May 11, 2016 – Final Report

We’ve been home in Florida for five days now. Getting off the plane in Fort Myers on May 6 to see 75º weather (at 10:30 pm), and unusually low humidity, felt wonderful -- much more to our liking than the 50º welcoming temperature with light rain we had in San Francisco that same morning.

It’s great to be home again, but our first task was to look at the 3-foot-tall stack of mail that our dear friends Darryl and Barbara collected for us while we were gone. That stack didn’t even include all the shopping catalogs that we received; Ginny told Barbara to keep the ones she wanted and throw out all the rest. We didn’t see any correspondence that needed immediate action, which was good. As for finances, we had all incoming money and outgoing bill payments processed electronically while we were gone, and that seemed to work perfectly.

Our last three days on Crystal Serenity went by very quickly, but there was a lot going on. The six of us at our table (the two of us plus our great tablemates Dave, Jerry, Karen, and Suzanne) skipped the last Black-Tie-Optional formal night (May 4) and went up to Tastes instead. We had gone up there (on Deck 12) as a group about six weeks ago and enjoyed it; so we decided this would be a more relaxing place to celebrate our next-to-last night on the ship. Tastes is less formal (although there were some tuxedos seen up there that night), with small portions served of sev­eral different food types. We needed to eat fairly quickly, in order to get good seats for the gala show in the Galaxy Lounge.

The final World Cruise Special Event show was nothing short of amazing. There was a large orchestra and a few entertainers brought in (we assume from San Francisco) for a Motown show. The Galaxy Lounge stage had been extended way out into where the audience normally sits (at least five rows of seats had been removed), and we believe there were more than 45 entertainers on stage most of the time. The show was loud and lively, with two very strong stars as singers, along with the four Serenity singers, and the eight Serenity dancers energetically going nonstop for a full hour. We were exhausted just watching this show and don’t think anyone (including Las Vegas) could have done a better job with the music and dancing. We were sorry we didn’t bring our camera to the event. Raphaël Derkson led and directed the whole show; when it was over, he came out to center stage and was very emotional about what a thrill it was and thanked all of us for our strongly positive response to the results of their hard work preparing for the special event show. 

The next day (May 5), we spent most of our time packing suitcases. We left our bags out in the hall at about 5:30 pm for the crew to pick up and organize in the cargo hold. Then, after dinner, we went to the Crystal Cove for the World Cruise farewell party, with bands and dancing, climaxed by an exciting balloon and confetti drop at the end. It was lots of fun!

Our last day (May 6) we woke up early, as we were scheduled for a 7:00 am depar­ture from the ship in San Francisco. As it turned out, we were the first ones off the ship in the morning when it was announced that the local authorities had cleared all passengers to disembark. From that point everything went perfectly for us.

Crystal must have contracted for about 20 local people to help departing guests in the terminal. We found our five suitcases and gave them to a porter, went through customs very quickly, and found the Luggage Concierge truck right outside the door. They checked our names, counted bags, and put the bags on the truck immediately. The bags were scheduled for delivery to our home in 5-7 working days. Two of the ship’s concierge staff led us to a waiting car and driver, who promptly took us to the airport. We had already “checked in” for our flight over the Internet the previous day; we didn’t even stop at the ticket counter and just walked right through TSA security to our gate. We were seated at our gate by 8:00 am – amazing! Our flight wasn’t until 11:23, so we spent our time reading until boarding started early at 10:45.

Both flights were uneventful, including the transfer of planes in Atlanta. We landed at Fort Myers on-time at 10:30 pm (Eastern Time). A driver from Shell Point picked us up and took us directly home. We even remembered to bring our front door keys with us!

Our observations after 3½ months on board Crystal Serenity are very positive. We had a remarkably good voyage. The ship itself ran very smoothly, with nothing breaking down. All the hardware -- elevators, lights, air conditioning and heating, and so forth all worked perfectly. Food and service in the six eating venues (Dining Room, Prego, Silk Road, Lido, Tastes, and the Trident Grill) were all extremely good. Officers and crewmembers, without exception, came across as happy to be on board and willing to do anything possible to keep guests happy. We were especially impressed with how many crewmembers with whom we spoke had been proudly working for Crystal for more than 15 years.

