The Renovation Fallacy: More Than Just New Carpets
Most cruise ship 'revitalizations' are an exercise in smoke and mirrors. A bit of paint, some new furniture in the atrium, and a rebranded bar are often all it takes for the marketing department to slap the word 'new' on a brochure. The Celebrity Revolution was, thankfully, a far more substantial undertaking. Having sailed on the Summit before her transformation, I can attest that this was less of a facelift and more of a soul transplant.
The entire project was guided by world-class designers, and it shows. Staterooms were stripped to the steel and rebuilt with the same clever storage, eXhale bedding, and clean, cashmir-inspired palettes found on the newest ships. Bathrooms, the long-standing Achilles' heel of older vessels, were completely redesigned with larger showers and premium fixtures. This is where the investment feels most tangible for every single passenger, not just those in suites.
But the most profound changes are in the public spaces and suite-class offerings. The line essentially airlifted its exclusive 'The Retreat' concept onto the Summit. This includes a private sundeck, lounge, and the exceptional Luminae restaurant, all previously reserved for Edge-class new-builds. Seeing these impeccably designed, modern spaces integrated into the Summit's frame is remarkable. This isn't repainting a classic car; it's dropping a modern, high-performance Tesla powertrain into the meticulously restored chassis of a 1965 Jaguar E-Type. It has the soul and lines of the original, but the performance and amenities of today.
This level of investment is consistent across the entire class, a fact you can explore in more detail by reading up on the upgrades to the Celebrity Millennium, Summit's equally polished sibling. The Oceanview Café was reimagined to feel less like a buffet and more like an international marketplace, and the spa was redesigned to rival the best on land. The commitment was to architectural and experiential change, not just cosmetic touch-ups.
Actionable Insight: When booking, prioritize the Veranda staterooms or above. While all cabins were upgraded, the complete redesign of the bathrooms and addition of new balconies on some cabins makes this category the sweet spot for experiencing the full impact of the renovation.
The Human-Scale Advantage: Resisting the Mega-Ship Arms Race
For two decades, the cruise industry has been locked in an arms race. Bigger, faster, more—more restaurants, more activities, more passengers. The result is floating cities that are marvels of engineering but can often be exhausting to inhabit. The 'revolutionized' Summit presents a compelling counter-argument: that the apex of cruising might just be a perfectly executed, mid-sized ship.
With a capacity of around 2,200 passengers (compared to the 5,000+ on some new builds), the Summit operates on a human scale. You don't need a GPS to get from your cabin to the theatre. You’ll see familiar, friendly faces—both passengers and crew—after a day or two. The flow of the ship is intuitive, designed for leisurely strolls, not frantic power-walking between reservations. The new mega-ships are like sprawling theme park resorts; you need a map and a strategy to experience them. The Summit, post-revolution, is more like a world-class boutique hotel. Everything is intentional, accessible, and designed for relaxation, not conquest.
This size advantage has practical benefits. Embarkation and disembarkation are breezes. Tenders in smaller ports are less congested. Most importantly, the crew isn't stretched thin. The bartender at the Martini Bar remembers your drink, the room steward knows your name, and the service feels personal, not programmatic. It's time we aired some of the industry's dirty laundry about ship size; bigger doesn't always mean better, and the relentless marketing of 'new' often obscures the superior flow and intimacy of a well-designed smaller vessel.
Ultimately, the choice comes down to personal travel style. Are you seeking a floating amusement park with endless, varied distractions? Or do you value sophisticated design, attentive service, and a connection to the sea itself? The question isn't 'which ship is best,' but rather 'which ship is my travel doppelgänger?' If your answer is the latter, the Summit makes a case for itself that is impossible for a mega-ship to replicate.
Actionable Insight: Lean into the Summit’s strengths by choosing itineraries that visit smaller, more unique ports that larger ships can't access. Think Alaska's inside passage, the smaller fjords of Norway, or the boutique ports of the Mediterranean. Here, the ship itself becomes an extension of the intimate, discovery-focused destination.