Celebrity Summit Review
Rating by category
Additional details
This was our first cruise in almost three years as the pandemic had put our cruising on hiatus. Since it was mid September we opted for a cruise to the Maritime Provinces of Canada to hopefully catch some of the color as the leaves turned. Maybe it is global warming but the leaves were very much green and intact as September wound down.
Despite the age of the Summit the ship looks very clean and the newly refurbished cabins are quite nice. We sailed with about 90% of the capacity of the vessel and the crew was at full staff.
We ate almost every meal in the MDR and, except for the first night, service was very good. We found the shows very entertaining and enjoyed the variety of music that is available before and after either of the two shows (6:45 and 8:45PM).
Cabin Review
Our veranda cabin on deck 6 forward was pleasant enough. Being forward its a short trip to the theater, but a long one to the MDR. Its 4 flights up to the buffet, pool and spa. We found we had more then enough storage and, in fact, had many drawers that we did not use. The bathroom was fine, however, the shower (with glass door!) is quite small. About 2 and a half feet wide. But, its a ship! The overhead speaker in all the cabins have been disabled (except for emergencies) so you will need to open the door if you want to hear any announcements. The only downside was that the electric sockets near the desk were very difficult to use.
Port Reviews
Bar Harbor
Bar Harbor is a delightful town and especially if you are in the market for a T Shirt. No port has more shops. The ship was moored behind an island so that the town is not visible from ship and vice- versa. We used tenders that came from shore and were quite large. We have been to Bar Harbor before so did not visit the jewel of a national park-Arcadia, which is the primary attraction in the area.
Saint John (New Brunswick)
Our tour run by an independent operator was cancelled so we simply walked off the pier and found any number of very eager taxis willing to provide a tour and at about half the price of the ship's tours. We hired one and went to the reversing falls, but the fog was intense and it was hard to see. It is a very much a walkable town.
Sydney (Nova Scotia)
This was probably the worst port we have ever been in. The local tourist map lists the post office as a sight to see and when that happens you know you are in trouble. Best to arrange a tour of the Cabot Trail or the Bell museum. We opted not to tour by bus as we did not wish to be on a bus with 40 passengers who chose not to mask, but that is us.
Halifax
A beautiful and exciting downtown. Lots of restaurants and shops along the harbor. My wife is into antiques so we taxied to nearby shop. Uber is available! It's easy.
Charlottetown (Prince Edward Island)
A charming town indeed. The big attraction is the home of L Montgomery who wrote Anne of Green Gables (and a ton of other books). We grabbed a taxi at the port (again) and arranged our own tour with another couple.
Portland (Maine)
Back in the USA! Everything is near the dock and you can easily arrange for numerous tours either on your own, or through the ship. We opted for a 2 hour ride on a 112-year-old gaff rigged schooner. She was old but sure can sail.