Compare Regent vs Crystal

[Travel2Learn]

I have cruised Regent and Crystal, and others, as a single. Crystal is MUCH easier to work with pre-cruise!!! The smaller cabins on Crystal are fine for me alone, but I really enjoyed the extra space and bathroom on the Voyager. Concerning dining, I prefer a set time and table mates. Only once did I request a new assignment. Sharing tables on Regent are OK, but can be awkward. When choosing between Regent and Crystal, it comes down to itinerary, timing and price. The single surcharges on Regent are outrageous! The formality issue seems more dependent on itinerary than cruiseline. Food is excellent on both. I prefer excursions not be included. Happiness and having fun are determined before getting on the ship. All cruises have been full of both.

Edited October 10, 2011 by Travel2Learn

[AWED23]

Host Dan, is it time to pull or block this thread ???....I think it is past well done.

[wripro]

It doesn't matter if Host Dan closes this thread. There will only be another one on the same subject within days, witness the thread titled Comparison Advice Please. There must be hundreds if one would bother to do a search.

[Dolebludger]

And if the individual problems/benefits of each cruise line would remain static, and not constantly changing, we wouldn't got these repeated comparison questions. Unfortunately, the Regent I used tho know well has changed much since I cruised her, and all other lines have changed as well.

[Travel2Learn]

This is an interesting thread. From it I gather that Crystal will soon become all inclusive as to beverages, offer somewhat more flexible dining, and are offering fares well below Regent's. Am I wrong on any of this?

 

By way of further question, what is Crystal's situation as to formal nights? (I am fine with them, but my wife hates them.)

 

 

A few ladies bring long gowns. Most do not. A cocktail dress or black slacks or skirt with some bling on top is fine.

[andyonli]

Everyone's mentioned Sebourn, Silver Sea Regent and Crystal. We've sailed on Seabourn, Regent and Windstar. I happen to think Windstar combines the best of everything. True, there are no balconies, however. for the money, I think it's great. Incredible service. Beautiful ships. Small, easy to get to know people. Because it is so different I realize it is not for everyone. There's virtually no entertainment. But if you want to relax on a beautiful ship, this is the choice.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Just looking at the Windstar itineraries, I suspect the reason why more Regenters don't choose Windstar is: the smallness of the ship, the predominantly 7-day voyages, and the repetitive nature of a lot of the itineraries.

 

That being said, the Costa Rica itinerary looks pretty nice to me. I wonder how they handle air.

[mariners]

We loved our sailings on Windstar. However, in addition to the limitations already listed, there are other reasons that we would not recommend Windstar to some of the Regent passengers we have met. With the exception of the Wind Surf, one must be mobile and able to use the stairs on the smaller ships. With the exception of a couple of suites on the Wind Surf and the Owner's suites on the Wind Star and Wind Spirit, the cabins are small (188 sq. ft.) and there are no bathtubs. There are no balconies. It is not all inclusive although one can buy (or could buy) add-ons such as drink packages to make it more inclusive.

We did have fabulous service and became very good friends with many of the people we sailed with on Windstar. We are sailing again this year with friends that we met over 15 years ago on our first Windstar sailing.

Windstar is going through many changes and reading the CC message board will give lots of information for those who are interested.

In my opinion, SeaDream is closer to the Regent experience than is Windstar. It also has many similarities with the Windstar experience. It all depends upon what you are looking for and which factors are the most important to you.

That being said, Wendy, I think you'd really enjoy Windstar if the new owners keep up the Windstar Experience.

[Dolebludger]

I agree with the above. Some who like Regent MIGHT be satisfied with a cruise where bottled water and soft drinks are included and alcohol is not. But to us, charging "concession" prices for bottled water and diet coke is over the line just a bit.

[SuzK]

I've been on the Symphony twice and all three Regent ships several times.

 

My thoughts: Crystal has great speakers, excellent food, nice public areas.

I wasn't always wild about sitting with the same group each night but I think they have made some changes to include open seating and this is less of a problem.

 

On our Montreal to New York trip, we sat with one of the speakers and enjoyed every dinner. On our Hawaii trip in April, our table was pretty eclectic; single ladies, a dance host, a retired professor, the tiny French lady, you get the idea, we're talking Agatha Christie here.

We also saw many more evening dresses on board. Long formal dresses are nice but heck to transport if you have to fly. Three formal nights on our last trip were just too many IMO. The show were fantastic. They have some very wonderful singers and dancers. Crystal also has wonderful classes; Spanish, scrapbooking, dance, etc.

