A Week Aboard Crystal Symphony in Southeast Asia

I had the opportunity and good fortune to accompany CruisePlus President and brother Dave Frinton on a short cruise from Singapore to Saigon in late March. I got to go because Co-president Shelley Frinton had declined due to pressing issues at home and in the office.

This was a 'Top 25 Producers' event put on by Ensemble, the travel consortium to which CruisePlus belongs. Simply being invited to attend is a testimony to C+'s success as an agency.

They worked us pretty hard, with seminars, roundtables, lots of tours, but there was also  time to enjoy the many features of  the Crystal Symphony and the ports we visited...

Hyperbole is pretty common in the travel business- one constantly hears about 'exceeding expectations' or the 'quintessential experience', but when enough people say the same good things about a travel product, it makes sense to pay attention.

So it is with Crystal Cruises. Conde Nast, year after year, rates Crystal at the top of the list for large ships. Cruise Critic reviews are full of 5 star ratings, though there is a range of opinion of course.

We boarded fully cognizant that this was a luxury product with a great reputation. The question was whether she would live up to her ratings.

First impressions were good. A bigger ship offers more public spaces, a full promenade deck (something missing on the likes of Silversea and Seabourn), lots of restaurant options, add-ons like a dedicated bridge room and a significant computer lab. The balcony stateroom was a bit small at 265 sq feet including veranda, but eminently functional and beautifully furnished.

 Typical Balcony Stateroom

 Pool Deck

Main Dining Room

 Bridge/Games room

Computer Lab                                                      

                               Dedicated Theatre

By today's behemoth ship size standards, 20 year old Symphony is actually 'smallish' at 51,000 Tonnes and carrying just over 900 passengers. The measurement that really counts is the space ratio- the size divided by number of guests at capacity. For Symphony, this ratio is 55, with Oceania's Riviera and Marina nipping at the heels with 52. For the newer Crystal Serenity, it is 72, and for all-suite ships such as the Regent Voyager and Seabourn's new triplets, again up there at over 70.

Dave and I probably have different priorities, and his lifetime cruise tally dwarfs mine, so he has a lot more comparators. But we both agreed Symphony was a very solid, elegant and appealing ship, with lots to do onboard.

The standouts were service and food. Despite the older, pretty genteel clientele, there was little formality and none of the frostiness that sometimes goes with it. The crew were from all over the world, and genuinely seemed to both like and take pride in their jobs. I was amazed at how bartenders and servers remembered me by day two, and in the Lido, automatically brought  gluten-free toast after I had once requested it.

After an iffy first night halibut offering, we got nothing but stellar dishes in the main restaurant. They feature  daily 'modern cuisine' choices in addition to more traditional fare, and many ordered from both sides of the menu. It just kept getting better, and brother Dave, who raves about the lobster served up on Oceania, acknowledged that Crystal's version was top notch. Also excellent was the main restaurant breakfast experience. With few taking advantage of a leisurely first meal, waiters were falling over themselves to serve you. Because Crystal is Japanese owned, there was always an Asian menu- think rice congee, fish, miso soup, pickled vegetables, in addition to the eggs bennie, kippers,  omelets and waffles one expects.

Included are all wines and spirits, but the regular wines poured were not that memorable. We learned pretty quickly though, that the sommelier would  bring alternatives within reason, on request.  At the bars, and particularly at the Starlite Club, to which the Ensemble group seemed to migrate each evening, they served up great single malts and an endless array of cocktails using premium brands.

The Lido on the pool deck was lively at breakfast and lunch, but, curiously, closed at dinner (I was told it was a staffing issue- simply not enough people to work all the venues all the time and still provide sufficient down time for people who work long and hard hours).

There was never any crowding with two sets of stations port and starboard, and they always had a great selection of hot and cold items at both times, plus sumptuous desserts at lunch.

Just outside by the pool was the Trident Grill, serving up salmon burgers, yam fries, salads and other more usual fast food, and, wickedly, an ice cream bar. 

But that is not all in the food department. The Palm Court, also the forward observation lounge, does tea daily in the afternoon, and the Bistro, located mid ship above the foyer, makes specialty coffees all afternoon and evening, plus keeps a hefty revolving assortment of appetizers on offer. 

