QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

We will utilize this section of our blog to answer to those questions that we have received from you.  

NOTE: We will list the questions in descending order with the most recent ones listed first.


Question:

Thanks so much for all the time you spent on the blog - I thoroughly enjoyed it. So now that the adventure is over, how many pounds did the two of you lose on the trip with all the exercise and careful eating? Thanks again! 

Answer:

We are glad you enjoyed the Blog.  We each lost a couple of pounds respectively.  Our goal was to leave the ship at the same weight in which we boarded so we were pleased with the outcome.

Question:

How many miles does Anne Marie walk on her 1 hour walk in the morning? 

Answer:

Around four miles per hour.

Question:

Keith,

The suspense is killing me. Can you give us a few highlights of the 2016 WC itinerary?

Thanks and welcome home (almost.)

Ken 

Answer:

Ken,we will provide more details in the next day or two.

Question:

Hi Keith and Anne Marie,
this has been a great virtual voyage for me. You mentioned the 2016 World Cruise. Care to share any details? And when will it be announced officially?
Oren 

Answer:

Oren I am glad you liked following the voyage.  We will share details in the next day or two.


Question:

Hi -
Thank you for letting us follow you on this voyage. It has been especially interesting as we are booked for the 2014 World Cruise. In the computer room, is there a scanner that guests are able to use? 

Thanks again. 

Answer:

We are not aware of a scanner.  There is a printer.  We bring a portable scanner with us.

Question:

Hi Keith,
Love your blog. I have noticed that you have said very little about Dr. Jay Wolff. Do you attend his lectures? I have found him to be fascinating, one of the most knowledgeable people I have ever met. 
Jerry Fleming
WC 2015 

Answer:

Jerry, thanks for your nice comments.  We have attended several of Dr. Wolff's lectures in person and seen most of the others on when repeated on the television and have enjoyed them all.

Question:

I am sure that you are anxious to get home and see your family but wondered if you have considered staying on, selfishly I won't want the adventure to end, living vicariously through you! 

Cathy

Answer:

Cathy, as they say all good things come to an end.  We will be leaving on Sunday but we do plan to return again for next years World Cruise.

Question:

I am curious as to how you deal with "sea legs" after the cruise ends since you have been on the ship for 3 months. I know that even when I am on a 14 day cruise I feel like I am sailing for at least a week after we get off the ship. Does this happen to you? Thanks. 

Answer:

This is an excellent question.  In our case, we have both been fortunate to have not had any issues with sea legs.

Question:

Keith, I know a Crystal passenger can make a special request in the dining room, and given enough advance notice along with availability of ingredients, the requests are honored. You have mentioned Augusto's wonderful preparation of your special requests, and I am curious if he actually prepares the dishes himself? The dining on the Crystal ships in all the venues is superb, and I enjoy reading how much you appreciate your dining experiences! My best to you and Anne Marie...
Caryn 

Answer:
Caryn, thank you for your nice comments and we send you both our very best as well.

There are some items that Augusto has made for us and we try not note it by saying that Augusto made the item for us.  Examples include the Tuna Tartare, the pasta entrees and the pasta appetizers plus a couple of other items.  In all these cases Augusto has actually prepared and cooked these at his station.  He also made us eggplant parmigiana and he made that in the galley.  Often when he makes the hot items he will make a little more and offer it to a few other guests.

For other items that he has pre-ordered for us this involves ordering it in advance for us with the cook in the galley.  

The vast majority of what we eat is on the menu and we either have it they way it is prepared or ask for some minor changes such as asking for broiled fish rather then having it fried.


Question:

Keith,

When sailing/touring the Amazon, is slathering on the bug spray a necessity? 

Answer:

The answer depends on what type of tour you are taking.  If you are going into the jungle it is a wise idea to take precautions.  In our case, we have not gone into the jungle.  When we visited the small island of Boca de Valria we did use these insect wipes that we had purchased but did not need to use the bug spray that we did bring with us.

Question:

Dear Keith and Ann Marie,

How do you decide what sort of souvenirs to bring home on your travels? It must be tempting to fill the house up with things from trips. What makes a great purchase for you two? In my unsolicited opinion I think Keith's panama hat takes the prize this trip by the way! What a great purchase Ann Marie's silk purchases were last years winner. Just curious and planning the budget for our big trip. I suppose we could bring home a large sized purchase on the 2015. Since we will only need to ship home to Miami. 

just day dreaming,
Ilene

Answer:

Ilene, there is no easy answer to this and it really varies by itinerary.  We try to select one item for the house which will be a remembrance from the trip as we have a place where we display items from past trips.  We do not know ahead of time what we will purchase in the way of this type of item but once we see it we know.

We do have some favorite places that we have had lots of good success with purchases of clothing and/or accessories so if that is on the itinerary we make sure that we return to those places(s).  A favorite of ours is located in both Singapore and Bangkok and one where Anne Marie has purchased several purses, Keith has purchased some ties, and we have picked up some gifts for others and that includes the silk purchases you mentioned.  Ironically, the place was first recommended to us by a lovely couple who we met on the 2007 World Cruise whose purses Anne Marie had admired and we were also on the 2008 World Cruise with them when we visited Singapore and Bangkok and when we did pick up some of these items.  After a few years of not sailing the World Cruise, this couple is on board again this year.

We try to be selective about our purchases in terms of what we purchase and where we purchase them from and don't spend a lot of time in port on this.

Now that we have a Grand Son, we have a fun time finding items for him and of course we do look for items for our children and son and daughter in law and for a couple of other people.

Some people make big purchases not only in terms of quantity and dollar value but sometimes even in terms of the size of the item.  For example, in Africa sometimes you will see people brining back some very large wooden like Animals to the ship. Since they are made from wood the ship will put them in the freezer for a certain amount of time to kill the bugs.  You will see lots of these wooden items lined up at the entranceway to the ship.


