Mea Culpa: Liner Lover Tries Crystal

[CruiserTed]

I recently posted a somewhat critical review of my June, 2007 Norway cruise on the QM2. Having tried Crystal, I retract any harshness in my QM2 review. Matthew: you were right. To anyone who loves Cunard and is considering trying something putatively "better" I offer my experiences on Crystal 7322 (Venice-Athens 12 day):

 

What is the city but the people?" William Shakespeare, Coriolanus, 3.1.199

 

Summary Review

 

My wife and I have just returned from Serenity's # 7322 (Venice-Athens

12 day). This was our first voyage on a cruise ship (after 12 voyages

– for me – on Cunard liners). Though we enjoyed some aspects of the

experience, we were not, perhaps, a great match for the ship, its

crew, and its passengers. In brief, we were not, as many on this

board are fond of saying, "Crystalized."

 

Some aspects were excellent: we found the specialty restaurants very

fine, the computer center lectures excellent, the ship spotless, and

the shore excursions exceptionally good.

 

Unfortunately, service was consistently lacking, our fellow passengers

were not kindred souls, and the ship, though spacious, was alternately

desolate (the dance floor) or clamorous (the dining facilities).

Ceilings were also terribly low nearly throughout the ship and the

less said about the décor, the better as it was an unfortunate

pastiche (the work of Swedish, Italian, Japanese, British, and

Canadian firms). Too many cooks spoil the pot. In this case, the

mismatched interiors resembled a shopping mall which allowed its

tenants too much leeway in choosing their own styles. For those

interested in substantiating detail for my above impressions, here is

the LONG version of the review:

 

Full Review:

 

Embarkation: Shoreside, embarkation was prompt and polite. The pier

was nearly empty. We were greeted onboard by a crewmember who offered that, as our cabin would not be available for another hour (3:00p.m.), we might take lunch at the Lido deck buffet.

 

First meal: Making our way to deck 12, we were taken aback by

the offerings: entirely inedible burgers (beef, vegetable, chicken)

which had been precooked and were served after reheating in an oven

and a once-over on a griddle onto which some grease had been ladled.

The buns were also of poor quality, the French fries wan. The tables,

though large and well-spaced, and with room for all, were bare and the

area clamorous with amplified musak, plates and cutlery clanking and

loud chatter. The views from the floor-to-ceiling windows were

lovely, however, and the bar service polite and efficient. We tried

to chalk up the poor food and hospital cafeteria ambiance to turnover

day stresses. By no definition, however, was this an introduction to

"six star" luxury. We boarded after a stay at the Hotel Cipriani in

Venice and so had an easy, immediate comparison between an experience

of astonishing luxury and something much less so.

 

Cabin: As expected, our "Deluxe Verandah Stateroom" was a cruise

industry standard cabin with more space than usual allocated to the

bathroom which was nicely fitted-out with dual under-mounted sinks,

granite counter and backsplash, small tub/shower, ample storage above

the sink, etc. The balance of the cabin featured a busy, somewhat

worn and dated amalgam of fabrics, treatments, colors, and textures

which were not enhanced by the down-market touch of fluorescent light

from some of the fixtures. Halogen is now industry-standard and casts

a much more flattering broad-spectrum light. The balcony was

well-sized and comfortable. The fridge contained sodas and bottled

water which a sign on the interior of the fridge door promised would

be replenished daily. Our Stewardess arrived to introduce herself and

to proffer a complimentary fruit basket which, the attached card

stated, would be replenished daily to our specifications. The

obsolete CRT television was bulky and of poor quality.

 

Stewardess Service: As we travel with voluminous luggage, we are

accustomed to asking our steward to store it for us until the day

before disembarkation. It does not fit easily under the bed and,

further, we like to use that area for easy access to various items we

store in under-bed storage containers. Our Stewardess averred, in

what was to become a repeated refrain: "Yes, it will be my pleasure…"

trailing off into a vague refusal – the "never say no to a 'guest'"

training at its most irritating. In this case, she claimed she would

be pleased to take our bags but she could not because she had no place

to put them but would "try." I asked her kindly to discuss this with

the Baggage Master but there is, apparently, no such post aboard.

