Mahogany

15 hours ago, Cruise-y said:

Somewhere in the "Before you Sail" info, it states that all excursions require a certain amount of cancellation time. I don't remember exactly what it is, but my memory is something like 48 or maybe 24 hours. That's only fair, after all, and very typical. Personally, I'm thrilled that Crystal doesn't make you pay upfront, like many cruise lines.

 

Certain excursions have a longer cancellation time, usually a week but sometimes more. In my experience, those times will always be listed in the excursion descriptions. These are usually the speciality items, like taking an 8-person yacht or renting a private driver, or doing something that is extremely popular and very limited (like touring Alhambra). 

 

You can always call (or email) Onboard Guest Services and ask them. They are very responsive. But I agree, it would be nice to have that info listed in all the excursion descriptions. This is an area where Crystal does need to improve, and I've been complaining about it to them since the restart.

 

Thanks for the suggestion. In Before You Sail:

Majority of shore excursions may be canceled with 48 hours with no fee. *

*Please contact our Onboard Staff for details.

Of course, that doesn't help my reservation that is within 48 hours when I embark and contact Onboard Staff. 🙂

I'm boarding Symphony in a month, and there is no mention of cancellation dates on any of the Greek or Turkish ports we are visiting. And one is 2 days after embarkation. 

As ijkh asked: if there is no mention, does that mean no cancellation fee, or is the bad news waiting in an envelope when you arrive?

Doesn't seem right. Just let me know, so I can choose to keep the reservation or cancel. 

Carpets: I have two from Morocco, once when I was in college with my mother, the other with my husband when we were in Spain for two months to play golf and took the ferry to Tangier.

Watch: I bought a Rolex fake on the streets of Bangkok. When I returned to the ship, someone asked, "is it still working?" Yes, and yes today 13 years later, not the original battery, though.

I think I'll look for ceramics this time. Any problem shipping large items?

My upcoming Crystal cruise includes an overnight in Istanbul and a port stop in Ephesus (which I may skip because of the heat and having visited before). I hadn't planned on purchasing Turkish lira since I read euros are accepted most places.

My question is: do the stalls in the Grand Bazaar accept euros?

12 hours ago, ludditeluddite said:

I agree @calliopecruiser, I have had great service with George's Taxi a couple of times.  Meteora is well worth a visit and great to do from Thessaloniki (maybe for the next trip) So much to see in that area.

 

I am looking into George's Taxi for airport TO hotel, but am I misreading that they DO NOT offer service FROM hotel to airport or ship?

13 hours ago, Whipsnade said:

Totally agree about Beef bar. Micky D’s fries actually better. Standard steak is definitely not prime. Not as good as Outback. Many are entranced by the name and the Monaco heritage. We’ve been there and find it even less appealing than the Crystal version. 

I hope the new Osteria will be a step in the right direction. We will be on board in August and September. 

Any word when new Osteria debuts on Symphony?

On 6/16/2025 at 6:35 PM, kitty9 said:

Emdee, our cruise line of choice is Celebrity.  We’ve been on at least 50 cruises with them, and their newer ships are excellent mobility wise.  The worst line for disabled cruisers is Viking.  When they first started, I tried booking a cruise on their new ship and I was basically told by their reservation specialist that people like me are not really welcome on their ships.  I was told that theirs is a cruise line for physically active people. 
 

Regent cannot legally forbid disabled cruisers from bringing their devices into public rooms.  My right leg is paralyzed and theres no way I can leave my scooter outside.  What, are they going to do, carry me into Compass Rose?  
 

 

IIRC they let you wheel up to the table, then store the scooter outside Compass Rose until after dinner when the staff retrieve it for you.

Only good for 2 years, or upon expiration of passport.

On 6/6/2025 at 2:48 PM, Sleep7 said:

Must give a shout out to Cruise Director Vicki Van Tassel.. just the right lady for the job!! Funny, charming and super friendly.😊

 

Do you know how much longer Vicki will be onboard?

I remember reading about a poster's dissatisfaction with Penthouse C on Splendor or Grandeur. I am considering 704. Was the problem with 700?

14 hours ago, Whipsnade said:

Not sure what your question is?

The last sentence of your post was "Usually assures you of getting seated with his best team." Just asking who his best team is. I want them on my August voyage! Just kidding, I hope the service personnel are all trained equally.

1 hour ago, Whipsnade said:

I pretty much do the same and research where I am going and customs in that country but always keeping in mind Americans are expected to tip more. In most European restaurants i might leave a small tip or in coffee shops small change. 

In USA tipping maitre d’ is pretty much expected if you are a regular and want a good table and you are in a popular top end restaurant. In cruises (we often spend sixty days on board) I find it beneficial to tip maitred’ half in advance and half at the end. Usually assures you of getting seated with his best team. 

 

 

So you expect better than regular service, and your maitre'd tips assure that? Who's the "best team"?

10 hours ago, AveSaloon said:

 

Just my two cents:

 

I am not one that needs to be impressed by the public side of officers.   I want the captain running the ship first, not shmoozing.  Ditto with the chief engineer, the hotel director, F&B and the other "stripes".  If they do it, fine.  But that's not their primary job.

 

On Crystal, the front line staff do more than enough to help and make your cruise wonderful.  The officers won't get you another coffee in the bistro, know your dining preferences, or have your drink ready by the pool.

 

If being around stripes means a lot to you, so be it.  For me, I'd rather have the Crystal staff.

 

 

Whoa! "Being  around stripes means" nothing to me. Is that how my post was interpreted? I only meant to express my opinion about the officers' friendliness; perhaps because we were at sea for 11 of the 19 days, the officers had more free time. And it is definitely not a consideration when I am choosing a cruise. Don't dump on me for complimenting the staff!

