Suite

Crystal Cruises

Luxury Cruises

Expedition Cruises

Reykjavik

Ushuaia (Tierra del Fuego)

Antarctica

Baltic Sea

Europe - All

Excellent

Crystal Endeavor

Fantastic food and dining service around Iceland on Crystal's new luxury expedition ship!

Rarotonga

OVERVIEW

We sailed the third voyage of Endeavor which was a 10 day R/T Reykjavik, Iceland voyage commencing on August 6, 2021.  Our overall experience was outstanding both on and off the ship.

The ship and many of the itineraries combine an on-board luxury experience with an expedition experience off the ship as well as expedition related enrichment on-board such as the talks given by the expedition team.

I don’t believe every itinerary is for everyone and certainly there are some itineraries oriented to more active guests and others which would offer options to those not into active excursions.

The ship was not completely ready when we boarded. We received an e-mail about a week before the voyage detailing what was not available (no helicopter or sub and the Solarium and Marketplace were not open) and because of this they included a 25% future cruise credit.  This means 25% of what you paid for the actual cruise could be applied to a future cruise including one you already booked if it has not been paid for in full.

There were some rooms with leaks. While on the prior two voyages some rooms had A/C issues I am not sure whether this was an issue on this voyage.  It was not for us.  

EMBARKATION/DISEMBARKATION

With the COVID-19 protocols embarkation is not like it’s been before as we had to go to a hotel for check in and to take the COVID-19 test.  There was a lot of staff there from the third-party company Crystal use on land.  Plenty of food and drink too.  

Endeavor was docked at the old port which is in the city which is nice since we also had an overnight.  In many ports such as this one the gangway involves walking up and down many steps.  As soon as we got out of the vehicle there were people there to carry on our carry-on piece of luggage for us.  We checked in and had our photo taken and were given our shipboard cards.  After a tour of the ship we were escorted to the room with our carry on luggage and immediately met our butler and also the head of housekeeping who we know from Serenity.  Most recently our butler has been on two of the River Cruise vessels and prior to that Ocean.

Disembarkation was the best we ever experienced.  We did book a private transfer from the ship to hotel.  We met the Chief Concierge at the appropriate time and the Office Manager was very visible as she plays a key role in the turnaround of the ship.  When our vehicle was ready the Chief Concierge informed us.  He took our two pieces of carry-on luggage and when we got to the area to debark another person took our backpacks and once on the ground, we could see our two piece of checked luggage being brought out by two other people and then all of us walked to the vehicle waiting for us.  I always think it’s important to leave on a high note and this is what happened.

THE SHIP

We have sailed only two ships not as large as Endeavor; Crystal Mozart River Vessel and Seabourn Pride (two sailings) which was a 206 passenger vessel. Crystal Endeavor is larger than the Pride with larger suites, verandahs (Pride didn’t have those and a few rooms had the ability to open the slider), much more public space and a far larger crew.  The crew on board Endeavor is over 200 including the expedition team.

A lot of thought was put into where the venues are located keeping in mind logistics and the ship is easy to learn.  By the day after we boarded, we knew where everything was located and never needed to use the ship layout little guide provided in the holder which we placed our shipboard card into.  

The Bistro is conveniently located on Deck 5 adjacent to the reception area and in the other direction is the Fitness Center, Shops, Fitness Center, Salon Spa, the Solarium including Seahorse pool and two-level seating for Marketplace.

One deck below on Deck 4 you will find the rest of the dining venues including Umi Uma, Prego and Waterside along with the Crystal Cove.  The Crystal Cove has more characteristics of Star Dust and Starlite on Symphony and Serenity than what we think of as the Crystal Cove.  It is used for lectures, entertainment, enjoying a drink, and for meeting just before the start of an offshore expedition.  As to the latter it is conveniently located to Deck 3 where the lockers are located which store each guests zodiac life vest and on voyages where boots are needed those are stored right next to each locker.  In addition to the guest laundry this deck is where you get the Zodiacs and Tenders from and also where Boots can be cleaned.

