Keith1010

New Year Eve Day before the start of 2015. Keith

Kathie, enjoy following your blog and your other posts with great writings and photos. Keep enjoying and best to you and Timmy. Keith

Not a mess at all. It is called work in progress. If you have been keeping up with this board you would have learned that the new Crystal is being built from the ground floor up since NC didn't purchase a company but bought two ships and the Crystal name and customer base. With each passing week the web site is getting better and better with more information added to it. As noted shore excursions are up. The ability to make reservations has recently gone from 60 to 90 days reflecting more things being added sooner rather than later. We can download our boarding documents directly from the site 30 days prior to the cruise which by the way we could not do with OC. If you have taken the time to read reviews many (not all but many) say NC is like OC but better. The ability to see enrichment and entertainment which I don't believe other cruise lines do is coming soon. This required an enhancement to the website and someone to provide the data. It will happen. It is in the works. Personally, I like the look of the new website. And the ability to search new voyages is far superior to OC and one of the easiest to use compared to any other cruise line website. The speed in which new Crystal was launched is amazing since all they got ws vessels and names. Not one system. Keith

Details on enrichment and entertainment personnel will be added to the website but not sure precise timeframe. Keith

First, let me begin with a Happy Thanksgiving to those of you who celebrate Thanksgiving today. Many of us have lots to celebrate even if we each face some issues in our day-to-day lives. Also, a reminder to me that while some of the issues that are raised on CC are important to people things are pretty good if you can sail Crystal or any luxury lines. These are not third world problems IMHO. Now, when it does come to cruising, I am thankful that Manfredi and the Heritage Group brought Crystal back from life support and that Crystal is back and IMHO better than before. A photo from late 2014 on Serenity sailing the Caribbean before the start of World Cruise 2015. Keith

On Serenity the ones created in 2018 are smaller and that is because the new ones each paired with another one and shared a common entrance so a family could book two and keep the outside door closed but the doors to the suites open. It is that common area that reduced the size of each of those newly created aquamarines. The bathroom is nice and for those like me who doesn't need a bathtub they recouped that space. I am one that for Serenity prefer the Classic but on Symphony prefer the Sapphire. But still nice option for many people as are each room. Keith

Day after Christmas in 2014. Keith

This plus that little thing called search engines on the internet is why the rules are they way they are. Of course, no one would have thought about this. Keith

The reality is other than Tastes for lunch there is no other dining venue for lunch with full wait service. In the end, Ivi will have to figure out what works best for her. If one wants to make Trident Grill and/or Marketplace a multi course lunch that is very doable as one can have an items at a time. Also, in terms of the venue one can take food from Marketplace to a quieter location on the Lido Deck and also ask one of the many waiters on hand for assistance with this. I have friends who do this to be in a quieter location. And one can have a portion of the meal from Marketplace and a portion from the Trident Grill if the would like. I hope it all works out. Keith

Ivi next to tastes. Grilled hot dogs, hamburgers, salmon, chicken, pouts and sweet potato fries, There might be other items and if so others can chime in. Keith

Welcome home and glad you had a great time. It puts a smile on my face when people say Crystal is back and better than ever because that is my take. Choice is great but I am happy to have a line that for us is number one. I can't say that about all products but I can when it comes to cruising (Crystal) and our Automobile. Keith

Best bet as I've said is don't pre-judge it until you have eaten there. Also, go more than once. And there is nothing wrong with having more than one starter. And there are other items to enjoy such as the rolls which IMHO are very tasty along with an item that comes out early in the meal not on the menu. I would also add that in high end restaurants often there are fewer choices for the main course. Again, just try it and then decide and like everything it's not for everyone. None of the specialty or alternate restaurants are and that goes on land and at sea. Keith

Another view of Serenity in the Mediterranean nine years ago. Keith

Here goes: Deposit is $25% of the total charge. Final payment due 120 days prior to sailing date. Keith

I wonder if the younger folks hearing shoe trees think it is a tree you plant which grows shoes. Just saying. 😀 Another one is a push button phone or a rotary phone or a phone wired to the outlet. Better yet a party phone. They might think it's for a Party. 😀 Keith

Ivi, I am not big on sauce as for me I like to taste the actual food. When we have lobster I am the one who say no thank you to the butter and when caviar is served I don't need the condiments that come with it. And I enjoy t baked potato from time to time on the ship with no condiments including no butter. Not all of the items have a lot of sauce but some do. But in several cases the sauce was on the plate and not on the item so for me it worked well. Here is the lamb. Keith

We do that for some of the shoes. Not all though. 😀 Keith

This one was a few weeks later from 9 years ago. Keith

Agree 100%. I always use shoe trees at home for all my dress shoes for all the reasons you mentioned. When we travel we do put something in each shoe (cardboard like insert) so that they keep their shape and then when back home remove that and insert the shoe tree except in casual shoes such as topsiders. Keith

The things about photos is you can't taste them or smell them. I just encourage people to dine with an open mind and even if it doesn't work for you the first time whether it's on that first cruise or another one return. For me I didn't care for Prego the first time I dined there on Harmony, Symphony (first two times) and on Serenity first two times. Just didn't work for me. But, I didn't give up. Finally figured it out and enjoyed items. I just needed to figure out the ones that worked for me. The first time we dined at Osteria we dined with others familiar with it and one recommendation give to me was to try two starters. I did. They are not very large so that worked out good. Each time we dined there we ordered different items. Keith

Another photos from Monte Carlo nine years ago. Keith

Closed

Don't overthink it. Each time you dine there try something new. That's what we did.

They still provide the slippers. The room stewardess could have provided them. Keith

If you have your e-tickets you are set. They were sending the luggage tags to everyone's home. Someone said recently they didn't send them so just be prepared to fill them out at the pier. Keith