Our recent voyage aboard Crystal Serenity was nothing short of extraordinary. This Mediterranean odyssey began in the cosmopolitan city of Marseille, France, showcasing some of the most stunning coastal destinations in the region before arriving in Rome.
This year, Crystal Cruises are celebrating 35 years of being exceptional at sea. Read on for our in-depth Crystal Serenity cruise ship review, covering accommodation, food and beverages, entertainment, excursions and more.
Accommodation: Sapphire Veranda Suite
We stayed in a Sapphire Veranda Suite on Deck 8, and it exceeded every expectation. Redesigned in 2023, it measures 430 square feet, with a 107 square feet balcony.
This beautiful suite features a spacious living area with a teal sofa that doubles as a sofa bed, a dining area and a separate bedroom with a queen bed convertible to two twins. The bed linen was by Jesurum Venezia 1870, a royal linen maker for 150 year
The Italian marble bathroom was particularly impressive, complete with double sinks, a large walk-in shower and Ortigia toiletries from Sicily. It has two doors for convenient access from either your bedroom or the entrance. For those who prefer a bathtub, Sapphire Veranda Classic suites are also available to book.
Storage is always important in cruise cabins, and we loved the walk-in closet and abundance of clothes hangers. A safe, umbrella, slippers, a tote bag, two Etro plush towelling robes and two Etro cotton robes are also provided.
The elongated private balcony with teak decking, furnished with two cushioned chairs and a round table, provided the perfect spot for morning coffee while watching the Mediterranean coastline drift by. The elegant furnishings, new carpeting, and contemporary wall finishes created an atmosphere of refined luxury throughout our suite.
Crystal Cruises doesn’t make tannoy announcements, to maximize guest relaxation. You can use the in-room interactive tablet for news and reservations and check printed news bulletins for the full daily schedule.
Unparalleled Included Amenities
What truly sets Crystal Serenity apart is the comprehensive list of included services that would typically cost extra on other cruise lines. Our suite perks included welcome Champagne, complimentary soft drinks, wine and spirits, afternoon canapés, 24-hour in-suite dining, homemade chocolate truffles, complimentary unlimited Starlink WiFi and binoculars.
All guests aboard Crystal’s ships enjoy butler service, and all gratuities are included. Our butler Mukesh was attentive without being intrusive, handling everything from checking our restaurant reservations to bringing us a kettle and herbal teas with genuine care and professionalism.
Self-service laundry facilities are conveniently located on several decks, providing guests with the flexibility to handle their laundry needs independently alongside the complimentary pressing and dry cleaning services included with certain suite accommodation such as ours.
Exceptional Dining Experiences
The culinary offerings aboard Crystal Serenity are truly world-class. We enjoyed a delicious breakfast in our suite one morning, and had the pleasure of dining at several outstanding restaurants during our voyage:
UMI UMA & Sushi Bar: Created by legendary Master Chef Nobuyuki (Nobu) Matsuhisa, UMI UMA is the only Nobu restaurant at sea. This restaurant offers an elegantly modern setting with signature Japanese-Peruvian dishes including rock shrimp tempura and Wagyu beef fillet steak. The signature black cod with miso was absolutely divine – perfectly flaky fish with an umami-rich glaze.
Beefbar: This global restaurant that began in Monte-Carlo features the most exciting flavours from the global street-food scene – Beef, Reef and Leaf – fashioned from the freshest ingredients. The meat dishes were exceptional, cooked to perfection and beautifully presented. The atmosphere was relaxed yet sophisticated, perfect for a casual but elevated dining experience.
Waterside Restaurant (Main Dining Room): Waterside is the ship’s main dining room, located on Deck 5, featuring open seating and tables for two and four guests as well as a sharing table for solo travellers. The dinner menu consists of “Crystal Classics” – traditional Crystal favourites that rotate throughout your cruise – and “Contemporary Cuisine,” which rotates nightly.
The quality was consistently outstanding, with perfectly prepared dishes that rivaled high-end land-based restaurants.
Osteria d’Ovidio on Deck 7 specializes in show-stopping Italian cuisine, created in collaboration with the Michelin-starred Alajmo brothers. Marketplace on Deck 12 provides buffet-style dining with international cuisine from 12 noon to 2pm, while Trident Grill on Deck 12 offers a late-riser breakfast and casual fare from 12 noon to 6pm.
The Bistro on Deck 6 serves Parisian-inspired café fare with light snacks, pastries, and premium coffee. Head to Scoops Gelato Bar in front of the living plant wall on Deck 12 for Badiani ice cream with a wide selection of tempting flavours and toppings.
