Crystal Cruises' Crystal Serenity Cruise Ship Tour

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• published: 10 Feb 2016
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The Crystal Serenity has revised the number of room categories to 13 aboard Serenity (up from five, including "Pure" rooms for passengers with allergies). All have 100 percent Egyptian cotton linens, wireless in-room Internet access, Frette robes, Aveda bath amenities, turndown service and more. Even the smallest -- deluxe staterooms with large picture windows -- have seating areas and all the amenities like in-suite satellite TV, movies available from the library and complimentary minibar offerings. Upgrade, though, and the rooms are an even better value. The Crystal Serenity penthouses are an impressive 1,345 square feet apiece, and each comes with a very large private verandah, two walk-in closets and even a private workout area. The space was reconfigured in the new design to add a shower to the guest powder room, so the media/library/den with a sleeper sofa can function as a second bedroom. There are cabins designed for folks with disabilities in all the major categories, including cabins on the penthouse levels. The Crystal Serenity Dining Room serves as the backbone of the ship's restaurant operations. Elegantly wood-paneled and with a minimum of flash and fuss to take your attention away from the experience itself, the restaurant is open-seating at breakfast and lunch. (We appreciated, time and time again, the sensitivity of maitre d's in not forcing shared encounters.) At night, for most passengers, it's tradition all the way, with seatings at 6:00 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. The Crystal Serenity has always been known for the friendly formality of its dining rooms (passengers definitely do dress for dinner) and the well-curated offerings in its other venues, but along with the new design come a few other notable improvements. For several years, the traditional company has offered cruisers the option of "Perfect Choice" seating, which allows cruisers to reserve times and tables in the dining room pre-cruise. Think of it more like a restaurant reservation; you tell the maitre d' when you plan to dine that evening and with whom, and he'll have a table arranged for you. Another area in which Crystal Serenity excels is live music. You don't have to be an old fogey to appreciate classical music at teatime, a classical quartet in the atrium, torch songs at cocktail hour in the Palm Court, Broadway show tunes in the Avenue Saloon before and after dinner and fabulously fun karaoke in the intense Pulse Disco. One noteworthy improvement is the Sunset Bar at the forward end of the Palm Court. It offers gorgeous views over the bow (hence the name) and is rarely crowded. It became a favorite watering hole as we sailed out of port. Dancing (with gentleman hosts) is popular and takes place there nightly. The Crystal Serenity's Casino, on the way to the Galaxy Lounge, offers a comprehensive range of table games and slots; it's no longer operated by Caesar's Palace. The Crystal Serenity also extends The Crystal Cruises tradition of its Hollywood Theater, which, on our trip, showed both classic and second-run films. Popcorn is served, but get there early. The screenings are great for cloudy afternoons at sea. The ship has two pools. The Seahorse is the main one, with a bandstand and two whirlpools. The Neptune, which lies under a sliding-glass roof, is ostensibly the "bad weather" pool. The Trident Grill and Tastes, two alternative dining options located in that area, have pretty much taken over the space with tables and chairs, and it's just not conducive to swimming while people are eating. The roof was never opened, even when the weather was fine. While The Crystal Serenity makes little attempt to market itself as the "upscale family" cruise line, it does attract families with children, particularly those traveling as three generations during the summer and holidays. Even though the children's facilities are relatively small and basic, Crystal is one of the few luxury lines to offer any dedicated space for children at all. However, youth staff are not usually onboard, except during sailings when there will be a significant number of children, such as during the summer or holidays.