Here’s a list summarizing our experiences on World Cruise 2016 - Grand Pacific Panorama:

1. Making Us Feel Special. Crystal has a strong reputation in the cruise industry for customer service. We would agree with that description. At the basic level almost all cruising is the same – cruise overnight and visit local port cities during the day, or spend a relaxing day by the pool or reading during days at sea, while enjoying good food and entertainment. On many ships, the crew goes about doing their jobs efficiently, with little consideration of the passengers. But on Crystal Serenity, all crewmembers, from the Master of the Vessel on down, seemed to have customer service as their number one priority. We felt like we were very welcome guests at all times while on board.

2. Entertainment for the World Cruise was absolutely superior to anything we’ve seen on any other cruise ship. The permanent entertainment team of a 6-piece orchestra, four singers, and eight dancers, plus the support staff (lighting, sound, stage crew), were professionals of the highest caliber.

There are five “standard” shows they apparently do regularly on all cruises (depending on cruise length) – ‘My Life: The Music of Billy Joel”, “Across the Pond”, “Curtain Call”. 6/8 Café Jukebox Musical”, and “iLuminate”. These are great shows - lively, fun, challenging - all of which produce thunderous applause from guests. Admittedly, they were a little repeti­tive when performed more than once on a lengthy 6-segment,102-day World Cruise. However, we did enjoy seeing all of them at least twice.

World Cruise “Entertainment Events” were really noteworthy. There was at least one unique home-grown stage show performed on each of the six World Cruise segments. Rick Spath (Cruise Director) told us these shows were all developed, written, choreographed, and produced totally on board ship by the entertainment team and only performed once – an amazing accomplishment by a very talented crew of professionals. The shows were all great. Here’s the list: “Elvis Show”, “Jazz – A Crazy Rhythm”, “Radio Hour – A Sentimental Journey”, “Lord of the Dance”, “Sound of Music”, “Motown”.

There was a first-class, special show by an orchestra and performers from the San Fran­cisco Opera (“Viva Voce”) staged on-board ship exclusively for Full World Cruise travelers the night before other cruisers were allowed on ship.

Local cultural shows were brought on board for several ports, including Bali, Malaysia, Cambodia, and Vietnam. These were always interesting and fun.

3. Special Full World Cruise Events. Two special off-ship events were arranged for Full World Cruise travelers. First was in Honolulu, where Crystal booked an exclusive Flash-back to the 1940s USO Evening and Show on board the restored Battleship USS Missouri. This was a lavish show by local entertainers, followed by private tours all around the ship. The second special event was in Singapore, where Crystal rented the entire S.E.A. Aquarium on Sentosa Island for an exclusive, full evening of entertainment and aquarium-viewing. We enjoyed both the events and fully appreciated the effort (and cost) it must have taken to stage these events.

4. Notable Amenities for Full World Cruisers. In addition to all those shown above, the following are features that we valued as something special on Crystal Serenity for the World Cruise:

- Chauffeured ground transportation to and from the ship at both embarkation and disembarkation of the 102-day voyage (in both cases we were transported by sedans).

- One hour per day of exceptionally good Internet coverage for each of us

- Photo Directory of all Full World Cruise travelers who were willing to appear in the directory – given to travelers early in the World Cruise

- End-of-cruise DVD, prepared by a professional videographer, showing highlights of the full 102-day experience

- Unlimited visits to the three specialty restaurants if space was available (and it always was)

- Outstanding program of very highly qualified enrichment speakers (always 2, sometimes 3 or 4 speakers per day) on sea days

- Very large list of class offerings in the Creative Learning Institute – Spanish language, learning to play piano (using Yamaha keyboards), bridge, yoga, dancing, arts & crafts, golf, computers, knitting/needlepoint, exercise/fitness (Pilates, spinning, etc.), plus many more.

- Ten Ambassador (Dance) Hosts for women who love to dance, along with many dancing opportunities (live band or orchestra) almost every evening for the full 102 days. We didn’t get involved with this, but it was very popular.

- A different magician (from Magic Castle in Hollywood) every segment of the voyage, with small shows (10 - 15 spectators) scheduled many nights per segment in the Pulse nightclub venue. We attended shows by five different magicians and were amazed (without exception) by what they were doing.


5. Some Small Nits

- We ate at the main (early) seating, and noise level in the main dining room was high. We originally were at a table for eight people, and it was impossible to hear everyone at the table. After the first segment, we were down to six people and were able to move to a smaller table. Then it was better, but not ideal.

- We felt that, at times, the dining room chef was trying a little too hard to be pretentious with the menu offerings. This might be because the passengers on this ship were definitely from a wide mix of nationalities. Luckily, we were able to find something to our liking on the menu every evening.

