DAY 111 - DAY ONE HUNDRED FOUR ON THE CRYSTAL SERENITY

These are some photos from this last segment of the World Cruise.


Bon Bon Island

Photo from the second on board World Cruise Dinner.

Photo from the around the World Event.

Photo from the last formal night.

Photo at Captain Birger's Farewell Reception with Captain Birger and Crystal Society Hostess Jaque Brown.

After we posted our Blog we attended the special showing of the World Cruise 2014 video.  This is always an emotional event since you get a chance to see the highlights of the World Cruise and you realize by the following morning that most of the people who you have sailed with for all of this time are going home.  Some you may sail with again and others you might not.  On a World Cruise the ship does become an extended family and has the feel of a small town.  The video was very well done and is a wonderful keepsake and will provide memories, which will last for a lifetime.  We look forward to sharing it with family and friends. As part of this get-together many members of the crew who represented each and every department marched into the room and we stood up to give them a round of applause for all they have done to make this a remarkable World Cruise.  We sang to several songs including we are "Crystal Family".

We spoke with Cruise Director Rick Spath right after the close of this event.

Shortly after attending this event, we dined by ourselves at Prego.  The last few times we have dined there we have been with others so it was nice to be alone.  Once again, Costa was our waiter.  Costa will be going home today for a well deserved vacation to his home country of Portugal.  

We began the meal with a Ravioli pasta for our entree.  This was one of the additional entrees that could also be ordered as an appetizer.  We then had salads and then we each had the additional seafood entree which was sword fish. Just as the appetizer was so very fresh and tasty the same was true with the swordfish.  We finished our meal with a small scoop of ice cream for Anne Marie and fruit for Keith.  While we were there only around 20 others were dining so it was nice and quiet.  It was going to get somewhat more busy at around 8:30 PM.

After we left Prego, we saw the President Of Crystal Cruises Edie Rodriquez.  Keith did not have the camera set up correctly so the next few photos are a little out of focus.  

 We then went to the World Cruise Balloon and Confetti drop.  We danced to several songs and then enjoyed the final countdown and drop.  We congratulated Captain Birger, Hotel Director Josef, Cruise Director Rick and World Cruise Hostess Stacey on an absolutely wonderful World Cruise.

After the balloon drop we spoke with Toni Neumeister who is the Vice President of Crystal Cruises who is responsible for the cuisine served on board the ship.  He is on board the Serenity right now as they are moving to a new menu concept in the dining room. We will post a copy of the new menu as part of tomorrow's Blog.

When we arrived back to our rooms this evening there was a DVD on the bed, which is the same one that was shown a few hours earlier.

We slept very well last evening as we sailed to Southampton.  We have been very fortunate that the seas have been relatively calm.  Often these seas that was have sailed in can be rough. 

Keith woke up early and did his normal routine of exercise, reading, writing and coffee and after returning back to the room Anne Marie got ready and we went for a walk inside the ship.  It was too cold to walk outside plus we wanted to see fellow guests who will be leaving today so we could wish them safe travels and to say until we meet again.

The morning of disembarkation is always an emotional time and even more so when you are leaving the ship after many months on board.  We were able to see give our best wishes to so many fabulous people including Bob and Glo, BJ and Jim, Jim and Judy, Elaine and Peggy, Linda (Sal was not there when we saw Linda, Kay and Chuck along with Cruise Director Rick, Captain Birger and Hotel Director Josef.

The disembarkation process began at around 7:00 AM and from the moment it started Crystal Cruises President Edie Rodriquez stood at the area that each guest would be passing through to leave the ship so that she could personally wish each guest the very best.  We thought that was very special and applaud Edie for doing that.  It was quite cold where she was standing so it was extra special she was doing that.  By her side was Hotel Director Josef and later on Thomas Mazloum, Executive Vice President was at Edie's side.  It was so nice that they were there to thank each guest for cruising with Crystal Cruises.

We will miss seeing all of our shipboard friends and look forward to seeing them again. 

Today is the end of the 2014 World Cruise and the beginning of the next voyage.  During this last segment we sailed from Cape Town, South Africa to Southampton, England and we traveled a total distance of 6,964 nautical miles or the equivalent of 8008 land miles.

There are about 20 of us staying over for this cruise, plus some enrichment and other staff.

Anne Marie stayed on the ship and took care of some items while Keith went off the ship to walk around.

As Keith disembarked the ship he walked with Prego Waiter Costa who was our waiter last night and most nights when we dine at Prego.  Costa was in civilian attire and was leaving for his well-deserved holiday back home in Portugal.  Keith and Costa chatted for a few minutes and Keith wished Costa safe travels and a most enjoyable time home. 

Keith enjoyed walking around Southampton.  We have never done this as normally when we have arrived we have disembarked the ship for a drive to London Heathrow Airport.   The town was about a ten-minute walk from where the Serenity was berthed.  The weather was a delight and there were many old style buildings to see on the way to and from town. 

Part of God's House Tower

Keith thought this was an interesting sign.

Once back on the ship Keith took some videos and photos, as there were very few guests on board with only the twenty or so for the next cruise on board the ship.  Keith ran into several crewmembers that just boarded today who we saw earlier in the cruise.  He also saw Captain Giskie who is now the Captain of the vessel.  Captain Giskie was our Captain for the January 5 voyage.  He also spoke with Cruise Director Gary Hunter and also Crystal Society Hostess Jaque and Cruise Sales Consultant Paula Jean.  He saw Hotel Director Josef who was in civilian attire, as he was getting ready to return home.

From L-R; Paula Jean and Jaque

Gary Hunter

We had lunch at the Crystal Dining Room where we each had a flute of champagne to toast the start of the new cruise and we each had our embarkation favorite salad which is the Cobb Salad. We spoke with Maitre d' Leo and our Head Waiter Augusto and also to Head Waiter Frantz.  We also welcomed Caryn and Stan who we first met on board the Miami to Los Angeles Panama Canal Cruise a couple of years ago and Keith looks forward to playing some Paddle Tennis with them.

We enjoyed the ship in the afternoon and Anne Marie walked for an hour while Keith worked out at the Fitness Center.  

Embarkation was fairly light for the first couple of hours starting after 12:00 Noon which seemed very surprising to us.  Then all of a sudden most people arrived at around 3:00 PM and the delay was due to a bad accident on the speedway that carries vehicles into Southampton and it took many people several hours to arrive.  

Keith ran into some people we know who boarded this afternoon.

This evening we will be dining at the Crystal Dining Room.

TODAY'S THOUGHT FOR DAY……….

"In the end, it is truly the people (both guests and crew) who make our sailings on-board Crystal Cruises so very special.  Until next time."  -  Keith & Anne Marie

Keith & Anne Marie