We were hosting our 12th exchange student, a young lady from Scandanavia, and wanted to make her Christmas vacation an exceptional one. We have been on the Summit twice before, and were not disappointed. We were aware that perhaps the shows would not be as lavish, that there was no rock climbing or water slide. that we would somehow be expected to survive for seven days at sea without Disney characters. As adults, we knew that the seas and wind would not always be accommodating, and allow us to do all the off ship excursions we may have planned. And frankly, as long as the cabins were well maintained and addressed, lavish size was not necessary. We had more than sufficient space to store our items, and did not hide in our rooms!

What was left was the core experience. The incredible devotion, professionalism and work ethic of the crew. The unforced congeniality of the command staff. The small details in the cabins, like the towels folded into animals. The variety of the dinner presentations in the main dining room and the attentiveness of our wait staff. The high quality of the bands, singers and lounge performers. The offerings at the shops, and the absence of hard sell. The general maturity of the guests (passengers), and how peoples of different cultures mingled and shared life experiences. This little City on the Sea reminded us what our better angels can accomplish if we put our minds to it! And the morning yoga stretch and massage weren't too shabby either.

The two offshore trips that we were able to enjoy were excellent. ReefRiders in Antigua is an operation I can highly recommend. Kudos to the son of the family, Tigger!. And our tour of the recovering island of Dominica was excellent. Geology, history, flora and fauna; all in one package. Read more