Cruising in My 20s: Volume 2 on Crystal Serenity

Back on the Ocean – and Back with Crystal

When you think of cruising, you probably don’t picture a twenty-something couple sipping cocktails, debating which of the eight dining venues to try for lunch. But here we are. My boyfriend and I - both in our twenties, both working at Destinology - recently boarded Crystal Serenity for a luxury sailing that proved cruising isn’t just for retirees. It’s a world of fine dining, spa rituals, big-band nights and butler service – and actually, it fits our kind of travel perfectly.

This was Isaac’s first cruise, and my second, having dipped my toes into cruising with Silversea last summer (read that blog here). I’d never experienced that balance of curated luxury and absolute freedom before – waking up somewhere new without ever repacking a suitcase. So when we had the chance to try Crystal, we jumped.

Crystal Serenity is everything you'd want from a luxury ship - spacious suites, intuitive service, proper sea days - but with an edge that feels both contemporary and classic. For us, it was the ultimate test: would Isaac love cruising? Could it compare to my first love, Silver Ray? And more importantly, what does cruising as a young couple really feel like when you're on board one of the world’s most iconic ships?

First Impressions

When we first stepped on board, the difference in style was obvious to me. Silver Ray is very sleek and modern, with an almost Scandinavian minimalism to it. Crystal Serenity felt grander and more classically elegant –  a bit like stepping into a floating, Art Deco-inspired boutique hotel. The lobby had a warm, golden glow. It was helped by the beautiful bronze sculpture of a harpist and the multi-coloured glass ceiling, plus a double staircase that felt a little Titanic, but in the best way. It was glamorous but still welcoming, and the staff were immediately friendly and attentive.

Even though the ship is larger, it didn’t feel crowded. In fact, it never felt busy once. Perhaps that was due to it only being at half occupancy, but, more than likely, it’s due to Crystal’s clever use of space. There were always sunbeds available, ample seating in the lounges and public areas, and we never had to queue for food or wait for service. The space-to-guest ratio on Crystal is extremely generous, and you really do feel that at every turn.

Day 1: Settling In, Sailaway Style

Our journey aboard Crystal Serenity began with a little exploration – getting our bearings and getting to know what kind of facilities were on board. We were immediately struck by the attention to detail – from the sleek padel courts to the cool towels and complimentary water service that came with them, to the host of waiters attending to the few guests already lounging by the pool. Keen to test out the dining experiences on offer, we opted for lunch at Marketplace. Starting our journey with the sunshine we hoped would bless the remainder of the trip, we dined alfresco on the deck and soaked up the Mediterranean air while we waited for the announcement that our suites were ready.

Our suite was number 8057 on deck 8, a Sapphire Veranda Suite. Refurbished in just 2023, it was bright, airy, and very generous in size – something my suite on the Silver Ray hadn’t quite allowed me to experience. Treats were waiting on our table, a bottle of cold champagne and a box of chocolate truffles to welcome us to the Crystal way to sail. Exploring our various rooms, we discovered a large walk-in wardrobe (ideal for an overpacker like me), plus a huge bathroom with double sinks illuminated by bright lighting – perfect for nightly makeup application. It also had a huge rainfall shower with various settings, and the bed was incredibly comfy. One television found a home in the corner of the bedroom, while another in the corner of the living space, showing live camera footage from various areas around the ship, as well as movies, music, worldly channels. There was a tablet for viewing restaurant menus and making bookings, plus a pair of binoculars for looking into each port of call before stepping off the ship and exploring. A stocked mini bar with wine, water, soft drinks, and room for any additions you asked of your butler, plus a bottle of red on the vanity. 

Our suite attendants introduced themselves first, two lovely ladies tasked with keeping our spaces tidy and fresh – a promise they followed through on and more. Our butler, Bernie, arrived a little later, on hand to help us with our momentary Wi-Fi troubles and to let us know he would unpack for us if we so wished, plus would bring us anything we required – day or night. introduced himself on day one and offered to unpack for us — something we politely declined. Being new to the world of luxury cruising we didn’t ask too much of him, but it was nice to know he was just a phone call away. 

