We were on the Summit, Aqua Class, 14-21 March 2024, absolutely loved it. The spa, solarium, Persion Garden are amazing. Blu is fine, not fantastic but better than the Oceanview Cafe food. We would eat breakfast at the Oceanview Cafe and get the made to order eggs, very good.
We had the pleasure of sailing on the Summit in a Royal Suite; the crew, food and drink were outstanding! We we're spoiled by the best bartender on the ship in the Retreat lounge; the guy was EXCEPTIONAL! Shout out to Jiss; mixologist extrordinaire! Captain Nick clearly has the respect of his crew and it shows from the moment you embark. Summit is a great ship to relax and unwind. Thanks for your review, Tom.
You are most welcome! I am glad you enjoyed the video and your sailing on the Summit! The Royal suite sounds amazing. I heard the Retreat always has the best bartenders. How was Luminae!? Did you enjoy the food?
@@tomsunday Luminae was very good and a couple meals were great, but the service was high end for sure. Little things like the Maitre D having the staff submit breakfast tickets 20 minutes before they open so they could "wake the kitchen up" are real difference makers. We got a "buy one, get one" deal for our cruise so we splurged. The priority embarking, disembarking is a HUGE plus too.
@fadedlogic1 thank you for your feedback. This is great to hear. One of these days, I have to try Retreat. I'm really looking forward to making those reviews and comparisons. I appreciate your thoughts. Thank you.
Thanks Tom, we just cruised on the Summit to the ABC islands for 10 nights and we loved the ship. We very much enjoyed your video. We had a balcony cabin on deck 9. We loved the crew and the warm pools. We just subscribed to your channel. We also loved that parts of the Ocean View Cafe were open all of the time. I wish Royal Caribean did that too. We had any time dining at the Cosmopolitan and we never had to wait for a table. We really did love just about everything on the ship. It was our first Celebrity cruise. We have been sailing on Royal until this cruise. Good luck with your channel Tom!!
Thanks you so much for your kind words! This comment made my day. I am really glad you enjoyed my review. Oceanview cafe has really good hours. They even have ice-cream from lunch until 11 pm! It's great to hear that you enjoyed your first Celebrity cruise! Now you have to try one of the Edge class ships. They are my favorite. Welcome to our community and thank you for subscribing. If you have any questions, I am at your service. Cheers!
Hey Tom I heard you mention this, and made me curious. Do you think you could do video(es) on cruising kids and families? Run the spectrum of things to do with kids, things that kids won't like (maybe at general different age groups).... And those people that don't have kids, and prefer it. Are there activities to keep in mind, or stay away from? What about specific cruise lines/ships? And insights for young families, teens, and college-age? Keep up the work, always insightful
Don't do it because of me, @@tomsunday . But food for another video(es). Certainly a gamet to run depending on what you are looking for. At least for me I know there are Cruise lines catered for families; but the charge thru the nose.... ::cough:: Mouse ::cough::
We were on the Summit to Alaska, Aqua Class 11th floor, the last week of July. The.food was wonderful. We were very impressed with the buffet and Blue. We spent a lot of time in the Solarium. The ship needs some sprucing up - pool in the Solarium, rust on the railings, etc. The rooms in Aqua Class were nice. The size of the room and the bathroom was larger than other cruises we have been on. We were disappointed with the size of the balcony. Just enough room for 2 chairs. We were also very disappointed with the entertainment in the theater. Same 4 people singing for most of the shows. They were very good singers, but we were totally unfamiliar with the songs except for 1 night. Over all it was a nice trip, but not great!
Well done as usual Tom. I agree with the crew rating they are hard working wonderful people i've always given them rave reviews after every cruise. We set sail from Boston next week on the Summit. First time on a refurbished Celebrity ship. Looking forward to it. Safe travels !!!!!
Thank you for your kind words, Joe! I am glad you enjoyed the video. I hope you have a great cruise on the Celebrity Summit! Let me know your thoughts once you return. Cheers!
