This Luxury Cruise Ship Has Fabulous Suites, a Nobu Restaurant, and Some of the Best Service at Sea

Travel + Leisure

5 hours ago

Extraordinary, personalized service from a friendly crew who seem to be enjoying themselves.
Nobu-caliber sushi, included in the fare.
Spacious suites that you actually want to spend time in.
Over-the-top activities and old-school cruise traditions done with a contemporary flair.
Aboard the Crystal Symphony not so long ago, our butler was fretting about matzo balls. My husband wanted a light snack, so we'd called for some room service chicken soup—hold the dumplings. But, our butler said with some concern, we'd be missing out on something 'really good.'
That's the kind of on-the-ball service you can expect when traveling with Crystal, a line renowned for its old-school service, including butlers assigned to every suite. In fact, earlier on our voyage, our suite attendant had managed to put a shine on my husband's well-worn shoes and then, much to my delight, politely pointed out another pair also needed a polish.
In a way, we had been looking forward to the trademark service, since my husband and I honeymooned on this ship in Southeast Asia about a decade ago. Being back for a sail in the Adriatic Sea felt like coming home—albeit a home that had recently been spruced up. The staircase in the ship's atrium.
MARK LUSCOMBE-WHYTE/Courtesy of Crystal Cruises
That's because the Crystal Symphony was extensively refurbished and relaunched in 2023, with a look and feel that's both contemporary and throwback. Think cool kidney-shaped couches underneath the real, retro waterfall in the atrium lobby, for instance. The overhaul came after the luxury tour operator Abercrombie & Kent purchased the Symphony , and its sibling ship, Crystal Serenity , in 2022, after Crystal Cruises had declared bankruptcy. In doing so, A&K revived the much-loved brand and hired back more than 90 percent of the staff that helped make the line so special in the first place.
One thing that is no longer retro, thankfully, is the dress code. While there are still so-called formal nights, few on our sailing showed off the tuxes, ballgowns, and family jewels which used to be a 'thing' on Crystal ships. Instead, the mostly over-60 crowd went for a more resort-y look, including a few pairs of dark jeans that would've been out of bounds even a few short years ago. That may be an evolution for the Symphony , but it's one I'm happy to see.
Here's a closer look at what makes Crystal Symphony so special, including more details on the ship's suites, restaurants, and other amenities.
Most guests on the ship stay in proper suites. Ours was a 430-square-foot Sapphire Suite, with a walk-on closet, couch, dining table, an alcove with queen-size bed, and a big marble bathroom with double sinks and large shower. On the 110-square-foot balcony was a cocktail table and two chairs. The suite was so comfortable we lingered there more than we typically do while on other ships. At the high end, a 909-square-foot penthouse suite with a 107-square-foot balcony suits those with deep pockets. Of course, these premium suites also come with additional perks: while we enjoyed free laundry, along with our choice of in-room bar options, fancier suites come with all sorts of extras, including the option to have Nobu 'takeout' delivered.
One recent addition to the ship are a handful of 215-square-foot ocean-view cabins, which were designed (and priced) for solo travelers. Al fresco dining tables at the Marketplace.
Courtesy of Crystal Cruises
There are an impressive 10 dining options on Crystal Symphony , and many of them are excellent.
At the top of the list is Umi Uma, a restaurant from acclaimed chef and restaurateur Nobu Matsuhisa that's exclusive to Crystal ships, serving Japanese-Peruvian cuisine, sushi, and his signature miso black cod. Then there's Osteria d'Ovidio, which is named for Manfredi Lefebvre d'Ovidio, who owns Abercrombie & Kent and, by extension, Crystal. It has the kind of pasta you dream about; my favorite was a homemade casarecce with basil pesto and aged Grana Padano. Everyone gets a complimentary meal at both venues, and guests can pay an additional fee for repeat visits. Many do.
But meals in the main Waterside restaurant are perhaps just as extraordinary. I found myself choosing between Alaskan crab legs, Beef Wellington, and roast pheasant. After my cruise, the ship turned its casual sit-down restaurant into a Beefbar, featuring bao buns and other global street food from the buzzy restaurant brand. The poolside Trident Grill serves tasty burgers at lunch and the Marketplace buffet impressed me by featuring local cuisine, including a full Greek buffet as we docked in Crete. The Starlight Bar.
