Have you been on Crystal and/or Celebrity?

[ClaudiaF]

I have never found Crystal "stuffy"..it is very elegant.

...and we are going next week.. only thing I absolutely dislike is the assigned seating..

although I understand that is changing ( hopefully by next week) and they do have wonderful other venues for dining, with reservations. Crystal has a formal night or 2 depending on the length of the cruise, same with Celebrity..another ship that is fun, too large, but depending on itiny can work.. I love to dress up ..not talking gowns and tuxes, although once in awhile that is fun too..but ..and as much as I love O and their country club cas... I find that many interpret that to be slouchy clothes..meaning "whatever I want to wear whenever I want, as long as I don't do jeans at dinner".. aloha shirts whenever.. and if you like that okay..many do side with me that dining at seas should be dress appropriate..I hear the groans already from some.......

but whatever.. I love the formal nights and do that on O even though they don't have it..

[ClaudiaF]

One example of relaxing their dress code is that nice jeans are now allowed on smart casual night. Not that I wore them but I saw many that did, along with tennis shoes and crocs which neither too me are much in the way of smart casual. I don't mind putting on a coat and tie a couple of times in a trip. On the other hand I don't mind not wearing them either.

 

 

I liked Celebrity quite well. For me itineraries and ship size are what gives O the edge.

 

 

Don't you just love that a ship has to remind their guests

 

of this:D

 

Gentlemen: Pants (no holes, rips or tears) with sports shirt or sweater. Shirts must have sleeves.

Ladies: Skirt or pants (no holes, rips or tears) complemented by sweater or blouse.

[Oceans&Rivers]

I have never found Crystal "stuffy"..it is very elegant.

...and we are going next week.. only thing I absolutely dislike is the assigned seating..

although I understand that is changing ( hopefully by next week) and they do have wonderful other venues for dining, with reservations. Crystal has a formal night or 2 depending on the length of the cruise, same with Celebrity..another ship that is fun, too large, but depending on itiny can work.. I love to dress up ..not talking gowns and tuxes, although once in awhile that is fun too..but ..and as much as I love O and their country club cas... I find that many interpret that to be slouchy clothes..meaning "whatever I want to wear whenever I want, as long as I don't do jeans at dinner".. aloha shirts whenever.. and if you like that okay..many do side with me that dining at seas should be dress appropriate..I hear the groans already from some.......

but whatever.. I love the formal nights and do that on O even though they don't have it..

 

I find the formal nights on Crystal the most disappointing evenings of all, because there are no public dining options at all (not even the Lido) for anyone who does not wish to dress formally, and there are events one cannot enjoy due to all the smoking in the lounges that have the most "atmosphere". We are not terribly fond of oft-repeated production shows, even though the Galaxy show lounge, like all ship lounges even on smoky ships, is smoke free.

 

If people cannot enjoy The Avenue Saloon (where the pianist plays) on Crystal due to all the smoke permitted there, how elegant (or fair) is that?

 

If people cannot enjoy the Crystal Cove (where the other pianist plays) on Crystal due to all the smoke permitted there, how elegant (or fair) is that?

 

If people cannot enjoy Luxe or Pulse (where Karaoke is held) on Crystal due to all the smoke permitted there, how elegant (or fair) is that?

 

If you enjoy dressing fancy, then you might consider the Dec. 12th sailing, which has THREE formal nights in only ten days, which is pushing the limit, even for Crystal. :)

[wripro]

Give Crystal a couple more years. They are slower than other luxury lines to react to current trends whether it be smoking or dress code. Look how long it took them to designate one part of their dining room to open seating and even that still has to be reserved. They will at one point need to attract a younger demographic that does not like formal nights and does not smoke and they will have to change in order to do so.

[Mura]

How enlightening this thread has been ... we've never been on Crystal although we've contemplated it generally (which means we haven't considered a specific cruise, just "should we try Crystal?") ...

 

But that smoking policy would do me in. So I guess we stick with O ... Maybe we'll try Azmara.

 

I will say that our two cruises on the QE2 (2003 and 2004, so it's a while ago) -- the smoking policy didn't bother us too much (other than the lack of enforcement of the policy), but at least there were smoke-free areas.

 

As to formal nights ... well we managed on Cunard, so I guess we could manage elsewhere as well. It's generally easier for women, or so it seemed to me, than men. We can get away with cocktail dresses or nice pants suits ... but the men (at least on Cunard) pretty much were at least suit and tie every night. (Yes, they had to wear pants, too.)

[billie5]

Claudia,

I read in mid-August that Ron was on the mend. Is he still coming along?

 

Bill

[ctjon]

I find the formal nights on Crystal the most disappointing evenings of all, because there are no public dining options at all (not even the Lido) for anyone who does not wish to dress formally, and there are events one cannot enjoy due to all the smoking in the lounges that have the most "atmosphere". We are not terribly fond of oft-repeated production shows, even though the Galaxy show lounge, like all ship lounges even on smoky ships, is smoke free.

 

If people cannot enjoy The Avenue Saloon (where the pianist plays) on Crystal due to all the smoke permitted there, how elegant (or fair) is that?

 

If people cannot enjoy the Crystal Cove (where the other pianist plays) on Crystal due to all the smoke permitted there, how elegant (or fair) is that?

 

If people cannot enjoy Luxe or Pulse (where Karaoke is held) on Crystal due to all the smoke permitted there, how elegant (or fair) is that?

 

If you enjoy dressing fancy, then you might consider the Dec. 12th sailing, which has THREE formal nights in only ten days, which is pushing the limit, even for Crystal. :)

 

 

I don't believe that smoking is allowed in the Crystal cove - at least it hasn't been the last few cruises I've been on Crystal - same for the Avenue Saloon - they have closed off and moved the smoking to another section as I remember. We aren't smokers and haven't had a problem smelling smoke on Crystal - we don't go to Luxe or Pulse so I''m sure you are right about that.

Many of us enjoy getting dressed up even in formal clothes. It really isn't the biggest deal in the world and provides for a very nice atmosphere. Putting on a suite or a dress for two nights shouldn't be a reason not to enjoy the pleasure of a Crystal Cruise. If dressing up bothers you then Crystal isn't for you.