Hey Tom. Thanks for this well thought out review. Some folks say the upgraded restaurants are not worth it because the buffet/main dining room is good. Others say the included options are really bad. I see a bad review below. For first time cruisers it seems like the reviews are inconsistent. We are traveling to Alaska on Summit and really are unsure what to expect. Is the food bad or good? Is it crowded? So crowded that we won’t be able to use the pool/hot tub? Is the tipping package really mean you don’t have to tip? What about prime room Locations for this vessel? Away from noise, etc? Any more tips for first timers ? Whew, I guess that’s a lot :)
Hi Alex! I am glad you enjoyed the video. I have a whole playlist on the Summit (link below). It includes a walking tour, food reviews, room tour and a few other important videos. Please check them out when you have time. I will help answer whatever questions are still remaining. I know it can be overwhelming for first timers. I got you covered. Just comment your questions in any of those videos and Ill help answer them. New comment notifications on any video go directly to my phone. To answer your questions from above: 1. Specialty restaurants are most definitely worth it (check out my dining guide) 2. Buffet and Main dining room are satisfactory but will fall short if you are a foodie (I have videos showcasing both MDR and Buffet). In short the free options on the Summit are a few notches below any paid options. 3. It does get crowded on sea days but it all depends on how full the ship is. You should be able to use the pool and the hot tubs in most cases. However mid afternoon on a sea day will be packed. (check out my walking tour). 4. If you pre pay for tips, then you dont have to tip anyone. You can give a little extra to your room attendant and whoever else goes above and beyond. However, no other tips are expected. 5. You should stay away from any room on deck 9. They are all below public areas of the ship. (check out my "beware" video in the playlist). Generally you want to pick a room that is surrounded by other rooms in every direction. Stay away from rooms that are near public areas and crew areas of the ship. If you pick a room that is surrounded by other rooms, you have the best chance to have a quite room. Here is the link to the Summit playlist. I hope this helps and welcome to cruising! ruclips.net/p/PLAMELD7KEuK618ORpFqGxen39eQu_gwi1&si=pnpXKzTDCvqU64KZ
Just got off the Summit for an Alaskan Cruise. It was my family's first celebrity cruise, and we loved it! Although a bit dated the refurbishment helped a lot, but it still had a lot of charm. My only complaint was that we were never notified that Blu was our MDR and that we could choose between Blu and Cosmopolitan menu until day 4 or 5. The food was also a bit fancier than our expectations, so we ate at the buffet a few more times than normal compared to our sailings on Royal. Overall it was a good size, and I would check out Celebrity again.
We were on the Summit fall of 2021 so far our favorite Ship. On again in April this year looking forward to it. No kid issues on ours there was only one 😂😂😂 Dont have any shower issues im 5ft nothing.
Think you find Celebrity Millennium is the oldest Celebrity ship that entered service in June 2000, Infinity entered service in March 2001, Summit entered service in October 2001, and Constellation in May 2002.
It seems that with the number of itinerary/port changes by the mainstream cruise lines, for reasons other than weather, should be a warning to those looking to make a non-refundable deposit. Shifting of ships and itineraries is occuring all too often now because the cruise lines are trying to cut their expenses which leaves many disappointed when they miss a key port. So, not only do you lose the deposit but a port visit. I say delay delay delay until the cruise lines get their act together, if ever.
That is why I will start sailing on Oceania...They don't pull these stunts...Cruise lines don't care if they ruined your vacation and can't change it due to work obligations...I am retired, But my wife works in the Pennsylvania Courts as a deputy, and she can't just get up and go whenever she feels like it...luckily we did our 9 day Med cruise on the Reflection....
Agree that the mainstream cruise lines are only interested in cash flow in hopes that posture will keep them afloat, which is very uncertain considering their accumulated debt.
Just got news that they canceled a whole sailing on the Ascent in 2025. Apparently, there was a big group trying to book. To accommodate them, Celebrity canceled a lot of single cabins. Lots of people are quite upset about this.
@@tomsunday This is a Major issue with every single MAIN STREAM Cruise line..which is a reason I just might choose another cruise line...some great things happened on this cruise for me...BUT, TOO many bad things and Royal is popping up here and there on Celebrity ships. My class of cruising: Main Stream Premium which still includes Celebrity... Deluxe like Oceania and Azamara And luxury like Silversea, Seabourn and Crystal.. Celebrity is the Veranda with a partial view and the luxury the Suites if you will. You don't see Oceania or the other luxlines doing this...absolutely HORRIBLE...Imagine waiting a year or two only to be told NO after you got your vacation set at work.and can't change it.
