John & Sandra Nowlan 9/30/25 John & Sandra Nowlan 9/30/25

Regent Seven Seas Grandeur

We enjoy a culinary adventure aboard Regent Seven Seas Grandeur

A “Spotlight on Cuisine” Cruise

By John and Sandra Nowlan

A culinary theme cruise is always appealing, especially on an ultra-luxury line like Regent. In this case the unusual ten-day itinerary made it even more fascinating. We started in Amsterdam, sailed through the North Sea to begin our visits to several ports in Scotland and Wales before disembarking in Le Havre, France, for flights home from Paris.

After an easy boarding process and champagne welcome on Regent’s newest ship, the 746 passenger Seven Seas Grandeur we, like many guests, headed for the buffet restaurant on deck 11 while passing and admiring some of the 300,000 pounds of polished marble, 503 chandeliers and the ship’s $6 million art collection including three Picassos and a unique Fabergé egg. Public spaces were stunning!

*Le Veranda, Grandeur’s buffet restaurant*

Le Veranda, the buffet restaurant, was surprisingly elegant. Every table had a white linen tablecloth with high end German made Schonwald dinnerware and quality Sambonet silver plate flatware. Not your ordinary cruise ship buffet setting. And the food was certainly not ordinary with an appetizing choice of several hot dishes including a prime rib carving station, freshly steamed vegetables and imaginative desserts. We were offered choices of complimentary wine, beer or cocktails, even tasty non-alcohol versions.

After lunch we unpacked, reviewed the safety video and admired our large 331 square foot balcony suite. It featured a king size bed with luxurious, high thread-count sheets, convenient lighting and power outlets with plenty of storage space and a walk-in closet. The bathroom had both a tub and separate shower with double sinks and convenient space for all our toiletries. We’d rate it as among the best cruise ship bathrooms we’ve ever seen. A heated floor would have made it perfect.

*The elegant and unique Compass Rose main dining room*

Our first meal on Grandeur, the buffet, showed us the high level of service from some of the 548 well-trained staff and the ship’s attention to detail. We were even more astonished as we headed for dinner at Compass Rose, the main dining room. With a simulated cascading waterfall at the entrance, the large, imaginative room resembled an enchanted forest of trees forming a canopy with dazzling jewels on their trunks. It was spectacular during the day but we were in awe as night approached and the sides of the room turned into an optical illusion of infinity.

*Compass Rose entrance. Waiters ready to escort guests to tables*

The menu in Compass Rose was the most complete we’ve ever seen on a cruise ship. In addition to a wide choice of daily specials on the right side, the left side of the large menu had an “Always Available” list of more than a dozen favorites ranging from Black Angus Filet Mignon to whole Dover Sole with many sauces and choices of side dishes. One guest told us he ordered Lobster Tail every evening for dinner. The Rossini style tenderloin with seared foie gras we ordered was the best piece of beef we’ve enjoyed on any cruise.

*Chef John Stephano in his Culinary Arts Kitchen*

To our disappointment, the well-promoted guest celebrity chef, Christopher Gross, a James Beard Award winner, didn’t make an appearance until near the end of the cruise but it gave us a chance to sample Grandeur’s three specialty restaurants. But before trying them we passed the ship’s extensive library and headed to the bright and well-equipped Culinary Arts Kitchen on Deck 11 to meet its cheerful and knowledgeable Chief Instructor, Chef John Stephano of Philadelphia. His extra-cost classes ($US89) for 18 students are held each day, twice on sea days. “Because most of our guests are well traveled and sophisticated,” he told us, “my classes try to teach something new – a deep dive to the area, to the region.” He said he wants guests to understand the history of a cuisine. “If we can impart the richness and culture of the past, then guests have a better understanding of how the food affects their palate. Most people consume food. We want guests to taste it.” Chef Stephano had planned to take guests on a shopping and cooking expedition in Invergordon, Scotland, but the trip was cancelled when it was discovered that the preferred butcher shop was closed on Sundays.

Taste was our objective over the next few days as we tried the three complimentary specialty restaurants. Appropriately, the entrance to the Deck 5 Pacific Rim Asian restaurant had a full size bronze Bonsai cherry tree with pink petals of Murano glass. We enjoyed several imaginative items from its extensive menu including Peking duck & watermelon salad, Canadian lobster tempura, pork and shrimp dim sum and flavorful miso black cod. Our optional chopsticks were put to good use. The other two specialty restaurants were close to each other on Deck 10. Typical of a good steakhouse, Prime 7 offered us large portions of high quality beef, pork, lamb and veal in addition to surf & turf or a whole lobster. Chartreuse evoked memories of a fine Parisian restaurant with appetizers of steak tartare & caviar and terrine de fois gras au sauternes topped with three rings (chef Gross later told us this was his favorite dish on the cruise). Entrée choices included fillet of halibut and seared Barbary duck breast. The complimentary wine was mostly from France.

*Grandeur’s French restaurant, Chartreuse.*

*The entrance to the Pacific Rim Asian restaurant*

*A favorite dish. Terrine de foie gras au sauternes*

We arranged a tour of the sparkling clean, stainless steel galley and met Senior Executive Chef Dino Schwager. He told us that “Destination Dishes” in Compass Rose were an important part of this Spotlight cruise. He added that they try to reflect the region (Fish and Chips and Irish stew on separate evenings were typical) but if the ship can get fresh fish, he prefers it over a frozen product. That explained how Mahi Mahi, picked up fresh en route, turned up on the menu as a “Destination Dish”.

*Senior Executive Chef Dino Schwager in his high tech galley*

The guest chef, Christopher Gross, owner/chef at Christopher’s in Phoenix, finally got a chance to shine on the second last day of the cruise. On stage with overhead TV cameras focusing on the food, he carefully prepared a complex Parnassienne au Chocolate, a chocolate mousse tower covered by a dark chocolate lattice. It became a popular dessert feature at Compass Rose in the evening. Chef Gross was entertaining and very skilled but we, like many guests, were hoping he’d have even more culinary techniques and advice to share. He even told us he wished the ship had kept him busier.

*Guest Chef Christopher Gross prepares his chocolate dessert*

*The chocolate mousse tower prepared by Chef Gross*

The cooking presentation was in the 750 seat Constellation Theatre, the main showplace on Seven Seas Grandeur. Taking up decks 4 and 5 at the front of the ship, the comfortable theatre featured lectures and other presentations during the day and entertainment each evening. We were very impressed by the seven-piece band that accompanied most acts. The main performances involved eight resident dancers and four singers with complex shows on three separate nights. The dancers were great, the singers less so. One solo act stood out. Nik Page, a veteran West End performer, had a range of four octaves and received standing ovations for his energetic versions of hit songs from Les Misérables and Phantom of the Opera.

*Imaginative shows in the Constellation Theatre*

We’re always sad when a cruise of this quality comes to an end. But with the marvelous cuisine on Seven Seas Grandeur and the well-organized tours to Scottish castles, battlefields, archaeological sites and distilleries, we did learn much more about the history and culture of this unique and rich area of our planet. Our one regret was that the chefs chose not to prepare and serve traditional haggis, Scotland’s national dish.

John and Sandra Nowlan are travel and food writers based in Halifax.

Photos by John and Sandra Nowlan

Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 8/27/25 Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 8/27/25

Swan Hellenic’s SH Vega

We spend 10 nights aboard Swan Hellenic SH Vega on an expedition cruise from Iceland to Greenland.

Itinerary: Reykjavik, Iceland - At Sea - Greenland -Bear Islands & Sydkap - Storefjord & Norreflord - Segelsällskapet Fjord - Blomsterbugt - At Sea - Isafjöður & Vigur Island - Dynjandi - Disembark

Review Video

Daily Cruise Blog

We spent 10 nights aboard Swan Hellenic’s SH Vega sailing from Reykjavik, Iceland, to Northeast Greenland and returning to Reykjavik. Swan Hellenic invited us on this sailing as journalists; however, we are not being paid for our review or our video. As is always the case, we will tell you exactly what we liked about this cruise, and anything we did not like. This was our 149th cruise and we have sailed on 41 different cruise lines.

