While I’ve always admired the sleek Celebrity Cruise Line ships from afar when docked at various ports, I had never sailed on this cruise line. Recently, for my annual friends’ cruise, we decided to go outside our comfort zone and sail on a new cruise line. We booked a four-night sailing on the Celebrity Summit, with stops in Nassau and Bimini Bahamas.
I enjoyed my experience on the Celebrity Summit and my first cruise with Celebrity Cruises. If you are considering sailing on this beautiful ship, read our Celebrity Summit review. Any questions? Leave us a comment below!
Disclosure: We paid full price for our sailing on the Celebrity Summit. This post contains affiliate links and a purchase/click through one of these links may result in a commission paid to us at no cost to you. All opinions are my own.
Check prices for a Celebrity Summit sailing here.
Celebrity Summit Cruise Review: Everything You Need to Know
About the Celebrity Summit
The Celebrity Summit came into service on October 1, 2001. Her most recent refurbishment was in 2019, when Celebrity Summit completed The Celebrity Revolution with $500+ million in upgrades. The ship feels very modern, with a crisp, soothing decor.
The ship has 11 guest decks, with 1,079 staterooms, which can accommodate 2,158 guests, double occupancy. The ship never felt crowded during our sailing, but we did see plenty of people on board and in the public spaces.
Celebrity Summit Stateroom Types
There are lots of different options for staterooms when booking a sailing on the Celebrity Summit. You’ll choose your class of service and room type when initially booking. Here are some of the Celebrity Summit Cabins to choose from:
The Retreat is a full, premium experience for suite guests. It includes special areas just for retreat guests, including Luminae Restaurant, the Retreat Sundeck, and the Retreat Lounge as well as priority check-in. We didn’t have a suite, so I didn’t have the opportunity to check out these areas first-hand.
AquaClass is another perk level that includes access to the onboard restaurant Blu, complimentary access to the Persian Garden in the spa, a spa concierge, and special in-room amenities. AquaClass guests can take fitness classes at no cost.
Concierge Level is another option you can choose when booking a room. This is what we booked for our sailing. It came with a special sit-down embarkation lunch, an invitation to a sail away party on the Helipad (closed-toe shoes were required), a pillow menu, a bottle of sparkling wine, evening canapes delivered to the room, and access to a concierge.
We especially enjoyed the sit-down lunch on the first day in the main restaurant. It was relaxing, and a great way for us to sit with the schedule for our sailing and talk about our plans for the next four days.
Room types on the Celebrity Summit include the following:
- Penthouse, Royal, Celebrity, and Sky Suites
- AquaClass Staterooms
- Concierge Class Staterooms
- Family Verandah Rooms
- Verandah Rooms
- Ocean view Staterooms (window, but no balcony)
- Inside Staterooms
Handicapped accessible staterooms are also available, in various stateroom types.
Our concierge room had a balcony, but it unfortunately was smaller than a regular balcony and had an obstructed view. It was fine for us because we didn’t spend much time in our stateroom with so much to do around the ship.
The room had a bed that could be turned into two twin beds, a chair, two bedside nightstands, use of umbrellas, binoculars, and robes, a television, and a hairdryer. We found that there was plenty of room in the closet and drawers to store our clothing and other items, and while the bathroom was small, there was ample space for toiletries.
The room decor is very pretty and neutral, with blue and tan tones and a gray wood finish. It felt modern and elegant.
Amenities and Activities on the Celebrity Summit
We had two port days and one sea day during our sailing, and there were plenty of activities scheduled to keep us busy. In addition, there are some great amenities on the ship to take advantage of during your time on board.
Pool Deck: We enjoyed two days sitting on the pool deck. There seemed to be plenty of chairs, some with some great shade and others in the bright sun. The deck offers pools and whirlpools, along with a bar and a grill.
Solarium: As adults traveling without kids, this was definitely our favorite area of the ship. The Solarium is 16+, with a few hours dedicated to families. It’s a glass-covered area with two hot tubs, the Solarium pool (which is salt water and very warm), a cafe, and lots of seating.
The Rooftop Terrace: An outdoor seating area with a large TV, and comfortable seating. There were many different movies and sporting events shown on the TV during our sailing, and some guests told me this was their favorite part of the ship.
Kids’ Clubs: While our sailing only had a handful of kids on board, there are some kids’ clubs to keep them busy. These clubs are separated by age groups and include many activities that the kids seemed to enjoy.
Casino: I don’t typically visit a casino on my sailings, but I did enjoy a quick slot tournament on our first day. The casino onboard offers tables and machines and isn’t smoky at all. There were times on the schedule where active participants could get complimentary drinks.
Shops: I always love to browse in the shops in the evening, and there’s a nice selection on board the Celebrity Summit. Options include duty-free goods, Effy jewelry, luxury handbags, logo merchandise, artwork, other jewelry, and more.
Spa: In addition to a full-service salon and spa, you can also book access to the Persian Garden, which includes saunas, steam rooms, and spa showers. There’s also a fitness center which is open to all guests, and classes, which are offered at an additional fee.
