CRYSTAL CRUISES FOOD PICTORIAL FEST

If you knew sushi like Crystal does

Ever since it fist set sail with the much missed Crystal Harmony back in 1990, Crystal Cruises has established an elegant, pre- eminent reputation for the fine, unhurried finesse that it exudes at every turn. The two current vessels, Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity, continue to garner truck loads of awards for the superlative standards of food and fine service that both maintain on board, year in and out. To be sure, they are quite a pair.

And while attention to detail, unobtrusive elegance and ample space to indulge, relax and experience the best of everything are all vital ingredients in the subtle brew of what makes any Crystal Cruises adventure so utterly compelling, perhaps nothing so marks the Crystal experience as a thing apart as much as the dining.

Whether you are feasting on genuine Kobe Beef or sumptuous Wagyu in the on board Nobu, or lingering over sumptuous, exotic fresh fruit and piping hot coffee alfresco for breakfast, both the Crystal ships offer a magnificent series of feasts, from early morning till past midnight. The sheer scale and quality can be overwhelming to the novice.

Picking at cold crab and succulent shrimp on your balcony as you enjoy a late afternoon Cape Cod, or a delicious custard tart and cappuccino in the bistro as you peruse the morning paper? Crystal has you covered, and then some. From the simple to the sublime, it’s all good.

But the highlight for many is, undoubtedly, the stunning display of gluttony inducing goodness that washes across the Crystal Atrium once on each trip. With chilled champagne on tap and cool jazz to tap your foot to, a conga line of classic, beautifully presented appetisers, soups, meats, seafood, breads and beguiling desserts virtually surrounds you.

The only rule here is to indulge in as much- or as little- as you wish. This is more than just a buffet; this is a feast for the eyes and the senses at the same time. True soul food, and then some.

So, without further ado, here’s a selection of platinum chip Crystal dining treats to feast your eyes on. Feel free to enjoy,,,,,

Cold crab and Cape Cods….

Terrace of the Lido Buffet

Trident Grill on Crystal Serenity

Crystal Cove food extravaganza

Sheer aesthetic perfection

Too good to resist

Simply, sublimely gorgeous..

Fresh and fantastic presentation

The crowd speaks for itself

CRYSTAL CRUISES TO RETURN TO ALASKA IN 2016

Upper level of Crystal Lobby

One of the big surprises of the recently published 2016 Crystal Cruises itineraries is a very welcome return to a short season of Alaska cruises, offered for the first time on the line’s flagship, the six star, 70,000 ton Crystal Serenity.

The ship will operate four, seven day sailings in June and July of 2016, on back to back itineraries between the ports of Anchorage and Vancouver, followed by a pair of ten night, round trip sailings from Vancouver, and closed by a final, ten night repositioning voyage to Anchorage, arriving there on August 16th.

Interestingly, there are no cruises pencilled in at all for the ship between then, and a departure from New York listed on September 17th. Details for three cruises- nos. 6319,6320 and 6321- are not on the current website listings.

Alaska cruises were once a mainstay of the Crystal summertime schedules, especially when the line was a three ship operation. Back then, the now moved on Crystal Harmony used to operate on a number of twelve night, round trip cruises from San Francisco; a role picked up periodically through the years by her younger sibling, the recently refurbished Crystal Symphony.

Two things stand out about these new cruises;  firstly, the fact that Crystal Serenity is spending an entire season away from Europe, where the hugely lauded ship always hitherto spent summers either in the Baltic or the Mediterranean.

Second is the fact that the ship is operating on short, back to back seven night itineraries- four of them in all- for the first time since her debut in 2003.

Ports of call visited on these voyages include Sitka, Ketchikan, Juneau and Skagway, as well as a day spent cruising both the Hubbard Glacier and the Inside Passage.

