Crystal Symphony Review

Crystal Symphony around the British Isles

Review for the British Isles & Western Europe Cruise on Crystal Symphony
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Crystal Cuanarder Sue
10+ Cruises • Age 50s

Rating by category

Cabin
Value for Money
Embarkation
Dining
Public Rooms
Entertainment
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Service

Additional details

Sail Date: Jul 2016
Cabin: Deluxe Stateroom with Large Picture Window

We chose this cruise as one of our group had done a Crystal cruise before and always considered it a cut above the rest. There were many ways in which this was an excellent cruise from a first-rate company but we are still not sure if we prefer Crystal to the Grill class on Cunard or vice versa. The jury is out.

What we liked on Crystal: a beautiful ship with some very relaxing indoor and outdoor areas- particularly attractive were the Palm Court lounge, the pool area and the glass-covered area; very well-motivated and pleasant staff in all areas ensure attentive service at all times; high quality cabins with good bathroom facilities (half-tub) and very good sound-proofing; superb library with wide-ranging stock of books/ dvds/ games; impressive standard of speakers and enrichment activities; lots of space so that we never felt crowded.

The dining was very good but probably not of the same standard as the Grill class, although it was wonderful to have access to drinks without further payment. One disappointment was that the cafeteria, the Lido, was frequently open for very restricted hours and so we had to go to the Trident grill (hamburgers and pizza) after a morning trip rather than having a proper lunch. Apart from the Dining Room, there are three speciality options- Prego (Italian), Silk Road (Thai) and a sushi bar. We only tried Prego. This was a good alternative to the main Dining Room, although with a relatively limited selection of options. Normally passengers get two 'free' trips to a speciality restaurant but on this cruise we had four each, which was generous.

Cabin Review

Deluxe Stateroom with Large Picture Window

Cabin C2

I had a 'restricted' view cabin. This was absolutely fine, particularly on a cruise in which the weather didn't allow for extended periods outside. The decor was good and the bed was enormous and very comfortable. The bathroom was well-equipped. Sound proofing was superb.

Port Reviews

St. Peter Port (Guernsey)

Tender in and then an easy walk to the shops/ sights of St Peter Port. Take a bus to a beach or (for £1) do a tour around the island- you can go either way.

Dublin

summer 2016 very busy with tram- works causing traffic chaos but many sights and the option to do a red, yellow or green bus tour around the sites of interest. Also option to explore the local coast/ countryside.

Liverpool

Loads to see in city which is very convenient walk from cruise terminal or there are trips to Lake District/ Wales for those going further afield.

Edinburgh (South Queensferry)

Masses to see once you manage to get in to city: Castle, museums, Britannia, Holyrood.

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