Plus, at late hours, light 'bites' keep circulating in the various lounges....

Finally, the two specialty restaurants, Prego and Silk Road, for which one gets a single invitation (to each) weekly, and thereafter pay $30, IF you can get in. They are that good! I've eaten at Holland America's Pinnacle, the equivalent on Celebrity's Infinity, plus La Terrazza on Silver Cloud. Nothing comes close. I would have loved to devour the entire menus at both small eateries, but alas, impossible.

Nobu's Sushi bar

Absolutely impeccable  presentations, delightful choices, and terrific service, as everywhere, made two and a half hour suppers go by way too fast.

We did not use room service, which unlike the boutique luxury lines, does not offer full restaurant menus and course by course service. Nor was there anything planned at the Vintage room, where, like Silversea's Le Champagne, they feature  single table, epicurean meals with each course paired to very fine wines. Oh well...

There was one formal night, and about half the guests had black ties and long dresses, the rest in sport jackets or business suits, the women in 'little black dresses' or dressy pantsuits. It was all a casual type of formality. And very nice, actually.

Onboard amenities that really struck me were the quality of lectures and the University at Sea- free, Mac based tutorials on everything from an iPad introduction to working with spreadsheets, manipulating photos with Photoshop Elements, and creating Power Point presentations. On our trip, a Thor Heyerdahl homologue gave two well received lectures on crossing the Atlantic in a leather boat, one up from a coracle.

The library was not only well stocked, but attended by a librarian who actually assisted in obtaining and printing out information from the web- gratis.

As well, the onboard dance and song troupe were actually very good, versatile and energetic. I enjoyed three very different performances. Crystal also brought onboard local entertainment in Cambodia- a small ensemble of traditional musicians and dancers, and I saw that more Vietnamese performers were to be onboard the following week. A magic show, an impromptu brass band performance preceding a grand lunch buffet in the atrium, and a brilliant high energy violin performance by one of Australia's most noted virtuosos rounded out the entertainment I was able to take in.

Plus, the many things passed up- the spa,  aerobics, yoga, pilates, keep fit, etc etc classes, the casino which was still hopping at 11 pm on sea days, the cigar connoiseur and piano lounges, the movie editing course, ball room dancing- all more than one can possibly take in during a week.

It was part of the job description that I at least look in on as much as possible, and slowly I came to realize that there are actually different neghbourhoods and a social stratification onboard. Some people were to be seen only at dinner; they perhaps were in their penthouse suite the rest of the time... Others spoke of being aboard for 6-8 weeks, even though this was not a world cruise segment.

It dawned on me that for many, Crystal is a lifestyle, not just a cruise, and the repeat booking rate suggests a more than fierce loyalty. They get new customers not from SeaDream or Regent, Seabourn or Silversea, but those upgrading from HAL and Celebrity, as does Oceania. 

Hard not to like Crystal. They really do things well, almost effortlessly, and with a confidence based on their solid past track record. They are not the most trendy, their ships are middle aged and their core clientele older. But these guests come from all over- lots of Australians, for example, on our cruise, given the relative proximity. Not the bungy jumping or zipline crowd, for sure, but most discerning, educated, well traveled, well-heeled early retirees would love this line.

So did Crystal live up to its billing? I'd say yes. To use another hackneyed word, it was a penultimate cruise experience. Which means 'almost the ultimate', about as close as one gets in an  imperfect world.

Peter Frinton

Specialty and luxury cruises

CruisePlus.ca unique-cruises.com

April 15, 2014

A Divine Cruise on the Rhone River Aboard A-Rosa Stella

Rhone Itinerary:

