DAY 121 - WELCOME TO SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA

Wonderful Dinner In The Crystal Dining Room ✔  AExcellent Time At The Captain's Farewell Reception ✔ The Best Ever Serenity Pops Concert  ✔

We wanted to give a shout-out to some of the other people and teams around the ship.

This includes:

World Cruise Hostess Elise Ivy.  We sailed with Elise last year as we did a portion of the 2011 World Cruise but since we she was the Pilates Instructor for the entire World Cruise and we didn't take Pilates (we now take Pilates at home) we didn't get to know her until this year in her new capacity as World Cruise Hostess.  We met her the very first day when she boarded the ship in Miami for the start of the World Cruise and she immediately knew our names.  We have really appreciated all that she has done in this position.  This includes all of the letters she sends to the room noting upcoming events and other information, coordinating various events, participating in some of the events/shows, being available to answer/followup on questions that we or other may have, and performing a variety of other items throughout each day.  We have also enjoyed watching her and Rick Spath on each day on the Daily Morning Show and we have greatly appreciated the way she has Hosted Team Trivia.  We have also enjoyed the dinners we have had and just conversing with Elise from time to time.

Jaque Brown, Crystal Society Hostess.  The Crystal Society Hostess takes care of a wide range of items for the guests.  Once you complete your first cruise with Crystal Cruises, you become a member of the Crystal Society.  There is an affinity program with rewards that vary based on reaching milestones based on the number of cruises you complete.  Jaque will keep track of all of this and then ensure that as milestones are being celebrated on the ship that those guests realize their respective milestone.  Certain milestones involve a range of dinners from dinner in one of the Specialty Restaurants in which some guests/crew can be invited, to a dinner at the Captain's Quarters, to a dinner in The VIntage Room.  Other milestones involve monetary shipboard credits while others involve upgrades in accommodations as well as even a free cruise.  On top of this Jaque makes sure that invitations go out for each Crystal Society Party and she recognizes certain people celebrating major milestones at these parties.  She also does a wide range of other activities from welcoming guests to various receptions including the ones held at the Captain's Quarters to giving tours and taking care of other related items while we are docked in many of the Ports Of Call around the World.  We first sailed with Jaque on the 2010 World  Cruise and we have sailed with her several other times including in Alaska last August.  We appreciate all she does.

Nikki and Paula Jean, Cruise Sales Consultant.  Paula Jean was the Cruise Sales Consultant for most of the time we have been on board and then when she went on Holiday in Hong Kong, Nikki came on board. We have known both of them for many years.  They are both very warm and personable individuals and it is always a pleasure talking with them.  They sit at a desk at the Crystal Cove which is located adjacent to the reception desk and have office hours on almost all days.  They are available for guests to book future cruises so that the guests can get an on board credit for those cruises and if the guest has a Travel Agent then the booking is sent to the agent who will then finalize the arrangements sometime after the guest returns home.  They are also available to answer any and all questions that a guest might have such as questions about accommodations, the other ship in the fleet if the guest has not sailed on both ships, and questions about the itinerary or a variety of other items.  

The Shore Excursion department has done a fantastic job this cruise.  This on board team is headed up by James Coughlin who has worked diligently on all of the programs offered on board the ship.  He is so very responsive, has been on top of everything and does this with a great sense of humor and passion.  The Beijing three day/two night land program was a major success and required very careful coordination to get approximately 800 guests from area to area and all of the work that James and his team put into this program made it a huge success.  This of course was on top of coordinating a wide range of shore excursions as well as many different overland programs in the 50 plus ports of call we visited.  We also wanted to  acknowledge Daniel Steyn who is currently performing the Assistant Shore Excursion Manager responsibilities but other times of the year when James Coughlin is not on board such as on our December 21 sailing was the Shore Excursion Manager.  Daniel is also a wonderful asset in his position and we appreciate all that he does.  The rest of the shore excursion team has been great and has been very responsive to any and all questions that we have had about the tours offered on the ship.

The Florist.  We do not know the florist except seeing the florist from time to time perform magic around the ship.  The floral arrangements that we have seen around all around the ship have been the best ever this year and that includes flowers on the Crystal Dining Room tables to those that can be found at the Front Desk.  The flowers that we sent to someone on the ship were stunning along with flowers that we received from our Butler and Stewardesses.  

The Enrichment Team.  There are too many people to mention in detail here.  The team includes some people who are on for the entire cruise such as the Jewish, Catholic and Protestant Clergy, along with many of the instructors from dance to yoga as well as to those who have been on for portions of the voyage.  We know some of these people very well from either attending services or from taking certain classes but we also know others very well from just talking with them and getting to know them along the way.  We have really enjoyed getting to know many of these people on this voyage as well as spending time with others that return year after year who we have known for quite along time.  All of this adds to the feeling of family on these cruises.  As we spend a lot of time in the Fitness Center we wanted to acknowledge the Fitness Directors and the other support.

On the technical side of the ship we wanted to acknowledge the teams that work in this area including sailors, engineers, maintenance and navigational personnel along with the other members of this team including the carpenters and computer university personnel.  Some of these people we have gotten to know personally including  many of the officers and we thank them for all that they do and for taking the time to answer our questions.  We also thank those that we do not know but who keep this ship running in tip top shape from the technical side of the ship to all of the items we see on the interior and exterior of the ship.  We do not believe there is a day that goes by when day to day maintenance is not being performed such as repairing a nick on the wall, replacing light bulbs, cleaning the exterior of the ship each and everyday, painting something around the ship and also varnishing wooden exterior areas.  To keep the ship looking as if it is one year new, which it does, is truly amazing.


