 Expert Review |  | | | | |
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Editor's Note: As mentioned in our recent review of Crystal Symphony, the ship is due for a refurbishment in fall 2009. Among the areas that will benefit include Prego, the ship's Italian restaurant, and the Lido Caf?. The pool deck will get a makeover. And the ship's priciest accommodations ? its two Crystal Penthouses and 61 Penthouses and Penthouse Suites will get a much-needed update. Some other interesting changes include renovated elevators, an upgrade of the ship's broadcast production studio (which will result in better television clarity and programming) and medical centre improvements. We'll be back later this fall to visit Symphony when it re-emerges and will report on the changes then. It's 1 a.m., and an enthusiastic -- if not altogether talented -- would-be American Idolist is wailing her way through Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive." Fellow night-clubbers, armed with Cosmopolitans and glasses of cabernet sauvignon and Veuve Clicquot, are either cheering her on while dancing, cuddling on the art-nouveau-meets-21st-century banquettes or perching atop Philippe Stark barstools. It's another karaoke night at LUXE, and again -- for the third time in a week -- we've broken "curfew" and stayed up way, way, way past our bedtimes. You'd think we were party animals on a three-night cruise to nowhere. Once one of cruising's more sedate vessels (and, by all means, you can still enjoy the peace and quiet), Crystal Symphony underwent a major refurbishment a few years back. Costing a whopping $23 million, it's the most significant ship redo in Crystal's history. (Another slightly less ambitious refurb effort is planned for the ship in September 2009.) LUXE, the pocket-sized nightclub tucked into a corner between the atrium and the casino, is definitely a transitional place onboard this ship, which was not formerly known for its nightlife. Sleek and colorful -- almost raucously so -- this 10-p.m.-until-late venue would feel right at home on South Beach. Indeed, Crystal Symphony has, in many places, been transformed -- from an elegant dowager, say, to a sophisticated socialite. There's a new energy onboard, whether it's coming from the completely remodeled casino, the redecorated Bistro cafe, the all-new atrium shops or the aforementioned LUXE. And cabins, too: The decor of staterooms feels more boutique-hotel than luxury-cruise-ship, featuring beds with leather headboards and bathrooms with now-trendy bowl sinks. Also completely redesigned was the Starlite Club; walls were removed and new, almost Starbucks-like clusters of wonderfully cozy armchairs were arranged around a brand-new circular bar (one of the best people-watching spots onboard). And yet, even as Crystal Symphony cruises with a new spring in its hull, what's also significant ? and, frankly, what Crystal understands better than any other luxury cruise line -- is how to add more contemporary elements without changing its essential ambience. These changes balance the new with the ship's fabulous standards -- from the clubby Avenue Saloon to the fabulous once-a-cruise Sunday jazz brunch on the Crystal Deck. Although Crystal continues to invest in existing ships (this was Symphony's second major refurb in three years; during the first, penthouse suites and dining rooms got a makeover), the line's priority remains stalwartly planted in creating a sense of community among those onboard, whether it's passengers, crew or both. | | |  top | | | | Dining
Crystal is the only luxury cruise line in the marketplace to feature assigned dining times and tablemates (at dinner only; other meals in the main dining room are open seating), and we'd always thought of that as a drawback of the line (though many disagree!). The maitre d' and his team are very thoughtful about matching folks -- we didn't meet a soul with complaints about table companions. And, indeed, it seemed that passengers really bonded with their tablemates. The assigned dining scenario also allowed waitstaff to develop relationships with passengers, and at dinner we found that service was consistently superb. Hint: On Baltic trips, particularly during high summer, the sun sets after 10 p.m.; as a result, late seatings are incredibly popular. Make your request when you book. Typically, we found service in the dining room during open seating breakfast and lunch to be inconsistent (it could be wonderful, or less than). At lunch one afternoon, our waiter told us, mid-meal, that if we wanted dessert we had to order it "now" as the dessert station was closing down. We declined and felt rushed afterward. Eggs benedict ordered at breakfast managed to be simultaneously overcooked and lukewarm. Still, the menu, particularly for breakfast, is tantalizing: Options ranged from Swedish pancakes with lingonberries to blintzes to a five-ounce sirloin steak (topped with your choice of egg). And for its Asian passengers, congee and grilled salmon. Crystal Symphony excels in other dining areas; its two alternative restaurants -- Jade Garden, serving Asian fusion cuisine, and Valentino at Prego, specializing in Northern Italian -- offered outstanding experiences. There's a quite reasonable $7 cover charge in each, and our advice is to reward waitstaff with an extra tip. It'll be well deserved. The menus stay the same throughout the cruise but are sufficiently varied to offer enough selection if you make multiple visits (though the ship may place a limit on number of visits depending on demand). One area in which Crystal in general -- and Crystal Symphony in particular -- excels is its poolside buffets. These are food themed events, such as "Asia Cafe" and "Cuisine of the Sun," and quality and selection is fantastic. The aforementioned Sunday Jazz Brunch (or sea day jazz brunch, depending) is an event in itself as