Mexican Riviera '05

PACIFIC FIESTA/MEXICAN RIVIERA RENDEZVOUS	Crystal Cruises
Round-trip Los Angeles Departs September 28, 2005	17 days Crystal Harmony

We are cashing in our 35th Milestone reward for this cruise, which consists of an upgrade from a category A stateroom to a Penthouse, among other things. That was good enough, but on September 9th, our travel agent called to say that Crystal wanted to know if it was OK to upgrade us to a Penthouse Suite instead. Uh, gee, what do you think the answer to that was? Obviously we took the additional upgrade. Now, what's the reason behind it? For those of you familiar with Crystal, you already know that free upgrades are extremely rare. In fact, we have never received a free upgrade and we are reaching our 40th Milestone on this cruise. Anyway, we'll take it, shut up, and enjoy it! Well, maybe not quite shut up, but we do plan to enjoy it.

Wednesday, September 28^th – Los Angeles, CA, USA – Embark Crystal Harmony – Depart 5:00 PM

The thing we love about these Los Angeles round trips, no matter what the interim destination, is the ease of getting to and from the port. We left our house at about 1:00 PM and arrived at the port at 3:30 PM, even with a brief stop in Seal Beach to drop something off. There was very little traffic to speak of, so the trip was quite easy and stress free.

Arriving at 3:30 PM meant there was no one else waiting to board. In fact, now that Crystal begins embarkation at 11:30 AM there is never anyone waiting around. We walked right up to a check-in counter and were onboard within a matter of minutes. The woman at the counter remarked on the number of cruises we have taken, so we know for sure that every computer screen announces that fact to the staff. Although we need another boarding photo like a hole in the head, we did stop for that ritual since nobody else was around.

We were escorted to our Penthouse Suite without delay by a friendly waiter. The Bistro was jam packed, although we have no clue what the total passenger count is. We do know that very few of the Penthouse Suites are occupied. Neither of the two Crystal Penthouses next door are occupied either. Our best guess is that we were upgraded because they could sell our regular penthouse at the full price, so they bumped us up. That made us happy and earned Crystal a few extra dollars besides.

The Penthouse Suites are significantly larger than the regular Penthouse accommodations. We'd say the room is about the size of a standard hotel room, which is large by ship standards. However, newer ships do have nicer and larger penthouses these days. In any case, we would never pay for this category since the regular rooms are satisfactory and the standard Penthouse room is more than adequate for two people.

Our suite has a full sized sofa and upholstered chair, an l-shaped desk/vanity and a large bar area housing a mini refrigerator stocked with our choice of complimentary soft drinks, wine and beer. Each guest may also select a full-sized bottle of alcohol from a set menu. Our fridge was already stocked with our preferences based on requests on previous cruises, which was nice. We must say that the room appears to be brand spanking new. Either it has been maintained to excess or recently refurbished. There certainly is no sign of age for a ship to be retired in just a month or so.

Penthouse Suite Photos

Our stewardess, Diana, and her assistant, Joy, were the first to arrive to welcome us aboard. Both were very pleasant. Diana had already taken care of our preferences by removing the duvet and replacing it with a blanket and regular sheets. She also knew we wanted extra Kleenex before we had to ask for it. This type of service has been fairly consistent ever since we became "World Cruisers", but we assume they are supposed to do it for everyone. However, we did find it a bit of a challenge to get a few of these things taken care of when we were booked in a standard stateroom previously.

We received an invitation for a Crystal Society dinner on October 1st, which we will most likely decline. If we were to do that we would only be in the main dining room four nights out of the first seven, so we would prefer to do this dinner during the next segment. Besides, we aren't hot to go to Prego anyway.

A glaring absence from this list is the usual bouquet of flowers from Crystal Society. Lately these have been beautiful bunches of roses. This seems like an odd thing to cut out since they have been giving these since day one and it is quite obvious when they are missing. There is a lovely bouquet of red tropical flowers on the table, but these appear to be a standard amenity for a penthouse suite.

The mandatory lifeboat drill was scheduled for 4:15 PM, so we donned our life jackets and wandered down to deck 7 to wait for the alarm. There was only one other couple there when we arrived at 4:10 PM. Everyone else arrived at or after the alarm. A man standing next to Dave immediately told him a vaguely dirty joke, which was an odd thing to do first thing out of your mouth to a total stranger. He was nice enough and chatted briefly about rough seas and whether we had experienced any. We had, obviously, and he had also in the past as a merchant marine. All of this was discussed much to the horror of the woman in front of us who seemed to be on her first cruise ever.

Speaking of first time cruisers, she seems to be in the majority this cruise. When we were waiting to make Kyoto reservations after the drill, several women came by to ask why people were in line and should they be doing the same thing. By the looks of most of the other passengers we'd guess these aren't diehard Crystal fanatics. The average age is much lower than usual, which could be a good thing depending on your perspective. It doesn't matter one way or the other to us.

We stopped by the salon to see if our friend Benji is back on board. The stylists standing in the hallway insisted on taking us back to see her in the gym where she was taking appointments. There was a long line for spa appointments, but only one person waiting for the salon. Benji ran over and made a scene over us. She was aware we would be coming because Marco (her husband and Shore Excursion Manager) had already found our names on the guest list. We chatted a bit with Benji before Dave decided he needed repair work done to his recent haircut. Benji insisted he come tomorrow and she would fix it, plus we would have more time to catch up on things.

Benji said that she and Marco will be moving to the Symphony after the last Harmony cruise. In fact, she has to fly to the Symphony and start there the day after the last Harmony cruise. Better than being fired though. She said that many long-time crewmembers have decided to leave the company, something we can't say is a bad idea under the circumstances. Many of them have been here almost since the beginning, so this is probably all they need to prod them to get a life started back on land.

Upon our return to the room, we found a note from our good friend Elizabeth, a ship's photographer, along with a photo she had intended to mail to us at home. Her note said that she knew she would see us one of these days on board, so she saved it for us, which was very nice. We were quite surprised she is on the Harmony. Last time we saw her she had reluctantly transferred to the Serenity, so we never expected to find her here. It sure is a pleasant surprise, however.

Our butler arrived to introduce himself, Costa from Portugal. He is extremely pleasant and friendly. He sort of insisted we order our two bottles of liquor, although we never drink in the room. All the free wine and liquor keeps our home bar stocked up, that's for sure. The Crystal brand "C" wine is quite good, by the way, but not low priced by any means. There was also a bottle of champagne on ice waiting when we arrived, which is typical in a penthouse.

We watched the sail away at 5:00 PM, then took the computer up to be configured for use from the room. Since the previous cruise information was unchanged on the laptop from a month ago, there was no charge to do this (normally a ridiculous $15.00 fee applies). We still think the $30 a day for up to three hours use is outrageous for a luxury cruise ship. If we didn't have shipboard spending credits to pay for it we would be far more annoyed than we already are. We may have heard incorrectly, but we both think she told a guest it costs $5.00 to send an email. If so, that is a huge increase over the $2.75 it cost a month ago. Let's hope we misunderstood. It doesn't matter to us since email use of our personal account is included in the flat internet rate, but for anyone else it is quite exorbitant. Crystal really needs to pull their head out and come up with a better way to charge for the computer access since everyone is annoyed by it.

Back at the room we unpacked in all of thirty minutes. That killed enough time until our dinner reservation in Kyoto at 7:30 PM.

Tonight's dress code is Casual. Embarkation day is always open seating in the dining room, which we have never liked nor understood. Nothing like starting off a luxury experience with a cattle call for dinner, which is why we now rush to make a reservation in Kyoto for the first night. When we checked in this afternoon, the agent told us we could attend either seating in the dining room tonight, which was a first. Usually they give you a dining card for a specific seating regardless of what your regular assignment will be. Today's option was better, but we still don't grasp the reasoning behind not seating people at their regular table when all of the table assignments are waiting in the staterooms anyway.

As is our tradition, the items we actually ordered from the menu will be highlighted every evening we are able to obtain a copy of the menu for you.

We were seated promptly in the very full Kyoto. All night people were streaming in and waiting to be seated. We have never seen the alternative restaurants so popular, especially on the first night of a cruise.

