Cruise Critic Sailing Aboard Crystal Symphony Sept 1 - Ask Us Your Questions

[CruiseCriticAaron]

Hi everyone,

 

Cruise Critic will be sailing aboard Crystal Symphony when it debuts in Piraeus on September 1. We're doing a quick segment over to Izmir but will be posting photos in our Live From coverage, as well as updating our full Ship Review for Crystal Symphony.

 

If there's anything you're curious about with Symphony's relaunch, feel free to ask and I'll do my best to check it out once onboard!

[Princess Calee]

If possible, it would be nice, and appreciated, if you could take photos or a video of the Aquamarine Veranda Suite (Redesign 2017) and the Aquamarine Veranda Suite (Classic).  Not sure the photos on Crystal's website are the latest photos taken.  Thanks for checking in with us!  

Edited August 26, 2023 by Princess Calee

[gaspari]

Hi CruiseCriticAaron

 

For info, I just noticed a mistake on the updated CC review of Serenity. It says in the text if you want modern, go for the classic stateroom when I think you mean the opposite!

[gaspari]

2 minutes ago, gaspari said:

Hi CruiseCriticAaron

 

For info, I just noticed a mistake on the updated CC review of Serenity. It says in the text if you want modern, go for the classic stateroom when I think you mean the opposite!

Also the passenger count figure is the old one

[May B]

That’s nice, gaspari!

[Leejnd4]

Would love to see any photos of a Single Guest Room! Also, curious what if any differences there are between the SGR and a Double Guest Room. The photos on their website look identical, but maybe there are some minor differences?

 

And of course, tell us what the new public space is like where the casino used to be. 🙂 

[nancygp]

5 minutes ago, Leejnd4 said:

Would love to see any photos of a Single Guest Room! Also, curious what if any differences there are between the SGR and a Double Guest Room. The photos on their website look identical, but maybe there are some minor differences?

They’re identical, just different locations 

 

nancy

[Leejnd4]

I just thought of another question! Might seem trivial, but it's important to me: how do they do with organizing a spontaneous group table at dinner?

 

I recall when Crystal first went from fixed dining to open seating, they struggled with the concept of seating a spontaneous group table. Other cruise lines I'd been on that had been doing open seating forever, such as Regent and Oceania, seemed to have this down to a science: if you tell the Maitre'd that you want to sit at a group table, they would seat you at a large table, serve you beverages, and as others arrived and said the same, they would seat them with you until the table was full. If it took longer than 10-15 minutes to fill the table, they would "close it off" and start the dinner service with whomever was there.

 

When I first cruised Crystal many years ago, they had just changed from fixed seat dining to open seating. But they couldn't seem to get the concept of these group tables. When we asked the Maitre'd, he seemed confused by it. One time they seated us at a large table, then never brought anyone else over and started our dinner service immediately. Another time they did bring others over, but continued to bring others over even after our dinner service had started, making the timing of service awkward.

 

On subsequent cruises they did seem to have this worked out, and all went perfectly. But of course this is a new line, and while many crew returned, I don't know about the dining staff and am just curious if this is still working well. 🙂 

[claudiaYVR]

Would you please post pictures of the fitness equipment. In particular the weight lifting machines. Thanks

[doglover214]

I would appreciate a picture of the closet in the double room. Trying to get a sense of the amount of hanging space.

[crickette]

2 hours ago, doglover214 said:

I would appreciate a picture of the closet in the double room. Trying to get a sense of the amount of hanging space.

See the first 3 photos (and later) on this thread:  There isn't much.  The terry robes pretty much fill the long hanging space.  Long-sleeve men's shirts will probaby drag over the drawers and safe.  https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2959811-solo-rooms-on-crystal-serenity/#comment-65988183

Edited August 27, 2023 by crickette

[doglover214]

All pictures that I’ve seen show the closet on an angle, from the side. I’m hoping to see one straight on, into the closet.

[BWIVince]

To put it into perspective, the closet has only lost about 6-9” of hanging space, since not all of the space taken up by the new bar/hall unit was usable space in the old design.  This isn’t a dramatic change.

 

IIRC, Serenity’s safes have long been in the closet on top of drawers, so that doesn’t seem like a new issue for Serenity’s window and veranda doubles.

 

Vince

[skybluewaters]

1 hour ago, doglover214 said:

All pictures that I’ve seen show the closet on an angle, from the side. I’m hoping to see one straight on, into the closet.

 

This is from a previous post...

[Rooster Sparkle]

Aaron, does the MDR still feature a tableside cheese cart? And if so, can you include an image of that as well. Thank you!

