BWIVince
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Posts posted by BWIVince
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8 hours ago, Keith1010 said:
That's good news.
I can see cruises starting or ending there. Not sure if there will be demand to transit through there due to the time it takes to get to the port but would love to see it happen. We love the history of Philadelphia so that would be a plus on a sailing for us.
Keith
I always found the dynamic between Philly, Baltimore and Norfolk as regional drive-in cruise ports to be really interesting. Each has strengths and weaknesses, but I’ve long been surprised that Philly hasn’t been more competitive with Baltimore on luring persistent home porting given its massive drive-in market (which includes Baltimore) and more convenient logistics geographically compared with Baltimore. For other reasons though, Baltimore’s strengths have offset all of the Chesapeake’s disadvantages and have led more of the traffic to drive to Baltimore from Eastern PA, DE and NJ than drive to Philly to sail. I’m glad to see that shift a little, I think it’s overdue.Vince
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54 minutes ago, Kinky Boats said:
I am so confused! A beef bar without beef, and a KFC without the Colonel.
But as long as there is still Yummy in Umi, I'm willing to return back to the Crystal I know.
In fairness, the preview menu on Crystal's website does have a steak section with 4 cuts of beef, plus a steak entree and various meat small plates and apps.
Vince
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2 hours ago, Whipsnade said:
KFC!! Really? Never been to one. Perhaps this is the Disney menu.
Here’s the backstory for non-foodies…
“KFC” on modern menus is a decade-long pop culture trend for chefs to feature some modern, gourmet play on fried foods. It started in the ‘10s as a highlight of Korean-style fried chicken (also “KFC”), then broadened to Korean Fried Cauliflower, and then branched out into all kinds of modern takes on food fried in the Col. Sanders tradition, but with completely and sometimes wildly personalized ingredients.
The preparation here highlights a Cinzano marinade and Szechuan pepper sauce — which very much follows and is a play on that trend.
Vince
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…And this is why the local entertainers have become less frequent…. 😁 (More agreement on what’s popular and “safe”)
Vince
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3 hours ago, Jayayeff said:
I looked at a cruise I have booked and it lists 2 enrichment lecturers and 5 entertainers however, when I clicked on the participating voyages tab for each of them only 2 out of the 7 have that cruise listed!!!!!!
Anne
Are you looking at it from inside a voyage, or at the global level? Inside a voyage (at least until recently if it’s changing) it only listed the OTHER voyages an entertainer was participating on, not including that one currently displayed. The button should probably say something along the lines of “Other participating voyages” inside a voyage, and be have a separate translation from the button ion the global page.
Vince
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2 hours ago, PaulaJK said:
I accept your point, Vince. It was Crystal Guest Relations who instructed to contact obgs…then obgs who said to contact CGS…then a second contact to send booking number. This is not a big issue in my life… but…Crystal could have said send an email to CGR including your booking number. Less hassle for them and less hassle for me/ us.Of course it would be nice to automatically receive it, soon after the end of the cruise to preserve memories. There were so many excellent components to this cruise that I wanted to be certain to note them. I wonder about a return rate of completed surveys sent immediately after the cruise as contrasted w a month after the cruise.
Absolutely... I should have edited the quote window down to the last sentence, that's all I was commenting on. I've already shared my experience with my 0-1 (now moot) success rate on getting a response from emails they've instructed me to send, so I feel your pain there. I love that Crystal is so much like it's been for last ~35 years, EXCEPT in this one way.
Vince
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32 minutes ago, PaulaJK said:
A bit of unnecessary confusion. Called obgs..told they don’t do this but write to guest relations…did that…they wrote back and asked for booking number…sent that..no survey to date.
How is it easier go book a cruise than to receive a survey?
😀 In fairness, one has an entire management hierarchy over it because the vast majority of the company's revenue is dependent on it, while the other normally a part of one person's portfolio, and that person may or may not be in the office that day/week. But yeah, point taken, real-life priorities suck sometimes. 🙂
Vince
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5 hours ago, Keith1010 said:
On a related note I remember when there were comments about the name of Junior CP's and a few people didn't understand why Junior CP. I never really understood the issue as Hotels have used for years the name a Junior Suite to describe a suite that is smaller than a regular sized suite.Of course, many hotels have a variety of names and suite offerings.
Same is true of ships. You know, owner's suite, and so forth.The Junior Suite description on Symphony really tells the story.
On Symphony the two original CP's on Deck 10 have been updated so they look very close to the two new ones on Deck 8. There are a few differences such as the closet configuration, along with the bed and a few other items including art work but they are very similar.
The Junior CP's look very similar to the CP between the finish out, furniture, etc. It's just that it is smaller so items such as the living area, bedroom, bathroom look very similar with their size being the major difference and their location.