Dinner that evening was hosted at Waterside Restaurant, where the team on hand met the challenge of accommodating our group of 35 with a truly seamless grace. I started with roasted beets paired with a velvety goat’s cheese cream, followed by fresh salmon with red skin potatoes, sautéed spinach, and dill sauce. Dessert? A tiramisu shared between myself and Isaac – our stomachs were still adjusting to the cuisine of a six-star cruise. 

That night we wandered to the Galaxy Lounge for a new “Rock Icons” show. I think we were both prepared for cruise entertainment cliché, but what we experienced was so far removed from that. It truly was a high-calibre production – from the vocalists and band to the dancers, lighting, and staging. Utterly captivating, and it was met with a huge applause from the busy lounge. Exhausted after an early start, I had to reluctantly call it a night, but Isaac headed to Avenue Saloon for post-show cocktails and live piano music with some of the other agents on our trip.

Day 2: Sea Views, Sushi, and a Splash

Isaac, far more of a morning enthusiast than me, watched the sunrise from our veranda as we arrived into Marseille. We opted for breakfast at Waterside – agreeing to save room service for the final morning – and were treated to a feast of a menu: every imaginable type of egg, freshly baked breads and pastries, heavy silver jugs of milk and butter carved into elegant forms, and a warm welcome from familiar faces who had served us the night before. A beautiful Mother’s Day cake at the entrance gave us a momentary heart-stopping "Did we forget?!" moment – but thank goodness, it was just Mother’s Day in Europe.

Next was a ship tour that doubled up as our morning workout. We visited nearly every suite category – discovering that not all Sapphire Veranda Suites had received the 2023 refurbishment. Some remain in the 'Classic' style for devoted Crystal loyalists, and, surprisingly, I found them just as charming – all elegant wood finishes and baroque-style décor. Standouts from the tour included the Junior Penthouse and, of course, the sprawling Crystal Penthouse Suite – which even offers Umi Uma sushi as in-room dining. That said, I did note the Crystal Penthouse shared the same balcony size as our own suite, something you’d need to bear in mind if booking the lavish hideaway. The Ocean View staterooms were also very thoughtfully designed, and we all found them to be more than adequate when the ship itself offers so many exquisite spaces to venture to and relax.

The forecast rain sadly arrived just as we finished our tour, ending any hopes of venturing into Marseille for the afternoon. Unfortunate, but no matter. Isaac had already scoped out the gym during our ship tour, so we headed to Crystal Life Fitness for a rainy-day workout. I clocked 45 minutes on the treadmill, watching dark grey skies and heavy rain roll in as I finished the last few episodes of Molly-Mae: Behind It All (you can take the girl out of Manchester, but you can’t take Manchester out of the girl), while Isaac hit back and shoulders. Afterwards, we visited the spa for a steam and sauna. A little disappointingly for me, the facilities were single-gender – the separation is completely understandable, but it resulted in a shorter sauna trip than I’d usually clock up with Isaac, the sauna fanatic, cheering me on.

Following a quick change in our freshly tidied suite, we grabbed lunch at Trident Grill – one cheeseburger, one veggie burger, and an utterly divine pistachio ice cream from Scoops. As an ice cream obsessive, I can confirm it was the best pistachio ice cream I’ve ever had. With the drizzle still lingering, it was time for a nap – waking just in time for Bernie, our brilliant butler, to deliver afternoon canapés. We certainly didn’t need them after lunch, and we especially didn’t need them given that dinner at Umi Uma was on the horizon, but it would have been rude not to indulge… 

At 6pm we joined the group in Palm Court, a beautifully bright lounge at the bow of the ship with skylights and sweeping panoramic views – perfect for spritzes and obligatory onboard photos. That evening, we were among the lucky group dining at Umi Uma – the ship’s famous sushi restaurant created by Master Chef Nobu Matsuhisa (most notable for me, of Atlantis Dubai fame). As we entered, four itamae - or sushi chefs - stood behind the sushi counter, fresh seafood gleaming before them. Our table of eight shared wine, sake, and an unforgettable array of dishes: sushi and sashimi platters, broiled eggplant, rock shrimp and lobster tempura, Nobu’s iconic black cod and Australian Wagyu beef, and lobster with truffle-yuzu sauce. Every bite was flawless, and I instantly and enthusiastically deemed it the best meal of my life.  Proclaiming how stuffed we were, and how we couldn’t possibly eat another thing, we ordered dessert: warm chocolate soufflé cake with homemade ice cream.