It depends on which cabin you are sailing in. If you are sailing in a sunset veranda, layout is very similar. Generally speaking all of the M class ships have the same room layouts.
Thanks @@tomsunday ... my mistake, I didn't mean room layout, what I wanted to know is if the deck plans are the same on Constellation and Summit. ie: are cabin #s in the same place.
We were on the Summit in January. It was overbooked so busy, not very clean, old and even the service wasn't good. Not celebrity worthy. We now booked an Azamara cruise
We just completed 10 days cruise from Arub with Celebrity Summit. The Main dining room is total disappointment and they use low quality ingredients and low-quality foods for their customers. Main dining room Coffee and the powder Creamer, * one star, just lack of taste and lack of aroma, they taste so bad
Shrimp scampi dish is a joke, 1 star * they put four baby shrimps on top of the yellow sauce, they all them shrimp scampi, need to learn the real scampi receipt, Prime rib and sirloin steak *** three stars, they just served them as cafeteria style standard Watery Pasta fagioli soup * one star, it tasted is so bad, they should use diced potatoes, not potato starch, need to get to use real potato, need improvement with for the new receipt. Watery green pea soup , taste so bad, they use green pea powder for soup base, need to use real green peas for soup base. Need improvement with for the new receipt. Shrimp cocktail ** two stars, they use Baby shrimp as shrimp cocktail Chicken breast * one star overcooked. Toast chicken * one star overcooked Lemon pepper chicken * one star overcooked Seafood orzo * one start cook with baby mussels with no meat, baby shrimp and scallop, need to be improved. Sautéed salmon grill salmon * one start on top of pasta, * one star, need to learn sautéed receipt, not just grill the salmon and put it on top of pasta, need to lean understand Sauteed the Salmon, need to be improved. Mushroom tempura, they breaded the mushrooms with sauce. it is not crispy tempura style fry mushrooms. Grill sirloin steak with gravity, need to be improved.
We are on the Summit now. We are very disappointed in the food. The MDR is mediocre at best. The buffet is horrible. We've been eating burgers and fries. The activities are pretty much the same every day. The entertainment has been good. Just not our cup of tea.
I am sorry to hear that Celebrity is letting you down, Joseph. They are cutting food quality across all of their ships. Specifically in the MDR and Buffet. You said it well. It's mediocre at best. I covered Celebrity President talking about it in my latest video. She seems very disconnected from the community. This friday I will be releasing a video that will showcase the new MDR menus they plan to roll out across all of their ships. I really hope you have a good rest of your cruise. Noone should be disappointed on their vacation.
Not when it was new. The refurbs have brought in so much beige. That seems to be the "in" color now. Lots of beige, grays and other neutrals. The original Summit had vibrant colors. If you can, find the original Rendezvous Lounge, Dining room and casino vs. the refurbs. IMO, the Edge ships have a lot of gray and beige in them however they're a bit more adventurous in the restaurants. I think trying to make the ships more like Edge downgraded some of their public spaces.
We are on the Summit right now. This is our first cruise with Celebrity. We agree completely with your review.
I hope you are enjoying your trip, Edward! If you have any questions, please let me know. Are you sailing to Bermuda!?
Agreed - review is spot on
I was on the Summit last week. I really enjoyed it. It gave me a classic cruise feel.
I am glad you enjoyed your trip!
We were on the Summit, Aqua Class, 14-21 March 2024, absolutely loved it. The spa, solarium, Persion Garden are amazing. Blu is fine, not fantastic but better than the Oceanview Cafe food. We would eat breakfast at the Oceanview Cafe and get the made to order eggs, very good.
We had the pleasure of sailing on the Summit in a Royal Suite; the crew, food and drink were outstanding! We we're spoiled by the best bartender on the ship in the Retreat lounge; the guy was EXCEPTIONAL! Shout out to Jiss; mixologist extrordinaire! Captain Nick clearly has the respect of his crew and it shows from the moment you embark. Summit is a great ship to relax and unwind. Thanks for your review, Tom.