 S T A R T E R S 
Lobster Dumplings
Lobster and Scallions in Golden Fried Crisp Rice Leaves, Served on Two Delicious Sauces
Wagyu Beef Tataki
Seared and Thinly-Sliced Prime Beef Garnished with Spicy Daikon
and Onion Salad, with Lemon-Soy Sauce
Yakitori
•Skewers of Grilled Japanese-Style Chicken and Shiitake Mushrooms with Spring Onions
Brushed with Soy-Mirin Sauce
Unagi Kabayaki
Barbecued Fresh Water Eel, Glazed with Sweet Unagi Sauce, Served on Cucumber Salad
Hiya Yakko
•Chilled Tofu with Scallions, Freshly Grated Ginger, Soy Sauce and Bonito Flakes
S A S H I M I
• Blue Fin Tuna, Yellow Tail and Salmon Sashimi
White Fish Carpaccio with Yuzu and Chives
Fresh Salmon Tartar with Sevruga Caviar and Wasabi Pepper Sauce
S A L A D S
Tuna Sashimi Salad
• Seared and Sliced Blue Fin Tuna on Fancy Greens, Tossed in Wasabi Dressing
Garnished with Tosaka and Hari Nori Seaweed
Seasonal Greens
With Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Radishes and Daikon, Tossed with Onion Vinaigrette
S U S H I
Fresh Salmon * Ahi Tuna * Unagi * Shrimp * Spicy Scallop * Squid * Octopus
House Special Roll
Spicy Tuna Roll * Tempura Roll * California Roll * Vegetarian Avocado Roll * Spider Roll
S O U P
• Miso Soup with King Crab Meat and Fried Tofu

 S O B A A N D U D O N 
J A P A N E S E N O O D L E D I S H E S
C O L D
Served with Dipping Sauce, Scallions, and Wasabi
Zaru – Plain Soba or Udon Noodles
Tempura – Vegetable and Shrimp with Soba or Udon Noodles
H O T
Served with delicious Broth, Scallions, Shiitake Mushrooms, and Sichimi
Kake – Plain Soba or Udon Noodles
Tempura – Vegetable and Shrimp with Soba or Udon Noodles
Kitsune – Fried Tofu with Soba or Udon Noodles
Chicken – with Soba or Udon Noodles
Wakame – Seaweed with Soba or Udon Noodles
• Low-Carb Choices

 K Y O T O S I G N A T U R E O B O N T R A Y 
Grilled Lobster Tail on Seasonal Vegetables
Filet Steak with Teriyaki Sauce
Vegetable and Shrimp Tempura
Steamed Rice or Crab Fried Rice
Hiyayakko (cold tofu) or Agedashi (deep-fried tofu)
Miso Soup
Japanese Pickles

 M A I N D I S H E S 
T E M P U R A
With Traditional Mirin-Soy Sauce
Seasonal Vegetables
Jumbo Shrimp
Alaskan Crab Claw
Dipped in Tempura Batter and Crispy Fried
M I S O F I S H
Broiled Alaskan Black Cod with Miso
Garnished with Young Ginger Stem and White Rice
S E A F O O D B U T T E R – S O T E I
Sautéed Lobster, Scallops, Shrimps, Squid, Snow Peas
and Mushrooms in a Spicy Lemon-Garlic Sauce
S A L M O N S H I O - Y A K I
Pan-Roasted Salmon with Ponzu Sauce and Wasabi Mashed Potatoes
B E E F T E P P A N Y A K I
• Filet Steak Grilled To Order, on Stir-Fried Vegetables Served with Teriyaki Sauce
P O R K O R C H I C K E N K A T S U
Panko-Breaded Pork or Chicken Cutlet Golden-Fried, with Cabbage Salad
Ton Katsu Sauce and Spicy Mustard
S I D E D I S H E S
White Rice *Crab Fried Rice * Brown Rice * Seasonal Vegetables
Wasabi Mashed Potatoes
•Low-Carb Choices

 D E S S E R T S 
K Y O T O G R E E N T E A I C E C R E A M
With Lichee Nuts and Midori Liqueur
C A R A M E L I Z E D S P I C E D R I C E P U D D I N G
With Berry Sauce
I N D I V I D U A L C H O C O L A T E C H E E S E C A K E
With Passion Fruit Sauce
T H E C R È M E B R Û L É E S A M P L E R
Try one of each: Ginger, Passion Fruit, and Coffee Crème Brûlée
A S S O R T M E N T O F C H I L L E D
F R E S H T R O P I C A L F R U I T
With Plum Wine

 T E A 
J A S M I N E T E A
G R E E N T E A
K O R E A N G I N S E N G T E A
R O A S T E D J A P A N E S E T E A

 C O F F E E 
E S P R E S S O
C O F F E E
D E C A F F E I N A T E D C O F F E E
Please ask your server about our fine selection
of after-dinner liqueurs and other special drinks.
Gratuities for your server are at your discretion.
We recommend $6 per person.

Food review: As you can see, we ordered a lot of food! One item not on the menu was an appetizer of deep fried sesame-coated chicken. It was good, but nothing special. The lobster dumplings were fresh, hot and crisp, but not outstanding flavor-wise. The salad was very fresh and tasty. All of the entrees were outstanding, the beef in particular was incredible. The tempura was very good, but a bit on the greasy side. The green tea ice cream was a pleasant finish to the meal. It is nice that guests may order as much or as little as they wish. For example, the waiter asked us how many pieces of tempura we wanted when he took the order. We skipped the vegetable tempuras and only had the shrimp, which was really all we wanted anyway.

Service was, as always, friendly and attentive. Our waiter recognized us from the Alaska cruise, so he was particularly pleasant. Paulo, the wine steward, rushed over to greet us. He has known us, our names, and who is who, since day one fourteen years ago. Even if he hasn't seen us for years, he knows who we are and what we like. He really is incredible.

We were starving when we arrived and stuffed to the gills an hour and a half later. The evening entertainment was scheduled before dinner, which we find very inconvenient. So, with no show to go to, we just wandered down to deck 6 to see what was up (nothing, as usual) and then went up to the room, done for the night. We move forward one hour on the clock tonight.

After sleeping in until 11:00 AM or so, we wandered down to the dining room for lunch. There was a Nuevo Latino buffet around the Neptune Pool today, but we knew it would be jam packed with so many newcomers on board. They serve the same theme in the dining room on buffet days anyway, so we figured we'd rather be served and avoid the crowd.

We ran into Elizabeth in the hallway on the way down to lunch, so we chatted with her for a while. She's not sure where she will go after this because she doesn't want to go back to the Symphony due to the microscopic photo lab she'd have to sit in all day. That leaves only the Serenity that already has a full staff.

We were seated by one of the few waiters we had ever seen before, but we did not know the friendly waiter who actually served us. We were familiar with several of the headwaiters and the wine steward who came over to greet us. It is our speculation that Crystal is moving people to this ship so they can cut them loose when it leaves the fleet, but we have no specific proof of this yet. It is just odd that so many long time crew members are suddenly on the old ship again.

Lunch was satisfactory, but not as good as usual for this menu. The chicken enchiladas have never resembled a real enchilada, but they are usually more flavorful than today's version. Everything was edible and the service was good, however.

After lunch it was time for Dave's repair haircut. Benji was waiting in the lobby, so we went right in. She confirmed that they are in fact sending staff members to this ship who have decided to leave the company. It seems a good way to move them out of the mainstream without making a scene. When the ship goes away, so will they.

With newly short hair that doesn't look like a bowl cut, we were off to wait for Carolyn, the Crystal Society Hostess, in the lobby. A guest was hogging her desk with his laptop and lunch when she arrived. He did leave when she came up carrying all of her stuff, but it sure was blatant of him to take over an obviously used desk while she was on a break.

Our intention was to decline the special dinner invitation, but Carolyn insisted it would be a good time because it would be just us, Randal, the Cruise Consultant, herself, and one "fun" single woman. So, we decided, why not? We'll be here for another cruise anyway, so we can get to the dining room then.

We whined about losing our nearly $7,000 in 40th Milestone credits because we don't want to cruise next year. Carolyn told us that we should at least book something short and maybe get it for nearly free by using the discount. Otherwise we will, in fact, lose that benefit. After chatting for a while about nothing in particular, she took us across the room to Randal to sort things out and find a way to use our credits before they expire. She did seem well prepared to help guests get the most of the credits while they are still available, but said nothing about anyone being disgruntled about it.

It appears that the total count for this cruise and beyond is close to 900 or more. So, as we suspected, the final cruises are selling out or close to it. We have the fifth highest in cruise numbers this time. The highest count is 70-something with another two couples in the high forties.

We learned today that the operation of the onboard shops will transfer to an outside vendor soon. Crystal was one of the only cruise lines to operate their own shops, so this isn't a big surprise. Hopefully the merchandise will improve since it has been a complaint of many guests for several years now. There are some items in the shops that have been the same for the past fifteen years and still nobody buys them.

The only cruises for next year we were remotely interested in are two 7-day cruises out of Los Angeles in January before the world cruise. Ordinarily we wouldn't book 7-day cruises, but since we can get them for a huge discount using the credit we will otherwise lose, we thought it might be OK. The only issue is that one of those two cruises was changed to six days and it appears that there is a one-day gap between them. Randal thinks that is a mistake and the gap is really between the last 7-day cruise and the start of the world cruise. There are so many full world cruisers this year that Crystal couldn't find a hotel to accommodate the pre-cruise bon voyage party. So, they want to bring everyone on board a day early and have the festivities on board. Makes sense and we assume it is also a good way to save some big bucks.