The Vintage Room on Deck 7 offers an exclusive wine pairing experience with six-course menus led by the ship’s head sommelier. We didn’t try it, but the dining room looked very elegant.
Sports Facilities
Crystal Serenity offers an impressive array of activities and amenities. The 3,000+ square-foot Fitness Center features an extensive line of professional weights and Technogym® exercise equipment, along with panoramic views.
The ship offers a wellness program with classes in yoga, mat pilates and spinning classes, with a full-time Fitness Director providing fitness advice. We particularly enjoyed participating in a complimentary stretching session in the gym. Personal training classes can also be booked for a fee..
The Aurōra Spa and Salon facilities on Deck 13 are comprehensive, offering a wide range of health and beauty services for ladies and gentlemen, such as facials, medi-spa services, IV treatments, acupuncture and massages. There are sauna and steam room facilities, together with a relaxation room with sea views.
The Seahorse Pool and hot tubs on Deck 12 are surrounded by sun loungers. With ample deck space for relaxation, this area is the perfect spot to enjoy the Mediterranean sunshine while never feeling overcrowded.
Crystal Serenity has two full-sized paddle tennis and pickleball courts at Wimbledon Court on Deck 13. Golf enthusiasts can practice at the golf driving nets on Deck 6, with professional guidance from a PGA golf pro available on most cruises, and TaylorMade clubs available for use both onboard and ashore.
You’ll also find table tennis facilities on Deck 6. Shuffleboard on Deck 8 provides classic deck game entertainment.
Onboard Venues and Social Spaces
Crystal Serenity features an exceptional variety of venues and social spaces:
Shopping: The ship has several well-appointed boutiques offering duty-free shopping for cruise wear, designer accessories, luxury fragrances and skincare, jewellery, watches and branded merchandise: Apropos, Crystal Collection, Captain’s Choice and Facets.
Lounges and Bars: Palm Court is a bright space with floor to ceiling windows, perfect for the daily complimentary afternoon tea. Crystal Cove in the ship’s atrium serves as a versatile central meeting point with live music at regular intervals throughout the day.
Avenue Saloon offers an intimate, dark and moody piano bar atmosphere with extensive martini and negroni menus. Connoisseur Club provides an elegant cigar lounge with deep leather chairs for enjoying premium cigars and cognacs.
Entertainment Venues: The 1,000 square foot Casino de Monte-Carlo offers a glamorous gaming experience with table games and slot machines in an atmosphere reminiscent of Monaco. Hollywood Theatre on Deck 6 serves as a modern cinema showcasing recent films, live sports events, and guest lectures. Galaxy Lounge, also on Deck 6, is the place to go for headline entertainment, with a drinks service before each show.
Pulse Night Club provides an intimate space for late-night drinks, dancing, and karaoke. The cosy Library houses over 2,000 books spanning various genres, alongside magazines and board games for quiet relaxation.
Family Facilities: Waves & Fantasia are dedicated children’s clubs – Waves for teens and Fantasia for younger children (ages 3-12), offering supervised activities including arts and crafts, video games, board games, and movie viewing.
Ship Services: The Atrium on Deck 5 houses essential ship services including Reception, Concierge, and the Shore Excursion desk, making it a central hub for guest services and information. The Medical Center provides professional healthcare services should they be needed during the voyage.
Entertainment and Enrichment Programs
Crystal Serenity’s entertainment program was very enjoyable. Two magnificent performances by James Fox were a highlight of our cruise. His vocal talent and stage presence were captivating, and the Billy Joel tribute was particularly memorable.
The Galaxy Lounge provided an intimate and elegant setting for these performances. The Crystal Ensemble of Singers and Dancers and Crystal Showband also excelled with nightly variety shows. Don’t forget to pack white clothing for Crystal’s renowned White Night party!
The daytime enrichment program was equally impressive, featuring educational sessions including iPhone Photography classes that taught valuable techniques for capturing better travel photos. It would be wonderful if Crystal could extend these photography workshops to also cover Android phones, as this would benefit an even wider range of guests who could apply the techniques regardless of their device preference.
The combination of high-quality entertainment, educational enrichment, and wellness activities created a perfect balance that ensured there was always something engaging to do, whether we wanted to be active, learn something new, or simply be entertained.
The Itinerary: Mediterranean Perfection
Our 7-night Mediterranean voyage (CSE-007-250517) departed from Marseille, France and concluded in Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy. This carefully curated itinerary totalled 742 nautical miles and included:
- Day 1 – Marseille, France (Embarkation) – France’s oldest city and premier Mediterranean port, with its charming old port featuring colorful fishing boats and the imposing Fort Saint-Jean.
