kool kruiser

19 hours ago, English Tim said:

Thanks, I’ve never been on one of those bikes, but may have a go on the Technogym variety.

Enjoy ! By the way, we met on an 'old' Crystal cruise...we have a football connection. Hope you are both well and have a great cruise.

Colin

21 hours ago, Wheelhouse said:

I sat with Hamish on a ship’s tour at Virgin Gorda.  He is the yoga instructor and came over from Carnival.  I have no idea if the yoga classes are included. 

I believe they are. No upcharge for any listed class, I seem to recall.

Please be aware that there ae no peleton bikes or spin group classes. However, they have a couple of technogym bikes set up in pelaton style, with a screen and a selection of pre-loaded workouts.

1 hour ago, Noggins said:

That's very kind, Colin but, some would say, it is much more important to know what the lovely Steph would have to say about this thread. (But sadly I know what that might be - it would start along the lines of 'why on earth.....') 

I had read your own Explora review, of course and others besides and it is true that both enrichment and entertainment did exceed my (low) expectations. For enrichment I expected nothing (we had 2 sea days) and got one 'proper' speaker (who, unfortunately I wasn't overly impressed with) and one 'destination' speaker who was pretty dreadful. For entertainment the band were amongst the best, the lounge singers excelent (but not with the support / staging to make it comparable to a traditional ship's theatre show) and the two piano / singers very good but with the usual / unsual problem of either having no audience (Explora Lounge) or were disconnected from the audience by virtue of being on a landing one storey above everyone (Lobby Bar).

It looks like our respective plans for the next 12 months or so are laid but who knows when something might pop up as an extra unexpected opportunity!

Best to you both.

Adrian

Indeed ! we also found the Lobby bar a hopeless venue and gave up on it very early on. Looks great but doesn't work. For us, we will follow this board as the line evolves and they realise that they must provide what their customers want and not the other way round !!

Take care

Colin

Thanks Adrian for, as ever, brightening up my days with your terrific missives. Everything you say was very much in accordance with our November trip, although the entertainment and enrichment seems to have improved a tad.Hope we meet again real soon. Love to E.

Colin

3 hours ago, goldengatecruisers said:

I too would be very interested in understanding why two ships, outfitted with the same Starlink technology, can deliver vastly different internet performance.   Prior to a recent month on board Serenity, where the internet was absolutely painful, we were sailing on Silversea Nova and Celebrity Edge where their internet was fast and consistent. In full disclosure, on Silversea we travel one of the larger suites and premium wifi is included as part of that suite amenity package.  Whereas on Celebrity we had standard internet but their's was the best of all.  We regularly do speed tests out of curiosity and Starlink performed impressively.  You can imagine our disappointment when we boarded Serenity only to be met with challenges, almost daily.  Whilst on board we had entertained staying on for a third voyage but decided the internet issues would prevent us from doing so.  We shared our comments with Crystal both onboard and at head office level and provided screen shots of speed tests from Silversea, Celebrity and comparing them with multiple screen shots from Crystal.   I did not hear a word back from anyone!   So to repeat my opening sentence... I would be very interested in understanding why two ships, outfitted with the same Starlink technology, can deliver vastly different internet performance.

 

Ashley

Ashley

What seems surprising is that, with fewer passengers, internet on New crystal seems to be  much poorer than on Old Crystal !!

16 hours ago, Stickman1990 said:

But there are lines that choose to include some of those items eg laundry and/or shore excursions - of course guests are paying for that in the overall fare

 

Then there are those that choose to charge for things like “specialty” restaurants where Crystal has adopted a hybrid model on - charging in most cases after the first visit 

 

But I don’t know that any line would not charge for a Vintage Room type experience or Spa services - they’re options that I think it’s fair that users pay 

 

I certainly hope we don’t move to an a la carte service menu when we opt in or out of most services on offer - I’m happy taking some of the things I don’t utilise in combination with those I do use

 

But in this day and age a decent internet service is something a luxury line might be expected to include as part of their core offering

 

So now we’re debating what level of performance they should deliver and my point is that one line using the same provider is delivering a much better service than Crystal are - and I’m simply hoping that Crystal can aspire to achieve the same 

And, with Explora, the line in question, no up-charge !

