Booking question

[Gregrat]

On February 1st I want to have a good idea on which direction to go as far as a stateroom.

Lee Ann and I have only been on 2 Crystal cruises but both times we have stayed in a veranda stateroom.

Should we go with a picture window stateroom on the promenade deck this time or stay with the veranda?

Will we regret not having a veranda?

Your opinions are greatly appreciated!

Greg

[SnoBirdCruiser]

There is an old saying: that once you stay in a veranda stateroom you will never go back to a window stateroom.We started out in window cabins back in 1991 our very first cruise. We were young and it didn't matter. These were 10-12 day cruises(we never did any 7 day cruises). then one year we were lucky to get an upgrade to a veranda cabin and we never booked a window one again.

Having said this, it will be entirely up to you....if all you do is sleep there, you might not miss the veranda...we enjoy using it for reading,  and the enjoyment of a private drink overlooking the ocean.

 

If you are cruising on Crystal, remember, once you leave your cabin, everyone  enjoys the same benefits of these fabulous Crystal ships. There are no "separate" lounges or dining rooms for the higher class of staterooms. This is one of the reasons we love Crystal.

Pat and Ray

 

[Txcotn]

If your budget permits, go for a verandah. Yes you will regret not having one, it’s hard to go back once you’ve had one. 

[ryndam]

Need to wait for the updated deck plans. There may no longer be an option to book any cabin other than rooms with balconies, depending on how the ships are reconfigured and their capacities are reduced.

[Keith1010]

I agree with Rob.

 

I would wait to see what those plans look like.

 

Keith

[ctjon]

We used to do only veranda - but last couple we did window staterooms.  Our intent when we cruise is to spend as little time as possible in stateroom so we don't need the fancy stuff - but that is us.

Also, depends upon where you are cruising.  If you can see a lot of scenery you probably want a veranda.  If your cruise is crossing the north Atlantic in fall - you probably won't be out there much anyway.

 

[Emdee]

My daughter tried to convince me to try a window on Serenity and I agreed to do it.

But one week was enough. For the second week of the b2b I was fortunate to get a balcony cabin. 
I don’t need a lot of space in the cabin but I like to feel  the fresh sea breeze on my face…one of my greatest joys. 
 

I too am eager to see the types of cabins available as my daughter usually stays in a window cabin.

[Gregrat]

1 hour ago, ryndam said:

Need to wait for the updated deck plans. There may no longer be an option to book any cabin other than rooms with balconies, depending on how the ships are reconfigured and their capacities are reduced.

So, can I assume that deck plans will come out along with the itineraries on the 1st?

[wearesiamese]

As a solo  traveler I wish to be around other people as much as possible so I have no need for a verandah.Not to mention the big fare difference in most cases.I would rather be blue to cruise more frequently then be in a PH or PS as like I said for a solo traveler like myself I don’t find vlue in the PH or PS cabins.Now if the cruise is going to the Norwegian fjords, Alaska , or other really scenic destinations I would consider a verandah for sure.But I do a lot of Pacific crossings mostly to Japan but have been to Australia on Symphony ie the infamous 0205 with RafinMd et Al, so I am fine with windows only most of the time.But fortunately there are a variety of staterooms for guests to choose from and meet one’s needs/ preferences ::)

 

 

 

 

[ctjon]

Since many of window cabins look out onto the walk around deck I can't imagine how they would convert those to balcony cabins and the walk around deck is a much loved design element it would be a real loss if they got rid of that for veranda's

[ryndam]

49 minutes ago, Gregrat said:

So, can I assume that deck plans will come out along with the itineraries on the 1st?

 

How good is your "Crystal ball"? No telling.

[Stickman1990]

2 hours ago, SnoBirdCruiser said:

If you are cruising on Crystal, remember, once you leave your cabin, everyone  enjoys the same benefits of these fabulous Crystal ships. There are no "separate" lounges or dining rooms for the higher class of staterooms. This is one of the reasons we love Crystal.

That was the old Crystal - no one knows what the new Crystal configuration and onboard experience will be like 

[Emdee]

8 minutes ago, Stickman1990 said:

That was the old Crystal - no one knows what the new Crystal configuration and onboard experience will be like 

Very true but having sailed on the other three contenders since 2020 with just OK experiences we are eager to acquaint/ reacquaint ourselves with what the Crystal offering is. 
 

[KenzSailing]

3 hours ago, ryndam said:

Need to wait for the updated deck plans. There may no longer be an option to book any cabin other than rooms with balconies, depending on how the ships are reconfigured and their capacities are reduced.

 

I'll put my money on some window cabins surviving the transition.  On Serenity in fact, I'll SWAG 42 of them.

[ChatKat in Ca.]

There are many itineraries that we've never used our Veranda so to us....not a dealbreaker

[SnoBirdCruiser]

1 hour ago, Stickman1990 said:

That was the old Crystal - no one knows what the new Crystal configuration and onboard experience will be like 

Sorry but I consider the new owners of the Crystal Brand and Crystal Ships to be high end business men who like to deal in high end products...not the mass marketing ships' categories. Look at their backgrounds. I don't think they are in the Gambling Group of owners like the previous owners.

I am not expecting the return of Crystal to be 100% the same as before, but they have a pretty good idea of what we are looking forward to.

