Set Sail with Crystal: 14 Days Barcelona to Venice on Symphony

The cruise started in Barcelona, so our group went four days early and stayed at El Palace Hotel, Barcelona. What a spectacular hotel, with exceptional service and first-class bars and amenities. We went early enough that we could fit in a private tour at Sagrada Familia with LivTours, and enjoy outstanding restaurants and bars. The transfer to the ship took less than 15 minutes. It was the easiest and most personal check-in I have ever had on a cruise.

The itinerary Crystal put together was excellent. This was my first Crystal cruise, but many in our family group had sailed with them before. The first cruise included stops in Barcelona, Mallorca, Cannes, Monte Carlo, Portofino, Livorno (canceled last minute, substituted with Villefranche-sur-Mer) and Toulon, France. The second cruise included Civitavechia, Sorrento, Sicily, Corfu, Dubrovnik and Venice. There were thoughtful excursions offered in every port, although our group tended to book *phenomenal lunches onshore, or schedule private boats for tours. There is a cost for excursions on Crystal.

Our Veranda Suite was awesome, **recently remodeled, and included a separate sitting area from the bedroom. The bathroom was large and had a wonderful shower with multiple shower heads. The Jr. Penthouse Suite was awesome as well, with the floorpan and butler service that was really amazing! The Symphony pool deck was perfect, with sofa groupings as well as lounge chairs. This allowed for great conversation and resting areas, and there was never an issue getting a place to sit.

The age of guests was very different. Many families traveled with young adults, and even a few kids used the kids corner, which was open for a few hours each day. This makes for an easy, multi-general setting.

As for the Crystal Symphony ship and the onboard programs, it seemed that A&K is working hard to get things right. Employees always asked for feedback, and talked about changes that were coming to the boats. These changes included changing a food area, adding a possible casino area and more. Symphony was originally built in 1995, and was remodeled by A&K in 2022/23.

Onboard programs, like dance lessons and art lessons were fun, but there was not a lot offered. Crystal appears to be ironing out their communications plans with guests and on-shore partners. There were a few missed opportunities, like the very late cancellation of Livorno, not because of weather. The transfers were not handled correctly, and there were a few other situations that I am sure will be dealt with differently in the future. The food was always very good, sometimes excellent, and the crew was consistently awesome!

Notes:

*For a list of the restaurants we visited, please request it via email - you will NOT be added to any mailing list!

**When booking any cruise, it is important to determine if there is a preferred side of the ship for the specific itinerary. For example, from Barcelona to Toulon, it was amazing to be on the port side of the ship to see land views for most of the cruise, and enjoy the beautiful Monte Carlo cityscape from our veranda. On the second cruise from Toulon to Venice it really did not matter if you were port or starboard. When booking Crystal, specifically, I would recommend booking with an agent experienced with Crystal. Some rooms have been updated in 2017 and some in 2023. There are some rooms with views blocked by the tenders. Everything can be managed, it is just easier to work around if you understand this before booking.

This trip report is part of our ongoing series on travel to Venice. In need of further inspiration? Check out Elizabeth Gudrais’s guide, Immersive Venice Experience.