49 minutes ago, ryndam said:

 

We do not stream movies nor we do not try to hold Zoom or WebEx calls or try to access anything that requires large bandwidth while onboard. Perhaps that is why we have been satisfied with the current wifi service offered.

 

Apparently, there are others that have needs that require more significant bandwidth, hence this proposed, additional cost alternative for those that may need this type of service.

 

Rob

My needs are like yours and I understand what you are saying. However, my point is somewhat different . Crystal's competitors in this cruise sector all facilitate, without upcharge, the others to whom you refer. The decision by Crystal to nickel and dime them is, in my view, very foolish and should be reversed. I think Travelberlin/lvi has also put it perfectly.

I have noticed that an enhanced internet offering has been introduced with a daily charge of $20 or $100 for seven days. Whilst being a relatively modest upcharge, for me at least, it goes against the grain for a cruiseline in the luxury segment to be making such a charge. Taking Explora as a comparison, their wifi had terrific reliability and speeds and was included in the fare, with no premium offering available or indeed needed. My understanding is that the other luxury lines, Regent, Seabourn and Silversea also do not have a supplementary charge option. I truly believe that this is an unwise move, appearing to be nickel and diming and ill-befitting of such an excellent product as Crystal, being more suited to the mainstream cruiselines. I hope there is a groundswell of negative feedback and this idea is rapidly kicked into touch. Thoughts ?

, 

Another big thank you to Terry for taking the time to keep us so well informed.

Looking forward to those promised further thoughts etc.

19 hours ago, Stickman1990 said:

Bon Voyage

 

So glad that you’re going to give it a try - we loved our time on Explora and look forward to returning 

 

Can’t wait for your commentary on the experience 

 

No formal nights on Explora but will you be sporting your kilt some evenings?

 

Now remember to use the Explora speak/terms for everything - that alone will confuse and amuse many of your friends and readers for a while - 

 

As the other cc'er very kindly name-checked by you, looking forward to your thoughts etc. Congrats on reaching 37, 47 or whatever that first number is...

I know you will embrace and enjoy every moment, although I hope the change from your normal weather patterns will not cause an unexpected fever😀. Since we were onboard, I think the entertainment offering has significantly improved, whilst there seems to have been no compensatory decline elsewhere.

Whilst I share many of Mr Stickman's views, I sincerely hope you become, like me, a conscientous objector to Exploraspeak and refuse to adopt such nonsense...sorry Terry !

Love to E and have a great time.

Colin

My take is that pricing is evolutionary. I recall that prior to launch Explora, in a lenghty presentation, stated that they would not discount or offer promotions, preferring to sail with many unsold cabins. My, that changed very quickly ! Crystal have indicated that they were not too worried with initial loadings, as they felt that many already had tied up their travel plans. Let's see how things develop, as their current passenger count on many sailings is very low, although some are very full. At present, they have an attractive upgrade offer. I have certain reservations preventing me from booking a further Explora cruise at present but my mind is certainly not closed. As for Crystal. two cruises booked, another in mind but too pricey for now. 

To sum up, I think the introduction of so much increased inventory in this sector means that optimum pricing levels have yet to stabilise.

16 hours ago, Stickman1990 said:

I was thinking Caviar dishes and maybe Escargots but I’m pretty sure there are others that require extra special preparation 

 

Having said that in the past we’ve had lobster tails on request and even a suckling pig - we were on a table of 8 - sadly they can’t serve those dishes table side anymore

 

Thanks. I have never attempted a special order of a caviar dish but I do recall successfully requesting a special order of escargots.

Our next two cruises are each short 7 dayers, so, with three speciality meals to fit in, together with a Thanksgiving menu in November, there is a strong possibility of our missing out on a favourite dish ! 

5 hours ago, Stickman1990 said:

I think you’d be unlikely to see menus repeated on a weekly gap

 

The nice thing is you can request most items as special order if they have been on the menu (there’s a few exceptions to that) - so don’t worry if you have booked a specialty restaurant and see something on Watersides menu that you would have liked 

Are you able to detail the exceptions, please?

Thanks.

