We have been sailing with Crystal Cruises since 2002 and we found the rollout of new Crystal to be very well executed. There are definitely glitches in certain departments and on the tech side. We have no doubt these things will be ironed out. The change that concerns us most is the introduction of Osteria d’Ovidio at the expense of our beloved Prego.
I agree with gaspari’s comments about the new Italian offering. The food is done very well and the waiters that we met were excellent. The issue we have is that the menu, for the most part, is not to our taste. It is a much more formal atmosphere and menu. Prego had a warm and welcoming atmosphere. The new restaurant is cold and formal by comparison. Prego had a fantastic diverse menu that appealed to a wide range of tastes. There were some outstanding and memorable favourites (carpaccio, mushroom soup, lasagna and vongole). The Prego dishes and atmosphere were so exceptional that it was one of the key factors that kept us looking forward to and coming back to Crystal. I remember a fellow Cruise Critic member once describing Prego as feeling like the best private club (paraphrasing). That description was spot on.
I think many regular Crystal guests consider the ship more than a ship. It is a second or third home. This is why we believe big changes are often not well received. It is often nice to know what to expect and feel this change has completely removed a key component of the Crystal experience. People are passionate about the former Prego and many had favourite go-to dishes that they liked and kept coming back for. It seems that with the new restaurant, management has told us … that’s not what you like … this concept is better and you should like this. I wish they could continue to give the guests what they like. I could accept some changes, but this is a very drastic departure.
We spoke to many long time guests onboard who had similar comments. We did not meet anyone who liked the new restaurant concept. Anecdotally, in years past, we noticed that it was often a lot harder to get a Prego reservation than an Umi Uma reservation. On the inaugural cruise, this trend had totally flipped and it was Umi Uma that was packed and there was no problem getting a table in Osteria d’Ovidio.
Paolo is certainly in a tough spot and I feel for him. He has known many of his customers for over a decade and is handling everything wit a positive attitude and a smile as usual. We did, however overhear more than one group telling him that they were not impressed and that Crystal should simply bring Prego back.
Crystal has done a great job providing a quality product, however it has done so at the expense of a Crystal Cruises staple. If we don’t see the return of Prego, perhaps they will listen to their customers and at least bring back some of the favourites to the new restaurant.
