The strength of Crystal Serenity (1,000 passengers) lies in its sea days and onboard entertainment, rather than its limited offerings onshore. My wife and I took this “Classic Atlantic Crossing” to maximize those sea days. Cruise V5308 (Miami to Lisbon in May 2015) stopped enroute at Bermuda and the Azores.

There’s a lot to like about the Serenity, and Crystal’s performance was acceptable in most respects. I’d hold up a paddle with an “8” (out of 10) for this cruise. Like much in life, we savor what’s there and overlook what’s not.

Crystal definitely markets a club that people want to join. In an onboard video, Crystal’s president boasts a waiting list of 700 for one of Serenity’s cruises in 2016. Read more