As with Stickman, we are really happy with both, for very different reasons. Cabins for us are a place to sleep, wash and change. Of course, if luxurious and bigger cabins are your thing, then naturally Explora wins hands down. For us, we love the food quality and service on both. However, if it's entertainment and enrichment you're after, then it has to be Crystal.

At present, subject to pricing, it will be Crystal for us by a whisker. The big downer on Explora is the never changing menus and poorer inclusive wines. Now if these were to change and entertainment and enrichment continues to evolve, a very difficult decision arises.

So, both lines appeal for very different reasons, as the experience is so different. We feel so so lucky to be able to enjoy such stellar products.

3 hours ago, uktog said:

Another busy day ahead!

 

 

Thanks so much for again taking the time to post. Seems to be excellent programming.

I noticed that the CD is Tanya, who we met on Explora. If you get a chance, please pass on my warmest regards and perhaps tease her that she now has a title in plain cruisespeak😀.

Thanks and have a great cruise

Colin

23 hours ago, Ken the cruiser said:

The key port stop is Port Stanley in the Falkland Islands. The winds can get in the 40 mph range with the wind chill factors in the high 30F range. All of the other ports on the second itinerary were usually in the 50s with moderate winds. On the cooler stops where rain was not forecasted, such as Puerto Maydryn, Ushuaia, and Puerto Montt, we would layer up with warmer clothes. But the BA was in the high 80s, so we definitely didn’t need to layer up there! 😂

Many thanks. Take clothing for all eventualities seems to be what is needed for this itinerary.

10 hours ago, Ken the cruiser said:

I have to say, we have been super lucky with the weather on this cruise! One day either way at some locations, especially when cruising around the Antarctica Peninsula or visiting Port Stanley, and it could have resulted in a total different experience. We still would have had a great time, but blue sky is always better! 😁

Ken, your blog has been fantastic. Your second segment is on our radar for the future, at this time of year, as part of a bigger trip. As regards the weather, can you possibly provide an overview of the range, variations etc. This will help to inform packing, so as to ensure the experience is maximised.

Thanks

15 hours ago, PaulMCO said:

 

I was a little bored on a rainy day and decided to jot down some of my new language terms on our recent Explora I cruise.

Please chime in and add to the list. 

Butler                                Residence Host

 

Suite Attendant                 Suite Host

 

Attendants/Waiters           Hosts

 

Cruise                               Journey

 

Shore Excursion               Destination Experience and Enrichment

 

Room Service                   In-suite Dining

 

Veranda Cabin                  Ocean Terrace

 

On Board Credit                Experience Credit

 

Cruise Director                  Entertainment Manager

 

Enrichment Speaker          Luminary

 

Trivia                                  Let’s Get Quizzical

 

Destination Talk                 Luminary Port Talk

 

Piano/Violin Player            Resident Artiste

 

Movie Theater                   Silent Sweet Cinema

 

Enjoyment/Relaxed           Ocean State of Mind

 

Enclosed Pool Area           The Conservatory

 

Future Cruises                   Future Journeys

 

Shops                                The Journey       

 

Crew Welfare Fund           Host Lifestyle Fund         

 

Just use the first column and ignore the pretentious twaddle😀

15 hours ago, vanman said:

The experience more packages have not gone up in price…. Yet

Have just booked a cruise for 2025. Is it possible to book an experience more package at prevailing rate now and will this protect me from any price increase ?

Thanks

19 hours ago, ryndam said:

They are addicting...especially with the lingonberry topping. Glad you're enjoying. 😊

 

Rob

Interesting... might be my first sampling of chicken nuggets since the kids grew up...no guesses where they were previously acquired😀

3 hours ago, Ibis said:

Thank you so much for taking us along, sharing super photos and good times on board

Serenity 😊.  Wishing you a safe arrival home and a not too distant return on Crystal!

And from me. Truly insightful.

Hope to meet one day

Colin

17 hours ago, ryndam said:

Random voyage observations:

 

1. On this b2b voyage, two of the enrichment lecturers and several of the entertainers are holdovers from the previous cruise. We’ve seen their performances and heard their lectures less than two weeks ago. Repetitious. Fortunately there are other venues to enjoy. Or simply early evenings for us.
 

