While Heidi and I tend to sail on newer mega-ships, we decided to do something different this holiday season. We took the family to Puerto Rico for a Southern Caribbean cruise on the 24-year-old Celebrity Summit. How did this older, smaller vessel compare to the likes of her big sisters, Celebrity Beyond and Celebrity Ascent? Well, we are back and share our honest feedback in this Celebrity Summit ship review.

Our Honest Celebrity Summit Ship Review

Casual Dining

Given Celebrity Summit is a ship holding just slightly over 2,200 guests at double occupancy, there are only a few options when it comes to casual dining. The Oceanview Café, the ship’s buffet, was open most of the day for breakfast, lunch, snacks, and dinner. Thankfully, the Oceanview Café held up when compared to other ships in the Celebrity fleet.

This buffet included various hot and cold breakfast selections, several custom omelet stations, and breakfast food from around the world.

For lunch and dinner, the buffet offered some standard stations, including Mexican and Asian favorites. In addition to other options like a custom salad bar, sandwiches, and a pasta station, there were also themed Chef’s Selections. Something new was offered each day, like Caribbean specialties or American classics.

On the last day of our cruise (the only sea day), the buffet featured an extravagant lunch, complete with a shrimp cocktail station and chocolate fondue tower.

The Oceanview Cafe also had a pizza corner at the very back. This was open into the late evenings for those needing a snack before bed. While not the best pizza at sea, it was still better than sister brand Royal Caribbean’s Sorrento’s pizza.

In addition, the Pool Grill is outside on the pool deck. This quick service counter offers hamburgers and hot dogs from about noon to 6 PM every day. The burgers here don’t stack up to the freshly prepared offerings on Carnival or Holland America, but I do have to say that the one burger I tried was better than what you typically get on a Celebrity Cruises’ ship.

In the Solarium on Celebrity Summit, there’s the Spa Café as well. This healthier, grab-and-go alternative offered small plates for breakfast and lunch. The selections here ranged from muffins in the morning to small plates of pre-made salads and light bites for lunch. This venue also features juices and smoothies, yet they were often out of ingredients to make them.

One of our favorite spots on any Celebrity Cruises’ ship is the coffee shop, Café al Bacio. Located on Deck 5 midship on Celebrity Summit, we frequented Café al Bacio several times daily. Along with serving specialty coffee that’s included in the cruise line’s drink packages, Café al Bacio offers breakfast bakery items and small pastries throughout the day like cookies and slices of cake.

However, unlike Princess Cruises or Royal Caribbean, Cafe al Bacio does not have a large selection of food items like sandwiches.

While there were fewer dining venues on Celebrity Summit than most modern mega-ships, we never went hungry. The food quality and selections were similar to newer ships in the Celebrity Cruises’ fleet, and we always think this cruise line has one of the best buffets at sea. Still, the Oceanview Café did get busy at certain times, so finding a seat did take some work.

Pool Deck

One place Celebrity Summit showed her age was the pool deck. While many public venues did receive extensive revitalization in 2019, it did not appear that the outdoor decks got many updates.

The main pool area is midship on Deck 10. Yet, it felt rather closed off with two smaller pools and four whirlpools raised slightly above the pool deck. Of course, we are used to the expansive and elegant Resort Pool on the Edge Class ships.

Given this seven-night cruise included five ports, we didn’t spend much time on the pool deck. On the only sea day, we had no issues finding loungers on Deck 11 next to the Mast Bar and our nephew enjoyed some pool time. When walking through the pool area at other times, the space never seemed overly busy.

Celebrity is a premium cruise line, so one nice perk is that you don’t have to worry about towels. Plenty are available on the pool deck, and you don’t need to swipe your card to get one like on Royal Caribbean.

In addition to the main pools, the Solarium is forward on Deck 10. Again, its design felt less than rejuvenating. Further, only one side had loungers, as the starboard side contained tables with chairs for the nearby Spa Café.

