Keith1010

Thank you Colin and I truly hope we sail with you one day. Keith

I will be putting up a link on the other thread in a couple of days. Keith

My understanding is that the White Night Extravaganza will be similar to what it was although I am unsure of location. We will have one on the Inaugural cruise as there will be one on each cruise so we can share more information. People are encouraged to wear something white and many do but not a requirement. It's a mixer with music and the Ambassador Hosts there so you can listen to music and some dance. There were a few drinks with a white theme although one could order other items and some snacks. Keith

For those of you on this cruise the package will likely not be arriving today. While the UPS label was created it hasn't yet been handed over to them. As soon as I get an update from UPS I'll advise. Keith

Media and Travel Specialists will join Crystal Serenity on July 25 cruise from Venice. Keith

Thinking of the song I left my heart in San Francisco sung by the late great Tony Bennett. We enjoyed four years in the East Bay and loved every minute of it. I took this photo on one of our many return visits to San Francisco. Keith

It’s A Crystal Family Affair – Return To Crystal & Crystal Serenity - Part 2 Many of you are long term members of CC and this board and have read my live reports. Some of you are relatively new, so I begin with what shapes my views and opinions. Here goes. At 12, my parents took our family on a 13-day cruise. Not our typical vacation which was often a two-week road trip staying at motels where you parked outside your room (Holiday Inn, Quality Inn, Best Western (also for a short time motels east of the Mississippi were called Best Eastern), Howard Johnson and some one-of-a-kind motels along with a few one-of-a-kind hotels. I loved the cruise. I remember it as if it was yesterday. I knew that cruising was in my blood. Never saw water so blue as we got closer to the Southern Caribbean. Not something I saw on the Island we lived on. Years ago, I realized that life is short. Too many loved ones died way too young. As a result, I don’t sweat the little things, and appreciate each day. Yes, the glass is half full. Why not? Most of my career was spent with one company, which began as a start-up and grew into a large company, so I have experienced both worlds. I’ve worked in headquarters and in the field. The cruise industry has their corporate analogous to headquarters and working on a cruise ship is like what I refer to as the field. Some of my comments are based on a business perspective. When I see problems, I look for solutions and inform those who I think should know rather than putting them all over social media. In fact, when people dwell on the problem, I tune it out because I am focused on solving it. This applies to my own career and a group I lead where I live. I also know that you can’t please the customer all of the time and you have to make a profit and balance revenue and costs which is no easy task. When retired, I chose to pursue those things we love. If I do something and don’t like it, I move on and don’t dwell on it. Yes, life is short. I am a fan of certain products, including Crystal, Lexus, Apple, Ritz Carton, and I am a fan of selected sports teams. The key word is “fan”. Each has evolved over the years, but each provides a product which I am a fan of. I applaud teamwork, which is a core strength of Crystal. I subscribe to the belief the sum of the whole team working together is far better than the same people working independently of one another. In short, I focus on the positive. I choose to do things I enjoy. I don’t dwell on problems. I don’t sweat the little things. I realize nothing is perfect in life including each of us. I enjoy people, travel especially cruising, and I like solving problems. I have little tolerance or patience for constant complainers. As to Crystal. As many know, I used to say I am hopeful, and I meant what I said. In my heart of hearts, I always felt the Crystal vessels and name would return even when some disagreed. I thought Manfredi Lefebvre would purchase the vessels and the brand name even when some said they would be scrapped. He succeeded, and my belief that most of the crew would return came to fruition even when just a few people chose to put down my point of view. If you know the crew as well as I do and some of the other from this board do, and keep in touch with them, it was fairly obvious they were going to return in huge numbers. Once the purchase of Crystal was announced, my hope turned into excitement, and you would hear me say Bags are packed. Ready to go. Can’t wait. If you’ve played on a sports team as I have, you might hear a coach or manager say a favorite phrase in the locker room before, between halves, and after the game and at practice. It sticks with people. There is a song let’s get this party started sung by Pink. On occasion I would use it as a warmup song when teaching indoor cycle. It applies here as well. As I move forward with my posts they will be about what we experience and will include objective and subjective comments as they always have. In closing. Bags are packed. Ready to go. Can’t wait. Look forward to seeing several of you on-board on the first and/or second cruises as Crystal Serenity returns to service. Cheers Keith

