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2018 Crystal World Cruise as seen by a 4-Star Mariner


rafinmd
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Glad to hear about the good conditions for your tendering Roy.

 

Good parting shot - certainly worthy of it's own post.

 

Sounds like Crystal dropped the ball a bit, but you certainly made the best of it ;)

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About Niue, before it was ever visited by cruise ships, we flew there, not easy to do. We had to fly from Auckland to Tonga and then on the now defunct Royal Tongan airline to Niue. The island is known by divers because of its clear waters and caves along the shoreline. We rented a car, drove around the entire island, walked all the nature tracks and had arranged for a tour of the inland cave. It was a wonderful experience.

 

The people of tiny Pitcairn get many more cruise ships and have developed a program for these visits. If Niue could rely on the same stream of cruise ships, they would probably do the same.

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Thank you Jacqui, Krazy Kruizers, and Floridiana. I look forward to our visit to Pitcairn Island in the next segment.

 

Day Symphony27, Wednesday, March 14, 2018, Aitutaki, Cook Islands

 

The Crystal Serenity is in Hong Kong, 5616 miles away.

 

As if these posts were not already long enough I’m going to try to add a bit of almanac data. The weather in Aitutaki was partly cloudy, 83F/28C and humid. Sunrise was 6:41, sunset 6:54. The moon rose at 4:19AM and set at 5:24 PM. Normally when the moon rises in the morning and sets in the evening it’s getting close to new moon. I got probably my last morning view of the moon in the current cycle. Soon it will be out in the evening although I rarely think to go out on deck then. It will probably be close to full moon when I see it in the morning again.

 

http://morethangetaways.files.wordpress.com/2018/03/moon0314.jpg

 

With a 7AM arrival I walked just 1 ½ miles and walked early, before the tenders were deployed. Tenders went out just about 7 but actual tendering did not start until after 8:30. There is only a narrow channel into the harbor and I suspect the crew was taking a close look at the passage before doing it with guests onboard. This is a rare port of call for larger cruise ships. Through 2019 the Symphony is the largest ship calling here; other than a call by the MS Albatross (A former Royal Viking ship and the same passenger count as Symphony but physically smaller) the only other ships calling there are Paul Gauguin and Seabourn. The MSC Magnifica will call in 2020, 2518 passengers. I do NOT think I would enjoy calling here on that ship.

 

http://morethangetaways.files.wordpress.com/2018/03/way-in.jpg

 

There was a delay in getting my 8:30 tour away as in the morning the tenders were only going through the 1 1/4 mile channel 1 at a time. I think by afternoon they were familiar enough with the route to know where to pass each other but not initially. On the way in we came quite close to the hulk of an old shipwreck.

 

http://morethangetaways.files.wordpress.com/2018/03/shipwreck.jpg

 

The tour itself was a jeep tour of the island using 3 Land Rover Defender vehicles with a number of stops.

 

http://morethangetaways.files.wordpress.com/2018/03/our-rides.jpg

 

At Marrae te Poaki O Rae we saw an altar composed of several large rocks. Our guide told us a bit about island traditions and exhibited a number of tattoos which were part of the traditional coming of age process.

 

http://morethangetaways.files.wordpress.com/2018/03/thealtar.jpg

 

Continuing around the south end of th island we stopped at a home where carvings were for sale, a HUGE banyan tree, and the school which had buildings for all levels from primary to college and also served as a rest stop.

 

http://morethangetaways.files.wordpress.com/2018/03/school.jpg

 

We then went to the north end of the island, stopping first at an overlook where we had sweeping views of the Symphony and could easily see the distinct demarcation line between the end of the reef and the open sea.

 

http://morethangetaways.files.wordpress.com/2018/03/reefs.jpg

 

At this point we went on the most basic of the trails on the tour, eventually coming out at a Marine Research Station where we viewed a HUGE coconut crab, so named because it’s pincers are capable of opening a coconut.

 

http://morethangetaways.files.wordpress.com/2018/03/thetrail.jpg

 

We also stopped at the airport. Built by the US Army during World War 2, displays around the terminal indicated that the first stage of the work had been to improve the harbor to the point where equipment can be brought ashore. Even after the improvements, the narrow channel is only 6 feet deep. The site has been used for much longer than that; before the airport for a number of years flying boats had stopped for refueling in the adjacent lagoon. The runway is about a mile long, and serves about 5-8 flights per day to Rarotonga on ATR (48-70 passenger prop-jet) aircraft.

