ryndam

I agree. I do not subscribe to Facebook either. Rhetorical question: why is this not on Crystal's website? That was the first place I searched. (Maybe it will show up there eventually....🤣🤔😆 Rob

Terry, thank you for the cut-and-paste of the benefits. Where did you download the information from? I cannot find this on Crystal's website, nor have I received an email directly from Crystal. Do you mind posting the weblink? Much thanks! Rob

Another design feature of the 2018 version vs. the classic version: the bathroom door in the 2018 version opens directly into the cabin area. In the classic version, the bathroom door is around the corner in a recess. This made a big difference for us when one gets up to use the bathroom in the middle of the night and the light shines into the whole room. Not the case in the classic design. Rob

You are correct. I should have dug a little deeper before posting. This is her bio from the Crystal website. Sorry for creating any type of confusion here. Still sounds like she may have some interesting stories to tell. "Melinda Bates is the first person in history to be a Special Assistant to the President and Director, White House Visitors Office for all eight years of any administration. From her elegant East Wing office she organized events both large (the annual Easter Egg Roll) and small (Presidential birthday parties.) Her day might begin with breakfast with Tom Hanks, a State Visit, lunch with Michael Douglas, tea with the Queen of Sweden or Dr. Ruth, and dinner seated next to the President of the United States. She welcomed many thousands of visitors to the White House, including all the most interesting celebrities, royals, politicians. In the morning the beautiful former Queen of Greece and in the afternoon the Grateful Dead. On the same day. No problem! Thanks to her historic years there Melinda is a leading authority on White House social history and the author of a popular memoir, White House Story."

Slightly off-topic, but FWIW, guest lecturers and entertainers have been populated on pretty much all itineraries through the end of the year on the Crystal website. Just follow Vince's guide for the particular voyage you might be interested in following. (Not his Barcelona cruise specific link above.) I was curious if there were any "star" speakers or entertainers scheduled on the current world cruise. I was surprised to see Melinda Gates as a speaker on the Cape Town-Tema segment next month. https://www.crystalcruises.com/cruises/none-cse-011-240505?menu=ship_overview Rob

Interesting observation. We sailed with an angry/entitled gentlewoman from Adelaide who was with her brow-beaten/obedient husband. She became so infamous by the 2nd or 3rd day of the cruise, they were both shunned and avoided by virtually all other passengers. It was a shame for the husband; he was actually a very nice person. Same couple? No telling! 😆🤣😝

Unless the protocol has recently changed, luggage tags are distributed on the pier by the shoreside porters. The only information that gets written on the tags is your cabin number, in a big, black (or red) marker. Easy peasy. Takes less than 60 seconds (unless you're traveling with an overabundance of luggage!). Rob

Bon Voyage Larry & Monica. Have a safe and stress-free journey! 🚢🛳️ Rob

On a semi-related subject, Seatrade Cruise News reports that HAL has re-routed its 2025 WC to avoid the Red Sea. https://www.seatrade-cruise.com/ship-operations/holland-america-revises-2025-world-cruise-avoid-red-sea

On a semi-related subject, Seatrade Cruise News also reports that HAL has re-routed its 2025 WC to avoid the Red Sea. https://www.seatrade-cruise.com/ship-operations/holland-america-revises-2025-world-cruise-avoid-red-sea

From Seatrade Cruise News: https://www.seatrade-cruise.com/safety-security/crystal-strongly-refutes-any-incident-red-sea-deadhead-transit

Vince, re: cuisine. On our 30+ days onboard this past January, on the sea days that Waterside was serving lunch, every single item that was offered in Waterside was also available in Marketplace, albeit in a self-serve mode, rather than served tableside by a staff member. In addition, there were way more selections and varieties available in Marketplace that were not offered on the served lunch menu in Waterside. Re: ambiance. Casual self-service is a different atmosphere than a more formal restaurant. Rob

Welcome back, Vince. We've been missing your observations! Rob

And the last time we were in Alaska, during the first two weeks in July, the temps barely hit 50-55 deg during the day, with a wind chill in the 30’s when the ship was moving. Just shows the unpredictable temp swings possible in Alaska. Rob

I beg your pardon. I spent considerable time and effort during 30+ days on Serenity in January-February 2024 and consistently posted my observations almost daily on a "live from" thread. My comments were certainly not all rose-colored, 5-star. I recall reading some of your observations that were also posted on that thread. Terry (sn Stickman) also did a very nice "live-from" Serenity on his most recent journey Tahiti-Aukland. I do not duplicate my efforts by repeating comments on the secondary CC "review board". I post my observations live, get home, unpack, start planning our next adventure and then move on. I also complete Crystal's emailed survey, which gives a greater opportunity to address issues directly to Crystal management, without posting potentially controversial comments on a public forum. There are so many available outlets for one to post their impressions, the specific/dedicated "cruise review" section of the CC message boards is probably my least visited forum of any available online cruise sites. Rob