 

Regent, well , I still love them but.... Service seems to have lagged, we often had long dinner service times and forgotten items, and I do see some cost cutting from earlier years. The food isn't quite what it used to be but since I started watching my weight, it matter less to me than it used to matter:p

I like the walk-in closet as Mom and I have two beds in the suite, unlike our suite on the Symphony, the closet isn't blocked by one of the beds. This probably isn't a problem for a married couple with one bed on the Symphony.

Check in and luggage really show the effects of cut backs. It took far too long to check us in a couple of times and they seemed to be training the dancers to do the job but it held things up when they had to check with three or four people to get things right. We've also had some very long waits on the pier after being picked up at the airport. In the past, there would be a few more 'comfort' items but cold watery punch doesn't cut it when you've had to sit for two or more hours in a cold warehouse. On our last trip, our luggage took forever to get to our room even though we had boarded very early in the day. I was starting to worry that we would not have time to dress for dinner. It wasn't the fault of the workers, we could see them rushing around, but they needed more people to do the job.

[lkakers]

Sadly, I have found many if not I would dare say most cruisers nowadays are as "politically polarized" to their favorite line as so many Americans are now in their politics and that anyone disagreeing with them makes you the "enemy!"

 

Sad!

 

Worldspan

129 cruises strong

 

IMO, what really needs to be repeated is that they rarely sail full (regardless of single supplements). JHP: as I said previously, I take the term "political polarization" as an insult (to my country -- the last three words are an addition to my previous post). Come on guys, all opinions are welcome on CC. Trying to stop freedom of expression (other than what is against CC policies) is not right -- not on any level.

 

:o I am so sorry to butt in with an admittedly off topic, and, truthfully, another argumentative post, but I just had to defend Worldspan's use of the word "politics."

 

The term "politics" can refer to any interaction involving power, influence and/or control among humans, in any situation (hence the terms, "family politics," "office politics," "sexual politics," etc.). Influencing others with regard to cruiseline preferences could be included in that. "Politics" does not necessarily refer to government, nor specifically to US government or US culture.

 

That is all. :rolleyes:

 

Lani

B.A., Political Science, University of Oregon

Edited October 11, 2011 by lkakers

[andyonli]

I usually make my own air arrangements. We did the Costa Rica trip with Windstar. The cruise was fine, but we flew in to San Jose and then had a 90 minute bus ride to the ship. That was ugly! We later found out we could have flown into an airport much closer.

 

Meanwhile, with a max of 320 people, these ships are not for everyone. But it is a unique style

[Travelcat2]

:o I am so sorry to butt in with an admittedly off topic, and, truthfully, another argumentative post, but I just had to defend Worldspan's use of the word "politics."

 

The term "politics" can refer to any interaction involving power, influence and/or control among humans, in any situation (hence the terms, "family politics," "office politics," "sexual politics," etc.). Influencing others with regard to cruiseline preferences could be included in that. "Politics" does not necessarily refer to government, nor specifically to US government or US culture.

 

That is all. :rolleyes:

 

Lani

B.A., Political Science, University of Oregon

 

Thanks -- I did learn something new about the word "politics". Had he made it sound as if CC members were polarized in their thinking. . . . it would have been understandable The fact that he followed his "politically polarized" comment with "as so many Americans are now in their politics". . . . just hit a hot button with me.

Edited October 11, 2011 by Travelcat2

[lkakers]

Thanks -- I did learn something new about the word "politics". Had he made it sound as if CC members were polarized in their thinking. . . . it would have been understandable The fact that he followed his "politically polarized" comment with "as so many Americans are now in their politics". . . . just hit a hot button with me.

 

Completely understand. My own eyes kinda glossed over that aspect, so I can see your "hot button" reaction!

[lkakers]

I usually make my own air arrangements. We did the Costa Rica trip with Windstar. The cruise was fine, but we flew in to San Jose and then had a 90 minute bus ride to the ship. That was ugly! We later found out we could have flown into an airport much closer.

 

Meanwhile, with a max of 320 people, these ships are not for everyone. But it is a unique style

 

Am assuming this entry is just to further other people's comments about alternate cruiselines with relaxed atmospheres. My own personal preferences would cause me to highly recommend Windstar, but I know some Regent travelers find it not quite luxe enough for their tastes.

