The Summit’s exterior has a sophisticated, regal appearance with her dark blue hull trimmed in gold contrasting with the white upper decks that give the ship a sleeker appearance. As you approach her, you get the sense that this is a really big luxury liner, not just a huge cruise ship. We soon found that this feeling is carried through to the interior space as well.

Celebrity’s embarkation process in Vancouver’s Canada Place went very smoothly. We walked from our hotel room in the Pan Pacific Hotel Vancouver to the pier at 11:30am hoping for an early Captain’s Club Member embarkation. We were not disappointed. Within 10 minutes, we were whisked through a special Captain’s Club line, checked through immigration (required for cruises embarking from Canada to US), given our room keys and directed to board the Summit.

Should you board Summit on Deck 3, as we did for our 7-day Alaska cruise, you will not get the adrenaline rush you would boarding one of Royal Caribbean’s ships. There is no “wow” factor on these ships. Instead, you feel as though you are boarding an elegant ocean liner whose décor harkens back to the days of the S.S. Normandie. Long strands of gold fabric hang in the Grand Foyer from Deck 5 down to Deck 3 forming a corridor through which passes an elegant marble staircase. Stewards with crisp uniforms and white gloves greet you as you step aboard and insist on carrying your hand luggage to your stateroom or suite. We were escorted to our Sky Suite #6121, where we found the suite cleaned and ready, in spite of our early boarding.

The décor of the entire ship was actually inspired by the classic French liner, S.S. Normandie, which unfortunately burned and sank in New York harbor in the 1940’s. In fact, the specialty restaurant aboard Summit bears the name “Normandie”, includes actual decorative wall panels from its namesake and even serves menu items that appeared on Normandie’s menu.

Summit’s designers have created an atmosphere of elegance throughout the entire ship which gives Summit the appearance of “luxury” rather than “mass market”. Attention to detail can be found in virtually every public area. However, in stark contrast to the elegance of the décor is Summit’s art collection which can only be described as “over the top”. Celebrity has a reputation for contemporary art, and Summit carries on with this tradition in grand style. This strategy seems to blend better with an overall contemporary decor of a ship like Celebrity Mercury than it does aboard Summit. In every corner, there seems to be some brash, even humorous, sculpture or object de art. Fortunately, Summit’s elegance never gives way to the comical art selection.

The interior design of the GTS Summit is also a masterpiece of form and function. Summit is the third in a series of “Millennium Class” vessels built at Chantiers de l'Atlantique in St. Nazaire, France, for Celebrity and each one shares the same efficient layout of public space and accommodations. You can move from one end of the ship to the other uninterrupted on decks 4, 5 and 10 where most of the pubic areas are located. This is also possible on many of the decks where staterooms and suites are located. Moving vertically throughout the ship is possible through any of the 11 elevators on board or three sets of staircases. Highlighting vertical ascent and descent are Summit’s mid-ship glass elevators that can transport you from deck 2 to deck 11 while keeping you visually in touch with the ocean. The Summit’s elevators are fast, quiet and large. The stair steps are spaced to allow for comfortable walks up or down multiple decks if an elevator is not available, or if you prefer to get some exercise.

Summit’s staterooms also reflect a commitment to good design. The Sky Suite (Category SS) makes a wonderful transition from an ordinary stateroom to a “suite”. At 251 square feet, the Sky Suite’s walls are covered in beautiful wood with the exception of one side wall that is a floor to ceiling mirror (giving the room a much larger feel). The comfortable queen-sized bed is covered with a classy bedspread which is removed at night and replaced with a fluffy, European-style down comforter. On either side of the bed you will find a marble-top night stand and contemporary reading lamp.

The use of marble is found throughout the Sky Suite and includes a large marble desktop, marble entertainment center, marble bathroom floors, walls and vanity. The décor of the Sky Suite will make you feel more like you are sailing on Radisson Seven Seas than on Celebrity! The Sky Suite beckons you to enjoy the fresh sea air with its ample teak balcony and teak furniture (2 cushioned chairs and a table). The sliding glass doors leading to the balcony are smooth and more importantly, quiet. You will not be awakened in the middle of the night by the sound of your neighbor’s slamming balcony door as you might be on ships that use standard doors. However, you might hear your neighbor’s conversations through the somewhat “thin” walls.

The Sky Suite’s walk-in closet offers plenty of storage for a 2-week journey or longer. Celebrity has placed an adequate number of “real” wooden hangers (not the ones with the tiny hooks) in the closet, included a chrome shoe rack capable of holding a dozen pairs of shoes, five large storage drawers, a safe and shelf space. Celebrity also includes 2 terrycloth bathrobes for your use while on board.