These cruises are beautifully timed to showcase the awesome natural splendour of Alaska at its absolute summertime best; with twenty four hour daylight in these latitudes in June, the Crystal Serenity offers up the stunning, majestic wildlife, flora and scenery of this singular state in surroundings of casual, spectacular elegance and indulgent luxury.

Also new for Crystal Serenity in 2016 is a six day, west coast repositioning trip from San Francisco to Vancouver. Just prior to that, the award winning ship makes a fabulous, sixteen night round trip from San Francisco out to the islands of Hawaii on May 28th.

A real highlight of this trip is an overnight stay in Oahu itself. But for many Crystal veterans, the real pleasure will lie in the ability to savour no less than nine sea days on board one of the most fabulous, all inclusive luxury vessels in the world.

CRYSTAL SYMPHONY PHOTO ALBUM 2009

An on board set of photos, taken in 2009 aboard one of the finest and most legendary luxury ships built since the Second World War- the astounding, always exceptional Crystal Symphony….

Looking up from aft

Close up of the aft, tiered decks

Out on my suite balcony

Terrace of the Lido Buffet

Crystal Cove lobby

The Palm Court

The Pool Deck

Pool Deck, looking aft

Under the Magrodome

Looking down at the Lido Terrace

Name board on the port side

Beautifully sculptured aft terraces

Another Pool Deck shot

Upper level of Crystal Lobby

Sitting area of my penthouse

Crystal Symphony lunchtime buffet

Magrodome pool, since replaced

The best view of them all….

Inside the Palm Court

Palm Court piano

Corridor outside the cinema

The elegance of Crystal Cove

CRYSTAL AT 25; HIGHLIGHTS OF THE 2015 SEASON

Crystal, champagne and sunset. A timeless combination.

It seems incredible to believe that 2015 will mark the 25th anniversary of Crystal Cruises. Back in 1990, the then brand new, Crystal Harmony set sail on her first cruise, and a whole new style of cruising began to bloom.

‘The Crystal Harmony will be superior to the QE2. It will be superior to the Royal Viking Sun…..’

I remember reading that statement of intent at the time. And I also remember thinking it was a somewhat fatuous boast.

Well, mea culpa. I was wrong.

Since then, the unique Crystal cocktail of flawless, personalised service offered on a brace of sumptuous, beautifully wrought ships, coupled with an all inclusive on board policy and served over a smorgasbord of stunning, worldwide destinations, has become the widely acknowledged apogee of modern luxury cruising.

Little wonder then that, for it’s distinguished 25th anniversary, the line has come out with a whole conga line of sumptuous, seductive goodies to celebrate the event. Among the 2015 highlights on offer are;

No less than sixteen maiden ports of call for Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity, including Macapa, Brazil; Helgoland, Germany; Richards Bay, South Africa and Rijeka, Croatia.

More shorter cruises; around one third of the sixty four itineraries on offer will be of ten nights’ duration or less. In addition, more than a dozen voyages will be round trip sailings from convenient, ‘banner’ ports such as Dover, Monte Carlo, Los Angeles and Singapore.

A string of one or more overnight stays in popular ports of call is also on the menu, including such highlights as Hong Kong, Bermuda, Monte Carlo, Yangon and Saint Petersburg.

My personal favourites from among the glut of good stuff on offer includes an April 3rd, 2015, transatlantic crossing from Cape Town to Rio, with lots of sea days to really soak up the sumptuous on board vibe. And there’s an amazing, New Year’s Eve adventure that sails from San Juan, Puerto Rico, arriving in Rio for an overnight on New Year’s Eve itself.

Crystal also offers the highlights of the sparkling Caribbean

For those looking towards Far East landfalls, Crystal is serving up eight voyages featuring Thailand, Bali, Hong Kong and Singapore. And, if time is an issue, there is a series of short but sweet seven night itineraries in the mix as well, including several in Europe, as well as a couple of sassy sailings along the west coast of the Pacific.