 

http://morethangetaways.files.wordpress.com/2018/03/airfield.jpg

 

Our final stop was at O’otu point with beautiful beaches where one could walk far out in clear blue waters of the Blue Lagoon.

 

http://morethangetaways.files.wordpress.com/2018/03/bluelagoon.jpg

 

We returned to Aitutaki’s chief town, Arutanga about 12:30. A tender was waiting and with the slow process we had experienced in the morning I decided to get back while able to do so easily. Most island supplies come by twice monthly deliveries by sea. Our narrow channel is the only way in. A barge was sitting at the dock, I don’t know if that’s an empty and barges make the 140 mile passage from Rarotonga or if a small container ship drifts outside the channel like we did and the barge shuttles containers in from the ship.

 

http://morethangetaways.files.wordpress.com/2018/03/supplybarge.jpg

 

I felt like Chef Jon cheated on the cookie of the day. It was “Brownie Bars with Ganache and Hazelnut”. I don’t consider that a cookie at all. I just took a taste and it seemed like a pretty ordinary brownie.

 

http://morethangetaways.files.wordpress.com/2018/03/cookie10.jpg

 

The last tender was 5:30 and Louie sang as the crew disembarked onto the promenade deck at 5:45. There were just 3 of us at the shared table. I decided on the beef consume, (½) ribeye, and the pistachio soft serve.

 

http://morethangetaways.files.wordpress.com/2018/03/dishes0314.jpg

 

The featured entertainment was a World Special Event. There had been an earlier cocktail party in the Silk Lounge just for full world cruisers and we were given leis. I had just decided I wouldn’t need the lei any more and disposed of it when the notice of this event came, and said “Don’t forget your leis”.

 

http://morethangetaways.files.wordpress.com/2018/03/southpacific.jpg

 

This event was the featured entertainment for the whole ship, not just for the full world cruisers. Without my lei, I wore the necklace I had been given at the shoreside event in Honolulu. As we were gathering entertainers were circulating around the lounge giving basic leis to those who did not have them. Jonathan Hawkins was working with my section and when he saw me noted that “You came prepared”. I think he was quite impressed when I told him the origin of my adornment.

 

There was no photography during the show but I took one beforehand of the set. The extravaganza featured most of the entertainers on the ship:

Crystal Ensemble of Singers and Dancers

Crystal Show Band including a gathering opening by Vocalist Melissa Maugran and Guitarist Conrad Abbott in addition to their full participation in the show.

Latin Dance Team

World Cruise Hostess Sarah Hayes

Jonathan Hawkins

--------and-------

Singer/Dancer Shane Morley.

It was truly a fabulous show and a work of love. Not performing but holding down the fort for the rest of the ship were The Double Malt Duo (Palm Court), Crystal Quarter (Starlite Club), Richard Caesar (Avenue Saloon), and Scott Mitchell and Tanya Tingarova in the Crystal Cove. Truly a fabulous evening of superb entertainment.

 

http://morethangetaways.files.wordpress.com/2018/03/southpacificset.jpg

 

My parting shot will be a look forward. I look at our next segment with a bit of trepidation. It will be a great itinerary but a challenging one, with a loss of 7 hours over just 19 days and largely packed into the middle of the period. Adding to the challenge will be a change in schedule with the restaurants opening at 6:30 instead of 6 due to a low passenger count. It will be either a very tiring period or a chance to experiment with some unusual dining ideas. Time will tell.

 

Roy

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Not impressed with Crystal's cookies.

 

I'm going to disagree with you a bit there. I think "Crystal's cookies" are fine, but sometimes I get the feeling that celebrity chefs are out more to be different than to be better. The ice cream bar has cookies as well and while at lunch yesterday I asked the chef for "one of each". In the photo, the Cookie of the day

 

(Spiced Maple Sandwich" is top left, beside the macadamia nut and above the chocolate and oatmeal raisin. The 3 ship's cookies are pictured in my order of preference and today I valued the day's cookie at somewhere between the chocolate and oatmeal raisin, I think my best rating yet for a cookie of the day.

 

I don't know if that bottom left cookie is what you're thinking of as a dark chocolate cookie but it seems to have quite a bit of dark chocolate inside it.

