In last week’s edition, I wrote about my recent experience on board Crystal Symphony, the history of the ship, the various suites and facilities and in this edition, the culinary experience. This is one of the big draws for clients choosing the Crystal Cruises product, from the moment you board, dining on the Crystal Symphony is clearly treated as a major luxury offering, for many guests it’s the biggest highlight on their cruise.
The ship’s official page notes that you’ll have nine distinct dining venues that range from the high-end signature restaurant by chef Nobu Matsuhisa to 24-hour in-suite fine dining. What this means in practice is that you can choose everything from a formal multi-course dinner in an elegant restaurant, casual pool-deck dining, to a gourmet meal in your suite, any time of day. So when thinking about a 9-night voyage, you can eat in a different restaurant every night!
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As our trip was just a short 4-night duration, we only managed to sample a few of the restaurants on board, the highlight being Umi Uma, where the menu is overseen by the chef Nobu Matsuhisa.
This restaurant is the only ‘Nobu’ concept at sea and offers signature dishes like miso-marinated black cod with its’ Japanese Peruvian fusion flavours. For those of you who have eaten at a Nobu restaurant, you will appreciate the cost of a meal there, and this is all included in the cruise price.
Every guest is guaranteed at least one reservation at Umi Uma per cruise, depending on the duration of the cruise,eit can even be two. Another of the speciality restaurants is the Osteria d’Ovidio, which offers elegant Italian fine dining in collaboration with Michelin-rated chefs. This is a great choice if you want refined food in a luxury, elegant environment.
The main dining venue is the Waterside Restaurant, which is a go-to for casual dinners, offering modern international cuisine in an elegant ocean view setting. The menus change daily, and reservations are not required.
Additional venues include the famous Beefbar, a speciality global street-food, meat-focused spot, open for lunch and dinner (reservations are required in the evening). If you fancy a casual pool-deck grill with burgers and outdoor dining, then head for the Trident Grill. For buffet-style food, breakfast, lunch and dinner, then the Marketplace is perfect and if you get peckish during the day, then The Bistro serves light bites from morning to evening.
So what was my overall impression and what tips can I share?
Make reservations as early as you can, especially for the speciality restaurants such as Umi Uma and Osteria.
The dress code and venue ambience lean more formal in the speciality restaurants and smart casual in the Bistro & Trident Grill
Dietary restrictions and allergies, inform the cruise line ahead of your cruise so they are aware of your requirements
In suite dining, don’t forget you can have a gourmet meal in your suite if you want to take it easy one evening
Mix it up, since there are so many dining venues, plan to experience a variety of styles.
While the Crystal Symphony is a luxury ship, the atmosphere on board feels relaxed rather than ultra-stuffy, so if you are someone who enjoys exploring food, trying new dishes and pairing fine dining with luxury travel, then I can highly recommend Crystal Symphony.
