Down laneways flanked by walls adorned with mural art, people are buying their daily groceries, choosing from brightly coloured fresh fruits and vegetables shaded beneath lime green umbrellas. On the balconies of 18th-century apartment blocks, a lady is shaking clean her linen, while others are sweeping between decorative potted plants. Italian flags and blue-and-white checked Napoli World Cup bunting is draped from nearly every balustrade. The tooting from passing motorbikes reminds me to look forwards again at eye level, as we make our way through the lively, working-class district of Sanità in Naples, Italy.
I’m in Italy’s third-largest city by population on a port stop during a European cruise aboard the newly refurbished luxury ship, Crystal Serenity. The cruise brand, in operation for more than three decades, was acquired in 2022 by the Abercrombie & Kent (A&K) Travel Group, securing its two most prized vessels: Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony.
Crystal Serenity’s penthouse suite
Today, I’m immersed in the fascinating and gritty city of Naples (Napoli) with a local A&K guide, Rosana. She’s so passionate and proud to share her multi-layered city with us that, at the entrance of Santa Chiara, the largest Gothic church in Naples, her volume rises occasionally as she divulges historical anecdotes to our small group, prompting an instruction to “shoosh” from a priest as we stand at the church entrance.
“Mi scusi, padre,” she offers in sincere apology.
Rosana has taken us past San Carlo Theatre, the world’s oldest working opera house; and the impressive 19th-century shopping mall, Galleria Umberto; and to Caffé Gambrinus Napoli – established in 1860 and once frequented by Oscar Wilde, Ernest Hemingway and Sigmund Freud — where we sample the renowned Neapolitan espresso and classic local pastries including the buttery, shell-shaped sfogliatella, and babà sponge cake, soaked in liqueur.
Now, after a short walk through Sanità, we arrive for our next culinary highlight: lunch and a pizza dough making experience at restaurant Concettina ai Tre Santi. The Michelin-starred pizzeria has been run by the Oliva family for more than 60 years and draws its own crowd of loyal clientele (Rosana tells us that actor Robert De Niro had visited just days prior). A red Vespa is parked prominently out front. Inside, we spend several hours lost in good food and conversation, seated at a group table against a brick wall, with a religious nativity set protruding from a shelf above us. We sip on welcome aperitivo of Spritz and prosecco as our starters arrive: garlic flatbread pizza, mixed green salad with buffalo mozzarella, and panino annarella and tonino mini sandwiches.
We don aprons as our group is called to try our hand at making pizza dough in a nearby facility. Our tutor doesn’t speak a word of English and guides us by demonstrating, while a translator helps fill in the blanks. The language of food, however, is universal and soon we’re all exchanging laughter and gestures about our attempts to mix yeast into our flour and water mixture. One by one, we search our leader’s expressions for his approval as we knead dough onto a floury surface. In turn, we receive either a thumbs-up, a so-so gesture, or in the case of one fellow travel companion, we’re left in no doubt as our tutor reaches over, grabs the toughened lump of dough from his hands and hurls it, theatrically, into the bin.
We clean up and wander back to the restaurant in giggles, thankful that we won’t be dining on our own amateur pizza dough. As the main course pizze arrive, our waiter ladles a tomato pizza sauce onto a pizza stand, topping it with fresh parmesan shaved on the spot, basil leaves first clapped between his hands then sprinkled, followed by a thin pizza base pressed into place. He pulls a piece of the bread with his hand, smudges it into the tomato sauce and, without missing a beat, hand-feeds it to one of our guests. Prego!
The Italian flavours (and charm) continue at another port stop in Livorno. While some guests venture ashore to visit Pisa, I have signed up for a farm-to-table experience and wine tasting in Tuscany, about a 40-minute drive from where our ship is docked. We are driven past an unmistakeable Tuscan landscape of vineyards, and olive, poplar, oak and Cypress trees before we turn into the entrance of Fattoria Vialto — a working farm run by husband and wife team, Davide and Francesca.
Davide at Fattoria Vialto
(Photo: Tom Griffiths)Davide collects us at the farm’s entrance, wearing a broad and welcoming smile on his sun-tanned face, and a slightly wonky straw hat. We climb aboard a horse-drawn red carriage as Davide steers the animals down the long drive, through the farm and fields of sunflowers, explaining he’s just harvested fava beans while pointing to the olive trees from which they produce their own oils. He spontaneously bursts into song, “I sing better than [Andrea] Bocelli,” he confidently declares.