[Cruise-y]

Aaron - Thanks so much.
1) Which rooms have plugs and USB ports on both sides of the bed now?

2) Can we see a list of included wines like we could in the past? 

3) Has the shade availability by the pool improved? 
 

thanks again

[CruiseCriticAaron]

On 8/25/2023 at 6:07 PM, Princess Calee said:

If possible, it would be nice, and appreciated, if you could take photos or a video of the Aquamarine Veranda Suite (Redesign 2017) and the Aquamarine Veranda Suite (Classic).  Not sure the photos on Crystal's website are the latest photos taken.  Thanks for checking in with us!  

I'll see what I can do! I'm curious, too.

[CruiseCriticAaron]

On 8/26/2023 at 12:51 AM, gaspari said:

Hi CruiseCriticAaron

 

For info, I just noticed a mistake on the updated CC review of Serenity. It says in the text if you want modern, go for the classic stateroom when I think you mean the opposite!

Happy to look into that! Sounds like it might need a tweak 😉

[CruiseCriticAaron]

3 hours ago, Rooster Sparkle said:

Aaron, does the MDR still feature a tableside cheese cart? And if so, can you include an image of that as well. Thank you!

It will be my personal and professional pleasure to check this out for you, in detail 😂

[CruiseCriticAaron]

12 hours ago, Leejnd4 said:

Would love to see any photos of a Single Guest Room! Also, curious what if any differences there are between the SGR and a Double Guest Room. The photos on their website look identical, but maybe there are some minor differences?

 

And of course, tell us what the new public space is like where the casino used to be. 🙂 

A friend of mine is sailing in a single occupancy oceanview, so I'll return with a full report and pictures!

[CruiseCriticAaron]

12 hours ago, Leejnd4 said:

I just thought of another question! Might seem trivial, but it's important to me: how do they do with organizing a spontaneous group table at dinner?

 

I recall when Crystal first went from fixed dining to open seating, they struggled with the concept of seating a spontaneous group table. Other cruise lines I'd been on that had been doing open seating forever, such as Regent and Oceania, seemed to have this down to a science: if you tell the Maitre'd that you want to sit at a group table, they would seat you at a large table, serve you beverages, and as others arrived and said the same, they would seat them with you until the table was full. If it took longer than 10-15 minutes to fill the table, they would "close it off" and start the dinner service with whomever was there.

 

When I first cruised Crystal many years ago, they had just changed from fixed seat dining to open seating. But they couldn't seem to get the concept of these group tables. When we asked the Maitre'd, he seemed confused by it. One time they seated us at a large table, then never brought anyone else over and started our dinner service immediately. Another time they did bring others over, but continued to bring others over even after our dinner service had started, making the timing of service awkward.

 

On subsequent cruises they did seem to have this worked out, and all went perfectly. But of course this is a new line, and while many crew returned, I don't know about the dining staff and am just curious if this is still working well. 🙂 

Happy to look into this for you. I'm guessing the reduced passenger count overall on Symphony now helps in this request.

[CruiseCriticAaron]

2 hours ago, Cruise-y said:

Aaron - Thanks so much.
1) Which rooms have plugs and USB ports on both sides of the bed now?

2) Can we see a list of included wines like we could in the past? 

3) Has the shade availability by the pool improved? 
 

thanks again

Thanks for your note Cruise-y; I'll do my best to answer your questions once I am onboard!

[Keith1010]

6 hours ago, Rooster Sparkle said:

Aaron, does the MDR still feature a tableside cheese cart? And if so, can you include an image of that as well. Thank you!

They have not had a cheese cart since the changeover from Crystal Dining Room to Waterside.

 

They bring over a cheese menu which changes each evening and it has a writeup for each cheese and you select as many as you want and either the head waiter or senior waiter cuts them and brings over bread/crackers, and other condiments.

 

Keith

[PaulMCO]

6 hours ago, Keith1010 said:

They have not had a cheese cart since the changeover from Crystal Dining Room to Waterside.

 

They bring over a cheese menu which changes each evening and it has a writeup for each cheese and you select as many as you want and either the head waiter or senior waiter cuts them and brings over bread/crackers, and other condiments.

 

Keith

Speaking of cheese -- did they keep Bistro open in the evening with deserts and cheese as was done in the pre Covid OC past.  

[bayonejoe]

1 hour ago, PaulMCO said:

Speaking of cheese -- did they keep Bistro open in the evening with deserts and cheese as was done in the pre Covid OC past.  

Currently on Serenity, and today’s Reflections  states hat the Bistro is open until 6pm .