Later that night, completely satiated and already heavier than we were on embarkation, we slipped into Stardust Club for a set of live performances. We were treated to powerhouse renditions of Aerosmith’s Walk This Way and Featherbed’s Could It Be Magic, followed by some really jaw-dropping trumpet and saxophone solos. The trumpet, we learned, was played by none other than Cruise Director Raphael Derkson – previously head of music onboard.

The night ended – as many do – at Pulse Nightclub, dancing to pop hits and sipping champagne with new friends. Needless to say that when we arrived back into the suite, room service pizzas were ordered and eaten, and we were asleep the moment our heads hit the pillows.

Day 3: Sète and Sunshine

Sunshine and bright blue skies greeted us as we arrived in Sète – finally, a chance to explore. Breakfast was quick and delicious at Marketplace, and, as any British traveller might, I leaned into a buffet-style Full English, balanced out by some fruit for good measure. The scrambled eggs were impressively fresh – none of the dreaded buffet foam-style scramble – and a lovely staff member handled the toasting station so we didn’t have to face the dreaded rotating toaster ourselves. Options spanned continents – with charcuterie and cheeses, a DIY congee station, and a wellness corner filled with smoothies, protein breads, and yoghurts.

We found that Crystal’s tender service ran as smoothly as you’d hope for from a cruise line of this stature, with around 3 or 4 tenders operating at a time. The tender deck was fully equipped with cold water, umbrellas, everything thought of, and this journey ashore took around 10 minutes. The wait for a tender itself never seemed to exceed that.

Sète wasn’t a destination we’d researched too heavily before our sailing, but it was a complete delight. Waterfront restaurants tempted us with extensive seafood platters, and we wandered up to Parc Simone Veil – Jardin du Château d’eau, its war memorials adorned with fresh VE Day flowers. We strolled the town’s streets until finding a sun-soaked table at Café Lumière for an espresso and a Lipton’s peach iced tea, spotting fellow FAM-trippers doing the same. Naturally - as is the case with such cruises - hunger soon returned. En route back to the tender, I busied myself with my rediscovered 2006 digital camera, capturing the quintessential charm of Mediterranean streets – neoclassical architecture, Juliet balconies, locals strolling with baguettes in hand.

Back onboard, we made a beeline for Beef Bar – a spot Isaac had been eyeing up since we did an obligatory lap around the ship on that first day, and he spotted slow cooked ragu on the menu. Our waiter instructed us that small plates were on offer, so I chose the soup of the day (garlic), shitake mushroom bao buns, and white pizza with truffle and rocket. Isaac ordered quesadillas, beef bao buns, and his long-awaited slow-cooked beef ragu. I watched for his verdict – knowing, as an Italian, he doesn’t hand out pasta praise lightly. One bite and I got a wide-eyed “wow”. I could exhale.

Post-lunch, we headed to deck 12’s Seahorse Pool, snagging front-row beds. The pool deck was quieter in volume than expected, despite the crowd who were up there to take advantage of the sunshine. The gentle chatter, soft splashes, and easy-listening music were the perfect lullaby for an afternoon nap. Upon waking, an ice cream break was mandatory, then Isaac soaked in the Jacuzzis while I headed back to our suite to turn on my curling wand, rehydrate, and prepare for the evening.

Dinner was at Osteria D’Ovidio, the ship’s fine Italian restaurant, and with a menu of regional classics we were truly spoiled for choice. Lobster with tomato essence and basil olive oil was a favourite for our table, though I - as a big tomato fan - opted for a classic caprese salad. We skipped the second soup course, though the seasonal minestrone came highly recommended, and jumped straight to pasta. Risotto with scampi, potato gnocchi with porcini mushrooms, ricotta and pear tortello, and homemade casarecce with basil pesto - my dish of choice - graced the table, receiving a chorus of ‘mmmmm’s’ with each bite. Even from Isaac.