While smaller than the Sky Suite, the balcony staterooms (Cat. 1 thru 3) are also very nicely appointed, sans wood walls and marble. The balcony is almost as large as the Sky Suite’s but with non-slip decking instead of teak, standard pool furniture chairs and table. The design and décor of Summit’s balcony staterooms surpass any we have seen on comparable ships from other cruise lines.

Exploring Alaska’s rich landscape during the day can work up quite an appetite. So, when it comes time to eat, Summit offers a variety of dining options. There are multiple venues aboard Summit where passengers can enjoy breakfast, lunch, dinner and anything in between.

The Cosmopolitan Restaurant is Summit’s main dining room located aft on decks 4 and 5. Like all of Celebrity's menus, Summit's menu selections are prepared under the auspices of world-renowned chef Michele Roux. The Cosmopolitan carries forward the Normandie inspired décor flawlessly with its dramatic floor-to-ceiling windows at the rear of the dining room, crisp linen tablecloths and sparkling china and flatware. The breakfast and lunch served in The Cosmopolitan are pretty much standard cruise line fare and both are open seating. Where Cosmopolitan really shines is in the evenings during the two dinner seatings (early seating at 6:00 pm and late seating at 8:30 pm). Our waiter, Sebastiao and his assistant, Dewald, delivered a level of service that would rival any 5-star restaurant on land. To support their efforts, Mikala, our Sommelier, was always available with a great wine selection to complement the meal. We observed similar service at other tables nearby and “interviewed” other passengers who had nothing but praise for their wait staff.

The quality of food served in The Cosmopolitan Restaurant is matched only by its delicious presentation. Evening meals in the Cosmopolitan rank right up there with the best cruise line dining room meals we have ever experienced. Bread baskets were placed on tables each evening featuring a variety of freshly baked breads. Soups were served hot and, for the most part, were delicious (with the cream of mushroom being the hands-down favorite). Most of the appetizers we tried were good, with the shrimp cocktail being the standout; but the smoked salmon offerings were also very good. Salads were pretty standard, however, the Goombay dressing really livens up an otherwise mundane offering. At our table for 4, we only had one sub-standard entrée during the entire week, a honey-glazed pork chop that was overcooked, dry and very tough. Sebastiao noticed that Rickee was not eating it and insisted that he replace it with another selection after extensive apologies. What more can you ask?

The Waterfall Café and Grill is Summit’s "lido deck" buffet restaurant serving breakfast and lunch. The “Café” portion of the restaurant turns into an alternative dining venue for evening meals. The buffet breakfast and lunch served here is pretty basic cruise food for the masses. Quality takes a back seat to convenience and speed. The only real notable exception to this rule is located at the back of the Waterfall Café and Grill where there is an omelet station for breakfast and a pasta station for lunch. The omelets, made fresh here, are delicious with a different selection of ingredients offered every day. Pasta creations vary every day at lunch and are equally good. Unfortunately, to enjoy the pasta and omelets, you must first retrieve a serving tray and eating utensils from one of the four main buffet lines, then work your way back to the omelet/pasta station. Celebrity should make utensils and trays (and a bread selection at lunch) available at these stations for those who only wish to eat pasta.

For a really quick lunch or an early afternoon snack, try the poolside grill for hamburgers and hot dogs. Or if you prefer, you can have a limited breakfast or lunch delivered to your stateroom through Summit's room service. Ordering can be done through the interactive television system or by telephone. Suite guests (Sky Suite, Celebrity Suite, Royal Suite and Penthouse Suite) can also have the evening's dinner menu served en suite. Another breakfast/lunch venue is the AquaSpa™ Cafe located forward on Deck 10, for those passengers who are watching their calories, fat and cholesterol intake.

Espresso and Cappuccino aficionados will no doubt frequent Cafe Cova Milano located on Deck 5 at the top of the Grand Foyer. This replica of an Italian espresso cafe and patisserie invites you in with the intoxicating aroma of freshly baked pastries and Cappuccino. In the morning, the patisserie (port side) serves complimentary pastries that taste as good as they smell while Dana, an attractive and personable lady from Russia, blends your favorite coffee concoction. But Cova is much more than a coffee shop. It is also a full-service bar where you can enjoy a glass of champagne or mixed drink throughout the day.

