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Table Of Content

• The Budget Accommodation Choice
• Freedom of the Seas Southern Caribbean Cruise Review
• What I didn't love about Crystal Serenity
• Crystal Serenity itineraries and pricing
• Carnival Cruise Reviews
• What We Love About Norwegian Cruise Line Prima Class Ships
• LIVE: Salt Lifer hitting the high seas! Ascent, April 7-14, 2024

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The Budget Accommodation Choice

On a typical night at Crystal Cove, you might find a saxophonist playing in the early evening, followed by a pianist and a violinist and then a pianist and a singer, capped off by a singer with a guitar. All of the insanely fabulous, melt-in-your-mouth Nobu specialties, such as Matsuhisa's signature Nobu-style black cod marinated in Saikyo miso, baby peach and young ginger, and Wagyu beef filet steak, are all still there. We're talking such dishes as sauteed tiger prawns with creamed orzo, broccolini and candied bacon; or broiled lemon sole floating in a shallow dill-and-cockles chowder with snow peas and confit potatoes. More traditional items, such as grilled black Angus sirloin steak with Bearnaise sauce, also appear on the menu, which changes nightly.

Freedom of the Seas Southern Caribbean Cruise Review

In addition, on Deck 6, just off the central atrium, passengers will find a Parisian-inspired cafe serving espresso drinks and light snacks throughout the day (this is the place to get your coffee fix). In the morning, there's a self-serve continental breakfast here, arrayed along a buffet on one end of the room. The afternoon brings a spread of cold cuts, scrumptious cakes, cannoli and other desserts, and fruit. In general, Crystal's cuisine and drinks offerings are high-end, as you'd expect for a luxury product, and served with the sort of elegance and flair that is only found at the best luxury resorts on land or sea. Overall, the new Sapphire Verandah Suites are a delightful addition to Crystal Serenity, which has long needed a bigger array of suites to please its well-heeled passengers.

What I didn't love about Crystal Serenity

Note that while unlimited dining at Waterside on Crystal Serenity is included in the fare, passengers only get to visit Umi Uma once per cruise for free for sailings of 11 days or fewer. For sailings of more than 11 days, two complimentary reservations are included. The storage available in Sapphire Verandah Suites is surely adequate for the storage needs of a couple on one of the ship's occasional week-long sailings. But this is a vessel that often does much longer sailings of 10 nights or more, including around-the-world trips that last more than four months. It was a massive undertaking that involved knocking out dozens of walls — and one that has profoundly changed the vessel. Once criticized for not having big enough rooms, Crystal Serenity now offers one of the most impressive arrays of big suites of any luxury ship.

This is the 15th iteration of the list compiled by the online cruise community’s international team of cruise experts.

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In addition, on cruises of seven nights or more, there will be at least one optional ship-wide formal night where women are expected to turn out in cocktail dresses, gowns, pantsuits or elegant skirts and blouses. For men, the formal night dress guideline is a suit or tuxedo, with a tie being optional. Unlike many cruise lines, Crystal does not restrict the amount of alcoholic or nonalcoholic drinks passengers can bring on board for personal consumption.

Carnival Cruise Reviews

If they opt for one of the larger (by at least one square foot) interior cabins, it'll be an extra $100. Or they could work off their lunch buffet by sweating it out at the sports court — basketball and ping pong included — for no extra charges. The same goes for its seven pools and nine hot tubs — save for one of each exclusive to guests who've booked a suite. Cabins on middle floors offer the best combination of access to facilities and less movement in the event of rough seas. Perhaps more so than the accommodation grade, the cabin location can significantly impact your cruise experience. During the day, the dress code is "day casual," which for Crystal means sundresses, elegant shorts, jeans; T-shirts, polo shirts or blouses; or linen clothing.

Combine all that with the live music at bars and lounges mentioned in the section above, and Crystal Serenity is a luxury ship where passengers can — and do — head out for a big "night on the town," so to speak. Guests usually get quite dolled up when they hit the entertainment areas of the ship at night, looking glamorous and expensive. At the back of the same deck is yet another major entertainment venue, the Stardust Club. It's a more versatile entertainment lounge with a stage and large dance floor that offers a mix of dancing, cabaret performances and other themed events.

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Speaking of dancing, Crystal is one of the few cruise lines in the world that still sails with "ambassador hosts" — older gentlemen who are on hand to dance with single ladies on board. The main dining room on the vessel, and the spot where you'll eat at least a few, if not most, of your dinners, is Waterside. On Deck 5, just off the ship's central plaza, it serves up what the line calls modern international cuisine for dinner in an elegant setting. Those who want something even bigger than a Sapphire Verandah Suite will find four massive, 1,372-square-foot Crystal Penthouses on the vessel and six 806-square-foot Junior Crystal Penthouses. The shower itself was a showpiece, with high-end Grohe fixtures that spouted water from three directions. These included a massive rain shower head on the ceiling that shot water straight down, two back-wall shower heads that shot out horizontally (hitting you midbody) and a separate hand-held wand.

As of the publishing of this guide, fares for Crystal Serenity sailings were starting at $3,200 per person for the least expensive cabin on a six-night sailing from Vancouver to Los Angeles. These fares are based on double occupancy — that is, they are valid when two passengers share a room. Other eateries on Crystal Serenity include Marketplace, a casual buffet, and The Trident Grill, serving cooked-to-order burgers and hot sandwiches. Both are steps away from the ship's main pool on Deck 12, as is Tastes Kitchen & Bar. The latter serves a mix of classic lunch dishes from around the world at lunchtime — everything from stir-fried egg noodles and a grilled Reuben sandwich to chicken quesadillas and a shrimp Caesar salad. The new entrant to Crystal's scene is Osteria d'Ovidio, a high-end Italian eatery that takes the place of Prego, another Italian restaurant that was in the same location for years leading up to the line's shutdown in 2022.

The right accommodation can enhance your cruise experience, providing you with a comfortable retreat after a day of adventure, but some choices may turn out to be an expensive mistake. Crystal Serenity's cabins and suites offer both U.S.-style 110V outlets and European-style 220V outlets and USB ports at built-in cabin desks. You'll also find both types of outlets and USB ports above the nightstands on both sides of cabin beds. Americans may want to bring an adapter for charging devices in public rooms where the outlets are all European-style. At the center of the top of the ship, a main pool area sports a large pool (the Seahorse Pool — a nod to Crystal's seahorse branding), two large hot tubs and rows of plush loungers of the sort you'd expect on a luxury vessel. Elegant modern white rattan sofas and chairs are sprinkled around under shading umbrellas.

If you end up on board Crystal Serenity, do not miss a morning walk around it — 3.35 laps equals a mile — or an evening stroll to soak in the salty air and watch the waves. A European Christmas Markets river cruise should be on everyone’s bucket list. Ride Bobsled Jamaica as fast as you can then cool off in the infinity pool overlooking the harbor and the ship. Silversea Cruises topped the list as Best Luxury Cruise Line for the second year in a row. Cruise Critic just announced its annual list of the Best Cruise Lines of The Year.

Crystal Serenity's handful of bars and lounges also are classy and refined. Read our signature day by day cruise reviews for cruise ships from major brands including Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Line, Carnival Cruise Line, and more. We provide honest feedback of the cruise ship, dining, amenities, entertainment, and more. The old knock on Crystal ships was that many of their cabins weren't big enough — at least for an ultra-luxury ship. Newer luxury ships in recent years have been built with more big cabins and suites, which put Crystal's older vessels at a disadvantage. “For the most part, luxury cruises appeal to a segment of travelers looking for similar experiences on land – more luxurious offerings, fewer crowds, and phenomenal activities.