 

That evening, the bags untouched, I happened upon the Chief Concierge

in the alleyway outside our cabin. He was gruff, dismissing me with

"talk to your Stewardess!" After explaining that I had done so, he

stated "of COURSE she [the Stewardess] has room for them [the bags]! I

will make sure she takes care of it." Neither he nor our Stewardess

did anything through the next day and so we gave up, making do with a

less-than-comfortable arrangement of the bags wherever we managed to

fit them.

 

Main Dining Room: Upon our arrival for our late seating at a table for

eight (rear, starboard), I was astonished first by the impossible din

in the low-ceilinged, crowded room. Immediately thereafter, I was

appalled when my wife was taken from my arm by the waiter while I was

left to trail behind the pair to our table. It later became apparent

that this bizarre affectation (at dinner only – not breakfast or

lunch) is meant in some way to convey "luxury," though in what era and

in what civilization I am unaware. A pair of helium-filled party

balloons rose from the center of our table (an error later corrected

after some interrogation of our party by the waitstaff – the balloons

were for someone else). Our waiters introduced themselves and

apparently recited some specials. Their voices were, unfortunately,

impossible to make out in the surrounding noise and the assistant

waiter did not speak sufficient English to perform his job. I asked

the Sommelier for the wine list. He never presented himself again and

never produced the list.

 

We introduced ourselves to our tablemates and learned that one reason for the noise might be the presence of large groups aboard (three hundred from some West Coast Florida high rise condominium community, hundreds more from a wine group, etc.) Our tablemates shared membership in some civic association. While educated and superficially polite, they

were not well-versed in polite conversation, as they were prone to

speak of themselves excessively and out-of-turn, interjecting

unprompted political commentary (pro-war, by the way), tales of

hunting, golf, flat-panel television purchases, all in the first

half-hour. Asked our occupation – we are attorneys – one shouted

"waiter! I want to change my table." Asked where we live – New York

City – we were given horrified glances and told "hey, it's O.K. –

whatever you're into." At this point, to add to the din, a strolling

trio of Philipino tuxedo-clad violinists made its way to our table –

an especially odd juxtaposition as we were all casually dressed for

embarkation. They played, loudly, a portion of some American Standard

before, thankfully, moving on. The food was fine – classic French

Escoffier-based cuisine - though impossible to enjoy under the

circumstances.

 

I decided I could not suffer another dinner in that room and we did

not do so. Indeed, passing the main restaurant at dinner on other

evenings confirmed the impossible level of noise.

 

On another occasion, the "Grand Gala Buffet" luncheon consisted of

filling the main lobby with the smell of sterno from the chaffing

dishes set up there. No matter, the passengers attacked the towers of

shrimp and lobster tails as if famine were fast approaching. A waiter

rushing to refill the groaning boards banged into my wife without

apology. The noise was enormous. When we realized that we were meant

to "pile on" our own plates and then navigate through the crowd of

passengers and crew to a table in the main restaurant to eat, we gave

up and ordered from the then-abbreviated dining room menu.

 

Finishing the food service for the day were the turndown chocolates on

our pillows: marked "Astor Chocolate Corp, Lakewood, New Jersey."

They, like the Lido buffet food earlier that day, were entirely

inedible.

 

We did not try the food at "Tastes," the Lido restaurant, as the

offerings, such as a sandwich on brioche (already rich with egg),

battered and deep-fried (a nauseating idea) did not appeal. Overall,

my wife found the selections of light cuisine sorely-lacking when

compared to the Canyon Ranch menus on QM2. Certainly, on the

Serenity, one can eat healthfully, but bouillon and steamed vegetables

are not what she was looking for. She expected inventive lighter fare

(fat-free carrot-ginger soup, buttermilk marinated chicken breast,

low–fat baklava, etc) and was disappointed.

 

Dinners in the restaurants from that point on consisted of meals at

Prego (the Italian-themed restaurant) or Silk Road (the Nobu fish

restaurant). Securing reservations was a continuing effort, however,

requiring repeated personal appearances at the times designated for an

audience with the Specialty Restaurant Maitre D'. These meals were

excellent – Silk Road surpasses Nobu in TriBeCa in New York City by a

great margin. Prego, though heavy on salt, served expertly-prepared

classic Italian cuisine. Chef at Prego relies too heavily on

artificial truffle oil in too many dishes. Preferably, he should

shave a few slices of true white truffle (with its inimitable complex

fragrance) on occasion rather than fumigating the plates with the

one-note wallop of the artificial version. Service, especially

Specialty Restaurant Maitre D', Bruno Marques, and the sommeliers and

waitstaff, was top notch. Bravo.

