I accompanied my mother-in-law on Crystal Serenity's 10-day transatlantic from Miami to Lisbon. Prior to this voyage, I had been on only two other (cruise ship) cruises, both in 2005: a Mediterranean cruise on the Seabourn Spirit, which was unforgettably wonderful in every way; and a Caribbean cruise on the Caribbean Princess, which I often forget aboutnot because the experience was forgettable, but because I wish so desperately I COULD forget about it. This Crystal cruise definitely had more in common with my Seabourn experience, so I may occasionally compare it to that. (As for the Princess fiasco, I will continue to pretend that never happened...)

The Accommodations

My MIL and I shared a verandah suite that, on Crystal Serenity, was just the regular suite with a verandah. It "lived" considerably smaller than my Seabourn suite, and I felt the missing square footage most keenly in the squishy living room/desk/bar area and the (non walk-in) closet. Other than that, no complaints. The sound-proofing was very good, the beds comfy, and I loved the wool blankets provided for use on the verandah. The chairs on the verandah tilt waaaay backvery comfy, although I have to say, I didn't use them much. On Crystal, you really never spend any time in your cabin. Read more