New Crystal - the Good, the Bad and the Indifferent

[Emdee]

39 minutes ago, Cancun01 said:

We may be dreaming in technicolour  for that to happen! At least being able to book in CDN dollars eliminates the potential price increase of several thousand dollars at final payment because of the fluctuating $ .That is a big plus IMO.

What you say is ok for the immediate term but I would book anything long term only on AMEX which they won’t take so as someone who got reimbursed by AMEX for the old Crystal non compliance of contract I feel the need to use my AMEX, pay in US$ and take the exchange hit. 
 

[Cancun01]

1 hour ago, Emdee said:

What you say is ok for the immediate term but I would book anything long term only on AMEX which they won’t take so as someone who got reimbursed by AMEX for the old Crystal non compliance of contract I feel the need to use my AMEX, pay in US$ and take the exchange hit. 
 

I think that you could quite right.  Having had a better look at pricing and thought it through a bit more since I posted, it it may be better for CDNs to pay in US $ as you have stated.  SS gave us a favourable exchange rate of 25%.  

[trlagt]

I haven't seen any mention of the bridge program.  Wondering if the new Crystal is going to have organized bridge games with directors and lessons as the old Crystal did.  This is an activity important to many of us.  Would like to know before making any booking.

[Camillus112]

1 hour ago, trlagt said:

I haven't seen any mention of the bridge program.  Wondering if the new Crystal is going to have organized bridge games with directors and lessons as the old Crystal did.  This is an activity important to many of us.  Would like to know before making any booking.

 

I don't think there is mention of the Ambassadors program either...dancing was a highlight for me.

[RTP2914]

For those that have clicked on Request A Quote from the website, how long has it taken to receive a response?  Thank you!

[Keith1010]

19 hours ago, trlagt said:

I haven't seen any mention of the bridge program.  Wondering if the new Crystal is going to have organized bridge games with directors and lessons as the old Crystal did.  This is an activity important to many of us.  Would like to know before making any booking.

Not sure when the enrichment program will be known.  This is a work in progress as is entertainment. 

 

Keith

[avalon244]

Does anyone know where the Symphony will be Docking this fall in Venice? I need to make flight arrangements accordingly. Thanks!!

[travelberlin]

56 minutes ago, avalon244 said:

Does anyone know where the Symphony will be Docking this fall in Venice? I need to make flight arrangements accordingly. Thanks!!

Cruise lines that big are not docking any more in the usual Venice ports (for example Statione Maritima). Most cruise lines are now docking in Gioggia or Fusina. The answer to your question can only be given by Crystal itself.

Ivi

[FlyerTalker]

4 hours ago, travelberlin said:

Cruise lines that big are not docking any more in the usual Venice ports (for example Statione Maritima). Most cruise lines are now docking in Gioggia or Fusina. The answer to your question can only be given by Crystal itself.

Ivi

 

Or they are docking in Ravenna or Trieste and just calling the port "Venice" (with some kind of transfer service).

[TER777]

You can try looking at the port websites and see which lists the ship. 

[ivyleaguegent]

On 2/11/2023 at 3:11 PM, Camillus112 said:

 

I don't think there is mention of the Ambassadors program either...dancing was a highlight for me.

I would be very disappointed if ballroom dancing did not return.

[TER777]

26 minutes ago, ivyleaguegent said:

I would be very disappointed if ballroom dancing did not return.

Same here. 

[FlyerTalker]

My own suspicion:  Things like bridge and hosts and arts programs will move from being on every sailing to being only on those sailings with a certain minimum number of sea days.  What that minimum will be, I have no idea.  But the idea of having various instructors when they only "work" for one or two days a week is a financial loser.  Especially when there are fewer of the "small" cabins after the refit.

 

Look at how SS, SB and RSSC handle things, and you'll see the trend. 

[Mr Luxury]

21 minutes ago, TER777 said:

Same here. 

I would think perhaps not but we shall see.

