Texas Tillie

6 hours ago, Jinn said:

What is considered a proper tip, per day, for a butler?  I ate at Osteria and really enjoyed it. Had the sea bass. Will return. Julia

No offense intended to Julia, but I wish people would stop asking this question. Crystal says gratuities are included. Extra gratuities, if any, is very personal. Do what you think is right or don't do anything else.

Patty

1 hour ago, normandes said:

If you take the Greyhound Bus , be very cautious at the Houston Downtown bus terminal. A lot of shady characters and definitely not safe at night.

Think I remember reading that Greyhound had closed the bus terminal near downtown Houston. Check on it. 

5 hours ago, NewtoCruisewKids said:

We booked the Hilton Park and Stay package for our upcoming cruise. It includes shuttle to the cruise port. Has anyone had any good or bad experiences with this rate?  I couldn’t find any information online. Also, how far is the walk from the ship to rideshare pickup area (Carnival). One of my group has difficulty walking distances. 
thank you!

The problem is the difference between the subject of this thread - Hobby Airport Hotel with shuttle - and seeming to indicate you are referring to a Galveston hotel. Are you flying into Hobby or driving to Galveston? FYI, Hobby is at least 40 miles from Galveston. We need to understand exactly what you are doing before we can make suggestions.

51 minutes ago, scalaj said:

Hi Rob and thanks for your response. I am just doing port to port but do have the transfer from Anchorage to Seward included. My SS agent has told me that I will need to check in in Anchorage at a place called the Egan Centre so not at the Captain Cook Hotel.  Hopefully I will also get a train transfer though. Very much looking forward to the trip. Hope you have a wonderful time as well.

 

John

I am doing the same cruise 2 weeks before yours. I booked door to door and that includes a bus transfer from Anchorage to Seward. The train would be an extra $250 charge. I elected to not add the train as I've done the transfer 3 times before and at least part of the way the train tracks run parallel to the highway. Since you were told to go to the Egan Center - the convention center in downtown Anchorage - I believe you will also be on the bus. All buses to Seward, no matter which cruise line, leave from the Egan Center. Suggest you do a Google search of a map for downtown Anchorage to locate the Egan Center.

44 minutes ago, CruisinPashmina said:

Your long thorough report was very helpful! Thank you. It is a shame that Crystal doesn’t discount, at least somewhat, the higher category cabins. As a long time (20 years plus) exclusively Silversea cruiser, I am now interested in trying something new….the single cabins are indeed inviting. While I have booked the regular fare, for two, and travelled solo, it really smarts to pay a full fare.

At this time, the other cabins not designated as solo are usually (important distinction) available at 50% single supplement for that category, or about 40% more than those designated as solo. The only difference is the location more midship. I don't know about the identical cabins on the other decks with a balcony. Those are also identical to the Deck 7 cabins except the balcony. All suites are 100% single supplement usually (see above). I'm a long time Crystal cruiser and have done 1 Silversea with another booked and can tell you that everything on Crystal, especially food and service is better. Others disagree, but that's the way life goes!! 😱

Patty

2 minutes ago, seasack said:

Ok I figured I try to upload the reflections and the menu for the day. 
 

Let me know if it worked and if people still want to see them?

441FE4C8-CC2C-4AB5-A0E3-2E9848C674B3.pdf 67.34 kB · 0 downloads 71BE74FC-51C2-4F98-9393-AC6BC0CB1683.pdf 733.38 kB · 0 downloads

Yes, it worked and yes, we want to see them. Thank you  

Patty

No way canola can be grown in Texas, it gets way too hot in the summer. However, we have plenty of things that set off allergies. April will have all kinds of pollens floating around. And, fyi, the area you mentioned isn’t considered South Texas, there’s a lot more Texas south of those areas. Welcome to Texas!!

1 hour ago, kool kruiser said:

Absolutely not a rant, Rob.

Your comments are balanced and measured. Hopefully, they will be picked up by senior management reviewing this board. Please also share, if not done so already, with HD onboard. Thanks.

Colin

Not Rob, but can report that the hotel director is Scott Peterson. 
 

Patty

Just an FYI, if you are diagnosed as Covid positive by the ship’s doctor, you are quarantined to your cabin for 5 days. 
 

Patty

On 1/27/2024 at 3:00 PM, normandes said:

Yes, Uber and Lyft available. You can rent bikes and ride/walk on the sea wall which extends the length of Galveston. 

The sea wall doesn’t extend the entire island but does for most of the places a tourist would want to go. 