1 DAY	LYON	—	8pm
	The old town “Vieux Lyon” features Renaissance houses making it worthy of being a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is for gourmets too: Lyon is dubbed “la ville de gueule” – the gourmet town. Furthermore it is known for its high-quality silk products and the Basilica of Notre-Dame die Fourvière above the city.
2 DAY	MÂCON	4am	7pm
	Mâcon nowadays is known for being a vibrant and lively town. You can take a walk on the main business roads (Rue Carnot, Rue Dombey) for shopping or relax in one of the many cafes. The oldest building in Mâcon is located on the Place aux Herbes. The house is practically entirely covered with unique woodland sceneries.
3 DAY	CHALON-SUR-SAÔNE	3am	02:30pm
4 DAY	LYON	6am	4pm
	The old town “Vieux Lyon” features Renaissance houses making it worthy of being a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is for gourmets too: Lyon is dubbed “la ville de gueule” – the gourmet town. Furthermore it is known for its high-quality silk products and the Basilica of Notre-Dame die Fourvière above the city.
5 DAY	CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE	10:30am	11am
	Châteauneuf-du-Pape is firmly entwined with papal history. In 1308, Pope Clement V, former Archbishop of Bordeaux, relocated the papacy to the city of Avignon. While the Avignon Papacy did much to advance the reputation of wines from Burgundy, the papacy also promoted viticulture in the surrounding area, more specifically the area 5–10 km north of Avignon, close to the banks of the Rhône River. Prior to the Avignon Papacy, viticulture of the area had been initiated and maintained by the Bishops of Avignon, largely for local consumption.
5 DAY	AVIGNON	1pm	overnight
	“On the bridge of Avignon, we all dance there” – the words of a folk song from the 15th century pay tribute to the unbridled joie de vivre at the foot of the Palace of the Popes. And this joie de vivre is still very much alive today.
6 DAY	AVIGNON	—	12pm
6 DAY	ARLES	03:30pm	10pm
	Even if you haven’t yet paid the ancient Roman town a visit, you’re sure to recognise pictures of it. Vincent van Gogh painted Arles in 187 of his works. A few of his motifs have today been restored to their original state. The famous Camargue is also very close to Arles.
7 DAY	LA VOULTE	12pm	2pm
	La Voulte is a beautiful french village, which will invite you to relax and enjoy a Café au Lait or a local wine in the typical bistros.
8 DAY	LYON	4am	—

All of the river cruise offerings in Europe are good- very good in fact. They occupy a niche akin to the likes of Azamara or Oceania, if one wanted to reference ocean-going ship experiences.

The components are straight forward, as the dictates of rivers and locks pretty much constrain the hardware.

Ships are all virtually the same size. So the Viking Longships are the same as those of Uniworld or AMA or Avalon or Scenic or Tauck or A-Rosa.  The layouts do differ, and stateroom sizes/attributes as well.

They mostly ply the same waters, though Uniworld has a unique offering on the Po River in Italy, and Viking sails the Elbe alone.

But choosing the right river cruise vacation is much like choosing a new upscale car- they all have four wheels and a lot more, but there is an intangible personality attached to each.

This is not the place to go into a deep comparison between brands. Suffice to say that A-Rosa, a German company that got into river cruising over a decade ago, has enough experience and moxie to compete with the well know brands.

My brother, Dave Frinton  (President of CruisePlus), and I had the recent opportunity to cruise Lyon-Lyon on a 7 night voyage that took us downstream as far as Arles and back.

The ship was the "Stella", and my view is that the whole trip was stellar!

Arosa has only this year stepped into the North American market. We were on the first of their N.A. oriented cruises, with English announcements, all- inclusive fares (cruise, taxes and port fees,excursions, beverages, tips, meals, entertainment, bicycles), with an emphasis on incredible a la minute fine dining. The North American promoter of Arosa, David Morris, was also onboard for the duration, and 'Mario', the food and beverage manager for all of Arosa presided over the daily culinary offerings. So, this was a pretty special week, but I am pretty confident they keep the quality up all the time.

Due to extremely high water levels, we were unable to head upstream to Chalon and Macon as planned; we remained docked in Lyon (hardly a hardship!), and took coach trips to the intended destinations in Beaujolais, Burgundy- as far as Dijon. We visited exalted wineries, ate 'family style' at an auberge in Beaune, and saw a lot of the pretty countryside. The local guides were charming and unflappable, in addition to being extremely well versed in the local history and attractions.

Compared to the many that saw their vacations cancelled or markedly abridged due to the flooding on the Rhine and Danube, we were lucky indeed.