The vast majority of the deluxe suites are located on Decks 6 and 7 with a few on Deck 5.  The largest of the suites are located on Deck 7 towards the bow of the ship and the next largest ones PS category are on Deck 8 starting close to mid ship and going toward the bow where the Captain’s Lounge followed by the Bridge are located.  

The ship is beautiful, and the color scheme and décor has some of the characteristics of what you find on the Crystal River Vessels.  It’s no surprise based on where the vessels were built.

A nice wrap around deck where one could walk and run is located on the top deck and one could walk part of the way on the deck below it.

They have a good sized library using an honor system as there is no full-time librarian.

On a related note no computer university but if you have IT issues you just call Reception and they can have someone help you.  

ENRICHMENT & ENTERTAINMENT

The lectures were terrific with the focus as it should be on the places we were to visit and the expedition experience.

We didn’t go to the entertainment because of our own set of protocols we developed with respect to COVID-19 but listened to some of the evening shows from adjacent to the Crystal Cove and enjoyed the music and singing albeit for a few minutes at a time.

CUISINE & DINING VENUES

The food was terrific.  Dishes were moister and served at temperatures reflecting that in not only Prego and Umi Uma but in Waterside dishes were being prepared to order and when ready were brought out directly to the table avoiding food warmers.   Although Waterside and Prego have somewhat fewer dishes than you would find on the Ocean Vessels since Endeavor’s guest capacity is 20% of the Ocean Vessels we always found items to order and enjoyed every meal.    The dinner rolls at both these venues are the same ones found at Prego on the Ocean Vessels and they were much tastier and softer as they don’t require the heat warmers. 

One could see the influence that the Executive Chef has at Waterside and every dish we had for dinner was creative in its look and  very tasty and cooked to perfection.  

Umi Uma is a different menu from the Ocean Vessels and my preference for the cuisine at Umi Uma is the Ocean Vessels over Endeavor for the cuisine portion of Umi Uma as the cuisine is different.  Service is great with a wait staff from Symphony and Serenity and the Chefs are Nobu Trained and I believe came over from Symphony.

We didn’t eat at The Bistro but the food looks similar to what you would find on the Ocean Vessels and the proximity of the ice cream is what you find on the River Vessels.  Lots of tables and larger in proportion to the Ocean Vessels given the number of guests each vessel counts.

This leads me to the dining venues.  They are beautifully decorated and appreciated the location offering really nice views in Waterside no matter where you were seated.  There were several larger tables in the center for family and those traveling together or for guests wanting to dine with other guests  If you were seated at a table by the window at Umi Uma, it offered beautiful views.  Prego had seating in two areas; one was inside the actual restaurant but for those who wanted a window view there were tables near the windows.  I think the downside of the table window was people passing your table as the majority likely making their way to and from Waterside with some visiting the Connoisseur Club.

Deck 9 has the Pantry which under normal circumstances would have light food 7x24 but due to COVID-19 protocols the food was not available.  They did have hot and cold beverages.  

The only downside is a couple of times in the early morning the control panel on the machine was locked. The first time this happened I called the reception, and she sent the one butler who was covering the guest suites but he didn’t know how to unlock it.  He did get me coffee from the Butler’s Pantry.  A minor item and hopefully a simple solution for the machine.  

TECHNOLOGY 

I have never seen a bridge with as much advanced technology as Endeavor has.  It had some characteristics of an aircraft and the Space Shuttle but much nicer and spacious.  Two chairs where the ship is controlled are next to one another and all the controls are in arm’s length and just like on a commercial airline the two people in control have to work together.  Two other chairs behind them are for the captain and if needed the Pilot.  Navigation maps for the entire world are on computer. While on a much larger screen than an iPad you can drill down as you would an iPad. 

As you see on the Ocean Vessels there are monitors in places around the ship with information for the guests.  There are computers in some locations for the guests but I didn’t try them out.  They were not Apple Computers.  

As you find on the River Cruise Vessels iPads are in each guest room including many capabilities including the daily activities program.  The difference is  there are no paper copies of the activities so you just have to get used to looking them up on the iPad or one of your own devices.  It took us a couple of days to get used to this and then we made it part of our regular routine.

