Cruise-y

I’ve been in a completely empty Palm Court, then walked downstairs and Starlight was packed. I’ve never seem a crowd in Palm Court, but maybe I don’t stay up late enough.

Like every other preference on a luxe cruise.

I’ve got to believe this is just an anomaly. One can’t have scones at a nice tea without clotted cream - Crystal or otherwise. Surely this would not be overlooked. But I must admit, I never do tea on Crystal - it ruins my dinner.

How very refreshing to read your reviews with no endorsements nor admonishments nor rhetorical questions. I've always been curious about QM2. Thank you Roy.

Agree. Plus, the more casual restaurants can serve for longer spans of time as people come and go (in more casual shore attire). I want NC to survive - and that may mean cutting some features that are only used by a few.

American Airlines actually tried to downgrade me once, through subterfuge. I had used AAdvantage miles to book (online) two trips to Rome which included a plane change in Chicago. To my utter amazement, first class was offered for significantly less miles than business class (like half) so I nabbed it. There was an 8 hour layover which I actually wanted and planned. This was approximately 3 months prior to the trip. I assume the pricing may have been a glitch. A few weeks before my flight I got a notice that American had “automatically” changed my first flight so I would have a 35 minute layover. Everyone knows you can’t do an international layover at O’Hare in 35 minutes. Flights from my city to Chicago are always late. At a minimum, your bags won’t make it. And if I inevitably missed my flight, there was not another until the next day, with business and first class undoubtedly full. i was furious. And I’m Platinum Plus. It was a ruse to sell those first class seats at a better price. I was told there was no way to change it back by multiple agents because it was “automatic.” I won’t bore you with details but I had to finally pull my own shenanigans to get it back.

I would like to see the more for each. Thank you

Hmmmm. Is this a good thing or a bad thing?

Correct. But I can use the gloves so I am not touching utensils they picked up. It’s for my protection.

Most better buffets now start with packages of lightweight, oversize, clear plastic gloves that are easy to take on and off. That is something Crystal should implement. It may have nothing to do with Covid, but a lot to do with other transmittable illnesses like Noro. It’s better to be preventive than reactive.

The only time I ever saw a Gala was on a 14 day cruise with 4 sea days so that follows the guideline. We usually booked more port-intensive cruises. I’d be surprised if that returns. It was entertaining in some ways, but my vague recollection is a giant crowd around the table with cold rock lobsters on ice. So many people were piling their plates with huge heaps of them that I could barely nab the last one. I had to snake my hand in (underneath) from 3 rows back - and almost got my arm stabbed by a fork. I remember thinking it reminded me of mass market cruise lines. And that was all pre-Covid of course. Any other food from that buffet, which I ate on my lap in the Cove (rather than carry it into Waterside to find an empty table), remains unmemorable.

I know this isn't going to be a popular response, but I think there are enough lurkers here that might appreciate it. Please let me know if you are one. First: There are many, many experienced and excellent TAs on this board and they provide a great deal of expertise and help to everyone here. I've gained from all of their top notch and informative responses. I would use any of them in a heartbeat. This is their lifeblood and I understand that. For years, I had a superb liaison at Crystal who was, for me, as good as a TA. She answered my emails instantly at all hours of the day and night, even on weekends (like 10 pm on Saturday night or 7 am on Sunday morning), and she always had an immediate answer or solution. She arranged for personal items in my room (specialized electronic hook-ups, particular wines and alcohol, fruit, flowers, canapés, etc.). She easily changed rooms for me. I got generous OBC just like everyone else. I couldn't have been happier. I did my own air because I used mileage credits, but she offered to do air, and if she had, I'm sure she would have arranged changes for me if needed. With that all said, my special liaison lost her job when Crystal was bankrupted. She has moved on and not returned. I was assigned a new liaison, who was good for an email or two and then disappeared. I don't know if I can capture that magic again. I'm guessing probably not. I've always been a do-it-myself person and it's never let me down, but I'm waiting to see what happens when Crystal opens up online booking.

