LIVE SIDE-BY-SIDE Celebrity Summit Retreat & Seascape Yacht Club 12/9-21/2023 ~ 1st MSC vs Farewell (?) X Suite Experience

[Ellesor826]

16 minutes ago, George C said:

My Edge and Beyond had no music, I was told this was discontinued, they also removed the piano from summit suite lounge when it became the retreat . 

Oh that is disappointing to learn!  I was so looking forward to that on Summit next week.
Yet another cut back disguised as a "tweak" by Celebrity.  Very discouraging.
Le Sigh
~~Roselle

I will add, on HAL we only had the Neptune Suite Lounge w/ its offerings - and Club Orange Menu and Pinnacle Breakfast....no entertainment or butler service however the unlimited laundry that comes with the suite was fantastic!

[Stem to Stern]

On 12/10/2023 at 12:35 PM, countess5 said:

 

Any idea with future cruises what they offer if booked on board? Also, is the casino smoke free? 

 

 

Don’t quote me, but I think 10% off plus on board credit (how much I do not know) and $199 per person deposit.

[Stem to Stern]

What day is it?  Oh, right.  Monday.  Day 3.  I guess I must be having a great time if I have already lost track of the calendar.  Then, the ship pushes the clock ahead an hour which did not help matters.

Current situation….

The 7-day and 7-night continuous cocktail party at sea continues.

It is a busy social schedule, in between long chats with fellow passengers and attending soirées like this, but someone has to do it.

Food and beverage porn alert.

Munchies were already laid out when we arrived.

Here come the bevies!  One butler carried.  The other introduced the choices.

I went with the Aperol Spritz.  DH chose non-alcoholic fruit punch.  It was too strong, so he ordered ginger ale to dilute it.

Met the Master of the Vessel and shook hands.  A different Captain from the one who emailed us pre-cruise.

Captain Francesco Iacono.  I lurrrve his bracelets.

The Butlers.

Next up….

[Stem to Stern]

Prime seating in YC Restaurant.

I worked up an appetite socializing.  DH skipped breakfast and worked up an appetite on the treadmill.  We decided on indoor dining for lunch with the wind tunnel happening up on Deck 20.  Besides the MSC for Me app says they have Seafood Spaghetti.  Well, as it turns out the app does not show the correct lunch menu for today.  So, we reselected from the “updated” paper menu.

 

Our waiter confirmed the dinner menu on the app is correct - Italian Night.  I am trying to move away from paper and become more app -centric on the cruise, but this did not instill confidence in the app.

 

Another food porn alert.  DH’s Caesar.

My cannelloni bean, potato, and spinach soup and Kendall Jackson Sauvignon blanc.  Yum!  Today it was me who detected the cool air in YCR.  The soup warmed me up.

DH’s double order of penne.  He always has an appetite for pasta, but I doubt he would try for a triple order next time.  He filled up on bread, too.

Bacon cheeseburger with extra onion rings.  You are seeing correctly.  The plate has TWO onion rings.  You normally get one.

Wilkin & Sons Condiments from Essex.

Burger slathered with all 20 grams of English wholegrain mustard.

Bun.  I am guessing the patty was a quarter pounder.  Pretty thin.

Coffee ice cream sundae with coffee sauce, whipped cream, and micro puffed wheat cereal sprinkles.  Yum!  DH just had coffee.

Edited December 11, 2023 by Stem to Stern

[jcpc]

@Stem to SternIf you attend the Voyagers Party for Diamond members please let me know what you thought of it.  For some reason that escapes me right now, we did not attend.  But we are sailing again in February so may attend if you think it's worthwhile.

 

I had lunch a few times in the YC DIning room during our sailing.  I enjoyed it.  But I only got one onion ring with my burger......LOL.  Actually, one was enough for me but I suppose if I want extra in February I'll have to make sure to specify how many I want so I don't end up with just two!!!

 

Re entertainment in Retreat Lounge on Summit.  I sailed Summit in July and there was no live entertainment any evening in the Retreat Lounge.  One night they did have the officer's meet and greet but that was about it.  In previous sailings I do recall one or two nights during the cruise they had a piano player in there.  But nothing on July sailing.  When we sailed Meraviglia in September they had live entertainment in the Top Sail every evening until around midnight.  It was nice.

 

Oh, and re the potato chips.  You can tell your DH that I was told that the chips are made onboard.  I don't know if that's true or false......but they had some of the tastiest chips I've every eaten!!  I recall that the type of chip varied a few times during the week.  