I was pleased that the night before on a relatively consistent basis both the daily activities program and Waterside menu for the following days was available and more consistently available than I have found the Ocean Vessels to be.

We were in a PS so I can’t comment on the outlets for the other room but I have never seen as many electrical outlets in one room as this. You could plug in 30 or more devices at once.  LOL.  The only issue is for those traveling say from the USA you would need adapters as these were European outlets with only a few exceptions and the ship didn’t have any on-board at the time.  I had several with me for our pre-cruise stay so we were fine and if need be, we could have managed without them, but it was a big plus for us.

There are TV’s on the top deck which were being installed as was various lighting so we didn’t get to experience them.

The suites have key card readers so no need to swipe the cards.  You just tap them for entry and this can be sone with the card holder closed and you do the same when you leave or return from the ship.

THE INTERNET

Overall, the best experience we have had on any vessel ever.  It was reliable and up most of the time.  I could easily do mail the blog, post lots of photos and upload other documents and use the internet for placing calls and doing video chats using Face Time and WhatsApp

ACCOMMODATIONS

We were in a PS suite and I assume it gets its name from the Ocean Vessels.  I found it to be larger than the Ocean Vessels and better laid out.  

The lighting in the main area of the suite and in the bathroom was superb.  As I have gotten older and my eyesight even with glasses is not what it used to be I truly appreciated the light.  I could read the labels on the bath products which I often can’t do on other vessels or even hotels if bathroom lighting is poor.

There was a lot of storage space and a great closet for this length of cruise.  There was an entranceway closet where our expedition jackets, hats and waterproof bag was stored.  

The bathroom featured the rain shower which we love and there is another door to close of the toilet area from the rest of the bathroom.  There is no bathtub which we prefer not having.  Only issue is where to hang wet clothes since there is no laundry string which you have over a bathtub and no place to place used towels other than neatly on the bathroom floor.

Again, not sure how it compares but I would say when the door is closed to the toilet that the toilet area might seem very snug for some people.  Also, the water level in the toilet seemed to low (I never asked about it) and trust me it is a problem at times.  I should have asked about it.  I will the next time.

I liked the desks we each had which to me had similarities to the PH on Serenity which up until Endeavor I thought was the best layout between desk space and storage.  

A nice full-length mirror on the closet and I appreciated that the light in the closet comes on automatically with motion so no need to turn a light switch on and off.  Safe was at a good level.  

They could add another level to hand clothes and if you are not of an average heigh I could see people struggling to hang clothes on the rod at the back of the closet.  I think you would need a step stool.

The bed was very comfortable. Also, we brought our larges of the luggage which was two 29” pieces on rollers versus the 28” ones.  Even when they are empty on say Symphony and Serenity we cannot fit them under the bed, but we could on Endeavor.

EXPEDITION EXCURSIONS

At every location you could choose from excursions which were included in the cruise fare or select ones at a cost.  We were very pleased with ours which included several Zodiac Cruises and a hike which I went on.  We learned a lot from the expedition guides/zodiac drivers.  Everything was very well organized and these were some of the highlights of this adventure as they should be.

THE CREW AND OVERALL SERVICE

The crew was simply amazing as was the service.

I am reminded that when Serenity entered service many who had sailed Symphony and Harmony thought the crew was not at the performance levels they experienced on Harmony and Symphony.  I think one of the reasons is the ones from Harmony and Symphony had some different practices and there was a good percentage of crew new to Crystal.  It took more time but eventually this worked its way out.

On Endeavor if you said the crew was working together for three years versus this being the third voyage I could believe that.  They worked as one cohesive team and the service levels were outstanding. I do believe they benefited from only 100 guests on board versus if they were at full capacity based on all rooms filled with two which would take the count up to 200 guests.

Kudos the crew and senior officers for all they have accomplished acting as one team.  On the challenging side they took crew from Symphony, Serenity, five River Cruise Vessels and Esprit with different practices and they formed one team following one set of practices for Endeavor.  

I believe they went through a lot as most do when a new vessel is being launched but even more so on Endeavor giving many items not finished at the ship building site and in the weeks they were in Germany and then at sea and then getting things into operation they all went through a lot while developing a close bond.  You could see the bond in the way they helped out one another and in their laughs.