Looking forward to Monday to see what the future will be like,one way or another, Guess I am a "cup half full" person.....except when it comes to gas tanks!

[BWIVince]

2 hours ago, KenzSailing said:

 

I'll put my money on some window cabins surviving the transition.  On Serenity in fact, I'll SWAG 42 of them.

Especially true with Symphony…. Nothing is impossible if you want to throw enough money at it, but it would be especially challenging to add balconies to the Deck 7 staterooms since they don’t align with the promenade deck and have the ventilation system over the windows in most cases (or under in others).

 

Vince

[RD64]

5 hours ago, wearesiamese said:

As a solo  traveler I wish to be around other people as much as possible so I have no need for a verandah.Not to mention the big fare difference in most cases.I would rather be blue to cruise more frequently then be in a PH or PS as like I said for a solo traveler like myself I don’t find vlue in the PH or PS cabins.Now if the cruise is going to the Norwegian fjords, Alaska , or other really scenic destinations I would consider a verandah for sure.But I do a lot of Pacific crossings mostly to Japan but have been to Australia on Symphony ie the infamous 0205 with RafinMd et Al, so I am fine with windows only most of the time.But fortunately there are a variety of staterooms for guests to choose from and meet one’s needs/ preferences ::)

 

 

 

 

Also a solo traveller  but it depends on my mood and itinerary. I am normally an extrovert - but sometimes I want to go away and not deal with people or go through the motions of trying to be social.

 

One of my favourite cruises was a milk run Caribbean where I was exhausted from work and life. It was a pleasure just lying in bed with the balcony doors open and spending the day reading and relaxing. I know people that book cruises - and spend the entire cruise on the ship, in their cabins - just making a dash to the buffet or using room service. To each their own.

[Mr Luxury]

9 hours ago, Stickman1990 said:

That was the old Crystal - no one knows what the new Crystal configuration and onboard experience will be like 

Hopefully there will not be so many small cabins on the newly configured ships.

A Penthouse was the minimum to book to compare with space on other lines for comfort.

[wearesiamese]

3 minutes ago, Mr Luxury said:

Hopefully there will not be so many small cabins on the newly configured ships.

A Penthouse was the minimum to book to compare with space on other lines for comfort.

As one who cannot afford a PH or PS, I hope you are wrong.Not all of us on this board have unlimited funds for travel etc

[Mr Luxury]

1 minute ago, wearesiamese said:

As one who cannot afford a PH or PS, I hope you are wrong.Not all of us on this board have unlimited funds for travel etc

It's not about money,it's about the space that you get on most luxury ships.

Old Crystal had some small suites in comparison to many other lines.

In the end you get what you get.

[BEAV]

7 hours ago, ChatKat in Ca. said:

There are many itineraries that we've never used our Veranda so to us....not a dealbreaker

 

4 hours ago, RD64 said:

Also a solo traveller  but it depends on my mood and itinerary. I am normally an extrovert - but sometimes I want to go away and not deal with people or go through the motions of trying to be social.

 

One of my favourite cruises was a milk run Caribbean where I was exhausted from work and life. It was a pleasure just lying in bed with the balcony doors open and spending the day reading and relaxing. I know people that book cruises - and spend the entire cruise on the ship, in their cabins - just making a dash to the buffet or using room service. To each their own.

 

Agreed. 

 

Depends on itinerary, mood, Price/budget, lots of factors. I’m just glad I can be content in any time stateroom or suite depending on all the above factors. 

[FlyerTalker]

9 hours ago, RD64 said:

It was a pleasure just lying in bed with the balcony doors open and spending the day reading and relaxing.

 

And folks wonder why the air conditioning system often struggled.

 

 

[BWIVince]

7 hours ago, Mr Luxury said:

It's not about money,it's about the space that you get on most luxury ships.

Old Crystal had some small suites in comparison to many other lines.

In the end you get what you get.

 

…But for a lot of us, it IS about the money.  A lot of us (especially singles) can’t afford the fares of other luxury lines because they DON’T have those “small” non-suite staterooms that Crystal did.

 

That doesn’t mean I disagree with your point that Crystal needs to address the perception that the standard staterooms are uncompetitive — their smallest rooms are mostly smaller than any other luxury line’s smallest rooms.  From a business plan perspective, of course they want to close that gap and charge the higher per diems that the other lines get for their entry level rooms, but for a lot of us the near-impossibility to combine some of the rooms preserves the potential that some of us will be able to sail with the food, atmosphere and service we need, without the wasted space we don’t. 

 

Not all of us want to (or even can) waste all that extra money on space we have no use for.

 

Vince

[Texas Tillie]

As is the norm, Vince is "spot on". I was on the Silver Muse last month and the room, cabin, suite (whatever you choose to call it) was lovely and spacious. That, however, was the only thing "better" than Crystal. Most things were worse, in some cases much worse. I went in knowing that the entertainment and enrichment would be inferior. What actually surprised me was how inferior the food and service was compared to Crystal. A very minor example, I ordered the same cocktail 4 nights in a row before dinner, 3 of those nights in the same bar. It was never the same twice. Hoping the new Crystal will be close to the old Crystal. We shall see (time will tell is getting a little shopworn 🤪).

 

Patty