Texas Tillie

I'm on the May 16 Nova Alaska southbound. I've done the coach with other cruise lines twice. Have been on the Alaska Railroad before but not on the Anchorage to Seward route. My travel agent asked if I wanted to pay extra for the train and I said no. Part of the time the train tracks and the road are parallel to each other. I couldn't see doing the train for extra money as I don't think the scenery is all that different. Just my opinion.

The important take away from your post was that it took you 75 minutes to get from the port to IAH early SUNDAY morning. Everyone considering flight times from IAH on week days, don't book a too early flight.

This is what's listed on the Crystal website https://crystalcruises.com/cruises/none-csy-014-241014?menu=land_experiences&ldm=pre-post-hotels I liked the Hotel 1898, but that was 13 years ago, so have no idea what it's like these days. Patty

Thanks, Keith, for the explanation about the OBC for "lesser" milestones vs a cash incentive for "significant" milestones. I was almost positive my memory was correct about the significant milestones. I'm 99.44% sure I didn't use the $300 on #45, but agree that new Crystal has no way of knowing that. I'll let my travel agent know tomorrow to just "let it be"!! Patty

The last day of summer, 2024, is September 21. 😄 Patty

Just checked my old Crystal catalogs. The 2016-2017 Worldwide Atlas (name on cover) was the last one I have that includes the Crystal Society awards. It lists the 50th award as a free cruise up to 12 days. So, the change to $5,000 applied to a cruise as that reward happened sometime after the 2016-2017 Atlas was published. I still think another change they made was that rewards could not be used until after earned, not simultaneously to being earned.

I am not 100% sure, but have a memory at in the old, old Crystal you could claim an award on the cruise where you earned it, but sometime before the old Crystal went kaput, you couldn't claim it until after you earned it. I think it happened when they changed the program from giving free cruises to giving discounts (like the $5000 for the 50th). I'm not going to be all that disappointed for losing out on $300.

I can say that the left hand doesn't know what the right had is doing with respect to the Crystal Society Program. I'm trying to get a $300 on board credit and my travel agent will be going into week 3 of getting an answer on it. All agree that I had 45 cruises with the old Crystal, the 45th being the LAST Symphony cruise with old Crystal. After 45 you are entitled to a $300 on board credit. I now have done 3 cruises with new Crystal, actually just 2 cruises, but one was 16 days, so it counts as 2. After my B2B in July, I will have done 50. Wonder what it will take to get the $5,000 off the next cruise I book after then?? Patty

Not sure how this should affect anyone sailing out of Galveston. There were just a few flights a day between IAH and DAL (Love Field). There are 10 plus flights every day between DAL and HOU (Hobby) which is a much better airport to use for Galveston cruises. This is at least the second time that Southwest has pulled out of IAH.

Please read TER777's post. She is a dancer and is out on the floor almost always when the band is playing and the Ambassador Hosts are available for the ladies to partner on the dance floor. Patty

No, you can not reserve a table, in the strictest definition, but I was just on the Serenity in Jan - Feb, with an almost full ship, and we had the same table set up for 9 every evening after our group "leader" spoke with Leo the first day. The table was basically ours as we showed up at 7:30 every evening we were there and not at a specialty. Leo was also reminded before the nights we were going to the specialties so that the waiters did not need to set up "our" table. It certainly wouldn't hurt to speak with the maitre'd the first day and ask if this is possible. Patty

Aren't there still larger round tables in the center section of Waterside? I am aware of an oval table for 12 that was set up for the first night of your current cruise.

Then, why when my travel agent inquired yesterday with Crystal, was she told I have done 48 cruises? That was 45 with old Crystal and 3 with new Crystal. The 3 is one 10 day cruise and one 16 day cruise, therefor credit for 2 cruises. Patty

I have friends who sail both Silversea and Crystal - the Silver Suite on Silversea and a Sapphire Suite on Crystal. The Junior Crystal Penthouse (new suites built after Manfredi bought the ships) are considered a step up.

I can't open them either and am not computer savvy enough to know if it's me or Larry! 🤪 Patty