May B

I agree. If you call every day to ask about availability in the specific category you want, that might help you decide to wait until you’re onboard. Also, compute the 2.5% to see just how significant an amount it is. Happy deciding.

On our first Crystal, we weren’t planning to go to Umi Uma (which was Silk Road then, but same menu). Luckily friends we met onboard said we absolutely should try it. It’s now our favorite restaurant, not only onboard but maybe any place. We never … as in, not ever … go out for sushi. We love it at Umi Uma. And many other menu items. I was curious about your “is that still doable” question as well, although I think we’ll be happy at Osteria d’Ovidio, too. Certainly we’ll reserve judgment until we’ve tried it.

Prego has consistently been our biggest disappointment in dinners on our nine Crystal cruises. We will miss the octopus carpaccio and the mushroom soup, although the soup we can have once in Waterside. We barely touched the bread bowl. Hopefully the octopus will show up someplace. I would love the classic Aquamarine, for the bathtub. I’ve never much understood the concept of a large shower versus a traditional shower cubicle. An armchair plus a large sofa sounds useful to me. This is all meant to remind everyone that it’s not a one-size-fits-all world. Which you already knew, anyway. Thank you very much and have a nice day.

We were on Crystal and docked in Honfleurs, and I was hoping for a ship’s tour to Giverny. It wasn’t offered, so we rented a car. It turned out to be quite the adventure, but a wonderful one. We got outstanding photos, and I made placemats and coasters from my favorites, so I get to relive the adventure, every day that I’m home! I'm not sure the water lilies are always “in season”. D-Day beaches will be similar distance but in the other direction. I hope you do get to do both!

I don’t think it’s so much Crystal “thinking” something, as they are figuring out what the market will support. Those doubles on deck seven are not much less than verandas on decks eight and nine. The verandas, then, are a much better buy, imho. I’m guessing more of those are wait-list-only.

Actually, I’ve looked at itineraries that are wait-list only in deck seven doubles, and the simple veranda doubles. There just aren’t that many of them.

I thought that was strange, too. It’s not that it “has” twin beds, but that the bed isn’t made up beds together.

I’ve done three overnight tours in the middle or end of Celebrity and Azamara cruises. They were super pricey compared to the cruise fare, and two of them I could’ve booked on my own for less. The third had no private option. Do it with the cruise line, or don’t do it at all. I chose to take the pricey but easy way to do them. We both loved all three of them. We also did a $1600 pp evening at the Tattoo with Crystal. Ditto, loved it. Each one of those trips were probably a larger percent of our net worth than what that $23,000 thing will be to whoever books it. Everybody has their limit. I remember when I said, I just can’t make myself buy a head of lettuce for over $2. (Long time ago.) I’m sad that the OP is frustrated. B/c Crystal is just starting back, it’s like they’re juggling lots of plates on top of those sticks, in a circus act. I’m guessing there will be a time when shore excursions will be available as soon as we make final payment. But when that time will come, I wouldn’t even wager a bet. Luckily for me it doesn’t matter. For those of you to whom it matters, I wish you a quick resolution to your challenges.

Fun post, Adrian! I certainly hope you are enjoying your new life. Bn voyage, on Symphony and then next year on Serenity.

Other than buying booze to take home, or an occasional outfit, I don’t need Crystal to give me OBC. Plenty of TAs give their guests OBC. Enjoy it when you get it. Of course there are upgrades wines and the Vintage Room and excursions and the salon and spa. I tend not to use those things. Actually, I have OBC on my first two cruises back with Crystal, b/c I made two deposits in December. It will be fun to try to use it wisely.

Nobody told you to pay more for less. In fact, I might go out on a limb here and say nobody even cares. Please find yourself a cruise line, or two, or three, that you like, at a price point that makes you happy. Bon voyage.

By people who have yet to board the ship?

I tried to price something with an offer code, booking online, and I couldn’t find where/when the code would be entered. Does it only work if booking over the phone?

Sometimes you see your bags outside the transfer bus. Definitely you check your own bags in at the airport check-in counter.

Until we hear from two people staying in one of those staterooms, could we please keep the whining to a minimum? If nobody posts before Nov. 2nd, I’ll post, after we unpack. Friends are traveling with us, so I’ll include their reaction as well.

PasadenaDave, you and I endured the “talk to first line, wait forever for supervisor to fix” situation. The first line people are mere order-takers, like at a McDonald’s. Anyway, that’s my estimation. Andy’s situation went much deeper than that.

Whenever I see consommé double’ on the menu, I think of Roy. Not sure Roy would enjoy the truffled egg royale and fava beans.

I love that itinerary! Mr B could not be swayed. We look forward to embarking when you debark. Have a great time!

I could be wrong, but I think FlyerTalker was responding to an Oceania cheerleader, not giving his own opinion.

This reminds me of the garage at the medical clinic on Lowry AFB in 1973. The ambulance was an Olds 98, and the garage door (NO DOOR, JUST AN OPENING, LIKE A CARPORT!) faced north. In cold weather, the ambulance didn’t start. Why doesn’t the garage have a door, asks my husband. Well, below a certain latitude, garages didn’t get doors. So, says Mr B, now that (at a mile high) we know we need a garage door, b/c it’s colder here than across the country at this latitude, why don’t we fix that and add a garage door? Oh, that’s easy, they say. Within the first three years after a new bldg. is constructed, we can’t make structural improvements. So perhaps he told them to put a lightbulb under the hood at night, as my parents did in Albany, NY. PS: the facing north made it worse after the sun was up. If it faced south, sun would’ve warmed it beautifully.

Yep, three different musical acts around Viking in addition to the show in Star Theatre. You will find a very peaceful and thoroughly pleasant atmosphere. The first time I heard about an Ice Hotel, I was flabbergasted. An Ice Bar seems bad enough to me!

Actually, Viking is phasing out ABBA and Beatles shows. I probably won’t recognize what they replace them with. Mr B was happy with the four singers and four band members on the stage in the Star Theatre, while I missed a larger stage and the dancers in a true production show. Mr B was happy b/c all he does is close his eyes and then claim he’s awake and listening. On Viking Ocean, if things stay the same as now, you’ll get a great rare char-grilled ahi tuna at the Pool Grill. I am surprised that Explorer dropped the ball on that one. Your cabin attendant was grossly inadequate by knocking on a Do Not Disturb door (after not turning down while you were at dinner), but I think daytime of your last full day onboard is when you actually do need to pack! Turndown service sounds too late. If this was your first post-pandemic cruise, it seems to have exhibited the post-pandemic-blues issues some other lines have also shown us. I wonder if Regent feels like Alaska is the quiet corner of the world for them, hence the best plac3 to cut when they’re stretched too thin. I for one look forward to hearing your 2024 plans.

Not the highlight of your trip … what a nice and gentle way to say it. 😍

I believe a drink from the pool bar is a plastic cup. Not the same as a glass bottle.

I might take a photo of the important (to me) parts of the shore guide. Also, I’m guessing the entire shore guide will be on an app which I’ll be able to access on my phone. Your concern points out why the first cruise for a new or returning-to-service ship would not be a good fit for you.