PRE-CRUISE

*Courtyard by Marriott Keflavik Airport*

Swan Hellenic offered all guests a one night pre-cruise hotel stay in Reykjavik before embarkation. More accurately, it was a hotel in Keflavik, which is where the international airport for Reykjavik is located. Our hotel for this cruise was the Courtyard by Marriott Keflavik Airport (see above). Keflavik is located about 45 minutes from Reykjavik, so the pre-cruise stay is really nothing more than spending time at the hotel, since there is little to see or do in Keflavik. A better option would have been a hotel in Reykjavik so that the day could be spent sightseeing, dining, etc. That said, the Courtyard was very nice, spotlessly clean, modern and had two restaurants on site.

Another perk for cruise travelers is that there is a very nice pharmacy located in the parking lot of the hotel. So, if you need to stock up on any toiletries or over-the-counter meds, here is your chance. Of course, there is no guarantee that this will be your pre-cruise hotel with Swan Hellenic.

“Travel Tip - When looking for a pharmacy in a foreign country, look for Apotek, Pharmacia, or usually a green cross.”

— CruiseReport

After an overnight flight, we were only interested in catching up on sleep and the beds and bedding at the Courtyard were some of the best we have found in any hotel.

The one-night stay also included complimentary breakfast the following morning before the 11am departure for Reykjavik. Motor coaches are used to provide guests with a complimentary transfer to Reykjavik. Guests were advised to have their luggage tagged and in the hotel lobby by 9:45am. Luggage is loaded into a separate truck to be transferred directly to the ship.

*Guest luggage waiting to be loaded into the truck*

Since the ship does not begin embarkation until 2pm, the coaches drop guests off in front of the Reykjavik Opera House. It is an easy walk from the Opera House to the port where the ship was docked and there are also shops, restaurants and museums nearby to occupy the four hours prior to embarkation.

*Two motor coaches wait to transfer guests to the ship*

We walked to the iconic Luthern Church, a landmark in Reykjavik, to get some photos. The pedestrian street leading to the church is lined with souvenir shops, cafes, clothing shops and restaurants. We learned very quickly that Iceland is expensive. We stopped at a cafe for a cup of coffee and hot chocolate and the tab was $9. A souvenir refrigerator magnet that we often pay $2 to $3 for in Europe was $10!

*Evangelical-Lutheran church Hallgrimskirkja*

Rickee was interested in purchasing a small backpack for the trip because she forgot to bring her backpack. She found one she really liked at a shop in town, but the price was $240! And, it wasn’t even leather.

EMBARKATION

Even though embarkation was scheduled for 2pm, we were able to embark at 1:30. After a brief passport check in the terminal, we walked to the gangway to board SH Vega. As soon as we reached the top of the gangway, we are welcomed aboard by Hotel Director Ferdinand Fernandes and Captain Lyubo Garciyanov. We are instructed to go to the Observation Lounge on Deck 7 to complete check-in.

When we arrive at the Observation Lounge, we are greeted with welcome-aboard glasses of champagne, a luxury touch that you won’t find on many cruise lines. Check-in was as simple as showing our passport, getting a photo taken, and receiving our stateroom key cards. At check-in, we were informed that we had been upgraded to a suite on Deck 5 midship, most likely because the ship was only about 50% capacity. We were assigned to Suite 515.

*The check-in line at Observation Lounge*

After check-in, we were invited to enjoy a light snack in the Club Lounge located aft on Deck 7 where Afternoon Tea was being offered. We will talk more about Afternoon Tea in the section on Food and Dining. Rickee has some prescription eyedrops that have to remain frozen, so she asked Hotel Director, Ferdie, if they would be able to keep the eyedrops somewhere in the galley where they would remain frozen. There is a refrigerator/mini-bar in each stateroom, but it simply is not cold enough to keep things frozen. Ferdie was happy to accommodate Rickee’s request and summoned Restaurant Manager, Fhilbert, to assist. Fhilbert actually remembered Rickee and the eyedrops from when we sailed with him on SH Diana and knew exactly what to do. This is great service and not every cruise line will accommodate such requests.

It only took about 30 minutes for our luggage to arrive in our suite and we had enough time to unpack most everything before the mandatory muster drill at 5pm. After the muster drill in the Observation Lounge, guests were invited to the Pool Deck (Deck 7 aft) for a Sail Away party.

Waiters and waitresses are greeting guests with complimentary glasses of champagne and other cocktails. Of course, wine, beer and spirits are complimentary on Swan Hellenic.

The weather is unseasonably nice and sunny, although a little cool, as we sail away from Reykjavik. We were docked right next to a NATO warship and, as we sail away, the sun is perfectly positioned to get good views of the top of the iconic Lutheran church.

One unique feature of a Swan Hellenic cruise is that dinner is served buffet-style on the day of embarkation. Tonight they have a very extensive buffet set up in the Swan Restaurant on Deck 4. I will go into much more detail about the food and dining later in the review.

After dinner, we return to our suite to finish unpacking. The embarkation process on Swan Hellenic is buttery smooth.

THE SHIP

SH Vega is one of two identical sister ships in the Swan Hellenic fleet, with SH Minerva being the first ship in the fleet. SH Diana is the third ship in the fleet and is slightly larger, but looks nearly identical to the other two ships, both inside and out. She is just a bit longer and has a few more staterooms and a larger spa. We sailed on SH Diana through the Panama Canal in 2024.

SH Vega has a tonnage of 10,617 with 9 decks, can accommodate 158 guests and up to 122 crew members. She is powered by four diesel generators which power two shaft-driven propellers. SH Vega is a Polar Class 5 rated vessel with ice breaking capabilities. The ship has 2 rudders, forward and aft thrusters and oversized stabilizers.

The ship is outfitted with 10 MK5 Zodiacs and 2 MK6 Zodiacs. These are used for excursions in remote locations where wet landings are often required.

There are two elevators midship along with a very wide staircase, which is more than adequate for this size vessel. The elevators are large and very fast. Elevators can carry guests from Deck 3 to Deck 8. Deck 9 Is only accessible by stairs; however, Deck 9 was not used at all on our cruise.

The main hub of activity on the ship is the Observation Lounge on Deck 7 forward. This lounge features comfortable seating, views of the ocean on both port and starboard sides, and a full bar. There is a small gift shop located near the entrance to the Observation Lounge selling Swan Hellenic logo items.

The Observation Lounge is where the Expedition Team conducts the Daily Briefing and Recap (usually at 6:30pm). This is also the location for all of the lectures conducted onboard. There is a large screen at the front of the lounge to display slide shows, videos, and when lectures are not underway, displays the view from the bow camera.

There is a small heated infinity swimming pool located aft on Deck 7, but no sun loungers were present on our Arctic journey. When in warmer climates, the crew will set up the sun loungers around the pool. There is an open-deck Jacuzzi hot tub located on Deck 8 starboard. There is also a gym on Deck 8 along with a sauna with an ocean view window.

There is a small, and I mean small, beauty salon and spa on Deck 3. Also on Deck 3 are a library, an expedition lab and Basecamp, the ship’s mudroom and Zodiac embarkation area. Additionally, the ship’s Medical Center is located on Deck 3.

As I previously mentioned, for those wanting to stay in shape, there is a small gym located on Deck 8 with modern stationary bicycle, treadmills, rowing machine, free weights and other weight machines.

There is a launderette on Deck 4 that is available to all guests on a complimentary basis. There are three commercial-grade washers and three dryers and they are almost completely automated. There is no charge for detergent. In addition to the washers and dryers, the launderette has a sink, a clothing steamer and an ironing board with iron. They also provide distilled water for the steamer and steam iron.

Before our cruise, guests were required to submit a medical release from their doctor. This is because, on a sailing to Greenland, the locations are so remote and uninhabited, there are no medical facilities within hundreds of miles or more. That said, the ship is equipped with a medical clinic that has the capability to treat many conditions or injuries should they arise. The Medical Clinic is staffed by a doctor and a nurse.

I was on a three-day media sailing of SH Vega shortly after her launch in 2022. I was very pleased to see that the ship is showing very little, if any, signs of wear. All of the public spaces, carpeting, furnishings, and hardware look fresh and new. I saw no visible rust on the exterior of the ship or on our balcony, an indication that the ship is being very well maintained.

