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Good Thanksgiving morning! We awoke early when the ship started anchoring in the harbor around 7:30. Our initial plans were to try the Royal Palm beach club but a lazy day on board won. Last year, we had our second visit to Grand Cayman so that helped make the choice to create another day at sea. We snoozed a little more and went for breakfast in the Marketplace and dined outside. It was warm early so we changed into our bathing suits and spent the day at the pool. The hardest part of my day was “Goldilocksing” around the deck. We started in loungers by the pool which were delightfully shaded. I read my book while Chris did crosswords on his phone. We went for a dip in the pool which felt so refreshing. I glanced at my hand and noticed the main gemstone missing from my ring. I knew it was there when I entered the pool so I started the hunt. The pool is very salty so Chris went back to grab our mask. While he was gone, I found it. I attempted a dive but the salt water was brutal. I located it once more and stood with my foot over it until he returned. He dove with the mask and got it back. It is not the most valuable of rings and ironically I had the prongs fixed a few months ago but it is a sentimental ring so I’m glad we found it. After our diving adventure in the pool, we returned to our seats and decided to try lunch in the Marketplace and if nothing seemed interesting we would go to Silk. The Indian food won me over so I made a salad with some vegetable curry. We returned to our seats but the sun was now overhead. We changed loungers but didn’t stay to long there as the sun crept onto my one side. I sat briefly and one of the couches but the windows behind them can make it quite hot. Chris saw a round chair, perfect for us both under the shade open up. Ahhh, that was just right as Goldilocks would say. I wrote for awhile and read some more. Alan, one of our favorite bar waiters suggested we try the drink of the day, Harvest Old Fashioned. It was Thanksgiving in a glass for sure. Then it was just perfect for a nap in the breeze. Tonight was the Cruise Critic Meet and Mingle so we returned to freshen up for the 5:30 get together. It was pretty late in the cruise and the timing of Thanksgiving did not seem the best choice. There were 11 in attendance. The head housekeeper stopped briefly by to introduce herself. We enjoyed talking all things cruising with some really great passengers. We both had a Negroni and enjoyed snacking on the tomato with olives and shrimp sliders. If you followed my thread on Cruise Critic, the complainer did not make an appearance. I was really hoping to chat with them and would have been completely cordial after all it was Thanksgiving. But, sometimes it’s hard to meet face to face. We headed to dinner around 7:30 hoping it would not be too brutally crowded as it is a popular night in Waterside. We were squeezed in to another section but Viktor once again was our server. Tonight, we decided to upgrade the wine to use our on board credit. Our initial idea was to order Caymus but the sommelier convinced us to try the Caymus Special Selection after hearing the descriptions of both. When he returned, he told us this was the same as the first bottle he had ever opened on a ship way back in 2008 and then he broke the cork. Tonight he extracted the long Caymus cork with ease. He said he has never opened a bad bottle of Caymus and I’d have to agree. It was spectacular. For appetizers, we both started with the escargot. They were delicious. After that, Chris had the beets with goat cheese while I had the butternut squash soup. Chris thought the beets were fantastic and I enjoyed the soup especially with the addition of a few pieces of pickled pumpkin. For mains, we both went with the traditional turkey dinner. It was the biggest portion for a main I have seen but it is Thanksgiving tradition to make a big plate. The turkey was very juicy and the sides were fantastic. We both enjoyed the heartier bourbon gravy. For dessert, we stuck with tradition and both ordered pumpkin pie but minus the ice cream. Since Viktor recommended the pecan pie, we shared that as well. I think the pecan was the superior choice. We left Waterside stuffed like turkeys and waddled back to the cabin. Our intention was to pop into the cabin a moment and then go to the Curtis and Beverly show in Starlite at 10:15. We both dozed off thanks to fine wine and turkey. I did wake up with plenty of time but asked Chris if he just wanted to stay in the cabin and watch a lecture. Well following the lazy theme of the day, that was the winner. The lecture was about the aftermath of Titanic. The speaker’s grandfather was one of the musicians on Titanic and did not survive the tragedy. I almost made it to the end but did fall asleep. I will try to finish and also attend his lecture tomorrow on Titanic movies, fact or fiction. I hope everyone reading this had as wonderful a Thanksgiving as we did. Happy Thanksgiving!