Question:

I notice that the Crystal Fare and Itinerary Guide states that there is free unlimited CRYSTAL internet starting in 2013. Does this mean both incoming and outgoing provided you use the Crystal internet address? Thanks 

Answer:

Two items.  The free internet only applies to those in the four CP Suites which are the largest suites on the ship.

If one is in a PH or PS and CP too they can use a special Crystal E Mail that each of us gets and send and receive e mail using that address at no cost.  

Question:

I loved the inside peek of the 'back of the house' during last year's WC. I see that you visited a few of the same areas of the ship again this year, as well as a few different ones. What are some of the other areas that you visited on your prior BOTH tours? 

Answer:

Becky, glad you liked the photos.  The areas that we visited did include most of the areas from last year plus ones we have seen in the past.  Other areas that we have visited in the past but not this time around are places such as the sanitation area, and another of the technical areas, plus probably a couple of more that don't come readily to mind.  Overall, yesterday's tour covered a lot of ground.


Question:

Hi Keith and Anne Marie. The Back of House Tour looks very interesting. Do you think they would do it on other voyages (ie on the upcoming transatlantic I am booked on?). I would love to do it. 

Thanks for all the updates and posting pictures and menus. 


Answer:

Rob, thanks for your nice comments.

Our experience is that these back of the house tours are only done on the World Cruise.

Question:

Hi Anne Marie and Keith,

First of all thank you for taking the time to share all of this with all of us. I had a question for you around the night life on board during a WC. In reading your daily adventures it seems that you may enjoy a cocktail before dinner. We prefer to dine later and then spend time after dinner in a lounge and sometimes the casino. (I would wager we may sleep in a little more than you do). While I see on the programs that you have posted, entertainment is offered until past mid-night, any opinion as to how active your fellow passengers may be out and about from 10 PM and on?

Thanks
Todd

Answer:

Todd you will see a number of passengers out and about after 10:00 PM.  Some will go to the Casino and others to the Avenue Saloon where there is a pianist who also sings and some will go to late night Karaoke.  There is also a late night movie too.

Question:

Thanks for this terrific blog which enables us to vicariously enjoy the WC through your writings.

I am a very keen and sincere workout guy, but you take the cake. How long do you spend on the elliptical machine each morning, and do you do a pre-programmed routine or manual, how fast?
On your second workout in the day, do you do the same session.
I admire your motivation and discipline.
Enjoy the rest of your trip.


Answer:

Thanks for your nice comments.  Typically in the morning, Keith worked out for 90 minutes.  If  he has a Spin Class he might cut it back to around 70 minutes..  If he returns to the Center for another workout on average it is for another 45 minutes, but might be more or less then that.

Question:


Great overview of your day in Rio! You covered a lot in just a few hours. Photos were very good too. The info on the "hippi market" is interesting. Does Al have his own company or does he work for a tour group? Those Caipirinhas certainly look delicious!! What a great send off by Crystal. 

Answer:

Thank you for the nice comments.  Al works for a tour company.


Question:

Question:
Beautiful photos of Rio. 
Have you two ever taken the cable car ride to the top of the mountain there? Does Crystal offer a trip up there? 

thanks,
Ilene 

Answer:

Thanks, Ilene.

Although we have not taken the cable car up to Sugar Loaf Mountain, it is offered as part of tours provided by Crystal Cruises.

Question:

Question time:
Are they offering language courses on this world cruise? Are any of the courses offered progressive over the full cruise? 

thanks,
Ilene

P.S. Very nice needlepoint Anne Marie!

Answer:

Ilene, Language is not being offered on the World Cruise.  However, this one has been replaced with the iMovie Class.  In addition, several iPad classes are also being offered plus other classes that are mainly offered on World Cruises such as Memoir Writing.

Question:

Two questions.......what time does Keith get up? Do you both lose weight while on the ship? You eat so healthy and exercise so much, it would seem you would be dropping pounds daily. 

Answer:

Keith gets up sometime after 4:00 AM.  He has always been an early riser so this is very easy for him.  He prefers to get along workout in when the Fitness Center is relatively quiet.

On some World Cruises each of us has lost weight and on others one or the other has lost weight.  Neither one of us has gained weight on a World Cruise.  Before we took our very first World Cruise we thought through very carefully how we could eat a range of food items, eat healthy and not gain weight and on that very first World Cruise we left the ship lighter then we boarded so our approach was very successful.  There are little things we do that help.

The other key is to exercise which we do.  We also like to walk and in many ports we can do precisely that.

Question:

When Anne Marie walks indoors, where/what deck(s) does she walk for the one hour? 

Answer:

When walking indoors, Anne Marie primarily walks on Deck 6 of the ship which is where a wife range of public areas are located including the Galaxy Showroom, the Casino, the Bistro, the Hollywood Theatre, Pulse and the Stardust Club, and the Avenue of Shops which are the four different on-board stores.  It provides a wide area in which to walk.

Question:
I was surprised that you were to tender in Montevideo. I thought that we docked when we visited the port on Symphony in 2005. I checked Reflections for our visit (yes I keep a file for each trip) and sure enough we docked at Berth 2. Do tides influence this, were the berths full, or has there been a change in the set up of the port? 

We are really enjoying your blog. Thanks so much for taking the time to do this!

Steve (sacarr) 

Answer:

Steve, thank you for your very nice comments.  We did dock at Montevideo.  It was in Punta del Ese on Saturday, March 2nd where we were scheduled to tender as this is a tender port.  Due to the high winds and poor weather conditions the port authority closed the port and we were unable to tender.

Punta del Ese is not too far from Montevideo so one can take a shore excursion which takes guests by motor vehicle to this town.


Question:

One more question for you both:

At home I work out hard jazzercise class. I do it everyday I can. Is there any way for me to do an aerobic program like Zumba or Jazzercise in the gym? If I brought a DVD from home could I use it there? Is this just a crazy idea and I should stick to what is offered? Yoga and pilates are good but not the same level of work out for me. Any ideas? I suspect I should just stick to what is offered. Still any feedback on doing workout to DVD practicality on the Serenity in the gym area.

