Another Adventure - Bermuda June 26th Cruise Review

[bnurick]

 

Good early morning from the Summit!  Here is our day 2 at sea recap.

 

Since the clock rolled forward an hour combined with a late night out 🍷 we were woken by Alfred at 9AM bringing room service for breakfast.  So much for the internal alarm clock ⏰.  I should mention ear plugs are a must for us. The creaking late at night keeps us up, so we would recommend bringing them if you are unsure about this.

 

After the quick bite and enjoying coffee ☕️ and tea 🫖 on the veranda we decided it was time for some serious steps. We elected to hit the treadmill at the spa. 

 

But before leaving the room we decided to burn one free bag of laundry 🧺 from our Captains Club Elite benefits.  44 pieces were successfully stuffed into the bag and the ticket filled out. A call to Alfred and laundry service was in motion.

 

The sun ☀️ shines directly into the workout room early morning so it’s quite warm. The room is fairly small and compact so if covid 🦠 concerns you, it’s an avoidable spot.  Each of us have 3-4 shots and combined with recently having the real thing we are comfortable with our immunity levels. After an hour, we felt we burned off a small amount of our calorie intake from nights one and two.

 

Once we cleaned up, we headed to Sushi on Five 🍣 for a light lunch. We were quickly seated, but it was full, maybe one table empty.  Of note, the fresh wasabi is not available due to supply chain issues.

 

A quick walk of the ship and after grabbing a couple of waters we were back to the room to relax on the veranda and enjoy some aqua therapy for a few hours.

 

At 330pm we heard the doorbell and it was Alfred with our at sea day cheese plate. We love a good cheese 🧀 plate!

 

In short order the calorie intake guilt kicked in again and I decided for a second date with the treadmill. I also wanted to watch some more of the ESPN Michael Jordan documentary on Netflix, so maybe that was the real motivation 😂.   Off I went…

 

After a shower we were ready to head to the Retreat Lounge for cocktails.  We have figured out they can get martini bar drinks which pair well with my pre-dinner old fashioned.  After an hour of conversation we were ready to head to Tuscan Grill for supper.

 

Checking into Tuscan Grill was flawless and we were offered the choice of three tables.  We picked one out of the main artery and dinner was in motion.  Clearly challenged wanting everything and knowing 630pm was really 530pm we decided to share a series of selections.  Calamari, green olives 🫒, Pappardelle with short rib ragu, a porterhouse 🥩 sliced and eggplant parmesan 90 minutes later, we were stuffed.  But for dessert they found and sliced our anniversary cake from night one (chef’s table) which was such a nice touch!  Another magical moment the Summit staff does such a good job of figuring out.

 

Post dinner we figured we were ready for bed to get rest before Bermuda day one, but ran into the other anniversary couple we met on embarkation night.  So a game of craps it was for a couple hours before we all “crapped out” and decided to call it a night.  Since we are both meeting tomorrow for the Veuve Clicquot 🍾 dinner of 12 people, it was time to hydrate and get some zzz’s 💤.

 

[bnurick]

Celebrity Today day four…

[FlorenceItaly]

****HAPPY 20th ANNIVERSARY!!!!  Wishing you a wonderful day of CELEBRATION!🍸

[islabahia]

Happy Anniversary!  

[levcruiser]

Happy Anniversary!!

[bnurick]

4 hours ago, FlorenceItaly said:

****HAPPY 20th ANNIVERSARY!!!!  Wishing you a wonderful day of CELEBRATION!🍸

 

4 hours ago, islabahia said:

Happy Anniversary!  

 

4 hours ago, levcruiser said:

Happy Anniversary!!

Thank you all!  After our morning shipwreck snorkel we made it to St. George and found a rum swizzle!  Cheers!

 

[barbpretz]

@bnurickHappy Anniversary!

 Please tell us about your shipwreck snorkel.  Did  you do a Celebrity Excursion?  How long was the boat ride to and from the snorkel area?  How long did you have to actually snorkel?  Were you able to see much of the shipwrecks from snorkeling?  How rough was the boat ride to and from (in other words, how sea-sickness inducing)?  We are just now deciding on excursions for our upcoming trip and this is one that we are considering.

Thanks again!

[bnurick]

 

Excursion Review: Bermuda Triangle Shipwreck Snorkel

 

It’s late afternoon and thought I’d give an excursion review.  Over the years I’ve had many questions from the boat, crew, bathrooms you name it…

 

We boarded right next to the ship 🛳 which was very convenient.  The boat has two levels, the bottom that has glass to see underwater (different excursion) and the top for mostly this excursion.  Note the top is shaded.