The Junior CP's no Symphony look the same or very similar to those on Serenity including the size of the suite and the verandah.
The CP on the Serenity and the CP on Symphony have different styles and their size is different. The Serenity CP is larger, while both include a guest bathroom Serenity's incudes a shower and has a room with a sofa bed to accommodate a third person. The Serenity CP also has a butler's pantry with cabinets for glasses, a large coffee maker using coffee grounds, an ice maker, a sink and counter space, and refrigerator.
Keith
Thankfully the controversy over the Junior CP naming convention hasn’t reached me yet, because I’d have really strong feelings on that one. 😁 I know people always want to complain that Crystal conforms to US business conventions which may or may not translate to norms in other parts of the world, and absolutely that’s a balancing act that can have negative financial impact on companies that don’t learn to not accommodate everyone as best they can…. But this one is just cut and dry.
Junior suites are a long standing naming convention in the US travel industry (where Crystal is and has always been based, regardless of ownership), and that’s just life. Our other phrase in hospitality here for Junior is Executive, which would be WAY more confusing both in the US and globally. Demi is sometimes used internationally in place of Junior, but that is hardly if ever used in the US, and would cause mass confusion.
….And to anyone who thinks they should have just continued the stone naming convention all the way through has never had to explain the difference between a sapphire and aquamarine to a customer. A CP vs. Junior CP is 100x clearer to the majority of Crystal’s customer base than sapphire vs. aquamarine.
Naming conventions are a thing, and exhaust for a reason, even if some don’t understand them, or they’re not globally universal . 😊Vince
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13 hours ago, Keith1010 said:
However, yesterday was one of those exceptions. After all, we were in Amsterdam where apparently the French Fry is king.
I thought I felt the Earth wobble off its axis. 😄
I'm proud of you Keith -- those definitely look exception worthy! ❤️
Vince
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16 hours ago, mnocket said:
Vince, Thanks again for the help. If I may ask one further question...
I've sailed a wide range of cruise lines, and how I choose to book tends to vary according to which line I'm booking. If it's one that's supported by my favorite big box store, I go there (Crystal isn't). Otherwise, I either book direct with the cruise line or, if I'm comfortable I won't need much hand holding, I'll use a discount TA. I hate that Cruise Critic doesn't allow naming TAs, but rules are rules. So, my question is, have you found there to be any significant cost savings available when booking Crystal through a TA, or is more just a matter of convenience? All things being equal, I'd book directly with Crystal, but if a TA specializing in Crystal provides significant cost benefits - I'll exert the effort to try to find one.
Thanks once again🙂
Sorry for the delay... Everyone did a great job above and I agree with all those points. There's just a few value props from above I'd emphasize. Full disclosure -- I'm biased. I was a retail travel agent at the beginning of my career (decades ago), and had worked on the operations side for a travel intermediary up until Covid.
1) TA's can provide value-adds through their consortium memberships or volume with Crystal. There may be online or mass-market agencies that may provide other perks you value. One person may get more out of using a Crystal specialist, but another person may really like the airline miles or perks through their bank or loyalty program portal -- the choice here is personal.
2) The advocacy piece here is huge. Here I think the advantage goes to the Crystal specialists since they have the strongest relationship with Crystal's sales team if they need favors or issues addressed, but IMHO anyone would be nuts to book direct. I always hear people say, "I don't need an agent, I can advocate for myself." Ok, with what leverage, and to whom? A call center reservations agent? ...Even their supervisor? Good luck. Really the only people in a supplier org to bend the rules to fix an issue that doesn't have a straightforward or simple fix are the industry sales team, and they maintain the relationships with agents... Not direct sales customers.
3) Lastly, expertise is valuable. I know a lot about Crystal, but my agent has spent a lot more time than I have on Crystal this year than I have. Searching online or chatting in forums is great, but sometimes there is incredible value in asking someone who knows you personally, because they know your perspective on the question, their answer is probably going to be better targeted.
Just some added thoughts...
Vince
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43 minutes ago, mnocket said:
@BWIVince Wow! You keep popping up as I research booking my first Crystal cruise. Thanks for helping a newbie find his way👍
What is an A&K deposit?
I understand your objection to booking a nonrefundable fare. Do you have any concerns about booking an Explorer Fare? Paying the full fare up front seems a tad risky given Crystal's history, but a 10% discount is attractive, plus I've got $20K travel insurance on my Chase Saphire Reserve card. Still there's the whole "fool me once..." thing
Sorry for my confusing wording! I just meant my overall sentiment about the relative security of deposits under Crystal's A&K ownership. To this point I haven't done that with any travel supplier anywhere as a hard rule since February of 2020, but I'd break that (with small precautions) in this case.
Everyone's risk tolerance is different here, so I understand why people would have varying feelings on this -- I'm just speaking for myself here.