Creme de la Creme? No question on this one; it’s the blockbuster, 108 day, complete world cruise- the line’s first ever global circumnavigation. Available also as any combination of six consecutive segments,  and sailing round trip from Miami (the first world cruise I can ever recall starting from the Florida port), this epic voyage showcases Central and South America, the South Pacific, Australia, New Zealand, the Far East, Indian Ocean, South Africa, and the Caribbean.

All things considered, this is possibly the most all embracing and comprehensive menu of offerings ever served up by Crystal. It offers the long, the short, and the truly tall aboard the two most highly rated big ships afloat anywhere.

Any voyage with Crystal is an adventure; as the luxury line cruises serenely into it’s banner, twenty fifth anniversary year, these voyages are sure to be historic events in and of themselves. Enjoy.

 

CRYSTALLISING VISION- LINE TO EXPAND TO THREE? (UPDATED 15/5/14)

Crystal Symphony off Bermuda

New Crystal CEO, Edie Rodriguez, has confirmed that the ultra luxury brand will place an order for a new ship by the end of this year. The new vessel, possibly the first of up to five previously bruited new builds for the line, will ideally sit somewhere in size between the current, repeat award winning siblings, Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity.

She also unveiled some new ideas regarding the potential evolution of Crystal, including a more relaxed, semi formal evening dress code (which would draw a direct bead on rival Regent Seven Seas ), as well as some further enhancements to the line’s already legendary dining roster, according to a story today on Cruise Critic. This would include bringing chef Heston Blumenthal’s concept of ‘molecular gastronomy’ to the company’s celebrated dining rooms.

The projected third vessel will be a new build, and not a return to the fleet by celebrated launch ship, Crystal Harmony. In a previous pronouncement, Rodriguez said that she would ideally like to expand the Crystal brand to no less than seven vessels, allowing the line  to make itself a truly deluxe global presence- something that the shortage of new tonnage has hitherto precluded.

It is now some eleven years since the 2003 debut of the hugely successful Crystal Serenity and, while the line has constantly updated and lavished money on its current brace of ships, Crystal lacks the momentum of rivals such as Silversea, Seabourn and Regent, all of whom have built- or are currently building- new, deluxe tonnage to expand their range of options.

Rodriguez has effectively issued a statement of intent. She will lobby Crystal owners NYK, for the funds for this projected first new build.

It will be interesting to see where all this leads. Beyond the ambition for this first new build- and it is evident Rodriguez sees this as already ‘in the bag’- the big question is whether or not the cautious, inherently conservative management at NYK will back the new CEO’s vision for a total of five new ships in all.

Crystal Symphony offers one of the best lecture programmes afloat anywhere

Crystal was at one time a trio; those same owners moved the trailblazing Crystal Harmony back to NYK, for whom she now sails as Asuka II. Building a new ship- and it will take at least a couple of years to get that done- will only get Crystal back to parity with where it was in the middle of the last decade.

That said, any new Crystal ship is a truly delicious and intriguing prospect. As always, stay tuned.

 

UPDATE: I have received some further information regarding this project from an official spokeswoman for Crystal Cruises, which is quoted word for word here:

‘……what she (Edie) said was that it is her vision that Crystal will expand and that she’d like to be in a position to announce details of a new ship. There was definitely no announcement or confirmation of a new ship…..’

My thanks goes to Crystal Cruises for providing this update, and allowing me to amend this blog to accurately describe the current state of play as regards the company. 

CRYSTAL CRUISES; ASPIRING FOR A FULL SUPER SEVEN

Crystal Symphony

In a move poised to trigger a potential tsunami in the luxury cruise ship sector, new Crystal Cruises CEO, Edie Bornstein, has stated that she sees the brand increasing in scale from it’s current two vessels to no less than seven ships within a decade, as well as a listing on the New York Stock Exchange, according to a report made public by Seatrade Insider.

Bornstein’s philosophy is to have possibly one ultra luxurious ship on each continent and, after years of extensive refurbishments of the existing, superlative duo of Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity, it marks a real statement of intent; the largest single one ever made in the luxury market.

