Keith1010

I am also not into F1 but I did go to the Monaco Grand Prix in 2015. And we've been there a few other times a week or two before the Grand Prix. I believe it is held around the same time each year. I also would think that although the schedule hasn't been published that a cruise line from Crystal would know who to contact to find out what the date will be and we know that there are people from A&K who reside in Monaco. Keith

You can. I would bring them. We bring several items with us and have done that for years. We have been very careful way before Covid or before many protocols that people are now aware of were well known.

They are not up yet. Stay tuned. Keith

Not sure but growing up we called it a smorgasbord which I believe originated in Norway. We also called the dessert table a viennese table and it was a big to do at weddings, bar mitzvah's in New York and surrounding areas and I am talking about dessert which was out of this world. In our situation we avoid buffets but that is due to the closeness of the tables. For years our approach was to go to Marketplace for lunch when it opened so we were first in. For us that was great because I wanted to play Paddle Tennis early afternoon. One of my favorites was someone picking up a plate, realizing it wasn't open and starting to put it back.My response you picked up the plate so you own it. Worst is people walking by there and utensils are not yet out and they pick up the food with their hands. Oh those were the days. Keith

I agree. When I lived in the East Coast New England Clam Chowder was a favorite in the winter and after shoveling snow it really hit the spot. The other one for me seemed like tomato soup and while I love tomatoes I am not a fan of tomato soup. As to Hot Dogs I also like the bun toasted. Keith

Guest don't even use sanitizer and you really think they are going to put gloves on. I doubt it.

Great news about 2025 Itineraries. Keith CRYSTAL UNVEILS 2025 ITINERARIES From Visits to Monaco Timed to The Formula 1 Grand Prix to Experiencing the Northern Lights in Norway, Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony Set Sail to 112 Countries and 281 Ports MIAMI – (Sept. 7, 2023) – Today, Crystal announced its inspiring lineup of 2025 itineraries onboard Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony. Following the brand’s acquisition by the A&K Travel Group, Crystal is poised to offer travelers unparalleled opportunities for exploration and cultural immersion - both on and off the ship - with industry-leading voyages of discovery across the globe to both iconic and off-the-beaten-path destinations. Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony will visit an extraordinary selection of guests’ favorites and approximately 144 new handpicked destinations such as the Faroe Islands, Haifa and Shanghai, for a combined total of 720 days over the course of 73 sailings visiting a total of 112 countries and 281 ports. "We’re excited to offer both past and future Crystal guests an inspiring assortment of itineraries in 2025,” said Cristina Levis, CEO of A&K Travel Group. “Guests onboard Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony will have the opportunity to explore a treasure trove of lesser-visited corners of the world and check off some truly once-in-a-lifetime bucket list destinations with bespoke, industry-leading experiences designed by Abercrombie & Kent.” Crystal Serenity 2025 Itinerary Highlights After completing the World Cruise in May 2025, Crystal Serenity will depart from Marseille and sail the Mediterranean and Baltic Seas, visiting destinations like Pablo Picasso’s hometown of Málaga, the charming, half-timbered town of Ronne, Latvia’s capital, Riga, known for its pedestrian-only medieval Old Town and more. Guests will have the rare opportunity to visit Longyearbyen, the largest inhabited area of Svalbard, Norway - famous for its incomparable views of the Northern Lights. With calls to the Faroe Islands, and Iceland, passengers will discover dramatic landscapes and breathtaking views in the world’s most stunning Nordic destinations including Tórshavn, Djupivogur, and Reykjavik among others. For a perfect leaf-peeping getaway, guests onboard from September to November 2025, will visit iconic North American ports of call such as Québec City, Gaspé, Newport, Boston, Portland, New York City and more. For those who wish to partake in the holiday season at sea, sun-filled voyages include Caribbean and South American destinations like Montego Bay, Aruba, Cayman Islands, Cartagena, the Panama Canal and more. Crystal Symphony 2025 Itinerary Highlights Kicking off 2025 in Southeast Asia, the newly refurbished ship will explore remote destinations including Sihanoukville, known for having the best beaches in Cambodia, along with Sabang and WehIsland, the small active volcanic island to the northwest of Sumatra. With multi-day port calls to the region’s top urban centers including Ho Chi Minh City, Halong Bay, Laem Chabang and Shanghai, passengers will have even more time for in-depth cultural immersion. Guests can also visit Palawan, the Philippines’ ecological jewel with pristine beaches, and Brunei, known for its verdant rainforests. Timed with the Grand Prix, the ship will visit Monaco and Villefranche-sur-Mer, allowing guests the chance to embrace their inner Formula 1 driver, as they watch the iconic race in two of Europe’s leading destinations. Mediterranean highlights include calls to Haifa, Dubrovnik and Cyprus, in addition to Greece’s increasingly popular destinations of Zakynthos, Corfu and Santorini, among others. The latter half of 2025 will be spent in the Middle East visiting a variety of destinations ranging from the small Egyptian port of Safaga (Luxor), to Dubai, known for luxury shopping and ultramodern architecture, to the more remote Salalah, the third-largest city in the Sultanate of Oman, known for its marine life. These just announced 2025 voyages will be available to book on Sept. 27 at crystalcruises.com. For more information on these new 2025 Itineraries or any of Crystal’s exceptional voyages, contact your travel advisor, visit crystalcruises.com, or call 1-800-446-6620. # # # About Crystal For more than three decades Crystal has been synonymous with exceptional, award-winning voyages. In 2022 the A&K Travel Group acquired the Crystal brand and its two vessels, Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony, ushering in a new era of Exceptional at Sea. The globally-renowned cruise line offers discerning travelers’ industry-leading, authentic, and enriching experiences both onshore and at sea. Crystal’s pioneering partnership with Abercrombie & Kent provides guests with unparalleled access to the most sought-after experiences, destinations, and the latest cultural makers around the world. The reimagined ships boast larger, updated suites with artisanal finishes, new cutting-edge wellness offerings, spectacular entertainment, and complimentary world-class dining - including the return of UMI UMA - the only dining experience by Michelin-Star Chef Master Chef Nobuyuki (Nobu) at sea. With a legacy of unrivaled service and commitment to sophistication and elegance at every touchpoint, once on-board passengers feel as if they are perfectly at home.

