Crystal Serenity Cabins

When Crystal Serenity underwent its 2023 refurbishment, much of the attention went to the ship’s cabins. Cabins on decks 7, 8 and 9 were expanded and completely refreshed, with modern amenities added throughout. Many of the cabins on decks 10 and 11 were refurbished in 2018 so didn’t need to be touched during the 2023 reconstruction. All the ship’s Double Guest Rooms on decks 10 and 11 also were redone in 2023. As a result, it’s a bit of a hodge-podge in terms of what you’ll get in each room, but even those that haven’t been refurbished in a while feel fresh and are a comfortable respite after a busy day exploring ports.

Tip: Crystal has extensive deck plans on its website that feature hover-over popups that will tell you if the cabin or suite is “Classic” (not recently refurbished), “Redesigned in 2018” or “Redesigned in 2023.”

What to Expect in Rooms on Crystal Serenity

All cabins, regardless of category, include butler service; your butler will work with your stateroom attendant to make sure your cabin is clean and your needs are met every day. Services include 24-hour in-suite dining, turndown service, shoeshine service as well as assistance with packing and unpacking.

Cabins include living areas with sofas, a desk/vanity, two twin beds that can be combined to make a queen-sized bed, closet and TV. Additionally, you’ll have a safe, mini refrigerator, interactive tablet for onboard use and night tables. Newly renovated cabins include plenty of outlets as well as USB ports – mini and traditional – for charging. Oddly, many of the updated cabins lack full-length mirrors.

All rooms also come with a welcome bottle of Champagne, wine and spirits from a set menu, soft drinks of your choice, fresh fruit brought daily, a pillow menu, powerful hair dryer and a hair iron, if requested.

All staterooms on Deck 8 and higher have balconies, while those on Deck 7 feature big picture windows rather than step-out balconies. The ship doesn’t have inside cabins. (Check out our article on picking a cruise ship cabin to help you decide which room is right for you.)

The ship also offers 14 cabins exclusively for solo travelers, reducing the need for those traveling alone to pay a single supplement. Crystal Serenity has eight accessible cabins.

The smallest rooms on Crystal Serenity start at around 215 square feet, about the size of a hotel room. Single and Double Guest Room with Ocean View cabins fall into this category. (There is some variation in size depending on where you book.)

Suites and Balcony Cabins on Crystal Serenity

Most of the cabins on Crystal Serenity have balconies, which are generally nice-sized, and none of the cabins with balconies have obstructed views. (Only four double guest rooms -- midship on Deck 8 -- have slightly limited views.)

Double Guest Rooms with balconies are the only non-suite category to feature verandas. These are found sprinkled throughout decks 8, 9 and 10. Balconies for this level measure up to 54 square feet.

Suites start at the next level, with the 323-square-foot Aquamarine Veranda Suite. Suites at this level and above come with additional amenities, including flowers, afternoon canapes and in-suite Nespresso coffee makers. The Classic Aquamarine Suite features a large bathroom that includes a bathtub, walk-in closet, combo desk/vanity, and couch and chair with a small table. Colors include whites, creams and blacks in the main living and sleeping areas, deep red wood and beige in the bathrooms. (Don’t be surprised by the giant old-style hairdryer unit – don’t worry, you’ll have a modern hair dryer as well.) The later refurbishments got rid of the bathtubs and expanded the living space. These cabins feature a more modern color pallet, with blues, grays and greens in the living space, and light wood in the walk-in closet.

Next up is the Sapphire Veranda Suite, which feel spacious, at up to 430 square feet, with 107-square-foot balcony. This category is a true suite, offering a living room separated from the bedroom by a curtain; the bathroom can be accessed from either space. There’s a living room and a small dining space as well. Cabins that were updated feature the same color approach as the new Aquamarine suites. Also, tubs were removed, and showers were expanded. This level of suite and above includes dry cleaning for five pieces and a free bag of laundry every 10 cruise days and free pressing of up to five pieces per day.

At the top of the suite chain are the ship’s six Junior Penthouse Suites (645 square feet) and four Penthouse Suites (1,265 square feet). Both feature expansive spaces that include a living rooms, dining rooms, massive primary bathrooms (with bathtubs) and separate guest washrooms, large walk-in closets and roomy balconies. The Penthouse Suite additionally offers a den/entertainment center space with surround sound and a butler’s pantry. All of these suites are gorgeous, with modern furnishings and art, as well as ornate bathrooms. Both also include turndown service with handmade truffles, room service from Italian restaurant Osteria D’Ovidio, in-suite cocktail parties, private transfers to and from the ship, and personal escort from the terminal to the suite on embarkation day. The Penthouse Suites include full-sized sofa sleepers.

Cabin Bathrooms on Crystal Serenity

Bathrooms on Crystal Serenity are generally spacious, with clean, marble finishes. All bathrooms include sinks – in many cases, dual sinks – large, glass-enclosed showers, and individual tubes of Ortigia shampoo, conditioner and lotion, plus bar soap. (We love that this luxury Sicilian brand offers its amenities in metal tubes vs. plastic bottles.)

Guests who want tubs must book either a Classic cabin or Penthouse or Penthouse Junior suites. Showerheads, body nozzles and handheld wands vary by cabin level, but no matter where you stay, you’ll have good water pressure. The top Penthouse Suites include spa flotation tubs, heated benches in shower and bidets.

Cabins to Avoid on Crystal Serenity

The redesigned cabins are so good, we would avoid booking one of the ship’s Classic cabins. In addition to feeling a little dated, they lack some of the cool amenities we love from the refurbed staterooms, including multiple outlets everywhere and in every style staying charged up and toilet paper “shelves” so you can keep your phone handy (come on, we know it visits the loo with you). Alternatively, check out our favorite cabins below.

Cruise Critic Crystal Serenity Room Picks

For the solo traveler: Book a Single Guest Room with Ocean View. We are especially excited by this one because it is essentially the same as a Double Guest Room, but at essentially half the cost. We only lament that no balconies are available in this category.

Budget: Book yourself a newly redesigned Double Guest Room with Veranda. You’ll appreciate the personal balcony space, modern touches and modest price.

Our favorite: We fell in love with our new Sapphire Veranda Suite on our hosted Crystal Serenity sailing thanks to its beautiful balcony, large bathroom with incredible shower (with an array of body sprayers) and upgraded amenities including the in-room Nespresso machine.

Splash: If money is no object and you want a room you’ll never forget (or want to leave), try a Penthouse Suite, which offers space for you and all your new friends, plus top-end perks.