For 9 out of the 10 days, the ride on SH Vega was rock solid with no noticeable motion when underway. On the sailing from Greenland back to Iceland, we did get a fair amount of pitching motion, on which the ship’s stabilizers have no impact. Even so, for a small ship, the motion was tolerable. Seasickness medication is provided at no charge and could be obtained from the Reception Desk on Deck 4.

ACCOMMODATIONS

As I mentioned earlier, we were upgraded upon embarkation to a suite on Deck 5. The size of the suite is 40 square meters (430 square feet). On my previous sailing aboard Vega, I was in a Balcony D5 stateroom which, by most cruise ship standards, would be marketed as a suite. Balcony staterooms are 25 square meters (269 square feet), however, 53 square feet of that is taken up by the balcony.

We had the opportunity to tour the Oceanview, Balcony, and Premium Suite categories. The standout feature of all categories is a massive amount of storage. Even the Oceanview and Balcony staterooms have large wardrobes for hanging clothes and an entire wall of storage cabinets across from the bed.

Bathrooms are spacious and include rain shower heads and lighted magnifying makeup mirrors. Our suite also had a separate bathtub. There are two very large drawers under the sink as well as a large medicine cabinet for your personal items. Bathroom amenities include hand soap, body lotion, shampoo, conditioner and body wash. All of these amenities are provided in full-size pump bottles. There is no bar soap provided. Robes and slippers are also provided. Our only critique of the bathroom is that the lighting is a bit dim.

Oceanview and Balcony staterooms have a nice desk/vanity with flip up lighted mirrors built into the desk, a feature not found in the suites.

*Oceanview/Balcony stateroom living room*

It should be noted that the Oceanview staterooms are identical in size and design to the Balcony stateroom, the only difference being the lack of a balcony. If you don’t need a balcony, the Oceanview staterooms are a real value proposition. The ship is small enough that, if you want to be outdoors, you are never more than a few steps from an outer deck.

All staterooms are equipped with comfortable beds and quality bedding. There is a large flat screen television with tons of programming (suites have two televisions). On our sailing, the television channels were almost never available, possibly due to a lack of satellite connection in that remote part of the world. However, we really enjoyed watching the view from the Bow Cam and appreciated the replays of the briefings and lectures available on the closed-circuit TV. There is also a nice selection of movies available at no charge.

There are electrical outlets placed throughout the stateroom/suite and USB-A ports are available just under the bedside LED reading lamps and on the desk/vanity. Many of the lights are on dimmer switches and there is a subtle nightlight feature that illuminates the floor for late night bathroom visits.

*Bedside switches for lights and a US-style 110 outlet.*

The most distinguishing feature of Swan Hellenic staterooms/suites is the fireplace. That’s right. When you return from your polar adventure, you can relax in front of a crackling fire. Well, it’s not a real fire, but a simulated one. We have not seen this on any other cruise line. Of course, you can turn this off if you like using the remote control. We really enjoyed having a fireplace.

Balcony staterooms and suites have nice-sized balconies equipped with a metal table and two metal chairs. Suites get a sun lounger as well. Access to the balcony is provided through a heavy, sliding glass door, which we much prefer over the hinged balcony doors present on some ships. Suites have the sliding door access to the balcony from the living room and also from the bedroom. Opening the balcony door will automatically shut off the stateroom air conditioning, so make sure you close and lock the balcony door when you come back into the stateroom from the balcony.

There is no lack of storage space in any category stateroom or suite. I don’t think we have ever seen such efficient design when it comes to storage. In our suite, there were three large double-door wardrobe closets in the entry hall. Two of these can accommodate hanging clothes, while the center one has shelves and drawers from floor to ceiling.

Across from the closets you will find four hooks on the wall. We wish every cruise line would add hooks like this. They are great for hanging up jackets, backpacks, caps, etc.

Our bedside lamps were missing the round glass globes to cover the bulbs. The head of housekeeping said that a previous guest broke one of them and they were waiting on a replacement globe to arrive.

Every stateroom receives complimentary Basic WiFi service, which we found to be quite slow. We upgraded to the Platinum Plan, but even that service is slower than premium plans on other cruise lines. As far as I know, Swan Hellenic is not using Starlink, the use of which would probably provide an upgraded experience. Nevertheless, with the Platinum Plan service, I was able to upload a couple of small videos to YouTube and keep my Instagram updated throughout the day, so it was definitely useable.

Swan Hellenic has some of the most spacious and comfortable staterooms we have experienced. And, the staterooms have more storage than we have ever seen. Although, they do not have dedicated butler service, our stateroom attendant, Kadek, did an amazing job of keeping our suite spotlessly clean and was there whenever we needed anything. Staterooms and suites are serviced twice each day. This includes refilling the water carafes that replace bottled water on this environmentally-focused voyage.

We had one small challenge in our suite which involved the air vents in the bedroom. They are located at the top of the wall where it joins the ceiling and are aimed directly at the bed. At night, the air was hitting Rickee right in the head and was uncomfortable. I had a similar issue a few years ago on an MSC ship. On SH Vega, I came up with a hack for blocking the air coming from the vents on her side of the room. I tucked and secured a couple of sheets of paper into the top of the vent. This forced the airflow downward and solved the problem. We did not notify Kadek about this, nor did we call Guest Services and ask for someone to come and change the direction of the vents. We have no doubt that this would have been immediately addressed if we had let someone know. Instead, we just fixed it so it worked for us. Some people like having air blowing on them at night. Rickee just doesn’t happen to be one of those people.

FOOD AND DINING

There are three dining venues on SH Vega. The main dining venue is the Swan Restaurant on Deck 4, offering tables for two, four or more as tables can be combined to accommodate larger groups. During the daytime, Swan Restaurant is a casual buffet venue serving breakfast and lunch. In the evenings, it is transformed into a more “formal” restaurant with full table service. I put “formal” in quotes because, while the dining room and service is formal, the dress code on Swan Hellenic is always casual and relaxed.

There are also several comfortable booths that can each hold four guests. We really liked the booths.

*Two-top tables can be combined for groups*

All of the food and dining onboard Swan Hellenic is supervised by Restaurant Manager, Fhilbert, and Head Waiter, Kadek (yes, there are two Kadeks onboard). When it comes to food preparation, a team of 11 chefs prepare dishes fresh each day under the watchful eye of Executive Chef, Amit Rao. Preparing delicious food on an expedition cruise such as this is quite challenging since the ship can only provision on embarkation day in Reykjavik for the entire 10 days. In spite of this challenge, we felt like Chef Rao and his team were able to deliver very good food throughout the cruise.

*Head Waiter, Kadek and Restaurant Manager, Fhilbert*

Breakfast buffet items are pretty much the same each day, with a few variations. Always available are scrambled eggs, bacon, beans, tomatoes and some sort of breakfast sausage. There are also pancakes, cereals, freshly-baked breads and pastries, yogurt, a variety of fruit, oatmeal, sliced meats, cheeses and more. There is an egg station where you can order Eggs Benedict, or eggs prepared any way you want them.

Lunch entrees change every day and are usually ethnically themed (Greek, Mexican, Asian, Caribbean, etc.). Every day you will find sliced meats, cheeses, a variety of salads, olives, fresh breads and tempting desserts.

Evening menus change daily, with four main course offerings, a soup course, a couple of salad choices and a couple of starter choices. There is always a vegetarian dish available. A bread basket is placed on the table each evening and the breads are very good. They also offer a different specialty dip each evening along with the butter. You can order from the “Always Available” menu which features items such as chicken breast, steak, Caesar Salad, spaghetti, and more.

Complimentary red and white wines are offered with lunch and dinner and the choices change each day. However, if you have a special wine you prefer, and they have it available, they will pour that for you. We found that they had a Selbach Riesling that we really liked and, Cherry, one of the wine stewardesses, would bring a bottle to our table each day at lunch and dinner.

We found all of the soups at lunch and dinner to be very good. For some reason, many cruise lines really struggle to get soups right. Not so on SH Vega. Every soup I had was exceptional, and well seasoned.

Salads were also very good. I cannot recall having a better Caesar salad on any of my previous 148 cruises. Not even on the Italian cruise lines.

The meat dishes ranged from good to very good. My Chicken Karagge was really nice, while the “always available” steak was just so-so. The Prime Rib served one night was delicious and perfectly cooked.

Portion sizes were generous at dinner time, and while we never asked, I am sure second helpings would be provided if you asked. Table service was very attentive without being overly so.