 

Shore Excursions: To the one, Crystal chose the local vendors

carefully and executed the excursions with precision. From sea

kayaking to mountain biking to the evening concert at Ephesus, each

exceeded our expectations. The extended calls in port allowed for

these events. Bravo, again.

 

Formal Nights/The Ship: It was on formal nights at sea that we most

sorely missed the Cunard liners. Aboard Serenity, we suffered a

depressing sense, in our tuxedo and gown, of "all dressed-up and

nowhere to go." Fully a fifth of the men did not rise to the occasion

and don formal wear – similar numbers of the ladies could not be

bothered, either. Large ships are, as Cunard used to advertise of the

QE2, [cities] at sea." This is the heart of our mismatch with

Crystal: we are city-dwellers and, we like to think, urbane. A great

part of the fun of a formal day at sea is the sense of shared event,

of shared experience, of conviviality. This we found sorely lacking.

A city is, indeed, made by its inhabitants and this city at sea was

filled with a kind of suburbanite who is out of his element in such

surroundings. One man thought it funny on our bike ride in Corfu on

the day of the Greek elections to shout out to the voters at the

polling places "No Hillary!" Another man shouted at our brilliant,

sophisticated, cultured Turkish guide in Istanbul "So which are you,

Sunni or Shiite?!" The guide politely explained to the bellicose,

philistine American that the distinction is, in Turkey, a spurious

one, and further a largely manufactured one in Iraq. He reminded the

tour that Turks are not Arabs.

 

Crystal oddly endorses a type of cultural distancing from the ports of call by blasting through the public address system Louis Armstrong's version of "What a Wonderful World" upon every sailaway. This is undignified and insensitive. Though the ports may differ, Crystal appears to be indicating, what's important is that those aboard ship remain unaffected by the visit to shore, that we retain our insularity. What's more, the repetition of

the song day after day is just a terrible aesthetic decision.

 

The Captain, a Norwegian, justly proud of his ascent from lowest deck

hand to his present rank, did not, however, in his daily announcements, provide the thrilling atmosphere we so enjoy aboard QM2 when the Eton-accented British Commodore Warner speaks in regal and articulate tones. It is fine to be told, as we were on the Serenity that "I [the Captain] hope that you vill enyoy yerself in da port and ull the nice things you vill see out dare" but it just does not have the same panache.

 

More flavor: a passenger, after we were given directions to the

toilets by our guide in Ephesus, exclaimed to her companion, loudly

"whenever they say you CAN go, I GOTTA go."

 

Rather than seeking to learn or attempt to rise to the manners and

moirés of Cosmopolitan behavior, these doyens of suburban country

clubs stuck to "their own," erupting into loud (and louder)

conversations as the evenings wore on. Backslapping,

self-congratulatory sentiments and guffaws were the order of the day.

Shrinking from the unfamiliar, and therefore threatening, we were told

on MANY occasions that our fellow passengers were "sorry for [us]"

that we live in New York City and that "you don't SOUND like you're

from New York City" and that "[our] parents must have spent a lot of

money to get rid of the accent." Naturally, everyone is entitled to

their opinion; however, it is extremely rude to express such opinions

in polite company.

 

Without recognizing it, most passengers, especially those in the large

groups aboard, had made of the ship a self-selected ghetto, along with

the ghetto mentality which goes along with such a place. Crystal did

nothing to quell this sentiment but rather supported it by closing off

the Palm Court (on the first and last evening, at the least) for

"private" group events. This is a grave error – not because I had any

pressing need to get into the Palm Court when it was closed but

because of the corrosive effect such exclusivity has on the social

life of the ship.

 

Often, our cheerful greetings to fellow passengers in the alleyways,

even some we had met previously, were met by distant murmurs, or

stares into the half-distance, or dismissive glances. Aboard QM2, as

one makes one's way down the grand, high-ceilinged, axial corridors,

toward (or from) dinner or the well-attended ballroom, the fantasy is

a shared one, the pleasures are mutual. I believe the social trouble

aboard Serenity was amplified by the fact that groups, by their

nature, are insular and, because groups made up such a large number of

the passenger complement, they killed-off the spirit of the

passengers as travelers together. Further, the ubiquitous American

Businessman aboard contrasted unfavorably with the teachers, writers,

journalists, and general iconoclasts we always find on the QM2.