 

While I love the spaciousness of the Regent cabins, I also have to confess to loving the compact efficiency of the Windstar cabins -- the use of space is incredibly inventive, and I repeat, efficient, and I'm always amazed I have plenty of storage (and in fact always have vacant storage space available... and I'm not a particularly spartan packer). I was initially leary of only having 2 portholes (before being on Windstar, I'd never cruised without a balcony), but since the ship is so small, and it is very much like sailing your own yacht (with a 100+ new-to-you friends), I find I don't miss the balcony (or a full window) at all, since if you want a view of the outside, a sojourn on deck (where it is always easy to find a secluded spot) solves that issue.

 

I, too, have done the Costa Rica tour -- and I'm a little perplexed at the assertion that one could fly into an airport closer to Puerto Caldera than SJO -- SJO is a small airport already, and Puerto Caldera is a small town in a fairly out-of-the-way place surrounded by other small villages. I tried Googling other airports and came up with naught, but I may have missed something.

 

The 2.5 hour drive from San Jose to Puerto Caldera on Windstar's transfer bus was made extremely pleasant due to the informative guide (tons of info on the local fauna, flora, peoples, geography, history, culture, etc.).

 

While andyonli is correct in saying Windstar's ships have a max passenger count of around 320 (Wind Surf's double occupancy capacity is 312, maximum occupancy of 362), the Wind Star is the ship that sails in Costa Rica, and has a double occupancy capacity of 148 (max 152).

 

So, my two favorite cruiselines are Regent and Windstar, because they both have the relaxed feel -- "Casual Elegance" is what they term their dress code, and it's the same as Regen'ts "Elegant Casual." Regent and Windstar also share the following qualities, IMO: attentive but unobtrusive staff, open dining, no lines, no crowds, wonderful ambiance, the height of relaxation.

 

What they do not share: Windstar is not all inclusive (unless you get a special promotion, none of the following are included: booze, wine/beer, soft drinks, airfare, hotel, transfers, gratuities, excursions). Windstar lacks the size for all the entertainment, games, shows, etc., though they may bring a "chamber show" of some sort into the lounge during lectures or before/after dinner -- in Costa Rica, for example, they brought folkoric dancers and musicians on, and they were wonderful. While I enjoy the entertainment and games on Regent, I'm perfectly happy entertaining myself or socializing with travel companions or other passengers, so I don't feel that particular loss. Windstar has an open bridge, so except for sailaways, you can wander in at your leisure and ask the captain (or whomever is driving the bus at that moment) any question at all. Windstar does provide an iPod dock in every stateroom. Only a small handful of larger suites exist on Windstar ships, so, for the most part, almost every passenger has exactly the same size cabin. Truly no class system. The Windstar sailaway, with sails unfurled (or unfurling) and the glorious 1492 soundtrack wafting through the breeze is magical. Regent sailaways don't hold a candle.

 

All that said, though its new owners are pumping a ton of money into re-dos to make the three Windstar ships even more luxurious than they are currently (http://blog.windstarcruises.com/2011/09/windstar-launches-18-million-fleet-refurbishment-plan/), Windstar is not as luxurious as Regent. But it's plenty luxurious for me, in all the ways I value, and its size and casual elegance and sheer comfort are truly delightful. Windstar is not for everyone, but I do think a large number of Regent cruisers would appreciate it.

 

Now, for me, my next cruise is going to be on Regent -- mainly because we got a steal of a sailing; it's truly a fantastic deal. My other choice for a cruise would have been a Greek sailing with Windstar, but because Windstar is not all-inclusive (particularly considering the airfare from US west coast to Europe, and Regent's included excursions), a Caribbean Regent sailing was actually a better buy this time around. Which illustrates why it's so important to do one's research prior to booking. :cool:

[WesW]

Conde Nast Reader choice awards out yesterday for those who believe these are meaningful, Crystal earned top score of 93 for Medium size ships (600-2500) followed

by Regent, 91.6. Link below (pls forward to page 8)

 

http://www.concierge.com/images/cnt/pdf/2011-Readers-Choice-Awards.pdf

Edited October 12, 2011 by Colonel(Ret.)Wes

[Responder]

Conde Nast Reader choice awards out yesterday for those who believe these are meaningful, Crystal earned top score of 93 for Medium size ships (600-2500) followed

by Regent, 91.6. Link below (pls forward to page 8)

 

http://www.concierge.com/images/cnt/pdf/2011-Readers-Choice-Awards.pdf

 

Isn't taste just a matter of opinion? :)

 

Do I need to pay someone to offer me that opinion?

