit New England and Bermuda Jun 5 & 16th

[Jim_Iain]

43 minutes ago, jcpc said:

Jim,

I thoroughly enjoyed your live postings.  They made me even more anxious to board on June 27th!  What are your plans for turnaround day in Bayonne?  It looks to be a cloudy morning with showers predicted for mid-day.  A jaunt into Manhattan would be very rushed, I would imagine.  I think I'd be happy to stay onboard!!  Looking forward to reading all about your next cruise.  Nice to see pictures of you guys with Rob and Sue.  I've met them a few times onboard Summit and they are a very sweet couple.

Janice

 

Janice

 

Like you said it would be tough to visit Manhattan on turn around day.  I think we will just stay aboard.  

 

Really going to miss Rob and Sue they are wonderful and very engaging.  

 

At at the end if the cruise next cruise we will be flying home son a noon flight so will probably just head for airport. 

[Jim_Iain]

Came across a game room.   Located adjacent to Gelato at entrance to the shopping area

 

Edited June 15, 2019 by Jim_Iain

[Jim_Iain]

Last evening we were enjoyed a wonderful evening as the guest of Trish, Karen and George at Luminea.   The only thing better than the food was the warm company.  

 

We chose the starter and desert from Chef Michaels signature menu.   We all had lobster as a main.  Beautifully prepared and delicious.  

 

 

 

 

Chicken Liver amuse bouche 

 

 

 

 

 

[Jim_Iain]

Daily for Saturday.   Time went forward last night. 

 

 

 

 

 

[Jim_Iain]

Couple pictures of Rendezvous Lounge.   The shelves are being use as a book exchange.   

 

Love the the decor but the ankle high cocktail table in the first picture is a real miss  

 

 

 

 

 

[Jim_Iain]

 

 

[Jim_Iain]

Officers / Guests volleyball game today.  Officers won. 

 

 

 

[CTSandy]

Just discovered this today and read all 21 pages this morning.  So jealous, I disembarked the day you boarded - love the Summit, this is my 7th sailing on her.  Very fresh and bright looking, but those tiny chairs in The Retreat are horrible, and not so crazy about some of the weird tables there.  Also, dislike the lack of a table in the cabin:(  I booked the May 26 sailing because the price was hard to resist;  I usually sail annually to Bermuda and the ten day sailing was $400 less than the 7 day!  Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful pictures and comments, looking forward to reading the other half of your journey in a more timely manner.

[Turtles06]

Jim,

 

Delighted to see your photos of Jim Kennedy.  I'm sure you recall that he was also on the Silhouette TA with us this fall.  I've also had the good fortune to be on a couple of other cruises with him.  I think he's one of the best guest lecturers there is.  (He's also a great guy.)

 

Thanks for your live reporting, and enjoy the second half of your trip!   (We'll be on the Summit in September, and are excited to be seeing the refresh in person.) 

[TPCRUISER2]

Jim, Lounge looks so much better! If I saw your pictures correctly, no actual sitting at the bar? Thank you so much for your review!

[Jim_Iain]

2 hours ago, CTSandy said:

Just discovered this today and read all 21 pages this morning.  So jealous, I disembarked the day you boarded - love the Summit, this is my 7th sailing on her.  Very fresh and bright looking, but those tiny chairs in The Retreat are horrible, and not so crazy about some of the weird tables there.  Also, dislike the lack of a table in the cabin:(  I booked the May 26 sailing because the price was hard to resist;  I usually sail annually to Bermuda and the ten day sailing was $400 less than the 7 day!  Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful pictures and comments, looking forward to reading the other half of your journey in a more timely manner.

Wonderful hearing from you.  I have to agree with you on the issues you noted. 

 

I understand there are a number of “executives” from Miami joining the ship tomorrow.   Will be interesting. 

[Jim_Iain]

2 hours ago, Turtles06 said:

Jim,

 

Delighted to see your photos of Jim Kennedy.  I'm sure you recall that he was also on the Silhouette TA with us this fall.  I've also had the good fortune to be on a couple of other cruises with him.  I think he's one of the best guest lecturers there is.  (He's also a great guy.)

 

Thanks for your live reporting, and enjoy the second half of your trip!   (We'll be on the Summit in September, and are excited to be seeing the refresh in person.) 

Yes.  I recalled he and his wife were on the TA.   I am really enjoying many of the changes.   

 

Really enjoyed meeting you on Silhouette.  

[Jim_Iain]

46 minutes ago, TPCRUISER2 said:

Jim, Lounge looks so much better! If I saw your pictures correctly, no actual sitting at the bar? Thank you so much for your review!

 

Yes you are correct.  The haven’t had bar seating in a couple years.    They did install  2 tall tables adjacent to the curved glass window next to the bar.    The also installed 2 coffee / tea machines.  

[Aralim]

6 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

Just checked with Rob and Sue are in fixed traditional and the said they are upstairs and Select is downstairs.  

 

Wait, what?? If that's the case, I don't see how my 12-top table request is going to be satisfied. I'm in late-seating traditional, and as best I can tell all the large tables are in the lower level.

 

I've got to say, that sounds completely backwards from my experience on other ships. I've always seen / had traditional seating in the lower level where they can accommodate large groups / tables, and upper levels were always My Time / Anytime / etc dining since 9 times out of 10 it's smaller groups of no more than 4.