Thanks you so much. Keith

Thank you Nancy. Keith

Safe travels. See you soon. Keith

Thank you so much. I will update my blog as well. Keith

Thank you Roy. Maybe I should follow your suggestion. The good news is most people on this board are very thoughtful and kind. Keith

Thank you so much for your very nice comments. I am so glad to hear you have booked two cruises. Best to you. Keith

I look forward to meeting you as well. Keith

Thank yo Dwight. Before the Serenity Dry Dock in 2018 we took three 7 day cruises and there were several new ports for us in the Mediterranean. It seems strange but between France, Italy, Spain and over to Portugal there are these small ports that are new to us. Best to you. Keith

This is so funny. On my post tomorrow you will see me refer to this song and artist. I used to play this as a warmup song on occasion for an indoor cycling class. I played many of the current artists and remixes of old ones. It was all about the beat. Keith

I just realized the subject of the thread starts with entitlements. In the USA we would word this differently so I am starting to get some of the recent posts. Some of us might have just called it Specialty Restaurant Reservations. I don't think of reservations or the fact that you have 50 cruises you can go extra times (used on space) as an entitlement. That's not how in the USA we would normally refer to it. I guess I would have said this is a Crystal Society "benefit". Keith

I haven't asked but I do expect this will be the same so that people who want to give a gratuity have the option to charge it to their shipboard account or give cash or do both as we do. They don't talk about the cards but this is what they say under gratuities but even in the past I don't believe they mentioned a form you could fill out. Keith GRATUITIES With Crystal’s all-inclusive experience, pre-paid gratuities for housekeeping (butler, suite attendant and trainee suite attendant), bar and dining staff (including in-suite dining and specialty restaurants) are included in your cruise fare. If you would like to present gratuities for other service personnel, you may do so at your discretion. Or, if you have any questions regarding gratuities, please contact the Reception Desk. We suggest an 18% gratuity for Aurōra services, which will be automatically added to your bill and charged to your shipboard account for your convenience.

Thank you so much and I do hope we sail with you. Keith

LeeAnne, thank you. It's all good. The good news is the vast majority of those who follow do not feel that way and many have become lurkers. Only a few make those comments but I feel I needed to just give my perspectives which I've had way before cruising. It's funny at home I lead a large organization of volunteers for our community. At the first meeting I provided some background. I said that when I hear about a problem and others just keep talking about the problem I turn them out because my mind is figuring out the solution. And that also relates in my mind to positivity because I am trying to figure out how we resolve the problem and then take positive steps to get it corrected. Those of us who can cruise are very fortunate no matter what line we sail because the vast majority of the population in this world won't cruise. And when we are so fortunate to sail a luxury line and have the money and the health to do it I just want to enjoy the experience as much as possible. There will come a day when this is no longer possible for each of us due to health and then what comes after that. I will share a few more tidbits tomorrow or Tuesday and then we will focus on the pre-cruise and the cruise. Many thanks, Keith