So, we are waiting now for Randal to get a response from the office about what the real itineraries are. If there is no gap in there, we will be cruising in 2006 after all. We bumped into Bulant, a headwaiter from the Serenity, in the stairway. He said he came here because he is "retiring" with the ship, done with ships.

We were back in the room by 3:00 PM. The weather is quite pleasant in the mid 70's and a bit hazy. It isn't too humid yet, so it is nice to sit outside. We did manage to drag ourselves upstairs for an ice cream snack around 4:00 PM. Of course, we had to wait behind a woman who decided to stop and eat her ice cream while standing at the service counter. What the heck are people thinking when they do something like that?

Costa was in the hallway when we returned, so we finally remembered to ask for dinner menus. He returned promptly with that and our two free bottles of liquor. He said basically the same thing we already knew, that crew who don't want to return are coming to the Harmony and will go away with the ship. We were already aware that the butlers don't like working on the Serenity, which plays some part in why many of the long-time staff from this ship are leaving.

There was a noisy party going on next door on the verandah, so napping was out of the question this afternoon. The rest of the afternoon was spent watching TV and generally killing time until it was late enough to start dressing for the evening.

Tonight's dress code is Formal for the Captain's Welcome Aboard Party. We used the express lane to bypass the reception line and went directly to the Vista Lounge where we could see, but not participate in the evening. We were surprised how many guests did the same thing considering that the main room wasn't completely full. Marco was wandering around looking for us, and eventually joined us. We chatted about various things of no interest to anyone except the three of us. The speeches were so loud that we had to stop talking for a few minutes while the formalities were covered. Luckily, this captain isn't particularly interested in giving lengthy speeches, so it was short and to the point. We will try to arrange a meeting for drinks or whatever with Marco and Benji for an upcoming date. Benji in particular wants to see current photos of our house that we have been promising for the past four or five cruises now.

Down at the dining room, we were escorted to our table around the inside partition, exactly as we had requested during our previous cruise. The maitre d' always finds it unbelievable that anyone would not want to sit at a window table, especially someone like us who is practically guaranteed anything we could possibly imagine. However, we assured him this was a fine choice.

Our waiter is Mark, from Belgium, who is quite pleasant. His assistant is from India and is also very nice and friendly, but we didn't catch his name tonight. Both of them came back to chat after dinner was over about a variety of things. It is apparent that all of the crew who do not wish to quit are on pins and needles about whether they will transfer to Symphony or Serenity. For obvious reasons, Crystal won't announce this information until after the final Harmony cruise. In any case, we have seen absolutely no reduction in friendliness or service from anyone. If anything, the crew is even nicer than before, although that is nearly impossible.

APPETIZERS
Iced American Malossol Caviar with Sour Cream, Chopped Egg and Onion,
Accompanied by Melba Toast and Buckwheat Blinis
Freshly Opened Oysters, Served on Crushed Ice with Red Wine Vinaigrette and Cocktail Sauce
Truffled Chicken Liver Parfait with Warm Brioche
Chilled Exotic Fruit in a Pineapple Boat Perfumed with Grand Marnier Liqueur

SOUP AND SALAD
Wild Forest Mushroom Soup "Cappuccino Style"
Clear Oxtail Soup with Wild Rice and Chester Sesame Sticks
Captain's Salad - Selected Bouquet of Fresh Garden Greens with Cherry Tomatoes,
Cucumbers, Mushrooms, Sprouts and Crisp Celery Straw

PASTA SPECIAL
Angel Hair with Goat Cheese and Broccoli Pesto, Sprinkled with Toasted Pine Nuts

SALAD ENTREE
Beef Tenderloin Salad - Californian Garden Greens Tossed with Balsamic Vinaigrette, Topped with Sliced Black
Angus Beef Tenderloin, Garnished with Cherry Tomatoes, Sprinkled with Pecan Nuts,
Served with Crisp Sesame and Poppy Seed Lavosh Chips

MAIN FARES
Broiled Fresh Whole Maine Lobster
With Melted Lemon Butter or Sauce Hollandaise, Steamed Fresh Baby Vegetables,
Fresh Asparagus and Leek-Truffle Risotto
Broiled Black Angus Filet
On a Light Chive Beurre Blanc, Served with Potato Galette, Sautéed Baby Spinach and
Grilled Oyster Mushrooms, Topped with Tomato Confit
Oven-Baked Quail
Filled with Chestnut and Bread Stuffing, Served with Braised White Cabbage,
Surrounded by Baby Carrots and Brown Sugar Glazed Gold Delicious Apple Rings, Madeira Sauce
Chateaubriand
Sliced Black Angus Beef Tenderloin with Port Wine Gravy, Asparagus Spears and Duchess Potatoes

Upon your request, these Traditional Main Fares are also available:
Sirloin Steak Served with Steamed Vegetables, Baked Potato and Sauce Béarnaise
or Chicken Breast Served with Steamed Vegetables, Mashed Potatoes and Natural Gravy

VEGETARIAN SELECTION
Grilled Asparagus and Parsnips
With Glazed Sweet Potato Soufflé and Broccoli with Red Wine Reduction

DESSERT
Chef's Suggestion: "Délice au Café" - White Chocolate Coffee Cake with Raspberry Sauce
Almond-Lemon Tart with Whipped Cream and Forrest Berries
Crunchy Vanilla Mousse with Fudge Sauce
Truffles and Petit Fours
Low-Carb: Yogurt Terrine with Fruit Coulis
Sugar-Free: Blueberry Turnover
Assortment of Fruit in Season

Food review: The fruit appetizer was attractively presented, but was a bit skimpy. The salad was fresh and tasty with a balsamic dressing, but it contained nothing unusual. The sherbet was especially tasty and would be worth ordering as a dessert. We both thought the pasta was above average with some complex flavors. The beef entree was very good, but the portion was microscopic. We'd judge that it is less than one-third of what the portions of this dish have been in the past. The plate contained exactly two tablespoons of potatoes, two white and two green asparagus spears, and two slices of meat, one of which was about the size of the bowl of a tablespoon. No kidding, that's it. Anyway, everything on the plate tasted good, which is a plus considering the potatoes on either of the other two ships are inedible. Mark insisted on serving us the vanilla mousse in addition to everything else we ordered. The coffee flavored cake was very good, the lemon tart was outstanding, and the mousse was attractive, but didn't have a distinct flavor. We have to point out that the presentation on this ship is heads above either of the others. The desserts in particular are works of art.

Bulant and Tamas (our headwaiter) stopped by to chat a couple of times. Tamas was our waiter during our first Harmony cruise, but we're not sure he remembers that. Bulant has been around on the Symphony and Serenity for years, so we know him quite well. He has said that he will not be returning after the Harmony leaves, which is why he is here now.

Tonight's entertainment is the production show "Curtain Call". Attendance was about as expected for a production show. We were so bored about halfway through that we were more interested in looking at the lighting and production values rather than the show itself. This is a reasonably good show the first couple of viewings, but it doesn't have the lasting impact that some of the other Crystal productions have. There wasn't anything obvious wrong with the talent and the audience seemed to be quite enthralled by it. However, a few guests did leave early, which is unusual for a production show. This could have more to do with the late start and the extra length than a true reflection of how they felt about it.

Although the sea appears to be fairly calm, the ship has been rocking a bit all day and a bit more tonight. It isn't rough by any means, just obvious we are on a ship and not in a hotel. The temperature outside today was always pleasant and although it was hazy in the distance, the sky was clear.

Friday, September 30^th – ~~Cabo San~~ ~~Lucas, Mexico – Arrive 11:00 AM – Depart 8:00 PM~~ - Cruising the Pacific Ocean

Cabo San Lucas is nestled on the southernmost tip of the Baja Peninsula, where the cool currents of the Pacific Ocean meet the warm waters of the Sea of Cortez. Commanding rock formations, timeless desert and a translucent sea provide a compelling introduction to this tranquil resort town.

Here, mile upon mile of golden sandy coves dot the shoreline while marlin and sailfish frolic in the waters offshore. Laze on a deserted beach, explore the undersea world or discover bustling shops and markets for tempting treasures such as silver, jewelry and wooden sculptures.

The old girl is really creaking this morning...Crystal Harmony, that is. It was very rough and extremely windy starting before dawn today. So rough that the stop in Cabo San Lucas was cancelled. It isn't anything near some of the rough seas we have experienced on other cruises, but it is rough for this part of the world.

Our first stop was the dining room for lunch. We didn't think it would be the best idea to try to carry a tray through the Lido on a day like this. It seemed as though everyone had the same idea because the dining room was nearly as full as it is on a normal dinner evening. We were seated by the window in the general vicinity of our regular table and served by Nada, a waitress we hadn't met before today.

During lunch, Tamas came by and told us that hurricane Otis is the cause of the weather, but it is "a small one" and doesn't necessitate a big diversion in our route. He said last year they had to veer out toward Hawaii to avoid a bigger hurricane. As lunch progressed the weather worsened and rain began to fall off and on. Still it isn't anything we consider unusually rough. In other words, nothing fell from shelves or anything like that...yet.

