Crystal Symphony Activities
Theater and Shows on Crystal Symphony
Crystal Symphony offers a full-scale show theatre, the Galaxy Lounge, on Deck 6 forward. Here, production shows are held on select nights, and are usually well-attended. As an added bonus: the ship has a full showband onboard that performs music to accompany nightly entertainment; a refreshing change from the pre-recorded music used in so many shipboard entertainment productions.
The new Crystal hasn't tinkered much with the productions list aboard Crystal Symphony. On our sailing, Icons in Concert featuring the Crystal Ensemble of Singers and Dancers was performed, along with Crystal on Broadway. Both are standard musical revues, but the quality of the singers and dancers, coupled with the live showband, kept us coming back each night.
The ship also has a dedicated movie theatre, the Hollywood Theatre, on Deck 6 forward. Afternoon and evening movies are shown here, with titles changing daily. Don't believe the movie poster outside the theatre itself; the title being shown is frequently different.
Daily Things to Do on Crystal Symphony
Being a luxury vessel, Crystal Symphony offers a limited set of organized activities during the day, with most passengers preferring to relax on the pool deck or curl up with a book in their suites.
Activities onboard include stretch and fitness classes in the Fitness Center, unhosted Bridge, afternoon tea in the Palm Court, and seminars covering computer software, spa treatments and other assorted topics.
Each day also has an enrichment lecture of some sort, with presenters offering up insight into itinerary-specific topics. On our Mediterranean voyage, lectures were given on the historic cities of Homer; law and science as it relates to criminal trials; and talks on the ancient history of our ports of call: Santorini, Patmos and Kos, Greece.
Nightlife on Crystal Symphony
Nightlife on Crystal Symphony is convivial and welcoming, and while the ship may not offer the action-packed-party-till-you-drop atmosphere found on more mainstream lines, evenings are indeed when the party really gets started.
Nightlife kicks off with pre-dinner drinks in the ship's bars and lounges and moves into dinner -- an event in its own right on Crystal Symphony. Most passengers will want to linger over cocktails in the post-dinner hours, listening to live music performed in the ship's bars and lounges, or perhaps take in the evening production show or performances by guest entertainers.
Most passengers like to hang around until at least 10:30 p.m., when evening snacks are trotted out at the Avenue Saloon, Starlite Club, Jade Nightclub and Crystal Cove. Calling them "snacks" misses the mark: expect generously-sized slices of pizza, sandwiches and fresh-baked cookies, to boot.
Crystal throws special entertainment bashes on select nights, like the line's famous White Party that takes place in the ship's atrium and kicks off at 10:30 p.m. While most bars and lounges close down around midnight, a handful stay open until 1 a.m. --- or later -- if passengers are still in attendance. Crystal Symphony Bars and Lounges
Bars and lounges aboard Crystal Symphony are plentiful for a ship of this size. In fact, there's so much space to spread out now that the vessel's passenger count has been reduced to just 606 (down from nearly 1,000) that you'll often have no issue at all finding a place to kick up your feet and indulge in your favorite beverage.
While some, like the Avenue Saloon, fill up quickly due their relatively small size, others remain positively tucked away gems. The Palm Court on Deck 11 forward is a great place for pre-dinner cocktails and views, while the Taste Bar on Deck 11 (starboard side) is the place to be for crisp afternoon beers and wines.
Most bars don't have menus placed on the tables, but don't be afraid to ask the crew for recommendations. Actual leather-bound menus are available upon request, and you should do this: the line has crafted an amazing assortment of cocktails, long drinks and martinis that are sure to delight. Other little surprises include a premium craft beer menu filled with Belgian brews and an extra-fee caviar menu that can be ordered in most bars and lounges.
Our Picks
For The Late Night Set: The intimate and clubby Avenue Saloon on Deck 6 aft offers up live entertainment and drinks that flow well into the wee hours of the morning. It also sports some of the classiest décor on the ship, with plush armchairs and couches to sink into and while the night away.
For People Watching: The Crystal Cove Bar on Deck 5 at the base of the ship's atrium is the spot to see and be seen. Not only is it situated in the heart of the action aboard Crystal Symphony, the Crystal Cove Bar has been beautifully refreshed during the vessel's 2023 refit, and the setting sunlight through the adjacent windows is an event not to be missed.
For a Quiet Drink: For whatever reason, the cavernous Starlite Lounge on Deck 6 midship is frequently quiet when entertainers and lecturers aren't using the space. With its huge circular bar and low lighting accented romantically with individual table lamps, this is the place for a quiet drink in an intimate setting. Better still, it's atrium-adjacent location means live music from the Crystal Cove Bar can be heard lightly from within the Starlite Lounge.
Pools and Hot Tubs Aboard Crystal Symphony
Crystal Symphony's main pool and hot tub are situated on Deck 11. The standard midship pool area, it has been lovingly redone by Crystal and is large enough for a mini-swim, for those who so choose.
