Med Cruise: Days At Sea
In this fourth post of a multi-part series, Bethany explores two days at sea on her Mediterranean Cruise on Crystal.
I am exploring parts of the Mediterranean on my inaugural cruise on Crystal. The 7-night cruise on Crystal Symphony kicks off in Istanbul, Turkey and wraps up in Venice, Italy. Join me as I explore the many wonderful ports in Turkey, Greece, Croatia, and Italy along the way!
Crystal Mediterranean Cruise Full Itinerary
Below is the full itinerary for the trip. This post includes details about two days at sea (cruise days 1 and 3). Looking for info on other stops? Check out the ‘Links’ section at the end of this post!
- Pre-Cruise – September 6-8: Istanbul, Turkey
- Cruise Day 1 – September 9: At Sea
- Cruise Day 2 – September 10: Kusadasi, Turkey
- Cruise Day 3 – September 11: At Sea
- Cruise Day 4 – September 12: Katakolon, Greece
- Cruise Day 5 – September 13: Corfu, Greece
- Cruise Day 6 – September 14: Dubrovnik, Croatia
- Post-Cruise – September 15: Venice, Italy
Cruise Day 1: Day At Sea
I had two sea days on this cruise. The first sea day was actually the first full day on the ship. On this day we sailed through the Dardanelles Strait as we made our way from Istanbul to Kuşadası, Turkey.
Cruising the Dardanelles Strait
During the morning of September 9, we sailed through the Sea of Marmara and through the Dardanelles Strait. This is a beautiful area, and the weather was picture-perfect.
Along the way, we got to sail under this new bridge which was built in the past couple of years. This bridge connects the European and the Asian parts of Turkey that straddle the Dardanelles Strait.
Relaxing by the Pool
Because the weather was so great today, I could not resist heading out to the pool deck! I first found a comfortable chair near the panoramic windows and caught up on some reading. I eventually made it to the pool but quickly learned that the pool water is very chilly! It was a bit too cool for my taste, but the nearby hot tub was the perfect temperature for a relaxing soak. A delicious Bloody Mary also hit the spot!
Time for Tea
This afternoon I enjoyed a delightful tea in the beautiful Palm Court. I got a wonderful table right by the window and relaxed in the sun while sipping my Earl Gray and listening to the pianist. The assortment of nibbles was also amazing…finger sandwiches, scones with clotted cream and jam, and an assortment of cakes. I sampled a little of everything and it was all delicious. Crystal offers afternoon tea every day of the cruise.
Afternoon Snack
Once back in my suite after my afternoon teatime, I was delighted to see the tray of canapes that my butler had left for me. I learned that a similar tray is delivered every afternoon around the same time (4:30pm) to everyone in a suite. The daily trays each had a dip, a small snack, some fresh fruit or vegetables, and a sweet treat. I was full from the afternoon tea so I only took a small bite of everything on this first day while I got ready for dinner, but I learned to save some room on subsequent days to savor these goodies!
Dinner at Umi Uma
Dinner tonight was my first of the two specialty restaurants on the ship, Umi Uma. This is a Japanese-Peruvian fusion restaurant by the acclaimed chef Nobo Matsuhisa. It was divine from start to end!
- Lobster Tempura with Amazu Ponzu
- Miso Soup
- Mushroom Salad – a variety of seasonal mushrooms sauteed with spicy lemon dressing, served over Mesclun lettuce
- Nobu-Style Black Cod – marinated in Saikyo Miso with baby peach and young ginger
- Small Cookies
- Chocolate Souffle Cake with Homemade Sesame Ice Cream, and Whiskey Cappuccino – buttermilk ice cream topped with whiskey cream
Cruise Day 3: Day At Sea
Due to a slight itinerary and schedule change, my second day at sea was on September 11. We were originally scheduled to visit Mykonos on this day, followed by a sea day on September 12. However, rough weather meant we had to skip Mykonos altogether. Instead, the sea day was on September 11 and our replacement port, Katakolon, was on September 12.
A Relaxing Morning
This sea day was definitely more rough than the first one earlier in the cruise! Although the sun was shining all day, the seas were high and there was quite a bit of motion on the ship. So, a day by the pool was not possible. Instead, I wandered around the ship a bit more and found a quiet spot in The Lounge to work on my cross-stitch project.
Favorite Spots on the Ship
While exploring the ship, I definitely found several different areas that became my favorites during the cruise. The ship has a full promenade deck that wraps around the entire Deck 7. This is also the deck where my suite was, so it was very easy for me to step out and enjoy the promenade deck. Many passengers use this area for walking or jogging.
A couple of dining areas I enjoyed included The Bistro and Tastes Kitchen & Bar. The Bistro is open most of the day and has a great selection of coffee and tea. There is also a nice buffet here to get a light snack. Tastes Kitchen & Bar is open for lunch and dinner and offers a nice assortment of global specialties in a fun and relaxed setting.
Other quiet areas around the ship include Palm Court, Crystal Cove, and The Lounge. Palm Court hosts the daily afternoon tea and a few other activities during the day. I found this was a great quiet space to relax in when there was nothing going on. Crystal Cove is the bar in the central atrium area of the ship. This was my favorite place to find a comfy chair and enjoy a cocktail. The Lounge is an open area that has card and game tables available. There were a few different jigsaw puzzles in progress here throughout the cruise. This was my favorite spot for working on my cross-stitch during free times.
Movie Time
One of my other favorite spots on the ship is the Hollywood Theatre. They show recently released movies twice a day here, once in the afternoon and once in the evening. Once the movie starts, they even come through the seating area and provide popcorn! I enjoyed watching three different movies here during my cruise.
More Delicious Treats
As my second sea day winds down, I enjoyed another wonderful tray of afternoon canapes before getting ready for dinner. For dinner tonight, I headed back to the main dining room, Waterside. I forgot to take pictures of most of the dinner, but I enjoyed a wonderful French onion soup and lamb chops. Luckily, I managed to remember to take a picture of the best (and prettiest!) course…a dessert called “A Sweet Take on Whiskey.” This is Devil’s Food Cake, caramel Panna Cotta, and whiskey espuma. Spoiler alert…it tasted as good as it looks! After dinner I also caught the last little remnants of a pretty sunset as we sailed on towards Katakolon, Greece.
Conclusion
My two days at sea on Crystal Symphony were wonderfully relaxing. I enjoyed having some quiet time to further explore the gorgeous ship. The sea days were also a great opportunity to relax and recharge during the fun but busy cruise. While I always enjoy time in ports to explore the area, I also really enjoy the laid-back sea days as well.
Links
Check the main page for this cruise to read more about my adventures:
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