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On my last PG cruise, I don't think I saw anyone in their tiny casino even ONCE! It was a pretty forlorn looking spot. I imagine some people went in there when I wasn't around, but it just seemed like such a waste of space. I'm sure it will be far better utilized now that they've converted it into an extended piano bar. I'm definitely a piano bar kinda person! I just think that the higher-end lines don't attract the types of people who like to spend hours in casinos. Just like you don't find water slides, go-carts, and zip lines on luxury ships! Not what luxury cruise ship pax are generally interested in. There are plenty of ships that are just right for people interested in casinos.

Am I the only person who's going to miss Churrascaria? I only ate there once, but I thought it was fabulous!

That's great! Yes, I'll have my TA confirm. Good point! Although I'm one of those people who LOVES the evening shows, regardless of how cheesy they are. 😁 So I will generally be IN the showroom during the shows. Plus I sleep with earplugs (a habit from being married to a snorer, which I've done for so long now that I can't even sleep without them). So I'm not generally bothered by noise at night, unless it's outrageously loud. All in all this is sounding positive! Now I just need to make a choice between the two itineraries I'm considering.

Agree with all of this! I personally can't fathom spending most of my time on a luxury cruise, in a beautiful and interesting part of the world, doing something I could be doing deep in the bowels of the Vegas Strip where it doesn't matter what's outside the casino. But as Keith always points out, everyone is different, and there's the right vacation out there for everyone! And yes, you explained exactly why I don't enjoy gambling - I'm well aware that it's highly unlikely I will come out ahead, so it just feels like throwing away money. That being said, I do recall having a really fun time one night after dinner on a Regent cruise with a bunch of people from our roll call, playing at the Roulette table! But I saw that as more a social activity than actual gambling. I set aside a certain (pretty small) amount of money to spend on it, knowing I would lose it, and just hoping it didn't happen too fast. Fortunately I won enough to keep my play going for about an hour before it was all gone, and we had a good time. So yes, I can understand why some people will miss having that as an option for a social activity. I myself won't miss having that option, if it keeps the types of passengers FlyerTalker was referring to away. 😉

Good to know! I personally don't have a problem with being in the bow. I know lots of people don't like the additional movement you get up there, but I live on a sailboat so I'm totally used to rolling with the sea. In fact, we're sitting here at a slip in Puerto Vallarta and a big yacht just went by in the channel, and we're rocking right now due to the wake! 😁

Thanks for your input Keith! Yes I'll have my TA ask some questions. I have noticed you seem to have the inside scoop way more than my TA, so I thought you might know something. 😉 Here's a question: do you know if the showers in the window cabins are walk-in vs tubs? If they are walk-in showers, Sandy can use them and we might just book two SGRs instead of the one accessible cabin. That's really her main requirement - a walk-in shower.

I recall seeing some guests who spent a lot of time in the casino on my last Symphony cruise, that I made a point of avoiding, based on...I dunno...I can't tell you exactly what it was, but they seemed very different from the rest of the passengers. I didn't know at the time that Genting was comping high rollers, but now that I know this, it makes sense. I don't personally enjoy gambling myself, and therefore spent no time at all in the casino so it wasn't hard to avoid these passengers, who seemed to spend most of their time in there. But I'm one of those who will be happy to see all that space used for something else. Also, I find it interesting that the Paul Gauguin recently removed their casino as well! They extended the piano bar. I'm thrilled! I always thought their piano bar was too small, and the casino was hardly used and seemed like wasted space. I'll be on the PG in November, and will enjoy the larger piano bar.

I'm getting very close to making a booking decision for a 2024 cruise on Symphony. I've been following many of the discussions lately, but not all so if this has already been discussed, apologies. First, I'm interested in those Single Guest Rooms. The price seems amazing! Is there any additional single supplement? Or do I truly get the whole cabin to myself for that price with no add-ons for being in it alone? Is there anything that makes those particular cabins less desirable than the Double Guest Rooms? Any other information specific to those SGRs? Second, is there any information about the two accessible cabins - 5014 and 5016? According to the deck plans on the Crystal website, they appear to still be accessible cabins. My dear friend and frequent cruise companion Sandy is mobility challenged, and is considering doing this cruise with me. We had 5016 on our last Crystal cruise in 2019, and it was a great cabin - larger than the other double rooms with windows. I know that many changes have been made to the cabins...is there any info about those in particular? Obviously nobody has seen the ships yet, but I know there's been lots of discussions and maybe Keith has some inside knowledge? 😉

Or drink what you got and enjoy every sip! 😉

That's not how I interpreted it. To be clear, here is the exact quote: "Management felt that the positioning of the product was not congruent with certain of the clientele attracted to the casino amenity." Note the phrase "certain of the clientele". Sounds to me like they were referring to a specific subset of clients who used the casinos, who for whatever reason (presumably their onboard behavior) are not the types of guests Crystal wants to attract. Certainly, not everyone who enjoyed the casinos behaved in a way that was not congruent with the Crystal product. So unless you believe your onboard behavior would cause you to fall within that subset of incongruent guests, then this wasn't directed at you. But of course if you DO fall within that subset of guests, then I would agree that you are smart to have "clearly received" the message, and I wish you all the best in whatever ship's casino you land in. 🙂

I'm SOOO happy to hear this! We have BoraBoraH2O booked for our upcoming cruise as well, and I'm really happy to hear that you had a great day, and no fish feeding. I keep hearing they are the best in Bora!

