A great ship, well-run and operated. Nice size with 2400 passengers and 1000 crew. Overall, well laid-out except for the Waterfall cafe, which has a few shortcomings. You can't go wrong with the Summit.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
The food was exceptionally fine. My wife said the beef was the best she'd ever had anywhere. The specialty dining restaurant (The Normandie) where we ate one night, was exceptional. When we arrived onboard hungry late one night after a shore excursion, the pasta bar (where dishes are prepared to order for you) was outstanding, making us happy that we hadn't gotten to eat on Hamilton's waterfront.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
Great acts with much young, gifted talent on display. Something every night and all around the ship at every waking hour. The Paradise String Quartet was one of the most popular acts at some of the "watering holes".
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Service personnel were generally top notch but we did experience a number of occasions where one of the wait staff would, in pursuit of his duties, cut in front of a guest without so much as an "excuse me". Assigned attendants (stateroom, dining room table) were outstanding. The suite comes with a butler, who was truly a gem.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
Great overall. Clean, well decorated and well laid-out except for The Waterfall Cafe, where access pretty much requires queueing up for almost anything (vs. the random access approach being used on many ships these days). Hopefully, this will be changed during next year's refurb of the ship.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
Our stateroom was fantastic--but we had a suite which was offered as a special at a nominal premium to the Balcony class. (It will be hard to return to regular size rooms on future cruises.)
Beaches, if you like them. Horseshoe Beach is nice but ask around about which is best. We did "power snorkeling" using an Aqua Scooter, which was new and fun, although the water tends to be a bit murky for good vis. Skip Harbor Night (Wed.) in Hamilton but if you do it, just purchase a public transportation pass ($12 for a whole day will take you anywhere on land and water) and avoid the $27 "Shore Excursion" shipboard price for a ferry ride. Definitely NOT worth it!!
Recommend you book your shore excursions on shore and save a bundle. Anything the ship sells can be purchased ashore at a bargain price (by comparison). For $38 each, we got a van tour of the city mansions and hotspots and a self-guided (but excellent, using the digital audio device) tour of the Breakers--aka The Vanderbilt Mansion.
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