6 minutes ago, Keith1010 said:

Too bad you don't have enough Gin left. You could fill the pool. 🤣

 

Keith

😵‍💫🙄😳😳🙄😵‍💫

That’s a good project for someone to figure out how many “airplane” bottles it would take to fill the pool!

Patty

34 minutes ago, happy cruising said:

Because of the bad weather earlier in the week the Avenue saloon entertainers flight to Miami was cancelled and he was supposed to meet the ship in grand cayman. Since the grand cayman stop was cancelled because of the crew medical emergency we are thinking the Avenue saloon entertainer will board the ship in Cartagena on Monday . 

Ship gossip is always interesting. I’d heard he didn’t join the ship in Miami because there was a visa issue and that he was to join in Grand Cayman, now Cartagena, hopefully. A detail and the result is the same. 
 

Patty

31 minutes ago, bayonejoe said:

What is the best way to check

There's a sign with the info as you enter the port area. I've always been able to see the ship as you get close to the port. Just tell your taxi/Uber "that one" and they know how to get around in the port area.

Patty

9 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

 

 

Other cruise lines have been able to give even older ships environmental upgrades to extend their useful life – but maybe Silversea has been told to save their money for more new ships.

And don't forget, it's the bean counters at Royal Caribbean who are now in charge.

22 minutes ago, gmarsh said:

Meanwhile back at the ranch.

The view from my neighbor’s house…

Minus 11F and wind chill of minus 30😩.

 

This is eastern Colorado?

Patty

4 hours ago, TRIPACIAN said:

I don’t know and don’t think it would be proper to ask.  We were told that they paid for only one person and did not pay a supplement.  This came up in discussing how much they loved Crystal.  By the way this was her first time cruising on Crystal.

Explains a lot. The person is new to Crystal and didn't know that the unwritten rule is if you get a complimentary upgrade you don't go around bragging about it. It opens a can of worms that needs to be kept closed! I'm sure there are folks here who have received upgrades from old Crystal and possibly new Crystal, but they had the good sense to keep their mouths' shut. 😵😉

Patty

8 hours ago, TRIPACIAN said:

We have a single cruiser on board in an Aquamarine suite with no supplement.  I guess this indicates theft pricing is flexible.

Did this person get a complimentary upgrade? Will bet they did pay a single supplement on the cabin they originally booked.

Patty

7 hours ago, whoopie said:

I have three white dresses Sio that's easy. But my husband has many white dress shirts but no white pants of any kind. Do many men wear white shirts and blue or black dress pants or tan chinos?  

 

As I've posted before, it's just a subset of passengers who wear anything white. This is not something that all the passengers attend. So, my comment is, do what you want.

Patty

I have heard, but can't speak to the veracity, that the powers that be with the new Crystal aren't interested in "sell cheap in Australia" or any other place on the globe. They will be doing specials like the current cabin upgade one, but don't expect slashed fares to fill more cabins. I guess we can say this is a time will tell.

Patty

1 hour ago, Richk582 said:

Is it possible to use onboard credit for excursions?  The reservation agent said it could only be used for dining, spa, or shop spend onboard, not excursions.  I was shocked when she told me that, just want to confirm with the group.

 

TIA!

This is just another reason among many to use a travel agent familiar with the product or at least knows where to get the correct answer. It is really unsettling that a reservation agent would be so uninformed.

Patty

51 minutes ago, reenief said:

Cooking space and classes would be great. That way I could replicate the chicken salad at tastes.  We think the dressing is different than previous cruises though. Love cooking classes!

I posted the exact same thing about the Tastes Chinese Chicken Salad dressing when I was on Serenity in August. Glad to find someone who agrees.

Patty

8 hours ago, dog said:

Does the Classic soda package start when boiling Ardis g?

That might be the best autocorrect I've ever seen!! Think it should say "when boarding"!!

1 minute ago, ryndam said:

Choice is good. We’re dining in Tastes tonight. Menu attached. However, we may need a pre-dinner Waterside mushroom soup diversion….

 

Rob

DEF528FB-2FD2-436C-9B4A-7EE5E2B93340.pdf 1.56 MB · 0 downloads

The OP on this thread reported returning to Waterside after the show for dessert, so I don't see why your dinner can't be a progressive dinner!!

Patty

41 minutes ago, FlyerTalker said:

 

Gonna love seeing that dynamic at play.

 

 

I've never met Fernando, but I had understood that his job was to schmooze the passengers. The Cruise Director actually has things to do behind the scenes, paper work, scheduling, etc. Why do you think there would be a conflict there?

Patty

Crystal is already doing better with Serenity. The holiday cruise was fully booked, the current cruise is 650 passengers and the next cruise is fully booked. 

Patty