There was a lot of fun to be had on board as well. The app and a paper schedule list everything to do, with times and locations. Activities on our sailing included trivia, game shows, karaoke, entertainment shows, movies, comedy shows, and more. There were also several fun activities pitting the ship’s officers against guests.
We found a nice balance between attending activities, watching the entertainment, and sitting by the pool and in the Solarium.
Food and Restaurants on the Celebrity Summit
You’ll never be hungry on the Celebrity Summit. There are lots of options for food – some included and some specialty restaurants that are offered for an extra fee. Room service is also available.
Cosmopolitan Restaurant – this two-level restaurant serves as the Celebrity Summit main dining room. It’s a beautiful restaurant, with a menu that changes each night. You’ll be assigned a dining time and can eat here or choose one of the other options.
Oceanview Cafe – You can have breakfast, lunch, dinner, and late-night bites at the ship’s buffet restaurant, the Oceanview Café. There are lots of different cuisine types including Indian, Mexican, and Italian.
Our favorite, however, was the freshly made pizza. Don’t miss the croissants in the morning, though. You can even watch them being made.
Spa Cafe – If you are looking for some lighter fare, the Spa Cafe, located in the Solarium, offers some delicious options. I had lunch and breakfast here when hanging out at the pool deck, and enjoyed chicken salad, tomatoes with mozzarella, and avocado toast. You can also get smoothies and juice for an additional fee.
The Mast Grill – Spending the day at the pool deck? You won’t have to go far to get a quick lunch. The Mast Grill, right on the pool deck, offers hamburgers, hot dogs, and fries.
Qsine (Le Petit Chef) – Reservations and an additional fee are required for this incredibly unique restaurant. Watch a tiny chef “prepare” your meal using 3D mapping technology. It’s so fun and unique, but also delicious.
Tuscan Grille – This restaurant requires reservations and an additional fee. If you love Italian food, steak, and fish, it’s a great option. They also make homemade pasta, and you can get a half-order if you’d like to try something else as well.
Sushi on 5 – This a la carte restaurant serves sushi, sake, hot pot, and noodles. We didn’t eat there on our trip, but did walk by. Everything we saw looked delicious.
Café al Bacio & Gelateria – I found myself visiting Cafe al Bacio twice a day during my cruise. This premium coffee shop offers traditional coffee drinks as well as teas and some unique offerings. You can order at the counter, or sit at one of the many tables and get table service.
They also have a display cafe filled with delicious treats. In the mornings, the Nutella croissants were a big hit. Then, in the afternoon, the case was filled with more traditional desserts.
Across the way, there’s another counter offering gelato for an additional fee. This cafe was one of my favorite places on the ship.
Because we weren’t in Aqua Class or the Retreat, we didn’t have a chance to dine in the two restaurants specific to those classes – Blu and Luminae.
There are also some great lounges and bars located throughout the ship, some of which had live music. These include the following:
- The Sunset Bar
- The Sky Lounge
- Martini Bar and Crush
- Rendezvous Lounge
Entertainment on the Celebrity Summit
When you sail on the Celebrity Summit, you’ll be treated to a different show each evening in the main theater. There are generally two different showtimes, which can accommodate most guests around their mealtimes. Some of the shows are performed by the cast of the Celebrity Summit, while others are performed with guest performers.
During our sailing, we had two guest performers – a singer and a comedian. Both were only onboard for our sailing, however, so this type of entertainment will vary for each cruise.
There were also two shows performed by the cast of the Celebrity Summit. Both were more concert-style than a show with a plot. I prefer shows rather than concerts, but I still enjoyed these productions.
Life was performed on our second night. This show features aerial gymnastics, as well as excellent vocalists, and a live band.
The second show was Soundtrack, featuring music from movies. The movies featured included Moulin Rouge, Pitch Perfect, the Wizard of Oz, and Singing in the Rain. I preferred this show to Life, but both were entertaining and worth attending.
Itineraries on the Celebrity Summit
During our four-night sailing, we traveled from the Port of Miami to Nassau and Bimini Bahamas. We arrived the night before our sailing and enjoyed an evening at the Marriott Vacation Club Pulse, South Beach. I would recommend staying there – it has beautiful rooms, is reasonably priced, and is in a great location.
The Summit will be sailing from Miami through April 2024. Ports of call during this time include Nassau and Bimini, Nassau and Cozumel, Key West and Bimini, Key West and Cozumel, Key West and Nassau, and Cozumel. These are four and five-night sailings.
Then, in April 2024, she moves to Los Angeles, CA, with a 14-day sailing through the Panama Canal. From there, she’ll sail from LA to Vancouver on a 6-night sailing. From there she’ll spend the summer on an Alaskan itinerary.
After Alaska, the Celebrity Summit sails back to the East Coast and settles into a home port of San Juan Puerto Rico.
I would highly recommend this ship for adults traveling solo or with older kids. While it was my first time on one of the Celebrity ships, it definitely won’t be my last.