[Texas Tillie]

21 minutes ago, FlyerTalker said:

My own suspicion:  Things like bridge and hosts and arts programs will move from being on every sailing to being only on those sailings with a certain minimum number of sea days.  What that minimum will be, I have no idea.  But the idea of having various instructors when they only "work" for one or two days a week is a financial loser.  Especially when there are fewer of the "small" cabins after the refit.

 

Look at how SS, SB and RSSC handle things, and you'll see the trend. 

 

That would be disappointing, but I'm afraid you might be right. 

 

Patty

[TER777]

Us dancers want to dance every evening. 

[FlyerTalker]

3 minutes ago, TER777 said:

Us dancers want to dance every evening. 

 

Isn't the standard text on CC:

 

Us [fill in the blank] want [fill in the blank] all the time.

 

Sorry to say, the grass won't be greener if you switch to SS/SB/RSSC.

[Stickman1990]

33 minutes ago, FlyerTalker said:

Us [fill in the blank] want [fill in the blank] all the time.

 

Sorry to say, the grass won't be greener if you switch to SS/SB/RSSC.

So true 

 

But checking out the grass in the other places can be a lot of fun sometimes 

 

We’ve certainly learnt a lot over the past few months cruising other lines - and most of it is very good news - it’s nice to have choice - it increases your options

[Camillus112]

14 minutes ago, Stickman1990 said:

So true 

 

But checking out the grass in the other places can be a lot of fun sometimes 

 

We’ve certainly learnt a lot over the past few months cruising other lines - and most of it is very good news - it’s nice to have choice - it increases your options

 

I very much agree!   My only disappointment with other luxury cruise lines is lack of dancing;  hosts, classes, and dancing venues.

[KenzSailing]

2 hours ago, FlyerTalker said:

My own suspicion:  Things like bridge and hosts and arts programs will move from being on every sailing to being only on those sailings with a certain minimum number of sea days.  What that minimum will be, I have no idea.  But the idea of having various instructors when they only "work" for one or two days a week is a financial loser.  Especially when there are fewer of the "small" cabins after the refit.

 

Look at how SS, SB and RSSC handle things, and you'll see the trend. 

 

I dunno.  It's always hazardous to get crosswise with your gimlet eye, but I would put my money on the Gentlemen Hosts back in full frequency and force, even if the program takes a while to ramp up.  The other stuff, yeah, that might go the way of the language classes. 

[John Cruise]

You can dance at night and play bridge during the day.

😎

[claudiaYVR]

Funnily enough we met one of Crystal's dance hosts on the Silver Moon in December. As far as I could tell there were two hosts and they kept fairly busy.

[History&Wine]

4 hours ago, FlyerTalker said:

My own suspicion:  Things like bridge and hosts and arts programs will move from being on every sailing to being only on those sailings with a certain minimum number of sea days.  What that minimum will be, I have no idea.  But the idea of having various instructors when they only "work" for one or two days a week is a financial loser.  Especially when there are fewer of the "small" cabins after the refit.

 

Look at how SS, SB and RSSC handle things, and you'll see the trend. 

Agree.   The new Crystal will have to look at such financial losers, especially with fewer passengers on board. 

[FlyerTalker]

51 minutes ago, claudiaYVR said:

Funnily enough we met one of Crystal's dance hosts on the Silver Moon in December. As far as I could tell there were two hosts and they kept fairly busy.

 

2 hosts for a 600 pax ship.

[KenzSailing]

5 hours ago, FlyerTalker said:

 

Sorry to say, the grass won't be greener if you switch to SS/SB/RSSC.

 

Once again, I'll come down on the side of yes and no(hey, can't lose!)

 

My point, and it's documented on this site; we have a budget that precludes us from surveying the lux lines in anything approximating a reasonable timeframe.  Crystal, having punched all our important buttons, motivated us to stay with them.  If they hadn't gone Tango Uniform, we probably never would have strayed(don't draw to an inside straight.) But things happened, and now we have a booking on Regent we are most keen on.  May turn out to be genius, maybe disaster, maybe in between.

 

TWT.

 

Point is, the interregnum opened the door.