davekathy Posted November 17, 2019 #201 Share Posted November 17, 2019 (edited) 3 hours ago, happy cruzer said: Any opinions? Thanks. Just for clarification, the cruise left from Cape Liberty NJ, not NY. You won't get to see NY and the Statue Of Liberty from the ship or the 9/11 Tear Drop memorial at Cape Liberty when leaving from Boston. Edited November 17, 2019 by davekathy 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
registrar Posted November 17, 2019 #202 Share Posted November 17, 2019 Go to any oceanfront resort! You pay more for an oceanview room! Or you pay less to view the parking lot or a garden. It is buyers choice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Turtles06 Posted November 18, 2019 Author #203 Share Posted November 18, 2019 On 11/16/2019 at 8:09 AM, happy cruzer said: Love the pictures of New York. Next year it is round trip from Boston. Any opinions of Boston vs. New York for the home port? Thank you re the photos. The Summit of course sailed out of Cape Liberty, NJ, not New York (as @davekathy has noted above). In terms of comparisons between NJ v. Boston for the same cruise, next year's itinerary RT out of Boston (also with an overnight in Quebec City) will be 12 nights instead of our 14, which right there is a plus as far as I'm concerned for the cruise out of NJ. Also, besides having the beautiful sailaway from NJ (and the sail-in), that cruise started with a sea day before the first port (Boston), which to me was also a plus. The cruise out of Boston has a port call the next day in Portland, and in Bar Harbor the day after that. Some folks might find it easier to get to Boston, some Cape Liberty. There's nothing of great interest around Cape Liberty (you could spend pre-cruise time in Manhattan, but then you have transportation issues getting to the port), so some folks might prefer Boston so they could spend some time pre- or post-cruise there. How you rate all of that would depend on where you are coming from and what interests you. All of which is moot, since the Summit will be sailing out of Boston, whatever we may think of the pros and cons. 😉 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happy cruzer Posted November 18, 2019 #204 Share Posted November 18, 2019 Thanks for the clarifications. Have sailed in or out of all three, NY, Cape Liberty, and Boston. But have only scratched the surface of things to do in each area so the extra info is very helpful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DundeeCake Posted December 27, 2019 #205 Share Posted December 27, 2019 Thank you for this wonderful review. We have just booked a 10 day cruise out of NYC on the Caribbean Princess for September 2020 and I had just started doing some research. Your comprehensive review is an excellent start - have a few months to consider what flavour(s) of Beavertail I will partake of - they look amazing. Travelling from Scotland I sincerely hope to experience a welcome from a piper - nothing like a taste of home when your travelling to far flung destinations. Thank you again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Turtles06 Posted December 28, 2019 Author #206 Share Posted December 28, 2019 3 hours ago, DundeeCake said: Thank you for this wonderful review. Thanks for your very kind words. I'm glad you found the review helpful, and I hope you have a wonderful cruise. (And enjoy those Beavertails! ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare NMTraveller Posted December 28, 2019 #207 Share Posted December 28, 2019 (edited) LOL! They had the handwashing stations on the Edge. And almost no one was using them. I thought that it was a great idea until I realized most were going to the buffet without washing their hands. I wonder how this will turn out in the long run. Edited December 28, 2019 by NMTraveller Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare NMTraveller Posted December 28, 2019 #208 Share Posted December 28, 2019 So do the M class ships have a Sky View Lounge like on S class? Did they ever have them? I am just trying to figure out if I should try M class. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHEZMARYLOU Posted December 28, 2019 #209 Share Posted December 28, 2019 Yes, M class ships have the Sky Lounge. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DundeeCake Posted December 28, 2019 #210 Share Posted December 28, 2019 Can I ask what currency is used? Should we take Canadian Dollars or are US dollars widely accepted? Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davekathy Posted December 28, 2019 #211 Share Posted December 28, 2019 11 minutes ago, DundeeCake said: Can I ask what currency is used? Should we take Canadian Dollars or are US dollars widely accepted? Thank you. We were able to us $USD in all the ports we visited. We were on the same cruise as the OP (Turtles06) . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Turtles06 Posted December 28, 2019 Author #212 Share Posted December 28, 2019 Just now, davekathy said: We were able to us $USD in all the ports we visited. We were on the same cruise as the OP (Turtles06) . Ah, you type faster! 🙂 I was about to say that plenty of folks in Canada will take U.S. dollars, but the exchange rate won't be very good. Since @DundeeCake is not American and is going to have to change money anyway, depending on where they do that and the fees, it might make sense to get some Canadian currency as well. (For Americans, it may make less sense.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davekathy Posted December 28, 2019 #213 Share Posted December 28, 2019 4 minutes ago, Turtles06 said: Ah, you type faster! 🙂 I was about to say that plenty of folks in Canada will take U.S. dollars, but the exchange rate won't be very good. Since @DundeeCake is not American and is going to have to change money anyway, depending on where they do that and the fees, it might make sense to get some Canadian currency as well. (For Americans, it may make less sense.) Good catch. I didn't pay attention to that. Agree. Have a Peaceful New Year. 🙂 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Turtles06 Posted December 28, 2019 Author #214 Share Posted December 28, 2019 15 minutes ago, davekathy said: Good catch. I didn't pay attention to that. Agree. Have a Peaceful New Year. 🙂 Thanks, you as well! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare terrydtx Posted December 28, 2019 #215 Share Posted December 28, 2019 What a fantastic thread and now I want to do the same cruise perhaps in 2022. We have a cruise booked next year on Viking Ocean and a X Infinity cruise in 2021. Turtles you should be writing travel logs, you have done a fantastic job here. Thank you for taking the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Turtles06 Posted December 28, 2019 Author #216 Share Posted December 28, 2019 1 hour ago, terrydtx said: What a fantastic thread and now I want to do the same cruise perhaps in 2022. We have a cruise booked next year on Viking Ocean and a X Infinity cruise in 2021. Turtles you should be writing travel logs, you have done a fantastic job here. Thank you for taking the time. You are so kind, thank you! Funny -- we haven't yet sailed Viking Ocean and are looking at some options at the moment. Have a very happy New Year, and enjoy your travels! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pattyj 1204 Posted December 29, 2019 #217 Share Posted December 29, 2019 Turtles06 Thank you so much for this wonderful review. I have read the whole review and have listed many items to check into Our cruise is in Sept. 2020 so I have some time to be planning and will make use of your information. It has taken you a long time gather all the information and then type it up for us, Thanks again and Happy Sailings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare NMTraveller Posted December 29, 2019 #218 Share Posted December 29, 2019 (edited) This was a wonderful review. What was your favorite port and your favorite excursion? I loved the reviews and thoughts on your excursions. We are doing a similiar cruise in May on HAL. Edited December 29, 2019 by NMTraveller Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Turtles06 Posted December 29, 2019 Author #219 Share Posted December 29, 2019 20 hours ago, pattyj 1204 said: Turtles06 Thank you so much for this wonderful review. I have read the whole review and have listed many items to check into Our cruise is in Sept. 2020 so I have some time to be planning and will make use of your information. It has taken you a long time gather all the information and then type it up for us, Thanks again and Happy Sailings. 17 hours ago, NMTraveller said: This was a wonderful review. What was your favorite port and your favorite excursion? I loved the reviews and thoughts on your excursions. We are doing a similiar cruise in May on HAL. Thank you both for taking the time to read this, and for your very kind words! As for a favorite port -- Quebec City was certainly the standout (as we expected). But we were surprised by how much we enjoyed our day in Portland, including the City and Lighthouse Tour with Portland Discovery Land & Sea Tours (and the Holy Donuts 😋). Frankly, except for a couple of shore excursions (the Celebrity shorex we took on P.E.I. and the private tour in Bar Harbor), we really had a good time ashore in all of the ports. Happy New Year, and safe travels! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FitCdn Posted January 3, 2020 #220 Share Posted January 3, 2020 On 10/4/2019 at 4:07 PM, Turtles06 said: We returned to Sydney just around lunch time, and got a walking tour map from the Information desk in the cruise terminal. There really isn’t that much of interest in Sydney -- a few 18th Century houses and old churches. We soon saw them all. For lunch, we chose the Governor's Pub and Eatery, near the water and doing a lively business. I had -- surprise -- a lobster roll, the second best of the trip. And a side of poutine. 