Keith1010

Ivi, speaking for myself I am not discounting anyone's views. With that said what people say about food is subjective. Obviously, if everyone hates a dining venue that says something. But while some do not like Osteria and I have seen this on CC and on another forum, I have also seen that others do like it on CC and on another forum. While Crystal didn't bring back everything from Prego they did bring back some items to Osteria and others to Waterside. But IMHO a lot of this becomes moot given they have said they are bringing in a new dining venue to replace the existing one. With that said (I know second time on this post I am using these words) since in the Q&A when this was mentioned they said authentic Italian I am pretty sure it won't be like Prego. And just like NYK brought in what is now called Umi Uma which thankfully the new ownership did bring back, and the previous owner brought in Silk given the background of the senior executives in that they are from Italy in my eyes it is understandable that they would like to have something that is Authentic Italian versus Italian American. Now if I was the owner, you can bet we would have a Hamburger and French Fry specialty restaurant. Just kidding. Actually It would be a specialty restaurant specializing in all types of salads including Cobb Salad. 😃 Keith

I might be wrong, (won't be the first time) but in terms of location ballroom dancing on Serenity from what I remember has always been in the Palm Court other than when the seas were very rough so they had it in Stardust. My apologies if I am wrong about this but just don't remember it in Stardust. And I just went back to look at Reflections from 2018 thru 2020 and I it showed Palm Court. I do realize that some people are not happy that there are not happy that only a duo plays but when they old Crystal redid Palm Court in 2018 that they made the dance floor smaller. I am pretty sure if I go back to other years I will see Palm Court as well with very few exceptions. Keith

While size has its benefits because there are embedded costs that are the same or close to the same whether you have two ships or four ships growing slowly in the luxury market has its benefits over very high growth. I remember when Serenity was added to the fleet it took time before the service on the ship was similar to Harmony and Symphony and even they took a hit because I believe 2/3's of Serenity's crew came from Harmony and Symphony and 1/3 were new to the company. Some lines grow way too quickly and that has diluted their product. On land I think of Nordstrom. They were a big customer of the company I was with and we invited them to talk with us about customer service and how they provided it. They did three things that I consider unique. One.Customer always right even when they were wrong. Sometimes they would take back items that could not have been purchased at Nordstrom even though the customer said that is where they got t. Two. They empowered their sales people so they didn't have to check with a manager first on a return. Three. When they opened a new store they staffed it with all management and as many sales people as possible who were already working for Nordstrom. This way the culture remained in tact and when the new store opened the staff understood the Nordstrom culture. One of the things that dramatically impacted their business was growing way too fast where they no longer could staff stores with experienced Nordstrom staff and if you went to their new stores you could see the difference as we did. As long as Crystal grows and we see the start of it with the first new ship I will feel very good about it. I want to see them grow but not so fast that the on board experience is impacted and of course not so fast that they can't be profitable. There are a few major cruise lines out there that I wonder how things will work out. Some have borrowed vast sums of money and in the case of at least one they had to arranged for a large sum of money to get through COVID-19 at a very sub-optimal financial arrangement. So while large looks impressive there is no guarantee how that will look in the years to come. I am reminded that Sears and Kmart were very large but made some very poor decisions and look what happened. Walmart has actually learned from them addressing things that were problems rather than not trying to change. I often worried more when I was in business when things were going too well because that is a time that many companies let down their guard and sometimes with very poor results. Anyway, glad to see that we will learn a lot more next month and many thanks to those of you who are on the current segment of the World Cruise who have posted about the Q&A including what was said about a new ship(s). Keith

Off cruise topic. I have three favorite NBA teams: Celtics since I followed the NBA starting in the 1960's. Mavericks since we lived in North Texas. Golden State since Steve Kerr became coach. With the Celtics and Mavericks in the Championship I will be happy whoever wins. Now if you think a cruise costs too much try getting tickets for some of those games and how much you will spend on food and beverages. I know. We have to support the athletes who make millions annually because they need our help so they can purchase $5,000.00 suits that a few wear only one time. Life is tough for some people. 😃 Keith

