Good afternoon and greetings from the Falkland Islands. We anchored here at about 7:00 AM today and will be departing in a few hours. 

Here’s AAC CPA greeting you from the Promenade Deck – note the lovely weather:

Yes, gentle readers, the weather today is not ideal for going ashore and traipsing about. So AAC CPA and I elected to stay aboard. And it was really interesting, because everyone else went ashore and we were left almost all alone. 

I thought that, as we have the run of the ship, I’d give you a tour without being distracted by any other passengers of the beautiful Crystal Symphony. Count the number of people you see as I show you the ship.

We start our tour up on Deck 11 where, all the way forward, is the Palm Court, an oasis of calm (and palm). Unless it’s right now where afternoon tea is in session and then the places gets pretty busy. Or during the cocktail hour, where you might drop by for a pre-dinner libation. On port days, however, the place is empty and AAC CPA and I spent a few luxurious hours up there all by ourselves pretending that we owned the ship and had it all to ourselves which, actually, we did for awhile.

Let’s move down to Deck 6 where you can find the Bistro, open all day and into the evening. It’s here you go for your morning coffee, snacks and small meals during the day.

Next up is the Starlight Lounge. During the day, you can play Team Trivia (we’ve won twice, btw), or attend a lecture or, at night, come for a cocktail and dancing.

Proceeding aft on Deck 6, we hit the Connoisseur Club, one of the very few places on the entire ship where you’d go for a stogie and some cognac. I think it’s a smelly room, but that’s me.

Next door is the Avenue Saloon, a place where everybody knows your name. Wait, isn’t that in Boston? Anyway, it’s an intimate bar for drinks, chatter, live piano music, and, on some nights, karaoke!!

Next door is Computer U, where you go with all your tech issues. We’re lucky to have Internet right now, so I’m rushing to get this blog entry completed ASAP.

Computer U also offers classes in their very own Computer U classroom.

All the way aft on Deck 6 is the card room where, on sea days, duplicate bridge games are available. Please don’t trump my ace!!

Moving forward and to the port side is the 1st of the 2 specialty restaurants on board, Prego, serving up delicious Italian fare.

A little further forward is the 2nd specialty restaurant, Silk Road, where the cuisine of the great Japanese chef, Nobu Matsuhisa, is served. We were there last night, and I had sushi for dessert. Seriously, I did.

Next door to Silk Road is one of the special culinary treasures of the ship, the Vintage Room. It is here – for an additional, but completely warranted charge – that you can enjoy an intimate 7-course meal with wine pairings, hosted by the ship’s head sommelier. It’s a real treat. And for only 10 – 12 guests.

Moving back midship on Deck 6 is the fully stocked library.

Or, if reading’s not your thing, how about taking in a movie at the Hollywood Theatre? They show fairly new films and serve fresh popcorn, too.

If it’s a live show that you want to see, you’ve got the Galaxy Lounge, all the way forward on Deck 6. Shows are presented every night for your viewing pleasure.

Finally on Deck 6, if Lady Luck is with you, check out the casino, where slots galore and table games await you. (The blackjack tables have been very unkind to me on this voyage.)

Let’s move down to Deck 5 which is, perhaps, the hub of the ship. Let’s burn some calories after all the eating we’ve done over the past 9 days, and take the grand staircase to get there.

And here’s the reception desk, where you can plan a shore excursion or ask the concierge to make you a reservation for some hot restaurant in a port city, or just about anything you want.

Directly across from the reception deck is the Crystal Cove, yet another watering hole. This one gets very crowded just before dinner. There’s another pianist here to entertain you while you sip your cocktail.

Just next to Crystal Cove is the ship’s signature fountain and waterfall. They’re big.

Although you can only see a part of it, immediately in front of the waterfall is an open area that, on big-band cruises, can be used as a dancefloor for pre-dinner dancing. It’s swank.

Over your head is the stained glass Crystal Cove ceiling.

And, because you’ll want to book your next cruise before disembarking, here’s where you can meet with a Crystal Cruise consultant who’ll answer all your questions and make your dreams come true. I kid you not, I was talking to Paula Jean earlier today about booking back-to-back river cruises – for 2018!!!!!

Just aft of Crystal Cove is the place where you’ll spend a lot of your time, the Crystal Dining Room. Overseen on this voyage by the incomparable Remi, the CDR is the place where you’ll be very spoiled by the excellent service and cuisine.

And here’s a section of this afternoon’s lunch menu, which I know will make somebody’s day.

So that’s my little tour of the ghost ship, Symphony. I hope you enjoyed it.

Do you believe me now about how empty the place is today? To give you a better idea, I was told that, at noon, there were only 67 passengers aboard. Full capacity is 922, so you get the idea, right?

Tomorrow’s a sea day and then, on Sunday, we dock at Puerto Madryn, Argentina.

Adios, amigos!!!