Finally, aft on Deck 12 is the Rooftop Terrace. This area features an outdoor television showing movies and sporting events throughout the cruise. There’s also a variety of seating options for those looking to take in a flick or catch the game. However, given the itinerary, and the movie schedule, we never spent any time here.

Sports Deck

Celebrity Summit offers limited outdoor sports areas and amenities. Granted, Celebrity Cruises caters more to couples than families. We like to say Celebrity Cruises is family-friendly, not family-focused.

Still, the sports court aft on Deck 12 did offer both organized activities and free play. Popular sports included basketball and pickleball. Back on the pool deck, there were two ping pong tables and cornhole, which were available most of the day.

The ship’s fitness center is forward on Deck 10. We felt the gym was a good size for this ship. It housed plenty of cardio equipment, weight machines, and free weights. While there were Peloton bikes, they had signs saying, “out of order”. So, not sure if they were available for guests to use.

The Deck 11 sundeck doubled as the jogging track as well, with over nine laps equaling one mile. Just be careful, as only the center section of the track makes a complete loop. The jogging track on the aft portion has dead ends.

Given that we were off the ship most of the day, the limited outdoor sports facilities did not impact our trip.

Onboard Activities

Despite the port intensive itinerary, the cruise director Manuel and the activities staff hosted a variety of events in addition to other self-led activities.

For instance, each day, there were puzzles and adult coloring. Plus, board games and cards were available in the Sky Lounge or Rendezvous Lounge for those staying onboard.

There were daytime competitions and different trivia sessions, and there was even axe throwing one afternoon in the Grand Foyer. Note that no real axes were used in the competition.

There were also family-friendly game shows and karaoke sessions throughout the cruise, not to mention bingo sessions on several days. We couldn’t resist a round of Deal or No Deal, but sadly, no one in our party walked away with any prizes.

Though, given we were sailing over Christmas, we would have expected a few more holiday-themed events throughout the week. On Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, activities ranged from a family bazaar to a visit from Santa Claus and a Christmas-themed silent disco.

While Celebrity Summit did offer several of the usual cruise activities, we couldn’t help but feel like the onboard atmosphere wasn’t as fun and engaging as usual.

Nightlife

Being accustomed to the high-energy feeling and dynamic venues on the Edge Class, we were surprised at how subdued the nightlife was on Celebrity Summit.

We scheduled most dinners with Celebrity Select dining for around 6:15 PM. This gave us plenty of time for our typical routine of dinner, game show, main theater performance, and a nightcap and/or party.

The Rendezvous Lounge was the second entertainment space and home to a nightly game show at 8:15 PM. While these game shows were typical shows like True or False, Yes or No, and 60 Seconds or Less, they lacked enthusiasm and felt rushed. At times, it seemed the staff were simply going through the motions. The shows were nowhere near as engaging as they are on other cruise lines, like Princess Cruises.  

The musical acts on the cruise were pretty standard. They included a duo, a solo guitarist, and a couple of bands. These acts rotated through venues like Cellar Masters and the Rendezvous Lounge. Sometimes a band or DJ would also play near the Martini Bar on Deck 4. Overall, none of the acts were memorable though.

There were several parties too, like the Silent Disco and 80s party. Thanks to the cruise director, Manuel, these events were a bit more lively. Manuel was a great cruise director. He was everywhere on the ship, and he wasn’t shy about going all in to get a laugh.

Even the Martini Bar, the usual hub of activity on many Celebrity ships, did not have its typical vibrance.

Given we had some long days ashore, we were okay retiring earlier than usual in the evenings. But, if the itinerary were different, we may have been bored with the lack of livelihood on the ship.

Entertainment

Like most cruises, we attended several of the shows in the main theater. Over our seven nights, there were three production shows and four headliner acts.

Overall, the production shows were pretty average cruise revues with a cast of singers, dancers, and aerialists.

On night two, the production show Life was a mashup of very literal songs. Most songs had the name life or death in the title.  