Thanks to you both,
Ilene 


Answer:

Ilene some people bring DVD's and set them up with their own PC.  You can do that but best to do that when no classes are being offered in the fitness center.  Some people do this around lunch time or right after lunch.  You may want to bring the DVD but see if any of the classes that are offered work for you and then use the DVD(s) as a backup.

Question:

The local cuisine in Uruguay looks very tempting. 

Question: What do you two use a guideline for eating off the ship? How often do you eat off the ship? 

Second question: among your friends who do indulge in local food at restaurants was there much illness on this trip?

I do admire you both for staying so healthy on such a long journey.

still enjoying your blog, 

Ilene

Answer:

Ilene, in general we do not eat off the ship. However, if we are on a full day tour we will eat off the ship.  We are just careful what we eat.  We will eat cooked foods, fruit with peels, bottled water, no ice and just overall be careful where and what we eat.

We have only heard of a few people on the ship who have had problems and we do not know if that relates to food.

Question:

Hello Keith and Anne Marie. First I would like to thank you for taking us along on your fabulous journey. I am so enjoying the ride! I also would like to commend you both for your discipline to your fitness programs. Good job! I too try to keep fit and it is sometimes a challenge as we age. I have a question that perhaps you can help me with. I have not cruised with Crystal as of yet, but would like to try it. I am a recent widow so would probably be travelling solo. Is it hard to meet and mingle so to speak on Crystal? Is it mostly couples? Many wonderful itineraries to pour over, Thanks again, Rhonda 


Answer:

Rhonda, thank you for your very nice comments.

Crystal Cruises attracts a lot of solo guests and that includes many widows; both women and men.  Many of the solo guests ask to be placed at the same tables for dinner. We know many solo guests who return year after year.  For those women who enjoy dancing, there are Ambassador Hosts so they can enjoy dancing.  There are many activities for those who are solo to participate in.

Question:

Interested to hear, what movie did you watch?

As others have said, I appreciate the effort and time you put into your blog and pictures. I look forward to reading it every day. 

Kevin

Answer:

Kevin, the name of the movie was Darling Companion starring Kevin Kline and Diane Keaton.


Question:
We visited BA back in December before a cruise and did not feel safe at all. Did your friends who live there, comment on the current crime situation? 

Dennis

Answer:

Dennis, we have been to Buenos Aires several times in the past including in 2010.  We do take extra care in this city as we do in some other cities including Rio, Montevideo, Barcelona, Rome, and Naples just to name a few.  The gentlemen who took us around yesterday did say that crime remains high.

We try to be as careful as we can and that includes being aware of our surroundings, not wearing jewelry off the ship, securing any money we take (we used the travel wallet yesterday for the first time of this cruise which Keith wears around his neck and fits under his shirt) and being careful where we visit. At the same time, we realize that in big cities around the world including cities in our own country it is important to be equally diligent with respect to being street smart and knowing our surroundings.

Question:

Hi Keith and Anne Marie,
I am enjoying your story each day! I was happy to see your participation in the golfing portion of the World Games. What other events have you signed up for? Some of the games were postponed due to weather if I recall correctly. Have they been rescheduled yet? 
Best Regards,
Ann 

Answer:

Ann, thanks for your nice comments.  The games that were cancelled due to the weather have been rescheduled.  Keith played in two Paddle Tennis Classes today (on Thursday, February 21) and won gold medals in each one.  He likely will play in a few more games.

Question:

Do you ever buy and of the wines you talk about and bring them back to the ship?

Mary

Answer:

Mary, we just realized that you asked this question when we were in Valparaiso and sorry we didn't answer you sooner.  On previous cruises we would purchase wines in port to enjoy in the dining room on board the ship.  Now that Crystal Cruises is inclusive we have not done that yet as we are very much enjoying the wines served on board the ship.

Question:
As you are in Ushuaia, it makes me think about Russell Crowe in "Master and Commander." Fortunately, you are rounding Cape Horn in a bit more luxurious circumstances.

I have a question about Tastes: is it "casual" enough that a person could have dinner there in say, a sport shirt and shorts? And if so, I guess after that you would want to make a quiet night of it in your cabin, as you'd have to change to conform to the evening's dress to enjoy the other public areas?

Ken 

Answer:

Ken, when Tastes is open which is usually most nights except on formal nights and the first and last nights of the cruise the attire is casual.  This wold be a polo shirt or open collar long/short sleeved shirt with slacks for the gentlemen and a blouse and pants, casual dress or pantsuit for the ladies. Slacks such as khakis/dockers are perfectly fine.

Also even if the dress code is say informal, after dinner casual attire such as what we described can be worn in all public areas of the ship (other then the other dining venues) so you could remain in this casual attire should you be dining there on an informal  night.

Question:
I am thoroughly enjoying your blog and look forward to it each day. It is usually the first thing I read when I get to work. You both always look so nice and I anxiously await the next formal night to see what Anne Marie is wearing. I had to laugh at your comment the other day about watching the clock on the elyptical. It seems that we may be in the same wake up zone. I am on the treadmill between 3:00 ad 3:30 a.m. for 4 miles for about an hour every morning before catching the 6:00 train. Some mornings are harder than others! I do take Sunday's off though, do you ever take a break and say I'm just going to skip it today?

Cate

Answer:

Cate, thank you for your nice comments.  We both try not to take a day off from the workout while on the cruise.  It is tempting but we feel better sticking with the schedule. If we have a tour starting very early in the morning , Keith might do a shorter workout that day and just do a longer one the day before to compensate this but in general we workout each day.


Question:

Keith,

A Harlan Estate? I am sooooooooo jealous. :-)

My question: if a party wanted to, could you change your dinner table across the various legs of the WC? (That is, say, table for 8 the first leg, table for 2 the second, etc.)