Edited December 11, 2023 by jcpc

[Ellesor826]

6 minutes ago, Stem to Stern said:

Prime seating in YC Restaurant.

I worked up an appetite socializing.  DH skipped breakfast and worked up an appetite on the treadmill.  We decided on indoor dining for lunch with the wind tunnel happening up on Deck 20.  Besides the MSC for Me app says they have Seafood Spaghetti.  Well, as it turns out the app does not show the correct lunch menu for today.  So, we reselected from the “updated” paper menu.

 

Our waiter confirmed the dinner menu on the app is correct - Italian Night.  I am trying to move away from paper and become more app -centric on the cruise, but this did not instill confidence in the app.

 

Another food porn alert.  DH’s Caesar.

My cannelloni bean, potato, and spinach soup and Kendall Jackson Sauvignon blanc.  Yum!  Today it was me who detected the cool air in YCR.  The soup warmed me up.

DH’s double order of penne.  He always has an appetite for pasta, but I doubt he would try for a triple order next time.  He filled up on bread, too.

Bacon cheeseburger with extra onion rings.  You are seeing correctly.  The plate has TWO onion rings.  You normally get one.

Wilkin & Sons Condiments from Essex.

Burger slathered with all 20 grams of English wholegrain mustard.

Bun.  I am guessing the patty was a quarter pounder.  Pretty thin.

Coffee ice cream sundae with coffee sauce, whipped cream, and micro puffed wheat cereal sprinkles.  Yum!  DH just had coffee.

I’m dieting for next week…..and my tum is growling. 
😉😂

Can you order, if you so choose, from any other menus?
I know we always love to peruse Blu and MDR when in Luminae.  
DH adores the escargot from MDR….forewarned is forearmed.  
 

Also, you must check out room service and compare.  
We have access to Blu room service menu for breakfast and dinner next week. 
I see a second breakfast in our future 😋

 

Bon Appetite 

[Ellesor826]

3 minutes ago, jcpc said:

no live entertainment any evening in the Retreat Lounge.  One night they did have the officer's meet and greet but that was about it.  In previous sailings I do recall one or two nights during the cruise they had a piano player in there

Disheartening.  
C’est la vie 

[Dolebludger]

Stem to Stern, keep up the reviews. Am looking forward to the comparison with the Retreat. I read this whole thread and have one question. In the YC, were mini fridge beverages included in the fare, or were they at extra charge? And, oh yes, another one. Did the butler take care of stocking and restocking it?

[jelayne]

1 hour ago, jcpc said:

 

Re entertainment in Retreat Lounge on Summit.  I sailed Summit in July and there was no live entertainment any evening in the Retreat Lounge.  One night they did have the officer's meet and greet but that was about it.  In previous sailings I do recall one or two nights during the cruise they had a piano player in there.  But nothing on July sailing.  When we sailed Meraviglia in September they had live entertainment in the Top Sail every evening until around midnight.  It was nice.

 

 

We didn't have any music in the Retreat on the Summit but we did have a wine tasting event and a Martini making class, with martini's for all to sample.

E class we have had Silent Disco, trivia, meet the cast, a comedian perform and music 1 or 2 nights, generally the duo that is on the ship. 

[jcpc]

7 minutes ago, jelayne said:

We didn't have any music in the Retreat on the Summit but we did have a wine tasting event and a Martini making class, with martini's for all to sample.

E class we have had Silent Disco, trivia, meet the cast, a comedian perform and music 1 or 2 nights, generally the duo that is on the ship. 

@jelayneOn the E-class, did they have live music for the entire evening in the Retreat Lounge or just for an hour during "pre-dinner cocktail time"?  But it is good to hear that they are "stepping up their game" on E-class at least.  I have sailed Edge, Apex and Beyond and have not yet encountered any of the things you describe.  However, I must admit my last E-class sailing was in October 2022.  All of 2023 was on either Summit or MSC.

[George C]

1 minute ago, jcpc said:

@jelayneOn the E-class, did they have live music for the entire evening in the Retreat Lounge or just for an hour during "pre-dinner cocktail time"?  But it is good to hear that they are "stepping up their game" on E-class at least.  I have sailed Edge, Apex and Beyond and have not yet encountered any of the things you describe.  However, I must admit my last E-class sailing was in October 2022.  All of 2023 was on either Summit or MSC.