[Aralim]

3 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

 

😲

Is this just the sort of thing that happens when you reach Zenith on X?!? I've clearly gotta start sailing 3x a year, find the budget to do it in a suite every time, and get myself to Zenith!! What a great opportunity to just have happen while at sea!

[BDevilCruiser]

Jim, thanks for the great pictures and commentary.  Just signed up for a last-minute cruise embarking on the 7th.  First time on Celebrity and of course on the Summit.  From your pictures, I think I'll already be a "pro" with navigation.  😉

 

A question regarding one of your earlier pictures, that of the "jogging" track.  That looks almost impossible to walk/run on, in between the loungers.  Does one of the lower decks go around the ship which would be suitable for a morning walk?

 

 

[Charles4515]

14 minutes ago, Aralim said:

 

Wait, what?? If that's the case, I don't see how my 12-top table request is going to be satisfied. I'm in late-seating traditional, and as best I can tell all the large tables are in the lower level.

 

I've got to say, that sounds completely backwards from my experience on other ships. I've always seen / had traditional seating in the lower level where they can accommodate large groups / tables, and upper levels were always My Time / Anytime / etc dining since 9 times out of 10 it's smaller groups of no more than 4.

 

Select is downstairs on 4. Traditional is on 5. I have select on this sailing. If they can’t do 12 upstairs I think they will accommodate you and give you a table downstairs. 

Edited June 15, 2019 by Charles4515

[Jim_Iain]

15 minutes ago, Aralim said:

 

Wait, what?? If that's the case, I don't see how my 12-top table request is going to be satisfied. I'm in late-seating traditional, and as best I can tell all the large tables are in the lower level.

 

I've got to say, that sounds completely backwards from my experience on other ships. I've always seen / had traditional seating in the lower level where they can accommodate large groups / tables, and upper levels were always My Time / Anytime / etc dining since 9 times out of 10 it's smaller groups of no more than 4.

RETRACTION 

 

you are correct.  I apologize.   I was relying on what a fellow guest told me.   I just went down and asked.   Anytime dining on 4 and fixed on 5. 

 

I learned that  you can’t believe everything you hear.  

[HAM]

1 minute ago, Jim_Iain said:

RETRACTION 

 

you are correct.  I apologize.   I was relying on what a fellow guest told me.   I just went down and asked.   Anytime dining on 4 and fixed on 5. 

 

I learned that  you can’t believe everything you hear.  

I'm confused !!!

 

[Jim_Iain]

11 minutes ago, Aralim said:

 

😲

Is this just the sort of thing that happens when you reach Zenith on X?!? I've clearly gotta start sailing 3x a year, find the budget to do it in a suite every time, and get myself to Zenith!! What a great opportunity to just have happen while at sea!

 

The presentation was for Suites AND Zenith’s.    It was really nice and intimate.  Jim is a fabulous speaker. 

[Jim_Iain]

8 minutes ago, BDevilCruiser said:

Jim, thanks for the great pictures and commentary.  Just signed up for a last-minute cruise embarking on the 7th.  First time on Celebrity and of course on the Summit.  From your pictures, I think I'll already be a "pro" with navigation.  😉

 

A question regarding one of your earlier pictures, that of the "jogging" track.  That looks almost impossible to walk/run on, in between the loungers.  Does one of the lower decks go around the ship which would be suitable for a morning walk?

 

 

 

It really isn’t too bad on the track but do need to watch as with the additional chairs   And them facing the ocean it is tight. 

 

I often walk walk on floors 9 and below.   If my mind serves me well only one deck goes all the way around.  Others going forward have a door “crew only” forward possibly to cut down on traffic.  

 

There isn’t an outside deck except track in a full circle and it is only partial length of ship.  I use to extend my walk up the stairs in forward and aft but the new retreat sundeck forward is restricted to suite guests only (even Zenith’s are not permitted). 

[papadave]

I have a quick question about space for playing board games, as you posted a picture of people playing a game of checkers in a bar area.  Do they have any area designated or appropriate for board game play?  We were on the Summit last year, and they made arrangements for us to use QSine a few times during sea days, but overall it was difficult to find space and we were asked to leave a number of areas where we attempted to play games.  We are booked again this year, but were hoping that the renovation would have changed the situation from last year.  

 

Separately, doesn't Celebrity offer an excursion of some sort for B2B passengers on turnaround day?  As a New Yorker, I have never been on a B2B sailing with Bayonne as the turnaround point, but I have been on a few B2B sailings elsewhere and always had the option of one or more excursions.

[Xcelsior]

35 minutes ago, Charles4515 said:

 

Select is downstairs on 4. Traditional is on 5. I have select on this sailing. If they can’t do 12 upstairs I think they will accommodate you and give you a table downstairs. 

They can do a table for 12 upstairs - we sat at one once on the Connie, and that was where fixed dining seating was on that ship at the time as well.

[swigso]

Hi Jim

great review as usual, and thanks for you advice about the hotels 

do you have a view on the Omni on knob hill

thanks

steve

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

5 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

 

 

Love the the decor but the ankle high cocktail table in the first picture is a real miss  

 

How is it that Celebrity has got so many tables so wrong???  Either no table at all or one that is not the right size or height for its purpose.