😂 After lunch, we walked down along the water. I was enthralled by this monument to the WWII Merchant Mariners, men in their 40s and 50s, teenage boys, and some women as well, who sailed the convoys from Sydney across the Atlantic, bringing coal, steel, and other critical materials for the Allied war effort, at great danger to themselves from German U-boats. Thousands lost their lives to torpedoes. As we walked back to the cruise terminal, the Caribbean Princess served as good perspective on the size of the fiddle. And, of course, we had to buy BeaverTails before we returned to the ship. This time, I tried the chocolate/peanut butter/Reese's Pieces. Each of those elements is delicious on its own, but together they were a bit too much, and really changed the texture. The chocolate/hazelnut that I had in Quebec was much better. Finally, it was time to board a tender. Since it was such a gorgeous afternoon, we decided to sit up top on the outside. It was a beautiful ride back to the Summit. I know that tendering can be a PITA, but I really do enjoy seeing whatever ship I’m on from the water. (photos by turtles06) On 10/6/2019 at 5:03 PM, Turtles06 said: 😄🤣😋 I highly recommend the Killaloe Sunrise BeaverTail - cinnamon, sugar and slices of lemon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swigso Posted January 3, 2020 #221 Share Posted January 3, 2020 (edited) Turtle06, what a fantastic review, I feel as though I have been on this sailing with you. My first ever cruise with Celebrity was on the Summit and since then we have loved Celebrity. After many sailings on S class ships we are going back to the M class, sailing from Tampa on the refurbished Constellation. It will also be nice to return to the Connie and see what they have done to her. Those FV that you had are now Sunset Suites and are now even more expensive than Sky and Celebrity suites 😱😠 I am now thinking of switching another booked cruise to this itinerary would have preferred to have sailed out of New York/Jersey but have never been to Boston. once again many thanks for you review and have a great 2020. Edited January 3, 2020 by swigso 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare printingchick Posted January 3, 2020 #222 Share Posted January 3, 2020 I see both sides of the Suite-only debate. I remember when some cruise lines roped off special lounge chairs by the pool for use by suite guests only. And the best seats in the theatre were reserved for suite guests. As Turtle06 said, that doesn't drastically impact other guests, who can STILL enjoy the pool and theatre. I think his objection had to do with an outdoor deck area that has been - and instinctively feels as though it is - a public place. And the fact that there is no real alternative for non-suite guests - except to look off the back of the ship. I knew the situation when booking the Summit and I'm fine with it, but I agree with the "class system" comments. We all have to make choices, but some people have the means to consider more options than others. I have never even booked a balcony cabin. I pay for the WINDOW in an OV cabin and I cruise only every other year. If I booked balcony cabins, I'd have to cruise far less frequently. And a suite...I'd need to save for YEARS! So yes, it's a choice. I guess everyone can technically book a suite. But it's not as easy a choice for those of us on a limited budget. There are benefits we NEED to sacrifice in order to cruise at all. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarbinMich Posted January 3, 2020 #223 Share Posted January 3, 2020 Turtles06, enjoyed reading your review and reliving our cruise on the Summit in 2013 on the same itinerary! That was before the "revolutionization", but we had Capt. Kate (I think her first cruise as capt or at least her first on that itin.). The buffet certainly needed redoing! That was the only disappointment of the cruise as we always eat nearly all our meals in a ship's buffet. We had first sailed on the Summit when she was only 2 yrs old (Jan. 2003-western Carib) and really enjoyed being on her. By 2013 she was certainly in need of some updating. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NCLiz99 Posted January 3, 2020 #224 Share Posted January 3, 2020 Enjoyed your review - thanks! Planning for a similar itinary in Sept 2020 and so appreciate all your port insights. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swordfish1949 Posted January 4, 2020 #225 Share Posted January 4, 2020 Turtles06 - what an awesome review. We did the same itinerary in 2015 sailing with my sister. She has since passed, and your review brought back many very fond memories. Many thanks. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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