On the last night, Soundtrack was a show advertised as “redefining movie music”. But the setlist included several pop songs with arrangements in the style of early 20th-century jazz. Plus, we are pretty sure not all songs were prominently featured in movies.

On Christmas night, the production cast put on a Holiday Spectacluar. The show featured a pretty typical setlist of Christmas songs that definitely got everyone into the holiday spirit.  

On the other nights, the headliner acts were run-of-the-mill.

We are pretty sure we’ve seen the Welcome Aboard comedian on another cruise. Her first-night set was enough for us, so we never made it to her adults-only show later in the week.

Additionally, there was Evolution Motown, a trio of singers that played predictable songs and Zak McAllister, a two-time gold medal juggler in the World Championships of Juggling.

Bars and Lounges

Celebrity Summit boasts nine bars and lounges, many of which offer signature cocktail menus.

Our go-to on any Celebrity ship is the Martini Bar. While the drinks here were the same, the atmosphere wasn’t as lively and the bartenders weren’t as high-energy. Before you ask, yes, they had espresso martinis on tap!

The Rendezvous Lounge was one of the main pre-dinner or post-dinner venues. Subsequently, we couldn’t pass up the She’s With the Whiksy and the Sweet Berry Smash. One deck above, Cellar Masters often offered light music paired with its custom wine list.

The cosmically-themed cocktails at the Sky Lounge, like the Libra or the Cancer, were perfect for sipping during one of the nightly parties. For those looking for a more traditional poolside drink, the Mast Bar on Deck 11 mixed up frosty concoctions and classic cocktails.

Not to mention, aft on Deck 10, the Sunset Bar paired great views with refreshing takes on boat drinks, like a Pickford Punch. The resident coffee shop, Café al Bacio, also offered dessert cocktails and sweet treats throughout the day. Even the Casino Bar offered some unique drinks not found on any other bar menu.

We never waited long for drinks in any of the bars. Although, there were not many servers in the venues. Often, we ordered from the bar and took the drinks back to the table on our own.

Main Dining Room

Like the casual dining, the 2-story Cosmopolitan main dining room on Celebrity Summit delivered on several fronts.

Our three-course meals were well-timed, with dinner usually lasting no more than 90 minutes for our group of six. Plus, all of our dishes were served at the appropriate temperature and as requested. With two food allergies at the table and several special requests, the waitstaff had no issues making our accommodations.

While Celebrity Cruises does still offer traditional dining, we opted for Celebrity Select dining. We made reservations pre-cruise for 6:15 PM each night. All evenings but one, we were sat at the same table with the same waitstaff.

The service team of waitress, Kim, and assistant waitress, Win, took excellent care of our group. They were among the highlights on the ship when it came to service. By our third visit to the restaurant, sommelier Elmer knew our table’s order, which included wine and cocktails.

Among the stand-out dishes was the signature Celebrity Tournedo, a tender cut of beef cooked to a medium rare temperature. On night 1, the Fried Masala Potatoes was a spicy addition to a rather bland welcome aboard dinner lineup.

On Christmas Day, our table raved about the holiday classics including the Old Fashioned Honey Glazed Virgina Ham, Broiled Lobster Tail, and Slow Roasted Turkey. Prime rib, a classic cruiser favorite, was served on the last night. And, the Spinach and Ricotta Ravioli and the Rigatoni Boscaiola were decadent pasta dishes with portions that were just the right size.

For dessert, we couldn’t pass up the apple pie a la mode and the Tiramisu cake, among others. But, Heidi was disappointed that there was no Baked Alaska this sailing.

Specialty Restaurants

Celebrity Summit has only a few specialty restaurants. On Deck 11, Le Petit Chef at Qsine offers a dinner and show. This unique digital dining experience is exclusive to Celebrity Cruises. We have dined at Le Petit Chef on other Celebrity Cruises ships and enjoyed it. However, our 12-year-old nephew was not interested in the menu.