 

cookie11.jpg

Roy

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About Niue, before it was ever visited by cruise ships, we flew there, not easy to do. We had to fly from Auckland to Tonga and then on the now defunct Royal Tongan airline to Niue. The island is known by divers because of its clear waters and caves along the shoreline. We rented a car, drove around the entire island, walked all the nature tracks and had arranged for a tour of the inland cave. It was a wonderful experience.

 

The people of tiny Pitcairn get many more cruise ships and have developed a program for these visits. If Niue could rely on the same stream of cruise ships, they would probably do the same.

 

I'm intrigued. What was the attraction to you to fly so far to visit Niue? I have stayed at lots of islands en route across the South Pacific, but Niue was never on my wish list. However, I'd love to visit by ship.

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Day Symphony28, Thursday, March 15, 2018, At Sea, Crystal Symphony, Black Tie Optional

 

Sunrise is 6:30, Sunset 6:32. The moon rose at 4:58 and set at 5:52. There was rain much of the day with temperatures mostly 72/22 but rising to 80/27 in the afternoon period when the sun came out briefly.

 

A Crystal program where I have not seen anything similar on other cruise lines is called “Ocean Views”. It a panel of lecturers, in this case the two press people, Dan Raviv and Richard Roth plus General Denaro with an audience participation component.

 

http://morethangetaways.files.wordpress.com/2018/03/panel.jpg

 

In the program each audience is given a remote device and a series of questions is posed with multiple choice answers. The audience gives their opinions, then the panel offers their viewpoints, and finally the audience is re-polled, comparing their responses with the ones we had before the panel opinions. The first question was on the prospects of progress in relations with North Korea.

 

http://morethangetaways.files.wordpress.com/2018/03/views.jpg

 

The remaining questions were on blame for Middle East tensions (with Canada thrown into the mix presumably to lighten any tension), threats to the planet, responses to Russian meddling, and Brexit. I usually found myself agreeing with General Denaro.

 

http://morethangetaways.files.wordpress.com/2018/03/questionss.jpg

 

I missed Captain Larsen’s final midday update of the segment as Ocean views ran past noon. By then the Grand Gala buffet was in full swing although I did not partake this time and got my usual from the Trident Grill.

 

http://morethangetaways.files.wordpress.com/2018/03/galabuffet.jpg

 

A few of the trivia questions::

 

1. What country consumes the most wine per capita?

4. What is the world’s largest landlocked country?

8. The Bayreuth music festival features what music specialty?

11. What Country of 9.6 million kilometers has only 1 time zone?

12. Who painted “Number 5-1948"?

 

Despite my dream world real life does go on and took up a good part of my afternoon. Most of my mail goes to a UPS store and they are very good about holding it for my return. There are some things, especially Maryland Government mailings that must go to my physical house. USPS will only hold mail for 30 days so for the first 3 months I have been forwarding mail to the UPS Store. I cancelled the forwarding order starting April 1 and will have the post office hold my mail for the final month. I also discovered that neither Turbo Tax nor the IRS directly will allow me to file a tax extension electronically. I had to sign up for another 3rd party tax program to do the extension.

 

Trivia answers:

1. Italy consumes the most wine per capita. (Got it)

4. Kazakhstan is the largest landlocked country, followed by Mongolia.(Got it)

8. Bayreuth music festival is for the music of Richard Wagner.(Missed it)

11. China has just 1 time zone.(Got it)

12. Jackson Pollock painted “Number 5-1948" (Not a clue)

 

Overall I got 5 right including half the musical selection, “Walkin My Baby Back Home” where I did not remember the artist was Nat King Cole. 3 teams tied for the win at 10 out of 16 right and all got prizes.

 

My parting shot will be photographic. On this segment I did buy some of the ship’s photos, including the digital versions. The first is from the Captain’s welcome party:

 

http://morethangetaways.files.wordpress.com/2018/03/withlarsen.jpg

 

Next is the Cocktail Party in the Captain’s quarters. It was not a Black Tie Optional night but I sail many lines and while Crystal is the most elegant it is not as formal as Cunard. For the World Cruise I am trying to maintain a look that on the average would be acceptable there. The white bow tie is because it was also the night of the White Party.

 

http://morethangetaways.files.wordpress.com/2018/03/capnqtr.jpg

 

Finally, we had a photographer along with us at the Nature hike on Rarotonga.

