New Crystal - the Good, the Bad and the Indifferent

[CruisePfan]

Actually not true, if you read the description for each suite category you will see what is included in all inclusive. e.g.  Free, unlimited WiFi.  It is broken up into details, amenities, and services.

 

Crystal Society members will get a 5 percent discount.

[hypercafe]

I often wonder about these blanket food comments. I have had great food and service and not so good on all lines. The worst Italian dish I ever had, I sent it back, was in Prago on Crystal. My last Crystal cruise was with fixed dinning. We were forced to eat second sitting at a two top stuck in the back corner of the dining room, no matter who I asked to change to first sitting I was told NO. Best table side roast was Queens Grill on the QE2 and best brunch I ever had was on Celebrity Summit trans Atlantic. Best pool party on Europa2. 

[Keith1010]

Claudia the other one is you get a 5% discount for back to backs.

 

Some has asked about the tax and port fees.

 

The cruise fare includes them and on the invoice they do note what they are and that they are included in the cruise fare.

 

Keith

[JusttheTwoofUs]

1 hour ago, Keith1010 said:

Claudia the other one is you get a 5% discount for back to backs.

 

Some has asked about the tax and port fees.

 

The cruise fare includes them and on the invoice they do note what they are and that they are included in the cruise fare.

 

Keith

From my invoice, the 5% Crystal Society discount is based on the cruise fare MINUS the destination fee.  In fact they state:  "All fare savings or benefits are calculated net of destination fees."  The contract on the Crystal website says :"“Destination Fees” mean the fees, charges, tolls and taxes imposed on Carrier by governmental or quasi-governmental authorities as well as third party fees and charges arising from a ship’s presence in a harbor or port."  Sounds like the old "port tax" to me.  I think the discounts on "old" Crystal were also calculated minus port taxes.  But those invoices broke out the port taxes separately rather than including them in the base cruise fare.

[cruisr]

The bad.  I had to speak to a Amex Concierge today and asked about Crystal being part of the Cruise Privileges program ($300.00 OBC for Platinum and $500.00 for Centurion).  He said he would call me back as it may take a while to find out.  The Amex concierge said he spoke to his higher ups and the Cruise Privilege program and as of this time Crystal will not be on their list of partner cruise lines.

[Stickman1990]

Just now, cruisr said:

The Amex concierge said he spoke to his higher ups and the Cruise Privilege program and as of this time Crystal will not be on their list of partner cruise lines.

I guess AmEx took a big hit on a company called Crystal a year or so back…

[Jimmycruiser]

4 hours ago, bitob said:

And you will love the food. Better than crystal

 

and the chef made me Portuguese tarts

Your opinion not ours. We would never tell someone they will love the food since it is so personal and subjective. We did not love the food on our Alaskan B2B Silversea muse cruise in August and compared to our first Seabourn cruise in November we will not go back to SS, but did book a Norway cruise for this summer on Seabourn which we very much enjoyed. Still not as good as our previous Crystal cruise November 2021 so all subjective. Each line has their cheerleaders and devoted guests that say the same thing about excellent crew, service & food but in the end it is based on personal experiences.

[Observer]

3 hours ago, Keith1010 said:

I didn't use a tense and last cruise was 2017.

 

 

It is challenging to write a sentence with a verb without using a tense.  
 

“does not compare” which you said is present tense

”did not compare” would be past tense 

“will not compare” would be future tense

 

2017 is hardly the present.  

[Cruise-y]

13 minutes ago, Observer said:

It is challenging to write a sentence with a verb without using a tense.  
 

 

It is impossible to write a sentence with a verb without using a tense. 

Edited February 3, 2023 by Cruise-y

[Roland4]

Based on what I am reading;

 

The contract on the Crystal website says :"“Destination Fees” mean the fees, charges, tolls and taxes imposed on Carrier by governmental or quasi-governmental authorities as well as third party fees and charges arising from a ship’s presence in a harbor or port."  Sounds like the old "port tax" to me.  

 

These are what Old Crystal called the "Port, Security and Handling Fees". The other luxe lines for the most part just bury them in the pricing (though they provide TAs with the breakdown as they are not commissionable), but they are there. I am just happy to hear that "Destination Fee" does not equal "Resort Fee"! That would seriously annoy me!

Edited February 3, 2023 by Roland4

[Jayayeff]

3 hours ago, claudiaYVR said:

Only four hours away from this board and the thread got almost completely hijacked. Thanks everyone 🙂

 

Back to the purpose of the thread:

 

Bad - that they didn't have certain core policies in place before booking started. What is included in the all-inclusive? what discount if any will Crystal Society members get?

They did not have to have everything sorted out but these two seem kind of biggie, easy to decide at the top executive level and pretty important to passengers when making booking decisions as the pricing seems to be higher than the competitors'.

 

Good - it appears our beautiful promenade decks will be left intact!

