Shorex

Let's all go with the assumption you are right, totally right, 100% right. But situations change over the decades, and it makes sense to accept the reality of what is, rather than yearn for what was.

Regent or Silversea.

We are working the same issue. First we found this:

https://www.msccruises.com/int/-/media/global-contents/visa-and-documents-pdf/english/winter/document-visa-red-sea.pdf

Note that MSC is the cruise line that published the information. It's not the line we'll be on -- but the Saudi Arabia visa info for US passport holders is correct.

After clicking on the link MSC provided, we noticed the language on that site was not in English. However, just click on the E near the top of the page and voila, English. Then follow the yellow brick road to Services for Visitors, then to Electronic Visa waiver, then to Login of Individual Visitors to Saudi Arabia, then set up an account. Then continue.....eventually it all works.

Also, if problems with the first site, have a look at https://visa.visitsaudi.com/

another site listed by MSC.

Whatever the exact ratio is at any specific moment on any specific cruise, you won't be left wanting of service. And the service will be outstanding, or should we say "exceptional." 😊

No reason to take a passport ashore in Mexico. I never wear nice jewelry ashore -- jewelry and passports stay locked in the stateroom safe. Pickpockets and thieves target tourists and try as I may, I look like a tourist. Over the two decades of cruising, I've heard plenty of stories about tourists (and cruise passengers are tourists) being ripped off - especially the ones wearing expensive jewelry and watches.

Some people always do - others never do (unless required by law), and never the twain shall meet. We are in the "never do" camp, but it's an individual decision.

Everyone on this board should get this trivia question right. It came up on a trivia app for my Ipad.

14 minutes ago, Whipsnade said:

Do you mean to tell me that if someone had not “activated” (whatever that means) all five of their credits and gets a payment small or large from Moecker then their remaining  yet to be “activated” nncoupons will be voided?  
That would immediately totally alienate the very pax they are trying to woo back by the entire EI effort. 
It just ain’t going to happen. No marketing team in the world would permit this. 

No. It would only alienate someone who FAILED to do due diligence and who FAILED to actually READ and UNDERSTAND the terms and conditions.

2 hours ago, Whipsnade said:

Wanna bet?

Sure. The devil is in the details, aka the terms and conditions as specified on the Crystal website. IF someone has only "activated" three of their five EI AND they receive a settlement from Moecker BEFORE activating the remaining two of their five EI from Crystal, they lose the remaining two EI. 

YOU have activated five EI so YOU will not lose those EI not matter what Moecker pays you, but others may not be so locked in.

Keith and others have explained this numerous times. IF your five EI have been activated then whatever you may receive from Moecker becomes irrelevant to your booked Crystal cruises.

3 hours ago, vistaman said:

that is true and i wished I never booked that Explora disaster 

Being on Explora now I wish for a time machine. Had we assurance of a renewed Crystal by this time period, we'd be on Serenity now. I don't like to nitpick a business, it's enough to say they won't have our patronage again.

On the occasion that I recommend a particular cruise line I attempt to tailor the recommendation to the questioner. Some people always recommend the same line without fail. Given your description of preferences, I recommend Viking. No casino, no kids. Here's a youtube video to check out:

All the various cruise have lots of youtube videos. Keep in mind most of them are promotional -- that's just marketing. And every cruise line has its cheer squad.

And I never worry about unsolicited comments. I would just say, "because I choose to, ta ta."

On 9/9/2023 at 5:51 AM, Keith1010 said:

A lot of the counts have to do with the majority of people had cruises booked with other cruise lines. We have some friends who would have booked a cruise for this year but had other cruises and would have lost money to cancel.

Yes, count us among those. We do however, have three confirmed Crystal cruises booked for next year. Actually four considering one is B2B. We waved to the Serenity in Reykjavik the day before we boarded Explora. 🙂

Actually, Moecker does not control or influence Crystal policies in any way. Crystal management set the terms and conditions for distribution of and eligibility for the EI program. Moecker could care less about what Crystal does re the EI program.

Per the Crystal website:

"Will the credits I receive impact my ability to be refunded through the Insolvency process, my insurance, my credit card company or others?

Well, time will tell. However, couple of months ago, our TA explained the process to us exactly as Keith explained above and she had documentation. The debate will be moot soon. Hopefully, very soon.

2 minutes ago, Rooster Sparkle said:

 

No offense, but I asked Aaron.

 

Welcome to Cruise Critic. Perhaps you are unaware that it is common on Cruise Critic for someone who knows an answer to simply provide a correct answer. You may even find that multiple people will respond to the same question. It takes a while to become accustomed to the give and take that makes Cruise Critic so helpful. Happy cruising.

Once upon a time long long ago the directional sign on the promenade deck was reversed each day. Then the sign got secured so that it was always the same direction. I suspect (but do not know) that the change was based on guest comments.