Personally, if booking outside outside the 520 day window, I would still never book a nonrefundable fare. I would be ok with putting the full fare up for an additional discount (I've done that in the past) if I had the money available and didn't have it serving a better purpose in the interim, but even that is a consideration of whether the discount offsets whatever else I'd be losing at that time. I would never go the extra step for a cruise that far out and book it as nonrefundable for extra savings though, that's just too high risk for me. My concerns there are mostly based on other holes in most travel insurance I've had and not specific to the line shutting down... Technically the line owes you money either way if they shut down before you sail. (My mixed feelings on that are a long story that I'll spare everyone.)
I will say that I view using a Visa or a Mastercard as a bigger risk, and we really saw a divide statistically between the outcomes of the different card networks. Issuers like AmEx that control their own reserves just work differently than an alliance of banks with different interests trying to navigate common guidance. Back in the old threads in the old forum, we saw all kinds of major national banks reject claims or give bad guidance to customers. No one is perfect, but the difference between VI and MC issuers and AmEx, which controls both ends of the process, were stark.
Anyway, I'm rambling... Sorry!
Vince
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7 minutes ago, mnocket said:
Yep.. This picture was taken after the 2021 refit but before the 2023 refit though, so except for the loveseat, table and print, everything else will be somewhat different/updated. BUT for the purpose of this discussion, this definitely shows the promenade situation better.
The railing does vary by location, but it is generally less obtrusive than Serenity's. In some spots the railings do have solid bulwark on them, but because of varying regulations in place when Serenity and Symphony were built, and the lifeboat orientation, Symphony's railings on deck 7 are generally lower and/or more open. Check pics closely though to see what they look like outside your cabin for more specifics though.
Vince
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2 minutes ago, mnocket said:
Thanks for the thoughtful replies. I'm really struggling with this one given the cost difference.
@BWIVince Your comment about the promenade deck being recessed on the Symphony may be the difference maker, but it isn't clear from the photo on the Crystal website...
The promenade doesn't look to be lower. Is this photo accurate, or does the website just use the same picture for both Symphony and Serenity? This photo is what scared me😲
Yeah, that's a picture from Serenity... Symphony's staterooms have different prints/frames, different windows, a recessed promenade, and different railings (among other things).
In fairness, when Crystal was finalizing the current website, only press photos from Serenity were yet available, and even those had to be updated a couple of times. For a short time using the pics from Serenity was actually more accurate than using the renderings, before new ones from Symphony were ready. Hopefully they have updated press photos from Symphony by now, and can eventually swap those out.
Vince
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27 minutes ago, mnocket said:
I'm contemplating taking my first Crystal cruise in 3/26 (33-Night Singapore - Tokyo) and have been debating between ocean view and verandah. The savings on this cruise are significant - $6K+. Since the weather will start out warm, but turn colder as we sail north, I think I can forgo the verandah. My chief concern is privacy. It seems the promenade is right outside the cabin window. If the curtains are open, everyone walking the promenade is able to look right into your cabin. Is this concern overblown, or is it a real problem?
I'm really sensitive to this one, so I'll comment...
One of the big differences between Symphony and Serenity is that Symphony's promenade deck is recessed below deck 7, whereas the outdoor promenade on Serenity is level with the cabins. So on Symphony, if you're sitting down or laying in bed, and look out the window, you mainly see the tops of heads bob by -- you're not face-to-face with them like on Serenity.
There is a reflective privacy tint on the glass, but it's light-directional... You'll see through it more the brighter it is inside vs. outside. That means most of the day it's pretty well obscured, but if you have a lot of lights on inside the cabin, or if it happens to be really dark outside, you can see more detail. To me that's less of an issue though, and the main privacy benefit is the height offset.
Just my $.02... YMMV.
Vince
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10 hours ago, oakridger said:
@Keith1010 I wonder how those Sapphire Ocean Suites are selling. To me, if I were paying that fare, I would want to have the outdoor space of a balcony available.
~Nancy
I was kind of surprised when they created two-bay suites out of the rooms on deck 7 -- they seemed a little high end for its limitations... Not just the lack of verandah, but also the obstructed views (especially midships). I do think they made sense in Symphony's case given the overall targets, but they definitely have a niche audience.
That said, they do sell at a discount vs. the verandah versions, and support the overall mission of lower occupancy, so they seem to be effective when viewed through that lens. I wouldn't be as thrilled about the obstructed views at that price point, but I would GLADLY take a discount to not have the verandah... So I'm definitely in that niche. Well, I guess not technically, since I don't actually have enough money for one of those rooms. 😕 Details. lol
Vince
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1 hour ago, ryndam said:
We disembarked Serenity last Saturday in NYC after a very nice 18-day trans-canal cruise. As of today, neither of us has received the post-cruise survey.