Interesting about comments about Osteria. First some people love it, some like it and some don't like it. Everyone is different. Some love Trident for lunch, some love Tastes, some Marketplace and some Waterside. I would encourage people to try each one and then decide. And if you've tried it once and are on another cruise try it again. Why? Because I find that one visit is often not enough to figure out what you like unless you try everything the first time around. I can assure you that Manfredi has very little involvement with Osteria so not sure why his name has been thrown out other than it was named after him. Yes initially there were no changes to the menu. However, some changes were made. But when some say no change I don't get it since they did announce that they have plans to replace the cosine with a Michelin 3 star dining venue. What will be in common is that it will be Italian authentic and not USA centric as Prego was. Every dining venue has people who like it and people who don't. That even included Silk and Churrascaria. Some people liked each of these venues. Others did not. As to the owner. Without him we wouldn't have this board and we would still be on the old board if it still existed. I am reminded that when NYK owned Crystal they had Kyoto on Harmony a Japanese restaurant. Some liked it. Others did not. Same went for Jade Garden on Symphony. When what is now Umi Uma but was called Silk Road debuted on Serenity some didn't like it or for some it took years before they would try it. Why? In some cases they thought it would be all sashimi. Genting took Tastes away and named it Silk. Yes, another owner's decision. There fore It is not surprising that under the new Ownership that they have an Italian restaurant. As to listening or being stubborn two comments. They have listened a great deal and examples are bringing back a casino, placing a few items from Prego on the Waterside menu, brining back a few items to Osteria, and providing a promenade deck on the new ship (not a full wrap around but close). There will always be a few things that some will like and some won't like. My experience is that you will not please all of the customers all of the time. I don't make use of each and every item on the ship. But my view has always been if there is a sufficient number of items that I like then I am a happy camper. And when it comes to things that are subjective I always believe that ones view varies by person. This is why I've learned over the years that if someone asks me about a recommendation for a land based restaurant, hotel, or even cruise line if it's one I like I preface my answer by saying I like it or it works for me, but that does not mean you will feel the same way. Keith

I can't speak for all River Cruise lines but it is hard for me to believe that Viking is the only one making money. The problem Crystal had with their vessels was the number of guests they carried which was lower than other companies including Viking so they couldn't realize as much revenue as needed to be profitable given all of the fixed costs. Keith

My understanding is that they are to go with what is on the menu and not change it up. I think the reasoning is if they let you do it before long people are asking for other changes saying I know you did this for another guest. Also, it's because people might start asking for their favorite former Prego dishes I think we are all spoiled to some extent by Waterside where one can change things up on the spot and with notice of 12 to 24 hours make requests. The specialty restaurants are really a different animal. The galleys are very small which limits what they can store in them and cook concurrently. I am amazed at how they are able to just accommodate what is on the menu. Keith

The good news is this thread is supposed to be about just about anything. Yes and a few of the people who are part of Riverside came from Crystal including a former Hotel Director at Crystal who we adored and even the Captain of Mozart. And you are right they changed nothing and that is good. We would like to sail Mozart again hoping we can tie it together with a Crystal Cruise in Europe. Keith

It is the other way around. Crystal went under because of Genting. Genting didn't go under because of Crystal. And yes you can blame some for recommending that NYK accept Genting's offer although none of us were privy to any of the discussions related to the acquisition so we really don't know. I really don't understand why people continually put down someone who is long gone and blame every woe on the one person. Even Genting I try to forget about. And it was them who made the decisions to go into the River market and Expeditions. Like some owners they made almost every decision. The same seems to be happening with another luxury line too whose owner has centralized most of the decision making. That is the prerogative of the owner. An example of this was the ridiculous amount of money spend on Endeavor which was one of the last things they did. This is why I try to just put this out of my system because life is too short. Keith