Everything we ordered for lunch was satisfactory, but nothing stood out as exceptional. The portions of the main course were quite skimpy, even for lunch.

On the way out, we chatted briefly with Tadas who was our assistant waiter a few cruises ago. He was a waiter last time we were on board and still is. He expects to transfer to one of the other ships after the Harmony leaves. We informed Tamas that the area where we were seated smelled of mildew. He went over to smell for himself and agreed it was pretty bad. If we had to sit there all the time it would be unacceptable.

After lunch we went up to say hello to Shelley, the shop manager. She was feeling a bit seasick, but was otherwise chatty as usual. She was in the process of marking almost everything down by 20% or more. There were clearance signs all over the shops. We were interrupted by real customers, so we didn't have a chance to discuss anything in particular.

We finally found the photo shop open so we could view our boarding photo. Elizabeth came out to make fun of Dave's haircut upon boarding. She said she had seen our photo come through as it was developed and was appalled. She was very happy to see this issue had been rectified. She offered to alter our photo digitally to fix the hair issue, but we didn't care that much. We wouldn't have bought it at all if we didn't have credit to spare.

We decided to go back to the room to retrieve a credit card to put on our account. Since we will be booking another cruise after all, we'll end up owing a few hundred dollars for the deposit on that. Unfortunately, we can't use shipboard credit toward future bookings.

Back at the room, we spent the afternoon watching DVD's we had brought from home. Although the weather is rainy it is too hot and humid to sit outside. Of course, the crew is complaining that they missed a port, but we could care less. We ran into Benji on the way back to the room and she said that Marco was tearing his hair out with the sudden cancellation and refunds for all of the shore excursions in Cabo San Lucas.

Randal called to tell us that he was correct about the mistake in the altered itineraries for the two January, 2006, Serenity cruises. In fact it ends up being a 13-day combination that ends on the 17th, not the 18th as shown on Crystal's website. Quite frankly, mistakes like that are way too common and, in our opinion, inexcusable. Doesn't anyone proofread the information before it is published? Anyway, we seem to be confirmed on that combination of cruises for January in a category A verandah stateroom.

At 4:30 PM the captain made an announcement saying that we are now sailing east toward Mazatlán and away from the hurricane. So, it should get less windy and rough the closer we get to shore. The hurricane is going northwest while we are going east. However, he also announced that they might have to shut down the engines around 6:00 PM tonight for maintenance that was supposed to be done during the stay in Cabo San Lucas we missed today. That will mean that the stabilizers will have to be turned off for the duration, which could be interesting under the circumstances. He claimed that the ship would be oriented so that the movement would be minimized. We'll see! By the way, despite how it looks from inside, it is very hot and humid outside.

We decided we needed a snack and being the lazy asses we are, called the butler to have something brought to us. God forbid we should get dressed and walk up one flight to the Lido deck. Costa brought us some tea sandwiches, as requested. He thought maybe we were sick in the room like everyone else, but we assured him we were simply too lazy to get off our sofa and fetch something ourselves.

Tonight's dress code is Casual. The aforementioned engine stoppage never occurred to our knowledge and the sea had calmed down considerably by dinnertime. That doesn't mean it was absolutely smooth sailing, but certainly nothing out of the ordinary. It was 84 outside at 8:00 PM even with the rain and clouds. We went directly from the room to dinner pausing only briefly to look in one of the shops.

APPETIZERS
Snow Crabmeat Salad with Granny Smith Apples and Sweet Corn, Served with Mustard Sauce
Tequila and Lime Cured Salmon with Citrus Vinaigrette
Warm Forest Mushroom Tart, Served with Salad Bouquet
Cinnamon Spiced Apple and Pear Cup with Caramelized Walnuts

SOUP AND SALAD
Roasted Vegetable Soup with Fresh Parmesan Cheese
Chicken Consommé with Asparagus Strudel
Chilled Cream of Tangerines and Rose Water
Heart of Romaine Lettuce with Orange, Fennel and Avocado
Marinated Black Bean and Tomato Salad on Red Leaf Salad

PASTA SPECIAL
Linguine "Prince of Naples" - Italian Pasta with Mushrooms, Bolognese and Tomato Sauce

SALAD ENTREE
Panko Breaded Golden Fried Frog Legs
On Garden Greens with Plum Tomatoes, Grilled Mushrooms, Served with Creamy Herb and Sour Cream Dressing

MAIN FARES
Broiled Fresh Pacific Mahi Mahi
With a Vinaigrette of Shallots, Tomatoes, Lemon Segments, Olive Oil and Balsamic,
Served with Lobster Potato Hash and Snap Peas, Garnished with Fine Herb Salad
Roasted Tom Elvis Turkey
On Orange Sage Stuffing with Bourbon Gravy, Cranberry Chutney, Creamed Peas and
Silver Onions and Sweet Potato Praline
Veal Picatta Milanese
Veal Scaloppini Dipped in Egg and Parmesan Batter and Pan Fried to a Golden Brown,
Served with Angel Hair Pasta, Tomato Sauce and Sautéed Spinach
Grilled Black Angus Filet Steak
Served with Green Pepper Corn Sauce, Niçoise Vegetables and Almond Potatoes

VEGETARIAN SELECTION
Fine Whole Wheat Crepe
Filled with Garden Vegetable Gratinated with Fontina Cheese

Upon your request, these Traditional Main Fares are also available:
Grilled Black Angus Sirloin Steak, Served with Broccoli, Grilled Tomatoes, Baked Potato and Marsala Sauce
or Grilled Chicken Breast, Served with Angel Hair Pasta with Natural Gravy and Grilled Zucchini with Tomato

DESSERT
Dark Chocolate Bread and Butter Pudding with Espresso Sauce and Vanilla Ice Cream
Caramelized Banana Mille-Feuille
Hazelnut Ice Parfait with Sour Cherries
Low-Carb: Citrus Fruit Salad
Sugar-Free: Filo Cup with Diet Ice Cream and Fresh Fruit
Homemade Cookies
Assortment of Fruit in Season
On the Lighter Side: Freshly Frozen, Non-Fat Cookies 'n' Cream Yogurt

Food review: The fruit appetizer was an interesting variation. Usually whatever the theme is has just been tossed on top of the usual melon cubes, but this one was entirely made up of apples and pears, topped with toasted walnuts. There was no cinnamon discernable and the walnuts were not caramelized, however. The roasted vegetable soup was a puree of vegetables and was superb. The cold soup was good enough, but didn't really have much flavor. The fish entree was very good, as were the potatoes they were served atop. The greens crowning the fish filet were a bit incongruous, but it looked attractive. The light vinaigrette sauce was a nice touch. The only other things on the plate were five, count 'em, five snow peas.

Complimentary wine was offered to everyone "due to the rough weather". We have been through far worse weather before and they have never offered anything free. However, this is only the second time in 40 cruises that we have had to skip a port that we can recall. By the looks of several of the guests in our vicinity, they could have been serving free alcohol in the bars, as well. The woman at the next table alternated between animated conversation with her husband/boyfriend, bouts of crying, storming out of the room, being forced to sit down, apologizing to the headwaiter, waiter, etc., crying some more, and eventually being lead out of the dining room. The youngish man at the other adjacent table looked a bit worse for wear, too, although he appeared to be more seasick than intoxicated. He slowly slid down in his chair as he played with his food, eventually leaving early, as well. By this time of the evening it was nowhere near rough enough for people to just be getting seasick.

The dining room was quite full though, so most people did manage to make an appearance tonight. We figured out that the four large tables across from us are part of a singles cruise, which is a bit annoying while they are being seated by their hosts. Otherwise they don't do anything disruptive, which is a first for a group.

By the way, we finally asked our assistant what his name is. Lukose from India. He seemed beyond thrilled that we even cared what his name is. He is quite pleasant, as is Mark, our waiter. Actually, everyone in the dining room has been very friendly. Much more so than in the past on this ship, although they were fine then, too.

We had about half an hour to kill before the show, so we stopped by the room, then took the scenic route back down to the Galaxy Lounge.

Tonight's after dinner entertainment is The Music and Comedy of Jimmy Travis. Attendance was quite good for a non-production show. In fact, we would say it was about equal to last night's crowd, which was pretty good. With the semi-rough seas, this was an excellent turnout. Jimmy did an entertaining show using almost all new material since we last saw him on the reunion cruise in June. It wasn't roll-on-the-floor funny, but it was quite amusing in a homespun kind of way.

Everything is expected to be normal for arrival in port tomorrow, meaning temperatures in the high 90's with humidity to match. We're guessing that it might be cloudy and maybe rainy with a hurricane still nearby, but that makes no difference to us one way or the other.