[Suite Travels]

CRYSTAL SCORES WIN AS CONDÉ NAST TRAVELER’S “BEST CRUISE LINE” OF 2011

 

Highest Rating of Any Cruise Line

 

LOS ANGELES, October 11, 2011 – In a huge affirmation of cruise industry excellence, Condé Nast Traveler magazine (U.S.) readers have named Crystal Cruises the “Best Cruise Line” (Mid-Sized) for 2011 and rated the line higher than any cruise line, large or small. The ultra-luxe line’s victorious score of 93, its highest in years, marks the 18th time the company has won its category--more than any other cruise line, hotel or resort in the magazine’s history.

 

Crystal President Gregg Michel shared his excitement about the feat: “Clearly, the readers of Condé Nast Traveler continue to appreciate and recognize Crystal’s unwavering focus on delivering what sophisticated travelers want: new, life-changing itineraries and on-board experiences, plus a chic sense of design and space that also makes them feel at home.”

 

Considered one of the highest honors in hospitality, the Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards celebrate the best-of-the-best hotels, airlines, cruise lines, cities, rental car companies and islands. The more than 28,800 readers who voted this year evaluated cruise lines’ Activities/Facilities, Staterooms, Crew/Service, Design/Layout, Food/Dining, Itineraries and Shore Excursions to determine the overall score. All award-winners are listed in the magazine’s November 2011 issue, and its website.

 

2011 has been a winning year thus far for Crystal, with numerous additional accolades from other travel trade publications, industry editors, and trusted travel agent consortiums. Such international honors include “World’s Best Large-Ship Cruise Line” by Travel + Leisure (U.S.) readers for the 16th consecutive year, #1 Foreign Cruise Line by Japan’s Cruise magazine readers, and three Travel Weekly Magellan Awards for the $25 million redesign of Crystal Serenity.

 

Other innovations implemented by Crystal in 2011 include new, private tour options for shore excursions; a new “You Care, We Care” voluntourism program, with complimentary opportunities on every cruise; new dual-compatible, 27” Apple computers and classes at Computer University@Sea; new fitness and beauty offerings in the Feng Shui-designed spas; and new dining amenities, including “Perfect Choice Dining” with flexible, open seating by reservation, and, starting in spring 2012, “All Inclusive” enhancements, with complimentary fine wines and premium spirits throughout the ship, open bar service in all lounges, and pre-paid gratuities for housekeeping, bar and dining staff—even in Nobu Matsuhisa and Piero Selvaggio’s onboard specialty restaurants.

 

Itineraries of 7-98 days on the line’s Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony ships are available throughout the world, with “Book Now” savings of up to $4,000 per couple until October 31, 2011.

[shawsie]

Suite

 

I enjoy reading other cruisers opinions on the various lines but good lord it almost seems you are being paid to push Crystal on this forum.

Exchange of information and opinion is a good thing but yours is frankly over the top.

[Suite Travels]

I am retired and this is just news. If Regent won it would be on the Crystal board as well. Relax.

[AWED23]

I am retired and this is just news. If Regent won it would be on the Crystal board as well. Relax.

...After 20 straight Crystal cruises are you now going to deny being a Crystal Cheerleader?...

[AWED23]

Virtuoso, the largest consortium of travel agencys who specialize in cruising announced their choice of "Best overall luxury cruise line"....It is now REGENT not crystal.....This is the choice of the travel agents and not paid for by anyone. It is based on their reports from their own personal eaxperiences and input by their clients. REGENT ROCKS.....

[Observer]

Virtuoso, the largest consortium of travel agencys who specialize in cruising announced their choice of "Best overall luxury cruise line"....It is now REGENT not crystal.....This is the choice of the travel agents and not paid for by anyone. It is based on their reports from their own personal eaxperiences and input by their clients. REGENT ROCKS.....

 

Could it be that Regent scores so well with travel agents because the Regent fares are so high (with a host of inclusions such as excursions, air, pre-cruise hotel, etc.) and that travel agent commissions for Regent itineraries are thus higher than they might be for similar cruises on other luxury lines?

 

Just wondering......

[Suite Travels]

Virtuoso is no longer the largest consortium. We were with them for years and found a much better company that prides themselvel in the best land or sea.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Suite, we all know you're a Crystal cheerleader. Okay, you beat us. Please stop posting this stuff.