It is formal optional. If you are on a cruise of 7 or less days there are no formal nights. On occasion even an 8 day cruise that is all ports might not have a formal but most cruises 8 days or above have them. I am pasting below how Crystal defines both casual and formal nights on the ship with respect to recommended evening attire. Now you will see for a gent sports jackets not mentioned but you will find people wearing them particularly if there is only one formal night on the cruise. And even though they don't highlight this on a formal night you will find some who go to Tastes in casual attire but they do kindly ask if you go to other venues after dinner that you not be in casual attire. There are no Police who will make you go back to your room but it is more festive when people follow the guidelines. If you go to other dining venues depending on who is at the door you could be turned away. Not always but I have seen this done. Following comes from the Crystal site and if you have questions I would also call the number listed below. Keith WHAT IS THE DRESS CODE ONBOARD? At Crystal, we want guests to feel confident and relaxed throughout their stay, so we have compiled the following guide to the different dress codes on board. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us by calling 1.888.616.9615 or +1.786.464.4420. Day Casual A less formal look allows guests to feel comfortable during the day; Day Casual attire may be worn everywhere, including our restaurants, until 18:00. Suggestions for a Day Casual look: Women Sundresses Elegant shorts Jeans T-shirts or blouses Linen clothing Swimsuits with cover-ups (when not poolside) Men Shorts Jeans T-shirts or polo shirts Linen clothing Swim shorts with a T-shirt or polo (when not poolside) NOTE: Swimwear on its own, wet swimwear, revealing clothing, bathrobes, bare feet, tank tops, baseball caps, and clothes bearing any offensive messaging are not permitted. Covered swimsuits may only be worn at Trident Grill, Tastes, and Marketplace. Evening Resort A step up from Day Casual, after 18:00, we ask that guests adopt the more refined Evening Resort dress code. Suggestions for an Evening Resort look: Women Dress Skirts Pants Blouses or sweaters Dark-wash jeans with no rips Tailored dress shorts Men Shirts Collared polo shirt Sweaters or smart designer sweatshirts Dark-wash jeans with no rips (only when accompanied with a jacket) Chinos Sports jacket or blazer (optional) Tailored shorts (these may only be worn in the Tastes restaurant) NOTE: Please avoid flip-flops/sliders, swimwear, and hats. Formal Evening On sailings over seven days, there will be at least one optional ship-wide formal night (depending on the length of the segment), which will require more formal cocktail chic attire. These special events will be defined in your personal pre-sailing guide. Suggestions for a Formal Evening look: Women Cocktail dresses or gowns Suits Evening skirts or pants with an elegant top Evening shoes Men Suits or tuxedos Shirts Dress shoes Ties (optional)

sea bright, In terms of expectations, on the sailings we have been on since the restart last year Waterside is closed on all port days except when you arrive to port in the afternoon or in the evening as these are treated like a sea day. Embarkation day seems to vary. On the cruises we have been on it has been open but I have noticed a few times when Reflections have been posted that it has been closed. I am not sure when you sailed Crystal last as even before it went belly up some changes were made such as open dining introduced for dinner in the 2017/2018 time frame. New Crystal is very similar to old Crystal. Enhancements have been made and a new Italian Restaurant, has replaced Prego. Some additional changes coming with an even newer Italian dining concept and a new concept to replace Tastes. I hope you will try out new Crystal to see what you think. I am glad there is a lot of choice in the luxury market. Just like luxury cars there are similarities with the products but lots of differences. I also believe the same is true of most cruise lines. Happy Cruising. Keith

Thank you. I had thought you had posted about this. I also thought the same about the A&K ships. Keith

Thank you. On a related note someone had posted that they plan to share information next month and that is 2Q 2024 so we will see what is said next month. Keith

