Recommend February 2011 - (Page 16)

crystal SERENITY continued from page 14 quality of service and the friendliness of the staff wherever you go. They always greet you, even if they don’t know you.” While giving high marks to the overall culinary picture and the two specialty restaurants in particular—“They do a stunning job with Prego and Silk Road”–Siemens found the room service menu lacking. “I was disappointed in the limited offerings,” he says, “which I didn’t ﬁnd up to Crystal standards.” He notes, however, that ordering room service during dinner hours allows passengers to select straight from the Crystal Dining Room menu. If your clients opt for Penthouse accommodations (as the Siemens highly recommend), they will be pampered by their own butler, who will not only provide daily dining room menus but room service with tablecloth and full settings, served course by course. Indeed, meal offerings are as diverse as they are delicious. Along with the elegantly styled Crystal Dining Room come a pair of specialty restaurants with celebrity chef signatures: Silk Road and The Sushi Bar (Nobu Matsuhisa), and Prego (Piero Selvaggio). Both are complimentary (a $7 gratuity is charged)—and do be sure to advise clients to make reservations early for these popular spots. For lighter fare, there’s the Lido Cafe, Tastes, the Trident Bar & Grill, and the Bistro. The sunsplashed Palm Court is a delightful place for tea and cocktails with its baby grand piano and classical string quartet. The line is known for its classic, traditional style—with a modern sensibility—that features main and late seatings in the Crystal Dining Room with the same companions and wait staff. While this format will not change, a new option is in the wings. Starting in January 2011, cruisers can choose open dining by reservation (perhaps just for two, or with newfound friends) between 6:15 p.m. and 9:15 p.m. Clients might also wish to consider the Vintage Room experience with its focus on specially prepared food and wine pairings—six courses served over three hours ($210). All of which can be arranged in advance (along with spa Crystal Serenity sailing past Venice. some of our favorite spas 1. AquaSpa (Celebrity Cruises): AquaSpa staterooms on Solstice-class ships 2. Ischia Wellness Center & Samsara Spa (Costa Cruises): Wellness programs on the Costa Mediterranea and Costa Atlantica 3. Crystal Spa & Salon (Crystal Cruises): Elemis treatments; ambiance 4. The Spa at Silversea (Silversea Cruises): Personalized treatments 5. SeaDream Yacht Club: service and uniqueness 16 february 2011 appointments, shore excursions, and other activities) via the new online “Priority Check-in & Planning Center” that debuted in 2010. Those who choose even minimum category staterooms will ﬁnd Egyptian cotton sheets, down pillows and a duvet, as well as bathrobes and slippers. Plus generous stowage, Internet access, TV with DVD player, complimentary bottled water and soft drinks, and complimentary laundry facilities. If they opt for Penthouse accommodations that come with butler service, they’ll also be treated to a walk-in closet, separate shower and jacuzzi, a bar stocked with complimentary wines and choice of liquor, and evening appetizers—which they might wish to enjoy on their inviting verandah. Activities around the ship take in the Crystal Spa & Salon—the only seagoing spa designed according to Feng Shui principles—and the Creative Learning Institute with its roster ranging from Yamaha keyboard lessons to language immersion classes and wellness seminars. A technology center christened Computer University @ Sea gives a choice of four fee-based plans for 24-hour e-mail and Internet access, as well as complimentary classes in digital video editing, web page design, and other handy skills. For fun in the sun, passengers can splash in two swimming pools, play paddle tennis, power walk on the Promenade Deck, and polish their swing with golf instruction from PGA pros. Indoors, the casino and chic boutiques beckon, and there’s a well-stocked library plus a movie theater with popcorn. From Venice to mystical Istanbul (oh, the Grand Bazaar shopping), shore excursions are plentiful, alluring, and smoothly managed. Think Greece visits to Ancient Olympia when the ship docks at Katakolon, and storied Mycenae at Navplion. At the showplace seaside town of Yalta, a favorite Ukraine retreat for the likes of Chekhov and Tolstoy, Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninoff, cruisers can explore Lavadia Palace, built in 1911 as a summer residence for Czar Nicholas II and his family. In 1945, it became the venue for the history-making meeting of Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin when the restructuring of post-war Europe was planned. The Black Sea cruise also dropped anchor at Odessa and Sevastopol, Ukraine, and Nesebur, Bulgaria. Clients in search of extra excitement should take a look at Crystal’s Signature Collection of singular adventures. A Mig ﬁghter jet ﬂight over Moscow, anyone? More newsmakers for 2011: for Crystal Symphony, a return to Alaska for the ﬁrst time since 2005, and to West Africa for the ﬁrst time since 2001; for Crystal Serenity, all Baltic and Mediterranean cruises, with added North Cape and Black Sea itineraries. Set for spring are two spanking new 7-day getaways between Los Angeles and Vancouver with Crystal Symphony. Northbound and southbound Paciﬁc Escape and Coastal Exploration sailings will linger at Santa Barbara, San Francisco, Seattle, Astoria, and Victoria, British Columbia. Departing on April 10 and 17, the new voyages offer promotional 2-for-1 fares starting at $2,695 pp and include $500 pp shipboard spending credits. ■ Archived related articles (available on recommend.com): Crystal Cruises Sails Into Promising Year Ahead (December 2010) contact information Crystal Cruises: (888) 799-4625; crystalcruises.com recommend.com http://www.recommend.com http://www.crystalcruises.com http://www.recommend.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recommend February 2011

Editor's Notes/Agent Speak
Hotel Desk
Tour Talk
Crystal Cruises' Serenity
Flights of Fancy With One&Only Cape Town
South African Airways
South Africa Set to Score Big in 2011
Fantastical Fiji
Luxury Lands in Puerto Rico
Grenada
Barbados: High-End, Low-Key
Bermuda Scales Back
Peru is Gaga Over Luxury
Starry Arizona
Acqualina Resort & Spa, Florida
Baden-Baden, Germany
New Choices in Luxury Tweak Mexico's Landscape
Invigorating Girl Escapes

Recommend February 2011