Promenade Deck

[rbslos18]

Do the beautifully refurbished ships have a wrap-around (covered) Promenade deck for walking/running?  

Thanks!

[Keith1010]

Yes the wraparound promenade decks were left unchanged on both ships.

 

Keith 

[rafinmd]

3 hours ago, rbslos18 said:

Do the beautifully refurbished ships have a wrap-around (covered) Promenade deck for walking/running?  

Thanks!

Not exactly covered.  There is limited shelter fore and aft as well as a narrow strip under balconys as well as under lifeboats (Symphony only).

 

Roy

[crickette]

I've said it before and I'll say it again - I do hope the Promenade deck (on or about deck 7) is part of the new builds.  

[AtA]

43 minutes ago, crickette said:

I've said it before and I'll say it again - I do hope the Promenade deck (on or about deck 7) is part of the new builds.  

I got the impression talking to one of the big wigs it won't be. 😞

[Observer]

5 hours ago, rbslos18 said:

Do the beautifully refurbished ships have a wrap-around (covered) Promenade deck for walking/running?  

Thanks!

It is not covered, which is a real problem for people who must strictly limit their exposure to sun.

[Roland4]

21 minutes ago, Observer said:

It is not covered, which is a real problem for people who must strictly limit their exposure to sun.

True, but how is that different from most other ships we have been on that have the running/walking track on the topmost deck above the pool?? At least, depending on the ship's orientation, you can run/walk on the "shady" side of the Promenade.

[Observer]

10 minutes ago, Roland4 said:

True, but how is that different from most other ships we have been on that have the running/walking track on the topmost deck above the pool?? At least, depending on the ship's orientation, you can run/walk on the "shady" side of the Promenade.

 

Agreed about top deck tracks.  That's no-go land for me.

 

When on Crystal I followed precisely your suggested strategy of walking on the shady side of the Promenade.  This of course meant turning around at the bow and stern of the ship.  That was no problem.  I always stayed well to the side when going against the flow.  But on a number of occasions (more than one might expect/hope for on Crystal) other promenaders who passed me while they were going with the flow made censorious comments, several asking me whether I could not see the wooden arrow indicating the proper direction.  Perhaps their rudeness was a function of oxygen deprivation.  :)-

[skybluewaters]

28 minutes ago, Observer said:

But on a number of occasions (more than one might expect/hope for on Crystal) other promenaders who passed me while they were going with the flow made censorious comments, several asking me whether I could not see the wooden arrow indicating the proper direction.  Perhaps their rudeness was a function of oxygen deprivation.  :)-

 

Were they rude by virtue of using profanity or by speaking to you in a hostile tone?  Otherwise, it doesn't sound to me that they were rude if they were trying to point you in the right direction.

 

You might think it is trivial, but as a runner, it is problematic and unsafe when I am dealing with people going both directions at the same time.

 

The promenade can accommodate quite a few people if everyone goes the proper direction.  If some decide that they want to go opposite to the flow, it becomes a problem. 

[Observer]

21 minutes ago, skybluewaters said:

 

Were they rude by virtue of using profanity or by speaking to you in a hostile tone?  Otherwise, it doesn't sound to me that they were rude if they were trying to point you in the right direction.

 

You might think it is trivial, but as a runner, it is problematic and unsafe when I am dealing with people going both directions at the same time.

 

The promenade can accommodate quite a few people if everyone goes the proper direction.  If some decide that they want to go opposite to the flow, it becomes a problem. 

 

I do not believe I was problematic. I was a runner (near marathoner) until my 60s.  On Crystal I was a walker.  I understand the realities of runners.  Please note a passage you failed to quote: "I always stayed well to the side when going against the flow."  

 

They were not trying to point me in the right direction.  They were simply expressing their sense that the Promenade Deck was to be used only in their (the stated) direction and that there was no accommodation for a septuagenarian who was conscientiously out-of-the-way.   

 

Their rudeness certainly included hostile tones. I would not be surprised if it also included profanity, though I have no specific recollection. 

Edited August 19, 2023 by Observer

[May B]

We need to buy you a t-shirt that says

 

I’m staying out of the sun!

[Leejnd4]

As a runner, I can relate to all of the issues stated here. Including wanting to stay out of the sun! But I find it more challenging to keep up my pace if I keep changing directions, so I'll just slather on the sunscreen and go with the flow.

 

The part I REALLY struggle with are groups of people who will walk four or five abreast, taking up the entire space, not even making enough room for one little 63-yr-old not-very-fast runner lady who would like to at least keep up my admittedly slow pace.

 

I can't count the number of times I have come up behind a group of walkers on a promenade, politely asked them to allow me to pass them, been grumbled at for the NERVE of disrupting their group, then come up behind them AGAIN on my next lap and have to do it all over again, and get the SAME reaction! And then again. And again. I mean, how many times do I need to ask them to allow me to pass before it dawns on them that I'm probably going to come up behind them yet again and they might want to just, y'know, leave room for me? 😝

 

Okay, rant over. 😉 

[skybluewaters]

20 minutes ago, Leejnd4 said:

The part I REALLY struggle with are groups of people who will walk four or five abreast

 

I agree with you 100%. 

