We began this great adventure in Auckland and have enjoyed our fabulous journey through New Zealand very much. Being on a Crystal cruise is a new experience and definitely one I will always remember. I am finding out what makes this cruise company outshine others. From the moment we walked onboard we had staff introducing themselves and meeting our every need. Within one day most of the staff we encountered knew our names and by the 2nd day they were anticipating when we wanted our coffee poured, if we wanted cream with it and then were there with it ready before we sat down.

The cabins were very spacious and comfortable. I loved the big bathrooms with 2 sinks and every cabin has a tub!

On shore days there was always a free shuttle that would deliver us to town and bring us back to the ship every half hour. That is something most cruise lines we have traveled with do not offer and we really appreciated. I did not find the shore excursions to be any more exceptional than other cruise lines, but the moving from ship to land was always easy and quick.

The cruise ship is large and holds 1100 people. Never once in 16 days did the ship feel crowded. We never had to wait in line to eat, go to a show or get off the ship. The beauty of Crystal is they have lots of space for small numbers. You never feel like you are in a big crowd and everything is very relaxed.

The food is good, but I did not feel it was over the top. Other cruise lines serve comparable meals. I feel that Crystal beats the other lines with their specialty restaurants. The Prego had some of the best Italian food I ever ate. The Silk Road is sushi and Asian Fusion and was so delicious, imaginative and tasty I could have eaten there every night. There is The Pulse where you could have a great dinner in a very casual atmosphere. There is no extra charge other than gratuities to eat at these special restaurants and it makes for a lot of nice dining choices. There is a Bistro on deck 6 where they serve a light breakfast and snacks throughout the day along with Cappuccino, espresso, and specialty coffee free of charge. They serve wine here and it is a popular spot for wine tasting in the afternoon.

The entertainment is first class. There is always something to do with great guest lectures, classes in every kind of subject you can imagine, the movie theatre with first run movies, bridge games, afternoon dancing, tea time, a great spa and the list goes on. I loved the fitness classes and the spa. There was aYoga class every morning which was very nice.

I enjoyed the many extra celebrations that were included and a surprise. There were three captain’s cocktail parties. An afternoon buffet and party for Valentines. That was really fun and the decorations and work that went into it were spectacular. There were three different buffet days with themes such as Asian and Italian. One day at sea champagne was served with lunch because it was raining and they wanted to cheer us up! These little touches made the experience of Crystal very special and memorable.

Here are a few pictures of the ship.

This is the top deck Bar and dancing area. Also used for many other gatherings, such as the Captain's welcome party. It is called Palm Court and The Sunset Bar.