Stickman1990

The cruise ship schedule I can see has Serenity at the Manhattan Cruise Terminal - so you’ll be in Manhattan and can choose the best airport that suits your travel plans https://nycruise.com/manhattan-terminal/schedule-mct/

Can anyone really complain about not being able to wear shorts and flip flops to restaurants after 6pm?

Clearly we sailed on different ships as that was not our experience when on for 16 nights in September It may be the approach they’ve taken doesn’t suit you and the things you like on a cruise but that’s not to say it’s a miss for many others I can’t agree about your claim of no lectures and no “real” shows and these days who needs a computer room as we’re all equipped with our own devices and boy their computer network and internet speed is amazing - the best at sea! We didn’t use any of the pools when cruising in Iceland and Greenland so they weren’t a factor in our assessment of the ship The dining options are the best we’ve experienced at sea - I know they will continue to improve on them but they’ve made an amazing start with the current offering We’ve sailed on Regent, Silversea, Viking and Explora in the last 12 months and will soon sail Crystal again and after all those experiences we definitely rate Explora Journeys in comparison with the other lines. Are there areas for improvement? - undoubtably but the current package is still very compelling I guess we’ll just have to agree to disagree on the attributes of Explora and what they’ve chosen to focus on and package We can’t wait to return

I’m guessing you’re not aware but the Reflections images are unreadable

Fancy that Ovant is from Western Australia - https://www.ovant.com.au Between that and the Four Pillars Shiraz gin and if I recall a Aussie Shiraz as well Australia seems to have managed to get the Beverage departments attention

It’s actually working fine - certainly lots of ships there - all getting ready for their holiday cruises

Actually it’s 16 nights or more - days and nights onboard are different calculations

Yes back when we were onboard it was very confused - the Captain would say take your medication and proceed to your muster station without it being made very clear it was only an exercise although earlier on the person running the drill did say it was an exercise but many were confused as it proceeded over a long period - very very confusing

Are you saying the bar was shutting at 9.45pm????? Which one? - the lobby? Btw we loved listening to Natalia at various times of the day during our cruise Thats crazy I hope the bars in the Explorer lounge and the aft lounge with the duo were open longer

No this was beyond what was necessary Were you onboard then? It was an issue that those who were raised with the senior managers

On a related note how often are they doing the crew drills these days? And have they found a reasonable volume for the emergency sirens around the ship (of course they need to be loud and clear to be effective in an emergency) but they were very loud and piercing back in September

Is that across all restaurants? Lamb chops are on Marble (French), Sakura and Fil Rouge (New Zealand) at least so that’s a big miss

Everyone of the luxury lines do sea days differently - and each has its ups and downs In the last 12 months we’ve sailed Regent, Silversea, Viking and Explora and very soon we’ll sail Crystal - our schedule on a sea day on each of these lines is quite different but equally enjoyable - sometimes we do things on one line but don’t on another even though the same activity is on offer Turning to the speakers in particular - some speak on multiple lines - Mr Ocean Liner Bill Miller or Commander Scott Kelly from the ISS come to mind there as examples while some repeat the same lectures time after time on the same line (best I don’t give examples for that!) So I think that mileage varies on this across all lines. When we were on Explora they had several great speakers - a music historian, the navigators who guided us around Greenland and a more local speaker who described some of the history of the region and current day port briefings - she also happened to be a astro physicist who also did a lecture on that which went over the heads of most of us. So at least during our time on Explora back in September we were very happy with the on board activities and the speakers Having said that I think we’d all pretty much agree that the onboard entertainment and activities on Explora are still a work in progress

Do you mean sitting in the lounge area of the bar or at the actual seats right at the bar? Personally I prefer to sit on a lounge when with a group rather than spread across the seats at the bar

These awards are so subjective without knowing the criteria used to rank lines (assuming there were criteria) - take them for what they are - opinions. I’ve never cruised on Oceania but I have to wonder if they’re that great why doesn’t everyone cruise on them? We felt the new Explora Journeys dining was exceptional - but once you’re at a certain level how much does it really matter?

The devils in the detail - until they get all the information between what you paid and what you’d have to pay it’s all guess work I don’t see Crystal in the business of doing things that lose money - thankfully

It’s certainly been turned to some degree as we loved our time on board Explora Journeys back in September and we’ve booked a 26 night back to back (including a crossing with lots of sea days) on Explora I for 2025 (in a sale which priced them very nicely for us at a per diem I’ve struggled to match on only a few occasions previously). Explora has many highlights and certainly is not relying on just the hardware to impress, the dining for example is sensational as well I have price points in mind as to just what pain I’m prepared to suffer to extract the pleasure of cruising so they guide many of my choices. The last 12 months have seen us cruising on Regent, Silversea, Viking (a means to an end and we likely won’t return) and Explora Journeys so we now have a good basis for comparison and as someone once said “choice is good” with each offering us something different Crystal is far from slipping away from our minds with a couple of cruises booked and a keen eye checking itineraries as they roll out. Our visit has reinforced the relative uniqueness of Crystals offering onboard, the ability and intent of the new owners to invest in a way to strengthen the brand and just what the total package offers. The issue at this point is the limited choices in itineraries that a fleet of two ships can deliver as we have much of the world still to explore (although we all know cruising is not really the way to truly explore countries)