I sympathize with all of this concern, but I wonder why people feel that they have to book cruises, with payments, so far in advance? Oftentimes years away. This is weird to me, because I always book late and I can always get a cabin. Maybe it's not the exact cabin I want, but ok. Maybe I miss out on getting restaurant reservations at the particular times I want, but I never lose money with bankruptcies or Covid. And I don't have to stress about it. I'm honestly not being critical, just wondering. This has always been a puzzlement to me. Especially when Crystal went belly up and some people had paid in full for many cruises, years in advance. Admittedly, I don't cruise as much as people on this board so I am probably missing something. For a lot of family and community reasons, I just can't plan anything that far in ahead.

Blankets (wool, mohair, etc.) that aren’t laundered between users = yuck

Aaron - Thanks so much. 1) Which rooms have plugs and USB ports on both sides of the bed now? 2) Can we see a list of included wines like we could in the past? 3) Has the shade availability by the pool improved? thanks again

Thanks for the good review which was quite helpful to me. I never watch TV on a cruise and I never use the cabin phone to call other rooms and I never send laundry out. So all of that is immaterial to me. I do like the extra spaciousness of a suite, however. Here’s the most important question though: did the canapés include pigs in a blanket?

We never book a cruise more than 2 or 3 months ahead due to many other responsibilities. Even though I’ve always qualified for unlimited dining, I could never get more than one night at Umi Uma (even on two-week cruises). They were always full by the time we tried to reserve. We only got one night (usually at 9:00) because it was guaranteed. That was Old Crystal - but can’t imagine it will be much different now.

My personal choice: I ALWAYS give generous tips to my butler, cabin attendants and servers even if it is “all inclusive.” But it is not required and never asked for. I’m just so thankful I don’t have to sign a bar tab for every drink. And I’m thankful I can afford a lux cruise. And I totally understand there are new-to-Crystal cruisers here who have that question.

There is a good ole boy group on this board, for sure. But remember that the vast majority of Crystal cruisers have never visited CC or any of the other social networks. I’ve rarely met anyone onboard who even knew about CC. Believe me, most guests couldn’t care less how many bolts are on deck 7. Even as a PH guest I’ve been bumped off a “reserved” Avenue stool a time or two. I just moved to another seat and made different friends.

Any major question I’ve ever had has been quickly answered when I called or emailed my Crystal liaison. Sometimes within minutes. And I’m just a plebeian. The idea of insider info puzzles me. Why would Crystal make it available to only a few? Thanks Stickman.

Wow there is some serious work going on. Thanks for the post. This is the first real peek we’ve seen.

Will there be production shows on the first sailings or later TBD? They weren’t on the initial releases of entertainment.

I'm amazed by the speed of this. I was both a secured and a non-secured creditor (two separate entities) in a bankruptcy case that took 6 years for payout and then I received only 60% of the non-secured and zero of the secured (go figure). I never understood it but took what I could get. That this bankruptcy case can already be paying out to passengers (which I am assuming are non-secured) is pretty incredible. Does that mean that the entertainers and other stiffed creditors have already been paid? I never pay far in advance (for a variety of responsibilities) so lost nothing on the Crystal bankruptcy, but I am following the payback out of curiosity.

I’m a Crystal fan but still on the fence about NC. I do lots of land vacays, usually historical or cultural or culinary in nature - but if I choose a cruise, it’s Crystal. I’ve done enough of the other lines to know - and I don’t have time to waste experimenting. I’m involved in too many other things in my life. With that said, I WANT to hear everyone’s opinions about why they might be hesitating and I WANT to hear comparisons to other cruises. Because I know those hesitations and comparisons are people who have also cruised Crystal. I can decide for myself what to value. What I don’t want is a lecture. Thanks

If you gamble a lot you will always lose overall. It’s just simple statistics because the odds are with the house, and heavily so on slots. If you are getting comped luxury cruises you are losing a ton of money. And you are not on the cruise to do anything but gamble. I can see why AK doesn’t want those types, but unfortunately it impacts those who just want to have fun and spend the money for a little entertainment. I don’t gamble only because it’s not fun for me, so I don’t care if the casinos go. But I can see why some will miss them.