Saturday, October 1^st – Mazatlán, Mexico – Arrive 8:00 am – Depart 6:00 PM

The massive lighthouse of El Faro welcomes you to the thriving seaport of Mazatlán. Located on a peninsula just south of the Tropic of Cancer, this fast-developing resort is a fishing and sportsperson's paradise. Supposedly there are as many fishing boats as tennis courts here! Offshore, scores of sailfish and marlin frolic in the temperate waters while para-sailors drift lazily overhead.

Mazatlán offers a rich diversity of activities. Feel free to shop at the colorful market and folk art shops, explore the charming town plaza, relax at a fine resort hotel or try your luck sportfishing.

We were up earlier than usual, mostly due to the anticipation of the crew fire drill at 10:00 AM. This results in several announcements, alarms, etc., in the rooms, so it is impossible to miss.

Today's weather is very hot and humid. Definitely not tempting at all to go outside for any length of time. However, since we had 30 minutes to kill before lunchtime, we sat out in the shade by the pool to wait. During that entire time, the deck stewards offered no drinks or anything else to anyone. They were too busy standing around talking amongst themselves, apparently.

We noticed that all of the tables along the pool only have three chairs around them rather than the usual four. Also, last night in the dining room, they were short of the chargers that feature maps of various Crystal destinations, so four tables, including ours, had the chargers for the Neptune dinner instead.

There must be a majority of first-time cruisers on board because it appeared most of the guests went on tour today. Usually in Mexico the population of the ship is about the same as on a sea day.

The Lido was nearly empty, which is a good thing considering the totally incoherent layout. Although the food selection looked appealing enough, in reality it was barely worth eating. Even the carved chicken was awful and that is usually a safe bet. The service in the Lido was satisfactory. Our iced tea was replenished often and the stewards were friendly.

After lunch we walked the upper deck to the front of the ship just for kicks, then went back to the comfort of the air conditioned room. We did venture up to the grill for another lunch of hot dogs and fruit, but other than that we stayed in the room until sailing time. At that point we moved outside to our verandah for about an hour.

Tonight's dress code is Informal for the Crystal Society Party before dinner. We are having dinner in Prego tonight for our "special" Crystal Society dinner with Carolyn and Randal, but we have included the menu from the Crystal Dining room so you won't miss anything. The party was as usual except for the low attendance. When we arrived, with the intention of skipping the reception line, nobody was waiting to get in. So, we did the proper thing and had our picture taken with the captain and Carolyn at the door. The room was nearly empty when we arrived, so we did sit in the Palm Court for once. More people did trickle in, so it was reasonably full by the time the brief speeches and introductions of high cruisers began. The highest number of cruises on this cruise is 76.

APPETIZERS
Golden Fried Shrimp Roll with Mustard Plum Sauce
Sautéed Veal Sweetbread Roses. Served with Balsamic Tossed Lettuce, Garnished with Crispy Potato Straw
Marinated Jicama Sticks, Cilantro with Cypress Grove Chèvre and Honey Glazed Walnuts
Iced Pineapple, Banana and Coconut Cup with Dark Rum

SOUP AND SALAD
Cream of California Ripened Tomato with Basil Foam
Pheasant Consommé with Pistachio Chicken Quenelles
Chilled Cream of Tropical Fruits
Selected Mesclun of Fancy Lettuce with Pear Endive, Crumbled Blue Cheese and Pear Dressing
Tossed Iceberg Lettuce with Bella Vista Dressing, Topped with Bacon and Chopped Egg

SALAD ENTREE
Turkey Medallion Salad
On a Bed of Crisp Greens, Grapefruit Segments and Green Beans, Sprinkled with
Toasted Almonds, Tossed with Fat-Free Papaya-Mustard Vinaigrette

MAIN FARES
Chef Manfred's Childhood Favorite - Wiener Schnitzel
Breaded Veal Cutlet, Deep-Fried in Clarified Butter, Served with Traditional Garnish,
Garden Green Peas, Carrots and Parsley Potatoes
Broiled Fresh Fillet of Caribbean Grouper
Topped with Crabmeat Fritters on Zucchini Fettuccine, Yellow Tear Drop Tomatoes
and Red Capsicum Beurre Blanc
Slow Roasted Rack of Port
With Anna Potatoes and Cardamom Flavored Lentil Stew, Caraway Seed Gravy
Combination of Seared Scallops and Jumbo Shrimp
With Light Tarragon Sabayon on a Bed of Lobster Risotto, Served with Broccoli Roses

VEGETARIAN SELECTION
Golden Fried Rice Orange Balls
On Sautéed Leek with Tarragon-Tomato Butter Sauce

Upon your request, these Traditional Main Fares are also available:
Sirloin Steak Served with Steamed Vegetables, Baked Potato and Black Pepper Hollandaise
or Grilled Salmon with Carrots, Mashed Potatoes and Chablis Beurre Blanc

DESSERTS
Citrus Soufflé Cake with Lemon Sauce and Mango Sherbet
Sunset Cake
Nougatine Crème Brûleè
Low-Carb: Pumpkin Tart
Sugar-Free Coconut Tart with Vanilla Ice Cream
Homemade Cookies
Assortment of Fruit in Season
On the Lighter Side: Freshly Frozen, Nonfat Strawberry Yogurt

Crystal Cruises offers a unique association with the acclaimed Valentino
restaurants of Santa Monica and Las Vegas. We feature this exclusive tasting
menu of Valentino specialties, along with suggested wine pairings carefully
selected for your culinary pleasure by Valentino proprietor and renowned
wine expert Piero Selvaggio. Buon Appetito!

Granchio Reale dell’ Alaska all’ Insalata con Fette di Arancia e Balsamico Vecchio
Alaskan King Crab and Orange Salad with Aged Balsamic
Suggested Wine: Vermentino di Sardegna, Argiolas, Sardinia 2003
6oz $6.50 or Bottle $26.00
or
Capesante in Zucchini su Purea di Sedano Rapa con Pesto d’Aglio Dolce e Basilico
Zucchini-Wrapped Jumbo Scallop Over Celery Root Pureé
with Sweet Garlic and Basil Pesto
Suggested Wine: Sauvignon Blanc, “Lahn”, Alto Adige 2003
6oz $7.50 or Bottle $30.00

Ravioli Ripieni con Zucca
Pumpkin Ravioli Flavored with Apricots and Tossed in Brown Sage Butter
Suggested Wine: Prosecco Mionetto, Valdobbiadene, NV
6oz $7.00 or Bottle $28.00

Filetto Fresco di Ippoglosso dell’ Alaska
Broiled Fillet of Fresh Alaskan Halibut on a Bed of Shallots and
Chanterelle Mushrooms, Topped with Melanzane Purée and Fine-Herb
Salad, Sprinkled with Warm Heirloom Tomato Vinaigrette
Suggested Wine: Chardonnay, Pio Cesare, Piedmont 2002
6oz $7.50 or Bottle $30.00
or
Bistecca di Manzo alla Griglia
Aged Grilled Black Angus Rib Eye Steak with Sun-Dried Tomato Mashed
Potatoes, Roasted Baby Bell Peppers and Tuscan Barbecue Sauce
Suggested Wine: Chianti Classico Querciabella
Tuscany 2002
6oz $9.50 or Bottle $38.00

Fontina, Parmesan and Gorgonzola Cheese
With White Truffle-Flavored Honey and Dried Fig and Nut Bread
Suggested Wine: Kracher Cuvee Eiswein, Austria 2001
4oz $9.00 or Bottle $36.00

D E S S E R T
Il Bonet
Traditional Piedmontese Chocolate Pudding
Wine: Taylor Tawny Port, 20 Years Old,
Recommend 2oz $6.50

A N T I P A S T I
Prego’s New Style Antipasti
Lobster Poached in Lemon Oil, Prosciutto on Sweet Melon, Truffled Baby Artichoke Salad,
Vitello Tonnato and Gorgonzola-Stuffed Fresh Figs Wrapped in Pancetta
Melone con Prosciutto di Parma
Sweet Melon and Italian Prosciutto Carpaccio di Manzo
Thinly-Sliced Raw Beef Tenderloin with Mustard Sauce and Capers
Timballo di Pomodoro, Avocado e Melanzane con Gamberone
Pyramid of Giant Tiger Shrimp, Eggplant, Tomato and Avocado

Z U P P E
Granita di Melone Dolce Affogato al Prosecco
Iced Sweet Melon Soup with Prosecco
Minestrone alla “Genovese”
Traditional Minestrone Soup with Genoa-Style Pesto
Crema di Funghi Servita nel Pane all’Origano
Cream Soup of Selected Italian Mushrooms: Porcini, Morel, Portobello and
Oyster Mushrooms, Served in an Oregano Bread Cup