We did feel like the food on SH Vega was a slight step up from what we enjoyed on SH Diana last year.

When weather permits, lunch buffets may be moved upstairs to the Pool Deck for al fresco dining. We had such great weather on our cruise, that we enjoyed an outdoor buffet on three days. And, they even served a dinner buffet on the Pool Deck on the last night of the cruise.

Guests who do not want to eat outdoors can always take their food into the Club Lounge where tables are set for meals.

And, that is the perfect segue into talking about Club Lounge, the second dining venue on SH Vega, located on Deck 7 aft. Club Lounge is a very casual area with a small buffet serving light breakfast items (pastries, yogurt, fruit, sliced meats, cheese, donuts, muffins and cookies), lighter lunch fare (salads, breads, pizza, and sandwiches) and an informal Afternoon Tea which included scones with the trimmings and is served from 3:30 to 5:30 each day.

There is a self-serve coffee machine located in Club Lounge that can make all of your favorite coffee drinks or provide hot water for tea. A juice machine offers a variety of fruit juices. A nice selection of tea bags is available. There is honey should you want to sweeten your tea.

Club Lounge was my early morning go-to spot for coffee and to work on my daily cruise blog. I love the booth seating there.

The third venue for dining is the Pool Grill which is open for lunch. Here you can order burgers, sandwiches, kabobs and a few items that will change daily. If you do not want to sit outdoors, you can always sit inside at Club Lounge. And, waiters in Club Lounge will take and deliver your orders from the Pool Grill.

There is one more venue for dining on SH Vega and that is your stateroom or suite. The ship offers 24-hour complimentary room service with a nice menu. During dinner time, you can order from the Swan Restaurant menu. I had room service one evening and ordered my favorite Caesar Salad along with a Chicken Teriyaki skewer from Swan’s evening menu.

I was pleasantly surprised when the food arrived in under 10 minutes. The Caesar salad was delicious, as always, and the chicken skewers were hot and also delicious.

All of the dining on Swan Hellenic is included in your cruise fare.

EXCURSIONS and ACTIVITIES

On an expedition ship there are really only two types of activities: excursions, which take place off of the ship, and lectures, which are held on board. Rather than a Cruise Director like you find on a typical cruise ship, expedition ships instead have an Expedition Leader. Our Expedition Leader for this sailing was Nicki D’Souza. We have been fortunate to sail with Nicki on at least three other cruises (on multiple cruise lines) over the past 20 years. She was our Expedition Leader last year on SH Diana when we transited the Panama Canal. So, we were very excited to see her again on this sailing.

There are 11 members of the Expedition Team, many with a background in one or more sciences. The Expedition Team members are responsible for transporting guests safely from the ship to shore using one of the ship’s 12 Zodiacs. The Zodiacs are inflatable watercraft, two of which can carry up to 14 guests. The other ten are most comfortable with a limit of 10 guests.

Before guests can board the Zodiacs, they must be properly outfitted with waterproof pants, Muck boots (provided), a portable life vest (provided in each stateroom) and a parka (also provided). Guests submit their parka size to Swan Hellenic in advance of the cruise and, the parka, along with a waterproof backpack with refillable water bottle, are on the stateroom bed when you arrive onboard.

Guests are also provided waterproof Muck boots, which are tall, rubber, and have very thick rubber soles which are good for staying sure- footed on slippery rocks. Each stateroom is assigned a locker in Basecamp to store the boots. Each guest must provide their own waterproof pants to go over your jeans or other pants. The boots and waterproof pants are required since many of the destinations require a “wet landing” where you step off of the zodiac into 6 to 12 inches of water. In addition, Zodiac rides often involve a lot of splashing so being covered by waterproof clothing items is always a good idea.

Crew members are on hand to make sure you safely board and exit the Zodiac both from the ship and ashore.

There are typically two excursions each day involving the Zodiacs, at least on this itinerary. One excursion is in the morning and the other in the afternoon (except on days at sea). Guests are not required to participate in all, or any, of the Zodiac excursions. However, the Zodiac exploration of remote areas is really the whole point behind an expedition cruise.

Sometimes guests are invited to simply do a sailing aboard a Zodiac to view icebergs, glaciers or wildlife. Usually, optional tours are available (purchase required). On this cruise, we chose an optional Whale Watching tour in Iceland during which we did see several whales. But, the next day, we experienced so many whale sightings from the ship! It was amazing!

The Expedition Guides will explain the various wildlife viewed from the Zodiacs and are there to answer any questions. We found all of the Expedition Guides to be exceptional. All were very professional and put the guests’ safety first and foremost.

The only way you will ever get memories like the one below is on an expedition cruise. The mountains in the background are over 900 million years old.

*Rickee and I at Segelsällskapet Fjord, Greenland*

In addition to the excellent excursions, we enjoyed a series of informative and inspiring lectures on a variety of topics. Expedition Guide, Anya, is a Marine Biologist and gave an excellent lecture on Polar Bears. Dr. Becca Robinson, who works with the SETI Institute, was a guest Lecturer who enlightened us about the Northern Lights and also space exploration.

There were additional lectures on volcanos, plankton and a variety of other environmental topics. All were very well presented and interesting. All lectures are recorded and available for viewing later on the stateroom televisions.

Guests could also utilize the onboard Spa. Available services include manicures, pedicures, massage, facials, and hair styling. Both Rickee and I had an opportunity to visit the Spa on board SH Vega. The space allocated for the Spa is very small, but the area is efficiently used. The Spa is staffed by three women, two of whom specialize in massages and facials, while the other specializes in hair and nails. I chose to have a pedicure and Rickee chose a facial which, afterwards, she described as “heavenly”. My pedicure took place in the small Spa room on Deck 3. Rickee’s facial took place in a room on Deck 8 where there was a comfortable massage table. Rickee said products used in her facial were by La Mer, a highly-respected luxury brand. We both enjoyed our Spa visit.

STAFF AND CREW

In 149 cruises, this was perhaps the most warm and engaging crew with which we have ever sailed. Everyone went out of their way to make sure the trip was special. We recognized a few of the crew members from our previous cruise aboard SH Diana in 2024. Jona, at the Guest Services Desk, was always available when we had questions or any special request.

One the third day of the cruise, Rickee had to visit the Medical Clinic for fear that she may have contracted Covid. She had developed a cough and a sore throat. Dr. Mila Delgado tested her for Covid and Influenza A and B and all tests came back negative. She prescribed some antibiotics and cough medicine (which were provided). Of course, we have travel insurance to cover the medical expenses. From that moment on, every time Dr. Mila saw Rickee, on the ship or on shore, she would give her a big hug and ask her how she was feeling. I don’t recall any cruise ship doctor taking this level of interest in the guests’ well-being. Dr. Mila Delgado is a real treasure and SH Vega is lucky to have her.

A great crew comes from the top down and Captain Garciyanov, or Captain Lyubo as he prefers to be called, is one of the most personable Captains with which we have ever sailed. You can see him around the ship talking with guests and he is very accessible, as was the entire Senior Staff. Captain Lyubo made it a point to always have guests notified when wildlife had been spotted from the bridge and he always positioned the ship for the best viewing.

FINAL ASSESSMENT

Our voyage to Iceland and Greenland on SH Vega was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. As I said previously, we have sailed on several other expedition cruises with Cruise West (now out of business), Uncruise, Viking, Silversea, and Abercrombie & Kent. What distinguishes Swan Hellenic is that the company does only expedition cruising. The ships are purpose-built for harsh Arctic and Antarctic environments.

Service levels are near the top of what you will experience in expedition cruising. Is Swan Hellenic “luxury”? While I would not consider it to be the same level of luxury as Silversea or Abercrombie and Kent, it certainly comes close. It is about as close to all-inclusive as you can get.

We can highly recommend Swan Hellenic. We thoroughly enjoyed our cruise aboard SH Diana in 2024 and enjoyed this one on SH Vega even more. This would be the perfect ship on which to book a cruise to Antarctica.

VIDEO

Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 6/20/25 Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 6/20/25

Crystal Symphony - 9 Night Mediterranean

We spend 9 nights on Crystal Symphony sailing from Barcelona to Rome.

