Have you been on Crystal Cruises?
Jan 12th, 2008, 01:10 PM
#2
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offlady - sorry I haven't used them although I hear they are very good. Wanted to point you towards www.cruisecritic.com which has a specific forum for that line as well as other cruise lines.
Jan 14th, 2008, 03:23 PM
#4
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Crystal gets excellent reviews and has a loyal following.
Keep in mind a couple of things that may (or may not) affect your decision:
Crystal has set dining hours, not open dining, same time and tablemates. Some seem to like this but we prefer to eat when, where and with whom we want so this is a future deal breaker for us.
Crystal is NOT all inclusive as for liquor and tips.
Standard Cabins are smaller.
I'm not sure if it's considered one of the luxury lines such as Regent, Silversea, Seabourn if this is what you're looking for. The enrichment lecturers are excellent.
I'd read cruisecritic.com and you'll get some opinions and comparisons.
Keep in mind a couple of things that may (or may not) affect your decision:
Crystal has set dining hours, not open dining, same time and tablemates. Some seem to like this but we prefer to eat when, where and with whom we want so this is a future deal breaker for us.
Crystal is NOT all inclusive as for liquor and tips.
Standard Cabins are smaller.
I'm not sure if it's considered one of the luxury lines such as Regent, Silversea, Seabourn if this is what you're looking for. The enrichment lecturers are excellent.
I'd read cruisecritic.com and you'll get some opinions and comparisons.
Jan 14th, 2008, 09:52 PM
#5
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Thanks Patsy. I had heard from someone we met on another cruise that the enrichment classes on Crystal were very good, and that there was a computer lab where each person had a computer station, lower passenger count, and that the staterooms were sizes of mini suites. Are the Crystal standard cabins are larger than the typical standard cabin on other ships?
We just went on NCL which has freestyle dining which we liked a lot better. We made friends with another couple we met on board and dined together a few times which we enjoyed. The freestyle is less stressful because you can dine whenever and whereever you want.
We just went on NCL which has freestyle dining which we liked a lot better. We made friends with another couple we met on board and dined together a few times which we enjoyed. The freestyle is less stressful because you can dine whenever and whereever you want.
Jan 15th, 2008, 06:28 AM
#6
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offlady,
For what you're looking for I would take a look at Regent. The Voyager is my favorite of their ships with the standard, least expensive cabins being 301 sq. ft. plus the balcony 50 sq. ft.(all cabins have a balcony, walk in closet, separate shower and separate tub). There are also 4 restaurants to choose from each night at no extra charge plus 24 hour room service. Any of the Regent ships will likely satisfy your needs and it is all inclusive (including liquor and tips) as well. The Mariner is also a wonderful ship, very similar to the Voyager. They both hold a maximum of 700 passengers which is wonderful. The Navigator is a bit smaller but all rooms have a balcony there too, just not as many dining options. I think they hold under 500 passengers. The dining on Regent is also open seating. The casino and gym on Regent ships is smaller than on Crystal, but still more than adequate. Comparing Regent with NCL is like comparing apples to oranges. If you should decide to go with a luxury line, I'd choose a TA who specializes in luxury cruises, not mass marketed lines as they are a specialty.
Happy cruising whatever you decide.
For what you're looking for I would take a look at Regent. The Voyager is my favorite of their ships with the standard, least expensive cabins being 301 sq. ft. plus the balcony 50 sq. ft.(all cabins have a balcony, walk in closet, separate shower and separate tub). There are also 4 restaurants to choose from each night at no extra charge plus 24 hour room service. Any of the Regent ships will likely satisfy your needs and it is all inclusive (including liquor and tips) as well. The Mariner is also a wonderful ship, very similar to the Voyager. They both hold a maximum of 700 passengers which is wonderful. The Navigator is a bit smaller but all rooms have a balcony there too, just not as many dining options. I think they hold under 500 passengers. The dining on Regent is also open seating. The casino and gym on Regent ships is smaller than on Crystal, but still more than adequate. Comparing Regent with NCL is like comparing apples to oranges. If you should decide to go with a luxury line, I'd choose a TA who specializes in luxury cruises, not mass marketed lines as they are a specialty.
Happy cruising whatever you decide.
Jan 15th, 2008, 07:03 AM
#7
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We did a Crystal cruise - Mediterranean. Absolutely an unbelieveable experience - in a good way. We had a balcony, and the room was very spacious, the service was the best I've ever seen, and the food was also great. All the things mentioned before (speakers, etc) were excellent, and their tours were also great. Yes, I would definitely sail them again - IN A HEARTBEAT!!!!!
