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A review of the Crystal Cruise fleet ... BIGGER IS BETTERThe Crystal Serenity has won the 'World’s Best Large Luxury Ship' award from Fielding's Guide to Luxury Cruises for 4 consecutive years. 2004 - 2005 -2006 - 2007 Crystal Cruises have two fine-tuned, well managed and very well designed luxury cruise ships, Serenity and Symphony. They offer pampering service, award winning cuisine, engaging entertainment and interesting itineraries with a dash of Californian glitz. The ships are the largest of the luxury segment, the Serenity (68000 tons, 1080 passengers, 655 crew) and Symphony (51000 tons, 940 passengers, 545 crew). You can do more aboard the Crystal ships than any other luxury cruise ship...if that is your choice.
An overview of Crystal Cruises
Crystal History Los-Angeles based Crystal Cruises, was founded in 1988 by century old Japanese firm Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK), literally the Japan Mail Steamship Company. Before delivery of their first ship, the Harmony, (now in service for NYK as the 'Asuka II') the company promised it would return the elegance and personalized service of grand ocean liners to modern cruises. They delivered. For the first few years of the 1990’s The Harmony became the ship by which others in her class, or aspiring to be, were measured. And therein lies the tale. There were few competitors at the time; perhaps the former Royal Viking Line came close but really Crystal created a new niche. The Crystal Harmony was the size of most superliners, but carried a third fewer passengers. Some similar sized ships of mainstream cruise companies carry twice as many passengers. As a result Crystal's cruise ships managed to capture the best of both worlds; the facilities of a large, spacious ship with the personalized service of a smaller vessel. While Crystal’s first, technologically advanced ship, Harmony was build by NYK in Japan, the second, Symphony was launched in 1995, having been constructed in Finland, to save costs. Crystal’s third ship, the Serenity, fixed most earlier design issues and increased slightly the ships size and capacity. The French built Serenity launched in 2003.
The Concept Since inception, Crystal cruise ships set out to define ‘luxury’ by trying to provide the best of everything - food, entertainment, service and shipboard accommodation - and to offer genuine, personal service in an elegant setting. As Crystal says, "The line provides sophisticated travelers and experienced cruises with an intimate and luxurious cruise experience.” Crystal is the only luxury cruise line that doesn't include tips and most alcohol in the fare. Crystal, Regent and Hapag-Lloyd are the only luxury lines with a dedicated children's program. Cruise Line Strengths *Service – it's award winning, and deservedly so. *Well designed ships, full of amenities and things to do. *Most varied entertainment available on a luxury ship. *Globe-roaming itineraries. *A world-class lecture/enhancement program at sea, with the brilliant Computer University being a highlight. *European Butlers in upper Suites. *Superb food at alternative restaurants. *Fastest internet & e-mail you can get on a luxury cruise. *All food Trans-fat free. Cruise Line Weaknesses *Main dining room is restricted to two seatings. *The superb alternative restaurants have limited seating and fill quickly. *Inevitable delays getting ashore due to passenger numbers. *Smaller ports not available due to large ship size. *Less intimate than the small ships, signing for booze can get tedious. Who’s aboard? Crystal customers are affluent, active and friendly. Around 80% are from North America, with a definite majority from the East Coast. Almost 90% of passengers are 45 and up and the median age is 60. A smattering of older single guest enjoys the gentleman host program, and 80% of passengers are married. Customers are usually retired or semi-retired, likely to be or have been business owners, doctors, entrepreneurs or executives. Around 50% of passengers on every sailing have traveled before with Crystal. While most passengers are North American, there is a real international feel on-board. Our most recent sailing on the Serenity in the Mediterranean had guests from such countries as Canada, Australia, Saudi Arabia, Japan, South Africa, Hong Kong, Israel, Germany, Switzerland, Spain, Brazil and the UK. Crystal offers a children's program with separate facilities, so you will see some aboard but they are very unobtrusive and often are traveling with parents as well as grandparents. Who’s the Competition? At sea, only the Cunard Ships come close to Crystal's size, BUT the Cunard style of classing passengers and inferior space ratio put them a level well below Crystal. In terms of service and food, Silversea and Seabourn and Crystal are hard to separate. Regent’s expanded entertainment