 

http://morethangetaways.files.wordpress.com/2018/03/rarotongahike.jpg

 

Roy

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I continue to look forward to your reports. "Walking My Baby Back Home" is a blast from the past. I'd forgotten Nat King Cole's version, although I can hear it clearly now in my head. Versions by Jo Stafford and Johnny Ray (The Prince of Wails) came to mind first.

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I'm going to disagree with you a bit there. I think "Crystal's cookies" are fine, but sometimes I get the feeling that celebrity chefs are out more to be different than to be better. The ice cream bar has cookies as well and while at lunch yesterday I asked the chef for "one of each". In the photo, the Cookie of the day

 

(Spiced Maple Sandwich" is top left, beside the macadamia nut and above the chocolate and oatmeal raisin. The 3 ship's cookies are pictured in my order of preference and today I valued the day's cookie at somewhere between the chocolate and oatmeal raisin, I think my best rating yet for a cookie of the day.

 

I don't know if that bottom left cookie is what you're thinking of as a dark chocolate cookie but it seems to have quite a bit of dark chocolate inside it.

 

cookie11.jpg

Roy

 

 

That's okay -- we are allowed our own opinions of the cookies.

That bottom left cookie does look good -- I make dark chocolate cookies with dark chocolate morsels. Usually two times a year I make double chocolate bourbon balls (similar to a cookie) -- made with dark chocolate wafers, dark chocolate morels and 100% Wild Turkey with a couple of other ingredients.

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:DNice to see the photos of you looking so dapper, Roy! Agree about Cunard and the level of dress, everyone looks very good.

 

Sorry to see the real world of taxes intrude! Just working on mine and trying to figure outhow I can do Asia next year with tax time, lol.

 

So go have another cookie for me :')

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I'm intrigued. What was the attraction to you to fly so far to visit Niue? I have stayed at lots of islands en route across the South Pacific, but Niue was never on my wish list. However, I'd love to visit by ship.

 

The allure of rarely visited places. Check out the Aranui 5 voyage for January and March 2019. But we shouldn't interrupt the flow of the present voyage on the MS Amsterdam ...

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12th Cookie of the Day

 

The first dozen was rounded out with my favorite so far, Triple Ginger".

 

cookie12.jpg:

 

Krazy Kruisers, I think the cookies are a little bit smaller than HAL's but very close.

 

Timing seems to be everything. For our day in Bora Bora one poster declared the day excellent and another called it a disappointment. I thought it was pretty good but the good was a little too short. I won't repeat my post from the Crystal forum today, but here it is:

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=55582541&postcount=593

 

Roy

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Great reports Roy.

 

The ginger cookies sound delicious.

 

Re the size of the cookies on HAL, on the Maasdam the cookies in the Neptune Lounge were smaller than previously, but in the Lido they were a larger size.

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Thank you Krazy Kruizers and erewhon. My post for the day in Moorea is here:

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=55589155&postcount=602

 

The St. Patricks Day Cookie of the day was "Irish Shortbread With Baileys Icing”. OK, but after a taste I took another oatmeal raisin.

cookie13.jpg

The Ft. Lauderdale sailawas are 10AM my time. If they're nearly on time I'll hang around for them before heading out.

 

Roy

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Roy, I haven't been here in a while. Actually, longer than I realized, but I'm finally caught up. As a diver, I would absolutely love to get to some of those islands you have just visited! I know exactly where I'd be on those islands - under the water! Hopefully, I'll get there some day. Preferably while I'm still young enough and healthy enough to dive. :D

 

I am really enjoying following you along on your journey. Thank you for taking the time to share it with us!

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Thank you Krazy Kruizers, Nancy, and Jacqui.

 

The first cookie of the day of the new segment was a Lemon Raspberry mini. They were small enough I took 2 and good but not as good as I was expecting. On the morning show Chef Jon announced that today's cookie would be oatmeal cranberry. I'm hopeful for that one.

cookie14.jpg

 

I was reminded today that one of HAL's real strengths is turning rooms around quickly. While leaving the ship at 2:40 I noticed that there were still people with their carryons in the lounge waiting for their rooms to be ready. Don't be too hard on Crystal, HAL is pretty much unique there. I even waited on HAL's closest partner, Seabourn.

 

Here's my post on the Crystal forum:

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=55597845&postcount=610

 

Roy

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