Likewise, Sushi on 5 offers its namesake Japanese delicacies with a small menu of other Asian specialties. Given our family members’ less-than-adventurous palates (Heidi included), we also passed on this restaurant.

But, you can’t go wrong with Italian food! So, on night two, the six of us settled in to mangia at the Tuscan Grille.  

Perhaps the most challenging part of dining at this restaurant is finding it. But after making our way down the starboard side hallway on Deck 3, we were treated to a culinary feast.

Alongside various Italian breads, dinner started with hearty appetizers like homemade meatballs and fried calamari. As expected, Heidi couldn’t pass up the Chicken Parmesan, and I went with the Short Rib Pappardelle Ragu. Both were rich meals reminiscent of the authentic flavors you would find in Boston’s North End.

Lastly, for dessert, I couldn’t say no to the Limoncello Cheesecake. This citrus-infused, light, and airy cheesecake was the perfect ending to this satisfying meal.  

Staterooms

Celebrity Summit received a multi-million-dollar refurbishment in 2019, and happily, the staterooms were part of this major makeover. In fact, we were very impressed with the furnishings and stylings of our Prime Veranda, stateroom 9023. This category V1 stateroom was on the portside, forward of the forward elevators.

According to the Celebrity Cruises website, this stateroom is 170 square feet with a 38-foot veranda. While smaller than the balcony staterooms we typically stay in, the layout was familiar.

Immediately upon entering the room, the bathroom was on our right. Likewise, our bed was also on the right wall, facing aft. After the bed, a small desk and oversized chair were situated near the balcony.

Near the entrance to the room was the closet and a wall unit containing some over-head cabinets with shelves, a series of drawers, and the mini-fridge. We had just enough hangers and shelves to neatly store all of our clothing. Using some of our cruise cabin hacks, we were able to get all of our accessories organized as well.

The bathroom in this Celebrity Summit cabin was a welcomed surprise. It too received a major facelift and actually resembled those on the Edge Class, complete with a glass-door shower and marble finishes.

Our cabin was directly below the pool deck; thus, we had a partially obstructed view due to some support beams and roofing. Still, we were able to utilize the veranda to watch the sail-ins and sail-outs from our ports of call. Awkwardly though, the chairs were fixed in a position somewhere between upright and reclined, so they weren’t very comfortable.

Overall, while smaller than typical, our Celebrity Summit stateroom was a comfortable and stylish home away from home for our holiday family cruise.

Our Overall Celebrity Summit Ship Review

Admittedly, it has been a while since we sailed on an older, smaller Celebrity Cruises ship. Yet, Celebrity Summit held up to her big sisters in several ways.

The casual dining and main dining room served up well-prepared and flavorful dishes. Service was also timely and friendly in the Oceanview Café and the Cosmopolitan Restaurant. Further, our family dinner at the Tuscan Grille was one of the best dining experiences we had all year on a cruise ship.

Likewise, several bars and lounges offered unique atmospheres and specialty cocktail menus. These venues were never too busy, so we could kick back and relax with a drink in hand while watching a game show or listening to live music.

Similarly, our renovated stateroom was fashionable and well laid out. While the veranda was not ideal, it was a fine place to relax after a long day ashore.

However, some areas of the ship did show signs of aging, particularly the outdoor spaces. The pool deck had an awkward layout and felt dated. The sports deck and Rooftop Terrace also seemed to get little to no updates.

To us, Celebrity Summit also lacked character. The ship felt like a collection of venues and people, rather than exuding a distinct vibe that other cruise ships offer. On other Celebrity ships, the Atrium or Grand Foyer are usually lively spots for activities and events. Yet, there didn’t seem to be a central hub that cruisers gravitated to during this voyage.

Still, with the ports of call being the main draw for our family during this cruise, Celebrity Summit was a nice backdrop. She offered lush accommodations, delicious food, and enough activities and nightlife to keep us entertained as we sailed from one port of call to the next.

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