Thanks again for doing this wonderful blog.

Ken 

Answer:

Thanks for the nice comments, Ken.

Yes, while most people do not do what you have asked it could be done.  If you know from the beginning what you want then have your Travel Agent communicate that to Crystal Cruises.  However, if you are not sure then be sure that you request the table size and time based on what you want for the first segment of the World Cruise and then as early as you can during that first segment see the Maitre d' to go over your table request for the subsequent segment.

Question:

Keith,
Love the blog, thanks so much. What is your secret to getting so many reservations in Silk Road and Prego? I was under the impression that passengers got one reservation in each per segment. 
Jerry 

Answer:

Jerry, glad you are enjoying the blog.  You can make one reservation at each restaurant before boarding the ship but depending on overall occupancy of the sailing you can make additional reservations.  Also it's helpful to be flexible as to dining times and table size.

Question:


Hi Keith,

I know that, because of its corporate ownership, Crystal has a significant Asian client base. But the positions of Activities Hostess and Japanese Guest Relations Officer are new to me. Are these positions staffed only on a World Cruise?

Thanks!

Ken 

Answer:

Ken, we believe that both these positions are on for all sailings.  Please keep in mind that the Activities Hostess has many responsibilities which support guests of all Nationalities.

Question:

Hi Anne Marie and Keith,

What brand of shoes does Anne Marie wear to tour and walk? Thanks,

Lili 

Answer:

Lili, for most of the tours Anne Marie will wear sports shoes such as Asics.

Question:


I love your quote for today. I know the former Cruise Director is a close friend but I wondered if there is a big difference in what they do or how they do it. Is the atmosphere different?
I love Ann Marie's dresses. They are just beautiful 

Answer:

Mary, thank you for your very nice comments.  Like all people each of the cruise directors has similarities as well as differences.  We appreciate all that they do to make our cruise experience as exceptional as possible.

Question:

Ok you two,

I have to ask WHAT is that pretty silver gift your tour guide gave you? I have no idea.

Inquiring minds,
Ilene 

Answer:

Ilene, good question and we have received a few e-mails asking what this gift was as well.

The silver gift is a little bull of Pucara.  It is a reproduction of "Torito de Pucara" which is one of the most famous and representative examples of Southern Peru's traditional ceramic artistry.

The bull is very central to Hispanic culture, decorated with colorful geometric patterns native to the Andes.

Question:
Thanks for taking the time to continue to share your adventures with all of us. Since you shared the picture of the delicious looking cake that Anne Marie ordered for you a few nights ago, are you willing to share what the number 10 signified? 

Answer:

We wish we could say it is Keith's age or something along those lines.  It is actually been ten years since Keith retired.

Question:

Keith and Anne Marie,

Do you plan to upload Keith's movie so we can see it? Thanks,

Lili 

Answer:

Lili, we do plan to upload the movie when we get home.  It is not practical to upload it from the ship due to the limited internet speeds.

Question:
Keith,

I'm a little tardy in asking this, please bear with me. In the WC13 thread on CC, I believe you mentioned that about 100 folks got off the ship in Panama City. Were you referring to crew? I ask because I don't see any officially "sub-divided" cruise options ending in PC on the Crystal website, so if these were passengers, do they somehow have the ability to disembark even at a port not so identified?

As always, thanks.

Ken 

Answer:

Ken, the people we were referring to are part of the Forbes Group.  They were on a ten day cruise.  They were a very nice group of people who were on a portion of the first segment of the World Cruise.

Question:

Hello Keith and Anne Marie, I am also following your enjoyable blog.( I am amazed at all the clothes you both must have packed...with all that exercise you both model them like professionals)
I am wondering if you have any suggestions for independent excursion contacts that you could reccommend for Our Paths of the Viking in September. I think your knowledge is probably more widely based than a Travel agent's...Helen ( andhel) 

Answer:

Helen, thank you for your nice comments.

You might want to visit www.tripadvisor.com as often you can find good recommendations about tour guides that are specific to the cities you will be visiting.

Question:

Greeting Keith and Ann Marie!

I am thoroughly enjoying your posts and look forward every day to visiting with you. 

My question is in regards to the often mentioned private tours that you book through Crystal, are these always booked while on board or is there an option to make arrangements in advance of the cruise? 

My concern is that for cruises of a shorter duration, say 8-12 days, there might not be enough time to make arrangements if one were to wait till one were already on the ship.

Could you please advise as to how this works best?

Kind regards to you both.
Jennifer 

Answer:

Jennifer, two of the three private tours we booked were from home.  For selected group tours Crystal also offers private tours and that was the two we booked.  For the most recent one they didn't show a private tour ahead of time so we were able to get with the shore excursion manager early on in this cruise and let him know what we wanted and he got a price for us and then we confirmed it.  I would do a combination but start by seeing which ones are offered as private excursions while you are at home.

Question:
Keith and Anne Marie,

The blog photos are great! Do you have another site with all the photos you take from the cruise? Thanks,

Lili 

Answer:

Lili, we don't use any other site for photos that we don't post.  We have them on our own computer.

Question:

Keith,

You've mentioned that Anne Marie listens to audio books as she exercises. What device does she use? You recently published a photo of her that appears to show the device in her hand. It looks to be a great size.

Thanks,

Kay 

Answer:

Kay, Anne Marie uses an iPhone but also has an iPod.

Question:

Keith, when you are dining in the main dining room it appears that you are seated inside the circle and at a table that normally would seat 4 but is set for two. Did you request this arrangement before you boarded the ship or once on board? It surely is a nice arrangement for you as you often have others who do join you for dinner and with the larger table you remain with your same wait staff.
Thank You

Answer:

We are at a table for four.  In the past, we have made the request both ways.  It really comes down to table location and there are a limited number of tables where this is possible.  Overall passenger occupancy is also another factor.