There's been a lot of talk about crew on Crystal. I have only been on one OC, but will be on Symphony for 3 weeks this summer, so I am anxious to see if Officers are as visible and approachable as the 2 Silversea I've been on in the past 3 months. Maybe this is off-topic, so it doesn't factor into price/value. But the Silversea Officers are everywhere with a smile and offer to help.

On 4/13/2025 at 1:06 PM, spinnaker2 said:

I have only seen a few pax wash their hands. Most walk by as if it wasn't there. 

 

On the Ray in December, they wouldn't ALLOW us to walk by without washing. But, yes, another reason to block the staircase sneakers. See you Saturday!

Back to the original question. If your itinerary from Greece to Italy includes Turkey, you will need a visa.

3 hours ago, Texas Tillie said:

 

Can you imagine the uproar if a passenger tried to sell their reservation? Does this happen on mass market lines?

Maybe a passenger tried to sell their reservation past the no-refund deadline (2 PM?)

On 4/1/2025 at 11:57 PM, Stickman1990 said:

Are you seriously suggesting Crystal is not luxury 😂😂😂

You misunderstood. Crystal is definitely luxury; I am on a 21-day cruise on Symphony this summer. My comment was, this is a one-time offer for new passengers, not a loyalty match each cruise.

5 hours ago, late2cruisin said:

Thanks. I've never seen that before. Hope they do it again on the next leg.

This has happened on previous SS cruises, usually held in S.A.L.T. Kitchen.

Yes, I know about the offer for first time on Crystal, and I know about loyalty with Celebrity and Royal Caribbean, but I wish to travel only on the luxury, not mass market lines. So, no match.

On 3/30/2025 at 6:49 PM, ak1004 said:

We sailed on 14 different lines. I have no idea why anyone would be loyal to one line. Choice is good. We always book based on itinerary and price. Silversea, Seabourn, Crystal, Explora, Oceania, we would gladly sail on any of those lines given the right parameters.

 

Loyalty is dead. It’s all about choice and the best value for money. Especially considering that today you can do loyalty match on almost any line and enjoy all the perks starting from your first cruise. 

Not sure what you mean by "loyalty match on almost any line". I cruise on Seabourn, Crystal, Regent, and Silversea. No loyalty match between them. Loyalty match would not be on a luxury line, just Premium or lower, no?

On 3/20/2025 at 2:18 PM, billc23 said:

I’ve never participated in the move-up/upgrade bidding program on any cruise line because I book the cabin of my choice from the start. However, I received an offer to upgrade my cabin on the Silver Moon Alaska sailing embarking from Vancouver on May 8th, and I decided to bid on it. I’m sharing the details for those interested.

 

Here are the specifics: On February 24th, I received an emailed offer and put in a bid the same day. The Royal, Grand, and Owner's Suites were offered at the following minimum bids: RS = $2,200, GS = $3,600, OS = $3,800. My booked cabin was a Silver Suite. It’s worth noting that all the pricing was per suite, not per person. I only bid on the Owner’s Suite because I preferred a mid-ship location, and my bid amount was slightly over $4,000. The acceptance letter instructed me to contact my Travel Agent (TA) to complete the payment within 72 hours.

What is the length of your voyage? Mine is 19 days, and minimum for a Silver Suite (I am in Deluxe veranda) was over $4000.

4 hours ago, Texas Tillie said:

 

On sea days the Captain gives his daily update over the loud speaker at noon and trivia starts right after. Players interested in trivia plan their meals accordingly. Have never heard anyone complain. Don't forget, Crystal always has many more outside lecturers than Silversea and there are usually lectures at 10 am, 11 am and 1;30 pm on sea days.

Trivia on other cruise lines often in the 4-5 PM time range.

Anybody with several trips on A&K (me) know if that loyalty means anything to NC?

5 hours ago, MrsWaldo said:

I know this has been asked before but I’m looking at some fresh thoughts 

 

Scenario: 60ish solo traveller who has been with Silversea a number of times. Only done one solo though.  Upcoming 33 day cruise in May. Just short of my 100 days, so won’t tip over with status.  Usually book onboard for my next trip. I only manage one a year as I’m still working.  Feeling let down over a few things, especially status recognition…. Colleague has done 2 Royal cruises in a suite because they travel with their kids and they all now have 100VS status. Reading various social medi places it seems like everyone has all the perks except me who has been loyal to Silversea.

 

Planning next year: i generally look at itinerary and then what they are goi g to slog for solo on top.  Last year on Shadow, the food was good, the tours ok and the service and company fantastic, but it wasn’t a knock my socks off experience.  I like good food and good wine and appreciate its often a step down on a cruise, but last year it wasn’t a patch on the past.  Same old menus, I’d rather pay for a great tour, the select one was excellent, but if I’ve already paid in the cruise fare ….

 

So the last few weeks I’ve been playing with the possibility of jumping ship next year to Crystal.  I’ve done A&K trips before and they were excellent. I believe I am eligible for special pricing as a result and I know the consultant is very good, as opposed to giving me a standard response or not even understanding the question.

 

if you have done both Silversea and Crystal recently, or even just Crystal as a flip over, would you please give me some ideas, feedback etc about the experience. 
 

Thanks  so much 

I have sailed about 7 times on Silversea, including next month. But I am booked on Crystal for 3 weeks in August. I traveled a lot with A&K including Antarctica and asked my TA if my time with them would count toward anything with Crystal. I was told no, so I am curious to hear whether your experience is positive. I am in a Sapphire veranda; I believe Aquamarine is about the size of Silversea suites. But my prior voyage with OC in a double proved to me that I needed more space while onboard.