My memory is not as good as it used to be and I do pride myself on my memory. I never heard that construction would begin in 2nd quarter of 2024 and I did a search and don't see where that was mentioned by Cristina Levis. Keith

+1 Brian and+1 2bobs. When I think of increasing consumption to get a little warmer wine might be a better solution for me. 😃 In the meantime, my go to at night on-board is a sports jacket and during the morning walking the inside of the ship is usually a light jacket. Another good place is the fitness center but only if you plan to work out. Thank goodness it is 7x24. Keith

Vince, I very much appreciate your posts including the historical ones. Reminded me of some early observations and how the product evolved. For us we first sailed in 2002 which I know is not as early as you did. So, by the time we sailed many of the former Royal Viking guests had switched over to Crystal and we knew quite a few of them for many years. They would tell us many a story about the line. Same for some of the crew who came from there. Crystal truly evolved as you have mentioned. In 2002 they still charged for soda and bottled water. And some in the industry said a ship with indoor rooms as Harmony had was not a luxury line. But as you noted that was not the original concept for Crystal. In 2023 they included soda and bottled water. I remember this having two children with us both years and the first year with a teenager there were quite a few sodas on the room account. 😃 For us one of the positives in making our decision was that we could put the kids in an inside room on Harmony. Switching gears pricing. In the end it is the economy that is a big driver of this. No different than land based stores and restaurants and most products the economy is the major driver. And the more people who benefit from the economy creates even more demand for certain products. I remember we booked our second Crystal cruise for 2003 before we took the first one in 2002 and there was the tech bust which allowed us to get a reduction in fares for 2003. Who can forget 2009 and 2010 driven by what happened in the second half of 2008. Price reductions and ships sailing with lower occupancy and hotel prices dropping and a great time as I know to have bought a car. Never in my life got such a reduction of sticker price. I remember around that time is when Seabourn came out with three new ships in successive years to replace the 200 passenger triplets. With the economic roller coaster comes employment, unemployment, inflation, deflation, and let us not forget Sara, Covid, and several others which impacted pricing. And sadly wars and terrorism. And if you want to wonder about the future AI? If one thought the internet was a game changer we haven't seen nothing yet with AI and its impact on the economy, the workplace, and on pretty much everything including travel. Stay tuned. Time will tell. Excited about a new ship(s) along with Symphony and Serenity. Keith

And just to fill in the name of the present captain it is Captain Vincent. Keith

This conversation reminds me of Goldilocks and the Three Bears when they porridge. Often I am too cold on the ship but Anne Marie is not. I'll lower the thermostat and a few minutes later she will raise it. So it's not as simple as the ship is too cold or too hot. Like most things it's what you think but what you think could be quite different than what someone else thinks. Moral of the story. Always a good idea to have clothing that you can layer. Keith

I would bring something to layer just to be on the safe side. There are areas of the ship that I found very cold day and night. While I found the restaurants to not be as cold as some of the other areas I am reminded we are all different. I am often cold. Some are often hot. So what works for me might not for you but you can't go wrong bringing a few items to layer to be on the safe side and something like a shawl could do the trick. Keith