Just adjacent to the main pool is an oversized, rectangular hot tub of the kind that you'd expect on a more modern cruise ship. It's big enough you could fit six or seven adults into it, but we never saw more than one person at a time in it on our Eastern Mediterranean voyage. Remember: this is a luxury ship -- you'll probably never fight for space in the ship's only pool and hot tub.
Sun Decks aboard Crystal Symphony
Being built in 1995, Crystal Symphony adheres to old-school design principles that work in passenger's favor. That means an ample Pool Deck is situated amidships on Deck 11, replete with comfy lounge chairs with both sun and shaded options, and plenty of open deck space.
Up on Deck 12, AstroTurf-style decking runs from bow to stern. Amazing vistas are had from almost every spot on the deck, which even includes an area above the Palm Court observation lounge where passengers can overlook the ship's bow -- perfect for sail-in's and sailaways. Additionally, the ship has golf driving ranges on either side here, allowing for passengers to practice their swing while at sea.
Also noteworthy is Crystal Symphony's teak Promenade Deck that wraps around the entire ship on Deck 7. A throwback to the glory days of cruising, the Promenade Deck is a great place for an early-morning stroll -- and yet another location where arrival and departure from port can be viewed.
All the way aft, passengers can ascend open decks that are on Deck 8, 9, 10 and 11, while at the bow, passengers have access to Decks 8 and 9, right below the vessel's Navigation Bridge.
Services and Wi-Fi on Crystal Symphony
Most of Crystal Symphony's essential services, like its Concierge, Reception and Shore Excursion desks, can all be found on Deck 5 at the base of the ship's stunning Atrium. Additionally, the Future Cruise Consultant can also be found here, along with offices for the ship's Hotel Director and Cruise Director.
Shops line the Deck 6 ring of the Atrium, and carry the assortment of high-end clothing, watches and jewelry you'd expect of a ship of Crystal's caliber. A shop selling Crystal-branded logo items is also featured, and which are also suitably high-end.
Adjacent to the shops on Deck 6 is the ship's Library, which stocks hundreds of titles ranging from fiction to non-fiction to foreign language and even Japanese anime. It is open in mornings and afternoons on most days, and is otherwise closed during off-hours. Books can be signed out free of charge.
Further aft on Deck 6, The Computer University at Sea offers computer classes (and internet access for those without their own devices, while an adjacent Card Room offers players the chance to engage in games of Bridge at their leisure.
A small Photo Studio, taking professional-grade portrait photography, is available on Deck 6.
There is no Casino aboard Crystal Symphony anymore, the previous one having been removed with the ship's 2023 refit.
Although the vessel is equipped with Starlink Internet, it was not operational on our voyage. The normal satellite-accessed internet was functional but slow. An upgraded internet package -- presumably the Starlink one -- is available at an additional cost.
Aurora Spa and Salon onboard Crystal Symphony
Situated on Deck 12 at the ship's stern, the Aurora Spa aboard Crystal Symphony is a real stunner. Completely redone in 2023, it sparkles with new treatment rooms, signage, and revitalized equipment that hardly gives any indication the facility itself is approaching its third decade.
Treatments here include a full lineup of massage and therapy services, from standard deep tissue massages to couples experiences, wraps, scrubs and facials. Hair and nail treatments for men and women are available in the adjacent Salon.
Our standard Deep Tissue massage was welcoming and wonderfully performed, and didn't come with any kind of hard-sell for post-care products that sometimes can be the case on cruise ship spa experiences. Prices were in line with what would be expected on a ship of this caliber; if anything, some treatments felt a little under-priced (but we're not complaining!).
Most standard massages started around the $169 mark and went up from there. There is no thermal suite or hydrotherapy pool at the Aurora Spa aboard Crystal Symphony, though men's and women's change rooms do offer sex-segregated steam, sauna and aromatherapy showers.
Fitness and Gym on Crystal Symphony
Located on Deck 12 aft on the starboard side, adjacent to the Aurora Spa, the Fitness Center aboard Crystal Symphony has likewise seen a complete refresh and is now stocked with brand-new equipment from TechnoGym. This includes things like treadmills, weight machines and a full range of free weights. It's not the biggest fitness center you'll have ever seen, but it does get the job done for those who are looking to stay active while at sea.
Is Crystal Symphony Family Friendly?
One of the biggest surprises about Crystal Symphony is that the ship (and indeed, the line) welcomes families with kids of all ages. In fact, kids over 6 months of age are welcomed to travel with the line at any time, on any itinerary (though Crystal Symphony does not have care facilities onboard for young infants).
The ship has two dedicated kid's facilities located on Deck 11 near the forward staircase. Fantasia caters to children with dedicated activities and play areas, while Waves is strictly for teens. Both are linked by a common midship partition that can be closed or open depending on the number of kids onboard. Activities tend to be scheduled only when enough kids are onboard to warrant it, so it's always worth contacting the cruise line to see if the threshold has been met.
While the facilities are pretty basic compared to lines like Disney and Royal Caribbean, rare is the luxury line that makes any kind of dedicated space available at all to kids and teens. Coupled with Crystal's tremendous service and spacious suites, the line could be the right fit for the multi-generational family looking for a port-intensive itinerary that doesn't compromise.