- There were long waits (an hour or more waiting in line) to get off the ship at several ports. We believe this was probably caused by local customs & immigration procedures, but we wish the ship’s staff had been able to mitigate the situation somehow.

In summary, Crystal's World Cruise 2016 was a marvelous experience. We signed up for this voyage because of the itinerary – it was a great mix of 47 ports of call in 19 countries all the way across the vast Pacific Ocean and back, along the “Ring of Fire.” We weren’t disappointed in any way - everything was incredibly good. Our congratulations and thanks to Crystal for a job very well done, and for getting us home safe and happy, with wonderful memories.

Jim & Ginny

May 3, 2016 – Vancouver, BC, Canada

After leaving Ketchikan Sunday evening (6:00 pm), the rain stopped almost immediately. We returned to cruising southbound that evening and our full day at sea on Monday (May 2nd). Weather was beautiful, as was the scenery, as we glided safely and quietly along sheltered channels of the Inside Passage, weaving between dozens of islands and dense green forests of Canada’s British Columbia coastline. Open ocean waves of the Pacific are blocked by the islands, leaving the waterways inside the channels - the Inside Passage - relatively calm and protected. 

 

We would occasionally see small communities and logging camps whose only connection to the outside world is by the sea. Some of the channels were remarkably narrow and the air smelled fragrant with pine and spruce trees. Snow-capped mountains emerged very close to the water line. What a beautiful, calming experience!

Not only were the sights and smells striking, but the temperature was warming up as well. By the time we reached Vancouver this morning, the temperature was 68º F. Jim enjoyed doing his 3½-mile walk around the Promenade Deck this morning in his t-shirt and wind-breaker. What a change from this past week in Alaska, where the weather was raw.

Here are some photos that Jim took, while walking this morning, of Crystal Serenity arriving under the Lion’s Gate Bridge and into the Port of Vancouver. We docked by 7:00 am at Canada Place - a prominent site on the waterfront - with its rooftop that looks like a sailing ship with five white sails.  

 

Canada Place was built originally in 1986 for the Vancouver World’s Fair: Expo 86. Adjacent to Canada Place is the modern Trade and Convention Center (with a grass roof) - built as the International TV Broadcast Center for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games. These two very successful events in 1986 and 2010 changed the city and put Vancouver on the world stage. Being docked here gives great advantage to cruise travelers, as it’s adjacent to downtown with a wide range of excellent hotels, shopping, dining, entertainment, and attractions available nearby

Here are some interesting facts about Vancouver that our tour guide, Chris, told us today:

• The city proper is built on a peninsula. Due to the geography, it’s almost like being on an island, which restricts lateral growth. Directly across the strait is Vancouver Island which shields the city from the Pacific Ocean. 

• There are approximately 610,000 people living within in the city limits, making it the eighth largest Canadian city. However, within the Greater Vancouver area there are 2.4 million residents, making it the third most populous metropolitan area in Canada.
   
• There has been explosive population growth in Vancouver, and 65% of its current residents were not born here. Not only that, 53% of its residents have a first language other than English. Much of that is due to immigrants from Hong Kong and mainland China. About 30% of the Vancouver 's inhabitants are now of Chinese heritage. Chris thinks that assimilation of immigrants has strengthened the city. 

• Real estate in Vancouver is extraordinarily expensive and has been ranked among Canada's most expensive cities in which to live. Additionally, Chris detailed some of the tax rates being levied, including what we understand is a12% sales tax. 

We signed up for a shore excursion today, titled “Views of Vancouver,” leaving from Canada Place at 1:00 pm. We started out by riding through the tall skyscrapers of downtown, almost all of which were built in the past 30 years. Especially impressive is that many of these were built on landfills along the waterfront in anticipation of World Expo-86 and the 2010 Winter Olympic Games. The Shangri-La Hotel downtown is currently the tallest building in the city.

Chris was very proud of how green the city is, with its many parks, gardens, and so many plantings featured even in high-rise buildings. We headed for Stanley Park - one of the biggest attractions of the city (and one of the largest natural parks in any North American city). The park is almost exactly 1,000 acres in size, of which 800 acres are forested. We visited Stanley Park about 10 years ago, and thought it was one of the finest urban parks in the world. We still believe that to be true. 