 

As is often the case on this board when certain members get the bit between their teeth!!!!.   A shame as it was a great idea, and it was going along so well until, as you say, it got hijacked and is now dominated by a back and forth about other cruise lines food!!!!      As the OP you could try reporting ‘the diversion’ and request the irrelevant posts be trimmed out as your original intent is way more interesting that the route it’s now gone down..
 

Anne..

[Stickman1990]

14 minutes ago, Jayayeff said:

and it was going along so well until, as you say, it got hijacked and is now dominated by a back and forth about other cruise lines food!!!!     

A CC thread going off topic 🤷🏻 - now there’s something different

To be accurate I think it all got very fuzzy when rain showers in restaurants was raised - the dining followed it off course 

[Mr Luxury]

7 hours ago, Stickman1990 said:

I guess AmEx took a big hit on a company called Crystal a year or so back…

Some folks have long memories.

[ctjon]

It also might mean that AMEX and Crystal haven't started or finished discussion about being included.

[FlyerTalker]

19 hours ago, hypercafe said:

My last Crystal cruise was with fixed dinning.

 

Well, that certainly makes for very contemporary commentary about Crystal.

 

 

[Mr Luxury]

48 minutes ago, FlyerTalker said:

 

Well, that certainly makes for very contemporary commentary about Crystal.

 

 

You can't make this stuff up can you 😁

[Sweetpea711423]

BAD (for my husband and me): No Nobu!!!!  We absolutely adored that restaurant, and would go multiple times during a cruise.  Even if another Japanese restaurant is substituted, I expect it would be unlikely to be the caliber of food (and service) provided by Nobu.  The presence of Nobu was actually one of the reasons we returned to Crystal after our first cruise on them.

[bitob]

19 hours ago, Stickman1990 said:

I guess AmEx took a big hit on a company called Crystal a year or so back…

But wasn't that a different company??????  LOL

[ivyleaguegent]

On 2/1/2023 at 6:41 PM, skybluewaters said:

 

But the new entry level suite - the Aquamarine Veranda Suite - is just 323 sq ft.

For comparison, the standard veranda cabin on Seabourn is 300 sq ft.

You're correct that the huge gap is gone, but it still is substantial.  Plus, you're getting a cabin (sorry, a suite) that is only 8% larger than a much lower priced standard veranda cabin on Seabourn.

(Yes, there is a butler on Crystal, but how much is that butler really worth?) 

This analysis assumes that one is comparing similar experiences.  Having sailed both lines I posit that the Crystal experience, in all areas, far exceeds Seabourn.  To quote the ancient adage...."you get what you pay for."

[travelberlin]

2 minutes ago, ivyleaguegent said:

This analysis assumes that one is comparing similar experiences.  Having sailed both lines I posit that the Crystal experience, in all areas, far exceeds Seabourn.  To quote the ancient adage...."you get what you pay for."

How do you know what is the new Crystal experience? Didn’t you just post in another thread that this new Crystal and the other Crystal we knew, are two different companies?. I fail to understand how people are arguing about the excellent experience of the new company if it does not have sailed once 🧐

Ivi

[ivyleaguegent]

13 minutes ago, travelberlin said:

How do you know what is the new Crystal experience? Didn’t you just post in another thread that this new Crystal and the other Crystal we knew, are two different companies?. I fail to understand how people are arguing about the excellent experience of the new company if it does not have sailed once 🧐

Ivi

 

Fair point.  My comments assume that the Crystal experience will equal or exceed that of the past.  There will be plenty of reviews of Crystal well before the cancellation deadline expires on my cruise.

[bitob]

17 minutes ago, travelberlin said:

How do you know what is the new Crystal experience? Didn’t you just post in another thread that this new Crystal and the other Crystal we knew, are two different companies?. I fail to understand how people are arguing about the excellent experience of the new company if it does not have sailed once 🧐

Ivi

Logic has gone out the window in this regard

[Stickman1990]

Good 

The return of a restaurant named Tastes 

Now whether it will be just like the old one on Serenity who knows - but imagine this…my mouths watering 

 

[claudiaYVR]

@Stickman1990 thanks for the memories! The thing with Tastes is that it was great for sharing with friends in an intimate, more casual environment and never in the half dozen times we went were we disappointed. 

[Jimmycruiser]

1 hour ago, bitob said:

It’s a different company in regard to monies lost

its not a different company if you want your crystal milestones/status back

 

i find that amazing

I thought you moved on but you obviously have difficulty leaving this subject and separating the two. Seabourn accepted our Crystal society level to attract our business so why wouldn’t the new Crystal do the same? Most of us recognize the difference and know that the new Crystal will not be identical to the old Crystal but expect it to provide an excellent experience for the cost. If not, it will be easy to jump ship since most of us also know there is plenty of competition. I will give them a chance to prove it by sailing with them early next year. I view it as low risk but not no risk.