Keith1010

Best bet as I've said is don't pre-judge it until you have eaten there. Also, go more than once. And there is nothing wrong with having more than one starter. And there are other items to enjoy such as the rolls which IMHO are very tasty along with an item that comes out early in the meal not on the menu. I would also add that in high end restaurants often there are fewer choices for the main course. Again, just try it and then decide and like everything it's not for everyone. None of the specialty or alternate restaurants are and that goes on land and at sea. Keith

Another view of Serenity in the Mediterranean nine years ago. Keith

Here goes: Deposit is $25% of the total charge. Final payment due 120 days prior to sailing date. Keith

I wonder if the younger folks hearing shoe trees think it is a tree you plant which grows shoes. Just saying. 😀 Another one is a push button phone or a rotary phone or a phone wired to the outlet. Better yet a party phone. They might think it's for a Party. 😀 Keith

Ivi, I am not big on sauce as for me I like to taste the actual food. When we have lobster I am the one who say no thank you to the butter and when caviar is served I don't need the condiments that come with it. And I enjoy t baked potato from time to time on the ship with no condiments including no butter. Not all of the items have a lot of sauce but some do. But in several cases the sauce was on the plate and not on the item so for me it worked well. Here is the lamb. Keith

We do that for some of the shoes. Not all though. 😀 Keith

This one was a few weeks later from 9 years ago. Keith

Agree 100%. I always use shoe trees at home for all my dress shoes for all the reasons you mentioned. When we travel we do put something in each shoe (cardboard like insert) so that they keep their shape and then when back home remove that and insert the shoe tree except in casual shoes such as topsiders. Keith

The things about photos is you can't taste them or smell them. I just encourage people to dine with an open mind and even if it doesn't work for you the first time whether it's on that first cruise or another one return. For me I didn't care for Prego the first time I dined there on Harmony, Symphony (first two times) and on Serenity first two times. Just didn't work for me. But, I didn't give up. Finally figured it out and enjoyed items. I just needed to figure out the ones that worked for me. The first time we dined at Osteria we dined with others familiar with it and one recommendation give to me was to try two starters. I did. They are not very large so that worked out good. Each time we dined there we ordered different items. Keith

Another photos from Monte Carlo nine years ago. Keith

Closed

Don't overthink it. Each time you dine there try something new. That's what we did.

They still provide the slippers. The room stewardess could have provided them. Keith

If you have your e-tickets you are set. They were sending the luggage tags to everyone's home. Someone said recently they didn't send them so just be prepared to fill them out at the pier. Keith

Nice substitution. Istanbul is a terrific place to visit and we have had several overnights there which are special. It's a wise decision to change the itinerary although very sad for Israel. I remember years ago when cruise lines stopped visiting Israel due to the suicide terrorist explosions and in 2007 Crystal sailing there as part of the World Cruise for the first time in many years. It was great that tourism return to Israel. And hopefully it will in the future. Keith

Well this is a first kind of question. In all the years I have been with CC I don't think I've seen this one come up. Yes they provide both. Shoehorns are the long ones. Yep ,I use them every evening while on-board. Their purpose has not changed. Great for dress shoes and they prevent hurting your ankle and ruining the back of shoes. Nice amenity which by the way luxury hotels provided regularly way beyond the early 1900's. Today, most do not for a simple reason. Save money. Do you remember when lots of amenities were provided? Far less today in Hotels. Clothes brushes. On occasion we use them. So rather than befuddled think of it as a couple of nice amenities whether or not you use them. And if you think they are from the dark ages, note that Amazon has tons of shoehorns for sale. These are the long ones. https://www.amazon.com/s?k=shoe+horns+with+long+handles&crid=1W9ML440RG0DQ&sprefix=shoe+horns%2Caps%2C105&ref=nb_sb_ss_ts-doa-p_6_10 Same goes for lint brush/roller. https://www.amazon.com/s?k=lint+brush&crid=2NSM2D9KABQD0&sprefix=lint+brush%2Caps%2C117&ref=nb_sb_noss_1 You might want to start a thread on why they provide a bathtub. Keith

Monte Carlo from nine years ago. Keith

Great substitution of Istanbul. Wonderful city. Safety is the number one priority. Often it is not only the cruise line involved with this but also the insurance company as I understand has a big say in this for all cruise lines. Keith

Serenity nine and one-half years ago. Time goes fast when you are having fun. Keith

A view of Serenity in 2014 from Bon Bon Island. That was a fun day for sure.

Karen and bayonejoe.... As I suspected, Crystal will change the reservations for those on the full World Cruise so you can make reservations for each specialty restaurant (one for each one including Tastes) 90 days prior to the start of each segment. They have advised it is going to take time to make this change but they will make it. Keith

I had mentioned that towards the top of the Crystal website you can see offers. In addition, if you click o find a cruise a new filter is offers. So you could click on find a cruise, 2024 and filters and find all the cruises with offers or click on find a cruise, 2024, put in a specific month(s) or any other filers you want and also utilize the offers filter to narrow down the cruises to those with offers. Yet another way to find cruises. Keith

A new enhancement added to the Crystal website is offers with a tab towards the top. In fact, it includes offers of 5% discount on selected sailings mentioned in an e-mail from Crystal earlier today. I know. Some of you probably got it and others don't but it is all on the website. Happy Cruising. Keith

Yes, most of the new ones added are Sapphire. Keith