Thank you. This is one I haven't asked about but will. Keith

This is an excepted from the before you sail guide regarding specialty restaurants. Specialty Restaurants* Crystal provides alternative specialty restaurants to enhance the evening dining options and provide the opportunity to enjoy a variety of culinary venues. Available on both ships, Osteria D’Ovidio features cuisine inspired by various regions of Italy. Nobu Matsuhisa’s newest sea–going venture, Umi Uma & Sushi Bar, is an exotically delicious blend of Japanese–Peruvian cuisine in a new, beautifully designed restaurant. Our specialty restaurants are meant to be enjoyed equally by all of our guests. In order to ensure that each guest has a chance to dine at Osteria D’Ovidio and Umi Uma & The Sushi Bar at least once during their voyage, a maximum of one reservation per specialty restaurant will be confirmed per booking via our Guest Information Form (GIF). All additional reservations or visits to these venues will be confirmed on board on a space-available basis for a nominal fee of $50 per person. Guests in Crystal Penthouse or Jr. Crystal Penthouse suites are entitled to unlimited complimentary Specialty Restaurant reservations; however, the same one (1) GIF pre-reservation per restaurant restriction as noted above will apply. *See page 11, Guest Information Form (GIF), for details on making reservations. · Guests on back-to-back cruises: Guests sailing on multiple voyages will receive this complimentary reservation benefit for each separate voyage. · Guests on cruises between 12 to 22 nights: Guests will be extended two complimentary reservations or visits in each Specialty Restaurant venue as described in the Specialty Restaurant section above. The second complimentary reservation or visit will need to be made and confirmed on board the ship once the sailing begins and is on a space available basis (but without the $50 nominal fee). · Guests on cruises 23 nights or longer: we extend three (3) complimentary reservations per person per cruise. You can make your first complimentary reservation for Osteria D’Ovidio or Umi Uma via our Guest Information Form (GIF) prior to the voyage or once onboard. · Full World Cruise Guests: All Specialty Restaurant reservation fees will be waived. One complimentary reservation or visit per Specialty Restaurant venue per World Cruise segment may be booked via GIF prior to the voyage. Additional complimentary reservations or visits will need to be confirmed on board the ship after the voyage begins. · Guests 50+ Milestone Crystal Society benefit: All Specialty Restaurant reservation fees will be waived for all guests who have achieved their 50th (or more) Crystal Society Milestone. One complimentary reservation or visit per Specialty Restaurant venue per segment may be booked via GIF prior to the beginning of each voyage. Additional reservations or visits may be confirmed when on board the ship, on a space-available basis.

Larry, History & Wine did note it is the same as Original Crystal (I am starting to like the name Classic Crystal) so yes it's not new. Keith

It’s A Crystal Family Affair – Return To Crystal & Crystal Serenity Later this week I will begin posting about our upcoming adventure on Crystal Serenity as we sail the first two voyages from Marseille, France to Lisbon and Lisbon to Southampton. We visit places we have been to before while also visiting seven ports of call for the very first time. I am excited that we will know most of the crew and several guests. I look forward to sailing with members of this board, including those familiar to us and those who we haven’t sailed with before. I will be happy to answer questions “but” please remember I want to enjoy this experience so I may choose not to run down every question. For those of you on this cruise if you would like to post here, you are very welcome to do so but if you don’t and prefer your own thread that is terrific. For those of you on one or both cruises travel safely and enjoy every minute. Everyone, remember we all see things differently because we are human, and many things are subjective. In the end the only opinion that matter is our very own. I have also learned something over the years. If someone asks me for recommendations for a cruise line, restaurant, hotel, tour, or a host of other things I will answer their question. At the same time, I will let them know while we enjoy them, they might not. Conversely, I have sailed lines that we had an average experience with although others enjoy them. If asked what I think about cruise lines we didn’t particularly like, I will say it didn’t work for us, but it may for you. I also want to add that new Crystal-like old Crystal will evolve, and this includes pre-cruise information and the actual cruising experience. For example, only a month ago some were critical of marketing and pre-cruise information. Now you can see more things coming together with a much larger staff in place and several items solidified. Some have criticized itineraries. Please remember, they to put together itineraries quickly and there were ports not available as they were already booked. I expect this will not be the case for 2025. though I am reminded for years some on this board have been critical of the itineraries. I want to close with a couple of thoughts. Captain Glen used to say if you want to have a good time you will. If you don’t you won’t. I subscribe to this. Some people like to point out what is wrong. I prefer focusing on all that is good. In my next post I will share what shapes my views and opinions before we begin another new travel adventure. Did I tell you..................Bags are packed............Ready to go.................Can't wait.............. Cheers, Keith

Our last visit to Monaco.was on World Cruise 2019. We will be there again in August. So one of the things I think of when I see this is the song "We All Live In A Yellow Submarine. Written as a Children's song even us adults would sing along. I can hear Ringo now. Keith