I do think they were wise to only staff Endeavor with those who worked on other Crystal Vessels, so you had no new people.  I think their approach where pretty much everyone has a primary job and a secondary job is great and that almost everyone came over in laterally from the positions they formally held on their last contract on one of the other Crystal Vessels.

Some of the crew we have known since sailing Harmony in 2002 and others from sailing Symphony, Serenity and Mozart.  At the same time some of the crew we had never sailed with before.  We quickly felt at home which says a lot.

I had mentioned that most crew members do multiple jobs and that includes the Butlers.  On Ocean Vessels you have runners who get the food from Galley to Pantry.  On Endeavor, Butlers do both.  

I suspect some jobs will be tweaked as they gain more experience.

SUMMARY

We had an amazing time on Endeavor.  We plan to return and have other cruises booked.  

For us it provided an amazing on-board luxury experience while providing an equally impressive expedition experience.  I realize the per diem cost is much higher than Ocean Vessels and if you said Endeavor you will understand why.  

Yes, there is more work to be done.  We didn’t get to use the Solarium and Market Place as those who came on for the next voyage did.  There is other work to be done some of which we could tell what is needed and other work which is transparent to us.  Any leaks in the suites and/or A/C issues need to be resolved and the addition of the Sub and Helicopter are both important for those itineraries benefiting from them.  

As was the case with Serenity this is a challenging time getting fully stocked so a few items were not available day one; some showed up while others didn’t. In time, this will work its way through to resolution and is clearly attributable to COVID-19.  I mention this should you be on board any of the vessels and say you find that your favorite soda or sweetener is not available or some other item.   Just like on land sometimes there are shortages.  In addition, some countries have slowed up the process of allowing items to be shipped from their country as others have slowed up the process of allowing items to enter their country.  

I believe for those who want a combined luxury and expedition experience Endeavor provides both and more.  I also think some of the itineraries are more expedition oriented while others are less so and Endeavor would be great for both as well.

We have cruised on ocean vessels across several cruise lines for many years with the vast majority with Crystal Cruises.  Crystal has introduced us to River Cruising and to Expedition Cruising and we love all three.  As such we have cruises planned on all three types of Crystal Vessels and look forward to each one.

We find small ships are very intimate and provide a nice opportunity to get to know fellow guests even more than larger ships.  This happened to us on the Pride and also on Mozart.  If not for COVID-19 I am sure this would have happened on Endeavor as we knew one couple from a prior cruise and we also met others who under normal circumstances we would have had drinks and/or dinner with. 

Finally, as I often say no two cruises are the same.  Many factors including weather and itinerary, guest count, along with other items can change up the experience.  Also, we all are human so we are different than one another and therefore we could all read the same book, and some will love it, some will say its average and some will not like it.  We all have different expectations, desires, interests and how we spend our waking hours when we cruise, and we all bring to a cruise different experience, and therefore each of us doesn’t see each cruise in the same light.  

I focus on the positive. I recognize those things that might not be as good as we would like and if they are big deal I will let those in charge know.  However, on the minor things, I don’t focus on them and focus on all the things we enjoy.

We pinch ourselves each time we cruise because we never would have thought in our wildest dreams starting our lives together shortly after graduation from University that we would sail on a cruise line as luxurious as Crystal  just once let alone all of the times we have sailed. We never forget this and yes it is part of what shapes my half glass is full approach along with understanding our time here is relatively short so best to make the best of everything and enjoy the moment.



An Amazing Cruise On Crystal Endeavor

My husband (DH) and I had the pleasure of cruising on the Endeavor around Iceland, 10 days, Reykjavik to Reykjavik.  This was only its second voyage.  It was a port intensive cruise with no sea days.

We have cruised previously on a variety of mostly luxury lines, so we compare our experience here with those. However, we are in a Covid environment, and the Endeavor is a new ship, so those are variables.