But it does apply to Doubles with veranda - sometimes you might have to consider different options if they provide benefits - it pays to check out all the option s In this example for A$900 more for the veranda option over a non veranda option you’d become eligible for an Aquamarine upgrade

The upside is that if you are making a new reservation for a 2024 cruise you will likely benefit from the upgrade offer and end up in a larger/nicer suite

Farewell for the moment - see you again on 4 January 2024

She’s underway

Nancy it’s another beautiful day here today - high is 95f so a little warm but great that guests and crew could get out and enjoy Sydney in such lovely weather

A day aboard Crystal Symphony in Sydney - Friday 15 December 2023 We were very lucky to be able to enjoy a day aboard Crystal Smphomy while she was docked in Sydney - I’m going to try and capture some of our experience and thoughts on our visit. This is one time where while a picture is worth a thousand words seeing it in person is worth a million! First a big thank you to Crystal for inviting us to visit and in particular to Herbert, the hotel director for all his time in hosting us and showing my wife around and to Deb Fox and her team from A&K Asia Pacific for their hospitality and allowing me to get a look at the changes before we board Serenity in February and return to Symphony in December We arrived late morning at White Bay where Symphony was moored at the #2 berth - behind a very ugly P&O ship - not that we needed reminding but Crystal Symphomys classic lines make for a beautiful sight We were greeted by Herbert and headed straight to the Bistro where the first crew member we saw was Jonathan - who was also the very first crew member to greet us as part of the Lido team back on our first Crystal sailing ten years ago - it was so nice to see his smiling face and that he had been promoted to a sommelier role Then my very favourite server Sanela appeared and she too had moved up the ranks to a sommelier role. Sanela has patiently looked after my friends and I in the Avenue many a night. We’re all looking forward to sailing with her later in the year As you do when sitting having coffee you run into people and yesterday was no exception with Mario, Slavko and Bruno from the restaurant team all saying hi. Later in the afternoon we met up with Dan Davies who continues to entertain in the Avenue - we reminisced about previous voyages and joked that playing my oft requested Stairway to Heaven on the piano was a bit of a challenge we used to give him late at night - and he tells me he’s up for the challenge these days! We finally decided a tour was in order and this is where I got the biggest insight over what has taken place during the dry dock - the accommodation (and many public areas) has been transformed - many decks and other areas were gutted and totally rebuilt with examples being 4 classic cabins becoming a new Crystal Penthouse or 3 becoming a Junior Crystal Penrhouse etc. These are not “make overs” these are entirely new rooms and very well appointed with all, the modern facilities you’d expect on a luxury line. We’ve sailed many of the other luxury lines over the last 12 months and I’d say these new suites from Aquamarine up are very competitive in terms of space and facilities with the entry levels of the newer ships on the other luxury lines. Turning to our normal stomping ground, the entry level Double rooms - we were very happy with the new design and even the storage areas - and the bathroom certainly passes the “big guy wants a spacious shower” test - we’ll be happy in one of these when we return to Symphony for 33 nights in late 2024 Onto the public areas - the memories came flooding back as we visited favourites such as the Palm Court which has some new plants but retains the elegance that captured our hearts back in 2013 - who could not love the light feature about the dance floor and the acoustics as you stand in the middle. Plus the high backed chairs are back - the ideal spot to watch the world go by at sea We liked the new lounge where the old casino was - they’ve done a great job making this into a light filled lounge with lots of tables suitable for gaming or puzzling and while there is no bar there it’s a few steps to the nightclub bar or the Bistro if drink and food is required The new Italian restaurant looks lovely having been gutted and redone completely - elegant and much lighter than before. Similar thoughts on Umi Uma which is looking great too We finished our tour and had lunch in Marketplace - and I even had a salad made for me by one of the servers from Osteria d’Ovidio while we chatted about where some of the old crew now were as well as the menu at the new restaurant - probably my first salad on Crystal 😉 but needless to say there were plenty of other options available at the buffet After more touring we stopped by the Cove and enjoyed a few drinks and a chat with DJ Viviano and his guest visitor who we had sailed with before - we were joined by Deb, Tony and Michelle from A&K and enjoyed talking about the journey A&K and Crystal had been on since the purchase and some of the challenges that they face over the next few years as they continue to build momentum My feeling is the best thing we can all do now is to support the line and the crew by getting onboard - literally! It’s a a great offering and experience awaits with lots of familiar faces ready to welcome us back. Let’s give them the challenge Maybe I’ve gone on long enough as I know I could ramble on for ages I think but I’m happy to try and answer any questions you might have Welcome home The Avenue Osteria d’Ovidio Tastes Hotel Director Herbert Great selection of Gins Those tarts are back The elves at work The standard double room

She is due to sail at 2pm Sydney time on Saturday - so will pass by the Bridge webcam shortly after that You can view the webcam I used @ https://webcamsydney.com

Have faith and give it a try - you may be surprised - but no guarantees but you’ll never know if you don’t try