Courtesy of Crystal Cruises
Many drinks and wines are included on Crystal, but there is one over-the-top experience, The Vintage Room, that comes at an extra charge. This intimate dinner party–style venue is where sommeliers show off the ship's cellar—at prices that can reach four figures.
Afternoon tea is also an occasion, served as it is by tuxedo-clad waiters, with scones and real clotted cream served on bone china in the skylit Palm Court observation lounge.
The ship will spend summer and the early fall of 2025 in Europe, including the western Mediterranean and the Greek Isles before heading to Africa and the Indian Ocean in late November. It will continue to Asia in February 2026, offering springtime sailings in Japan. Crystal Symphony will be in Alaska in the summer of 2026 before moving onward to Canada, New England, and the Caribbean.
Crystal's excursions have gotten a boost thanks to the expertise of Abercrombie & Kent. In addition to city walks and bus tours, the line offers more intensive cultural tours and adventure activities. On my cruise, guests had the option of doing a walking tour of medieval Kotor, Montenegro—or they could opt for a via ferrata climbing experience on a mountainside track. On a delightful 'Secrets of Greek Cuisine' tour in Corfu, about 20 passengers learned to make tzatziki and moussaka at a hillside villa, the lively commentator suggesting using leftover cucumber peels as a beauty treatment while placing strips on her face. The Seahorse Pool and Jacuzzi deck.
MARK LUSCOMBE-WHYTE/Courtesy of Crystal Cruises
There's something to do on the Symphony from morning to the wee hours, and that's a point of pride for Crystal: learn the cha-cha with ballroom dancers; video editing from instructors at the line's Computer University@Sea; get tips for taking better iPhone photos; take up pickleball on the ship's dedicated court; catch an enrichment lecture by, in our case, a White House correspondent who covered President Ford. My husband loved getting swing tips from a golf instructor; the ship has TaylorMade clubs to rent for play in port.
On my sailing, it was a tad chilly for the pool, though some still grabbed blankets and populated the cushy orange lounge chairs and hot tub. I preferred the spa, with complimentary steam and sauna; treatments at extra cost included hot stone massage or a cryofacial. The 3,000-square-foot gym has lots of wellness diversions plus windows for views; fitness classes include yoga, Pilates, and spinning. The waiting area and salon at the Aurōra Spa.
MARK LUSCOMBE-WHYTE/Courtesy of Crystal Cruises
The entertainment team is large for a ship of this size and includes, in the main lounge, a big team of singers and dancers performing Broadway showtunes—and my sailing we had on our sailing both Michael Jackson and Elton John impersonators, as well as comedians and other cabaret acts. There's a resident big band that sets the tempo for dancing—there are even gentlemen hosts available for ladies—and a DJ rocks the small disco late into the night. Many guests get excited for the White Party, during which everyone is encouraged to dress in white, the champagne flows, and the atmosphere is very lively.
There's also a fun, pub-like piano bar and a Connoisseur Club for cigars and cognac. A new gaming room is the first venture of the Casino de Monte-Carlo at sea, and it has both slots and table play. For more sedate vibes, there's a library with around 2,000 titles.
Crystal Symphony attracts some multi-generational families with children, particularly during holiday periods. A designated, brightly furnished, staffed space is divided into a lounge area for teens and play area for younger kids. Board games, Xbox, movie nights, and crafts sessions keep youngsters occupied. Kids will also enjoy Scoops, the ship's complimentary ice cream shop. (There are 39 connecting cabins, so parents can bring the kids and still have some privacy.)
The three ADA-certified and wheelchair-accessible cabins are marked on deck plans with a wheelchair symbol: two are 215-square-foot double ocean-view guest rooms; the other is an Aquamarine Suite. On its website, Crystal suggests that 'guests with limited mobility should ideally be able to navigate the ship independently. Alternatively, they may opt to travel with a companion who can provide assistance if needed.'