Summit 10 day Western - any opinions either way about this o

[LisaK]

We are seriously looking into this cruise. Any feedback about the ship, ports etc would be appreciated. Thanks, LisaK

[PapaBill]

Summit is my favorate ship (out of 12). In September Summit will become the only ship we have ever sailed on twice. This is a beautiful ship, with every possible service and amenity.
Service is superb (number one rated for service in Conde Nast Traveller), food is excellent and facilities are great. Specialty restaurant may rival the best restaurants you have ever had a meal in.
We did the 11 day Caribbean not the 10 day so I can't comment specifically, but I can't imagine that 10 days on Summit would not make for a great cruise.

[Sid1962]

Lisa,

I agree with PapaBill about Summit. We just returned from the 10 day Southern cruise aboard her, and she is everything and more that PapaBill states.

Our favorite part of the ship was the thalassotherapy pool. Made even more interesting by the pitching and rolling of the ship the first 2 days at sea.....the water would slosh from one side to the other enhancing the bubbles that were already a part of it. It really was gentle pitches and rolls, but it was great ! Be sure to pose in front of the "Rubenesque" lady statue near the pool. You'll know what I mean when you see it. While we were there several women did, and it was a hoot !

Food is excellent. We did the Normandie, and I can say first hand that the chateaubriand is excellent ! I also learned more about cheese in 10 minutes than I even thought possible.

Please don't mistake my comments about the ship pitching and rolling as negatives. The first 2 days at sea were less calm than the rest of the trip. While the ship moved during this time, it was gentle, and she handled the seas well.

The art aboard is eclectic, and may not be to everyone's tastes, but we enjoyed it.

The theater is large and has good site lines. The a capella group "Over The Top" is fabulous. The pool bad, Volz, is OK...a little too mellow for my taste, but then it's a personal thing....

Looking at the Celebrity schedules, I think the Western cruise is 11, not 10 days in length. We've only been to Key West. Grand Caymen, and Cozumel in our travels. Each has it's own charm, and if you look at the Destination section of these boards, you'll find a host of comments on these and the other spots.

Botom line, I've already tentatively circled in this itinerary for next year if our plans for Mexico don't work out.

You cannot go wrong....enjoy !

Sid1962

Post Edited (06-03-04 12:21)

We did the Summit 10 day Southern this March & loved it. There were a few negs but they all relate to personal tastes. The ship itself is a dark in decor & does not give an open feel . The artwork did not appeal to us at all - It was a bit bizarre & over the top in some instances...There are also not too many spots to hang out in but we managed to find a few favorites like the aft area which had a great singer & great sunsets, & the Cova Coffee Milano--for before & after dinner--nice harpist there. We really liked Volz , the party band & enjoyed them poolside & in the club. The T- pool & Aquaspa cafe were excellent & we used many spa services including the Persian Gardens (special sauna rooms) The ship was clean, great service, friendly staff & we found the food pretty good (sometimes skimpy but you could ask for more) Esp enjoyed the casual dining --full menu, great service but very quiet. Enjoyed the Normandie but it was too much food & too long for a meal--we are not big diners! It was a nice experience though which should tried at least once. ( I think We had the rack of lamb) The caribbean night party & buffet was really alot of fun! We had a great time--nice group of travellers on board..& of course the itinerary was terrific. Every day was special. I would definitely rec. Summit even with our disappointment in the decor of the ship. We are trying Constellation next--same layout but hopefully the colors are brighter! Hope you have a great cruise....

We have done both the 10 and 11 day cruise on Summit, our favorite ship! We love the way Celebrity does things, we are retired (60 yrs old)and think that the Summit is wonderful. Staff and service was the best. We have sailed Summit 3 times and look forward to do it again. Aruba was new for us and it is a beautiful place. Definitely take a tour to see the whole island, so different from the north shore to the south shore, and the people there are genuinely friendly. If you have any direct questions just ask, will be happy to give you any answers.

Jeanne

[Lou]

Please elaborate on the pool being "bad".

We did not experience the pool being bad--in fact it was great--both outdoor s& the aquaspa one. It does roll with waves a bit but that only adds to the charm.. Both were very clean! I always get there early & enjoy the peace & quiet & then leave when the crowds come. You get the freshest water & sometimes have it all to yourself.

I think that Sid 1962 should have read; the pool band, not the pool bad. We thought the pool band, Voltz was very good and enjoyed the different types of music they played. Different strokes for different folks.... Pool is nice, hot tubs are great but the T-pool is the best! Great stress reducer after a long day of touring.

[Sid1962]

..OOOOOPS...

Yes, I should have said pool band, not bad.......sorry for any confusion. And as has been mentioned above, it's a personal thing...they (Volz) had some really good numbers, but I was hoping for some steel drum music which I didn't hear...again, no big thing, just an observation.....peaking of music, there was a 2 person combo that played in the RendesVous Lounge just outside the lower dining room who were excellent - as were the people who danced to thier music...on a humerous note, when the lead sang "Moon River", it came out "Moon Reeever" ....made for some smiles....we were once again impressed by the skill levels of some dancers from swing to latin dances.....just wonderful to watch.....

[Cruz Crazy]

I went on the Summit for the first time last December on the 10-night Ultimate Southern Carib and it was the best Caribbean cruise we had been on (being on RCL's Caribbean cruises several times before).

I told my hubby that whenever we do the Eastern or Western Caribbean it will be on the Summit. The 10-nights are perfect and 11-nights even better.

We are doing the 13-night Canada/New England on the Constellation in October out of NYC and then the Millenium for a 7-night Eastern Carib in Jan 05 (booked this one only because I got a great price and my other cruise mates can only do a 7-day cruise). I'm excited to be on the sister ships of the Summit.

I'm trying to get some die-hard RCL fans to go on the 10-night Summit Eastern Carib with me for next December. I could do that cruise every year and never get bored.

Have a great cruise, you'll love it.

Sid--my husb also wanted more reggae music but overall there were alot of music choices on board. The one man keyboard player at the aft bar was really great! I remember being disappointed on our W. carib cruise that there were no mariachi bands. Guess we have to take a Mex Riviera for that! All in All our Summit 10 day was excellent & hope our next trip on the Constallation is as enjoyable! Does anyone have a comparison of the two ships. We are headed to New Eng & Canada in Sept.

[Cruz Crazy]

I, too, would like a comparison of the Summit vs Constellation.

Going on the Connie in October Canada/New England. Can't wait.

The Summit is awesome. The decor is classy not glitzy. It reminds one of the grand days of cruiseing. The art is unusual, fun to look at. Good food, choices and great service. The pool gets crowded but we found plenty of places to enjoy the sun. We are sailing her again in Feb. just cannot wait.