Crystal review by Food & Wine

[Stickman1990]

A review of Crystal Serenity by Food & Wine - they’re impressed 

 

https://www.foodandwine.com/crystal-cruises-new-ships-food-and-itineraries-7569963

 

[Leejnd4]

Wow. Just...wow. Can't believe I have to wait more than a year to experience this! Ah well, that means y'all are gonna be stuck with me jonesing for my Crystal cruise for many months to come. And I will be voraciously reading every article, post and review. 😉

[Emdee]

36 minutes ago, Leejnd4 said:

Wow. Just...wow. Can't believe I have to wait more than a year to experience this! Ah well, that means y'all are gonna be stuck with me jonesing for my Crystal cruise for many months to come. And I will be voraciously reading every article, post and review. 😉

I was going to be like you due to various issues but then decided I couldn’t wait and booked to be on board September 8 th. Did want life to pass me by! 

[Roland4]

18 minutes ago, Emdee said:

I was going to be like you due to various issues but then decided I couldn’t wait and booked to be on board September 8 th. Did want life to pass me by! 

That is actually kind of funny. We booked a cruise for September 2024, then the The Boss said, no we need to go sooner, which is why we will be onboard on Sep 8. Flying in YYZ/KEF arriving on the 7th, and boarding on the 8th.

[Emdee]

8 hours ago, Roland4 said:

That is actually kind of funny. We booked a cruise for September 2024, then the The Boss said, no we need to go sooner, which is why we will be onboard on Sep 8. Flying in YYZ/KEF arriving on the 7th, and boarding on the 8th.

We were originally booked on your flight out of YYZ. But then I had this idea of doing Endeavour before so we leave next week for Iqaluit. Cruise ends in Reykjavik. Couple of days in Iceland and hop onto Serenity. 
I recall you were ex Unionville. We have lived here for the last 35 years. 

[Roland4]

3 hours ago, Emdee said:

We were originally booked on your flight out of YYZ. But then I had this idea of doing Endeavour before so we leave next week for Iqaluit. Cruise ends in Reykjavik. Couple of days in Iceland and hop onto Serenity. 
I recall you were ex Unionville. We have lived here for the last 35 years. 

We moved to Thornhill seven years ago. Except for our first year married, we have lived in Markham/Unionville since the late 60s!

[Emdee]

34 minutes ago, Roland4 said:

We moved to Thornhill seven years ago. Except for our first year married, we have lived in Markham/Unionville since the late 60s!

Thornhill….so we are still neighbours lol.

[Leejnd4]

13 hours ago, Emdee said:

I was going to be like you due to various issues but then decided I couldn’t wait and booked to be on board September 8 th. Did want life to pass me by! 

 

I wish I could do one sooner! I'm actually a bit concerned that all this talk of Crystal's awesomeness might taint my impressions of the cruise I AM taking this November, on the Paul Gauguin. I've cruised that ship twice before, and it's a fabulous cruise, with excellent food - but not at the level I'm reading about on Serenity. I will try to put it out of my mind when I'm onboard... 😉 

[Keith1010]

2 minutes ago, Leejnd4 said:

 

I wish I could do one sooner! I'm actually a bit concerned that all this talk of Crystal's awesomeness might taint my impressions of the cruise I AM taking this November, on the Paul Gauguin. I've cruised that ship twice before, and it's a fabulous cruise, with excellent food - but not at the level I'm reading about on Serenity. I will try to put it out of my mind when I'm onboard... 😉 

This is what we do LeeAnne.

 

Our view is not to compare one line with another when we are sailing and to have the best time we can. There is always time for comparisons after we return.

 

We focus on the positive.

 

Keith

[FlyerTalker]

2 hours ago, Leejnd4 said:

I wish I could do one sooner! I'm actually a bit concerned that all this talk of Crystal's awesomeness might taint my impressions of the cruise I AM taking this November, on the Paul Gauguin. I've cruised that ship twice before, and it's a fabulous cruise, with excellent food - but not at the level I'm reading about on Serenity.

 

No comparison of the food between PG and Crystal.  Especially when you consider the miniscule selections for lunch on PG in the one venue open.

 

 

[Emdee]

17 minutes ago, FlyerTalker said:

 

No comparison of the food between PG and Crystal.  Especially when you consider the miniscule selections for lunch on PG in the one venue open.

 

 

As a past captain of the PG said…the luxury is in the location! 
la Veranda is also quite good. 

[Leejnd4]

2 hours ago, FlyerTalker said:

 

No comparison of the food between PG and Crystal.  Especially when you consider the miniscule selections for lunch on PG in the one venue open.

 

 

 

They are VERY different ships, and VERY different cruise experiences. The PG is all about immersion in French Polynesia, with the focus is more on the location and not so much on a luxury ship experience, although it's about as luxurious a cruise as you can find in that region. The service really is excellent, and it's a much smaller ship so a more personal and intimate experience. 

 

I recall the lunch buffets as being quite good, and I enjoyed how each day they featured cuisine from a different part of the world. Dining on the PG is definitely a cut above the mass market lines, but I'm well aware it's not going to be the Michelin-level dining that I expect to enjoy when I finally get on board Symphony. 

 

2 hours ago, Emdee said:

As a past captain of the PG said…the luxury is in the location! 
la Veranda is also quite good. 

 

Yes, La Veranda had fabulous food! It was my favorite venue. But for me this cruise is mostly about the diving. And, of course, the gorgeous beaches, the Polynesian culture, the lush islands...and the DIVING! 😁