There are quite a few individuals, venues, guest entertainers/lecturers that we want to comment, but as the days start slipping further and further away from the voyage, our memories start to fade.
For those that have completed recent cruises, say in the past 90 days+/-, when did you receive your post-cruise surveys?
Or is this a feature that has gone by the wayside?
Thanks!
Rob & Jim
Hopefully people will have more recent examples, but when I disembarked on 7/9, I got the survey link that evening around 8:00pm Eastern.
Vince
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1 hour ago, loriva said:
So, you can open the app on your laptop? Or get the menus, etc. it by logging into the ship's intranet? (And then save the file and subsequently upload it. I get the latter part--just trying to determine the easiest way to get the file from the ship's system to my device.)
They have an intranet set up like a portal, so you would basically navigate those pages to see the menus and schedules for the day. (It's not really a native app, but you can save the page so it's accessible like one.)
When you browse it on on your own device instead of the tablet in the room, you can save the files locally to your device and organize or rename them as you like when you save them. (That's why you see the varying file names on all the posts here.)
When I do it, I tend to use my phone or tablet (they share cloud storage) and just throw them in a unique folder for each cruise, and tend to save copies of all the restaurant menus. That way I can also look back on changes to the different alternative restaurants over time. You don't have to go through all that work, but thinking of where you want to save them and how you want to organize them in advance helps make things easier you start to collect the files.
Edited to add: Another reason I save them using my phone sometimes involves the timing of when things are posted, and the timing of when my senile brain remembers to check -- especially in the case of restaurant menus. I may already be out and about, so if I remember to check a menu, or see it's been posted while I'm out doing something, it's super easy to just snag it then right there on my phone, and I'm all set.
Vince
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1 hour ago, Txcotn said:
For the bath product people who are dissatisfied - I've been around long enough to remember the Neutrogena! We've come a long way, Baby!
Some of us go back to Crystal's Sebastian amenity days! 😊 Wow I'm old...
Vince
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2 hours ago, calliopecruiser said:
They're the same as the double cabins, aren't they?
I'll be in one in December for my longest cruise yet (>1 month).
They are... Identical and interchangeable (to give them options). I'm jealous of your extended voyage and can't wait to hear what you think.
Vince
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2 hours ago, Texas Tillie said:
As to slippers, if you have petite feet, like me (6ish ladies), you'd trip over your own feet if you tried wearing what they provide. One size does not fit all.
Patty
If you cut a pair in half to fit your feet, I'll take the other half to tape onto the ones in my room so they come close to fitting my feet. 😄
Vince
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1 hour ago, FlyerTalker said:
Disagree with the premise. There are plenty of suppliers they could use....if they chose to.
La Bottega isn't a monopoly.
My point wasn’t that they didn’t know how to put out an RFP, just that they were unlikely to break an existing agreement over it. I don’t know the details of their agreement, but I’ve known many companies who have used them over the years but I’ve never seen anyone use them for less than two years, however that plays out in either contracts, orders or ROI on the relationship.Vince
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2 hours ago, Whipsnade said:
They could go to another supplier like Hermes which I prefer.
I’d prefer Molton Brown…. And anything is possible, but I suspect we might have better, or at least faster success picking from this list. https://www.labottega.com/en_US/brands-cosmetics?letter=A
Vince
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4 hours ago, FlyerTalker said:
They sure haven't listened to the complaints about the pump bottles of the Ortigia product. My dollar softsoap pumps at home work better.
Otherwise, quite good.
I lit into this one on my thread (and others) because it’s a pet peeve of mine on many levels, but in fairness to Crystal in the short term they have to pick from the options from La Bottega that are currently available, which all have significant downsides. They can get the amenities in metal tubes, which they’ve done as a stop-gap when the bulk items weren’t available (but take the ding for the amount of packaging waste), or they can switch to the motel-style shower dispensers (which I’d VERY reluctantly rather have as a last resort than the leaky plastic pumps), both of which are overall downgrades in perception even if they address some of the complaints. La Bottega is happy to do custom packaging (for significant cost) which would address these issues, but even more than cost they take a long time to bring to market, longer than they’ve had to address the issue. I do totally agree with the problem though.Vince
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1 minute ago, juicyjuju said:
Oh thanks. I had forgotten about that. I'm not really a steak eater I hope there's good non beef alternatives
There are some preliminary menus on Crystal's website... I'd take them with a grain of salt at this point since they will evolve and change to some degree, like all menus do with Crystal, but at least it gives you an idea of the concept. https://www.crystalcruises.com/beefbar
Vince
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'Sensational savings for solo travelers'
in Crystal
Posted
I always liked being on the opposite side of the ship from my family for a different reason... Their extreme snoring rattled the steel plates for at least several dozen feet. 😝
Vince