The ultimate dining experience on this ship is Normandie, Summit's alternative, price fixe restaurant. Normandie can easily be considered a 5-star dining experience that offers patrons a 'step up' from the already excellent dining in The Cosmopolitan Restaurant. Normandie requires reservations and charges a $25 per person cover charge which includes an extravagant 4 course meal. The Normandie only accommodates about 80 people, so not everyone aboard will have the opportunity to enjoy this special treat during a one-week cruise. For this reason, we recommend that you make reservations as soon as you board the ship (go to Deck 3 mid ship to find Normandie).

No matter where you choose to enjoy your evening meal aboard Summit, odds are pretty good that you will have an excellent experience. After dinner, passengers can enjoy one of Summit's attractive lounges for an after-dinner drink, conversation and/or dancing. The Martini Bar and Champagne Bar on Deck 5 are both just forward of The Cosmopolitan Restaurant and both are a peaceful place to relax in comfortable chairs and enjoy a drink. Just below on Deck 4 is the Rendezvous Lounge with full bar, dance floor and live music each evening. The Rendezvous also hosts the Karaoke contests held at 10:30 pm most evenings. The real hot spot on Summit is Revelations on Deck 10 forward, which turns into a disco each evening. This is a huge lounge with lots of seating and floor to ceiling windows with 180 degree views of the ocean. The Summit presents 2 shows each evening (one for early seating guests and another for late seating) in a her beautiful 900 seat Celebrity Theater located on Decks 3 and 4 forward. During our typical 7-day Alaska cruise, we enjoyed four production shows featuring the Celebrity Singers and Dancers, a couple of comedy acts and a concert pianist. The Celebrity Theater is a masterpiece of ocean-going theater design with exceptional sightlines from virtually any seat. The latest stage and sound technology has been integrated into this first-rate entertainment venue.

Cigar aficionados will find themselves wandering to Deck 4 forward to relax and enjoy the peaceful, country club feel of Michael's Club. This beautiful and spacious retreat is soaked with rich, dark walnut covered walls, antique furnishings and lavish artwork. This room is not just for cigar smokers. Anyone who enjoys an after-dinner cognac or glass of champagne will feel at home here. Unquestionably, this is one of the most attractive and "warm" areas of the entire ship.

You may choose to spend your days in Alaska aboard Summit curled up with a good book, on a pool deck lounge chair, watching the breathtaking Alaska landscape drift by. If you choose to do so, there are plenty of comfortable wooden deck loungers available with complimentary blankets to keep you warm. Or, you may wish to participate in one or more of Summit's extensive activities offered throughout the day. Trivia contests, games, bingo, ping pong, shuffleboard, a computerized Golf simulator, wine tasting, galley tours, and on and on. You will never be bored on Summit unless you choose to be. And, if you like to shop, Summit's 14,000 square foot Emporium Shops delivers the best selection of boutiques we have ever seen on a ship. The shopping promenade features a Tommy Hilfiger store, designer perfume shop, a Celebrity logo shop, a delicious candy store, formalwear clothing store, a sundries/liquor store, fine jewelry and watch shop and serves as home to the art gallery and auction area.

If you find yourself traveling with children, Celebrity has not forgotten them. The Fun Factory located on Deck 11 aft has a variety of activities for kids from ages 3 to 12 including arts and crafts, a movie theater, puzzles and more. Teenagers will enjoy the video game arcade and TV broadcast room.

Celebrity has long held a reputation as the leader in spa and fitness facilities aboard its ships. The Summit dedicates 25,000 square feet to her AquaSpa™ area located on Deck 10 forward. The workout room opens at 6:30 am and offers free weights, a complete line of Life Fitness™ circuit training equipment, 14 Life Fitness Flex Deck treadmills, 4 Life Fitness elliptical machines, 2 recumbent bicycles and 4 stationary bikes. Unfortunately, the spa service desk does not open until 8 am and that is where you must go to get your locker key. So, if you plan to workout earlier than 8 am, you will need to leave your valuables in your stateroom and wear your workout clothes to the gym. We would like to see Celebrity resolve this issue in the future by making locker room keys available earlier. Better yet, do away with the metal keys altogether and design a locker that uses the room key! As for the lockers themselves, they are ridiculously small, about 2 feet tall by 18 inches wide and have no place to hang any clothes. By the number and size of lockers in the locker room, Summit's designers must have been expecting at least 30 men to be using the gym at once (I can only assume that there are as many in the ladies locker). In contrast, they only installed three small shower stalls. A ship this size could easily accommodate five or even six shower stalls, especially during At Sea days when the locker room is busy.