By Chris Dikmen and Rickee Richardson

Tarragona | Palma de Mallorca | Porto Mahon | At Sea | La Spezia | Livorno | Porto Santo Stefano | Civitavecchia (Rome) | Civitavecchia (Rome)

Day-By-Day Cruise Blog

Since our 2023 review of sister ship, Crystal Serenity, there have been some additional changes on Crystal’s ships. Both ships have received a new casino and a new Beefbar specialty dining venue. Therefore, we thought it would be good to update our review of Crystal with a sailing aboard the slightly smaller, and a little older, Crystal Symphony.

THE SHIP

*Crystal Symphony docked in Porto Mahon, Menorca*

“This was our 148th cruise and our fifth on Crystal...”

— CruiseReport

Crystal Symphony is the smaller of the two Crystal ocean ships with a guest capacity of 602. What is interesting is, that when Crystal re-emerged under new ownership in 2022, they actually re-designed the ships to hold FEWER guests! When this ship was first launched, she held more than 900 guests. Crystal reduced the number of suites onboard both ships and introduced new, larger suites in several categories. The result is a very high space-to-guest ratio.

Crystal Symphony has retained much of the original charm of the luxury brand while updating and refreshing many areas.

*Waterfall fountain that spans two decks in Crystal Plaza*

We saw what appeared to be new carpeting throughout the ship. The Crystal Plaza is the main lobby area and it appears to be untouched and original, yet still elegant and classy.

There are three banks of elevators and stairways. There are three midship elevators, three forward elevators and two aft elevators. We never had to wait long for an elevator; however, on our sailing, the ship was only at about 60% capacity. The layout of the ship is very logical and it is easy to find your way around. All public spaces are on Decks 5, 6, 11 and 12. Deck 4 is primarily used for tender operations or to disembark/embark.

WiFi/Internet

Whether we like it or not, we are all tied to technology and a ship’s WiFi is a subject for review. Every guest receives a complimentary “Standard” unlimited WiFi package. After just a couple of days struggling to get some websites to load, I decided to pay the $100 to upgrade to the Premium WiFi package. I think it may have been a $10 per day charge, and since this was a 10-day cruise, the cost was $100.

With the Premium WiFi package, you can have up to four devices connected simultaneously, which was enough for my iPhone, my laptop and Rickee’s iPhone and iPad. Speeds and connectivity varied throughout the cruise, which is typical, but overall, the Premium WiFi was about three times faster than the Standard.

ACCOMMODATIONS

One of the best features of Crystal ships is the spacious suites. And yes, every stateroom is considered a suite, with amenities that you would expect on a luxury cruise line. Our Sapphire Veranda Suite had a large bathroom with a massive rain-shower-head shower. Luxury shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, bar soap, and body lotion are provided. There are dual sinks, and plenty of storage space.

The suite has a separate living room and bedroom, separated by a heavy curtain. The bedroom has a king-sized bed, two nightstands and a large flat screen TV. The living room is furnished with a large sofa, a coffee table, a chair, an end table with storage, a small dining table with seating for two, and a large marble desk.

There are USB (USB-A and USB-C) charging ports at the desk and at each nightstand. US-Style 110v outlets and European 220v outlets were also available at the desk, at nightstands and next to the sofa.

One of our critiques of our Sapphire Veranda Suite on Crystal Serenity was the lack of a full length mirror. Crystal has solved this problem by placing a full length mirror on the back of the suite door. Simple, yet effective.

Our balcony was long, but a little narrow. However, there were large, cushioned chairs on the balcony with padded ottomans. This is probably the most comfortable balcony furniture of any ship on which we have sailed. There are two heavy sliding glass doors leading to the balcony: one in the bedroom and the other in the living room.

The suite furnishings looked fresh and new with no visible signs of wear. After all, the ship was refurbished in 2023. The walk-in closet has plenty of storage for a 30+ day cruise and is equipped with wooden hangers, a complimentary umbrella, a shoe horn, a hair dryer and a large electronic safe. All of the drawers throughout the suite, including the 4-drawers in the closet, are soft close, as is the toilet seat and lid. The closet is located off of the living room instead of the bedroom, which is a little odd, but the layout works.

The bed is really comfortable and all of the linens and bedding are very high quality. The pillows were a little too soft for us but we were able to request firmer pillows which were more to our liking.

Our Sapphire Veranda on Symphony was noticeably smaller than the one we had on Crystal Serenity. I would estimate the suite to have been about 2 feet shorter overall, and a bit narrower. Perhaps this could be the case because the suite’s location on the ship is forward where the hull narrows.

All Crystal suites come with butler service and our butler on this cruise, Milind, was nothing short of amazing. Every special request was handled quickly and efficiently. Milind has been with Crystal for 21 years. And, we met several crew members who said they, too, have been with Crystal for 20+ years.

*Milind has been with Crystal for 21 years*

Crystal butlers can assist with a variety of things during your cruise. They can help with shore excursion tickets, restaurant reservations, picking up and delivering clothing items to be pressed or laundered, shoe shine services, and much more. Each day between 3:30pm and 4:30pm, Milind would show up at our suite with the most delicious canapés.

*Canapés delivered to our suite each afternoon*

Several luxury cruise lines do offer canapés delivered each day, but Crystal has the best we have experienced on any cruise line so far. Milind also asked if we wanted any spirits or wine in our suite. We requested Prosecco (for Rickee) and a bottle of Canadian Club (for me). The pull-out refrigerator drawer located under the desk is a genius design and can be stocked with your favorite beverages, all complimentary.

*Prosecco was placed in our pull-out refrigerator drawer*

Overall, we would rate the Sapphire Veranda Suite a 9 out of 10.

FOOD AND DINING

Crystal Symphony offers guests a variety of dining choices. Crystal food quality remains at the highest levels of luxury cruise line dining.

The Marketplace Buffet

The Marketplace Buffet is open every day for breakfast and lunch. However, there is no dinner service at this venue. Marketplace is one of our favorite buffet restaurants at sea because of the food quality and variety, great table service and excellent seating options. The only nit we have to pick with Marketplace is that it is self-serve. We would much prefer that the crew be the only ones handling the utensils. We feel it is just more sanitary. To Crystal’s credit, there was a crew member stationed at the hand sanitizer machine at the entrance to Marketplace to be sure every guest sanitized their hands before entering.

Highlights of the buffet are the fresh boiled shrimp and the crab claws served every day with a delicious and spicy cocktail sauce.

*Shrimp and crab claws with cocktail sauce*

The food selection and quality is well above average for a cruise ship buffet with mostly hits and very few misses. One day they offered an Asian-themed buffet and it was the best Asian buffet I have ever experienced on a cruise ship. Servers are on hand at Marketplace to take drink orders and, of course, cocktails, wine, spirits and soft drinks are all included on Crystal.

Guests can dine indoors on the port or starboard side at Marketplace and there are serving lines on both sides of the ship. On port days, with many guests off the ship at lunchtime, they may only open the starboard-side serving lines. There are plenty of two-top tables, many with window views and there is seating aft for those who prefer to dine al fresco.

*Sushi and sashimi on the Asian-themed buffet*

Waterside Restaurant

Waterside is Crystal’s main dining room (or MDR). The restaurant is located on Deck 5 midship, across from Reception. This restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner each day with lunch and dinner menus that change each day. We only dined here once at breakfast and once for dinner and the food and service were very good. They offer an extensive breakfast menu, which includes steak and eggs (one of my favorites). There is no charge to dine at Waterside.

Umi Uma

Umi Uma (formerly Silk Road) is Crystal’s Japanese/Sushi restaurant by Nobu Matsuhisa. It is recommended that guests make reservations to dine here as it is a very popular dining spot. Or, guests can simply show up and sit at the sushi bar, space permitting. Every guest receives one complimentary meal at Umi Uma during the cruise. Additional visits will come with a $50 per person cover charge.

The sushi and sashimi at Umi Uma are next level and are clearly the best we have had on any cruise ship, or land restaurant for that matter. Rickee continues to order the Miso Glazed Cod, an Umi Uma signature dish. And, in my opinion, the Grilled Australian “WAYGU” Beef Filet is the best cut of meat on the ship.

