Crz2Fla Posted July 19, 2014 #101 Share Posted July 19, 2014 Crystal's email contained the cheeky detail that the price allowed one to "enjoy savings of $3000." After knowing that certain categories are fully booked, and the marketing strategy is for a sell-out well before the next "book now" deadline.:rolleyes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nancygp Posted July 19, 2014 #102 Share Posted July 19, 2014 I saw the "tease" on Crystal's Facebook page on the 16th and then looked on Crystal Cruise Critic's forum where someone had already posted the announcement. I then forwarded the information to my sister and she called our travel agent with our cabin preferences and we were in on the morning of the 17th. We knew it would be expensive but the itinerary was more important to us. Vangie Vangie, I'm so excited for you and Yolanda...way to go!!!! Nancy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oregon50 Posted July 19, 2014 #103 Share Posted July 19, 2014 This may be an interesting test of your TA: Did (s)he notify you of this fleeting opportunity, or did you have to rely on social media to discover it? If the latter, the usefulness of TAs in 2014 becomes even less clear. Agree. TA sent message and first response was to come on here to read comments. Two pages had been posted and we sent word to book it. Thought about it for a few hours, and decided against it. All transpired between midnight and 4 AM EDT. Kudos to Crystal for coming up with this one. For us, it is too many days of iffy weather on too big a ship. What it really did was prompt us to book Hudson Bay on Silver Explorer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Observer Posted July 19, 2014 #104 Share Posted July 19, 2014 Agree. TA sent message and first response was to come on here to read comments. Two pages had been posted and we sent word to book it. Thought about it for a few hours, and decided against it. All transpired between midnight and 4 AM EDT. Kudos to Crystal for coming up with this one. For us, it is too many days of iffy weather on too big a ship. What it really did was prompt us to book Hudson Bay on Silver Explorer. Points to your TA for proactively contacting you in a timely manner. Service like that makes a TA commission seem worthwhile. Otherwise, why bother? Interesting: My reaction to the Crystal announcement was like yours -- namely, to look more closely than I have previously at the Silversea expedition ships and their itineraries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare rafinmd Posted July 19, 2014 #105 Share Posted July 19, 2014 I just got the email from Crystal. I was out walking so it could have been anytime in the last 3 hours but well after the fact. I wonder if that's when it was sent or if it sat on a server somewhere. Roy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith1010 Posted July 19, 2014 #106 Share Posted July 19, 2014 (edited) This is really not all that unusual. They first announced it to the TA community for them to get with their clients and then it was followed up with the e mail that went out today. This has been done from time to time in the past. Yes, I realize some people might not have heard if their TA didn't get the news out to their clients. Everyone (Crystal Society Members only) should have gotten the e mail today assuming that you are a Crystal Society Member and also have your E Mail on file with Crystal. If you do on both accounts and do not see the e mail then check your spam folder. And as to the timing of the e mail they all went out today but they can easily arrive at different times throughout which simply relates to the interface between Crystal's e mail provider and each of our own e mail providers. I also do think it was phased this way because they were already getting bombarded with calls even the way it was rolled out to TA's first. I know some said their TA's were on the phone for an hour or so to make reservations. I am sorry for anyone who missed out on the opportunity by not hearing about it right away. Keith Edited July 19, 2014 by Keith1010 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gog#1 Posted July 19, 2014 #107 Share Posted July 19, 2014 I learned of the cruise Wednesday evening on CC. Called my TA first thing Thursday AM and booked. I wondered why neither she or the agency owner had been notified by Crystal. Now I learn that the rep was supposed to notify them--and she didn't. She's been AWOL since she took the job. Apparently she serviced her Texas clients and finds Albuquerque too small potatoes. Crystal needs to pay better attention to their sales staff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quepaquete Posted July 19, 2014 #108 Share Posted July 19, 2014 Everyone (Crystal Society Members only) should have gotten the e mail today assuming that you are a Crystal Society Member and also have your E Mail on file with Crystal. If you do on both accounts and do not see the e mail then check your spam folder. And as to the timing of the e mail