I N S A L A T E
Insalata “Cesare”
Caesar Salad Prepared by Your Head Waiter
Insalata Caprese*
Buffalo Mozzarella with Sun-Ripened Yellow and Red Tomatoes and Seasonal Greens
Insalata Verde Mista con Funghi, Olive, Carciofini e Scaglie di Parmigiano
Mixed Garden Lettuce Tossed in Aged Fig Balsamic, Topped with Grilled
Mushrooms, Olives, Baby Artichokes and Shaved Parmesan Cheese

P I A T T I   P R I N C I P A L I

P A S T A   E   R I S O T T O
Risotto Dello Chef
Risotto with Fontina Cheese, Asparagus Tips and Cherry Tomatoes, Topped
with Grilled Sea Scallops and Tiger Shrimp
Lasagna alla Casalinga
Layers of Fresh Pasta with Ground Meat, Porcini Mushrooms,
Tomato, Béchamel and Mozzarella Cheese
Linguine con Aragosta e Zucchini
Linguine with Lobster and Grilled Zucchini in a Light Tomato Sauce
Flavored with Italian Parsley
Paglia e Fieno alla “Carbonara” con Asparagi Freschi
Homemade Two Color Pasta with Pancetta, Egg Yolk, Cream and Fresh Asparagus
Pasta a Piacere
Angel Hair Pasta, Spaghetti, Whole Wheat Linguini or Penne Rigate with
Your Choice of Pesto Genovese, Puttanesca, Arrabbiata or Tomato-Basil Sauce

C A R N E   E   P E S C I
Scaloppine di Vitello Servite con Gnocchi
Pan-Fried Veal Scaloppine in Light Lemon or Mushroom Sauce,
Served with Oven-Roasted Seasonal Vegetables and Hand-Made Ricotta-Spinach Gnocchi
Carré D’Agnello Arrostito
Roasted Rack of Lamb with Fresh Herbs,
Served with Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Grilled Zucchini
Ossobuco alla Milanese Con Salsa Cremolata
Veal Shank Braised with Vegetables, Porcini,
White Wine and Tomato, Served with Risotto Milanese on the Side

Prego offers a variety of fine wines to accompany your dinner. Please ask your Sommelier for the Wine List.
Gratuities for your wait staff are at your discretion. We recommend $6.00 per person, per meal.

Low-carb choices are available on request, including low-carb pasta.

VALENTINO DESSERTS
Il Bonet
Traditional Piedmontese Chocolate Pudding
Cannoli alla Siciliana
Crisp Sicilian Shell Stuffed with Fresh Sweet Ricotta Cheese
Cheese Plate Selections
Fontina, Parmesan, and Gorgonzola Cheese,
White Truffle Flavored Honey and Dried Fig Nut Bread
Dessert Wine: Kracher Cuvée Eiswein, Austria 2001 $8.00
Dessert wine poured by the glass is 4 ounces

D E S S E R T   S P E C I A L T I E S

D O L C E
Assaggini Tipici
Dessert Sampler – Panna Cotta, Tiramisù and Flourless Chocolate Cake
Panna Cotta con Caramello
Cooked Italian Cream with Fresh Fruit and Berry Sauce
Tiramisù
Espresso Flavored Lady Fingers, Layered with Light Mascarpone Cheese
Crema di Caffé*
Light Coffee Custard
Gelato Italiano alla Vaniglia, Cioccolato
Vanilla, Chocolate or Spumoni Ice Cream, or Bellini Sherbet
C O F F E E   &   T E A
Espresso, Cappuccino, Coffee, Decaffeinated Coffee or Caffe Latte
International Teas
Served with Chocolate Walnut Biscotti

A F T E R - D I N N E R   D R I N K S
As a Digestif, we would like to recommend:
Sambuca Romana – $5.00
Frangelico – $5.00
Amaretto di Saronno – $5.00
or your favorite classic after-dinner liqueur,
available from your Sommelier

Prego offers a variety of fine wines to accompany your dinner. Please ask your Sommelier for the Wine List.
Gratuities for your wait staff are at your discretion. We recommend $6.00 per person, per meal.
*Low-Carb Choices

All of the food was good, but not spectacular. The tomato-mozzarella salad was especially tasty. The pumpkin ravioli, usually a highlight, was tasteless and had no flavor other than that of the pasta shell and butter. All of the portions were quite tiny. For example, the lasagna slice was only about 2" x 3" tops.

The other honoree at dinner was interesting and shared many of the same thoughts we do about the entertainment, etc. She had a lot of fun things to say and had been to a lot of places we also enjoy. We had never had a lengthy conversation with Randal before, so it was nice to hear a bit more from him, as well. We had already had a dinner with Carolyn during another cruise, so we were already fairly familiar with her. She certainly was looking quite stunning tonight, although she always is very well put together in general.

Tonight's entertainment is Star of "Phantom of the Opera", Dale Kristien. As usual for these special dinners, it went on way beyond the start of the show, so we didn't attend tonight's performance. Not that we haven't heard Dale many times before, of course.

We received information regarding our in-transit return to Los Angeles. The instructions are that we have to meet in the Galaxy Lounge that morning at 9:15 AM to wait to be escorted to immigration in the terminal. This will all happen only after all of the disembarking guests have left the ship, so we're a bit skeptical it will really occur by 9:15 AM, but stranger things have happened.

There is only a slight rocking motion tonight, as expected. The weather should remain clear and hot for the duration now that the hurricane has passed to the north. We more an hour forward on the clock again tonight.

Sunday, October 2^nd – Puerto Vallarta, Mexico – Arrive 8:00 AM – Depart 7:00 PM

Embraced by rugged tropical mountains on one side and the beautiful Banderas Bay on the other, Puerto Vallarta is second only to Acapulco when it comes to the Mexican Riviera's leading resort cities.

White stucco houses are capped with red-tile roofs and surrounded by bougainvillea-lined cobblestone streets. Native women who beat their laundry along riverbanks as busy fishing boats return to port illustrate a lifestyle that has been maintained for decades.

Nearby, sophisticated restaurants, luxury hotels, smart boutiques and lively nightclubs bear testament to the changes wrought on this quiet seaside city since the 1960s. Life here has never been quite the same since the filming of the movie "Night of the Iguana" and the worldwide publicity accorded the romance of its stars, Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor.

Puerto Vallarta brims with life. Shop for leather goods, shell and silver jewelry, hand-embroidered blouses or painted figures from Oaxaca. Explore cobblestone streets and picturesque alleyways filled with the scents and bustling energy
of Mexico.

During the dinner conversation last night, we heard that a gentlemen who had refused to dress appropriately was asked to leave the public areas after 6:00 PM. Of course, he was furious, but who doesn't know how dressy a Crystal cruise is by now? It is one thing to dress down, but to try to get away with shorts, flip flops, and a t-shirt on an informal evening is pushing it a bit too far. Although we are surprised anyone made an effort to enforce the dress code, that is what they should do if they are going to continue to be as formal as they have been so far. We feel that these cruises are way too dressy, especially for the hot Mexican weather, but we also don't expect Crystal to bend to our desires. If we really find it so oppressive, then there are plenty of other options out there. So far, we aren't even close to being so offended by the dress codes to switch cruise lines based on that alone.

We were awakened earlier than usual again, but there was only one announcement for a crew drill of some sort. We thought the ship was still moving because there was so much vibration, but the ship had been docked for hours by then. The weather is about the same as it was yesterday, very hot and humid. The temperature reading says it is 84, but it feels more like 94. There are some clouds over the mountains, but no rain had fallen on the ship by late afternoon.

Our day started with sitting in the shade by the deserted Seahorse Pool until noon when lunch was served. Today we were offered drinks after sitting there for about fifteen minutes. Better than nothing, but still not as attentive as Crystal's other ships where the deck stewards arrive within seconds of a guest's appearance.

Lunch in the Lido was better today. At least the main course, chicken chow mein, was tasty. The carved chicken breast was also very good. However, the service was very disorganized considering how few guests were there. One of the entrees was labeled as a "Crystal Kabob", but it was clearly some sort of sandwich. We checked the other side of the line and it was improperly labeled there also. Few waiters were available to help guests with their trays, so the maitre d' was doing double duty with that task.

We received our preliminary statement for this cruise and we have a credit of $568.00 remaining. When that carries over to the next cruise and is added to that segment's credits, we'll have a lot of spending or tipping to do. Unfortunately, this will be one of the last times the credits will be given by Crystal, which does play a bit of a role in our desire to try other cruise lines in the future.

Both sides of the dock area are completely torn up. It seems like it was only a few years ago that the landscaping was finally completed. We expect it to be a complete mess for the next 30 years now. The Regal Princess is docked at the main terminal. Crystal Harmony is at the smaller, adjacent pier across the street from Wal-Mart and Sam's Club.

We spent the afternoon, as usual, in the air conditioned comfort of our suite or on the verandah, emerging only for snacks. Costa asked if we had been or were going ashore, which he knew wasn't an option.

