BWIVince
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Posts posted by BWIVince
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8 minutes ago, bayonejoe said:
Booked Hong Kong to Athens on Serenity. Hoping to finally go thru the Suez Canal.
We need a finger cross reaction added to the Cruise Critic message response list! 🙂
Vince
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7 hours ago, KenzSailing said:
Very much enjoying these posts.
Questions:
Has the Umi Uma menu been broadened from pre-shutdown? I don't remember so many cooked courses(easily my memory's fault?)
Didn't the Osteria open with a tasting menu option? They seem to have abandoned that.
For comparison, attached was the last Umi Uma menu I had from OC (September 2021), but it’s from Symphony so it’s not quite apples to apples (agedashi to agedashi?)…. I know they’ve historically had some differences over the years, but it gives a reference of where the menu was at close to when things stopped at least.Vince
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54 minutes ago, nancygp said:
same here! Nothing booked yet for 2026 and waiting for the second half for symphony.Nancy
Same here! I was curious about the Japan itineraries, but I wasn't expecting to like them so much... But I still need to know what the rest of 2026 looks like before I can commit to anything mentally (I think).
I'm so excited to have access to Symphony again, so I don't have to suffer with Serenity anymore. 😄. (Joking/Not Joking. haha)
Vince
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1 hour ago, goldengatecruisers said:
Outstanding itineraries on both ships! I am already searching between sofa cushions for all my loose change...
+1! I'd look in my sofa too, but with my luck I'll just find a missing bill int here and no change. 🤦♂️
I LOVE Symphony's Japan itineraries though!
36 minutes ago, juicyjuju said:Yes I would love to know where Symphony is going when it leaves Tokyo
At least we have some idea from the outline. Welcome back to North America! 😄
Vince
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10 hours ago, Texas Tillie said:
Earlier this year they opened it in the evening for a while, but went back to closing at 6PM. Wouldn't be surprised if there weren't enough people taking advantage of the late closing.
That’s my read on it as well…. And the reallocation of resources has tangible benefits — sommelier service during dinner in all venues on my cruise last month was the best I can remember since the rollout of [the “other” infamous] AI.Vince
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Actual measurable rain?? In August, in San Francisco?? That’s like snow in the middle of the afternoon in July in Phoenix. I would have done the same thing Keith, and thought the forecaster had lost their mind and left my coat behind… And I’d have ended up looking like a drenched cat. 😁
I’m very jealous, I wish I was in the city this week! Glad you and Anne Marie are enjoying your time there.
Vince
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12 minutes ago, TER777 said:
92 mph wind gusts as the Symphony bounces through the North Sea on the way from Copenhagen to Ijmuiden (Amsterdam).
Hold on tight! 😬 Hope everyone makes it through safely.
Vince
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59 minutes ago, ronmar22 said:
Is there any update on just when the Serenity will be converting to the Beefbar? Sail in November this year and was hoping to experience the new restaurant. When checking out the options to make reservations one still finds Tastes as an option and no mention of Beefbar.
It doesn't look like they have a timeline that's ready for public consumption yet... Their most recent press release on dining still said something to the effect of "later this year" re: Beefbar. I defer to anyone with inside knowledge of tentative dates though.
Vince
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15 minutes ago, Whipsnade said:
The home of practically everything superb is Manhattan.
Can’t disagree with that! 😊Vince
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49 minutes ago, Whipsnade said:
I find the menu ordinary. Pasta not hand rolled and sauces bland. Certainly would not rate a Michelin star. But I live in Manhattan, home of Italian cuisine.
Yep, I wasn’t talking about the menu at all, they can change that all they want (and continuously do)…. I didn’t try any pastas so I can’t comment on them, but none of the sauces I had with any courses were bland, thankfully. YMMV though for sure.Being from a large Italian family though, I AM shocked to learn at my advanced age that the home of Italian cuisine is Manhattan. 😆
Vince
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Personally, I hope they don't take the Osteria d'Ovidio concept too far from it's roots... I LOVE the idea of a modernist Italian restaurant onboard -- that's something I can't get (OR easily make) at home, and something that excites me 10x more in concept than something like the old Prego (in any of its iterations). Just my view.
Vince
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12 minutes ago, Keith1010 said:
I was very sad to read the sad news on another site about the passing of F&B Slavko. His passing was unexpected. He was home at the time having recently completed a contact on Symphony. We last sailed with Slavko on Endeavor in 2021 when he was the Restaurant Manager and like many of you had known him for years. I have fond memories not only inside the ship but of our paddle tennis games.
May Slavko rest in peace and may his memory be a blessing.
Keith
Oh no! 😢 Thank you for sharing this, Keith, although it breaks my heart. I recently saw a picture of him shared by a forum member in their blog before Slavko left Symphony, and it gave me a huge smile. My deepest sympathies to his loved ones and may he rest in peace.Vince
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8 minutes ago, loriva said:
Interesting the different definitions of "port heavy." We really only have four ports in our 8-night cruise. I don't count Quebec City as the ship does not arrive until 2000 hours the night before disembarkation. So that day to me is a "sea" (really river) day. We also do not arrive in Halifax until 1900 hours (and then leave early at 1500 hours the next day) so those days also have substantial time on board. Given Crystal's reputation for enrichment, our offerings look light for so much time sailing. I will go with an open mind, however, and hope to be delighted.