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We woke fairly early once again and started our day with a walk around the promenade deck. After that, it was off to Marketplace for our coffee and breakfast. We have been eating each morning on the aft deck and it has been glorious having breakfast in the warm sun. Sea days are the perfect days to relax. We went to trivia and met up with our team. Our score was 11/15 which while respectable, it did not win us any useless coupons. In fact, our one teammate complained that the items she liked in the shop did not get the discount. After trivia, we went to eat lunch in Marketplace and head to the pool. The beauty of Crystal is there always seems to be a great spot to lounge by the pool. The band was just starting their brief set and we enjoying the music while floating around the waves of the pool. We both decided to have a refreshing Gin and Jam before returning to the cabin to change for the 3pm magic show. We had reserved tickets for the Crystal Magicians at Sea performance. This is similar to the Magic Castle at Sea and is an intimate performance of close-up magic. Mark, the magician during this cruise, told us he was the resident close-up artist at the Hard Rock Hotel at Universal Orlando and even had a genuine Harry Potter wand to complete the look! Mark started with a clever two sided folding octagon that started out with two colors and ended with him being able to display 6 total different colors. A nifty effect. He then did some rubber band magic that he was very adept at and a few card tricks. Actually one of the card tricks was performed by Chris who followed a script on Mark’s phone to instruct him how to complete the trick. A clever turn on a classic found card routine. He finished with some rope magic, a sponge ball routine and a bottle cap penetration into a coke bottle followed by a chop cup routine making an orange, lemon and lime all appear under a metal cup. This Crystal Magicians at Sea was a winner! With the magic show over, we decided to return to the cabin to shower for dinner. We went our usual spot the Avenue Saloon to continue our journey through the Manhattan menu. Tonight, I tried the Brooklyn Manhattan which one notable difference was dry vermouth instead of sweet. I was a little worried about that but actually enjoyed it. Chris chose the Crystal Signature Manhattan with barrel aged Woodford Reserve. He thought it was a solid take on the classic Manhattan. We sampled some falafel with beet root hummus. Very tasty and pretty spicy. Chris tried the watermelon with goat cheese as well. The ship is decorated all over with some beautiful decorations but the cross eyed reindeer really stare at you. We found the parent of the bar top reindeer so we posed for a picture on our way to dinner. For dinner, we returned to Waterside to be served by our favorite waiter, Viktor. Of course he was very busy but the service was still impeccable. We both stared with the King Crab which is like a crab salad with tropical fruits. Chris had an appetizer portion of the puttanesca pasta and I had the salad with mixed greens, grilled vegetables and fried oysters. For dinner, we both went with Viktor’s recommendation of the Caribbean dorado. It had lobster, potato hash and an amazing sauce. The fish was cooked perfectly. We both raved about this dish. For dessert, we sampled the white chocolate delice which was nice as well. Another top notch dinner on Crystal Symphony. I was very happy to not have spilled or dripped any food or wine on my all white outfit because later tonight was the White Party. We had a bit of time before the festivities so we went to Palm Court to listen the the Double Malt Duo since we had yet to hear them perform. They were very good and I found the female singers voice very soothing. When they took a break, we returned to the Avenue. Petar the bartender had recommended a Stabilizer as an after dinner drink so we went back to try one before the party. A Stabilizer is port wine mixed with brandy. We both agreed it is a fine choice after dinner. It was then time to head to the Cove for the White Party. The decorations for the holidays complimented the White Party decorations so nicely. The music was upbeat and fun. We tried a white drink but didn’t finish it but we did sample some of the white petit fours. I spotted a cruise critic member I started following on Instagram so we went and introduced ourselves. It was great chatting with them about their previous cruising. I burned off some calories dancing with the Ambassador Hosts and Chris. Curtis and Beverly performed a stellar cha cha for the crowd. Later, I spoke with Shane about the fun I had with him at the White Party on the Hawaii cruise so he grabbed me for a dance around the floor. Chris and I chatted with Beverly and Curtis joined us. I reminded him of when I fan girled him on our first cruise about his working on Days of Our Lives which I have watched for about 33 years! Curtis asked me to dance a fun swing while Chris danced with Beverly. Later, Chris got a waltz with Beverly as well. We stayed until the music was over and finished the evening off with a new couple we met at the party in the Avenue. Tonight’s music was pretty mellow but very nice. Beverly showed up as well and we also enjoyed chatting with her. She is an absolute delight. It was a great night of fun aboard Crystal Symphony We slept a little later for us but were still up before 8. Today, we are in Grand Turk and arriving around 8. We went to Marketplace for a light breakfast before venturing out on our adventure. We left the ship around 8:15 and saw the area in the port with stores and beaches. They have chairs that are free in the back rows and other ones for rent. The beach looked nice for an easy day but it did look a little rocky and had the potential to be crowded with three ships in port, Symphony, Serenity and a larger Holland America ship, Niew Amsterdam. I did some research and wanted to try Governor’s Beach. We found our way to the cab stand and did not wait long to leave. The fare was $4 per person each way. The walk didn’t seem to bad but we were anxious to see the beach and it was already fairly warm. The beach was amazing. Soft white sand, crystal blue water and we were the only people there! You could rent chairs but