program comes the closest to Crystals offerings but falls short. The lecture program and computer University@Sea are world leaders, and so the speed of the internet. Crystal remains for our money, without peer in the large luxury segment. The Lifestyle Crystal cruise ships offer one of the finest versions of classic, traditional, luxury ship cruises available, with a formal dress code and assigned evening dining at two settings. Lavish surroundings, pampering service, excellent housekeeping and superb dining keep the same passengers coming back again and again. Daytime activities are frequent and often fascinating, high-tea is a daily feature, shore excursions are well handled and evening entertainment is top-notch. The wardrobe Quite dressy. Anna and I prefer to travel light where possible, but we always end up with a large bag when sailing Crystal. While daytime and shore excursions are casual, you will find most passengers dress smart casual or ‘country club’, around the decks. Casual evenings are a relaxed affair and the informal nights see men wear jacket most with tie and the ladies donning cocktail dresses or dressy pantsuits. On formal nights, evening gowns for the ladies and tuxedos or dinner suits for the men. Dark suits for the men are seen on formal nights, but they remain the minority. Showtime The entertainment is dazzling, with highly professional productions that are constantly updated, along with prestigious lecturers, concerts, cabarets and game shows. Crystal’s own production team Gretchen Goertz and Kathy Orme create all the shows for the line, and they are original and very good. The talented show troupe, in spectacular outfits, includes former dances of Russia’s Bolshoi and London’s West End. Cuisine International, contemporary cuisine and service mirroring current culinary trends, be it the stylish Martini Collection, Cream of Porcini Mushroom Soup served cappuccino style, or the offerings of Piero Selvaggio’s “Best Young Chefs of Italy” at Prego. Crew Award-winning service that is neither stuffy nor intimidating. All employees -- both shoreside and shipboard -- strive to maintain the highest standards possible by practicing the Six-Star Crystal Basics, a 6-point credo for anticipating and fulfilling guests’ needs. And, with one of the most impressive crew to guest ratios (almost two service staff to every guest), Crystal Cruises has become the benchmark against which guests and travel agents now judge all other cruise lines. Crew Facilities An area of great importance to the line, Crystal works hard at training and maintaining staff. The staff turnover rates are the lowest in the industry, AND boy does it show, their commitment is unfailing. Serenity’s crew facilities are world class and include a bistro, mess and bar, conference rooms, laptop data port, phone and TV in every room, a gym, self-service laundry and e-mail center. Pay rates and contract periods are equal to or better than all the other luxury cruise lines. All-in-all the smiles from the crew are genuine. Past Passengers Crystal’s past-passenger club is know as the Crystal Society, and offers amenities that increase with the number of cruises taken. Frequent cruises are awarded with percentage discounts on certain sailings, air upgrades, free cruises, shipboard credits, cabin upgrades, pre-paid gratuities and private dinner parties with senior officers. Unlike airline frequent flyer miles the total number of cruises continues to accumulate after awards are claimed, never going back to zero. How to book Crystal Cruises are travel agent friendly and direct bookings with the line are not permitted-unless you book while on a cruise for a future sailing. If you live in North America, Crystal provides a Platinum Partner Hotline, which is 1-800-804-1500. You can call that number for the details of a travel agent in your area that specializes in luxury cruses. The bottom line Crystal Cruises have identified a market of experienced (but perhaps not super adventurous) passengers, not necessarily experienced CRUISE passengers, and created a product that has set new standards for large luxury ships. The ship’s interiors are handsome and dignified, but the real sense of luxury comes not from eye-catching architecture, but rather fine attention to detail such as the Wedgwood teacups, Riedel hand blown wine glasses, Villeroy & Boch china and goose down pillows in each cabin. Passengers are treated like adults, and every crew member is warm, friendly and genuine. Does big-ship luxury cruising get any better than this? We don't think so...and nor do her repeat passengers. For photos and a review of the ships follow the links below...
The SHIPSClick here for the review of the Crystal Serenity. Click here for the review of the Crystal Hymphony. Back to Home Page. Link to Crystal Cruise Ships Home Page
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