Just before sailing, the captain announced in a very vague manner, that it will be rough sailing tonight and tomorrow. This is again due to hurricane Otis, now headed north into central Baja California. So, Crystal Harmony is sailing out to sea, toward Hawaii, in order to avoid passing directly through the storm. We found most of this information by asking a bar waiter before dinner. All the captain said was to hold the handrails because there might be some swells. We think that is just a little too vague if it really is expected to be rough.

We stopped off in the Palm Court for drinks before dinner. There are always more people dancing and sitting around in this ship's Palm Court than the others. This could be that the lights aren't turned down to nearly pitch black, but we're not sure. On the Symphony this room is a ghost town unless there is a party going on.

Tonight's dress code is Casual/50's. We thought the 50's night theme was long gone since the show hadn't been offered on the past two cruises. However, it appears they dredge it up when the demographic skews younger than the mid 80's. They are going with the whole theme this time, including the related production show, crew costumes, 50's midnight buffet, and a Sock Hop after the show.

APPETIZERS
Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail with American Cocktail Sauce
Chicken Quesadillas, Served with Roasted Pineapple Salsa and Hoisin Sauce
Barbecued Quail on Fresh Corn Tomato Salad
Iced Cup of Assorted Fruit with Peaches and Vodka

SOUP AND SALAD
Midwest Sweet Corn Soup with Bell Pepper Confit and Crisp Leek Straw
Chicken Broth with Matzo Balls
Iced Watermelon Gazpacho with Cilantro and Lime
Las Vegas Style Caesar Salad - Red and Green Lettuce Tossed with Caesar Dressing, Served with Homemade Garlic Croutons
Heart of Iceberg Lettuce with mango, Grapes and Golden Fried Cheese Balls

PASTA SPECIAL
Involtini di Melanzane e Linguine
Baked Eggplant Roll Stuffed with Linguine, Tomatoes, Mozzarella Cheese and Fresh Herbs

SALAD ENTREE
Grilled Sirloin Steak Salad
Cucumber-Potato Salad, with Marinated Artichoke on Radicchio Leaves,
Topped with Grilled Sliced Sirloin Steak, Garnished with Fried Shallots

MAIN FARES
Roasted American Prime Rib from Black Angus Beef
Served with Natural Gravy, Creamed Horseradish, Broiled Tomato, Corn on the Cob,
Broccoli and Baked Potato with Sour Cream, Chives and Bacon Bits
Fresh Herb-Crusted Lemon Sole Fillet
On Braised Fresh Artichokes and Tomato Strips, Topped with Mushrooms and
Asparagus Tips, Potato Balls, and Champagne Beurre Blanc
Grilled Canadian Venison Medallions
Served on Game Sauce with Poached Pear Filled with Cranberry-Apple Relish, Celery Puree and Brussels Sprouts
The Blue Plate Special: Traditional American Meatloaf
Oven Baked with Brown Onion Sauce, Served with Green Peas and Carrots and Garlic Mashed Potatoes

VEGETARIAN SELECTION
Twice Baked Potatoes
Filled with Three Cheeses, Served on Vegetable Spaghetti
with Garlic Flavored Tomato Sauce and Basil Oil

Upon your request, these Traditional Main Fares and also available:
Grilled Salmon Fillet, Served with Steamed Vegetables, Mashed Potatoes and Champagne Beurre Blanc
or Roasted Chicken Breast, Served with Broiled Tomato, Vegetable Wedges, Crisp Bacon Strips, Baked Potato and Herb Flavored Gravy

DESSERTS
Banana Split with Toasted Almonds and Chocolate Sauce
Caramel Chocolate Tart a la Mode
Chocolate Fudge Brownie Sundae
Low-Carb: Rhubarb Strudel with Low-Carb Vanilla Ice Cream
Sugar-Free Lemon Yogurt Timbale
Homemade Cookies
Assortment of Fruit in Season

Food review: We both declared this to be the worst meal overall we have ever had on this ship. Actually, we can't recall ever having a really terrible meal here, although that can't be said for the two other ships. In any case, the best item ordered was the shrimp cocktail that was very fresh and consisted of four large shrimp. The corn soup was a huge disappointment. It tasted pretty much like nothing. The watermelon gazpacho was 95% juice with a few chunks of something crispy tossed in. It tasted like apple juice that had been dyed red, to be perfectly honest. The "Las Vegas Style" salad was a tiny portion of a standard Caesar salad, nothing at all different about it. Our prime rib, while a reasonable portion, was overcooked and dry. It was edible, but that's all we can say for it. The corn on the cob was so overcooked that it was translucent and basically just slid off the cob when bitten into. At least the banana split was satisfactory, although it only contained one tiny scoop of vanilla ice cream on top of a banana that had been "split" down the middle lengthwise.

Is anyone else put off by the strolling string trio in the dining room? We sure are tired of having our dinner interrupted while we listen to a song we didn't request and didn't want. Our table is directly in the path of the main trail of waiters going to and from the galley (our choice, by the way). This means that if the strings stop to play at any adjacent table, the entire system backs up. We saw waiters at other tables barge in front of the trio to serve the guests being serenaded. Although most people do seem to enjoy it, we'd suggest a better way to do it would be to flag them down as they pass or request they stop via your headwaiter or maitre d'. In any case, we successfully waved them by after an awkward silence when they asked what we wanted to hear. "Nothing" is the answer, but we aren't quite rude enough yet to say that. We just said, "It's OK if you want to just move on," which they did.

Tonight's entertainment is the theme-related production show, "Rock Around the Clock". This is a good enough show, but c'mon, it has been around for the last fifteen years. We were really hoping it was gone for good since it isn't used on the Serenity at all and hadn't been here for the past few cruises. There is also a Sock Hop after the show in the Club 2100. Dave vowed two cruises ago to never attend this show again after spending the hour looking around the room and analyzing the lighting scheme rather than paying attention to the actual show. Bill, however, did attend. He declared it just short of a train wreck, besides being tired and boring. A few guests left early while others were more interested in their own conversations than in the show.

We set our clocks back one hour tonight. By the way, we just noticed today that this is a "Health and Fitness" Theme Cruise. OK, whatever. The only evidence of it besides a couple of fitness-related speakers, is that they have marked things in the schedule as being part of the theme. Yeah, well, that's fine except they always offer ping pong, paddle tennis, walking around the deck, and aerobics classes. There isn't one thing among the activities that is unique to this cruise that we are aware of.

Just before bedtime, we did begin to feel a bit of motion. Nothing unusual, just some rolling from side to side.

It never did become unusually rough over night and by morning there was no more movement than usual in the open sea. In fact, it turned into a very pleasant day with mostly clear skies and warm, but not hot, temperatures. There were swells all day, but it was consistent and not even enough to make walking a straight line difficult.

We started our day with lunch in the Lido, which was actually busier than we expected. This is the Gala Luncheon Buffet day, so we thought most guests would be downstairs. There was an attractive sushi bar setup in the Lido that was quite popular.

Our lunch selections ranged from inedible to very good. We should have known better than to take a piece of the grilled minute steak crusted with macadamia nuts on a bed of roasted rutabaga. Let's just say we learned a valuable lesson. It was so ghastly that it was difficult to even keep the first bite in our mouth, let alone swallow it. If we hadn't been in public we would have spit it out. Yes, it was that bad. Luckily, everything else was good enough to eat, although not spectacular. There were meat patties with some sort of brown gravy, BBQ pork sandwiches with onion rings, and a few other items that were relatively tasty. We were amused when the chef came out and made the attendant take away the tray of sandwiches just as we arrived. The ones that were sitting out were whole, about the size of a hamburger bun. They were quickly replaced with the same thing cut in half. That speaks to our belief that they are serving everything in smaller portions to save money. Of course, anyone can have as much as they want, but most people would only take one of each item rather than a pile of it. One constant about Gala Buffet day is that the outstanding bread pudding is also served in the Lido. So, who cares what else is served!

After lunch we wandered up to the pool deck to listen to the band for a few minutes. We thought just maybe since the deck was jammed with people that they would play a bit longer. No such luck. They packed up at 1:30 PM sharp. We were entertained by the water sloshing out of the overfilled pool, so who needs music? Every available lounge chair was taken and guests were wandering around looking for places to lay out in the sun. The deck stewards were quite attentive today, offering drinks and helping guests move loungers around. However, they are nowhere near as solicitous as those on Symphony or Serenity and they never have been that we are aware of. It always appears to us that they are shorthanded besides being more interested in talking among themselves than serving. Once they are out and about, they are very pleasant though.

As mentioned previously, the deck area is missing at least a third of the chairs that used to be around the tables in the shade. All of the tables have a maximum of three chairs while a few have none at all. However, since most people wanted to be in the sun, there were plenty of available chairs in the shady areas where we always sit.

