I was interested to try the Crystal Cruise Line, as, like most regular cruisers, I'd heard a vast amount about the service etc. It was quite a shock though, to find that about 80% of my fellow passengers were repeat Crystal cruisers! I knew they were loyal, but given that the staff already knew all of them, and only had to learn the names and preferences of the 20% of us who were newbies, it put a whole new slant on things.
But they were good! It takes about 24-36 hours for the Crystal staff to learn something about you, and from then on, they just keep producing the goods. My husband has to drink decaff, and from the second day both our tea and our coffee turned up in two pots caffeine for me, caffeine free for him, even when WE forgot to ask, they came and checked with us ... amazing!
And the food was, far and away, better than anything but Cunard's. I've never tasted such good seafood at sea (it's usually frozen and it tastes it) and when we were in port, local foodstuffs like salads and tropical fruits appeared on the menu within a couple of hours.
There weren't any children in evidence on our cruise and I can't say if that's because there actually weren't any on the ship, or if Crystal's staff kept them well entertained and away from the adults, but it was rather nice not to have to dodge screaming, soaking wet kiddies steaming around the deck like small ballistic missiles.
If you like to be pampered, remembered and treated like an adult - go Crystal, I can't wait for my chance to become a 'repeat traveller'!