nnn

18 hours ago, TER777 said:

Just noticed, all suite categories are now showing “Join the Waitlist”.

Good catch.  Seems to be the case for both Suez transit sailings (December and March).

Likewise, Symphony has a Suez transit, followed by a sailing that visits Israel, next Spring.  We are booked on the latter.  Been wondering when they might make an adjustment -- hopefully it's well in advance, and before the cancellation deadline (if we don't prefer the new itinerary).

The 2026 WC is officially linked from the Crystal website now:

https://www.crystalcruises.com/cruises/none-cse-w135-260111?menu=itinerary

Thoughts on when they will start selling individual segments?

One thing to maybe watch out for on CFAR -- consider if the policy has exceptions if you get credit back to use on another cruise.  With Crystal, the 20% (non-refundable) version may allow you apply the funds to a later cruise in some cases.  One should consider if that renders CFAR unusable.  Would want to look at the policy language.

We pre-paid for a 2025 cruise (the refundable option) to get the 10% discount.  Figured it was worth the savings.  I'm not too worried about insolvency, but will get trip insurance to cover that just in case.

Thank you, Keith.  Are you able to confirm that the Seabreeze rooms have been kept such that if you have two adjoining Seabreezes, you can make them "connecting" by using the first exterior door? 

This was our assumption, but I haven't seen if this was confirmed anywhere (to be fair I haven't been keeping up, so it may have been mentioned).

Thank you.

6 hours ago, Texas Tillie said:

 

I might recognize Taylor Swift if she walked into the room but have never heard one of her songs.

Wow...that would be quite an accomplishment!

6 hours ago, Ethereal Cruiser said:

It was satisfactory, but they took far too long to present me with a bill, and so we dined and dashed. Perhaps they are still looking for me, and so I am hesitant to book another Crystal cruise.

Unless the bankruptcy trustee is on your next sailing, I don't think you have much to worry about.

2 hours ago, startrekercruiser said:

Same management team, under new Crystal, only differences is ownership.

And here I thought ownership was the most important part when it came to money...

Any experiences with Joel Spire or Dan Davies at the Avenue Saloon?

Even if the rule remains worded this way, I have to think they'll take a common sense approach to enforcement.  I can't imagine they'll tell someone at lunch on the lido deck to remove a baseball cap.

On 5/11/2023 at 7:49 AM, PaulMCO said:

Fooled me once shame on you.  Fooled me twice shame on me.   

Except you haven't been fooled even once yet by NC.  I am truly puzzled how so many folks seem to think this is the same company, simply because they took the name.  If they had called themselves any other name, would we see the same comments?

2 hours ago, Keith1010 said:

Julia:

 

History and Wine and nnn are correct.  I had looked at bringing the family on and in our case for one of the families I need a standard room and then a suite with a connecting standard room. We were told that the Aquramarine would accommodate three. We couldn't make it work as there are a limited number of rooms with a connecting door and they were all booked.

 

Keith

 

 

Did they consider two adjoining Seabreeze rooms, which have the external connectors?  We are going with family and compared the cost of 2 x Seabreeze forward with 1 x PH connecting to 1 x Standard (since that option was still available on our sailing) and the price difference was negligible.  It was a no-brainer to get two connecting suites out of it.

Also -- good to know that NC will indeed allow three to an Aquamarine.  That would be common sense.

1 hour ago, juicyjuju said:

The biggest surprise for me was not a good one. New Crystal is only allowing triple occupancy in Sapphire level suites and above. We have a kid who loves Crystal. Not willing to shell out the bucks for a large suite while new Crystal is unknown. I refunded my advance deposits since I'm not booking anything on Crystal any time soon.

Seems a bit silly not to allow third berth at least in Aquamarine, especially given that those rooms were equipped with third berth originally.  I doubt allowing a third in Aquamarine will cause a huge dent in anyone's experience.

Never had any desire to gamble on the ship.  Seems a bit depressing to me (just my opinion).  I'll save my gambling for Vegas, though I'll admit gambling has lost most of its fun for me anyway.  

In my view, Crystal would be smart to convert that area into a "fun" space.  Ping pong, arcade games, etc.  Maybe keep around a casino felt or two for people to sit down and play poker.  The kids' club is great for the youngest guests, but it's a little babyish as the kids get older.

On 4/1/2023 at 2:51 PM, nancygp said:

The prices for mid and aft cabins are higher than the forward staterooms.  
 

Nancy

Agree.  It could be just a case of the room types having different pricing and the agent not explaining properly.  For one cruise next year, I booked a forward Seabreeze for less than the price of a Classic PH or an aft Seabreeze.

6 hours ago, John Cruise said:

Doesn’t anyone like a bath anymore?

Just wondering.

JC

Not too many people, no.

Dear Mr. Nobu,

Please join our cruise to Alaska July 9, 2024.  I'll happily pay $1,000 again for a re-creation of the dinner & sake you served us at the sushi bar in 2018.  😆

2 minutes ago, suzeluvscruz said:

 

They did have that, it was on a special menu.

 

Gotcha, so I'm not losing it (yet).  😁

14 hours ago, Stickman1990 said:

No idea what the menu will be in Umi Uma but this is what it was back in February 2020 - yum - lots of favourites on there plus all the sushi and sashimi dishes
 

Thanks for sharing that.  I'm actually surprised they didn't have what I think is the most Nobu of all Nobu dishes, the Yellowtail Sashimi Jalapeno.  I could have sworn I had that dish onboard, but maybe not!

1 hour ago, Jinn said:

One cruise is a b2b2b and one is a b2b.  It could be that the cabins on 10 with tubs were taken on one segment since it is part of the WC.  Do you know which have tubs?  Thanks, Julia

Serenity Deck 10 cabins with bathtubs should be the "Classic" design - i.e., those not renovated in 2018 into what were known then as "Seabreeze." 

We assume that equates to the old PH designation on the deck plan (midship cabins), although Crystal hasn't confirmed it:  https://www.cruisedeckplans.com/DP/deckplans/deckbydeck.php?ship=Crystal-Serenity&deck=10

Is there a confirmed listing of what the segments are?

The gravy train of the cheap OV rooms on Crystal seems to be over, at least for now.  We, too, enjoyed the relatively lower rates on those rooms in the past.  But if new Crystal can't fetch the higher rates for those rooms, it stands to reason that they will bring down the prices eventually.  Time will tell, right?

6 minutes ago, FloatSomeMore said:

When looking at photos of Serenity, it appears that the balcony is half steel? and balconies further toward the middle of the ship are more open.  Of course this is pre-renovation.

Right, those forward and aft rooms have bigger balconies, but the railing is also thicker.  You can see it in the external photos of the ship.  I doubt that's changing in the reno.

What do you mean by "the side looks like it is half open"?

I wouldn't be too worried about bridge noise any more than noise from guest rooms directly above, but I have no direct experience in those rooms.