Osteria d’ Ovidio

Osteria (formerly Prego) is Crystal’s Italian restaurant. As is the case with Umi Uma, guests receive one complimentary meal here and there is a $50/pp cover charge for subsequent visits. This is the second time we have dined at Osteria, the first being on Crystal Serenity. We were underwhelmed with our meal and the service at the Osteria on Symphony and felt like the experience on Serenity was better. My lamb chops were a little overcooked, and lacked seasoning. They would have benefitted from a heavily-seasoned breadcrumb crust to add flavor and texture. Rickee’s duck breast looked more like a dessert than a main course. The flavors of both dishes were okay, but nothing special.

Even though we were dining with a group of eight, we felt the service was extremely slow. The waiters were very pleasant, but food was taking a long time to get to the table. We were seated at 7:00pm and we barely made it out in time for the 9:30 show.

We are not exactly sure how the menu at Osteria reflects what Americans think of as “Italian fare”. If not for the selection of pasta dishes, you would think you were dining in a continental cuisine restaurant. And, no Tiramisu on the dessert menu. Seriously?

We long for the good old days of Prego with the delicious Cream of Mushroom soup served in a bread bowl, the Beef Carpaccio drizzled with olive oil and balsamic glaze and the wonderful seasoned-breadcrumb lamb chops. There, I said it.

Beefbar

Beefbar is the newest specialty dining restaurant on Crystal ships replacing Tastes, which was one of our favorite dining venues on any cruise ship. Beefbar originated in Monte Carlo and the brand has expanded with restaurants all over the world. But, if you want to experience Beefbar at sea, it is only available on Crystal ships.

Beefbar is open for lunch and dinner with reservations highly recommended for dinner. The restaurant is located on Deck 11 and has a very open and spacious feel with unrestricted views of the ocean port side. The atmosphere here is much more casual and relaxed than Umi Uma, Osteria d’ Ovidio, or even Waterside.

As a confirmed carnivore, I was not surprised that we dined at Beefbar four times for dinner.

While the menu can be a bit confusing, it is, nonetheless, packed with a lot of delicious offerings. It is hard to tell the main courses from the starters. We found ourselves just ordering a few dishes and figuring it out once they arrived.

In our four visits, we had the opportunity to try most of the offerings there. Our favorites were the Super Kale salad, Angus Beef tacos, Bao Buns, Tuna Ceviche, Mashed Potatoes and the Beef Filet. I tried all three steak offerings, and the filet is the way to go. The Avocado Hummus and Rib Eye Ham were our least favorites.

If your wallet is overstuffed with winnings from the casino, you may wish to order one of the optional Waygu steaks on offer here. That massive bone-in Tomahawk will set you back $540. Even the humble 8oz Rib Cap is $90. The Waygu on display definitely looked like an upgrade in marbling over the standard steak offerings at Beefbar, but they did not look like A5 Japanese Waygu to me. They looked more like Australian or USA Waygu, but with the Japanese A5 price tag.

*Upgrade your steak to Waygu at Beefbar*

Service at Beefbar was excellent (as it is all over the ship) and the time between courses was not as long as we experienced at the other restaurants on board. Food delivery was very crisp.

We did not try the lunch menu at Beefbar, but it looked very appealing. We just could not wrench ourselves away from Marketplace which opened at noon compared to Beefbar which opened at 1:00.

There was a bit of confusion about dining at Beefbar. We were initially led to believe that, as with Umi Uma and Osteria, guests could only dine once at Beefbar on a complimentary basis with a $50/pp cover charge for subsequent visits. Oh, contraire! We discovered that there are no additional charges to dine at Beefbar multiple times! Hence, our four visits to Beefbar for dinner.

Hands down, Beefbar is our favorite dining venue on Crystal and will be the first place we visit when we return.

The Bistro

The Bistro is a small cafe located midship on Deck 6 overlooking the Crystal Cove. This is the best place to get morning coffee. I would visit The Bistro every morning with my laptop to do my daily blog and enjoy my Cappucino or Americano.

The Bistro offers take-away coffee service from 6:00am to 9:00am. They have a few pastries that guests can grab and go. From 9am to 11:30am, they offer a very nice buffet of fresh fruit, pastries, cereals, yogurt, etc. for what they call a “late-risers” breakfast. The highlight, in my opinion, of The Bistro are the Portugese Custard Tarts. They are deadly delicious and I have never seen these on any other cruise ship. Rickee really liked the large muffins in various flavors.

Room Service

Crystal offers guests 24-hour complimentary room service. There is a room service menu with a nice selection of salads, soups, sandwiches, main courses and desserts. For breakfast, there is an expanded room service menu that offers just about everything offered for breakfast at Waterside restaurant. And, for dinner, you can also order from the Waterside dinner menu from 6:30pm to 9:30pm.

We decided to try room service one evening at dinner time. We placed a call to our butler, Milind, who took our order and arrived about 30 minutes later with our meal. A linen tablecloth and napkins, along with silverware and every other table setup you would find if dining at Waterside, is delivered to your suite.

*Room service is very special on Crystal*

Best of all, the food was all delivered hot and was delicious. We love enjoying dinner in our suite on Crystal. When our meal was over, we called Milind who returned to our suite and removed the dishes.

Afternoon Tea

Many cruise lines, even some luxury cruise lines, have done away with Afternoon Tea. Some cruises still offer it, but at an additional cost. Crystal offers one of the nicest Afternoon Tea services at sea every day from 3:30pm to 4:30pm in Palm Court (Deck 11 forward). Several tables are set with elegant china cups, saucers and plates.

A tea menu offers a wide selection of teas from around the world. My favorite is Earl Gray. Rickee prefers Forest Symphony.

*Delicious sweets, scones and finger sandwiches*

Gone is the Mozart Tea Service that Crystal was famous for but, on one day of our cruise, they did offer a special Chocolate Tea Service with an extravagant selection of chocolate cakes, tarts, cookies, etc. Each afternoon, along with our tea and treats, we were entertained by music performed by either a violinist or piano player.

Of the cruise lines that still offer Afternoon Tea, Crystal offers one of the best, in our opinion.

Trident Grill/Scoops Ice Cream

Trident Grill is Crystal’s casual grill where you can grab a burger, a sandwich or even a pizza. Trident is open for late riser’s breakfast from 10am to 11am, lunch from 11:30am to 6:00pm. Below is a snapshot of Trident Grill’s menu:

CHICKEN CAESAR WRAP • GRILLED HAMBURGER' GRILLED CHEESEBURGER' • GRILLED GARDEN BURGER GRILLED SALMON BURGER' • GRILLED CHICKEN BURGER • "IMPOSSIBLE" VEGAN BURGER • CHINOIS CHICKEN SALAD • GRILLED HAM & CHEESE SANDWICH • GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH • GRILLED REUBEN SANDWICH • GRILLEO MINUTE STEAK SANDWICH • GRILLED TUNA MELT • HOT DOG • CHILI CON CARNE SOUP OF THE DAY • FRESHLY BAKED PIZZA MARGHERITA

FRENCH FRIES • SWEET POTATO FRIES - CRISPY FRIED ONION RINGS

Trident Grill is located on Deck 11 port side, just forward of Beefbar. There is seating on both port and starboard sides of the ship and most of the tables are positioned next to large windows with great ocean views.

Of course, I had to give Trident Grill my cheeseburger evaluation, and overall, it was quite good. The meat patty was thick, flavorful and nicely cooked Medium Well. The bun was fresh and soft and the burger comes with tomato, pickle, onion and lettuce. I would say the burger itself is better than I have had on other luxury cruise lines. I actually had the cheeseburger twice on this cruise. A small tray of condiments is placed on each table with ketchup, Dijon mustard and mayonnaise..

The French Fries were served hot and crispy and kudos to Crystal for offering onion rings. I LOVE onion rings and, while these were just so-so, I appreciate the effort since most cruise lines don’t offer them at all. Actually, I don’t think I have ever had a memorable onion ring on any cruise.

Unfortunately, the burger is where our praise for Trident Grill ends. Rickee found the hot dog to be very tough and hard to cut with a knife, but even the hot dog was better than the pizza. I am an admitted pizza snob and I have to say that the Margherita Pizza offered at Trident, while cooked to order, lacked flavor and resembled a frozen pizza. I ate only two slices and left the rest on the plate.

Adjacent to Trident Grill is Scoops Ice Cream bar where you can get soft-serve ice cream or a selection of Badiani gelato flavors. We did not try the soft-serve, but did try the gelato and we thought it was good. Honestly, once you have had gelato in Rome or Venice, nothing really compares. Scoops is open from noon to 6pm daily.