Speaker assignments are always (not just with cruises) perpetually in-flux, much to the chagrin of my clients. I wouldn’t read too much into what’s currently listed for cruises more than 30 days out, especially if something doesn’t look final. Changes are both possible and likely in that case.Vince
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4 hours ago, dimundsR said:
Remember the fruit knife? That was when fresh fruit was available in the room. Disappeared about the same time as the fresh flower arrangement..
The fruit disappeared, or the knife disappeared? I’ve had both on every Crystal cruise I’ve ever taken, including last month.Vince
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5 hours ago, sea bright said:
We recently booked an August 2025 cruise on the Serenity. It's our first Crystal cruise since about 2007.
We booked a 2018 Sapphire Suite as the online suite layout looked the most similar to (though smaller than) the Silversea classic ship Silver Suite, our favorite. Based on the online description, we thought it had a modern walk-in shower. Is that not the case?
The 2018 and 2023 Sapphire Suites both have a larger walk-in showers in lieu of tubs.Vince
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2 hours ago, zship said:
So Cruise-y, are you saying that in your suite you were able to open the drawers without closing the closet door first or are you saying that you didn’t mind having to go into the closet and close the door before opening the drawers ?
I think the level of inconvenience varies by guest, honestly. I would never have to “close” the door to open the drawers, I would just need to move [or not open] the door enough to open the drawers partially, which is hardly the biggest inconvenience I’ve ever had in a cruise ship cabin. The type of things I store in the closet drawers are socks, undergarments, bathing suits, workout shorts, etc…. All things I don’t need to fully open the drawers to access. So no issue with me. YMMV though, obviously others are more impacted.Vince
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50 minutes ago, Texas Tillie said:
All 3 cameras are good from Symphony. Only forward if good from Serenity, starboard is still fuzzy and there is no port view.
Patty
Insert ‘Symphony is better than Serenity’ joke here. 😁Vince
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1 hour ago, Texas Tillie said:
They weren't offered last month on earlier Alaska cruises. Thinking they are a thing of the past. I do have about 20 here at the house. 😉
Patty
There was one in my cabin last month... They must have just recently used up the old supply. I'm kind of glad I took it now. hehe. (Oops, I contributed to the extinction.)
Vince
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I definitely agree about the impact of not doing mock-ups on many of the issues with the staterooms (like not having the full range of mirrors, or the issues with the showers in the deluxe rooms), because although they do 3D modeling in lieu of mock-ups in many situations these days (like time crunches), the 3D models don't always show usability challenges and require a certain degree of experience with these challenges to be applied and really understand what you're looking at.
I do however have to throw this one into a different category. A door's travel literally gets illustrated on plans to call out conflicts and misalignment clearly to everyone using the plans and involved in the design process. That one can't be missed and doesn't require a mock-up to understand. You'd literally see the conflict and lack of clearance on any/every [digital] blueprint. If someone missed this one, they'd literally have to have vision problems, or not understand how a floor plan works.
Vince
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29 minutes ago, Txcotn said:
Not a well thought out design is it 😱
I have to think there was a reason it was done this way... I only have a few years of architectural design experience, but the impact of a door's orientation and travel path was covered in the first quarter of year 1. The door will impact the drawers in any possible location given the closet's size (one reason pocket doors have been used so often), but given the open hanging space on the right wall, if they had just put that shelving unit on the right side instead of the left in that same unit, the drawers would have worked fine with the closet door open or closed. That's too easy, there must be more to that story. 🤷♂️
Vince
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I happened to have taken a picture of the issue on the stateroom tour last month... Hopefully this helps flesh out the situation a little for those that haven't seen it firsthand.
Vince
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5 minutes ago, Texas Tillie said:
Since Serenity has 3 different Sapphire Suites - classic, 2018 and 2023 - which one(s) does this problem apply?
Patty
Good point! My message only applies to the 2023 version.
Vince
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I can only vouch for Serenity's Sapphires, but yes, when the closet door is fully open, the drawers will bump the door. Ideally they would have flipped the layout and had the drawers on the corner side (towards the corridor bulkhead), but that said, you probably don't always have to "close" the door to open the drawer, depending on what you're trying to do. For the things that I keep in closet drawers on a cruise, I'd be able to just move the door clear of the drawer to pull something out of it. YMMV though, depending on your build, accessibility situation and what you're grabbing.
Vince
Live From Crystal Serenity - The Adventure Continues - LA to NYC
in Crystal
Posted
It's the diet version... They just give you a reflection of the courses, projected in front of you to admire. 😄 J/K.... Hopefully.
The menu didn't radically change, but it did evolve over time... You could always be remembering a different moment in the timeline too.
Vince