Keith1010

LInk to the article follows: Keith https://www.travelandleisure.com/crystal-cruises-crystal-serenity-ship-review-7967098

Right now Crystal uses the Crystal Society Benefits Program as of 2019. I've included information on the program from 2019. They know how many cruises you have taken. I don't know if they have the details as they used to which showed the voyages, room you were in and the number of milestones for that voyage(s). They can confirm that on the phone for sure. What they don't know is what milestones someone has used.So if you have an unused milestone you cannot use it but you can use new milestones going forward. Keith Crystal Society Benefits Program_effective Sept 1_2019-2.pdf

Thank you. This one is a couple of years out so was just looking at options. I have to say I didn't pick up on Manchester location. I had done a google search about alternativeairports and it mentioned Manchester but not distance and then I looked a map and couldn't even find it. I know.Look harder. Definitely closer to when we lived in North Texas to DFW and from where we lived in Bay Area to SFO and even where we live today to the airport. Now I will look at Manchester. Keith

As I have gone through the 2025 itineraries I see some ports of embarkation/debarkation that seem new or if not new I haven't seen them in many years. One jumped out to me is Liverpool. The upside for people like myself it opens up more time to explore the city than one gets to do with one day stop. The only challenge is flying in and out of the city but there are some option although limited and the train between London and Liverpool is an option. Other places which seem to be new for starting and ending a cruise are Jeddah and Doha, Tarragona, Genoa and Cartagena and a couple of more. Does anyone remember a Crystal Cruise starting or ending in any of these ports? It will be interesting to see what A&K pre and post land programs might be offered. Keith

This was one of the most amazing seafood entrees I have ever had. Covina. I learned the next day that the recipe was first featured on Crystal Harmony. I wish I had taken a photo of the menu from that night so I would know exactly how they described the entree. Next time if it is available again. Keith

Terrific review and many thanks for not only taking the time to post it but to share it with all of us. Keith

Bistro is about getting off topic. Pretty much everything goes. I am relaxed but this thread is about 2025 itineraries not about Explora Journey which a better place for that discussion is on the Explora Journey Board unless people are asking for a comparison between EJ and Crystal and in that case just take the time to start a new thread IMHO. I have read the Explora Journey Board so those who are interested in that cruise line or any cruise line just have to go to the board they are interested in. I do know before someone slams me that I have taken threads off topic usually after someone has done that but in general try to start new threads wherever possible. Keith

Thank you. Really folks. I know this is CC and we get off topic but we really can keep it Crystal. I can read about other lines on other boards. Keith

Bon Voyage and enjoy every minute. Keith

Go to my account Go to my bookings and then your booking and you will see a tab that would have the cruise ticket when it is populated. You should see it a week or two before the cruise. Maybe earlier than that. Keith

I know your comments were directed at ctjon and not at me but I thought I would chime in. This is one of those cases where fewer ships does make Crystal more unique. And yes, I know the down-side of too few ships. The positive of having only two ships is that most of the crew has been on one of the two ships for years. A few have moved but most of stayed so they have a strong bond with one another. And while some guests sail on both ships equally many guests sail one ship most of the time and often it is to see the crew members they know so well. No one should think this means I don't think the fleet should grow. It should and has to for Crystal to be successful but IMHO those lines who grow to quickly dilute the crew and sometimes this results in an inconsistent experience for guests. This happens on land. I have followed Nordtstrom for many years as they were a great model for customer service including empowering their people who work the floor to make most decisions without going to management. We even had them come in and speak with our management team about how they did this. They were very successful because when the opened a new store they largely staffed it with people who worked at other Nordstrom stores so they new the culture very well. However, at one point they grew way too quickly opening a lot of stores each year and they had to change the approach and hire in a lot of new people. I believe this was an example of how growing too quickly can hurt the business in the long run. I do think for many who sail Crystal regularly the bond with the crew is special as the bond among many guests and the bond among the crew amongst themselves is special. All I know is when we meet crew who we don't know from before either because we never met them before or because they are new we engage them in conversation and in a course of a cruise feel like we have known them for a much longer time than one cruise. As to the word special, for us the crew is very special and the relationships we have with them are very special. And no, I don't consider myself to be "special" but my wife is very special to me. Keith

The typical way pilots arrive although on our last cruise one of the pilots arrived by helicopter and he was not a "helicopter pilot". Keith

It takes two to tangle. Officers engage. I know lots of guests who sail Crystal and it is special to them. And it's a lot so don't get your point. And I fully realize ther are others who have two or more cruise lines they sail and some have no loyalty to any of them. I know what is typical and what is not. This is not my first rodeo and I have sailed much more than 30 years and on a lot of ships and cruise lines. Next.

So glad to hear your experience and that four hosts were on board. I remember years ago those who would dance would tell us some of the Ambassador Hosts were better dancers than others. Keith

We met officers on our first Crystal Cruise and by our fourth cruise dined with officers and with lecturers and we were in a standard room. Never was seated at an Officers Table. We just reached out to them as we do with fellow guests who we also dine with. There is a saying. It takes two to tango. At the same time we know guests who have no interest in dining with officers, senior staff or lecturers. Keith

I've never been able to compare fares across products and make sense of it. This is because the products vary. Even comparing fares on the same ship is not always straight forward depending on itineraries and time of year. For some price is the driver. For others it is not. For me what the product offers is what drove me to book most sailings with Crystal after sailing other lines and after a few sailings with Crystal including the vessels. By the way a cruise on another line that is priced lower than Crystal in my mind might be an overpriced cruise because what the product offers for me is well below what Crystal offers. Someone else might not see it that way which is why choice is good.

Yes Crystal is using dynamic pricing and I remember reading from them that the percentage that a solo person will pay will vary. I realize this was only the first two cruises but I saw many solo travelers on board and that includes some from this board. And I know of several solo travelers who were on board who were in Suites not just solo rooms or double rooms. Keith

A view from outside the Hollywood Theatre. Keith

Just looked at photos from the open house on Serenity and the Sapphire Suites have two sets of sliders; one in the living area and one in the bedroom area. I remember saying to myself this is a nice feature. Same goes for the Junior CP. Too bad the original CP's don't have this feature. Keith

I will be following you. Wishing you both a wonderful cruise. Enjoy every minute. Keith

I am exhausted. I posted several in this thread earlier. I am a numbers person too. And Cheddar Cheese or whatever the CC name is posted an entire years worth. In the end if you are not happy with the pricing don't book the cruises. I have booked several and know many others who are booking and not complaining. In the end each person should do what they want.

Maybe we're caught on semantics here but I just don't see people saying a line is superior over another one.. Some of us have a favorite line. I do. And yes it's Crystal but I just don't see people around here using the term superior which in someways comes of condescending. And there is no problem in my book having a favorite product. I never know why some have a problem with that. Life is short. I believe find those things you enjoy in life and if you find things I think that is great.

A few things about 2025. All of the voyages have been added to the Crystal website. There are some gaps. I know that Serenity has a dry dock after the world cruise. I am not sure about the other gaps on Serenity and Symphony. I've been looking through the itineraries one by one as I am sure many of you are doing. Keith

Larry, I'll have to go back and look at my photos in terms of the placement of the tables but I do know there are no more tables in the room today than there were after the dry dock. I was told no new tables were bought. Keith

I went to the web site and compared like categories and went with the lowest price category. However on the summary provided by another member that compares three different categories including the lower priced ones.