well. Crystal offers plenty of casual options during the day. One of my favorite places for a late-morning bagel is The Bistro (it also serves morning pastries and afternoon snacks). I loved its coffee bar (with complimentary cappuccinos and the like); later there's a terrific list of by-the-glass wines. We also enjoyed the outdoor Trident Grill, which served up custom-cooked burgers, wraps, hot dogs and grilled chicken; new on the menu on this trip was a delicious Chinese chicken salad. The Lido Cafe is the ship's standard buffet alternative, and it offered pleasantly displayed and generally varied breakfast and lunch fare. There's plenty of seating inside -- and, on nice days, out on the canopied aft deck. Room service is available round-the-clock and includes a variety of soups, salads, sandwiches and desserts along with hot, made-to-order items ranging from a sirloin strip to a burger. | | | | top | | | | Public Rooms
Crystal Plaza is Crystal Symphony's central, two-story atrium. Its focal feature is a lovely waterfall, though the heart of the atrium is the Crystal Cove lounge, a spot that's ideally placed for people-watching and pre-dinner cocktails. The ship's shops, recently redesigned, ring around the atrium's second level; they're visually stunning, but I have to admit that, in order to achieve the minimalist look, less merchandise is on display -- and there wasn't much to buy. The library, just off the Atrium, offers a reasonable selection of books (and, to its credit, quite a few new releases); there are also games, DVD's and CD's. Thumbs-up to its staff for creating a special shelf for guidebooks, whose destinations are featured on current itineraries -- passengers can't check these out and must read them in the library. The good news is that whenever you need to check a guide, you have access to it. The Internet center offers a dozen computer terminals with Internet access, and its onsite staffers answer questions and provide assistance. As well, for those who bring their own laptops aboard, wireless connections are available throughout the ship (and worked extremely well in cabins). The per-minute charge for Internet connection is relatively high at 74 cents, but reasonable packages are available: two hours (42 cents a minute), 10 hours (34 cents) and 25 hours (20 cents). Editor's Note: GSM phones worked pretty consistently while onboard, even when at sea, but be wary of high charges for roaming calls. Crystal Symphony has three self-serve laundry facilities. There's no charge to use them, and soap and dryer sheets are provided. | | | | top | | | | Cabins
Crystal Symphony was considered a revolutionary ship when it was built in the mid-1990's because it had absolutely no inside cabins. Standard outsides (well, Crystal calls them "deluxe") measure 202 square ft. -- reasonably roomy -- and are the same size as and are similarly outfitted to balcony cabins, which measure 246 square ft. (the extra 44 square feet goes to the verandah). Regardless of designation, all cabins on Crystal Symphony have been refurbished and are decorated in sleek, boutique-hotel style; color schemes vary per floor. On one deck, all cabins are green/blue; on another, the scheme is maroon/yellow. All feature queen beds (with funky, leather headboards) that convert to two twins. There is a seating area; most have fabulously whimsical armchairs that take up less space than loveseats would, making the cabins feel a bit larger. Plus, they're sinfully comfortable. Each cabin has a flat-screen television, DVD player (DVD's are free to borrow from the library) and fridge with complimentary soft drinks and bottled water. There's a safe and plenty of storage space; bathrobes to borrow hang in the closets. One nice touch on our tropics cruise: robes made of terry cloth, as well as those from a lighter cotton, were available. Bathrooms have been completely remade, and each features two sinks (in the trendy "bowl" style) and a full-powered hairdryer. All have bathtub-shower combos. Toiletries in each cabin are from Aveda. Balconies are each outfitted with two mesh chairs and a small table. Crystal Symphony's penthouse-level suites come in three sizes and, oddly, lack some of the contemporary amenities of the standard cabins (such as a flat-screen televisions). Still, they're comfortable and elegant. All have verandahs that are outfitted with adjustable plastic chairs (cushions provided) and small table. Amazingly though, despite larger-than-standard balconies, the furnishings are shockingly stingy. Editor's Note: Suites will be upgraded in a refurbishment in September 2009. The difference between the three suite categories is the size -- options include 367 square ft., 491 square ft., and 982 square ft. Beyond that, the amenities are the same. All have butlers who bring afternoon canapes, make restaurant and spa reservations, replace beverages and serve room-service meals (course-by-course, if requested). There are also walk-in closets. Another extra: Suite-holders are provided with complimentary bottles of wine, plus a choice of liquor (one full-sized bottle per person). Mini-fridges are continually stocked with beer and sodas. If you're a room service fan, definitely book one of these cabins, as butlers can serve course-by-course meals. You can order from the main dining room, Silk Road and Valentino at Prego during operating hours. (On our last trip, we created a delicious Silk Road-Prego combo, ordering Miso Black Cod and chocolate souffle from the former and lasagna and mushroom soup in a bread bowl from the latter. Delicious!) Another plus for those who can afford to splurge on a penthouse suite: The bathrooms are huge, featuring whirlpool tubs, separate showers and dual sinks. | | | | top | | | | Entertainment