 

The dance floor on Deck 12 (Palm Court) was, sadly, nearly deserted

every evening. My wife and I, along with the four charming gentlemen

hosts and two other ladies, made up nearly the only attendees on each

night. While this made for plenty of room on the dance floor, it was

also certainly not a celebratory atmosphere. Unlike most of the

passengers, the gentlemen hosts were gracious, were accomplished at

polite conversation (no religion or politics, no dominating the

conversation to the exclusion of everyone else) and were the most

interesting, friendly, and accomplished people we conversed happily

with on the entire cruise.

 

Spa Services: My massages were very good – nice deep pressure without

additional cost. However, I was, in a sense, slapped awake after one

massage when presented with the bill at the spa desk: my masseur had

made the obligatory Steiner hard-sell of some absurd tube of cream

which he told me cost $ 42. I politely declined but he kept pressing

the sale. I declined again. Nonetheless the printed bill contained a

$ 52, yes $ 52, charge for the cream which I had to ask to have

removed. That was very poor form and NEVER happens at the Canyon

Ranch Spa on QM2. What a way to end a massage!

 

A putative lecture on health was actually a sales pitch for a "Body

Composition Analysis" and "detoxification" potions. My wife took the

$ 50 computerized test, administered by the head of the gym staff,

which failed to take even basic measurements. Not impressive.

 

Computer Center Lectures: I took two classes on Photoshop. The

lecturer was superb and the availability and performance of the

computers for hands-on work was excellent.

 

Service difficulties: To use Sam Donaldson's phrase, an "aura of

incompetence" or at least sloppiness pervaded shipboard services (with

the exception of cleanliness – the ship is spotless). To wit:

For the first four days, our telephone did not allow us to call our

stewardess. Each time we had to call the operator (and wait on hold)

in order for her to place a call for the stewardess to return. We

received promises up and down the chain of command that it would be

"fixed immediately."

 

Our stewardess did not replenish our bottled water (though we

explained that it is all we drink). Neither did she replenish our

fruit plate nor all of the bath products, nor the drinking glasses. A

burnt-out lightbulb in the bathroom went unrepaired, nor did she

provide the dinner menus to us so we could order from the main dining

room during dinner hours as we were entitled to do. Knowing that

these complaints could be addressed during the cruise (but not wanting

to cause her the grief of a reprimand in case there was a language

problem, training problem, etc) we considered writing the concierge. Informally, my wife wrote a list of the service issues and left it

among our other belongings on the desk in our cabin. The stewardess

obviously read the list because she immediately corrected all the

service deficiencies except for providing the dinner menus.

 

We took up the issue of the dinner menus with the assistant concierge who said that obtaining them "all depends on who you know" and suggested that we ask our dining room waiter. At that point, we gave up.

Obviously, non-penthouse cabin passengers are dissuaded in every way

possible from ordering room service from the main restaurant. This

would not be so bad had we not been promised the service or if the

standard room service menu was passable. It was not. Canned

spaghetti sauce on plain noodles or the aforementioned inedible

burgers do not constitute "six star" dining. If that were not enough,

not one room service food order was filled with complete accuracy. It

became a game of saving items in our fridge for the times when they

did not appear with the room service orders (milk for the morning

cereal, etc). One room service dinner (of the two we attempted) I

suffered without my entrée because, after 40 minutes' wait, the

stewardess insisted that a bowl of vegetarian pasta sauce was, in

fact, my grilled fish. She said "do you want me to taste it?" We

gave up. Steamed vegetables appeared as potato chips, tea orders were

chronically incorrect; though raisins were available onboard, cherries

were always delivered instead, etc.

 

Someone else's dry-cleaning was left hanging on the handle of our

cabin door though it was clearly marked, twice, with the correct

cabin. We did our fellow passenger the favor of bringing it to her.

 

I requested a wake-up call for the second morning. I received it,

albeit 35 minutes late.

 

When our phone was repaired and we could finally page our stewardess,

she would, indeed, promptly return our call but sometimes said "I will

call you back." We waited and waited and after 25 minutes, we called

again, extending a call for some cheese and crackers into a one hour

wait that was hardly worth the trouble.

 

My personal training sessions, pre-booked months in advance, were

rescheduled according to the printed report delivered upon

embarkation. Unfortunately, the hand-written calendar on which the

spa staff keeps its records did not conform to the printed material

provided to me. Six star?