 

There are two unisex bathrooms onboard, both that run like normal toilet’s 🚽 which was a first for me on a boat (I took a picture).

 

Essentially, you board, go through the welcome briefings, head out 30 minutes to the two shipwrecks site that are right next to each other (Montana and Comstellation), snorkel and/or swim for 90+ minutes, get a rum swizzle 🍹 or buy a beer 🍺 and head straight back right next to the ship.  Nice, clean and neat.

 

Captain Dillion 👨‍✈️ runs a good operation with two crew.  He in on top of safety at every level.  Now there are Portuguese Man O’ War jellyfish in the waters right now so they had to watch for them as they can sting you very badly. One was seen and eventually removed and at the end we saw a few others.  In fact, we have heard Horseshoe Bay Beach waters 🏖 were closed today because there were so many at that venue.

 

The Captain noted today was the best weather in many weeks.  The water 🌊 was like glass, very smooth, could see to the bottom, however, I could see it getting bumpy and rapidly changing.  He also said the temperature was right about 80 degrees, cold at first, then just fine and refreshing.

 

We would definitely do this one again.

 

Tomorrow we have Lighthouses, Pink Sands and Shopping, Bermuda Tea Party and Bermuda Triangle Nightlife Glassbottom Cruise, a trifecta day.

 

Cheers!  -Brian

 

[bnurick]

Up next is Cameron’s favorite dinner event and it just happens to fall on our 20th anniversary.  She will be handling this review!  😊 
 

[FlorenceItaly]

I think it is so wonderful it falls on your Anniversary!  Your Anniversary cruise thus far seems perfect.

[vickykay]

Was this a Celebrity excursion?

 

Hope you have a wonderful anniversary!

[bnurick]

Good morning from from the Summit!  Our day three recap will be short as we have a busy day!

 

Yesterday, started with the excursion previously reviewed.  After, we had lunch at bonefish in Dockyard.  We weren’t very impressed and is a one and done for us.  The fish and chips is not Bermuda fish, however, the fish taco’s 🌮 were and that is what we had.

 

After lunch the ferry ⛴ times to St. George were not aligned with our schedule.  So we opted to taxi 🚕 over.  This was a good option as we were able to see a lot of the island on the hour journey.  The cost was $74 before tip.

 

After walking St. George for a couple hours, we’re we able to catch the 4PM ferry back to Dockyard for $9.  We enjoyed the water route too.  See the fare and times information in the pictures.

 

Cameron will be writing the Vueve dinner review later, but it was awesome!

 

PSA: Starboard side gets sun in the morning and Portside in the afternoon and has views of the Dockyard and island.  Which side is best depends on your veranda usage.

 

Off to three excursions in one day…

 

-Brian

 

Edited June 30, 2022 by bnurick

[bnurick]

 

Excursion Review: Lighthouses, Pink Sand and Shopping.

 

Our morning excursion titled above was a nice journey around Bermuda with an entertaining driver/guide.  The company selects drivers/guides that have knowledge and personality.  Our 74 year old driver/guide was called “The Captain” or “Captain Kirk” 👨‍✈️.

 

You are divided into parties of 6 and walked to a van and off you go.  Stops included: smallest drawbridge on earth, Gibbs Hill lighthouse, scenic beach views, building(s) history and shopping 🛍  in Hamilton.

 

Overall, this tour was good, especially for first-timer’s as you get a good overview of most things between Dockyard and Hamilton.  The guide was knowledgeable and provided good information you wouldn’t otherwise know.  We did wish we had more time for shopping 🛒 in Hamilton as it was only 40 minutes and needed more in the range of 90 minutes.

 

Once we requested the air conditioning be turned on, everyone was more comfortable (although gasoline ⛽️ is $10/gallon 😬).  The pictures below provide more detail on the stops.

 

Vueve Dinner review is still in process…. 😊 🥂 🍾 

 

Cheers!  Brian

 

 

Edited June 30, 2022 by bnurick

[bnurick]

 

Excursion Review: Bermuda Tea Party

 

We huddled up at our rendezvous point and after a few minutes we were all there, a total of six.  Cameron and I and four delightful women in their 70’s and 80’s.