The Medical Staff.  We wanted to acknowledge this team.  While we both have not had to see the current doctor on the ship who has been on board for the entire World Cruise, Keith has spoken to him several times and was very impressed with his professional skills as well as his personal/social skills.  We have watched this medical team in action as recently as the other day.


We also thank in particular the two nurses who assisted Keith with his choking accident on the Holiday Cruise.

In the end, we know that our cruising experience has been enhanced by both the personnel that we come into contact with as well as those who work diligently behind the scenes and we appreciate all that they do to make our cruising experience the best it can be.


Last night was a night to remember with many memories that will last a lifetime.


Last evening we dined in the Crystal DIning Room.  The dinner theme was the Captain's Gala Dinner and these are the dinner menus.


Before dinner, we sat at the Crystal Cove to enjoy pianist John Mentis.  We spoke with several guests  and also spoke briefly to Cruise Director Rick Spath and also spoke for awhile with John Mentis.

We then dined in the Crystal Dining Room.

Our Headwaiter Augusto made us each Caesar Salad.  He made a less spicy salad for Anne Marie and one a little more spicy for Keith.  Both were delicious.

For our entree Anne Marie had the Broiled South African Lobster Tail and Keith had the Broiled Fresh Rock Fish.  We both enjoyed each entree.  We also had some side dishes of cooked vegetables.

For Dessert, Anne Marie had the Freshly Frozen Nonfat New York Cheesecake Yogurt and Keith had mixed berries.

The dining room was busier than the night before as it was a formal night.  We will be back in the dining room on the final night of the cruise.  This evening we will be in Silk Road.

Following dinner,, we attended Captain Glenn's Farewell Reception.  This time it is the real thing.  We spoke with the Crystal Society Hostess, Captain, both Hotel Managers, and Cruise Director and let them all know that for us this has been the best World Cruise ever.

Afterwards, we attended the Serenity Pops concert.  This concert has become a tradition of the World Cruise and is held a few days before the end of the cruise.  It had to been the best concert performance we have ever seen on stage. The concert is for all guests and there were two shows; 8:30 and 10:30 PM.

This featured a wide range of performers from on board the ship, plus the Vice President of Entertainment for Crystal Cruise, Bret Bullock and several other  musicians who were brought on board the ship exclusively for this concert including several musicians from Canada and others from around the world  The concert also included members of the World Cruise Chorus  including various guests on for one or more legs of the World Cruise.

Two showings were performed; one at 8:30 PM and the other at 10:30 PM.

Out of respect for the audience, Keith used a camera without a flash so the photos are not as good as we normally take.

The Serenity POPs was developed by Galaxy Orchestra Bandleader Raphael Derkson and throughout the World Cruise he has worked long hours to pull this together.  He gets assistance from a wide range of performers.

The Conductor was the very talented Bret Bullock who is Vice President Of Crystal Cruises Entertainment.

Karen Jeffries who is a sensational vocalist.  She has performed in a wide range of events and has helped out in so many other ways along the way from assisting at Team Trivia, to her work at the World Games to hosting Karaoke.  She is a true professional and we have enjoyed seeing her perform in a wider range of show displaying her very strong voice throughout this World Cruise.

Dancers Curits and Beverly Dazzled the Audience

Three of the members of the World Cruise Chorus.  This includes fellow guest Vincent who we have known for many years, destination lecturer Ken Rees, and vocalist David Spieker.

David Spiker often performs with Karen Jeffries.  He is a wonderful vocalist and he also has acted in some of the skits that have been performed along the way.  Like Karen, David has performed in a wide range of events and has helped out in so many other ways including Team Trivia, the World Games,and as a co-host of Karaoke.  He is also a true professional and it has been fun to watch his role expand when he has been on the ship.

The audience gave several standing ovations.  About 45 minutes after the show ended it was time for them to perform again.

We slept very well as the ship headed to San Francisco.

Keith was back up early and enjoyed another nice workout.  Anne Marie did likewise and then we had breakfast in our room.

At around 7:00 AM we passed under the Golden Gate Bridge.  Anne Marie had a nice view from the Fitness Center and Keith captured some photos from both ends of the ship.  As you can see, one side was foggy and the other side was bright with clear skies and sunshine.  This reminds us about life.  There are some who focus on the glass being half empty.  We prefer the glass being half full.

A view of Alcatraz.

Later in the morning we met at the designated area to clear United States customs. The customs process was a breeze.


We then took a walk for about 90 minutes.  The weather was picture perfect and we couldn't have asked for any better weather.


Scoma's is a restaurant that is very sentimental for us as we took our children there several times over the years.

We met friends Ashley and Kelly (they were on the Holiday and Panama Canal Voyages) and Patty and Michael who all live in the Bay Area as we had invited them onto the ship for lunch. It was so great to catch up with them.

After lunch, we went back outside and walked for a couple of hours.  The weather continued to be great.  We saw several guests and crew members out and about.

This evening we dine at Silk Road with friends Bob and Glo.

TODAY'S THOUGHT FOR THE DAY......

“Kindness is the language, which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.  Mark Twain

Keith and Anne Marie