This is a photo I took on Serenity's promenade a few years ago of two men walking a breast.

[Leejnd4]

35 minutes ago, skybluewaters said:

 

I agree with you 100%. 

This is a photo I took on Serenity's promenade a few years ago of two men walking a breast.

Okay, I think you just busted (see what I did there) through my grouchy mood. 😂😂😂 Thank you!

[rbslos18]

Thanks all. Any Promenade deck works for us! Sorry I wrote “covered.” The online deck plan did not mention the Promenade deck. I was hoping the track over the pool was not the lone area to walk/run. When we book, we will bring our hats and ample sunscreen.

[FlyerTalker]

Try a lightweight rash-guard, or a t-shirt style fishing shirt with a high UV rating.  Long sleeve and you can find them in 50 rating.  They work quite well in sunny conditions

[crickette]

1 hour ago, FlyerTalker said:

Try a lightweight rash-guard, or a t-shirt style fishing shirt with a high UV rating.  Long sleeve and you can find them in 50 rating.  They work quite well in sunny conditions

Or you can walk your laps starting at 0530-0730, as I do!!!!

[Keith1010]

8 hours ago, Observer said:

It is not covered, which is a real problem for people who must strictly limit their exposure to sun.

My wife has some medical issues so has to watch out for the sun.

 

She does the following.

 

Walks on the shady side. This is the ultimate solution.

 

Walks under the overhang.

 

Wears a hat and of course uses sun screen.

 

First item is the real solution.

 

It's really not a problem.

 

Keith

[Keith1010]

Some additional comments.

 

Yes, to Observer's point. Over the years on a very rare occasion someone has either made a rude comment about Anne Marie walking in the wrong direction or a few people have almost purposely waked into her. If I was there. Well maybe better I was not.  However, there are rude people on land and on sea and the good news is with the ship carrying less people we didn't encounter this issue on the seven cruise on-board Serenity in 2020 nor these two. If we are both together and waling the wrong way and others are coming we walk single file until we all pass staying very close to the right hand side.

 

As to the promenade deck this is something very special for us as it is for most. Anne Marie and I walk it together, by ourselves, in the past with others and I run on it.  It is also a great place for arrivals, departures, viewing scenery and getting away from it all and it was one of the selling points when we booked our first Crystal Cruise.

 

Very few ships compare to this.  On most the shady area is near a pool and that had issues and was pretty boring.  I believe the QM2 came the closest to this but we prefer Serenity and Symphony and Serenity more given the placement of the lifeboats.

 

And the promenade deck is now completely non-smoking. We suggested signage for this and hopefully this will be up soon.

 

Keith

[LouChamp]

Aloha. Our daughter lives in Manhattan and is an avid runner. She loves running all over Manhattan and one day in Central Park she was met head on with a group of reckless bicyclists lol! As a true NY er she had some choice words! 

[Observer]

11 hours ago, Keith1010 said:

And the promenade deck is now completely non-smoking. We suggested signage for this and hopefully this will be up soon.

 

 

This is great news!

 

I have sailed much more on Serenity than Symphony, and my recollection of Serenity is much clearer.

 

I recall that there was an area forward of the promenade deck at the bow of the ship where crew could gather and smoke.  (As I recall, no crew were smoking the odiferous cigars that some people used to smoke in the stern seating area.)

 

Like most Crystal cruisers, I care a lot about the wonderful crew. As an ex-smoker myself, I know how good it is to have a smoke if one is so addicted.  

 

Do crew still have access to this area for a smoke break? If not, are there other areas where they can smoke?  

[crickette]

There were a few ideas on this thread:

 

[Roland4]

20 hours ago, Observer said:

 

several asking me whether I could not see the wooden arrow indicating the proper direction.  Perhaps their rudeness was a function of oxygen deprivation.  :)-

I have often wanted to change those direction arrows, but only on one side of the ship, just to see what would happen!!!😁 Alas they have been "shellacked" into their current direction and probably have not been changed since either ship was first launched!!!

 

I have never been able to figure out why the direction is counterclockwise, but it is the same on every ship we have ever sailed that had a walking/running track. A couple of newer ships we have sailed over the last 18 months even have that direction painted onto the track!

[TER777]

25 minutes ago, Roland4 said:

I have often wanted to change those direction arrows, but only on one side of the ship, just to see what would happen!!!😁 Alas they have been "shellacked" into their current direction and probably have not been changed since either ship was first launched!!!

The reason they are shellacked is because kids used to randomly turn them the opposite direction and enjoy the chaos that resulted. 

[Roland4]

1 hour ago, TER777 said:

The reason they are shellacked is because kids used to randomly turn them the opposite direction and enjoy the chaos that resulted. 

Must have been in the "early years" because they have been "in place"  and unmoved since we first sailed Crystal in 2000 on Harmony!!! And I admit, when it comes to things like this, I am as big a kid as the next person!!😃😃