Celebrity Summit Review

Celebrity Summit, which debuted in 2001, is the third of Celebrity Cruises' four 91,000-ton Millennium-class ships, and it's the third to undergo a multimillion-dollar refurbishment. During a three-week dry dock in January 2012, most of Summit's existing cabins and public spaces were reorganized and/or revitalized, and the ship received a number of Solstice-class upgrades.

Passengers can now indulge in some of the contemporary amenities the line has been busy rolling out since Celebrity Solstice debuted in 2008. Summit's dated and underused conservatory has been replaced with Qsine, a specialty restaurant with the tagline "uniquely unordinary," where vittles include sushi lollipops and popcorn fish and chips. The former Champagne bar has been revamped into the line's popular new Crush Martini Bar, where flashy mixologists pour upscale cocktails atop an ice bar. And the ship's once run-of-the-mill Internet cafe has been transformed into the "Celebrity iLounge" -- the first authorized Apple reseller at sea, which features state-of-the-art workstations, technology classes and a helpful staff.

Additionally, 107 AquaClass cabins have been added to the ship. Similar to the line's popular Concierge Class cabins, these cabins come with added amenities, including Hansgrohe spa showers, complimentary access to the ship's Persian Garden thermal suite and exclusive fee-free access to Blu, one of the ship's newly added specialty restaurants. They're ideal for passengers looking to upgrade their experience without splurging for a suite. Seventy of these were converted from Concierge Class cabins, while 37 were built during the ship's dry dock, replacing venues that have either been eliminated or relocated.

The result? The ship maintains an air of casual elegance but now has a decidedly modern ambience, complete with contemporary amenities and finishes. You would never guess you were sailing on a ship that is more than a decade old.

Celebrity Summit's passenger base is composed mostly of well-traveled, middle- and upper-middle-class Americans in the 45 - 65 age bracket. A good number of families can be found, particularly during the summer and holiday periods. On sailings out of San Juan, there are typically a large number of Spanish-speaking passengers onboard; however, you'll also find a sprinkling of Canadians and Europeans on any given sailing.

Depending on the destination, the dress is usually casual during the day and resort casual in the evening.

Expect one to three formal nights, depending on the length of the cruise; weeklong cruises have two. Formal nights find most of the ladies in cocktail dresses and pantsuits, while men typically wear suits and ties. On "Smart Casual" evenings, women wear nicer sundresses, and men wear slacks and button-down shirts.

There are casual dining options for those who choose not to dress up on formal nights; they include Oceanview Cafe -- the ship's buffet venue -- and Bistro on Five, a creperie.

Celebrity Cruises is increasing its suggested gratuity by 50 cents per passenger/per day beginning on all bookings made on or after April 29 for all cruises that begin on or after the same day. The new suggested gratuity will be $12.00 per person/per day, if you're in a standard cabin; $12.50 per person/per day, if you're in a Concierge Class or AquaClass; and $15.50 per person/per day, for passengers in suites.

Next: Celebrity Summit Cabins

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