I happened to spot this promotion on the Paul Gauguin website: https://www.pgcruises.com/promotions/25-anniversary-offer We're currently booked for the November 8 ten-day Society Islands/Tuomotus cruise, and I was thrilled to see that our cruise was included! I contacted my TA, and he was able to re-book us with this promotion. We got the same cabin, with an additional $500 OBC, as well as a nice reduction in our cruise fare. If you are currently booked on an upcoming PG cruise, check it out! You have to re-book by June 30 though, so not a lot of time left to take advantage of it.

Those are very much like the ones we have. The sole is exactly what I meant - a firm sole so that you don't feel that sharp coral. Y'all almost have me convinced now that I should do the Taha'a snorkel! Although I'll be doing 8 total scuba dives during the cruise so I probably wouldn't see anything I won't already see...plus, having a morning to sleep in a bit sounds kinda nice too...gaaah, sleep or snorkel??? Decisions decisions! 😁

Sorry, I haven't bought any online. I am mostly unable to shop online because I live on a sailboat in Mexico, constantly sailing up and down the coast to different anchorages, and therefore I have no permanent address for things to be shipped. You don't need anything expensive if you are only using them this one time. A trip to Target will probably get you what you need. Something that is easy to slip on, with a firm sole.

I'll be there in November on the Paul Gauguin! Can't wait!

Hmm...is that Moorea?

Question: in the Webinar (or any other time) was any information provided about the Vintage Room? Will it be the same as before, or a different type of offering? Vintage Room was always my favorite night on a Crystal cruise, and I'm curious to know if it's going to be the same. In particular, I'm wondering if the level of wines will be as high. The first time I did a Vintage Room was before Crystal went all-inclusive with alcohol. The wines were very good, but not fabulous. Then once they went all-inclusive, and their included wine offerings were already so great, they REALLY stepped up the wines in Vintage Room! Any info at all on what VR will be like on NC?

And now, in one thread, we have hit on two of the three most common and controversial topics on Cruise Critic: dress codes and chair hogs! Now all we need to do is talk about booze smuggling and we'll hit the trifecta. (Sadly, that won't happen here - Crystal doesn't care if you smuggle booze aboard their ships.) 😉

I'm going to join the chorus of those whose personal opinion is that it's not worth it to do it. I know it's hard when you finally get to a bucket-list destination and want to try to experience as much of it as possible - but we always have to narrow down our list to what we CAN do, from the list of what we WISH we can do. I've done OWBs in FP, and yes they are wonderful - but not for just one night. The treat was being able to stay at least a couple of days, either before the cruise or after. If it's just for one night, you don't really get to experience it: check-in isn't until the afternoon, check-out is in the morning, so you'll be sleeping for most of your time there. As others have pointed out, there's always something wonderful going on on the ship in the evenings. On the evening of the Bora Bora overnight there's the Tahiti show, which is not to be missed. And on the evening of the Moorea overnight there's a Polynesian Party, and on the last night in Moorea there's a Folkloric Dance Troupe. I personally don't want to miss any of that. I hope you are able to come back at some point and spend a few days in an OWB! It's definitely a different kind of vacation than a PG cruise. If you decide to do this, I'm sure it will be a lovely and relaxing time, so it's a win-win either way. 😀 Good luck with your decision, and your planning!

I'm thrilled to see that Russ Grieve will be CD on Symphony, but disappointed to see that Mark Farris is not listed as the Avenue Saloon pianist. I'm getting very close to a decision about booking a Symphony cruise in Sept. 2024, which is of course a long ways away so anything could change. But I will be sad not to have Mark in the Avenue Saloon. 😞 He livened up my last Crystal cruise, and we never missed a night. Plus he and I had some great conversations outside of the saloon. He was fascinated by our plans to chuck our suburban life, move aboard a sailboat and set sail to cruise around the Pacific Ocean for several years, and he peppered me with questions about it throughout the cruise. I was kinda hoping to be able to share with him how it all went!

Your pic is way better than mine! Both make me salivate tho. 😉

There once were poets so full of grace, Their words danced with an elegant pace. But their wit ran out of ink, Leaving their thoughts on the brink, Now their rhymes stumble all over the place! Okay I'm officially done now. LOL!

Do you need to have a cruise booked to be able to create an account? I do not have one yet. Out of curiosity I gave it a try, and it didn't work. I entered all my information, but got this:

Well shoot. I really can't walk away from such a challenge. Damn you! There once was a Funcle named Albert Who loved nothing more than to stir up the dirt In the forum for Crystal He was such a pistol He couldn't control his own blurt!

BAAAHAHAHAHA!! Okay okay, you win. I CONCEDE! The crown is yours.