Keith1010

Carole, I agree with Vince. It looks indeed like you won't have a lifeboat right below you. But if you look in either direction while standing up you will see lifeboats. We were in 9066 a few years ago coincidentally on the same cruise that Vince was on. This is not considered an obstructed Suite either and I feel that it was not as well. If you sit in a chair you can look out and you have no obstructions. In our case if you stood up and looked down you may or may not see the lifeboat below you if you are over one. To us it was no big deal. I've included photos from the verandah of 9066 to give you a feel when Anne Marie and I were standing and what she caught while taking the photos. Keith

As mentioned, the closing time will vary based on loading. With medium to high occupancy likely 9:30 PM and if low occupancy likely 9:00 PM. This represents the times they take the last reservation, so this won't likely be an option for you with a 9:30 pm arrival to the ship. Due to that time and it being a Crystal excursion Crystal will likely have something arranged for all of your returning from tour. You can check with on board guest services on this one at: obgs@crystalcruises.com Keith

Nancy, I've never seen the Mick perform in person but I stood about five feet from him during our pre-cruise stay at the Ritz Carlton before our first Crystal Cruise on-board Crystal Harmony in July 2002. The irony is we were in the Club Room at the Ritz and Anne Marie taps on my shoulder to look up. I do just that and I think to myself who is this "bumb" at the hotel. He didn't look very good but then again it was morning and as I've come to learn most entertainers do not keep the same hours as I do. 😀 My morning when I wake up is their night. 😃 Then the lightbulb went off and I realized it was the Mick. Later read in the newspaper that he was in-town for his Daughters wedding. Keith

I hear you and wish it was possible but as I have come to learn it is very labor intensive. I would note this on your survey though. I am happy that at least NC was receptive to publish some of this. As you note, there have been some mistakes such as the ones you mentioned. I think of some of this as a work in progress. Some features were not available when new Crystal was launched or some were limited such as initially being able to make reservations far closer to the cruise than it is now. Wishing you a wonderful cruise. The great news is that so much of the on-board experience is as it was but IMHO it has been enhanced. That is not to say that everyone will like everything including the changes. Suggestion. I find on-board guest services extremely helpful. For your cruise I would write to them and see if they can answer your questions about dance ambassadors, who the Captain, Cruise Director and Restaurant Manager will be. E-Mail is obgs@crystalcruises.com Keith

80 seems not to have slowed done some performers such as Mick Jagger 80, Paul McCartney 81 and Ringo Starr 83 just to name a few and then there is Dolly Parton 78 in that outfit at the Super Bowl. You are as young as young as you feel. 😀 And I am starting to know that feeling. 😀 The key is to avoid looking in the mirror when you think who the heck is that person. LOL. 😀 My dream voyage would be to have two of the four entertainers I listed. Their music to me is as good to listen to as it was back in the day. Just saying. Keith

I am glad that it had a happy ending. I am glad that Rob was pointed in the right direction as to who to go to at Crystal. 😀 In the end, the good thing that came out of this is a reminder that sometimes offers are not combinable. And finally, a reminder that the devil is in the details. And one final reminder. When people agree or disagree over here I sometimes think to myself in addition to "What A Wonderful World" 😀 for everyone to take a step back and think back to that time that many thought Crystal would not return. And then when it was announced that the ships were bought that many said great but it won't be the old Crystal. Well, it's not Old Crystal but it is New Crystal with many of the attributes of its former self mixed with enhancements. Oh, and a few of the old problems too. LOL. So glad we are able to discuss on this board the Crystal of today; both current and future. Happy Cruising. Keith

They are providing information including entertainers and enrichment lecturers, but not as extensive as before in terms of some of the positions shown. With that said I don't believe other lines publish what they do. To find it, go to the itinerary of the voyage, click on ship overview and scroll down. This link will take you to an example of what is provided. https://www.crystalcruises.com/cruises/none-cse-011-240505?menu=ship_overview Keith

Great itinerary and enhanced with her presence. Keith.

Rob glad this has all been explained and that the explanation makes sense. Keith

Bill, the good news is that the do plan to keep some dishes from old Tastes and combine with the new ones. The good news is that New Crystal has shown they listen such as updating the dinner menu at Osteria. I am glad they have been adding their own touches to the product. Old Crystal always evolved (I remember when the original Tastes on Serenity) served some basic items at dinner with limited choices before it evolved. As to the date, time will tell. Sometimes it take longer than people think as details are all worked out including the sourcing of the ingredients for the new items not to mention training, any new equipment needed, signage, etc. Nice to have something new to look forward to. Keith

I hear you. Like I said they might not accept this but I would have my TA make the case. This milestone involves a $200.00 credit and a 12 day upgrade. Hard to believe someone would have used it for $200.00 rather than wait for the 11th and gotten both $200.00 and 12 days upgrade. It's worth taking a run at it knowing that they might not approve it. Nothing lost by giving it another try. Keith

If you currently have 10 milestones than under the old program it was impossible for you to have used the one category upgrade. You are only eligible at the end of the voyage meaning it could be used on voyage 11 only so if that is the case I would have your TA mention this. If you have already completed 11 cruises then you cannot claim the 10th milestone sine NC has no way of knowing whether you had used it. Now if you have completed 10 I can't guarantee this is how Crystal will interpret this but if it was me I would've the TA push on this since it would have been impossible to use the 10th for the upgrade until the 10th was completed and you booked your 11th. I would certainly have them make this case. Keith

Patty, You are correct. Under Old Crystal they changed this. Let's say with a 50th milestone you got a 12 day free cruise. Before the program was changed if you had completed 49 cruises and you booked a 50th you could request that milestone be applied to the 50th. They changed it so that you could not request the 50th milestone until you completed the 50th. Now let's say it was the 45 milestone and that involved only an on board credit. While if you had 44 completed cruises you could not request this in advance, once on board the Crystal Society hostess/host could get it applied for you. And the other thing that changed before Old Crystal went under was providing a cash reduction on a cruise versus say 12 days. For example, I know that for the 100th cruise used to be one could get x number of days in a CP (think it was 12) but when that program changed instead of being a number of days it became a future cruise credit which I believe was $5,000.00 majority of cruise was in a standard room or $10,000 per person if majority was in a suite. The value of that CP was a lot more than the future cruise credit but for some the latter was preferable if they had no interest in a CP. Before OC changed the program they also would allow you to put in some of those requests early by taking into account the cruises you had booked. For example, if we were at 94 cruises but we had the World Cruise booked which say was equivalent to 8 milestones we could apply that 100th milestone to that upcoming World Cruise even though at the time we had 94 cruises completed. Keith

I'll try it again. 5:00 to 5:30 PM. At least I got the PM right. I wonder how many people other than myself would go it if was 5:00 AM? Keith

Around 5:00 to 5:00 PM. Keith