Crystal Serenity - NYC to Quebec City

Crystal Serenity Cruise Review to Canada, New England, New York

Cruises: 7+ cruises
Review: 1
Helpful Votes: 60

Overall rating:

5 out of 5
Crystal Serenity

10 Night Crimson Capitals (New York To Quebec)

Sail date: October 16, 2014

Ship: Crystal Serenity

Cabin type: Balcony

Traveled as: Singles/Friends

Reviewed: 10 years ago

Review summary

Crystal deserves every one of its 6 stars, and more. This trip was outstanding, from start to finish. The ship, cabins, were immaculate. Service was impeccable, way above and beyond anything I expected. Everything from embarkation, disembarkation, tender service, restaurants, shows, and activities were well organized and well run. I felt like a queen! Staff everywhere were friendly, professional, and helpful. Any and all requests I made were immediately handled. They even went beyond that, actually anticipating your needs and offering assistance BEFORE being asked! Room service was always on time and perfectly executed. Cabin was small but had everything I needed. Storage is very cleverly arranged. Balcony was enjoyable, especially because no one around me could smoke, which had been a problem on other cruises. Crystal allows one to dine at a set time, or at a reserved time, or at other venues. All were wonderful. I thought the food and service in the Crystal dining room was exceptional. Any and all special requests were handled immediately, with no fuss and not even any long waits. Prego was also good, though I found the service a bit slow. The Lido cafe, the Trident grill, Scoops, all were excellent. The Bistro was an unexpected find; I hadn't thought I was interested till I tried it. Amazing variety of offerings of all kinds. Table service provided for drinks, both hot and cold. Crystal provided excellent and varied choices of activities. The shows I attended were excellent. The musicians (a wide variety of types) were truly enjoyable. The String Quartet was especially outstanding - they added a level of class to the High Tea and the evening's entertainment.  High Tea was excellent. Food was plentiful without being over the top and wasteful. Very nicely done. Maitre D' in both the Dining Room and at High Tea did an outstanding job. The Library offered a wide variety of books and DVD's. The Librarian was excellent, able to suggest films and books and was spot on every time! She even, without being asked, called my cabin to advise when a film I had asked about was returned, so I could come and check it out! Art classes, computer classes, bridge classes, magic shows, all done professionally and with a high degree of excellence. The lectures on both history and current affairs were absolutely marvelous. Both lecturers were informative, interesting, and very nice and accommodating for extra questions after their respective lectures. The ports on this itinerary were truly spectacular. We were able to see the gorgeous fall leaf colours, and to tour many historical sites. I loved having 2 days in both NYC and Quebec City.

A wide variety of port tours were offered, though I chose to arrange my own private cars and drivers. I feel that my cruise was worth every penny I paid, and then some. Can't wait to sail again with Crystal. I will not book on any other cruise line again - they are simply the very best.

Ship experiences

Food and Dining

5 out of 5
Outstanding quality and variety. Choices were plentiful.

Onboard Activities

5 out of 5
Varied and very high quality. Truly enjoyable.

Entertainment

5 out of 5
Fabulous.

Service and Staff

5 out of 5
Beyond Compare!

Ship Quality

5 out of 5
Magnificent!

Cabin / Stateroom

5 out of 5
small but had everything one needed. Plenty of storage, towels, comfort.

Ports of call

Newport, Rhode Island

5 out of 5
Beautiful port, lots to see.

Bar Harbor, Maine

5 out of 5
Magnificent port. Beautiful Acadia National Park, exceptional views. Found unexpectedly fine shopping.

Halifax, Nova Scotia

5 out of 5
Lots to do here. Peggy's cove was the highlight.

Cruise Gulf Of St. Lawrence

5 out of 5
What a lovely, relaxing day at sea, with calm waters and extraordinary scenery.
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2 Comments

GerryBCruisin    2 years ago

Thanks for sharing your detailed cruise review.

glomarrone    9 years ago

Unfortunately for me, when I visited Peggy's Cove it was all fogged in.  We waited on a long line to get the official stamp for the lighthouse so I missed most of the experience.  Someday I hope to return in better weather conditions.  My husband took some good photos.