Question:

Keith and Anne Marie,

What language(s) classes are offered on the World Cruise? Thanks and how I enjoy reading your blog.

Lili 


Answer:

Lili, there are not offering a language course on this segment of the World Cruise. We are not sure about the other segments.  They are offering other courses instead such as the iPhoto course.

Question:

Keith and Anne Marie - Enjoying your blog! We will be on the 2015 World Cruise. What other fitness classes are offered, especially on sea days? Thanks!

Karen 

Answer:

Karen, there are several fitness classes offered on sea days.  This includes Yoga, Pilates, Morning Walk, Stretch and Relax, Indoor Cycling, Golf, Body Sculpt Boot Camp, FitBall, as well as some other fitness classes.  

Question:
Anne Marie you are wearing such lovely gowns on formal nights. Is the material the type that packs well, or do you have them pressed or steamed before wearing? Yes, I'm already looking for clothes for the 2015 World Cruise. 

Answer:

Thanks you for the nice comments about the gowns.  The gowns pack well and we have not had to have them steamed before she wears them.
Question:

Another great post. Thanks.
What is a Cruise Hostess and is there only one on each cruise? Are there segments on this cruise? If so where do they start and stop?
Thank again. 

Answer:

There is one Crystal Society Hostess on each cruise.  They are available to answer questions for the guests.  Also there is a program that provides certain awards as guest sail on a certain number of cruises and the Crystal Society Hostess will assist with any questions about the milestones and helps out with the milestones that involve certain amenities on the ship.

This World Cruise has four segments.

We do note each segment as we finish one segment.
Question:

Keith, You mention the captain said they'd be 400 World Cruisers in 2014. Did you mean in 2013? Why would he reference next year, not this year? Just wondering. Your blog gives me a reason to live. Just kidding, but your blog provides me with daily joy! Thanks.
Nancy

Answer:

Nancy, you are correct.  We should have said 2013 not 2014 and we've updated that Blog entry.  Thank you for your nice comments too.


Question:

This is so exciting to be virtually on the cruise with you. Thanks so much for taking us in your blog. I was watching you all on the video cam from work day dreaming. 

Now questions for you:
I loved seeing the elephants for the circus. Are they always there each year? 

What did folks report about the party at the Fountainblu? What hotel did WC people stay in for their lodging? 

With you "in your pocket",
Ilene and Andy too 

Answer:

Ilene and Andy,

The circus does come to Miami the same time each and every year.  We have seen the circus there around the time of the World Cruises that have left from Miami.

Because there was a record number of World Cruises (400), two hotels were used for people to stay at; Four Seasons and the Marriott Marquis. We heard from many people that they thought that the dinner at the Fontainebleau was outstanding.


Question:

Have a safe, healthy and wonderful World Cruise. Enjoying your blog very much. Can you tell us about the passenger who has been and will continue to be on the ship for months to come? 

Answer:

 From time to time some of the guests stay on the ship for along time.  She is one of several guests who love sailing on Crystal Cruises and as she mentioned to us she could stay on the ship for a very long time as it has the feeling of being home.

Question:

We are absolutely loving your blog this year. We really love seeing the photos of the familiar faces of the crew. Thank you for including them with their names and positions on the ship. Just a quick question: Who takes the photos of you and Anne Marie? Do you just ask a passing guest or crew member? Does the same person take the photos in the gym or dining room for you? Also, does Anne Marie help you writing the blog or take photos? Have a wonderful World Cruise! 

Answer:

Thank you for the nice comments.  Most often the photos are taken by crew but on occasion by fellow guests.  In the gym, Anne Marie takes the photos or I do unless I am in them.  In the dining room it varies.  Anne Marie takes a few photos.  Keith does most of the writing and Anne Marie makes the memories with Keith.

Question:

Keith,

Was this Nobu dinner your gala or is it another night?

Enjoy thoroughly and repeat!

Ilene 

Answer:

Ilene, the dinner from Nobu was from the night before.  

Question:

Hi Watching the crystal serenity on the smithsonian channel. Very interesting show. The serenity is doing a Aussie ~ Bali adventure. I believe You guys took this cruise. You seem to have made a few appearances on the show. Very nice :) 


Answer:

You are correct.  The filming of the Mighty Ships episode featuring the Crystal Serenity was done on the second segment of the 2012 World Cruise.  It was originally showed on the Discovery Channels Canada Station and most recently is being shown on the Smithsonian Station in the United States.  Eventually, it will be shown on other stations such as in Australia and the United Kingdom.  We are in a few spots but you do have to look carefully in some of them and not blink your eye or you may miss us.  

Question:

Keith and Anne Marie, 
First, thank you so much for sharing your journey and I do appreciate the details you share about the ports of call and on board events. 
Your formal attire always appears flawless and the blue gown Anne Marie wore the Captains Gala formal night dinner is just exquisite. Is there a cleaning service on board that can handle evening gowns or perhaps steam them (material dependent of course) if required or just necessary from the packing? I do pack my own dresses in plastic when I travel which works for the most part. Do you use any particular packing methods to keep your gowns looking their best, because they definitley look amazing!!!
Thank you for taking questions.
Ann 

Answer:

Ann, thank you for your nice comments.

The ship does have a dry cleaning service on board and they do a great job with pressing, steaming and dry cleaning.

For dresses we hang them on hangers with the suiter that fits in our suitcases and we do cover each one in plastic bags.

Question:

The food looks marvelous...was the dinner just for the three of you? Just watching New England and Houston. ..our 49ers are heading to Atlanta for next week's game.

Joan

Answer:

Joan, the dinner was for eight of us in The Vintage Room.

Congratulations to the San Francisco 49ers for their win.

Question:
I am really enjoying your blog this year. I especially lie the Q and A section. Many of the questions are exactly what I want to ask. Than you so much for separating it all out and answering each questions. I can't believe that you haven't started the WC yet. Any idea how many full World Cruisers there will be? 