She is reportedly travelling to Japan next month for talks with parent company, NYK, with regard to financing. To meet her ambitious target, any plans and orders would need to be firmed up very quickly.

An additional five new ships would mandate the delivery of a new vessel every two years, starting from now. It appears likely that exploratory talks with some yards have already been initiated.

One option to jump start the programme would be the return of Asuka II, the formerly much loved  Crystal Harmony, to the Crystal fold. I always felt that her removal was a mistake that hurt the global reach of the line.

With  a new luxury ship on order for Seabourn, as well as one for Regent, and the new twin sisters of the start up Viking Cruises, the luxury market is on the cusp of a wave of new builds unseen since the late nineties. Rumours continue to surface about the possibility of new orders for Azamara Cruises as well. And 2014 will also see the long delayed debut of the much bruited Pearl Mist Cruises, another start up operator hoping to take a slice of the deluxe market.

Lobby on the Crystal Symphony

As for Crystal, they are currently sailing the 50,000 ton Crystal Symphony, built in Finland in 1995, and the 68,000 ton Crystal Serenity, built in the French St. Nazaire yard in 2003. Between them, the two ultra luxury ships- consistently rated as the best in the world- offer around 2200 berths, among the highest total in the luxury ship market.

The Crystal sisters continue to benefit from a constant programme of imaginative, very comprehensive upgrades to both accommodation and passenger facilities. These have been hugely instrumental in keeping both ships at the apex of the luxury cruise tree.

However, while offering some of the most exotic and diverse itineraries afloat, these two ships simply cannot cover the globe, or offer the diverse itineraries of rivals such as Silversea and Regent. At least one new ship has to be seen as an absolute priority for the line.

These are potentially very interesting developments indeed. As always, stay tuned.

I HEAR A SYMPHONY- CRYSTAL CRUISES’ GRAND DAME

The great thing about cruising as a holiday is that it offers up so many diverse kinds of ships to tempt a lot of equally diverse people. From the sizzling, sometimes raucous fun palaces of Carnival to the erudite pearls of learning such as Voyages to Antiquity, there truly is something for everyone in cruising’s vast global smorgasbord.

And it is also thrilling to see the new generation of ships as they develop, and incorporate new, novel features that push the boundaries of the cruise experience to infinity (pools) and beyond. The ships continue to evolve, pushing the envelope in terms of new passenger offerings and experiences, at a rate of knots that would have caused nosebleeds in the fondly remembered heyday of the great Atlantic gin palaces.

And yet… sometimes the best experiences lie in the simple pleasures of returning to a well run ship; one that puts the emphasis not on eye popping new fun stuff, but on simple, old word things like exquisite food and service. These are the ships that do not just merely carry you as a passenger; they cocoon you in an absolute, all enveloping sense of calm, familiar ease and comfort. The ships that are as welcoming on the fifth cruise as they were on the first.

All of which explains my ongoing love affair with the wonder that is Crystal Symphony.

Symphony is shimmering, beautiful and human in scale. A sublime oasis of calm and unruffled ease. Nothing is too much trouble. In fact, nothing ever seems to be any trouble.

And she’s beautiful on the outside, too. A graceful, flaring bow and a snow white expanse of soaring, flowing hull is topped by a single, elegant funnel. At the stern, a series of perfectly sculpted terraces tumble lethargically downwards. They offer an absolutely sublime view back over of her wake.

Yes, there are newer ships in the luxury market with bigger suites grade for grade, but Symphony has a rare, real magic that money cannot buy. The ship is suffused with a star quality and a sheer charisma that was once only the preserve of those vanished Atlantic leviathans. Just the sheer anticipation of boarding her is the most delicious appetiser I can bring to mind.