they all went out today but they can easily arrive at different times throughout which simply relates to the interface between Crystal's e mail provider and each of our own e mail providers. Keith I'm not a Crystal Society Member and got the email today. Go figure! Jorge Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith1010 Posted July 19, 2014 #109 Share Posted July 19, 2014 Jorge, sounds then like two sets of e mails. One addressed to Crystal Society Members and the other one to those not yet Crystal Society Members. Thanks for letting us know. Keith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seafairer Posted July 19, 2014 Author #110 Share Posted July 19, 2014 I also received Crystal's email on this voyage today. Although it's not an itinerary we'd be likely to book (I wish it were otherwise!), I'm really grateful that our travel agent took the initiative to alert us on Wednesday, as soon as his Crystal rep told him about the upcoming announcement. Let's hear it for good TAs!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith1010 Posted July 19, 2014 #111 Share Posted July 19, 2014 Linda, I agree. My view continues to be that the right TA is worth their weight in gold. They can add tremendous value to their client and I am not talking about on board credits. Linda, I also wanted to thank you for having started this thread. Keith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nancygp Posted July 19, 2014 #112 Share Posted July 19, 2014 I also received Crystal's email on this voyage today. Although it's not an itinerary we'd be likely to book (I wish it were otherwise!), I'm really grateful that our travel agent took the initiative to alert us on Wednesday, as soon as his Crystal rep told him about the upcoming announcement. Let's hear it for good TAs!! fully agree!!! I also received notification from my TA on Wednesday which my TA sent out once she received the info from the crystal rep. Again, thank you so much for the initial exciting information!!! Nancy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
travling1 Posted July 19, 2014 #113 Share Posted July 19, 2014 hey there, My "Exclusive Invitation" arrived in my e-mail box at 6am local time,...today,....Saturday. Yet, without the formal wear nights, I am not interested. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BWIVince Posted July 19, 2014 #114 Share Posted July 19, 2014 For anyone who is complaining about when they received a particular blast, you might actually be the one determining that. I can't speak to which system Crystal uses to blast, but the services my company use log the open times of previous pieces (your mail client sends back a read receipt that is logged by the service), and then when a new blast is queued up, the individual recipients are fired off in batches around the time they most frequently opened the previous items... That way the message is fresh and seen right at the top when the sender has most often seen you tending to similar items before. If you get them late, that's probably because that's either when you usually open them, or because you've blocked receipts and yours went out last at the end of the blast cycle with a lower priority. Although Crystal probably didn't use it in this particular case, day of the week works the same way. Accounts that open more mail on Saturdays, get more mail sent on Saturdays. Vince Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FloatingBones Posted July 19, 2014 #115 Share Posted July 19, 2014 There are many people who might be coming from say LA who never experienced snow or ice. Since I posted I read the QA and they have talked to a outfitter about the needed stuff. I thought it odd that they spoke about renting stuff from them. This is a expedition trip so people need to bring along lots of cold weather stuff so I would imagine even Crystal could forgo dress up and people who want this type of trip would not mind. One intriguing option is the use of Leki Nordic Walking poles for shore visits. I'm presuming that Crystal uses Leki's standard Shark quick-release straps for their deck-walking program. That same binding system is compatible with a variety of summer and winter gloves -- like these. The use of walking poles makes one substantially safer on wet and icy surfaces. Underneath the soft rubber tips, these poles all have steel carbide tips which provide substantial traction on pavement and trails. The only place the carbide tips would be really bad is on wooden decks. :eek: Crystal would probably be better off with the passengers owning their own poles/gloves. Nordic walking is very popular in parts of Europe. One Swedish friend told me they walk "even when the weather is very bad". I hope this is being considered as part of the outfitting for this cruise, and the passengers get poles long before the cruise to practice using them on non-flat surfaces. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Travel2Learn Posted July 19, 2014 #116 Share Posted July 19, 2014 One intriguing option is the use of Leki Nordic Walking poles for shore visits. I'm presuming that Crystal uses Leki's standard Shark quick-release straps for their deck-walking program. That same binding system is compatible with a variety of summer and winter gloves -- like these. The use of walking poles makes one substantially safer on wet and icy surfaces. Underneath the soft rubber tips, these poles all have steel carbide tips which provide substantial traction on pavement and trails. The only place the carbide tips would be really bad is on wooden decks. :eek: Crystal would probably be better off with the passengers owning their own poles/gloves. Nordic walking is very popular in parts of Europe. One Swedish friend told me they walk "even when the weather is very bad". I hope this is being considered as part of the outfitting for this cruise, and the passengers get poles long before the cruise to practice using them on non-flat surfaces. Leki poles are excellent. Mine has a top knob that unscrews so a camera can be screwed on. Works well as a hiking pole, mono-pod and keeping the camera handy. There is a removable rubber cover for the steel carbide tip. I've used the pole in many different types of terrain. It fits in a suitcase and telescopes up to my eye height. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seafairer Posted July 19, 2014 Author #117 Share Posted July 19, 2014 (edited) Thank you, Keith and Nancy. Being able to share an important item like this made me feel that I've really 'arrived!' Edited July 19, 2014 by Seafairer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nancygp Posted July 19, 2014 #118 Share Posted July 19, 2014 Thank you, Keith and Nancy. Being able to share an important item like this made me feel that I've really 'arrived!' Thanks, Linda!!! You arrived a long time ago!!!! Nancy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare rafinmd Posted July 19, 2014 #119 Share Posted July 19, 2014 Thank you, Keith and Nancy. Being able to share an important item like this made me feel that I've really 'arrived!' I'll say. I definitely think this is worth an invitation to lunch in the Crystal Dining Room on September 16. (I think I have the date right). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RLMSLL Posted July 19, 2014 #120 Share Posted July 19, 2014 Being able to share an important item like this made me feel that I've really 'arrived!' Seafairer, Thanks so much for your initial heads up about this voyage! Thanks to your early notification, my husband and I quickly got our act together and promptly contacted our TA. We were even able to get our first choice of cabin! I'm sure I spend too much time on CC, but it certainly paid off this time! Many thanks and all the best to you! I am most appreciative. You made a difference for us. Rhonda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seafairer Posted July 19, 2014 Author #121 Share Posted July 19, 2014 Thanks, friends! Roy, September 16 is...?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FloatingBones Posted July 19, 2014 #122 Share Posted July 19, 2014 Leki poles are excellent. Mine has a top knob that unscrews so a camera can be screwed on. Works well as a hiking pole, mono-pod and keeping the camera handy. There is a removable rubber cover for the steel carbide tip. I've used the pole in many different types of terrain. It fits in a suitcase and telescopes up to my eye height. Yes, you're describing one of their trekking poles. While either trekking or Nordic Walking poles would work, I think the NW poles would be a better fit. They would be the same poles used with the on-board fitness program -- just with different gloves. The trekking poles are only really needed for steeper hiking -- more than people would encounter at port stops. The big advantage of the trekking poles is the camera mount you described. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nancygp Posted July 19, 2014 #123 Share Posted July 19, 2014 Seafairer, Thanks so much for your initial heads up about this voyage! Thanks to your early notification, my husband and I quickly got our act together and promptly contacted our TA. We were even able to get our first choice of cabin! I'm sure I spend too much time on CC, but it certainly paid off this time! Many thanks and all the best to you! I am most appreciative. You made a difference for us. Rhonda +1, Rhonda...very happy for you and your husband!!! You have so many wonderful cruises to look forward to. Nancy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seafairer Posted July 19, 2014 Author #124 Share Posted July 19, 2014 Thank you for your very kind words, Rhonda. I'm just thrilled for both of you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toolgal Posted July 19, 2014 #125 Share Posted July 19, 2014 Seafairer, it was your post that alerted me into action. Many thanks for enabling us to get on this cruise. Vangie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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