There was no live music in retreat just bar and snacks on edge or beyond , th ship had really good entertainment in several areas including by martini bar , I liked that some of there live music was at 1 or 2 in the afternoon and you could find live music most of the day just not in the retreat .

[Basketball wife]

3 hours ago, jcpc said:

Oh, and re the potato chips.  You can tell your DH that I was told that the chips are made onboard.  I don't know if that's true or false...

We were on the Meraviglia last month and saw the female butler put two super sized plastic bags of chips behind the bar in the lounge…they were clearly marked Lays.

 

[81Zoomie]

On 12/10/2023 at 10:04 AM, Stem to Stern said:

I went back to suite to freshen up before 9:00am.  Room was freshened up too.  Bed is perpendicular to the ship.  Art is sea life inspired.  Headboard and ottoman (under desk) are upholstered in matching gray, thin, satiny, wipeable, polypropylene-like material.  Carpet and chair are gray.  We found room for all of our belongings.  My odd-shaped case does not go under bed and sits between closet and desk.  More suite pics available is there is a request.  I will cheerfully oblige.😃

This was on the tv.😎

Is there a couch and coffee table in the room?

[hcat]

46 minutes ago, 81Zoomie said:

Is there a couch and coffee table in the room?

space on  sides of the bed look tight in the photo.. is there room to walk around?  would like to see more!

thnks

[Dolebludger]

I’d like to see that too. Back when we cruised the YC in the Divinia nine years ago, there were only balcony rooms in the YC, and that is what we had. As I recall, our room wasn’t as big as a SS, but much larger than the inside room shown here. 

[CardowMD]

Just an FYI regarding Maryland Crabcake on that menu…they should never have extra ingredients like fennel and other stuff they added. Just jumbo lump crab, maybe a couple crackers to act as binder, mayo to hold all of it together and voila!

[Ellesor826]

12 minutes ago, CardowMD said:

jumbo lump crab, maybe a couple crackers to act as binder, mayo to hold all of it together and voila!

Sorta like the perversion of the Maine Lobster Roll in Luminae. 
Just lobster meat and a dab of mayo on a griddled New England hot dog bun=Maine lobster roll 
No fillers like celery or lettuce or parsley etc. 
DH is 7th gen Mainer aka Mainiac 😉😂
 

Edited December 12, 2023 by Ellesor826

[doghog]

I'm not impressed with MSC ships.

 

 

 

[George C]

1 hour ago, Ellesor826 said:

Sorta like the perversion of the Maine Lobster Roll in Luminae. 
Just lobster meat and a dab of mayo on a griddled New England hot dog bun=Maine lobster roll 
No fillers like celery or lettuce or parsley etc. 
DH is 7th gen Mainer aka Mainiac 😉😂
 

MSc yacht club offered a very nice lobster roll on there private island for lunch , also waiter service for food and drinks there . 

[Dolebludger]

Well, I don’t think I’m going to consider a YC cruise on the Seaside. It is too big, and I would never want to get out of the YC on that. I dislike crowds anywhere. But we were in YC on the MSC. Divinia which is about 2/3 the size of the Seaside, and it was really a good cruise for the price. But for us “suite cruisers” some of the smaller X ships seem to offer more in the way of “out of suite area” attractions. Let’s wait for the rest of the OP’s comparisons and see what they think. I know we would never book a YC inside room, or an inside room in any cruise. It is just not what suite cruisers or private area cruisers want.  But one of the OPs wanted to test the other OP’s claustrophobia. Mine has been tested. No cruise ship accommodations under 400 sq ft. If I can’t afford that, I  stay home.

[George C]

10 minutes ago, Dolebludger said:

Well, I don’t think I’m going to consider a YC cruise on the Seaside. It is too big, and I would never want to get out of the YC on that. I dislike crowds anywhere. But we were in YC on the MSC. Divinia which is about 2/3 the size of the Seaside, and it was really a good cruise for the price. But for us “suite cruisers” some of the smaller X ships seem to offer more in the way of “out of suite area” attractions. Let’s wait for the rest of the OP’s comparisons and see what they think. I know we would never book a YC inside room, or an inside room in any cruise. It is just not what suite cruisers or private area cruisers want.  But one of the OPs wanted to test the other OP’s claustrophobia. Mine has been tested. No cruise ship accommodations under 400 sq ft. If I can’t afford that, I  stay home.

