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ryndam

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    Dr. Jay Wolfe

    in Crystal

    Posted

    13 minutes ago, firstcruise91 said:

    Looked high and low thru over 30 cruise albums and could not find him listed in numerous Reflections.  Very odd, on my part.  My question is . . Does anyone know if he is still a guest lecturer on Crystal ships?  I have tried the Crystal website but no luck there.

     

    Cheers,

     

    Mary

    He is now 90 years old, residing in Naples, FL. I do not believe that he lectures on cruise ships anymore. This is his website, but it does not provide any additional guidance or information.

     

    Rob

     

    http://drjaywolff.com/

     

    Crystal Explorer Fare

    in Crystal

    Posted

    After experiencing the ongoing pandemic debacle of 2020, we do not purchase any non-refundable tours, hotels, airfares, cruises, tickets, restaurant reservations, et.al., etc. from any supplier or vendor. And certainly not a year in advance. These two offers do not appeal to us (even the refundable option), but it I suspect that they would not be offered if the actuaries, investment and marketing strategists did not believe there was an audience and a benefit involved.

     

    Rob

    • Like 6

    Aquamarine Suites on Crystal Serenity

    in Crystal

    Posted

    39 minutes ago, goldengatecruisers said:

    Not to be contentious but I am not convinced the sliders are of different size?  Maybe they are and I am happy to be corrected.  Having recently sailed two weeks in a 2018 decor Aquamarine followed by two weeks in a classic decor Aquamarine suite I can confirm the light in the classic is far superior. At first I could not figure it out but then I started to pay attention to the design. I believe if it is the positioning of the curtains.  If you look at the photos provided by Rob (ryndam) you will note the classic provides for a more pronounced recessed area to store the curtains. The recessed area extends beyond the width of the sliding glass doors in a more extreme design when compared to how they are situated in the 2018 'Seabreeze' renovation. By doing so, it reveals more of the glass and provides more light into the room.  I might be wrong entirely but that was my take away.  While I absolutely love the bathrooms in the 2018 renovation I agree with most in that the classic suite is far superior in so many ways. 


    Ashley

    Ashley, I totally agree with your observation about the drapery pockets in the classic version vs. the 2018 version. However, I will gently correct your observation about the width of the balcony sliding doors. They are wider in the original classic versions.

     

    In the first photo, check out the difference between the deck 10 & deck 11 doors when compared to the deck 8 & 9 doors. Also on deck 10, immediately below the person on the deck 11 balcony, going aft, these are the 2018 conversions with the smaller doors. The three rooms all the way to the left of the photo on deck 10 are the original classic versions.

     

    In the second photo, the deck 11 rooms are the original classic version. The rooms below on deck 10 are the 2018 renovations, and the rooms on decks 8 & 9 are the 2023 Sapphire renovations, all with the original door openings from the ship's original balcony configurations.

     

    Rob

     

     

     

    IMG_1175.JPG

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    Aquamarine Suites on Crystal Serenity

    in Crystal

    Posted

    18 minutes ago, jet65 said:

    While we agree with others who have posted regarding preference for the Classic Aquamarine over the newer versions, there is one aspect of the suite that hasn't been mentioned.......having enjoyed the Classic many time before the bankruptcy , we were disappointed that during the extensive AK refurbishment , these suites were not touched in any way.  The carpeting, drapes, chairs, and sofa are quite worn and really need to be replaced .  This is still our preferred type of stateroom and hope that Crystal will address this in the near future.

    Perhaps by your 2025 cruise this will have been addressed.

     

    Interesting observation. We found the upholstery and sofa & chair cushions in the 2018 version on our December 2023 cruise to be sagged-out and showing significantly more wear than the classic suite we occupied last month. I agree that the carpet in the suite needs some love, but nothing was worn, soiled, torn or in obvious need of repair. Even the loose bed and sofa pillows were pristine. The sofa on the classic version was way more comfortable than the sofa in the 2018 version.

     

    Everyone views decor differently. The classic suite we occupied was certainly not worn out or shabby.

     

    Rob

    • Like 2

    Aquamarine Suites on Crystal Serenity

    in Crystal

    Posted · Edited by ryndam

    Here are a couple of pictures of the 2018 version that we sailed in December. I don't have as many pictures, because I was not that impressed. The photos on the Crystal website are accurate. As mentioned above, we did like the bathrooms in the 2018 version, but in order to have that larger shower, the real estate was taken from the living area in order to create those larger bathrooms.

     

    Rob

     

     

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    Aquamarine Suites on Crystal Serenity

    in Crystal

    Posted

    59 minutes ago, emckeeve said:

    Are some still not renovated.  If so, are the Classic suites really dated?

    Depends what your definition of "dated" is. We've sailed in the classic version and the 2018 version. We like the additional USB and electrical outlets and the big walk-in shower in the 2018 version, but overall, we prefer the classic version. In our opinion, the classic version has better storage, a better closet, better desk space, better flat space, the bathroom door does not open directly on the bed area, and the glass doors to the balcony are larger. It is a better designed layout, at least for us.

     

    Attached are a few pictures of the suite that we just spent the last 30 days enjoying.

     

    Rob

     

     

    IMG_0435.JPG

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    IMG_0437.JPG

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    IMG_0439.JPG

    • Like 4
    • Thanks 1

    Aboard Serenity Jan 18-Feb 3: The Adventure Continues

    in Crystal

    Posted

    23 minutes ago, May B said:


    I beg your pardon! Rob!!! I cannot tell Mr B what you said about Perry, as Mr B is every bit as much a Perry fan as I am. I was surprised when Mr B happily assumed positions, and he thoroughly enjoyed the whole shtick. He continues to quote Perry to this day, several years after we’ve been in the Avenue, or any place else, with Perry.

     

    Perry actually is a beautiful performer when he imparts sad news to us. Heartfelt and touching.

    Choice is good. Like individuals’ food and dietary preferences, everyone has their favorites in performance styles and entertainment. We do not care for Perry nor his schtick across Celebrity, HAL and Crystal. It’s great that he has loyal and wonderful followers such as you and Mr. B.

     

    Peace. Out. 😁🙏

     

    Rob

    • Like 1

    Aboard Serenity Jan 18-Feb 3: The Adventure Continues

    in Crystal

    Posted

    3 minutes ago, tnm6217 said:

     

    Is the entertainer still Joel Spire? He was onboard in November and we had the opposite problem with him...it sounded like he was whispering the lyrics while playing piano over recorded music. Maybe they turned up the volume to try and compensate for his quiet singing?? In my opinion, he was definitely nowhere near the level of the other entertainers onboard, but maybe he wasn't feeling well on that particular sailing.

    Neal Fullerton is the loud performer. There is nothing wrong with the volume controls. Several of us have had numerous conversations with CD, HD, the sound engineers and the band masters. It is his style to sing with his mouth practically in the microphone. When he just plays and keeps his mouth shut, it is a perfect piano bar. When he opens his mouth, it is rock concert decibel level. Performer’s ego vs. guests. Ego wins. We just frequent other venues. There a lots of choices.

     

    Rob

    • Like 2
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