As I noted earlier. Protocols are like they were before Covid. In other words, if there was an outbreak of Noro Virus on-board then protocols would be implemented as they were in the past. Overall, signage is as it was before Covid-19 in terms of what is visible to us. Keith

Much improved signage throughout the ship. Keith

Yes. But I don't have a date yet. It will include entertainers and enrichment but not necessarily Captain, Restaurant Manager, etc. As always, those listed can easily change. Keith

I am just glad that Crystal came back. If you want to dine casually on formal nights I would recommend Tastes. The police were not out and I did see some in casual attire in Waterside. The majority of people were in one of the options for formal attire. The revised write-up is actually a little more formal the way it's written than it was before Crystal folded. Bottom line there is flexibility if you don't wish to dress up including dining venue. Also on 7 days or less no formal nights and even on Symphony's 8 day cruise since it was port intensive no formal night. Keith

There is a sign outside Marketplace about sanitizing hands as there was before. On occasion the Daily Reflections had a note about using the hand sanitizers before entering dining venues including as one of the highlighted items on the cover page. Keith

Ketchup on a hot dog. OMG. Hot Dog, Bun, Mustard, Sauerkraut, Even Onions. Ketchup. Ouch. LOL but just saying. Keith

For some this will bring back memories. As to those of us who know a real hot dog, it's not Oscar Mayer but they do have a cute commercial. Keith

I would suspect that some of the cost are things you might not know about until the actual dry dock and some of the costs you might not know about period such as the inventory of backup equipment. The bids had a lot to do with the age of the vessels and the technology. There is quite a difference in both areas. Keith

And this is so true. 🤪 I know. Just like a writer one can take a quote out of context but I think you mean this anyway as I do. 🤣 Keith

Great idea. On some boards they put a link to the review on the top of the cruise line home page as they do with the roll calls. I think the same should be done for the Crystal Board. Keith

Sometimes, it's all about perspective how one sees things. Photos taken within second of one another on a port stop on the Inaugural Cruise. Keith

She did. If people read the description she was speaking about Serenity. I realize though for those not familiar with the decor of the former Prego on Serenity they might assume she was referring to Symphony. I hope it's not a surprise to anyone that someone writing might not attribute a quote properly. 😀 Speaking of my own experience (professionally or personally) does the writer reflect 100% accurately what one says. Accuracy seems to be the exception and not the rule. Keith

Another view of Serenity from the Inaugural Cruise. Keith

Vince, right you are. She was speaking about Prego on Serenity. While I like the interior (we all have opinions) I realize many people did not although surprisingly on another forum some say they did. Go figure. I remember some on this board said it looked like an Olive Garden or something you would see on a mass market line. Another example of each of us seeing things differently. I am also reminded that there were some on this board who said very assuredly that they didn't like Silk and didn't consider it to be authentic. They said some of the items were as if they were things you would buy at the supermarket frozen and heat them up. Some liked Silk. So it goes. We all have our opinions. Ask someone like myself about Pizza and we mind come off snobbish when we knock some of the pizza as not being authentic New York Pizza or someone from Philly might have their opinion on what some of us call s Steak N' Cheese sandwich and so it goes. It is very nice IMHO that we have someone overseeing Crystal that actually was reading each of those posts most of which she didn't respond to. Like each of us, she has her own set of opinions and is in the position to actually implement many of them. We were fortunate to have her guide us through our first visit to Osteria D'Ovidio and explain the concept of the menu and dining experience and help me navigate the menu. And yes when some complain about not having the mushroom soup, that is not Italian as my half Italian wife will tell me. And if she says it's not Italian it must not be Italian. Keith

Bob, I had it with the works. Anne Mare didn't. For us it didn't compare to hot dogs from our birth state where all we needed was mustard, sauerkraut and sometimes relish. Glad we had it though. Keith

A good read. https://cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/2023/09/crystal-symphonys-return-wasnt-easy/?fbclid=IwAR1atX6550kjfy4xCDGVoV2KF-3yN2yVywrJb9w2gMuau28jcoIrSOCTiZo Keith

Just in case you don't think we had a hot dog this is our evidence. Of course we could have disposed of it. Overrated but we can say we had it.

Back in my day we had one in the town next to Jericho which was in Hicksville. I never saw so many hot dogs cooking at once. French Fries were good too. Yes back then I ate them as well.