Celebrating the Season on the Seven Seas
By GERRY and
PAMELA BARKER North Palm Beach Life December, 2019. There are all kinds of ways to celebrate the holiday season: Visit loved ones; throw parties; attend special events. For us, we like to cruise. This year, we had the special opportunity to take the "Haute Caribbean Holidays" cruise on Crystal Serenity -- seven ports in 15 days over Christmas and New Year's, sailing round-trip from Miami. You can read a detailed account of our trip in our DAILY DIARY on All Things Cruise. In the meantime, come along and share our adventures in these photo pages. All aboard!! |
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We had a veranda stateroom on deck 9. It was finished in rich woods with tasteful furnishings and art. The bath featured double sinks and a tub/shower combination, along with upscale toiletries. It also included a generous balcony with
full-size furniture. We appreciated the extras, too -- like a pair of binoculars, an umbrella and USB outlets.
full-size furniture. We appreciated the extras, too -- like a pair of binoculars, an umbrella and USB outlets.
As we explored our new home for next two weeks, we wandered into the Martketplace on deck 12, which has breakfast and lunch buffets. Love the Mark Rothko-inspired art.
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We toured the spa, where we saw this sand bed. Like a day at
the beach with pampering. |
The pool on Lido deck offered a welcome retreat both day and night. It was surrounded by upscale loungers and sofas, with attendants ready to bring you your drink of choice.
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We fell in love with The Bistro on deck 6 -- a European-style cafe that offered all kinds of coffees and teas, as well as a selection of light snacks and pastries until 11 pm. Grab a cup of Joe and watch the waves go by from a window seat table.
On Crystal, most drinks are complimentary, and there are a number of bars and lounges to relax with one. On the left is our favorite -- Avenue Saloon on deck 6. Dark and elegant, with a piano player, it's perfect. Those drinks are a special cocktail they made for us -- the Teeny Weeny Lemon Martini, a variation of a lemon drop that is oh-so-good! |
There's still so much to discover about our new "home" for the next two weeks. With several "sea days" coming up, it will give us a chance to experience everything Serenity has to offer.