we decided to just sit on our towels when taking a break from the water. There is also a shipwreck right on shore. It washed ashore during Hurricane Sandy. The water was a great temperature and we did some snorkeling. We saw tons of fish only a few feet from shore. Sitting on he beach, I watched so many butterflies dance by. Some others arrived later but it was still a pretty empty slice of paradise. I wanted to take a cab back to the ship as I felt so relaxed and at easy and Chris agreed. We went back to the ship around lunch and headed up to the pool deck. We grabbed a table and I did some writing before lunch. The ship was busy with people visiting from Serenity. We met a rather creepy man who started talking to us. He told us he was a wizard and needed one ingredient for his potion, a virgin. Yeah OK. He seriously was trying to ask me. Very bizarre and creepy. He wouldn’t go away and proceeded to harass to other women with the same question. He finally left and I did overhear some women complaining about a “creepy guy who talked dirty” so it had to be him. After our interesting encounter, we both went to Marketplace for lunch. We brought our food out to the pool to enjoy the warmth. Then it felt pretty hot so we found some nice shady loungers and went for a dip in the pool. Chris tried a new cocktail, Gin and Jam which was very delicious. We both loved it. I had a drink called a Grumpy Old Man, inspired by our crass visitor from before! We looked at the dinner menu and were not too excited. Chris went to ask for a reservation at Silk. He was told they were fully booked but had one at 8:30pm. Sold. The shade was so lovely we both took lovely poolside nap. After the nap, we both went for another swim. Another couple we had been dancing with joined us in the pool and we enjoyed a delightful conversation. We both watched sail away since it was extra special tonight. The Symphony would pass its sister ship, Serenity on its way from Grand Turk. We heard lots of cheering as we passed. It was enjoyable hearing the horn competition of the sisters. They don’t often have much time to chat in person! We had a cocktail reception from Ensemble Travel at six so we went back to the room to get ready. We enjoyed our drinks and a chat with the group. We still had a bit of time before our late reservation. We went to Avenue Saloon to grab our Manhattans, Employees Only for me and Black Manhattan for Chris. Both were perfect. We decided to hit the 7:30 show which was ventriloquist, Mark Merchant. I saw Mark Merchant on my last Crystal cruise. Chris thought it was a rave review that I wanted to see a ventriloquist again. We both really enjoyed the show. He is very entertaining and keeps his show current. After the show, it was time to go to Silk. We tried the signature cocktail that was pretty sweet but tasty. We started with the Dim Sum, Crispy Shrimp Dumplings and the spring roll of the day which was beef. All the starters were great. For shared entrees,we had Kung Pow shrimp, miso cod and beef with xo sauce. For dessert, Chris had the tapioca soup and I had the fruit plate. I think the best fruit plate on board is in Silk. It was another fabulous night of food! After dinner, we returned to Avenue to get a nightcap. We tried a new cocktail, French Connection at the bartender’s recommendation. It was cognac and Grand Mariner. We took our drinks to the show in Starlite. Tonight, Curtis and Beverly were performing. I love ballroom dancing and Curtis and Beverly are truly amazing dancers. The show had comedy and dancing. The lifts they execute are effortless and flawless. We stayed for one dance with the DJ and went back to the room. Another fine day aboard Symphony We woke fairly early after a wonderful night of sleep. Our bed is so very comfortable and cabin was very quiet. We went for a mile walk before breakfast which we enjoyed outside of the Marketplace. Chris and I both kept breakfast small and healthy as we knew later we’d be indulging in delights! Chris attended a lecture about cocaine trafficking. There he learned from a former UK Superintendent of police about the process of growing, harvesting and producing cocaine from the cocoa leaf. Most cocaine comes from Peru and Columbia through Venezuela and is transported through the Caribbean waters we are sailing in to Florida. The drug cartels have moved from speedboats to semi-submersible submarines to outwit the coast guard but still they are captured. What the traffickers have done now is to sink the craft when they are caught so all the evidence sinks thousands of feet to the ocean floor. The best the authorities can do is to deport them back to South America and the cycle starts anew. After the lecture, we went to play trivia. We were joined by another couple who definitely rescued us. We were the winners with a score of 13/15. The prizes are discount voucher to the spa and gift show which is not too exciting but truly it is the bragging rights that matter. With our prizes in hand, we went to Marketplace for buffet lunch. We enjoy the vegetable options and the salads which are served there. It was Asian themed so in addition to my salad I tried a vegetable spring roll and vegetable potsticker which were both very nice. After lunch, we put on our bathing suits and found a shady spot by the pool. It was quite warm so the pool water felt chilly but only for a few seconds. After the initial cold, it was delightful. We swam, wrote, lounged and had a cocktail. We both ordered a Pimm’s Cup which is a wonderfully refreshing drink. Soon, it was time to shower and change for the evening. We were looking forward to dinner at Waterside. We stopped at Avenue