Mary

Answer:

Mary, thank you for your very nice comments.  The number may still change but at this point there are 400 full World Cruisers which is a record number of full world cruisers for Crystal Cruises.

Question:

Keith and AnnMarie,
The French themed charger plates and menus were a nice touch! 

May I ask what milestone you were recognized for at the Crystal Society Party? I think it's nice that Crystal takes the time to share these kinds of events with its customers. The cruise line...and company as a whole seem to treat everyone very well.

I may have missed you mentioning some of the speaker events. Does Crystal provide you with a schedule of all of the speaker events ahead of each segment or are the announced as scheduled? 
Thanks so much,
Ann 

Answer:

Ann, we celebrated our 45 milestone on this Miami to Miami voyage.

Several months before the cruise the list of speakers who will be on board the sailing is shown on the Crystal Cruises Web Site.  The specific times they will speak are noted in the Daily Program which arrives in the room the evening before the date of the program.

Question:

You both look so happy and well rested. This life agrees with you. 

Now a question for the q&a:

Is there a reason you select a cruise prior to the WC vs attending the gala in Miami? Is it worth our attending? 

Second does Crystal through you a WC bon voyage gala on board? 

Third are there a number of WCers who have chosen this option?

Answer:


Good questions.

We have attended the World Cruise Gala on land on our first two World Cruises and thought they were terrific.

In 2010, we took the cruise right before the start of the World Cruise as we took our two children and their spouses on that cruise.  We enjoyed having them on that cruise with us and we also enjoyed being all settled on the ship prior to the World Cruise.  We have continued this approach sailing on the cruise before the start of the 2011 World Cruise when we did four of seven segments of that cruise. taking two voyages (Holiday Cruise and Panama Canal Cruise) prior to the start of the 2012 World Cruise and then taking the current cruise we are on prior to the start of the 2013 World Cruise.

Yes, there will be an on board World Cruise Gala for those of us already on the cruise.  This years will be held in Prego where we will have a section of the restaurant.  Prior to the dinner, we will have pre-dinner cocktails in another venue.  Normally, they do their best to serve the same type of food at the on board gala as they do on land and to also use the same wines.  We even get the same item (some type of decorated cookie) when we return to our rooms on board the ship as those who attend on land receive on the beds at their hotels room.  

The vast majority of the World Cruisers attend the World Cruise Gala held on land.  We believe there are approximately 28 World Cruisers already on board the ship who will attend the on board gala.

Question

To follow-up on the question about your luggage: is the standard roller bag you use 26" or 28"? 

Ken

Answer:

Ken, we use 28" luggage for all of our checked bags or ones that we ship.  Most of them have suiters inside that allow us to hang suites, sports jackets, pants, dresses, etc.

Question:

Hi Keith and Anne Marie. We are following your blog carefully, and before you left you addressed some of the VISA questions, but I have not seen any mention of shots that may be required. I know that one would check with the health department, and see what is required for certain areas, but if you are allergic to some of the vaccines, in my case Yellow Fever, would you still be allowed to go on the World Cruise? 

Answer:

 For this particular cruise we were required to have a yellow fever vaccination.  All other vaccinations are optional and it is always best to consult with your own physician as to their recommendations.

Crystal Cruises let's all guests know what visas and vaccinations are required.

In the case of a Yellow Fever Vaccination it would be best to consult with the cruise line as to what documentation would be required for a waiver but our understanding is that a physician's letter would be all that is required for a waiver. Again, best to check with the cruise line.

Question:

I noticed that you mentioned TravelPro as the luggage you use now. I can't find the reference to the model. Can you let me know what that is? I promise (well, sort of) not to lose the info.

Answer:

Much of the pieces we have are called Crew.  You can find them in some departments stores or even on line at sites such as Amazon.Com

Question:

Congrats on settling in, looks like lovely weather so far.

I have some questions about the remaining for-purchase (not AI) wines. Are there still lists of for-purchase wines by the bottle available? Are there still unique lists for each of the MDR, Prego and Silk Road? Are the lists still available for perusal in the Bistro? Finally, after you've had some time to look them over, how does the length of each list compare to the pre-AI days? (I know Crystal planed to pare the lists down.)

Thanks very much.

Answer:

There are lists of wines available for purchase and these are known as the Connoisseur Wines.  The price is pretty much what you would pay in a retail shop.  There are also wines available for purchase in Prego and Silk Road.  At the same time there is a complimentary list of wines available for the various dining venues on board the ship.  You can look at lists at the Bistro as well.

The list of wines is quite a bit smaller then what they used to sell but they do offer a nice range of wines. In time, as people begin to purchase wines you will likely see the list expand.

Question:

Looks like your having a great time. What an adventure your on :) My husband & I mostly travel on Cunard. We are researching a world cruise for 2015 so I am enjoying your blog. Do you choose your cruise on itinerary or ship?
Do you only go on serenity? Have you traveled on the symphony ever?
I see that the symophony is on a world cruise in the orient. Was there a reason you chose your tour on not symphony?

Answer:

We make our final decision based on itinerary.  We have enjoyed several wonderful World Cruises with Crystal Cruises.  As a result, we review the itinerary to decide whether or not  it is one that is appealing to us  

We have Cruised both the Crystal Serenity and the Crystal Symphony.  Most recently, we sailed the Crystal Symphony in August, 2011.

The Crystal Symphony is doing an itinerary that is like a World Cruise but we had done a very similar itinerary from January thru end of April of 2012 on the Crystal Serenity as part of the 2012 World Cruise.

We do love the World Cruises.  For us, they have been life changing.  

Question:

Do the new veranda chairs recline? 

Answer:

The two new chairs to not recline.  We also have a lounge chair that is of the older style furniture.  This is the furniture on decks 10 and 11 and have not yet seen what the furniture looks like on the other decks.