 

Though Crystal does not charge for caviar when it is offered on the

menu, the first night both servings were of inedible quality – salty,

unpleasantly oily, muddy-tasting. The second time, the caviar was

described as "Petrossian." I have eaten at Petrossian's in New York

City many times and have enjoyed their caviar at home so I can state

with certainty that Petrossian's would never sell caviar of the poor

quality/condition of that which bore their name aboard Serenity. It

was barely edible, though better than the first offer.

 

At breakfast at the main dining room, juices were fresh-squeezed and

of good quality. Breakfast in the room brought glasses of canned

juice.

 

Gratings of "Parmesan" cheese at Prego (which should properly have

been of Parmagiano Reggiano) were actually the much less expensive

(and much less flavorful) Grana Padano – and a young one at that.

Only a long-aged Padano might be a passable substitute for a

Parmagiano Reggiano.

 

My wife, who favors a low-fat diet asked at lunch in the main dining

room if the "sliced chicken" on a salad was fried. She was told that

it was not. What appeared on the salad was a mound of chunks of dark

meat chicken battered in corn starch and deep fried (Kung Pao

chicken).

 

Regarding Crystal's tipping policy: Though Crystal's printed guide

entitled "Gratuities Billed to Shipboard Account" states that ". . .we

understand tipping is a very personal and private matter. . ." it goes

on to describe that, five days before disembarkation, if you have

elected to have your shipboard account charged for gratuities "the

staff members you choose to tip will be notified of all pre-paid

gratuities." So much for the matter being personal and private. As

we chose not to participate in the pre-paid gratuities program, sure

enough, after our stewardess did not receive notice of pre-paid

gratuities on our account, she stopped delivering fruit and bottled

water. Again, is this a "six star" experience?

 

Neither did we suffer horrors aboard, nor did the experience meet our

expectations.

[Beachmad]

:eek:

 

That was a bad review in the best way if you see what I mean, or is it a good review in the worst way.

 

What you need is a Cunard trip and quick!

[CruiserTed]

Thanks, will do! It's "Three Queens in NYC" on Jan. 13 (QM2 Caribbean).

[travel-to-go]

Wow!

I would be interested to hear of others' recent experiences, to know if it was particular to this voyage, though somethings are endemic.

 

Wow!

Sorry!

Welcome back to Cunard, where things aren't always perfect, but certainly not like that!!

 

 

Karie,

who thinks she probably won't try out Crystal any time soon!

[pnhmrk]

One, two or even three of those faults could have been either imagined or grossly overstated by you but not all of them (I am not criticising you). I suspect that you hit the nail on the head when you suggested that a lot of the problem was the people onboard.

 

Your review has definitely helped me in deciding which line to try once the QE2 has gone. Thank you:)

[highcbob]

Gosh, now I'm depressed after reading that - how sad for you. To think that Crystal fares are, in most cases, higher than Cunard - especially the penthouses compared to the Cunard grills.

[jgsmuzzy]

Let that be a lesson to you Ted. Don't do it again!

 

In all seriousness, it sounds like you had an awful time. Do you think it would improve if the large groups were not on board?

 

I'll see you on the QM2 in January.

 

J

[534]

Ted, I'm sorry that your last sailing wasn't very good at least you have Jan. to look forward to :D There's a roll call Lexxity started for us if you'ed like to join in. We look forward to meeting you and your wife.

Betsy

[Kindlychap]

I'm sorry that you've had such a dreadful trip. Equally, I'm glad that you'll be back in liner land very soon.

 

There is something about a transatlantic liner that makes a trip special.

 

Matthew

[qe2]

While each cruise is a unique mix of the line and the guests aboard, I have sailed on both Cunard and Crystal and found Crystal superior.

As in many reviews that I have read here and elsewhere, if something goes wrong, everything seems to go wrong.

I sailed on the Serenity last December and had a completely different and wonderful experience.

[qe2]

I just read the review again. Did you give gratuities to the staff after rejecting the pre-paid grats?

I hope so!

[avalon1025]

We sailed Crystal, once. Crystal Symphony in the Baltic about three years ago. It was a nice cruise, but did not feel as luxury as the other truly lux lines (Seabourn and Silversea), Crystal felt like a mainstream cruise line, a few years ago when the Celebrities and HAL's had better food and more service oriented crew. The cabins were nothing to write home about, and the no open seating nor all inclusive drinks didn't help. Also the was very full at almost 1100 passengers, so it really felt like a really good HAL cruise on a Statendam class ship. So a great cruise, at HAL pricing, disappointing at Crystal prices. We have found our sweet spot with QM2 for crossings and Seabourn, Silversea and Regent for port intensive cruises.