You are most welcome! I am glad you enjoyed the video and your sailing on the Summit! The Royal suite sounds amazing. I heard the Retreat always has the best bartenders. How was Luminae!? Did you enjoy the food?
@@tomsunday Luminae was very good and a couple meals were great, but the service was high end for sure. Little things like the Maitre D having the staff submit breakfast tickets 20 minutes before they open so they could "wake the kitchen up" are real difference makers. We got a "buy one, get one" deal for our cruise so we splurged. The priority embarking, disembarking is a HUGE plus too.
@fadedlogic1 thank you for your feedback. This is great to hear. One of these days, I have to try Retreat. I'm really looking forward to making those reviews and comparisons. I appreciate your thoughts. Thank you.
What happened to the lounge chairs
Thanks Tom, we just cruised on the Summit to the ABC islands for 10 nights and we loved the ship. We very much enjoyed your video. We had a balcony cabin on deck 9. We loved the crew and the warm pools. We just subscribed to your channel. We also loved that parts of the Ocean View Cafe were open all of the time. I wish Royal Caribean did that too. We had any time dining at the Cosmopolitan and we never had to wait for a table. We really did love just about everything on the ship. It was our first Celebrity cruise. We have been sailing on Royal until this cruise. Good luck with your channel Tom!!
Thanks you so much for your kind words! This comment made my day. I am really glad you enjoyed my review. Oceanview cafe has really good hours. They even have ice-cream from lunch until 11 pm!
It's great to hear that you enjoyed your first Celebrity cruise! Now you have to try one of the Edge class ships. They are my favorite. Welcome to our community and thank you for subscribing. If you have any questions, I am at your service. Cheers!
I have a sailing planned for it in December to the carribean. Glad to hear you enjoyed your stay! Cant wait to get onboard!
I hope you enjoy your cruise in December! If you have any questions, I'm here to help!
Great review!
Thank you! I am glad you enjoyed the video.
Thanks Tom, we enjoyed Summit earlier this year. Good video!
You are most welcome, Steven! I am glad you enjoyed the video. Cheers!
Hey Tom I heard you mention this, and made me curious. Do you think you could do video(es) on cruising kids and families? Run the spectrum of things to do with kids, things that kids won't like (maybe at general different age groups).... And those people that don't have kids, and prefer it. Are there activities to keep in mind, or stay away from? What about specific cruise lines/ships? And insights for young families, teens, and college-age?
Keep up the work, always insightful
Hey Red! Thanks for your comment and ideas! I will take this into account when making the next set of videos. Thank you!
Don't do it because of me, @@tomsunday . But food for another video(es). Certainly a gamet to run depending on what you are looking for. At least for me I know there are Cruise lines catered for families; but the charge thru the nose.... ::cough:: Mouse ::cough::
We were on the Summit to Alaska, Aqua Class 11th floor, the last week of July. The.food was wonderful. We were very impressed with the buffet and Blue. We spent a lot of time in the Solarium. The ship needs some sprucing up - pool in the Solarium, rust on the railings, etc. The rooms in Aqua Class were nice. The size of the room and the bathroom was larger than other cruises we have been on. We were disappointed with the size of the balcony. Just enough room for 2 chairs. We were also very disappointed with the entertainment in the theater. Same 4 people singing for most of the shows. They were very good singers, but we were totally unfamiliar with the songs except for 1 night. Over all it was a nice trip, but not great!
Well done as usual Tom. I agree with the crew rating they are hard working wonderful people i've always given them rave reviews after every cruise. We set sail from Boston next week on the Summit. First time on a refurbished Celebrity ship. Looking forward to it. Safe travels !!!!!
Thank you for your kind words, Joe! I am glad you enjoyed the video. I hope you have a great cruise on the Celebrity Summit! Let me know your thoughts once you return. Cheers!