DEMOGRAPHICS

Passengers were, on average, fitter and a bit younger than on regular luxury cruises. I would call this cruise expedition "light", because you could easily do many of the same things you do on non-expedition ships without feeling like you are missing out.  Excursions out of ports are available that are easy (bus tours), moderate (bus tour which incorporates stops and light to moderate walking at different sights)  or more strenuous (hikes over 2 miles, some with elevations and irregular paths, plus kayaking), when it comes to physicial activity capacity requirements.  There were understandably no pax with wheelchairs, and I only saw one with a cane and one who was very unsteady on her  feet getting in and out of the bus, and who probably should have had a cane and not chosen certain excursions because she required physical assistance to stay safe.  Some of us were slower-moving than others, but that was fine, as you are typically not rushed.

There were reportedly  only 93 pax on board, plus at least 15 people from Crystal who were overseeing completion of some areas of the ship.  About a third were Spanish-speaking, including a couple large groups.  There were more crew and expedition team members on board than there were pax.  

EMBARKATION

Due to Covid, we had to go to a rendez-vous hotel (the Grand), then got sent over to a medical lab for testing, then due to equipment malfunction we waited 90 minutes for results.  Then we went back to the hotel, and then to the pier, then we boarded.  It was 5 hours from leaving our hotel to getting into our suite, where we were welcomed by a bottle of champagen that retails for $70, and it was quite welcome, as we were exhausted.  Covid creates challenges for all in the travel industry.  

SHIP ENVIRONMENT AND SUITES

The ship was quiet and steady in the serene waters around Iceland.  We were also blessed with excellent weather after our pre-cruise rainy days in Reykjavik, which likely helped.  Interior spaces are beautifully designed, with simple elegance and subtle sea themes and colors.  As we were not full, there were always more than enough public spaces to sit and relax in the bars, and in the restaurants.

Part of the ship (the Solarium, where the pool and Marketplace restaurant will be) are not yet completed, but pax got a sneak preview of the beautiful space.  

There were several technical glitches we encountered, likely due to this being a new ship still getting its sea wings.  We had to change suites due to non-functional AC, (and even after that the AC was a bit erratic on days when the sun shone and it was over 60), and we also had more minor issues with the TV, a broken suite phone on the last day, closet lights not working properly, some power outlets not working, and bathroom doors banging into each other due to the design.

Our base suite on deck 7 had plenty of storage, and  a small balcony with a table and 2 upright chairs.  The bed was comfortable and soft but still supportive.  The bathroom has a spacious shower with a seat, and instant hot water for either a rain shower or a hose you can adjust. The toilet and a small sink are in a separate but adjoining area to the main part of the bathroom, with 2 entry options, which is a handy design we liked, but would have liked better if we did not have to keep the door locked on the smaller section to prevent it from banging around against the other door.

For Covid precautions:  all staff wore masks indoors, pax only had to wear masks when on buses or in indoor buildings at ports.  Temperatures on foreheads are checked before entering the dining room, and there is sanitizer everywhere.  All pax had to be vaccinated and test negative, as did crew.  We did not have daily testing, just on boarding and a couples days before leaving.

SERVICE 

Personnel were very responsive, as best as they could be, to quickly addressing maintenance and technical problems, or trying to.  The suite was serviced twice a day and kept very clean by assorted housekeepers.  Each suite has an assigned "butler", whose main job is to take care of food and beverage service to the suite.  You can customize your mini-bar contents. For various reasons we unfortunatley landed up with butlers covering for other butlers who were then covering for yet another guy, so we had contact with about 6 of them.  We never knew who we were going to be dealing with and did not develop a relationship with any of them good enough to ask them to do more, though in theory they can help you with excursion booking.

Where the ship really shone, however, is in the Waterside dining room service, and the two smaller (reservation only) dining rooms, Umi Uma and Prego.  We were told that Crystal had tried to get its "A" team on this set ship, and they have succeded.

This was the BEST DINING SERVICE we have ever experienced on any luxury ship!.  Every wish was timely fulfilled and then some.

FOOD

The food in Waterside (MDR) was consistently spectacular.  Fish and meat dishes and creative, beautifully presented appetizers and desserts, were equally delicious.  Even the included daily wines were very good (and we are from California), with other fine wines available for a fee. This is the best food I have ever had on an English language luxury line, and it rivals the quality on the German Berlitz 6-star line Hapag Lloyd.