 

A van 🚐 that could seat 12 pulled up and we volunteered for the back so the others could more easily get in and out for the trip.  The 90 minutes was visiting a variety of lookout areas and points of interest.  Some were the same as our morning excursion, but some were different for instance on old church we toured.

 

Once we completed the views portion, we arrived at Willowbank Resort 🏨 .  The property was very clean and nice.  The walk up to the front is stairs or a steep ramp.

 

The manager started us off by providing a nice overview of the resort and foundation.  Once the introductions were complete, we started tea and a variety of goodies 🥮 .  The pictures and copy of the menu provide full details on the offerings.

 

After 60 minutes we were back in the van 🚐 and off to Dockyard to the ship 🚢 .  Good 👍 excursion for an understanding of the island 🏝 near the ship and tea 🫖 lovers.  We would do this once and recommend, not a repeat.

 

Cheers!  -Brian

 

[mcclarke1]

Veuve Clicquot Champagne Dinner

 

Sorry this review is coming in late.  Due to the amount of indulgence and fun, we had a late night and a slow moving morning.  Worked hard to pull ourselves together to be ready to begin our early excursion.😅 

 

We had a small crew of 7 at the dinner due to Harbor Nights in Hamilton.  Overall a great group and enjoyed getting to know everyone.  This is an event we will always book if it’s available.  We love Veuve Clicquot, and never get to try the different offerings at home, which is a treat for us.   

 

Everything was the same from our last Veuve Clicquot dinner, except this time we had a shrimp amuse bouche and the apricot soufflé for dessert. (Yum!!)

 

We were able to try Veuve Clicquot Rich, Rose, Yellow Label and Demi Sec.  (Found all of these in a wine store on Front Street in Hamilton today, and reasonably priced, but we don’t have space to take them home.😢). For the Rich, we had a choice of pineapple or cucumber to accent.  Brian and I chose different ones to taste the difference and both were very enjoyable. Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc and Terrazas de los Andres Reserva Malbec were included with their respective pairings and are also owned by Louis Vuitton (that also owns Veuve Clicquot).

 

The food was delicious and the staff was AMAZING as always and took very good care of us. Photos are below.  We will book this event on every cruise. Enjoy!! 🥂🍾 

[Grambler]

On 6/23/2022 at 6:31 AM, jerrib said:

On the Royal website under FAQ's, it still states 2 per stateroom.  Am I looking in the wrong place?

That is from Celebrity -on Royal website it still says On boarding day, guests may bring onboard two (2) 750 ml bottles of personal wine or champagne per stateroom in their carry-on luggage.

[cangelmd]

Do any current or previous Summit cruisers know if the dividers between adjoining balcony cabins can be opened? We have 2 great threads going, but I think both threads are by suite cruisers and I’m asking about reg verandahs. Thanks to anyone who might know!

[bnurick]

9 hours ago, Grambler said:

That is from Celebrity -on Royal website it still says On boarding day, guests may bring onboard two (2) 750 ml bottles of personal wine or champagne per stateroom in their carry-on luggage.

Good morning Grambler, the answer for Celebrity it is two bottles per person now.  I confirmed with the staff onboard.  No clue about RCL.

 

9 hours ago, cangelmd said:

Do any current or previous Summit cruisers know if the dividers between adjoining balcony cabins can be opened? We have 2 great threads going, but I think both threads are by suite cruisers and I’m asking about reg verandahs. Thanks to anyone who might know!

Good morning Cangelmd, our Retreat Host just came by and I asked him.  The answer in no for all, they had issues with them swinging and breaking.  Happy sailing.

 

Edited July 1, 2022 by bnurick

[cangelmd]

1 hour ago, bnurick said:

Good morning Grambler, the answer for Celebrity it is two bottles per person now.  I confirmed with the staff onboard.  No clue about RCL.

 

Good morning Cangelmd, our Retreat Host just came by and I asked him.  The answer in no for all, they had issues with them swinging and breaking.  Happy sailing.

 

Thanks!

 

 We also really enjoyed the Veuve Cliquot dinner. We did ours on Edge. All the small dinners are only truly successful when you have a good group of people, and that can be very hit or miss of course - we had a great group on Edge. For winos or those who want to learn about wine, it can be quite interesting to taste the range of dishes that can be served with champagne.

[Auburn1998]

Who is currently the Captain onboard Summit?

[bnurick]

1 hour ago, cangelmd said:

Thanks!