I am not sure how this is going to play out but until we know all the details something to think about. New Crystal has kept so much of old Crystal while trying to layer on top of this new enhancements. And they have shown they do listen and have made adjustments along the way. Even with Osteria and Waterside the brought back some items that people enjoyed in Prego and while some of the items aren't served each night other than what they added to Osteria some are available on occasion in Waterside. They did away with the casino on each ship only to bring back a casino. It might be smaller but they listened. They first implied no promenade deck or at least didn't convey that there would be one. They had me take a poll and the results were overwhelmingly in support of one. While not a full wrap-around this one should still be great. (NOTE: There are times we don't go full around due to high winds at the bow or the smell of cigarettes). The good news is they had a real good feel of what customers desire as they have been doing the design of the vessel and they also have a good feel for this from a sales/marketing perspective too. So with absolutely no inside information I would not rule out a new ship that has rooms without verandahs to offer pricing. As to overall pricing my experience not only with Crystal but on other cruise lines was newer ships have higher pricing than older ships. When old Crystal had three ships the lower of the cruise fares was on Harmony, somewhat higher on Symphony, with Serenity having the highest of the fares across the three ships. Newness of the ships was a factor as was size of the guest rooms, location (eg., those interior rooms on Harmony) and rooms whose views were blocked such as by lifeboats. And then we all know that putting pricing aside that guests had and have their favorite ships and in a lot of ways the crew does too. I remember when Serenity came out some were very critical of it. I remember comments about the color scheme, size and even comments about the service. For me when people ask what is your favorite ship or cruise my reaction is usually the one we're on this minute. So happy that we are discussing Crystal whether new or old because it was not long ago when some said it wasn't coming back and then when it was announced that the vessels would be bought that new Crystal would not be anywhere's like old Crystal. It's fun to speculate but best to see what happens, first when the design is released and at some point when the itineraries and cruise fares are released. I would not panic when both happen and yes the first year or at least first few voyages may have a high per diem. That happens often. Yes, supply versus demand. Finally, new Crystal has gone out of their way IMHO to make the existing customer base happy while also attracting new guests to the fold. Again, think of the changes they announced since the ships began sailing and things like the Crystal Society Program. For the latter they didn't make major changes. Keith

New Crystal is approaching marketing to families very similar to how Old Crystal did this. Like it or not like it they can differentiate on this from most other luxury lines as they do have children's facilities and the size of the ship is a benefit as well. There is a saying I like to use which is some children never grown up. In short, there are some adults who misbehave and that carried over from their youth. We took three of our five grandchildren on a cruise and everyone had a great time including grandparents, parents and the children. A few of our cruising friends said your grandchildren would be bored. Well, I know some adults who get bored cruising too. Cruising is not for everyone no matter their age. Our grandchildren had a wonderful time as did the adults. I look forward to when we bring all five grandchildren on board. Keith

I agree. And the good news is that it's gotten better since they relaunched as New Crystal. Booking excursions and spa/salon appointments are very easy too. For limitations such as ones involving group reservations as Vince notes, we have provided the details to on board guest services and they have been able to combine them. I believe a few people have said they have called Crystal about those or had their TA's do this but we find very easy just to write to obgs and they usually turn-around the request in within a day if it's on a business day. Keith

Have a great time. Bon Voyage. Keith

Like most things we all have our different preferences. Personally, I prefer Miami over Fort Lauderdale. I wouldn't have said that in the 1980's and 1990's but Miami has changed a great deal from then. With that said in your case you won't have much time to enjoy either location as you board the day after you arrive. Given that I would still go with Miami so you are near the port the day your embark.There are lots of hotel near the port at a range of prices. That is where I would recommend staying. Keith

I know people mean well speculating when the itineraries will be released but even those who hear a date while on the ship are often wrong. People are well intentioned but often it truly is speculation or one person says I heard x date and people take it as gospel. And this includes when they hear it from someone on the ship even someone you think would know. It won't be the first or the last time that what one heard turns out to be wrong. I could speculate too but this is going to be like it often is. A couple of days before they come out that's when we'll know. NC has been doing teasers before releasing itineraries and/or letting the TA's know. I know this is not what many want to hear but best to just be patient. One observation and I can't say this is fact but just something I have picked up in speaking with fellow travelers and reading articles. My sense (OK some speculation) is for a myriad of reasons many are booking later these days. I think it's for a wide range of reasons and that includes some uncertainty in the world, in the USA elections later this year, looking for last minute deals, and just overall economic uncertainty. And yes I realize some including myself do like to book early but I think many are waiting. Again, this is JMO so yes I am speculating a bit but it seems like with each passing day I hear from someone who says, "I just booked a cruise for June, July, August, September of this year on Crystal. Keith