Saloon on the way for a pre-dinner drink. Chris had a Bensonhurst while I tried Little Italy. Both manhattans were good and very similar but mine was a touch sweeter. At Waterside we were seated quickly and it was surprising not crowded early. Chris asked to be seated in Viktor’s section. I was so excited to reunite with him. He saw me come in and his face was surprised. After a hug, he took us to our table which was not actually in his section. If you read the blog from the Hawaii trip, this was not new for us! Chris enjoyed meeting him and hearing his recommendations. We started with the caviar followed by the oysters. Both were spectacular. A maitre’d passed by to grab the empty oyster dishes and said he would bring us more. How could be say no? Our main was the lobster which was cooked perfectly. For dessert, Chris went with the recommendation of German Chocolate cake while I had the mango pavlova against his recommendations (another thing reminiscent of the Hawaii cruise) and we both liked our desserts. Since we dined early, we went back to the cabin on our way to the Welcome/Crystal Society party. On my bed was a jewelry box containing my pin for completing five cruises! I put on my new bling and headed to the party. We did a little dancing and caught up with Julie from Cruise Critic. She was on the Hawaiian cruise with me so it was great seeing her and her husband again. We also met Roy from Cruise Critic whose posts I have been following. We went to see the Icons production show. It was your typical cruise production show with singing and dancing. Very upbeat and high energy songs and dancing. Everyone was handed a light stick on the way in to hold up and wave like a lighter. That was a nice touch. We ended our evening alternating between dancing in Starlight and piano sing along in the Avenue Saloon. Both were lots of fun. We returned to the cabin around midnight to rest up for our day in Grand Turk. We woke up fairly early after a great night’s sleep in a very comfortable bed. It was a pretty early evening as I didn’t even make it through a whole episode of The Crown. We went for a walk along the water and saw our home for the week across the water. After the walk, we popped back into Whole Foods. I thought we’d grab a quick pastry but after seeing the salad bar already set and so fresh looking, we both made a salad for breakfast. Chris’ parents met us in the lobby at 11 for the short Uber ride to the pier. We were boarding group 2 and didn’t have to wait long for a quick check-in. I thought it was pretty neat that I could use my photo from my last cruise. We entered the ship and were wowed by the decorations. They really put a lot of effort into decorating the ship. We each grabbed a champagne and I gave them a tour of the ship. It felt good to be home! We decided to have another drink in the Cove before lunch which was in Waterside. Everyone started with the seafood plate and enjoyed the starter. For lunch, Chris and his mom chose the Prime Rib which was cooked perfectly. Chris’ dad ordered the salmon and loved it. I went with the butternut squash ravioli which was good as well. For dessert, Chris and I ordered fruit while his mom chose cheesecake which she said was just how she likes it. Chris’ dad ordered cheese and fruit. I think he was a bit taken back by the pungent cheese so we had a laugh over that. After lunch, we went up to the bar outside of Silk to get another drink. Chris grabbed his dad a Ben and Jerry’s ice cream to try. We tried two of the gin and tonics (London Spritz and Grapefruit) which were both tasty. Chris’ mom enjoyed a rose wine and Dad ordered Tommy’s margarita. All excellent choices. Around three, our cabin was ready. We took them to the cabin and we watched the Eagles game while we unpacked. We are on deck 7 with an unobstructed view. It was almost time for our guest to depart so we went to the Cove for a goodbye drink. I think they were sad to go and might have gotten “crystallized” after a few short hours! The muster drill was relatively painless. We didn’t not need to bring life jackets and your room key is quickly scanned to take roll. At the very end of the drill, we looked out on the water to see dolphins playing. What a great send off! We returned to our cabin to change for the evening. As we left the cabin, we could hear Louis singing so we stepped out on the promenade to hear it better. Sail away is always a special time, it never gets old. We had dinner reservations at Umi Uma at 7. It was a little early so we popped into the Avenue Saloon for a cocktail. We decided to try a new Manhattan. Chris ordered the Fig which I chose the Make the Mark. Both were lovely drinks. His was on the sweet side while mine had a more alcohol taste since it also has Bristol Cream in it. We made the short walk to Umi Uma. I have dined here on the first night of all my cruises so it is now tradition. It was a spectacular dinner. Chris let me do all the ordering and he said I did a great job. I ordered chef’s choice of sushi/sashimi, lobster tacos and lobster tempura to share. We each got mushroom salad and the Wagyu beef. We washed it down with the delightful Nobu Chardonnay. A phenomenal evening of food made even more enjoyable by the gentlemen sitting next to us who were fun to talk with and taught Chris about the fresh wasabi. After dinner, we went to Crystal in Motion with was entertaining. We powered though the evening by going to Palm Court to dance. We met the dance hosts who seem great! I shared a few dances with them and Chris. We went back to the cabin around midnight. What a wonderful first day! |
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