The world in all it’s glamour and majesty can come and go like a series of stunning drum rolls, but Crystal Symphony remains reassuringly constant; whether in the glorious Greek Islands, or on a languid transatlantic crossing to Barbados. The true voyage lies in rediscovering this beautifully understated gem, and in encountering the staff that make her run as perfectly as a Swiss watch. This is balm for the senses, and true food for the soul.

Although the ship has been sympathetically updated (and at great expense) so much remains reassuringly familiar. The beautiful entrance at Crystal Cove, with its graceful waterfall and gorgeous, sinuously curved spiral staircase. The Cove bar has the best lemon drop martinis afloat, too.

The Bistro up above still has peerless Cappuccino, and the best Creme Brulee anywhere. From the Avenue Saloon, the soft, subtle tinkling of the piano is both instantly familiar and warmly welcoming. The clubby little enclave is, quite possibly, the most fun piano bar of any ship afloat.

I still get goosebumps walking into the plush, sun washed Palm Court at the top of the ship, with its curving wall of floor to ceiling windows that frame some of the most dramatic views that Mother Nature can lay on, from a stunning, blood red Santorini sunset, to the marvellous approach towards the fabled Manhattan skyline. Like everything else about the Crystal Symphony, this beautiful room is a harmonious marriage of space to grace. And, just like everywhere else on board, the furnishings are expansive, inviting, and a definite hazard to any kind of active intent. You have been warned.

And yet, more than anything, the Crystal Symphony is a state of mind. It’s the anticipation of being looked after by a crack, attentive crew that personifies hospitality, twenty four hours a day. Coming back feels like being wrapped from head to toe in cashmere; the amount of open space, the lack of constant loudspeaker announcements- I could go on, but….

Alas, it is time for my lunchtime margarita. Then there’s a Jacuzzi session planned and- if I can drag myself out of the hot tub- a quick sortie to grab some of the delicious, free Ben and Jerry’s ice cream from the pool bar. Do I add jelly beans? Sprinkles? Both? This level of indolence is damned hard work.

Another warning; Crystal Symphony is seriously- and I mean seriously- addictive. She will put a smile on your face as wide as the Prairies, but she may leave your bank manager contemplating hara kiri. But you live once.

And that is the point; being on a luxury ship- any luxury ship- really defines the difference between truly living and merely existing. The difference is that the Crystal Symphony does it so easily, completely and flawlessly that you never realise until you leave.

See you out there? Nice thought, lovely people. Hold on to that.

CRYSTAL CLEAR- CRUISING AT ITS FINEST….

Crystal is a line defined by a simple logic. Offer the best of everything, in an environment that puts the emphasis on space, style and ease, with a range of world class dining, accommodation and entertainment. Top it up with a diverse, well travelled and amenable passenger mix, and then set it afloat around the world on a yearly basis. Sounds peachy, no?

The thing that Crystal does so well is to make it all look so effortless. The vibe on board both the line’s superlative ships-Crystal Serenity and Crystal  Symphony- can be equated to a subtle, slowly rolling river. Everything appears calm on the surface but, just out of sight, things are evolving, moving and morphing to suit the mood of the moment, and to heighten the experience of being on board one of the finest ships at sea anywhere.

Take a transatlantic crossing a few years back on Serenity. Not content with merely having their own excellent, in house orchestra on board, the line arranged for no less than twenty different jazz musicians to come aboard. Rather than having all structured sessions, they formed up as impromptu duos and trios to perform as the mood took. For ten days, Serenity was suffused with the sounds of swing, dixieland, ragtime and big band as she took on the surging Atlantic rollers en route to America. It was a brilliant example of bravado on the hoof, and it made for an unforgettable adventure.

Fast forward to the same ship, four years later. This time, we were sailing the kinder waters of the Mediterranean, from Istanbul right through to Barcelona. Crystal designated this as a ‘food and wine festival’ cruise.