@@tomsunday will do Tom I’ll post it right here, cheers
Hey Tom. Thanks for this well thought out review. Some folks say the upgraded restaurants are not worth it because the buffet/main dining room is good. Others say the included options are really bad. I see a bad review below. For first time cruisers it seems like the reviews are inconsistent. We are traveling to Alaska on Summit and really are unsure what to expect. Is the food bad or good? Is it crowded? So crowded that we won’t be able to use the pool/hot tub? Is the tipping package really mean you don’t have to tip? What about prime room
Locations for this vessel? Away from noise, etc? Any more tips for first timers ? Whew, I guess that’s a lot :)
Hi Alex! I am glad you enjoyed the video. I have a whole playlist on the Summit (link below). It includes a walking tour, food reviews, room tour and a few other important videos. Please check them out when you have time. I will help answer whatever questions are still remaining. I know it can be overwhelming for first timers. I got you covered. Just comment your questions in any of those videos and Ill help answer them. New comment notifications on any video go directly to my phone.
To answer your questions from above:
1. Specialty restaurants are most definitely worth it (check out my dining guide)
2. Buffet and Main dining room are satisfactory but will fall short if you are a foodie (I have videos showcasing both MDR and Buffet). In short the free options on the Summit are a few notches below any paid options.
3. It does get crowded on sea days but it all depends on how full the ship is. You should be able to use the pool and the hot tubs in most cases. However mid afternoon on a sea day will be packed. (check out my walking tour).
4. If you pre pay for tips, then you dont have to tip anyone. You can give a little extra to your room attendant and whoever else goes above and beyond. However, no other tips are expected.
5. You should stay away from any room on deck 9. They are all below public areas of the ship. (check out my "beware" video in the playlist). Generally you want to pick a room that is surrounded by other rooms in every direction. Stay away from rooms that are near public areas and crew areas of the ship. If you pick a room that is surrounded by other rooms, you have the best chance to have a quite room.
Here is the link to the Summit playlist. I hope this helps and welcome to cruising! ruclips.net/p/PLAMELD7KEuK618ORpFqGxen39eQu_gwi1&si=pnpXKzTDCvqU64KZ
Big thanks, Tom
You are most welcome! I am glad you enjoyed the video.
Just got off the Summit for an Alaskan Cruise. It was my family's first celebrity cruise, and we loved it! Although a bit dated the refurbishment helped a lot, but it still had a lot of charm. My only complaint was that we were never notified that Blu was our MDR and that we could choose between Blu and Cosmopolitan menu until day 4 or 5. The food was also a bit fancier than our expectations, so we ate at the buffet a few more times than normal compared to our sailings on Royal. Overall it was a good size, and I would check out Celebrity again.
I am glad you enjoyed your cruise!
We were on the Summit fall of 2021 so far our favorite Ship. On again in April this year looking forward to it.
No kid issues on ours there was only one 😂😂😂 Dont have any shower issues im 5ft nothing.
I am glad you enjoyed your trip in 2021 and I hope you have a fantastic cruise this April!
Think you find Celebrity Millennium is the oldest Celebrity ship that entered service in June 2000, Infinity entered service in March 2001, Summit entered service in October 2001, and Constellation in May 2002.
Hey tom..I voice mailed final observations and asked you a couple of questions..
Thank you, Mark. I am on the road this weekend and will be home later today. I will respond once i get in! Looking forward to it.
It seems that with the number of itinerary/port changes by the mainstream cruise lines, for reasons other than weather, should be a warning to those looking to make a non-refundable deposit. Shifting of ships and itineraries is occuring all too often now because the cruise lines are trying to cut their expenses which leaves many disappointed when they miss a key port. So, not only do you lose the deposit but a port visit. I say delay delay delay until the cruise lines get their act together, if ever.
That is why I will start sailing on Oceania...They don't pull these stunts...Cruise lines don't care if they ruined your vacation and can't change it due to work obligations...I am retired, But my wife works in the Pennsylvania Courts as a deputy, and she can't just get up and go whenever she feels like it...luckily we did our 9 day Med cruise on the Reflection....
Agree that the mainstream cruise lines are only interested in cash flow in hopes that posture will keep them afloat, which is very uncertain considering their accumulated debt.
Just got news that they canceled a whole sailing on the Ascent in 2025. Apparently, there was a big group trying to book. To accommodate them, Celebrity canceled a lot of single cabins. Lots of people are quite upset about this.
@@tomsunday This is a Major issue with every single MAIN STREAM Cruise line..which is a reason I just might choose another cruise line...some great things happened on this cruise for me...BUT, TOO many bad things and Royal is popping up here and there on Celebrity ships.
