Considering Crystal

[Lonedaddy]

I've been on RSSC (explorer, splendor voyager) and SS (dawn.)  Been reading good things about crystal.  A couple of questions, as I don't see alot of shore excursions on the website, are there included ones? or ship offered ones. 

DW smokes so for the Serenity where are the smoking areas?

I see there are different Sapphire and Aquamarine styles of suites in different stages of refurbishment. Do any have a tub and shower what are the size differences, pros/cons ? 

Does crystal offer pre/post cruise land packages?  

I see from many comments on all boards that the food is a bit better on crystal are there any links to menus?

How are the entertainment shows/music duos/lectures - I don't expect a huge difference given they are all smaller ships. 

 

Thanks for any insight.  

[ChatKat in Ca.]

I was a Regent loyalist for many years.  I think the Crystal Product is definitely a step above.  No, the ships are not as sparkly but the service, food, entertainment and activities and a huge step above.

[May B]

I’m not a smoker but I think I’m qualified to answer.

 

For indoors, there’s a place called the Connoisseur Club, which is devoted to smokers, including cigar.

 

Outdoors, smoking is allowed on one side of the pool deck, as well as aft on some of the decks, and I believe on port side of the promenade deck. In reality, there are rarely any smokers outside at all. The most are on the one side of the pool deck. Perhaps somebody can verify my recollection.

[May B]

I will also add that entertainment all the way around, as well as enrichment, seems to have continued to be outstanding after Crystal returned to service about nine months ago.

 

I do think they have pre/post land, perhaps not as many as they will when we’re further out from the restart. 
 

Shore excursions are never included and seem to be getting a fifty/fifty thumbs up/thumbs down reaction. On my November cruise on Serenity, one was wonderful, one terrible. We were refunded for some or all of the terrible one (which was not 100% terrible). I’m scheduled to take two in June and I expect them to both be fine, as one is in the US and one in Canada.

[fisherboe]

4 hours ago, Lonedaddy said:

I've been on RSSC (explorer, splendor voyager) and SS (dawn.)  Been reading good things about crystal.  A couple of questions, as I don't see alot of shore excursions on the website, are there included ones? or ship offered ones. 

DW smokes so for the Serenity where are the smoking areas?

I see there are different Sapphire and Aquamarine styles of suites in different stages of refurbishment. Do any have a tub and shower what are the size differences, pros/cons ? 

Does crystal offer pre/post cruise land packages?  

I see from many comments on all boards that the food is a bit better on crystal are there any links to menus?

How are the entertainment shows/music duos/lectures - I don't expect a huge difference given they are all smaller ships. 

 

Thanks for any insight.  

 Quick responses:

 - No included excursions. Which we love and I hate the trend toward included excursions. We find the included ones on regent have been mediocre at best, but am sure there are exceptions. Excursions on crystal are reasonably priced and we've found them to be excellent. 

 - smoking possible at the Connoisseur Club. And a section of the pool deck, and i'm sure elsewhere outdoors. but we aren't smokers...

 - Classic Aquamarine on Serenity have tubs. And they are much, much nicer than they appear on the website. I don't know why, but the pics online don't do them justice. The bathrooms are a bit dated, but they're lovely and very comfortable. I know some prefer the updated Aquamarine, but I think its just a stylistic preference. 

 - Menus are on these boards, but they change all the time. Food quality across the board is simply outstanding. 

 - Lectures and entertainment are really outstanding on Crystal, and in our experience - exponentially better than on Regent.  

 - Will let others comment on pre-post, as that's not something we've done. 

 

The best recommendation I can give is to try it out. We just love the vibe on Crystal and the whole onboard experience. 

[Keith1010]

Correction to Muriel's post. No smoking on the Promenade Deck on either side.

On Serenity my favorite of the two are the Classic Aquamarine suites. There are two desks and lots of storage.  If I went with the Sapphire I would also go with the classic.

 

I have stayed in both.

 

The tradeoff is that the Sapphire has a larger living area and you can separate it with a curtain if one gets up earlier but the storage in a Classic Aquamarine and the two decks are a plus. In the Sapphire the make up desk has very little depth whereas the one in the Aquamarine is much larger.

 

Classics of both have tubs. The more updated versions do no.

 

On Symphony which you are not asking about I would recommend other alternatives.

 

Keith

 

 

[dimundsR]

I have one design feature that was not preferable to me.  Look on the floor plan of the updated Aquamarine cabin.  Note the makeup chair is smack dab in the doorway to the bathroom and the one to the closet.  When I am sitting there, I have to keep moving to let the other person go by.  My issue, may not be a bother to others.

[ryndam]

16 minutes ago, dimundsR said:

I have one design feature that was not preferable to me.  Look on the floor plan of the updated Aquamarine cabin.  Note the makeup chair is smack dab in the doorway to the bathroom and the one to the closet.  When I am sitting there, I have to keep moving to let the other person go by.  My issue, may not be a bother to others.

Another design feature of the 2018 version vs. the classic version: the bathroom door in the 2018 version opens directly into the cabin area. In the classic version, the bathroom door is around the corner in a recess. This made a big difference for us when one gets up to use the bathroom in the middle of the night and the light shines into the whole room. Not the case in the classic design.

 

Rob

[Lonedaddy]

2 hours ago, ryndam said:

Another design feature of the 2018 version vs. the classic version: the bathroom door in the 2018 version opens directly into the cabin area. In the classic version, the bathroom door is around the corner in a recess. This made a big difference for us when one gets up to use the bathroom in the middle of the night and the light shines into the whole room. Not the case in the classic design.

 

Rob

I get up often.  I actually bought a couple night lights with euro plugs on amazon to use on ships.

[dimundsR]

I'm assuming they are still there, but there is a nice feature that I call "running lights" - a strip of lighting at floor level on a dimmer.

[Keith1010]

We would put one or two of those battery operated flickering candles in the bathroom.  Learned this from Ilene on WC 2015.

 

Keith

[FlyerTalker]

9 hours ago, Keith1010 said:

We would put one or two of those battery operated flickering candles in the bathroom.  Learned this from Ilene on WC 2015.

 

Keith

 

Another vote for battery powered tea lights.  Easy to find them at Walmart or even at Dollar Tree.  And when the battery goes, just toss away.