[Jayayeff]

While each cruise is a unique mix of the line and the guests aboard, I have sailed on both Cunard and Crystal and found Crystal superior.

As in many reviews that I have read here and elsewhere, if something goes wrong, everything seems to go wrong.

I sailed on the Serenity last December and had a completely different and wonderful experience.

 

Having been on both of the ships referred to in this review within the past 9 months I would have to agree with qe2. With regard to things going wrong, in my case is was with Cunard and whilst I won't say never again, it is highly unlikely I will return to the QM2 however, I shall be returning to Crystal in December....I'm pleased I did the transatlantic crossing by the 'traditional' route but Cunard and the QM2 would not be my choice for a port intensive cruise....

[Kindlychap]

I just read the review again. Did you give gratuities to the staff after rejecting the pre-paid grats?

I hope so!

 

I haven't re-read the review since my initial view, but from what I recall they didn't deserve them.

 

Matthew

[CruiserTed]

Yes, I tipped the staff. Contrary to the impression many on the Crystal board have gotten from my review, I am a generous tipper. I tipped cash for waiter service of water (on the theory that it takes as much effort to serve water as anything else), tipped the maitre d' for making reservations at the specialty restaurants, the specialty restaurant staff at 150% of the recommended amount; I tipped anyone providing room service; I tipped our stewardess at the end. Further, as a passenger, I treat each employee exactly as I would like to be treated were they vacationing and were I serving them.

 

Cheers!

[lexxity]

Thanks, will do! It's "Three Queens in NYC" on Jan. 13 (QM2 Caribbean).

 

Looking forward to meeting you in January! I won't be nasty to you about being from New York City. In fact I am more likely to drive you mad asking you about the place! Love, love, love New York! I honestly can't believe how rude people were to you! Fancy being like that!?:confused: One thing I love about Cunard is the amazing mix of social demographic, from the multi-millionaire to the care home assistant who has saved so hard to enjoy their trip, everyone is treated so well and everyone enjoys meeting others and learning a little more about the world together,

[Jimsgirl]

I did 9 cruises on Crystal, but my 10th was very miserable, I put the blame on the fact it was the last segment of the World cruise. I was made very much aware of being the equivalent of "steerage". In Crystal cove bar I was

asked "not to sit at this table" by the staff as "it was where passengers on the World cruise like to sit" I was the ONLY person in the bar at that time.

 

Sitting at the future cruise consultant desk, she left me in the middle of a sentence, because a World Cruise couple wanted to speak with her "NOW".

She sat at a table with them, finally I left her desk, I doubt she saw me go.she was so totally interested only in her World Cruisers.

There was in fact only 100 of these VIP's on board, only 300 passengers in all.

 

On a special limited "Dinner at a mansion" event I had trouble getting a seat at a table, as I was the only "segment" passenger (travelling alone at that)and "World cruisers prefer to sit only with World cruisers"!!! Their conversation was concerned only with their portfolios, their inability to get "decent staff" the number of cars they had and the makes therof.

 

 

Recently I thought to try Crystal again, but almost had a heart attack on being told that Crystal was only offering ONE hotel in London (pre cruise) and that for one night , as a single passenger I would have to pay almost $2000 just for a regular room no meals.

 

I decided Crystal was no longer an option for me.

[Sirwinston]

Wow I am so not jealous.....

Cruiser Ted God Bless you for being a generous tipper :D.

 

While I really like Cunard QM2 and QE2 I cannot see paying premium prices for other lines... Thanks for confirming this for me... jury is out for the QV until friends cruise on her...

 

I did encounter Crystal passengers on a recent port call (st Peter Port QE2 cruise), They were nice enough but the Cunard mix did seem more interesting and fun...

 

Tom in Long Beach

[Kindlychap]

Recently I thought to try Crystal again, but almost had a heart attack on being told that Crystal was only offering ONE hotel in London (pre cruise) and that for one night , as a single passenger I would have to pay almost $2000 just for a regular room no meals.

 

I decided Crystal was no longer an option for me.