Our cruise 4 years ago was on seaside and we booked it for next December also, while we spent most of the time in yacht club, we did go to some shows in main theater, butler will escort you with reserved seats . Also went to their jazz club and sports bar and the casino. 

[Dolebludger]

Yes, you bring up one of the things where the YC beats the X Retreat. All rooms in the YC have a real butler for the purposes you describe — and more. And this is good! Let’s see from the OP’s future posts if the X Retreat in a SS has the same escorting service. When we were on the Divinia YC in 2014, it was for a music cruise. I was having a beer in the YC lounge and a man came up and asked me to have beer with him. He asked me what I did and told him retired attorney. I asked him what he did, and he said “bass player and original member of the band “Yes”. I said OMG!  His name was Chris Squire. We had one “Yes” concert in the theater VIP  and Chris invited us to another. We waited in our  room, and a butler knocked and asked us to follow him. We went into pathways in the ship I didn't know existed to the theater where we were seated with the wives and sound staff of the band. From there, we had our second “Yes” concert. When it was over, Chris asked the bunch there how was the sound? Stupid me (as an amateur guitarist) said the sound was great, as I could hear every instrument and vocal.  Then I said “but who am I, so ignore me”. Chris responded “no no, let’s see what the group says”. Well the group agreed with me, so Yes got a new sound man. Sadly, Chris died two years later. And I don’t expect all future cruises to provide me with a rock star experience. But if I am in a suite or lux part of a large ship (and paying for it) I would like butler escort service into and from the main ship. Same for disembarking and re entry at ports. If this isn’t provided, I’ll just book cruises on small ship lux lines where having crowds in the main ship isn’t an issue — because there all of 700 of us are fine in the main ship — with no lines or crowds.

[George C]

28 minutes ago, Dolebludger said:

Yes, you bring up one of the things where the YC beats the X Retreat. All rooms in the YC have a real butler for the purposes you describe — and more. And this is good! Let’s see from the OP’s future posts if the X Retreat in a SS has the same escorting service. When we were on the Divinia YC in 2014, it was for a music cruise. I was having a beer in the YC lounge and a man came up and asked me to have beer with him. He asked me what I did and told him retired attorney. I asked him what he did, and he said “bass player and original member of the band “Yes”. I said OMG!  His name was Chris Squire. We had one “Yes” concert in the theater VIP  and Chris invited us to another. We waited in our  room, and a butler knocked and asked us to follow him. We went into pathways in the ship I didn't know existed to the theater where we were seated with the wives and sound staff of the band. From there, we had our second “Yes” concert. When it was over, Chris asked the bunch there how was the sound? Stupid me (as an amateur guitarist) said the sound was great, as I could hear every instrument and vocal.  Then I said “but who am I, so ignore me”. Chris responded “no no, let’s see what the group says”. Well the group agreed with me, so Yes got a new sound man. Sadly, Chris died two years later. And I don’t expect all future cruises to provide me with a rock star experience. But if I am in a suite or lux part of a large ship (and paying for it) I would like butler escort service into and from the main ship. Same for disembarking and re entry at ports. If this isn’t provided, I’ll just book cruises on small ship lux lines where having crowds in the main ship isn’t an issue — because there all of 700 of us are fine in the main ship — with no lines or crowds.

Very interesting, we do a yearly music charter called Rock and Romance which is 70’s music and it’s been on the summit last few years, I have autographed CDs and albums from BJ Thomas, America, Michael McDonald, Todd Rundgren, Rita Coolidge, many great conversations with them and many hung out in retreat lounge or did interviews there , next is March with Don McLean , Dave Mason and many many others . Agree butler does way more on yacht club , ours insisted he Cary our drinks from lounge to restaurant each night . Captain was super friendly had a couple of interesting conversations with him , we had taken a old MSc Melody many years ago and he was a officer on that.

[Dolebludger]

Yes, I think the demise of butler service is a big problem in the Retreat. Now, from this forum, I know that in a SS, one does not really get a butler, and the room attendants don’t really fill the gap. I mean, the mini fridge contents are not included, and you have to empty it yourself and grab beverages yourself to get in suite drinks included? That is far from lux service! And the problem, from the X web site, this may be true in CS and above. This matter is not made clear. So I am eager to read what the OPs have to say about service in a SS. From what I have read here, it may not be great — considering the price. I hope it is, but I hope we will see.

[hcat]

Any info about the gym, spa  or T pool..

all important areas for us?

 

Summit being M Class does not have a great thermal suite compared to S and even E Class.