Get Ready Series

Get Ready #1 for

David Foster: The Hitman Cruise Encore

David Foster: The Hitman Cruise Encore embarks in just over six months. This is the first in a series of messages that you will receive over the next few months, each prompting you to take steps to Get Ready for your upcoming sailing to help avoid last-minute anxiety and stress.

This first note addresses tasks that may require some time to complete, such as locating (and possibly updating) your Passport and Identification. These items are essential to your ability to board the ship and participate in our activities. Later notes will address items of entertainment, excursions, dining and more. We will also share our theme night plans, programming highlights, artist-hosted events and more.

Ready to Get Ready? Follow our schedule and we promise that you will be set to sail on David Foster: The Hitman Cruise Encore! As always, our team at Signature Cruise Experiences will be here to guide you every step of the way.

Michael Lazaroff 
Executive Director
Signature Cruise Experiences

Your Cruise Details

Sailing Dates: Tuesday, January 12 – Sunday, January 17, 2027
Ship: Celebrity Summit
Itinerary:

Confirm Your Passport or Government-Issued ID

Please confirm that the first and last names on your passport or government-issued ID match the first and last names on your cruise reservation to ensure that you will be permitted to board the ship. It is your responsibility to identify and obtain all required travel documents and have them available when necessary. SCE highly recommends U.S. Citizens travel with a valid Passport. Click here to view the complete list of required travel documents for U.S. and Non-U.S. citizens.

Planning Your Trip

If you have not already planned your arrival into the Tampa area, now is the time to start preparing. We highly recommend that guests arrive the day BEFORE embarkation in order to alleviate stress from any potential travel delays or issues.

To further assist you with planning, Signature Cruise Experiences has compiled a list of potential hotels at various locations and price points in the Tampa area, along with a direct link to each reservation procedure for your review. Going to the reservation link is the only way to determine both price and availability for each hotel. Please contact the hotel regarding airport / cruise port shuttle service.

EXPLORE PRE-CRUISE HOTEL OPTIONS

Tuesday, January 12, 2027 is Embarkation Day. Historically, boarding begins at 11:30 AM and all aboard time is 4:00 PM. During the Online Check-In process (starting at 45 days prior to Embarkation Day), you will be asked by Celebrity Cruises to select a Terminal Arrival Time, available in half-hour increments. For the most efficient embarkation, guests are required to arrive at the terminal (Port Tampa Bay) during their selected window.

The ship will dock at Port Tampa Bay by 7:00 AM on Sunday, January 17, 2027. If you are willing to carry your own luggage off the ship, you may be able to leave the port as early as 7:30 AM, if disembarkation proceeds without issue. To be safe, we do not recommend any flight scheduled prior to 12:00 PM from the Tampa area airports, as traffic and other variables may impact your ability to arrive at the airport earlier.

More information/recommendations for Planning Your Trip can be found here.

Coming Soon – Celebrity Cruises' Pre-Cruise Planner

It is popular among David Foster: The Hitman Cruise guests to purchase Wi-Fi Packages, Drink Packages, Specialty Dining, Spa Treatments, Photo Packages and other amenities before boarding the ship. There is no central location on the ship for completing these purchases and doing so requires standing in several lines.

Most guests complete their purchases by using Celebrity Cruises’ Pre-Cruise Planner, an online platform that allows you to complete purchases from home usually at prices lower than what is offered on the ship. In the coming weeks, we will provide you with your Celebrity Cruises' Reservation Number for the cruise, which is all you need to initiate your Celebrity Cruises' Pre-Cruise Planner and begin to make these purchases.

Stay Tuned

As mentioned, we will continue to provide you with more information to help you prepare for David Foster: The Hitman Cruise Encore in the coming weeks and months. This will include everything from how you board the ship, pre-cruise purchases, dining options onboard, Theme Nights, showtimes and much more. In the meantime, we highly suggest reviewing our Booked Guest portal on the website.