travelberlin

Oh yes, I think checks were going also to Canada and Mexico. But for the rest of the world are supposed to be wire teansfers.

Nothing for those outside the USA yet 😔

Has anybody been in Istanbul in the last year and can recommend a hotel in Sultanahmet? Not as expensive as the Four Seasons, but nice, safe, good rooms, friendly staff and good breakfast?

The “when in Rome rule” is good but the ships are international. International crew, international passengers unless you are sailing out of USA ports and ships and company register somewhere out of USA. Actually I think that on the ships sailing in Europe, South America, TAs, etc, passengers do not have to behave as if they were in USA. I oppose bribing and many people do not tip but bribe and are OK with that 🤔?

Can you please tell us your experience at the Sirkecki Mansion? The reviews on trip advisor are mixed.

Sorry but because of your answer I seriously doubt you got what I am saying. But it is good so.

I have stayed on one of those rooms and I like them. I find the location good, very convenient to the MDR and Mosaic. I have not heard noises from the venues. However, in my last cruise with the Onward, I had to change twice my cabin. One time because a constant and annoying sound like a rattling. Another time because of a smell of smoke that came through the air conditioning. I guess those were specific problems of the Onward. I would book again an OVC on the 4th floor if the price difference with the balcony cabin is too large. I would not book again those OV cabins on the 6 floor. Ivi

Oh please don’t be sad… Lunch is the main meal for a large number of Europeans specially after retirement. Even when we were still working, business meetings took place over lunch. Restaurants offer fixed menus at lunch time that even include wine for example in Spain and Italy. While I was growing up, the main meal in my family was at lunch time. This was also the time in which the family would seat together to talk and exchange information. Dinner was just something small and every one would just grab something small for dinner. Pasta and foods high in carbs were eaten at lunch time, not at dinner. I have kept this tradition. In Germany, the main meal is also lunch. Germans eat for dinner the so called “Abendbrot” (usually dark bread with smoked hams, cheese and some raw vegetables). Now as times change and we get older, this meals at dinner times are being earlier because of health reasons (gastritis and company). Since we spend several months per year on cruise ships, and this is not just a one week vacation, we tend not to change too much our dining habits. The SAD thing for us is that the Waterside is now closed at lunch time in port days. Closing the main restaurant in port days in cruise ships with US customers is not new. As far as I can remember the MDR in Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises and Azamara ships have been closed at lunch time in port days. But there are others like Mein Schiff and MSC, who open the main restaurants and the specialty restaurants even on those days. I think it is important to say when we do not like a new development at Crystal specially when we hear and read that “Crystal is back and is better than ever”. The closing of Waterside on port days is imho a pity. I am expressing my opinion and I know other people think the same. Others are fine with it? That’s also OK, no need to argue about it. We have always found something that worked out for us on cruise ships in terms of meals. I am sure it will not be different on the Serenity and the Symphony in our next cruises. Ivi

Interesting. I do not think that I would try to compensate the food of the ship with those caribbean offerings. I am quite price conscious and if I am paying high perdiems for included food in a “luxury “ cruise line, I would expect the food on the ship, to be enough and not to try to find a caribbean local restaurant or resort just to have my food needs satisfied. Having said that, I have enjoyed wonderful food on local ports when cruising with Royal Caribbean or MSC (not on the Yacht Club). For example a very nice seafood grill plate in Buzios, or a Moqueca de Camaraoes (something like a shrimp in cononut sauce) in Salvador Bahia (the restaurant is called Maria Matamoros). But the perdiems on those companies are low and we expect and calculate that we will spend additional money in order to have better food during our cruise. At the moment I am not expecting that the food on the Serenity or Symphony would be bad. On the contrary I am expecting it to be as good as always. So, I think I will find what I consider good food onboard both ships. Ivi

Texas Tillie, please do not destroy my hope 😂😂😂. Now seriously, thanks for your post. It puts things in perspective. By the way, isn’t fish always frozen on cruise ships? I have only had fresh fish on port of calls in the Royal Clipper and I remember the cook himself went to the market to buy the fish. Ivi

Thanks Keith, it sounds good. Grilled fish and sweet potato fries and salad sound definitely like an option to me for lunch. Ivi

Thanks Tripacian! It sounds very good. I am glad you have enjoyed your cruise. I am very much looking forward to my cruises with the Serenity and the Symphony. Not so many cruise days like you but still a good number of days. Ivi

I am afraid I do not remember that one. What type of food do they serve? Where are they located? The name sounds good. Maybe grilled fish, grilled steak, grilled shrimps? A nice lunch would be for me for example a grilled salmon or trout with a salad, a lady rib eye steak with a salad, a beef tagliata with rucola and parmesan salad or a salad nicoise but with fresh tuna. 😋 Ivi

In the Caribbean? Can you recommend something?

In Europe is a possibility … in the Caribbean is not. This particular itinerary is in the Caribbean. Besides that, when the food in the ship is good we have not had the necessity to go eat at the port of calls. We have done it in cruise lines like Royal Caribbean where we really had to search for good food outside the ship. Ivi

Thank you por posting the menu of tastes for lunch. I guess one day the salmon and another day the chicken salad. Pizza Margarita ( is this fresh made pizza)? Spaghetti bolognese? Quesadillas? Canned tuna salad? No thanks. I wonder what am I going to eat the other port days at lunch time 🧐. My itinerary has 8 port days. Since food is subjective, I know some would love the menu at Tastes for lunch. And yes …I know there is the buffet restaurant and the Bistro as part of the luxury experience 😃. Ivi

I am glad to read about your positive experience at Tastes. From all restaurants onboard is the one I am most curious about because I will probably will eat there on port days at lunch time. Have you been there also for lunch? Can you tell us about your experience at lunch time? Ivi

I agree with you Keith. I also like to taste my food without sauces. In Germany, many traditional dishes have lots of sauce. I always request the sauce on the side. I like it when there is a small, decent sauce on the plate. I am attaching a picture of a dish, which I think was fine with a decent sauce, on one of my favorite restaurants in Berlin: Short rib from Wagyu, with a maracuya and smoked almond sauce.

On the menú of the Osteria, I see some suggested wines. I understand that if we order the suggestions we will be charged US 68 pp. this seems to be the pairing for the tasting menú. Does anybody have a wine list of the included wines please? Ivi

Thank you. Actually I do not like food that is drunken in sauces. But I could order the tortellini as a small portion as starter and request the sauce on the side. Ivi

Thank you for the photos. I really love Italian food and Italy is one of my favorite places to travel. Looking at the photos unfortunately I am not very motivated to eat at the Osteria. The only think I like from what I have seen in the photos posted, was the olive oil. However I will give it a try. Ivi

I also enjoy seeing their smiles and it warms my heart because I know they are not identifying me with the dollar symbol. People are not only friendly and smiling because they have received a tip.

It sounds like you had a very nice time. I am very glad you enjoyed your return to Crystal. Thanks for sharing your experience and have a safe trip home. Ivi

Thanks Paul MCO and Keith for clarifying about the excursions. It is good to know what to expect and not to go with too high expectations then. If the excursions are conducted the way old Crystal did, that will be fine for me. In all the excursions I have taken with them, I do not remember having had a bad experience. Ivi

I have booked some excursions for my next cruise. There were not a lot of options, and a couple of them I have done before with other cruise line, but I have decided to book the excursions anyhow. Looking forward to experience A&K organized excursions. Ivi