The trademark of Celebrity's AquaSpa is the Thallasotherapy pool, which is much larger on Summit than it is on the Century, Mercury and Galaxy. Unfortunately, the temperature of the new pool is tepid at best and does not feature the multiple stations for targeting different areas of the body with jets of water. The Thallasotherapy pool is really nothing more than a lukewarm, indoor swimming pool. And, if you are looking for more stimulation from the smaller round hot tubs flanking the pool, you will be disappointed. The highest temperature we were able to measure was 99 degrees. We wish Celebrity would designate at least one hot tub to be maintained at 103° to 104° for those who really need to relax their muscles.

For those who prefer a game of chance over a sweaty workout, Summit offers Fortunes Casino located on Deck 4 mid ship. Fortunes Casino stays busy all night long (when at sea) into the wee hours of the morning with its 200 slot machines, craps table, blackjack, Caribbean Stud and Let it Ride tables. Of course, no cruise would be complete without bingo and Celebrity brings the 'snowball jackpot' bingo games to Summit with multi-game cards that will satisfy hard-core bingo enthusiasts. Relaxing days can be spent in the ship's card room on Deck 5 or in Words, the ship's 2-level library or Notes, the ship's audio listening center.

The one downside to an Alaskan cruise aboard Summit is the inability to enjoy the Waterfall pool. Unquestionably, this is one of the most beautiful pools on any ship afloat. It will be a huge hit on her Caribbean itineraries. Celebrity should be commended for investing in high-quality deck furniture with padded cushions instead of the cheap plastic chairs found on most cruise ships.

No web site review would be complete without mentioning the ship's Internet Cafe. 'Online @ Celebrity' is Summit's Internet cafe located on Deck 4 mid ship (right off of the Grand Foyer). Passengers can log onto the Internet to check and send email or surf the web for $.50 cents per minute, or pay a one-time $100 charge for unlimited access throughout the week. Celebrity also offers a program which allows you to use your own laptop computer to access the Internet via Ethernet ports at each station, or from your stateroom. Internet connections are typically slow, so if you are used to cable modem or DSL access, you will be re-introduced to the world of dial-up access speeds. Connections were frequently dropped during our cruise to Alaska, especially when arriving at or departing from a port. What Online @ Celebrity lacks in functionality, it makes up for in elegance. This is the most attractive Internet cafe we have seen on any ship to date. Custom made contemporary tables and cabinets and comfortable chairs combine with IBM computers and 15" flat panel displays to make this an Internet surfer's dream cafe.

Alaska is a magical destination, there really are no words that do justice to this place. The scenery is breathtaking, interrupted only by an occasional bald eagle flying overhead or a brown bear scooping up one of the many salmon from her rivers and streams. If you have never thought about a cruise to Alaska, think again! This is a "must see" part of the world that will not disappoint. We enjoyed a mountain bike ride in Ketchikan, horseback riding in Skagway, and a whale/wildlife watching tour in Juneau. We visited with several other passengers who highly recommended the glacier helicopter tour, one which we will definitely do on our next Alaska cruise. Others gave a thumbs up to the train tour in Skagway. There are so many things to do and see in Alaska that it is impossible to experience it all in only one week.

Celebrity is a cruise line that looks like a mass-market company with its big, impressive ships and competitive pricing. Yet, Celebrity acts and feels like a luxury cruise line with a host of little extras, attention to detail, and near perfect customer service. The decor of Summit rivals that of the most elegant luxury cruise ships and Celebrity's commitment to customer service is apparent each time a staff member calls you by name. Little extras like silver metal ice buckets in the staterooms instead of plastic, teak balconies in suites instead of non-skid surfacing, quality fabrics on furnishings throughout the ship, serving trays in the buffet line with linen placemats and napkins instead of paper, and on and on. We were happy to learn that Celebrity continues to support its "no announcement" policy which further lends to a relaxing cruise vacation by eliminating the irritating and annoying public address announcements continually played on many cruise lines.

Celebrity is virtually alone in a position somewhere between mass-market and luxury. Travelers looking for a full-blown luxury experience with all of the activities and amenities of a large cruise ship can opt for a Sky Suite, Celebrity Suite, Royal Suite or Penthouse Suite. Budget-conscious travelers looking for a step up from typical mass-market cruise ships can book a balcony or oceanview cabin. There are even some interior cabins on Summit that are downright cheap.

Summit and her crew create the perfect way to see Alaska in style and comfort. And, sun lovers can look forward to Summit's fall and winter Caribbean itineraries. If you are looking for great food, great service and "big ship" activities and entertainment, your search may be over.