The Vintage Room

The Vintage Room offers guided pairings and dinners highlighting the vast selection of wines in the ship’s onboard cellar. This intimate, innovative concept offers guests an education in fine wine and cuisine, allowing them to gain privileged insights into the art of enology. In addition to daytime tastings and discussions, guests may enjoy a variety of private wine-themed lunches and dinners by special arrangement with the Head Sommelier. Events enjoyed in the Vintage Room come with an additional charge.

You can think of The Vintage Room sort of like a Chef’s Table experience on other cruise lines. We did not have the opportunity to experience The Vintage Room on this cruise.

ENTERTAINMENT & ACTIVITIES

Entertainment

Crystal offers a variety of entertainment on Symphony. On our sailing, there was a show every evening at 9:30pm. Admittedly, we did not attend every show. However, we did attend two “production” shows featuring the two main vocalists and six dancers. There was also a live band backing up some recorded tracks, which always adds impact to production shows. We felt like the band, the vocalists and the dancers were all very good. And, while there is a fairly large stage for this venue, the Galaxy Lounge is, as the name suggests, a large “show lounge” and not a theater like you find on larger ships.

The Galaxy Lounge suffers from average acoustics and we felt, at times, like the mixing of vocals was way off. There were times we could barely hear the singers over the blaring loud music. I am not sure if it is was an issue with the acoustics of the lounge, or with whomever was running the mixing panel. It also seemed like the sound levels were clipping. Again, the performers were great, but the venue sound system needs some attention.

We also attended a show in the smaller Starlite Club (below), and experienced the same issues with audio quality. That said, the seating is very comfortable with good sight lines in both lounges. And, honestly, the entertainment is better than you would expect on a ship with a 602 guest capacity.

In addition to the ship’s singers and dancers, there were additional featured headliners including musicians, singers and a comedian.

A highlight of our cruise was Crystal’s 35th Anniversary White Party, hosted by Cruise Director, Vicki Van Tassel, and held in Crystal Plaza, Deck 5 Midship. For this special event, guests dressed in all white and were served cocktails and canapés and treated to performances by most of the ship’s entertainers. Guests danced until late and an amazing time was had by all.

As for lounge entertainment, we enjoyed piano music by Dan Davies in Avenue Saloon. However, once again, the sound levels were too high to enjoy conversation while the music was playing. There was entertainment in Crystal Cove (Deck 5), Palm Court, and Starlite Club. I should point out that entertainment will vary from one cruise to the next depending on the itinerary and/or the number of guests on board.

As for daytime entertainment, each day begins with the 6am Symphony Today show on your in-suite TV hosted by Cruise Director, Vicki Van Tassel. These shows are provided on demand if you prefer to watch later in the day. Guests can also find replays of any Enrichment Lectures they may have missed during the cruise. The onboard Enrichment lectures and lecturers were excellent

*Vicki Van Tassel interviews former Crystal Captains and Cruise Director, Paul McFarland for Crystal’s 35th Anniversary*

Crystal Symphony guests can visit the Hollywood Theater on Deck 6 to enjoy a movie complete with popcorn. The seating in the Hollywood Theater is stadium-style, just like the movie theaters on land, and is a great place to catch a recent release or a classic.

You can also visit the newly added Le Casino de Monte Carlo. For us, this certainly fits under the heading of entertainment because that was all we gained while we were there! The casino is small but does have a Blackjack table, roulette wheel and several slot machines. On our voyage, the casino was rarely open due to regulations about having to be a certain number of miles out into open ocean.

Activities

Guests had plenty of activities to keep them busy. Daily offerings included:

Many types of exercise classes
Arts and Crafts
Computer classes
Bridge lessons
Pickleball
Golf clinics conducted by resident pro golfer Andy Thuney
A golf net complete with clubs and golf balls
Crystal’s Library complete with Librarian on site
Dance classes with Dance Duo Mark and Bernadett
Bingo
Wellness presentations
Shuffleboard
Walking around the teak Promenade Deck that completely circles the ship
Trivia (sea days only)
Visiting the Aurora Spa and Salon
Relaxing by the pool or in the hot tub
Working out in the Fitness Center/Gym

It is safe to say that you will never be bored on a Crystal sailing.

Cruise Director

All entertainment and activities on board are under the direction of the Cruise Director. Our Cruise Director on this sailing was Vicki Van Tassel. We sailed with Vicki on a different cruise line a few years ago and were so impressed by her energy and sense of humor that, when we learned she had moved to Crystal, we specifically looked for a sailing where she would be on board.

We wanted to include Vicki in our new “Interview” series on our YouTube channel and she graciously agreed to sit down with us for an interview where we learned about her history in the cruise business. After 148 cruises, we have only had a handful of cruise directors make a lasting impression on us, and Vicki is at the top of our list.

ITINERARY

We have been to the Mediterranean more times than I can count. What was intriguing about this particular itinerary is that we got to visit several ports that we have never been to before. In all, we visited four new ports (in bold below).

We collect refrigerator magnets from all around the world. So, whenever we visit a new port, we like to do some exploring on our own and hunt down a magnet to add to our collection. We also have an extensive collection of Christmas ornaments from around the world. Our Christmas tree each year serves as a reminder of all the amazing places we have visited. While some call this magnet thing a hobby, I think it may be more of an obsession!

*Currently, over 275 magnets in our collection*

We often will skip cruise ship shore excursions to explore on our own. On this cruise, we only did two ship’s excursions. The first was a visit to Sarzana, Italy, ($130pp) for what we thought would be an olive oil tasting. As with most excursions, which we refer to as ABC tours (Another Beautiful Church), we visit the church below as part of the tour. We also visited a fort and then walked down the main street of Sarzana.

What we thought would be an olive oil tasting turned out to be a complimentary coffee and pastry at a local pasticceria. We are not sure if they changed the tasting because we were visiting on a Sunday, but one other couple also thought it was supposed to be an olive oil tasting. Nevertheless, it got us off the ship for a few hours and we had plenty of time on our own after the coffee and pastry to explore the town. As it was Sunday, most of the shops were closed.

The most interesting part of the excursion was getting a chance to try Italian hot chocolate, which is nothing like American hot chocolate. This is like a cup of melted dark chocolate that is bitter and eaten with a spoon. Throw in a packet of sugar, and you have a delicious cup of chocolate soup.

*Coffee and pastries in a local pasticceria*

Our second excursion was “Rome On Your Own” ($70 pp) which was basically a motor coach ride from the port of Civitavecchia to central Rome. The cost for a private car/taxi to Rome is about $200 each way, so it was a good value at $70 for the 90-minute drive. We had a few hours to explore Rome on foot, but you really need more than a few hours to see everything Rome has to offer. We have been to Rome a few times and the best way to see Rome is to spend three or four days at the beginning or end of a cruise. Nevertheless, we had a chance to see a few sights that brought back memories of past visits. But, it was extremely hot on our visit and, after walking for three hours, the heat and the crowds really wore us out.

Crystal offers a complimentary shuttle service from the port into most of the cities/towns we visited, making it easy to go into town and explore on your own. On many cruise lines, you would have to pay for a taxi or a bus to get from the port into town. This is a great service that is often overlooked.

Demographics

On this particular voyage, there were more young people (late 30s and 40s) than we have seen on our previous Crystal cruises. There were even a few children onboard. Perhaps this was a result of generational travel wherein grandparents bring their children and grandchildren along on the voyage. Of course there were many older people (60s and 70+) who cruised often and were experienced travelers, many of whom were loyal Crystal cruisers. We also talked to several people who wanted to experience a luxury cruise product for the first time and had chosen Crystal.

HITS AND MISSES

As with any cruise, cruise line or cruise ship, there are things that we really like and some areas where we see room for improvement.