 

 We also really enjoyed the Veuve Cliquot dinner. We did ours on Edge. All the small dinners are only truly successful when you have a good group of people, and that can be very hit or miss of course - we had a great group on Edge. For winos or those who want to learn about wine, it can be quite interesting to taste the range of dishes that can be served with champagne.

We couldn’t agree more. Need a good group and the Vueve varietals make it extra special.  I should have mentioned it is in Qsine on a night they did not offer a second seating so you have the restaurant to youeself.  Cheers. BN

[bnurick]

 

Day Five was our 3 excursion day, which after the pre-cruise and cruise 🚢 wine pairings, left us pretty winded 🥱 by day end…

 

Up at 730AM with a room service/alarm clock ⏰ call from Alfred bringing nutrients 🥘 and much need caffeine ☕️.  Then off…

 

Excursions one and two reviews have been posted.

 

After returning from excursion two we were pretty full and tired, so we opted to cancel our Sushi on Five reservation in exchange for a little downtime and relaxation.  After awhile, I decided to hit the Oceanview Cafe for a quick bite before our early evening plans.

 

Excursion three was the Bermuda Triangle Nightlife Glassbottom Cruise.  The vessel was very similar to our shipwreck snorkel 🤿 excursion on our first day in Bermuda.  60 new friends boarded on the upper level (plenty of space) for a 25 minute ride out to the shipwreck spot.

 

Along the ride out the Captain 👩‍✈️ told lot’s of Bermuda Triangle stories and pointed out certain island highlights.  She was very knowledgeable and both she and her first mate were born and raised on the island.  On the way out, the timing of departure provides for a perfect sunset view.  Close to Daniel’s Head (tip of the Bermuda Triangle) we reached the shipwreck, the HMS Vixen.

 

We were all invited to move downstairs to start viewing the coral reef 🪸 and looking for sea life fish 🐠 sea turtles 🐢 and lobsters 🦞.  A highlight was seeing a turtle and lobster which we were informed are not a regular sighting.  Plenty of parrot fish 🦜 and grey snapper 🐟 seen too. The ship that sunk was cast iron and as it turns out unknowingly accelerates the growth of reef coral 🪸 so much of it is covered, however, part of the vessel sticks out of the water.

 

Once the viewing was complete we headed back to the ship.  Rum swizzles 🍹 were made available for all to enjoy.  Overall this was a solid excursion.  It doubles as a sunset cruise and the viewing for sea life is quite fun.  We would do this excursion on a future trip.

 

We decided an early bedtime is in order so we are getting in some 💤 before our final Bermuda day tomorrow, Horseshoe Bay Beach…

 

Cheers!

 

Brian

 

[bnurick]

 

Day six, our final Bermuda 🇧🇲 day…. We decided to sleep in this morning after we were exhausted from all the late night dinners, casino and excursions.  We need to reset and rebalance.

 

The morning was Cafe al Bacio, coffee ☕️, tea ☕️ and pastries 🥮.  Quick and simple.

 

After a quick stop for some bottled water we met up for our Horseshoe Bay beach 🏝 excursion via Celebrity.  The transfer was a small bus ride to and from and took about 25 minutes.  However, if we were to come back we would have gone by taxi and beat the two cruise ships in port to the beach.  They run out of umbrellas ☂, in particular, quickly and early, so it’s best to be there before the cruise ships if you want one.

 

We were fortunate, I was able to be first in line and secured the second to last one available along with two chairs.  We met “Naj” who assisted us and we asked if he would be our helper for the day, which he agreed.  He made sure we got our lunch order and rum swizzle in at 1130 and brought us everything around Noon.

 

Back to the ship 🚢 to clean up for cocktails and lobster 🦞 night!

 

We returned to our room and our all star Retreat Host Alfred had ice and a cheese 🧀 plate waiting.  Perfect.

 

The Summit should be back at sea 🌊 in the next few minutes as the Captain 👨‍✈️ is giving an update now…

 

Cheers from the Summit!  Brian

 

[bnurick]

Good night from the Summit!  Luminae lobster and lamb was awesome, Cameron is gonna post pictures tomorrow.  The macaroons and truffles for dessert were additionally delightful!  Craps was choppy, but break even.  Everyone, enjoy getting ready for the weekend.  Plan well my friends…  😊

[bnurick]

Goooood morning from the Summit last day!  I hope our posts have helped everyone better plan this itinerary. Here is the final Celebrity Today. I find there are small nuggets of information still in these.

 

Cheers!  Brian