Celebrity Cruises Celebrity Summit

Cruise Review

September 13, 2011 By Anonymous 6 Comments (add your own)

This review is organized into 47 pages

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Cabins

Introduction

Unveiled in 2001, the 1,950-passenger Celebrity Summit is one of Celebrity’s four Millennium Class ships — once the pride of the line’s fleet but in recent years at least partially eclipsed by the newer, bigger Solstice Class. Like its three sisters — Celebrity Millennium (2000), Celebrity Infinity (2001) and Celebrity Constellation (2002) — it offers a relatively sleek and contemporary decor that, alas, is beginning to show its age in areas. That said, the ship is slated for a major overhaul in 2012 that will bring several new restaurants and other new features that first debuted on Solstice Class vessels as well as refurbished rooms and the addition of balconies on some suites.

The Summit offers one large, two-level main dining room, called the Cosmopolitan, that passengers can either visit during two traditional fixed seatings or on a more flexible basis using what the line calls its Celebrity Select plan. The ship also is home to La Normandie, an elegant restaurant that features historical, Art Deco decor that was salvaged out of the famed ocean liner, the SS Normandie. Other features of the ship include a number of lounges, bars, a theater, a casino, a large spa with a thalassotherapy pool, and deck-top areas with pools, hot tubs and other features.

Editor’s Note: In December 2011 Celebrity Summit received a major overhaul that substantially changed some of the ship’s features. Notably, cabins received a facelift and restaurants were added. For a review of another Millennium Class ship that was “solsticized” see our take on Celebrity Infinity, post-remodel.

Gene's Opinion on the Celebrity Summit

Significantly smaller than Celebrity Cruises’ new Solstice Class ships, the Celebrity Summit (like its three Millennium Class sisters) is a relatively quiet vessel that will appeal most to couples and retirees looking for a less bustling experience than one will find on some other major lines. The decor is tastefully stylish (or at least it was when the vessel first debuted in 2001), and the entertainment skews to the classy side (a performance by a harpist or a string trio, for instance). There also are a wide range of enrichment programs on board such as wine tastings, history and art lectures, and cooking classes — all the sorts of things that someone who likes a little learning in addition to pool time on vacation will like.

While Celebrity Summit draws a fair number of families during holiday periods, it wouldn’t be my first choice for a family cruise as the ship lacks many of the child-pleasing activities found on the bigger ships of such lines as Royal Caribbean, Norwegian and Carnival (not to mention the Disney Cruise Line). My own children came away disappointed from a relatively recent cruise on the Celebrity Millennium (a Summit sister), declaring the children’s program somewhat of a dud compared to those on some rival lines.

One often-overlooked but critically important feature of the Celebrity Summit, given the northerly itineraries it has been running in recent years (including voyages from New York to Bermuda, Canada and New England), is its glass-enclosed pool area called the Aquaspa. It’s something that can come in handy for any ship sailing outside of the Caribbean and other destinations where reliably warm, sunny skies shining down on open-air pool decks are the norm.

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This review is organized into 8 sections
Section 1 Cabins There are nine different cabin types to choose from on the Summit, ranging from a tiny 170 square foot inside cabin to huge suites with equally large balconies. You’ll pay accordingly. Read More...	Section 2 Dining The Summit had five restaurants during our voyage, although an upgrade in late 2011 brought some additional options. Read More...	Section 3 Pools & Decks Have you ever wanted to try thalassotherapy? Here’s your chance to do it for free. Read More...
Section 4 Recreation The fitness center is small, but offers plenty of classes. Read More...	Section 5 Nightlife & Shows There’s a new show to see every night of the voyage, but the bars on decks four and five have strange operating hours. Read More...	Section 6 Service & Staff The staff was pleasant and accommodating to our needs. Most of the staff work in different areas of the ship throughout the voyage, so you may run into the same people in different venues. Read More...
Section 7 Conclusion Read our final conclusion of the Celebrity Cruises Celebrity Summit. Read More...	Section 8 Comments Read what people are saying about the Celebrity Cruises Celebrity Summit. Add your comments...