Question:

Why do you like to take a two week Caribbean cruise immediately before a long World Cruise? 


Answer:

We like to get settled on the ship before the start of the World Cruise so by boarding on the previous cruise it provides a nice opportunity to get settled over the course of the first few days.  As some of the Senior Officers and other personnel alternate between world cruises it also provides the opportunity to see them as well.

Question:

Curious as to what a cruise like this costs--including port travelling-gratuities etc/
I realize this may be a personal question, I would like to do this one day, is 100,000 a good estimate all in?

Answer:

You have asked a very good question.  The costs can vary considerably based on the length of the cruise and also the accommodation.  Prices are generally available on the cruise line web site and we would recommend looking at the site to get a good idea as to the overall cost.

Question:

Please tell me where you had the giant lobster tail on New Year's - I didn't see the name of the restaurant. Was it Perricone's again?

Answer:

We had the lobster at Truluck's in Miami. This URL will take you to our post about New Year's Eve including dining at Truluck's.

http://www.annemarieandkeith.com/search?q=Truluck%27s

Question:

One of the best parts of Florida is the fresh sea food. I salivate over your beautiful pictures. Quick question: do you do lots of walking when you are home? Or is this something you do when you travel? 

Answer:

Mary, we do a lot of walking at home as well.  Keith takes Spinning (indoor cycling) fitness classes several mornings each week.  When he has a late morning class then Anne Marie will walk inside the Fitness Center at around the same time and then in the afternoon we will both walk.  On the three days each week when Keith has a very early morning class, then we both will walk together later in the morning and again in the afternoon.  We try to do the walks five or more days a week, schedules and weather permitting.

Thank you for the nice comments about the seafood and the photos.

Question:

What precautions do you take on a daily basis to prevent catching any "bugs" (i.e. colds, flu, etc) that may potentially break out on a cruise ship? For example, do you bring your own supply of hand sanitizer, avoid using public rest rooms, public computers, etc. 

Answer:

We do bring a number of items with us but no matter what you do when you travel and for that matter when you are with others whether that is at your very home or anywhere you can get sick and there is no way to avoid this.  However, we do prepare as best we can.

We have mentioned purchasing various items in Miami and some of these are related to this question.

We bring hand sanitizer with us that Anne Marie carries with her at all times for us.  We use it frequently and we realize there is good and bad to that.  However, we think the benefit is better then the downside.  We will use it often and if we shake hands, touch doorknobs and the like we will use the hand sanitizer.  We also bring sanitizer cloths and from time to time will use it in our room to clean certain items.  We also use this for our own devices such as computers and iPhones.

We do use our own computers as much as possible. However, should we use the ships computers there is hand sanitizer on the counter as soon as you enter the room so we use it before and after using the computers.  The only time we use the computers would be to print something.

If we should see people coughing then we try to be a little more selective where we sit for say lectures and shows.

If we use the public restrooms on the ship we utilize the hand tissues that are right at where you exit the door so we don't have to touch the door knob.  These were added to the Crystal Serenity a few years ago and we think is a very nice and smart touch.

We also practice very good hygiene practices and that include washing hands often and thoroughly  and trying not to touch mouth, nose and eyes.

We also bring other medication for us for a wide range of sicknesses including cold like symptoms or other types of bugs/viruses.

The bottom line is we prepare as much as we can and we follow good hygiene practices but that doesn't prevent getting sick but hopefully minimizes some of this.

We also rarely eat off the ship because that increases chances of certain types of sicknesses.  The main exception is on certain long tours where we will need to have lunch.  We only have a couple of cases where we will eat off the ship on our upcoming voyage.  When we do off the ship when visiting places outside our own country we are very careful what we eat.  


Question:

I am enjoying your new blog, while still catching up on your last two. One technical issue: this year's does not appear to have a mobile mode (unlike 2012, which automatically displays nicely on my smart phone). Is this a feature that you can EASILY enable? I realize that you ARE on vacation and generously providing your blog, so we can all enjoy your trip with you. Have a great voyage!
Oren 

Answer: 


Oren, this years blog was not displaying in the same format on various devices as it did on computers so we actually disabled the mobile device function and for us it displayed well.  Try to remove the Blog URL bookmark from your device and then load it back in. We hope that helps.
 
Question:

Would you be willing to share your checklists and spreadsheets with us. Even just the blanks with headings would be very helpful. Thanks. 

Answer: 

The format of the Blog doesn't lend itself to posting spreadsheets or checklists.  

The categories that we use for one of the major excel spreadsheets we for itinerary planning includes the following headers: Date, Port Of Call, Arrival and Departure Time, Historical Weather Temperature Highs/Lows, Ship Docking In Port or Anchoring,  Evening Attire (formal, informal or casual),  Tour Description, Tour Price, Tour Start Times and Duration, Specialty Restaurant Reservations, and other information such as Shore Side Events, and Holidays and other Events.

Some of the checklists include:

Listing of all packed items and then lists by Suitcase of these l Items.  Suitcases are numbered and each list has corresponding suitcase number.  

Listing of all cosmetic and toiletries and associated quantities and at the end of the cruise we note what we did not use which helps us prepare for future cruises.

Listing of all cosmetic/toiletry related items to purchase in Miami before the cruise. Generally, these are items that we cannot ship nor take on airplane or breakable.

Listings by type of evening attire (formal, informal and casual) for each of us noting the outfits and then room on the listing to keep a gate count of how many times we wore the item and the listing shows how items can be mixed and matched.  The gate count allows us to plan for future cruises.

Excel Expense Spreadsheet.  Listing by major category of actual and budgeted expenses . for both pre cruise expenses and expenses from the voyage including items on and off the ship.

Things to do checklist.  This is going to vary by person.  Essentially four major lists; items needed to be completed prior to the cruise, a household checklist of all items needing to be taken care of before we list home, and a list of items to take care of in Miami such as items to purchase, and a list of things to do item that we need to take care of on the ship.

