In October, we went on our first-ever cruise. We would be meeting my in-laws in Athens (they had been in Crete with my FIL’s Princeton alumni group) and then we’d board a 5-night Mediterranean cruise with planned stops in Santorini, Greece; Sicily (Taormina/Catania); Amalfi; and Rome. We decided on a short trip in order to “test the waters” so to speak and see how well our toddler tolerated cruising. The five nights actually turned out to be perfect- it seemed short but by the fourth day of sit down lunches and dinners my 2.5 year old toddler was over it. A separate post on the shore trips is coming soon.
Our ship as seen from one of the tenders. Tenders are small boats that take you ashore when your boat can’t directly dock at a pier. Crystal ran them constantly and provided water and coffee once you got on shore.
As you can imagine, I did a lot of research before booking, so I knew that Crystal was the most awarded luxury cruise line with one of the highest crew-to-guest ratios in the industry (1.5: 1 staff to 1 guest ratio) and that fares were all-inclusive.
What Does Crystal’s “All-Inclusive” Encompass?
On Crystal, our fares included all gratuities (dining and stateroom tips); fine wines, champagne, and premium spirits; internet (though honestly, the internet wasn’t great unless we were near shore); specialty coffee; daily high tea; live entertainment and movies (with fresh popcorn!); a library of books and movies to check out (including books to read to Jules); a stocked mini-bar (with bottled water and your choice of soft drinks and beers); and 3 specialty dining reservations per 7-day cruise; and 24-hour room service — which we took daily advantage of to order nearly everything on the menu at breakfast. It was awesome.
Our Cabin: Deluxe Stateroom with Verandah
Deluxe Stateroom with Verandah – king bed
One thing that really surprised me when we boarded was how spacious our room felt. I fully expected the room to feel cramped and uncomfortable, but this was not the case at all.
The closet and drawers were large enough for all of our clothing and our suitcases fit easily under the king-sized bed. The bed is brilliantly perched high enough so that all our luggage could slide right beneath it.
The bathroom and shower were also surprisingly comfortably sized. Although I wasn’t a big fan of the brown color scheme and tile, the bathroom had ample counter storage space for toiletries as well as a small tub with a shower curtain that miraculously did not cling to us due to the smart design of the curtain. The tub was also perfect for Jules’ bathtime and was scrubbed down not once but twice a day by housekeeping, who did a wonderful job of cleaning and keeping our mini-fridge and toiletries well stocked.
The veranda felt super private – the ship is cleverly designed in such a way so that you can go out onto your balcony in your robe and not feel self-conscious because no one can see you out there (not the adjacent cabins nor the ones above or below you). If we weren’t in port (I didn’t like sitting outside with the smell of gasoline from other ships), I liked to drink my coffee out on the verandah. So peaceful!
Onboard Amenities and Activities: Spa, Fitness Center, Afternoon Tea
Crystal’s Daily Reflections newsletter contains the next day’s itinerary, schedule of onboard activities, and notes about the next port-of-call.
Each day, staff would hand out a daily newsletter detailing the next day’s activities, offerings, and port-of-call information (if any). It was so helpful!
Included Activities/Amenities
I took full advantage of the onboard amenities, as most things were included in our cruise fare. I did pilates and yoga classes; dragged my husband to the nightly entertainment shows (they were seriously Broadway quality); partook in afternoon tea with tiny tea sandwiches and cookies; and even grabbed a free needlepoint kit. (Do I needlepoint in daily life? No. Did I get a needlepoint kit and make a coin purse with birds on it? YES). Did I also get tickets to a magic show thinking it was for children and it turned out to be for adults? That would also be a yes.
Activities with an Extra Charge
I also went to the spa twice (thanks to Virtuoso Voyages free onboard ship credit) to get a pedicure and then a massage; had my husband enter a slot tournament with me in the casino (he won and it was hilarious); and played Bingo one day (I won the first game, hooray!)
More Photos of The Crystal Serenity
Bottom Line
I would love to go on another Crystal sailing and would wholeheartedly recommend it to clients, family, and friends.
Questions?
To read more about the Crystal Serenity and see upcoming voyages, click here to go to the Crystal Cruises page. Then contact me to see what Virtuoso Voyages amenities are being offered for sailings — sometimes they are shipboard credits; sometimes they will even offer free shore excursions!
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