We stayed outside until it started to get a bit warmer than it had been. This was around 3:00 PM, by the way. So, we went to look at the route chart to see if they had revised anything, which they had not. Our next intention was to purchase some chargers with maps on them that are the same as those used in the dining room onboard. However, the shops were too busy to suit us, so we wandered by instead. Shelley was just coming out of another shop and stopped to chat. When she found out we wanted the chargers she grabbed a saleswoman and made her write it up right there in the hallway with the merchandise to be delivered to our room later. How's that for service? She tried to push off some Alaska wear that is on dump sale, but we didn't really need anything unless it was down to $3.00 or something. They did have some good markdowns at $9.99 from $49.99, but nothing we were interested in. There was one table full of women's tops that were all $20.00. The clothing on Crystal is very expensive, so $20.00 is a good deal for most of it. We told her when the stuff gets to $5, to let us know and we'll think about it. It's all free to us anyway with so much shipboard credit hanging on, but we'd still rather get a cheaper price.

We can't recall the last time we saw dump sale tables outside a shop on a Crystal ship. Shelley said that they were doing a brisk business this morning with guests lined up to buy stuff. They are actually starting to mark down some of the better, more expensive items now. The Crystal cookbook, which was ridiculously priced to begin with, is now $9.99. Shelley said the Prego oil and vinegar decanter and the pepper mills were marked way down, too, but we're not interested in either of those items.

Bill went to the backstage tour at 3:15 PM just to do something. He described it as "white trash central", besides the fact that it was so hot backstage that several people left in the middle of it.

The alternative restaurant maitre d' called to say we can come up and make reservations there for the next cruise tonight at 5:00 PM, or anytime thereafter before the new guests arrive.

The rest of the afternoon was spent in the suite, as usual. We did go out for ice cream to kill time before going to see the maitre d' in Kyoto to make reservations for embarkation evening and for the final formal night.

Tonight's dress code is Formal for the Captain's Farewell Gala. There is a cocktail party in the Palm Court before dinner for this occasion, as usual. During the captain's speech, he announced that the ship would be sailing through the remnants of hurricane Otis tonight starting around midnight, but he also said it shouldn't be any rougher than it was right now. That would mean there would be some movement, but nothing out of the ordinary.

As we walked across the open pool deck to get to Kyoto Restaurant, it was just starting to sprinkle and the wind was picking up a bit. We will be dining in Kyoto tonight to avoid the Baked Alaska Parade in the dining room, but the menu is included anyway so you won't miss anything.

APPETIZERS
Seafood Cocktail with Sauce Marie Louise
Escargots Bourguignonnes - Burgundy Snails in Garlic Herb Butter
Crackling Salad with Pink Roasted Duck Breast, Tossed in French Dressing
Coconut Filled with Tropical Fruit and Sprinkled with Armagnac

SOUP AND SALAD
Cream of Asparagus "Argenteuil"
French Onion Soup with Gratinated Cheese Croutons
Vichyssoise with Red Bell Pepper Mousse
Selected Salad Bouquet with Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Artichokes, Palm Hearts and Asparagus

PASTA SPECIAL
Penne Lisce Puttanesca
Italian Pasta with Anchovies, Capers, Tomatoes, Kalamata Olives and Chili Flakes

SALAD ENTREE
Mediterranean Lamb Salad
Assorted Baby Greens with Grilled Eggplant and Zucchini, Feta Cheese, Black Olives,
Sunflower Seeds and Tomatoes, Topped with Sliced Lamp Rack and Served with
Balsamic-Herb Vinaigrette

MAIN FARES
Alaskan King Crab Legs
Served with Melted Lemon Butter or Sauce Hollandaise, Steamed Fresh
Garden Vegetables and Saffron Pilaf Rice
Pink Roasted Rack of Lamb
In Garlic Herb Crust with Mint Flavored Natural Jus, Ratatouille Niçoise, Haricots
and Gratinated Potatoes
Coq Au Vin
Braised Chicken in Burgundy Red Wine Sauce, Garnished with Glazed Silver Onions,
Mushrooms and Bread Croutons and Served in a Nest of Buttered Fettuccine and Broccoli Roses
Grilled Veal Scalloppine
Topped with Porcini Mushrooms, Green Asparagus and Gratinated with Mustard-
Hollandaise, Served with Vegetable Wild Rice, Slow-Roasted Tomatoes, Sautéed Spinach
and Marsala Gravy

VEGETARIAN SELECTION
Grilled Vegetable Brochette
On Sautéed Spinach, Served with Goat Cheese Ravioli and Light Mustard Sauce

Upon your request, these Traditional Main Fares are also available:
Grilled Entrecote au Beurre d'Anis - Grilled Black Angus Sirloin Steak with Anise-Herb Butter, Served with Ratatouille,
Haricot Verts and Gratinated Potatoes, or Broiled Fillet of Halibut, Served with Sautéed Spinach, Chive Potatoes and
Lemon-Caper Beurre Blanc

DESSERT
The American Institution - Baked Alaska Flambé en Parade
Cinnamon Mousse with Bourbon Caramel Sauce
Low-Carb and Sugar-Free Chocolate Cake with Low-Carb Ice Cream
An Assortment of Fruit in Season
Petit Fours and Chocolate Truffles

By the way, this is the "French Dinner" menu that is served during longer than 7-day cruises, not the traditional farewell menu. It isn't one of our favorites anyway, so we are doubly glad to be dining in Kyoto this evening.

Food review: The lobster dumplings were excellent. Both the Beef Tataki and the Yakitori were good enough, but nothing special. The sashimi was very fresh and attractively presented. The seasonal greens were fresh with a nice variety and fresh-tasting dressing. Both entrees were as good as usual, but the beef would have been better if it had been seared more than it was this time. We ordered the rice pudding just to try it because we had never had it before. It was edible, but would have had no flavor at all if not for the caramelized sugar on top similar to that found on a crème brulee. Both of the other desserts were outstanding. The sampler is cleverly served in three separate porcelain spoons, which is very attractive.

Elizabeth ran by to take table photos in Prego. She stopped briefly on the way back to chat. Paulo, a wine steward we have known since day one, said he doesn't yet know if he will be able to transfer to another ship. We find that outrageous since he has been with the company almost since the beginning. The way they treat the Filipinos is really appalling, although the workers themselves carry on at length about how generous they are to them. While that may be true in comparison to other cruise lines, we still believe they are treated with a different standard than everyone else working on board.

Tonight's entertainment is the production show "Encore - By Popular Demand". This show was put together from previous shows from the past fifteen years of Crystal Harmony in tribute to her farewell season. It had its debut during the 15th Reunion Cruise last June, but the show we saw tonight was vastly improved. The first time we saw the show the accompanying videos made no sense at all, but tonight they were properly arranged. Two numbers from the long-running "Symphony of Nations" show were added that were sorely lacking from the first version. We assume it wasn't ready at the time. In any case, this was a very different, much better show that what we saw in June. That's not to say it couldn't use some improvement, but it is very good as it is.

It rained all through dinner, but we didn't notice any appreciable increase in movement any time during the show or afterwards. However, when we opened the verandah door to peer outside, the wind was whipping up whitecaps, rain was pouring horizontally, and the drapes were nearly sucked out of the room. It was so creepy that it looked like something from a horror movie. Back inside with the door closed and the drapes closed, all was calm and no one was the wiser to what was going on outside. That sure is a testament to how well this ship rides in spite of it's creaks and rattles.

All guests received a Farewell Season pin tonight as a pillow gift. We'll have enough of these to sell on eBay with all the cruises we still have left to go. We already have a set of pins from the Reunion Cruise to add to the collection.

We received letters with the shore excursion order form for the next cruise so we may book before new guests arrive. We're not interested in doing that, of course, but it is a nice gesture they have been extending as long as we can remember to those guests remaining on board for another cruise. Also, we got the impression that there would be no restriction on the number of reservations we wanted for the alternative restaurants during the next cruise. Ordinarily, each guest may make one reservation for each restaurant until later in the cruise if there is still room. By the way, Kyoto and Prego were nearly full even tonight, which is unheard of. Usually only crew and staff show up on formal nights at all, let alone the final one of a cruise.

Most people would probably consider today's sailing conditions as rough, but for us it is nothing unusual. The weather is partly cloudy and in the low 70's, but it is extremely windy. That is whipping up whitecaps and coating the windows with salt spray. In the 9:00 AM announcement, the captain said the pools would be closed today because they couldn't keep the water in them.

We were up earlier than usual, for no particular reason, so we had the opportunity to sample the Late Risers Breakfast by the Neptune Pool. The menu hasn't changed, so we had the Peanut Butter and Jelly French Toast, which is much tastier than it sounds. The deck stewards serve this meal, so it is hit and miss whether you get what you ordered. In our case, we both got the side order of fruit and of bacon, rather than one of each. Also, this was after sitting there for longer than it should have taken for someone to take our order.

A pet peeve of ours is when staff begin packing things up before the designated ending hour. In this case, they began picking up the table settings ten minutes early. We heard at least one couple, who wanted to eat there, turn back because they thought it was too late. Plus, while we were eating we were constantly interrupted by