- Day 2 – Menton, France – A pretty town on the French Riviera, known for its stunning gardens, Belle Époque architecture, and Mediterranean charm.
- Day 3 – Genoa, Italy – A historic port city where grand architecture evidences the port’s former glory days as an influential maritime power, featuring the largest medieval city center in Europe.
- Day 4 – Livorno (Tuscany), Italy – Gateway to the Renaissance treasures of Florence and Pisa, and the renowned Chianti wine region.
- Day 5 – Portoferraio (Elba), Italy – The charming capital of the island of Elba, famous as Napoleon’s place of exile and known for its pristine beaches and crystal-clear waters.
- Day 6 – Porto Santo Stefano, Italy – A picturesque fishing village on the Tuscan coast, offering stunning views and authentic Italian coastal charm.
- Day 7 – Olbia, Sardinia – A charming port city on the Italian island of Sardinia, known for its stunning beaches and rich Mediterranean culture.
- Day 8 – Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy (Disembarkation) – Gateway to the eternal city of Rome.
This incredible itinerary offered a perfect blend of French Riviera elegance, Italian Renaissance culture, and Mediterranean island beauty. Each destination provided unique experiences, from the glamour of Menton to the artistic treasures accessible from Livorno, the historical significance of Elba, and the natural beauty of Sardinia.
Shore Excursions: Expertly Curated Experiences
We participated in two Crystal Cruises shore excursions that enhanced our Mediterranean experience. Crystal’s excursions are curated by Abercrombie & Kent (part of the A&K Travel Group family), ensuring exceptional quality and unique access to destinations.
Panoramic Porto Ercole & Argentario (Porto Santo Stefano)
This cultural and historical tour took us on a stunning panoramic drive through Monte Argentario, a picturesque promontory in southern Tuscany that serves as a favoured holiday retreat for affluent Italians. Our English-speaking guide led us from the bustling harbour of Porto Santo Stefano to the charming fishing village of Porto Ercole, connected by scenic sandbars and separated by beautiful lagoons.
In Porto Ercole, we explored the traffic-free streets and discovered the town’s fascinating history, including its connection to the famous artist Caravaggio, who mysteriously died there in July 1610. We strolled along the waterfront promenade lined with shops and restaurants housed in converted fishermen’s warehouses.
Another interesting stop was the Passionist Fathers convent, situated 900 feet above sea level and offering panoramic views over the bay and the lagoon of Orbetello. If you have more time in the area, you can also visit the impressive 16th-century Spanish fortresses – Forte Filippo, the Rocca, and Forte Stella.
Porto Cervo On Your Own (Olbia, Sardinia)
This half-day excursion provided a scenic 45-minute drive from Olbia port to Porto Cervo, one of the most glamorous destinations on the Italian coast and the heart of Sardinia’s jet-set scene on the famous Emerald Coast. The drive itself was spectacular, showcasing the natural beauty of Sardinia’s coastline.
We enjoyed free time to admire the colourful buildings and soak in the exclusive atmosphere of this renowned destination. I snapped up a dress and a belt designed locally at one of the stylish boutiques close to the waterfront.
Both excursions were perfectly organized with comfortable transportation, knowledgeable guides, and ideal timing that allowed us to fully appreciate these remarkable destinations while ensuring we returned to the ship with time to spare. The small group sizes typical of Crystal excursions created a more intimate and personalized experience that we thoroughly enjoyed.
Exceptional Staff and Service
What truly made our Crystal Serenity experience unforgettable was the exceptional staff and Crystal’s industry-leading guest-to-crew ratio of almost 1:1, which ensures incredibly personalized and attentive service throughout the ship. Crystal Serenity provides personal butler service for all room categories – not just suites – which is rare in the cruise industry.
Our butler Mukesh had been with Crystal Cruises for an impressive 18 years, bringing a wealth of experience and genuine dedication to his role. This level of service continuity and expertise, built over years and decades of experience, is what sets Crystal apart from other cruise lines.
Final Thoughts on Crystal Serenity Cruise Ship
Crystal Serenity delivers on every promise of luxury cruising. The combination of spacious, elegantly appointed accommodation, world-class dining, comprehensive included amenities, and genuinely exceptional service creates an experience that justifies every penny.
The ship’s size, with a maximum of 740 guests, allows for a more personalized experience while still offering all the facilities and entertainment options you could desire.
We cannot recommend Crystal Serenity highly enough. This cruise has set a new standard for our future travel expectations. For those seeking the finest in cruise experiences, Crystal Serenity is simply without equal.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5 stars)