Lunch was also available at Waterside, and excellent, but it was actually the only venue one could have a sit-down service lunch at, 12-1:30. There is a Bistro snack area on deck 5, with personnel picking what you want and point at from a distance onto a plate, due to Covid precautions.  But offerings there are very limited (one daily soup, a couple cheeses, cold smoked salmon, crackers, olives, fruit, no entrees, no fish entree, no stew,  no burgers, no hot dogs).  Once the Marketplace venue opens up, there will be a welcome third venue. One can also order room service for lunch or any other time from a very, very limited menu which includes hamburger, pasta (vegetarian or non-vegetarian), pizza, and French onion or tomato soup.  I had limited success trying to order a simple room service sandwich early before an excursion, e.g.,  at 10:30 AM, suggesting at least some of the butlers taking the orders are not quite ready for custom orders off schedule, even if they are simple.

We ate breakfast in our suite, and breakfast delivery off the menu was always fine and on time.  There was an espresso machine in our base suite, and it was very nice to have that as most luxury lines do not have in room coffee of any kind unless you are in a higher level suite.

PORTS  AND EXPEDITION set-up: We had one port a day, where either half or full-day excursions were available to book pre-cruise, plus kayaking and 90 minute Zodiak rides. I was pleasantly surprised that the Zodiak was easier to get into than I thought it would be (step-in mat, sailor's grip with support from crew on 2 sides, and you're in).  There were some frustrating and confusing  inconsistencies between excursion information on timing, duration, and what to expect, provided on the in-room ipad, the Connect app, on-line pre-cruise information, and several other sources.  Though the expedition team has 16 people, only 2 can do actual bookings and rebookings, the others do a lecture (photography, geology, history, marine biology) that is videotaped and you can also watch in your suite, and they accompany pax on bus tours.  Plus there is a hardcore of very healthy and fit young people on the team who run the Zodiaks and kayak trips and do a short recap of the day's activities and the next day's offering the night before they are to happen in the lounge (those are not taped, it would help if they would be).  Also be aware that on some of the excursions, there are periods of 2.5-3.5 hours where there is no WC access of any kind, (and you are not warned about that on the written descriptions because most people don't care).  This is because Iceland is so sparsely populated that where we go simply often has no comfort access, other than squatting in a treeless field.  On one trip we were supposed to have access at 2.5 hours, but were inadvertently locked out by a turnstile, so we were told to crawl under it.  Just plan ahead if you do not have a bladder the size of a large melon, especially if you are female.

Grimsey Island hiking (mid-cruise) to the Arctic Circle and puffin areas,  and the RIB boat ride/cave tour out of Heimay, the last day, were our favorite excursions, but we also greatly enjoyed the Herring Museum and the Whale Museum tour in Husavik.

There were also 3 musical groups on board, surprising for such a small ship -- a lovely folk/rolk duo Azalea, a more traditional lounge music duo, and a solo multiinstrumentalist Salvatore Hasard.  We hear them all, and appreciated their talent.

DISEMBARKATION  was by group.  We stayed in our suite until 9 as we had late flights.  We were bused to the Grand hotel again 10 minutes away, got there close to 10, then we were bused at 12:30 to the airport for flights leaving between 4 and 5:15 PM.

Some pax were surprised at the early 12:30 departure, as they thought they would have had more time to go into town.  I personally like to go to the airport early in case of checkin surprises, security delays, etc. 

I rate this cruise overall 4.6 (subtracting 0.4 for the excessive though understandable technical glitches and the difficulty we had, as moderate activity pax who do not kayak or like to go to early evening briefings, in getting consistent and timely information about what to do when, what attire is best for which excursion, WC information etc.) -- but that rounds up to 5!  We would cruise the Endeavor again, but not in very hot areas, as even in Iceland, we had trouble keeping our room cool (even after the switch) when the ship was not moving and in port.  

If you are interested in more details, and some pictures, you can visit my thread on the Crystal forum of CC, and you can also ask me specific questions and opinions there.

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2793599-semi-live-from-the-crystal-endeavor-reykjavik-reykjavikjuly-27-august-6/

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