Since "everything" is explained on the world wide web I went sleuthing. And found this rational:

https://www.runnersworld.com/training/a20786308/why-are-track-races-run-counterclockwise/

Blame it all on Rome's Circus Maximus!

16 hours ago, ak1004 said:

 

Absolutely! And we all have to respect other people's choices and preferences. 

 

At the end of the day, most people that I know, consider a ship just a floating hotel that helps them to see the world. Nothing more, nothing less. Except for the inclusions and the cabin size, most people won't probably even see much difference between SS, NC, SB, O, Viking etc.

 

P.S. Not sure what they meant by nickel and diming on Oceania. The only thing not included on Oceania is the alcohol. Even SS charges for 2 out of 8 dining venues while on O all specialty restaurants are free.

Just to clarify a few things about Oceania (why not? others are), we cruised on two segments of the Oceania world cruise. Personal note: I never think of anything on any cruise line to be "free", it's either included in the fare or not. Oceania is OK for us when the itinerary, timing, and fare is acceptable for the value.

We agree that there is no "nickel and  diming" on Oceania. I reserve the term for the cruise lines that sell "gold" by the inch. I think we would agree that the term "all-inclusive" is just a marketing term. "The Finest Cuisine at Sea" is also just a marketing term. Note that the term is a registered trademark by Oceania with the US government.

You and I know different people -- no particular reason we should know the same people. Our friends and acquaintances who cruise do not consider the ship to be merely a floating hotel. They expect more and are willing to pay for more.

In addition to the charge for alcohol, Oceania does charge $18 per day per guest for gratuities, $23 per guest per day for the suites with butler service. Additionally (quoted from the Oceania website) a 20% service gratuity is automatically added to all beverage purchases, spa services and dinner at La Reserve. Naturally, guests may adjust gratuities while on board the vessel at their sole discretion. End quote. In slightly over two decades of cruising we have never reduced the expected gratuity anywhere.

Wifi is included in the Oceania fare with the stipulation that only one device per stateroom can be on-line at a time. A second login can be purchased for $24.99 per day, or $34.98 per day for Wavenet Prime.

Different strokes, different expectations, different analysis of value. In the end we all follow our individual preferences, we all find our own joy in cruising.

23 minutes ago, History&Wine said:

My post was simply a guess as to why pricing is what it is.

 

Crystal remains my line of choice. I am booked on the 2024 world cruise.

Sorry, should have edited out your username from my post. I was speaking generally, not to a specific poster. I hope and expect you will have a WONDERFUL world cruise. 🙂

2 hours ago, Keith1010 said:

Dwight No higher salaries or bonuses. Some came back at less than they were making at other cruise lines. Also surprisingly a fair amount of first time Crystal Cruisers.

 

The key is for more people to hear about Crystal and what the experience is like IMHO. 

 

Keith. 

Keith expresses very well what draws experienced Crystal cruisers to return. Everyone does their own cost/value analysis. The tangibles are simple: X number of dollars for a certain square footage of room, variety and number of restaurants, presence of dance hosts, bridge directors, speakers, et cetera. The intangibles are more intricate to express. Sometimes it takes more than one Crystal cruise to sense the intangibles: the welcoming and warmth of the crew, the camaraderie of the crew, the "personality" of the ship.

We've cruised on Regent, Silversea, Seabourn, Viking, Azamara, Oceania, Paul Gauguin, Windstar, Explora (in several weeks) and a few others when the itinerary was right. Mostly very good experiences, but nothing matched the combination of tangibles and intangibles that Crystal provides.

If Crystal isn't for you, we get it. Go cruise happily elsewhere.

18 minutes ago, seasickgirl said:

Do they still include the beverage package in the fare?

There has not been a "beverage package", if there ever was one, for many years. Alcohol beverages, specialty coffees, etc. are included in the fare. Except for the very high end stuff.

7 minutes ago, Texas Tillie said:

 

I have been on Silversea as recently as Dec., 2022, and I vote with Keith. 

 

Patty

And we have been on Silversea in the past year, and I also concur with Keith.

The dimensions of every stateroom are readily available on the website. We make our cruising decisions based on the whole picture. If parsing the value of a cruise by square footage results in a deal breaker for some, so be it.  To each his own. 

21 minutes ago, TER777 said:

https://thepointsguy.com/reviews/crystal-serenity-cruise-ship/

Great review! Thanks for posting. Can't wait to get back onboard.

Probably. The cruise lines I've been on do not require passport information until much later. However, if your new passport is held up until too late to cruise you will be subject to cancellation penalties. You are dependent upon government efficiency. Good luck.

4 hours ago, Gourmet Gal said:

Hi Keith, just wondering if Crystal still has those annoying photographers and photo sales people.  Hoping that program has been eliminated.

I'm sorry you had that bad experience. Trust me, it was a "one-off." Nothing like that has every occurred on our many Crystal cruises. And IF it had, I'd be speaking with the Hotel Director post haste. And it would be stopped.