Hits

Polished and professional service from a friendly crew
Vicki Van Tassel is our favorite Cruise Director
Resort casual dress code with formal nights only on sea days
Very smooth sailing. We never felt any motion
Umi Uma is the best Japanese restaurant we have experienced at sea
Beefbar restaurant
Marketplace buffet is our favorite of any luxury cruise line
Best canapés at sea
Complimentary shuttle service in port
A true Promenade Deck

Misses

No phone app
Pizza needs improvement
Osteria Italian Restaurant
Confusion over specialty dining
Standard WiFi is very slow

Final Assessment

Crystal Symphony’s sister ship, Serenity, was recently added to our list of our Five Favorite Cruise ships of all time. After this sailing aboard Crystal Symphony, it is safe to say that it shares all of the things we loved about Crystal Serenity. Since our first sailing aboard Crystal Symphony in 2011, the company has had three different owners. In spite of that, Crystal has been able to retain all of its original charm and appeal for those who seek a true luxury experience. There are rumors of some new hardware being added to the Crystal fleet. We can’t wait to see what the future holds for this amazing cruise line.

*Our first sailing on Crystal Symphony was in 2011*

John & Sandra Nowlan 12/14/24 John & Sandra Nowlan 12/14/24

A Mississippi River Cruise with American Cruise Lines

We sailed down the lower Mississippi River with American Cruise Lines

By John and Sandra Nowlan

We knew there’d be some great music as we sailed down the Mississippi from Memphis on one of American Cruise Lines new, modern riverboats. We didn’t expect the Southern food and hospitality to be so good nor, as Canadians, to appreciate American history and culture so much.

The music began as soon as we entered the Memphis airport shuttle bus. The unmistakable voice of Elvis Presley singing “Love Me Tender” drifted down the aisle from hidden speakers. The bus Shaked, Rattled and Rolled as it took us to the Guest House at Graceland, a four star, 450 room hotel adjacent to Elvis’ Graceland mansion. American Cruise Lines offers guests an optional two night stay at the comfortable Guest House with free access to the mansion and the separate, vast collection of Presley airplanes, cars, motorcycles, costumes and gold records. We could see why the Graceland complex is the most visited private home in the United States.

Walls filled with Elvis performance outfits

En route to the riverboat, the cruise line gave us a bus tour of Memphis with stops at Beale Street (home of the Blues), Sun Records (where Elvis made his first recordings) and the Lorraine Motel (now part of The National Civil Rights Museum) where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated in 1968. We felt a strong sense of sadness as we gazed at the balcony of Room 306.

Our first glance of our Mississippi riverboat was from atop a levee in Memphis. We headed down the steep ramp to board the American Melody through its unusual flipped-up bow. Riverboats on the Mississippi have a unique challenge. With flood-control levees, some as high as 50 feet, all along the Mississippi, American Cruise Lines always carry golf carts to help the elderly and infirm safely navigate the challenging slopes.

In 2018 American Cruise Lines, the largest river and small ship cruise line in the United States, introduced the first modern riverboats in North America. American Melody was built in Maryland in 2021 with a maximum capacity of just 175 guests and an average room size of 350 square feet. Our “Veranda Suite” was 405 square feet and felt more like a spacious hotel room but with better, ever-changing views. We particularly appreciated the comfortable, king size bed and luxurious sheets and pillows. There were plenty of power and electronic outlets, high quality internet, much more drawer space than we’d ever need, very efficient temperature control, a 50 inch TV, and a large bathroom with soft, fluffy towels and two separate nozzles in the shower. We weren’t surprized when we were told that the ACL fleet of 20 riverboats (operating in 35 states) has the largest average guest rooms of any cruise line.

With the failure of American Queen Voyages, the only current competition for American Cruise Lines on the second longest river in the U.S. (the Missouri is about 100 miles longer) is the Viking Mississippi. This cruise ship is much larger than the ACL boats, accommodating up to 386 guests. The Hotel Manager on American Melody told us that the smaller boats of his company are better suited for the Mississippi because occasional low water levels can prevent the bigger, deeper draft of large boats from operating. American Cruise Lines riverboats have never missed a scheduled sailing due to water depth.

Finally heading downriver with a full passenger load (mostly Americans but with a smattering of Canadians, Brits and Australians) we were impressed with the layout of American Melody. Its four story atrium and public rooms never seemed crowded. On Deck 3 forward the large bright River Lounge was used for port briefings, trivia, excellent enrichment lectures and entertainment. The smaller indoor/outdoor Sky Lounge at the back of Deck 4 was a snackers dream, offering freshly baked cookies, 24 hour snacks, a wide selection of drinks, excellent coffee and made-to-order breakfast sandwiches. Plenty of loungers and a wrap around walking track were available on the full length top deck so guests could enjoy the passing scenery, including heavily laden barges pushed by strangely-named tow boats, semi tropical vegetation and small communities. When we reached Baton Rouge, heavy industry tended to dominate the shoreline.

Meals were a special treat on American Melody. As expected, emphasis was on Southern U.S. dishes, especially Creole, Cajun, even a noontime pig roast. We loved our Cornmeal Crusted Catfish with Collard Greens, Gulf Coast Blue Crabcakes, Sea Bass with Sauteed Crawfish and Jambalaya. The fish was particularly tasty. The Hotel Manager told us all seafood is fresh, never frozen. Lunch and dinner included complimentary wine, beer and spirits as well as a good selection of non-alcohol beer and wine. In the evening, white tablecloths graced the tables.

Cornmeal crusted catfish with collard greens

The serving staff on American Melody was young and energetic. By U.S. law, all staff must be American because ACL riverboats do not visit a foreign country. Although friendly and well-meaning we found the restaurant staff to be less efficient and well-trained as the primarily Filipino and Indonesian staff on international river, lake and ocean ships. Hotel Manager Glenn Taylor told us that while his staff may not be as polished as the international competition, they’re always pleasant and accommodating. He added that this is often the first full time job for young servers and he’s delighted that so many have used the riverboat experience as a stepping stone to a career in hospitality.

We were impressed with the quality of evening entertainment on American Melody. The talented performers were better than musical acts we’ve enjoyed on many European river cruises. Our favorites included Mississippi Marshall, a master of the Blues who played a mean guitar (we bought his CD), Chris Gill and the Sole Shakers (a three man band with female vocalist) and the Banjo Cats, a husband and wife team who have mastered several instruments.

The tours (most were complimentary) were outstanding. Who knew that tiny Cleveland, Mississippi, is the home of the impressive Grammy Museum, highlighting the amazing musical talent in southern states and around the Mississippi Delta? A stop in Vicksburg allowed us to visit a private Civil War museum with its huge collection of artifacts from that troubled time as well as the unusual Coca-Cola Museum in the building where Coke was first bottled in the U.S.

In Vidalia, Louisiana we visited a cotton plantation where we were able to hand pick some fluffy cotton, explore a historic cotton gin, then observe in a modern cotton gin the process of cleaning and bundling in 500 pound bales for transport. Along the way we were also able to visit several southern antebellum mansions that resembled a scene from Gone With the Wind. Standouts were The Myrtles in St. Francisville, Louisiana, and Oak Alley in Vacherie, Louisiana.

Oak Alley antebellum mansion in Louisiana

Our highlight in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was a visit to the capital building that dominates the skyline. At 450 feet it’s the tallest state capital in the United States. The panoramic view of the city and meandering Mississippi from the observation deck is spectacular. Built in the early 30s during the Depression, it was a project masterminded by controversial Governor and then Senator Huey Long. He was assassinated inside the building in 1935 where there’s now a memorial. We ended the day relaxing on our balcony admiring a magical pastel sunset.

Louisiana is well known for its plentiful bayous, slow moving marshy waterways. On our last day aboard American Melody we signed up for a tour called, “Cajun Pride Swamp Adventure”. Adventure indeed! Aboard a 40 passenger, flat-bottom aluminum boat, our captain took us through the narrow bayous where alligators were plentiful, either lounging on the shoreline or swimming alongside us (our captain even fed a few without losing his hand). In addition, we met many playful racoons and a family of not-so-playful wild hogs.

A small alligator on the Cajun Pride Swamp Adventure

The guest mix aboard American Melody was interesting. The personable and efficient Cruise Director, Colin Hietikko, told us that many of his American guests had traveled the world in their younger years and now wanted to stay closer to home with something safe and accessible. Older couples were certainly the prime demographic on our cruise with an average age of more than 70. But Glenn Taylor, the hotel manager, said that was slowly changing as the modern, all-inclusive riverboats in the American Cruise Lines fleet were beginning to attract more young people. That, along with fascinating itineraries, is a recipe for continued success.