 

I can see what you mean. Whilst London hotels are silly expensive, for that sort of money you should be able to get a suite at the Savoy, dinner in the hotel or at the Savoy Grill and a breakfast to die for in your suite.

 

And something tells me that isn't what was on offer!

 

Matthew

[Blazerboy]

Having perused both threads, and the review of the QM2 that gave the OP his opening salvo, it reaffirms that taste is individual, that expectations and standards vary widely, and that cruising with fellow passengers who "aren't your cup of tea" can be miserable. For that I am sorry. This was obviously not a good match.

 

But, in fairness to all involved, it sounds like the return to Cunard is a win/win for both Crystal passengers and the OP. It remains to be seen whether that's true for Cunard...the OP will have to give a long review of his next cruise...as I'm sure he will.:)

 

It also seems as though, for some, complaints themselves can sometimes be the goal of the experience, rather than the by-product. People often mistake extensive criticism for having high standards. Graciousness can be proferred in most any and all situations, rather than haughty sniffing about the minutiea of fellow passengers, service and food. I've sailed on both lines, and many others starting in the mid '60's. I remember when fellow passengers on some of the great liners of the 50's and 60's sniffed about the tacky new entry to the field, the QE2. Sadly, that caused me to miss many years of opportunity to enjoy her, based on the uninformed comments of others. I've had less-than-stellar cruises and crossings on a variety of ships, but none that would earn or deserve this. Perhaps I should consider myself fortunate that I was not on this cruise. And I do.

 

Andrew

[3rdGenCunarder]

One thing I love about Cunard is the amazing mix of social demographic, from the multi-millionaire to the care home assistant who has saved so hard to enjoy their trip, everyone is treated so well and everyone enjoys meeting others and learning a little more about the world together,

 

Well said! It's hard to explain to someone who hasn't been on Cunard, but you've described the Cunard crowd perfectly.

 

I've been on segments of the WC, and had very pleasant conversations with people who were taking the entire WC. I had no idea that this is a breach of protocol on other lines. :eek:

 

My TA has suggested Crystal as a line to try when QE2 is gone. Not so sure now...

 

Kathy

[Kindlychap]

Well said! It's hard to explain to someone who hasn't been on Cunard, but you've described the Cunard crowd perfectly.

 

I've been on segments of the WC, and had very pleasant conversations with people who were taking the entire WC. I had no idea that this is a breach of protocol on other lines. :eek:

 

My TA has suggested Crystal as a line to try when QE2 is gone. Not so sure now...

 

Kathy

 

Kathy,

 

As you know, I'm firmly in the QE2 camp. She is the one for me.

 

But do try QM2 on a crossing (westbound, obviously) before deciding to ditch Cunard. She's not QE2, and never will be. But she is different. In some ways better, and in other ways less so.

 

I'm confident I'll be crossing for years. Not completely clear about cruising post QE2, but I'll certainly try Victoria.

 

Matthew

[3rdGenCunarder]

Kathy,

 

As you know, I'm firmly in the QE2 camp. She is the one for me.

 

But do try QM2 on a crossing (westbound, obviously) before deciding to ditch Cunard. She's not QE2, and never will be. But she is different. In some ways better, and in other ways less so.

 

I'm confident I'll be crossing for years. Not completely clear about cruising post QE2, but I'll certainly try Victoria.

 

Matthew

 

We have done a crossing on QM2 (westbound, of course), and I would do that again. I'm thinking about a line to try for cruises. The choice of cruises on QM2 (out of NYC) is so limited. She does just one Canada cruise each year, and lots of Caribbeans. We've done a number of Caribs on a number of lines over the years (including QM2 in her first season), and so it isn't high on my list as a destination. If I loved QM2 as much as I do QE2, the destination wouldn't matter.

 

We will try Victoria--we often cruise with friends, and she's already got her eye on something on Victoria, but not until after our QE2 Med next May. For now, the cruisng budget is assigned completely to QE2.

Kathy

[Kindlychap]

For now, the cruisng budget is assigned completely to QE2.

Kathy

 

Goes without saying. Our maiden voyage on the Queen Victoria (the real one, not the second or third trips) went to feed the QE2 fund.

 

I see what you mean though - and those Canada trips miss out Newfoundland which is a lovely destination.

 

Matthew

[Morgans]

Welcome to Cunard Ted...... we are a friendly bunch! Hope our paths will cross one day and look forward to exchanging information all about life in New York/London!