Anyone who has sailed on Crystal will vouch for the line’s superlative quality of food. It is arguably the best at sea. But on this cruise, the veteran epicurean chefs were joined by a conga line of renowned food and wine experts, as well as a master cocktail mixologist whose displays and sessions were- as intended- pure theatre as much as enlightenment..

But nothing beat the chef’s special galley spread, laid out one day in Serenity’s gorgeous atrium. Words alone are inadequate to do justice to the scale, variety and sheer style of this incredible feast, but hopefully these pictures will give you some idea of the glut of culinary artwork that we enjoyed.

And sister ship Crystal Symphony can also lay on the panache with effortless ease. Boarding her last year, I ordered my usual bottle of Grey Goose vodka for the suite.  But even I was awed when my stewardess asked me if I would like a daily jug of cranberry juice to go with it.

That was a routine I had established on the same ship a couple of years earlier; a couple of late afternoon Cape Cods on the balcony, with some cold lobster to pick at. After a hard day wandering the hot spots of the summertime Aegean, it was pure bliss to just kick back on the balcony for an hour or so in a cool kimono

Crystal realised some time ago that ordinary, fluffy bathrobes can weigh too heavily on some. So they added kimonos for the really hot days. That’s an amazing bit of forward thinking. It seems a small detail- and indeed it is. But it is also hugely indicative of the mindset at work behind the scenes.

Both ships are now all inclusive, but even back in the old days, the amount of free goodies was quite something. One thing Symphony did particularly well was an amazing jazz brunch, held at noon on a sea day, and always in the main dining room.

It was all there; Chateaubriand with asparagus, cold cuts, diet defying desserts and low calorie, guilt assuaging options. Music was subtle and wonderful, with a talented trio filling the room with just the right ambient sound. And even the mimosas were complimentary.

This was not just one or two drinks; the champagne flowed- freely and free- for the full, two hour duration of this double edged feast of food and sound. At no stage was anyone approached with a bar check to sign. These brunches were very popular, which is no big surprise.

Both ships also serve late riser’s breakfast until 11.30, another savvy, appreciated little touch. There is a free ice cream bar that offers up a slew of Ben and Jerry’s finest- again at no charge- with a whole raft of tempting toppings that allow you to create your own ice cream masterpiece.

The ships also each boast a beautiful little upper deck bistro, with huge windows overlooking the sea on one side, and specially commissioned crockery made by Guy Buffet. A plethora of exotic teas are on offer- everything from Darjeeling to Green Tea, via Earl Grey. Naturally, this is complemented by a vast range of coffees and wines. A central food buffet features croissants, fresh fruit and cold cuts for breakfast, and is subtly altered to suit lunchtime and early evening whims. Again, all of this is complimentary.

It’s a spellbinding little place to spend an hour or so. There are current, high end magazines in the racks to browse over a cappuccino or a latte, or you could bring a book from one of the biggest and most extensive libraries afloat. And, if many of the teas are new to you, there is the time to experiment to your heart’s content. On my cruises, one visit a day seems to have become all but mandatory.

But all of this expansive largesse would be a waste of everybody’s time and effort, if not for the Crystal staff. From room service to department heads, the company exemplifies the very best of attentive, discreet hospitality. It is personable, yet never intrusive. Crystal hire staff based on attitude; the line believes (correctly) that a ‘can-do’ attitude can be trained up to do an excellent job. This simple, enlightened policy achieves amazing results in terms of flawless, polished presentation and service. The Crystal staff are proud of their ships and the flair they encapsulate. It goes almost without saying that the real beneficiaries of this policy are Crystal’s passengers. And that goes a long way towards explaining the company’s very high repeat rate of guests.

These are only a few of the salient points that mark out a Crystal voyage as such a fantastic and memorable experience. Within the warm, welcoming cocoon of space and style that is a Crystal ship, you will no doubt find, indeed keep on finding, your very own. In the words of the company’s own theme song from the immortal ‘Satchmo’- it really is very much a wonderful world. Enjoy!