One of the best aspects of Crystal's itineraries is that each is padded with a solid number of sea days. And, while one can find many opportunities to simply relax, kick back and work on his or her tan, days onboard are also filled with enrichment activities -- from notable guest lecturers to the line's Creative Learning Institute. Through that program, unique to Crystal, passengers can participate in classes on the arts, wellness and history. There are also courses in computer-related skills, piano-playing, golf and language instruction. Crystal features occasional wine and food festivals. I've long been a big fan of the enormous effort that Crystal makes to enrich and entertain its passengers. But on this cruise, I was disappointed that the program seemed stuck in a rut. Our port lecturer, billed as a journalist-expert, presented dry, outdated lectures on the places we visited. The wine tastings were banal. The French class, hosted in conjunction with Berlitz, was absurdly low-tech -- our instructor pointed to pictures in a book to teach us words. With all the resources -- and commitment -- that Crystal brings to its enrichment activities, it sorely needs to bring the program up to date. Beyond the above, there's Team Trivia, Scrabble, Mah-Jongg, movies in the cinema, bingo, dance classes, an art auction, arts and crafts and napkin folding. Evenings are, at least in the early stages, a bit more low-key. The Starlite enjoyed a post-refurbishment rush for pre-dinner cocktails; a band plays on the stage, and there's a dance floor. Gentleman hosts are onhand to dance with single women (or those whose husbands won't venture onto the floor). The casino is tucked between Luxe, the ship's nightclub, and the Galaxy Lounge (perfectly placed to capture the crowd as it moves from each evening's theatrical performance to its "after hours" nightclub). In the Avenue Saloon, a pianist plays Broadway tunes and sentimental favorites. The Connoisseur's Club (for the cigar-smoking crowd) is a charming hideaway located next door. The Palm Court is the ship's airy observation lounge -- a great place to be at sailaway. Itineraries mix and mingle styles of post-dinner entertainment; sometimes its low key, and during other times, big production shows are offered. The latter are featured in the Galaxy, the ship's primary theater. And don't miss a visit to LUXE. It doesn't even open until 10 p.m.! A D.J. spins dance favorites, and karaoke is a staple. | | | | top | | | | Fitness and Recreation
The "big event," sports-wise, on Crystal Symphony revolves around the ship's paddle-tennis court. It is always (or so it seemed) busy! The promenade on Deck 7 wraps fully around the ship and attracts walkers and runners. Most move at a slower-than-jogging pace. Crystal offers an interesting fitness program for walkers. Called Walking on Water, it basically consists of cotton vests with pockets for weights that add resistance. The vests are loaned out on a complementary basis, and the workout definitely requires a comfortable bit of extra exertion. (Try the vests while walking stairs if you are really feeling energetic.) Plus, beginning in October 2009, Crystal will offer Nordic Walking through a partnership with LEKI USA. Guests can enjoy complimentary use of walking poles onboard. There are two pools. The main pool, which includes two whirlpools, is outfitted with lounge chairs and plump cushions. On our Baltic cruise, there wasn't too much action at the pool or adjacent whirlpools, but the ambience (if not the weather) was pleasant. On the other hand, during a tropical trip along the Mexican Riviera, the pool scene was electric. The spa and beauty salon on Crystal Symphony are two of the nicest at sea. Each facility is decorated with an Asian theme. Acupuncture treatments are a relatively new addition to spa services. The cost for a basic massage is a bit pricier than average at $132 for 50 minutes, but the treatments we tried (an 80-minute salt and lime ginger scrub and a shiatsu massage) were excellent. We loved the locker room, featuring multi-head showers, a sauna and Aveda toiletries -- not to mention (and this falls in the "nice touch" category) a mini-fridge, stocked with complimentary carbonated and noncarbonated water. The fitness facility has a full line of new equipment that's nicely grouped in stations. There are plenty of treadmills and stationary bicycles (each equipped with a flat-screen television); on sea days, there were sign-up sheets to prevent congestion. | | | | top | | | | Family
Kids' facilities are really limited on this ship; while there were children onboard, I'd recommend that families consider Crystal Serenity, which places more emphasis on facilities and programs for youngsters. | | | | top | | | | Fellow Passengers
Fellow passengers are very well-traveled; many -- more than the industry average -- were repeat Crystal passengers. Demographically, ages primarily represented the 50-plus range, though there was a smattering of three-generation family groups traveling together. | | | | top | | | | Dress Code
During the daytime, country club casual proliferates. At night, folks tend to dress up (except for "informal" evenings, when the resort-wear code continues). Our 10-night trip had three formal nights -- men wore tuxedos and suits, while women wore long gowns and elegant pants outfits. | | | | top | | | | Gratuity
Crystal's recommendations are as follows: $4 for stewardess and waiter, and $4 for penthouse deck butlers. That's on a per-day, per-person, basis. One note: Many Crystal passengers book through travel agents, who actually purchase gratuity packages for their customers as a way of saying thanks for their business. --by Carolyn Spencer Brown, Editor in Chief | | | | top | | | | | Expert reviews are provided by CruiseCritic.com, an award-winning cruise community. This objective information can help you choose just the right ship for your next cruise vacation. | |  | |
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