My class of cruising:
Main Stream
Premium which still includes Celebrity...
Deluxe like Oceania and Azamara
And luxury like Silversea, Seabourn and Crystal..
Celebrity is the Veranda with a partial
view and the luxury the Suites if you will.
You don't see Oceania or the other luxlines doing this...absolutely HORRIBLE...Imagine waiting a year or two only to be told NO after you got your vacation set at work.and can't change it.
@@butalina well said, Mark!
When did you sail? As you know, there have been menu and quality downgrades since Spring 2023.
We were on the Summit the week of July 4th. I was pleasantly surprised. Maybe all of the cuts did not make their way onto this ship yet.
Is cabin layout identical on Constellation and Summit?
It depends on which cabin you are sailing in. If you are sailing in a sunset veranda, layout is very similar. Generally speaking all of the M class ships have the same room layouts.
Thanks @@tomsunday ... my mistake, I didn't mean room layout, what I wanted to know is if the deck plans are the same on Constellation and Summit. ie: are cabin #s in the same place.
We were on the Summit in January. It was overbooked so busy, not very clean, old and even the service wasn't good. Not celebrity worthy. We now booked an Azamara cruise
I am sorry to hear about your experience on the Summit. I would love to hear about your trip with Azamara!
How was this ship
It was a great ship, Mike! I was pleasantly surprised.
@@tomsunday Is it better than royal and carnival
We just completed 10 days cruise from Arub with Celebrity Summit. The Main dining room is total disappointment and they use low quality ingredients and low-quality foods for their customers.
Main dining room
Coffee and the powder Creamer, * one star, just lack of taste and lack of aroma, they taste so bad
Shrimp scampi dish is a joke, 1 star * they put four baby shrimps on top of the yellow sauce, they all them shrimp scampi, need to learn the real scampi receipt,
Prime rib and sirloin steak *** three stars, they just served them as cafeteria style standard
Watery Pasta fagioli soup * one star, it tasted is so bad, they should use diced potatoes, not potato starch, need to get to use real potato, need improvement with for the new receipt.
Watery green pea soup , taste so bad, they use green pea powder for soup base, need to use real green peas for soup base. Need improvement with for the new receipt.
Shrimp cocktail ** two stars, they use Baby shrimp as shrimp cocktail
Chicken breast * one star overcooked.
Toast chicken * one star overcooked
Lemon pepper chicken * one star overcooked
Seafood orzo * one start cook with baby mussels with no meat, baby shrimp and scallop, need to be improved.
Sautéed salmon grill salmon * one start on top of pasta, * one star, need to learn sautéed receipt, not just grill the salmon and put it on top of pasta, need to lean understand Sauteed the Salmon,
need to be improved.
Mushroom tempura, they breaded the mushrooms with sauce. it is not crispy tempura style fry mushrooms.
Grill sirloin steak with gravity, need to be improved.
Thank you so much for sahring your feedback! This is extremely helpful to everyone considering booking their cruises with Celebrity.
We are on the Summit now. We are very disappointed in the food. The MDR is mediocre at best. The buffet is horrible. We've been eating burgers and fries. The activities are pretty much the same every day. The entertainment has been good. Just not our cup of tea.
I am sorry to hear that Celebrity is letting you down, Joseph. They are cutting food quality across all of their ships. Specifically in the MDR and Buffet. You said it well. It's mediocre at best. I covered Celebrity President talking about it in my latest video. She seems very disconnected from the community. This friday I will be releasing a video that will showcase the new MDR menus they plan to roll out across all of their ships. I really hope you have a good rest of your cruise. Noone should be disappointed on their vacation.
A lot of beige…
😅 beige and white everywhere!
Not when it was new. The refurbs have brought in so much beige. That seems to be the "in" color now. Lots of beige, grays and other neutrals. The original Summit had vibrant colors. If you can, find the original Rendezvous Lounge, Dining room and casino vs. the refurbs. IMO, the Edge ships have a lot of gray and beige in them however they're a bit more adventurous in the restaurants. I think trying to make the ships more like Edge downgraded some of their public spaces.