The itinerary, beginning and ending in Lyon, meant more steaming time than the usual one-way trips of other companies. Sometimes, we would disembark, go on a tour, and rejoin the ship a ways up or down the river. Even at night, there was lots to see if underway. The Rhone has lots of lit up towns, industry and farms adjoining. Even the two nuclear facilities we passed had an eerie beauty to them.

Now the details. Stella was launched in 2007, so is already middle aged by river ship standards. The newer ones have a bit more refinement, and the standard stateroom size, at 156 square feet, is on the small side. But there is a pool, which was a huge plus, and a much larger spa and exercise area than on the Avalon Scenery and AMA Amadagio, which we viewed while alongside at dock.

What sets the line apart is the service and food quality. Quite frankly, I have not seen much else come close. Certainly on a par with Silversea- the food and wine, better. The staff ratio, though not as high as Tauck, is more than adequate to ensure everyone was well attended.

Breakfast and lunch were buffet style, with an omelet station and lots of European local specialties. When was the last time you saw red mullet or quail on offer?

Dinners were a 2 hour leisurely affair with fixed menu gastronomic wonders arriving in succession, each paired with outstanding premier and grand cru wines, auslese dessert wines, then grappa or port or whatever afterwards in the lounge. From Tartar of King Crab, to  Rack of Lamb with eggplant caviar to  Chocolate Canache with Passion Fruit Sorbet, the food was truly spectacular. Top notch cheese selections were there each night (with chutneys and figs in addition to the usual fruit and cracker  accompaniments)

Cocktails flowed freely all day (included), and the bartenders were quite excited to be making North American concoctions including excellent martinis and a creditable Mai Tai. Champagne- will that be Pommery for you, sir?... was pretty well always available, though there were also offerings of Prosecco and methode champenoise sparkling wines.

A foodie's delight? Without reservations! And in the midst of the glorious wine districts, nothing could exceed. To top things off, both a wine and chocolate tasting were conducted, with exquisite offerings.

The tours were a range of fairly prosaic walking excursions to a, get this- lunch at Michelin 3 star Paul Bocuse's eponymous restaurant outside of Lyon. Included without fanfare, lunch for two would likely set you back $400 if you walked in the door, but was a free inclusion aboard A-Rosa.

So too a tour of the Southern Ardeche, a lavender museum visit, an onboard performance by  genuine French chanteur Luc Brian, who sang Piaf an octave lower, as well as talks by  preeminent author and journalist, Kati Marton.

A very personable young historian, Silvia Sonntag, gave talks in German, but also led an impromptu tour of Arles for a group of the English speaking coterie. She acted as a sort of cultural attache, translating and demystifying the 'French experience' for German and Anglo alike. This kind of versatility and 'beyond the call' attitude balanced the somewhat more formal approach of the cruise director.

There was an on-deck barbecue one day, fresh shucked oysters another. I missed Les Gitans- musician dancers who performed one evening when we had chosen to simply walk the streets of Avignon.

Maybe the other river cruise lines come close or are on par in some departments, but the extravagances onboard are clearly unequalled. Their food costs are about triple the industry standard, yet the pricing, once all is considered, is more than competitive, perhaps because they are 'new kids' in the USA/Canada markets.

I enjoyed the German ambience and mixed passengers. The demographic was younger than some of the other river cruise lines. A contingent  of Arboretum and Botanical Garden members from  Dallas added energy and knowledge with their calling out of shrub and tree names on bus tours, in Latin of course, and their ability to keep the bar open until one am. There was little in the way of language barriers, though some crew, from Hungary, were a bit deficient in both German AND English. A bit of French certainly helped out ashore, but cocooned as one is on a cruise, it is easy to get by without.

A-Rosa is offering terrific deals in the short run on the Rhone and Rhine, including a waiving of single supplements, and upgrades to french balcony staterooms, from around $2600 for the Rhine and $3100 for the Rhone/Saone. Sweet Dreams pastry chef Gale Gand will be aboard August 17th and 24th Lyon departures. The 'Hearty Boys'- also part of the culinary celebrity aristocracy, will be aboard a week earlier.

We were able to get good last minute air from Vancouver, and would be pleased to assist any guests wanting to make late plans for Europe this season.

My only complaint was having to go home, but at least I can take some vicarious pleasure in booking  you on a trip you will savour and cherish in your memories.