Hopefully, this gives a better feel of some of the lists and spreadsheets we utilize.  When we return home if you have more questions on this subject, it would be best to send us an e-mail.

Question:

A few electronic equipment planning questions:

1) Do you bring a Kindle type of reading product? How frequently do you find interesting books to read in the ship's library?

2) Do you bring an iPad type of product in addition to your laptop? Why do you prefer to bring your own computer equipment rather than use the ship's public computers?

3) Do you use an ethernet port or WiFi while accessing the internet from your room? Where outside your room do you use the ship's WiFi system? How well does it work?

4) Aside from occasional ocean dead zones, port interference and restrictions and peak daily passenger usage periods, what is your assessment of the ship's band width capacity?

5) Do you generally prepare your blog and personal emails off line before sending out over the internet?

Is there any other electric equipment you recommend bringing (e.g.. Alarm clocks, power strips, etc)? 

Answer: 

1.  We have Kindle Apps on each of our iPads.  Anne Marie also brings several audio books to listen to while working out on the treadmill and walking on the promenade deck.

2.  We each bring computers and lap tops.  We prefer to bring our own computers for the convenience of having them in the room and not having to go up and down to the computer university.  We also have all our files on the computer, keep all our photos there and it is key for our Blog.  It certainly is not necessary to bring all of this as we could easily share a computer but this works for us.

3. While not required, we use the ethernet connection from our room for better stability.  We sometimes use the iPad from around the ship and it works well from the locations that we use it in.

4. Internet speed on any ship at sea is always a challenge.  The cruise line does have plans to enhance this in the coming months.  We have found that speeds in general are fine during off peak times.

5.  Yes, we prepare what we can off line including blogs, e-mails and the like.

     We bring travel power strips which work well. While an alarm clock is provided in each room we do bring our own.  

Question:

When you call home on a world cruise, have you found it better (i.e. cost plus voice quality) to use your cell phone, a ship phone or a land line? Do you ever call home using Apple Face Time or Skype while visiting a port? I understand most ships do not have enough bandwidth to do this while onboard. 

Answer: 

We try to utilize e-mail as much as possible to keep in contact with family members.  This is cost effective plus depending where you are sailing it can be very challenging to find a time that works well given the difference in time zone.  The few times that we do call home we use our cell phones and we have an international calling plan.  We did make use of FaceTime which worked nicely if the people you are getting in touch with are available.  We used one other program.  Someone told us about an app that acts like a phone which is likely voice over IP but the few times we tried to use it when we were on land, we didn't have any luck with it.

Question:

Aside from personal prescriptions for known individual medical conditions, what prescription and non-prescription medications and supplies do you bring on a world cruise to be prepared for unknown medical needs? 

Answer: 

We think through carefully the types of illnesses or injuries that could occur while being away for such a long time and prepare for them accordingly.  Most of what we bring along are non-prescription items.  This includes items that might related to colds, viruses, or other medical issues but other items that might be needed due to aches and pains or some mishap.   Examples include throat lozenges and other over the counter products for a common cold or  virus, products for indigestion, nausea, heart burn, headaches and so forth.   We also take many items that you would find in a first aid kit but in some cases quite a bit more,  Examples include all sizes of bandaids, ointments for cuts, rubbing alcohol in little packets, and ice packs.  When we go into port, Anne Marie will carry a small case that includes many first aid related items because you just never know if they will be needed.

As to prescriptions that are beyond personal prescriptions we consult with either a personal physician or a physician who specializes in travel and we review the itinerary with them to determine if there are any specific prescriptions needed  We also review the CDC Web Site for recommendations and we also discuss any other items that might make sense to take with us with the physicians.  

The key to all of this is to be prepared.  Often we take items that we thankfully didn't use or we used in far less quantities then anticipated but we prefer to have more then less with us so that we don't have to waste time in port trying to find an item and because often you can't find the same product that you normally use.  

Question:

How difficult (i.e. on a scale of 1 to 10 with 1 being very easy) is it for a single traveler to meet new friends and have a good social life on a Crystal World Cruise if they make the effort? Would it be easier on a smaller ship such as Seabourn? 

Answer: 

We would say between 1 and 3 depending on the individual person.  Many single passengers travel on World Cruises and there are lots of opportunities to meet your fellow travelers including those traveling by themselves and others traveling with others.  You can request to be seated in the Crystal Dining Room with others traveling single and once a cruise there is a singles table arranged for the Specialty Restaurant.  On most sailings there is a special singles get-together social event.  There are many other activities where you can get to know others such as team trivia.  In many ways it would be easier to meet others on a ship the size of Crystal because with more guests on board you increase the odds of meeting others plus there are many more activities offered on board the Crystal ships providing more opportunities to get to know others.

Question:

I have a few veranda questions:

1) How do you use your veranda?

2) What are the dimensions?

3) Do the chairs recline and are they suitable for an afternoon  of reading?

Answer:  

We use the verandah from time to time to sit outside and enjoy the views from the ship.  Some special moments include port  arrivals and departures We are not sure of the precise measurements but it is a perfect size for the two of us.  As to the furniture, sometime after we departed the ship new furniture was brought on board so we will post about that sometime after we board the ship.  The chairs that we have used in the past were very suitable to afternoon reading.

Question:

What size and brand of luggage do you prefer? I'm finding the older I get that it's easier to take smaller pieces than I did before. 

Answer: 

We mainly use 28" size luggage with suiters.    This allows us to hang a sizable amount of clothing and we can keep to around 50 pounds per piece.  The luggage service we used to ship luggage to the ship actually charged per pound rather then per piece for shipping so we didn't have to keep precisely to a 50 pound limit.  As to brand, always best to look in stores to determine what is best for you.  Like many of you, we have tried many manufacturer's and mainly now use Travelpro.  When you purchase luggage consider the overall weight of each piece with nothing inside of it as some pieces are quite heavy to begin with.