Outside the farm house, we are seated at tables decorated in gingham tablecloths, as a typical Sunday Tuscan feast is served. We dine on sourdough topped with estate olive oil, prosciutto, cheese drizzled with truffle honey, and platters of homemade pasta ragù and Bolognese — while sipping on Chianti and vermentino. With an attentive audience, the scene is set for another impromptu performance by Davide, this time with wife Francesca who, at the end of his heartfelt melody, pulls the straw hat aside to dab the sweat from his face and seals it with a kiss on the lips.
Afterwards, we step inside the original homestead for a tasting of Vialto’s estate-made wines, along with grappa, and chocolate and traditional limoncello. I glance up at the brick, buttress ceiling to see the date stamp of 1368, which Francesca confirms is the year the farmhouse was created. I can’t resist buying a bottle of their zesty and pure limoncello, taking a little taste of Tuscany home with me.
Flavours at sea on board Crystal Serenity
Crystal Serenity bar
On board the 740-guest Crystal Serenity, there’s 11 dining experiences to try during my six-day voyage. An exceptional seafood experience is found at Umi Uma — the only restaurant at sea by the esteemed Japanese chef, Nobu Matsuhisa. In the sleek, newly refurbished space, there are group tables and a sushi-style counter where cuts of fresh sashimi are displayed. The Japanese-Peruvian fusion restaurant offers a selection of Nobu’s signature dishes including Nobu-style black cod, grilled Chilean sea bass, wagyu beef fillet steak, and some of the finest sushi available at sea.
I’m enamoured with the interiors and refined atmosphere at the Osteria d’Ovidio Italian restaurant, named in honour of co-chairman of A&K Travel Group, Manfredi Lefebvre d’Ovidio. Settling in to an intimate dining setting with fellow guests, on a curved, rust-hued velvet banquette, I sip on a Bellini and savour fine Italian cuisine such as a starter of astice (lobster in Acquasale, tomato essence and basil olive oil); tortellini di stracotto di manzo (tortellini filled with braised beef, fig vincotto and Gorgonzola); and agnello (lamb, sweet onion, balsamic vinegar and sea asparagus). All perfectly paired with the Italian coastal vistas.
At meal times, I choose from the all-inclusive wines poured by sommeliers who can advise based on my personal tastes. Casual meals are taken at the tapas-style Tastes Kitchen & Bar on Deck 12, serving a range of noodles, salads, char siu bao, pizza, quesadilla and seafood. I soon discover that the premium gelato at Scoops Ice Cream Bar is a popular, afternoon gathering spot — especially after a day of exploring ashore. On sea-day sailings, a classic afternoon tea is hosted in Palm Court, with pastries, quiches and cakes presented on a tiered platter and served with Julius Meinl teas — or Champagne.
In my Sapphire Veranda Suite, my Brazilian butler Jean has noted my hot and cold beverage preferences and has stocked my complimentary minibar accordingly. I can ask Jean to arrange in-suite dining at any time, or book dinner reservations for me. A voyage highlight soon becomes savouring peaceful moments each afternoon when Jean delivers canapés to my suite.
I settle into my outdoor balcony chairs, the indigo blues of the gently moving Mediterranean Sea reflecting in my sunglasses, as Jean pours me a glass of Charles Heidsieck Champagne. Now this is the way to savour Europe in summer.
Crystal Serenity’s pool deck
BOOKING INFORMATION
Crystal Serenity currently offers voyages to 111 destinations, including the Mediterranean, Caribbean, Iceland, the Eastern seaboard, Canada, Baja California, South America and the Panama Canal. Rates on Crystal Serenity will vary, according to the voyage and cabin selection. As a guide, rates for a Sapphire Veranda Suite on the 10-night Venice to Athens voyage, departing 14 Novemeber, 2024, will start from $14,700 per guest (based on double occupancy). The 606-guest Crystal Symphony was relaunched in September 2023, asfter an extensive refit, and started sailing locally in Asia, Australa and New Zealand from November 2023.
For more information, visit crystalcruises.com.
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