Stanley Park sits at the tip of the downtown peninsula and has miles of trails for walking and cycling, several miles of waterfront beaches, as well as manicured lawns, lush gardens, sports fields, and magnificent views. During our last visit, we walked the Seawall, a paved 6-mile trail (mostly flat) that runs around the perimeter of the park, and it is a fantastic walking experience. As far as we could tell today, the walk trail is still intact and just as beautiful as ever. 

 

Within Stanley Park, we made a short stop at Brockton Point to see the totem pole collection, which expresses the history of the “First Nations” people who lived here before westerners settled the area. These include carvings and work by Squamish artists. We continued through the park toward English Bay’s north shore, admiring many high-rise, modern (and expensive) apartments and condominiums along the beach. 

 

Then we crossed over a bridge to Granville Island, which was an unexpectedly interesting stop under the south end of the Granville Street Bridge. This area was once an industrial manufactur­ing area, and a cement plant still remains (with very colorful silos).

 

However, now it’s a great spot for shopping and entertainment. We were given 30 minutes to explore a sample of all that this riverfront place has to offer, on our own - there are boutiques, arts and craft shops, galleries, and a covered public market with fruits, vegetables, meat, fish, etc. There were also street performers, an “improv” theater company, fine arts galleries, as well as many places to eat and drink. We could have spent the whole day here, as we just scratched the surface. But it was time to move on, so we regretfully left without buying anything.

 

Queen Elizabeth Park was our next destination. Along the way, the bus passed by Robson­strasse, a street filled with European-style shops and restaurants, and then climbed to the top of the city. This green, vibrant park was once a rock quarry; now it has been re-born as a sunken garden of blooming flowers and shrubbery. It’s said that, within the park are specimens of all the trees native to Canada; we didn’t have time to visit all of them today. 

 

The park also allows wonderful views of the city and the surrounding mountains to the north. The visit today was so much nicer than when we were here 10 years ago. Back then there was a lot of road construction and traffic jams; not so today, and the pleasant weather really helped. 

 

Chris took us back to the ship through a whole different part of the city. We drove through Chinatown relatively quickly, because it isn’t as interesting as it used to be. Chris explained that a large part of the Chinese community in Vancouver used to be concentrated in this one part of town. At one time this was known as the second largest Chinatown in North America (after San Francisco). Now, the newer Chinese immigrants are spread out all over the city and have been absorbed into their local neighborhoods. Chinatown isn’t thriving the way it was before.

From Chinatown, we passed through Gastown, which is the original (1867) settlement area in Vancouver. Here a person known as Gassy Jack established a tavern. The area soon took on his name as a destination. In 1971, the government declared Gastown to be a historical site, and it survives today with (tourist-oriented) pubs, restaurants, and shopping that reflect the area’s former status as a community drinking center. A number of restored buildings and a Steam Clock are popular tourist attractions. The bus drove down Water Street, passed by the statue of Gassy Jack, and stopped to let us out for a short break. Chris led us to the steam clock, and we waited just a few minutes for the clock to play Big Ben's song (with steam instead of chimes). Apparently this happens every 15 minutes.
 

 

If there is a down side to Vancouver, Chris was very honest in telling us that it would be the number of homeless people who are attracted to the warmer weather experienced in Vancouver. They seem to be concentrated near to Chinatown.

In summary after our 3½-hour overview tour today, we can say that Vancouver is definitely blessed with a superb natural environment, with beautiful green park lands, views of tall, picturesque mountains (with practically unlimited winter sports nearby), and wonderful waterfront advantages (including miles of beaches, sailing possibilities, sea breezes). It definitely helped that the weather was so pleasant today, after our rainy days in Alaska. However, we are smart enough to know that one of the reasons for all the healthy green grass, gardens, and trees must be that Vancouver lies in a temperate rainforest climate. It must rain a lot; luckily we missed it today.

On board Crystal Serenity, we visited the Prego and Tastes specialty restaurants in the last few nights and also attended two excellent concerts - Gary Arbuthnot (flute-player from Northern Ireland) and Lou Gazzara (singer from Las Vegas). Both shows were in the Stardust Club, as the Galaxy Lounge/Theater stage is being remodeled to accommodate a big stage show to be performed there tomorrow night (May 4).

Today’s visit to Vancouver concludes day 99 of our 102-day World Cruise. We now have two days at sea to pack our suitcases and get ready to leave the ship on Saturday (May 6). Our intention is to send a last blog posting after we get home, but it may take us a few days to take care of anything of immediate importance at home before getting back on the Internet.

Jim & Ginny