For mains, my salt-baked sea bass with Swiss chard was exquisite — tender, fresh, and beautifully flaky. Isaac proclaimed that his lamb with sweet onion, balsamic vinegar, and sea asparagus was equally delicious, while others thoroughly enjoyed veal loin and duck breast. Dessert once again pushed us to our limits, but it was a welcome challenge: coffee foam with hazelnut ice cream and salted caramel, and chocolate mousse with almond ice cream and candied orange, before we rounded off the evening with traditional limoncello toast.

As had become our tradition, half the group headed to the Galaxy Lounge to catch the end of another exquisite show, while the rest stayed in Avenue Saloon, singing along with the pianist.

Deciding to be relatively sensible with our bedtime on our final night, Isaac and I retired to Crystal Cove for one last drink – just the two of us. We played some scopa - a Neapolitan card game - while watching the moonlight illuminate the sea beyond. A live pianist was also down there, playing some more mellow music for anyone wishing for a bit of a lullaby to accompany their evening drink. As we’d found out a little earlier in the trip, pizza and chicken strips were handed out at 11pm in Crystal Cove just like they were in Avenue Saloon.  Another very welcome accompaniment, even when we thought our stomachs couldn’t take much more. 

We headed back to our rooms intent on filling in our breakfast service menus. Again, they featured everything you could possibly want from breakfast, so we found our favourites and marked them off, leaving them outside of our doors well before the cut off of 3am, and climbed into the plush king size bed. 

Day 4: A Bittersweet Farewell

On our final day, we awoke just before Bernie knocked on the door promptly at 7:45am – the time we had decided on for breakfast the previous night. He wheeled in a silver trolley laden with our breakfast choices, hot beverages served in silverware and each dish getting its own plate. On my menu: a smoked salmon bagel with cream cheese, red onion and capers, scrambled egg and half a grilled tomato – the smaller size portions meaning I could try and enjoy everything. For Isaac: sunny side up eggs, crispy bacon, beans, sausage and hash browns, plus a little selection of toast and a token banana. 

We ate in the comfort of our room and it was a lovely experience for our final day – a treat not often afforded at home. Then it was time to leave. We might have set a new record for the amount of times we uttered ‘I don’t want to go’ that morning, but depart we did, with the most amazing memories of Crystal Serenity. 

Volume 3 of ‘Cruising in My 20s’ you ask? Watch this space.

My Takeaways:

1. Luxury cruising treats your palate to some of the most incredible food imaginable, and for me, Crystal Serenity might just edge out Silver Ray on this front. One of the biggest differences between Crystal and Silversea is that all the dining on Crystal is included – even the specialty restaurants like Umi Uma and Osteria D’Ovido. And if you want to visit more than the one allotted visit during your stay, it’s just a $50 per head surcharge. For me, Umi Uma has set the bar so high that nothing else will likely top it – unless, of course, I find myself at a Nobu restaurant someday.

2. The service is exceptional – so personal and warm that it can feel almost overwhelming, in the best way of course. It’s unlike anything you experience on land, even at the finest 5-star resorts in the Maldives where staff can sometimes seem disappointed if you carry your own handbag. Here, the attention is perfect: always there but never intrusive, with every staff member greeting you warmly, no matter where or when you cross paths. It’s genuinely lovely.

3. I said it after my Silver Ray voyage and I can say it even more confidently now: luxury cruising should definitely be on every traveller’s radar. It’s not a one-size-fits-all holiday, as there’s a style to suit everyone. While this particular route and duration didn’t quite match our desire to explore more onshore each day, there are expedition cruises and longer, more immersive voyages to choose from. Whatever your destination, luxury cruising can get you there in style and comfort.

The Details:

Crystal Serenity | 10th–13th May 2025

Route: Barcelona – Marseille – Sète – Barcelona

Suite: Sapphire Veranda Suite (2023 Refurbished)

 View Our Crystal Cruise Itineraries