2. Waterside variety, preparation, presentation and quality are excellent. Service appears hit-or-miss. On at least three occasions we twiddled our thumbs for 40-45 minutes before our orders were even taken. We generally arrive between 7:30-7:45pm and are often among the last to leave between 9:30-9:55pm. And no, we do not order everything on the menu; generally only 3 courses - a starter, main entree and a dessert or cheese.

 

3. Beverage service in Marketplace during lunch is wildly hit-or-miss. Either it’s spectacularly efficient or non-existent.

 

4. Beverage service by the pool is over-the-top outstanding. A small army of servers constantly roam the decks. I’ve periodically been camped out on the rear decks on 10 or 11 and servers are continuously roaming the rear decks.

 

5. Service in the bistro is consistent and very efficient. The new seating arrangements with mostly 2-tops or 4-tops that eliminated the larger round tables of yore is so much more appropriate and allows better utilization of the space.

 

6. Always plenty of beach towels and bottled water at the gangway on port calls. And a tented reception on the pier with iced towels and cold water or tea. A nice touch.

 

7. Our butler can’t do enough for us. He almost lives in the corridor outside our room. Our stewardess is super efficient. We go to breakfast and the room is freshened once we return. She’s is quick!

 

8. The Avenue Saloon player is still too loud. His pre-dinner , piano-only set is very nice. It’s only when he sings later in the evening that the sound level is painful. (He practically swallows the microphone, which causes the decibel level to spike louder than a 747 taking off!) He’s great when he keeps his mouth shut and just plays. Many other guests seem to enjoy his performance, so maybe it’s just me…

 

9. Plenty of lounge chairs and seating available around the pool. In sun. In shade. If you're flexible about the type of chair, I’ve not seen a “sold out/full house” around the pool. There are a few chair hogs that stake their claim by 8:30am, but to their credit, they do continuously occupy their position the entire day, so they really are using their “land claim”.

 

10. Bar service in the Cove is uniformly excellent. Bar service in Stardust when that lounge is used for shows is excellent. Bar service in Avenue can be hit-or-miss. It depends on who’s behind the bar and the number of servers working the room. Bar service in Palm Court is often a dice roll; to me, it appears that room is consistently understaffed.

 

11. The most popular activities this past week have been the NFL playoffs broadcast in the Lounge or in the cabins.

 

12. The gym and spa used to have a dedicated attendant to ensure that towels, water, soaps, amenities, etc. are always replenished. That position seems to have been eliminated. The whole experience is now more a “self-serve-you’re-on-your-own “ these days. Bring your own towel, water bottle and soaps with you. Don’t know if this lack of attention is only temporary or the continuing new reality.

 

13. The front desk/reception staff are as nice and as sweet as can be. Unfortunately, IMHO they are either not trained appropriately or dumb-as-dirt. If you interact with reception staff, go with very low expectations. The concierge, on the other hand, is a very seasoned, experienced professional.

 

14. We cancelled our OO reservation last night and dined in Waterside. The OO menu is “okay”, but IMHO, nothing on the menu is special enough to warrant a return visit. We’re dining in Tastes tonight, which has, in our opinion, the best lamp chops onboard!

 

Rant over. Time for lunch and pool time.

 

Rob

Absolutely not a rant, Rob.

Your comments are balanced and measured. Hopefully, they will be picked up by senior management reviewing this board. Please also share, if not done so already, with HD onboard. Thanks.

Colin

33 minutes ago, ScotBrit17 said:

Thanks, I am sure you are correct and evening entertainment is so important to us so we will look elsewhere.

Can any of the group who are regular cruisers on other ultra luxury lines suggest an alternative for us.

Sorry, you simply won't get comparable entertainment in this cruise sector. In our opinion, closest is probably Crystal.

10 hours ago, Stickman1990 said:

Don’t discount Sakura entirely - the lamb chops from NZ are very good and I’m sure there are other non seafood dishes on offer - so maybe consider at least trying it 

 

Not only the terrific lamb chops but there are also a number of other non-seafood (meat and veggie) options for mains. Similar situation for starters, including a fantastic crispy duck dish. Sakura is definitely NOT just a seafood eaterie but rather a varied pan-asian option, which is very highly recommended.