I’d like to spotlight Umi Uma & sushi bar, located aboard the Crystal Serenity, in its own dedicated post. Umi Uma is an exceptional dining experience created by the renowned sushi chef, Nobu Matsuhisa. This fine dining restaurant can be found on both the Crystal Serenity and Symphony ships.

In the pre-transparency days of Wall Street, during the start of the DOT COM years, I served as a Vice President in Information Technology on the trading floor of a prominent Wall Street institution (think Golden Socks). Here, amidst Dove Bar carts weaving through the aisles and head waiters in starched white shirts, from the finest Wall Street restaurants, jotting down our lunch orders. It was during those times that I had numerous occasions to dine at Nobu. These were moments to celebrate closed deals or entertain clients, and they left an indelible mark on me.

However, having experienced Nobu aboard the Crystal Serenity, I must say it elevates the dining experience slightly above its New York City counterpart.

The added experience aboard Crystal Serenity’s Umi Uma & Sushi Bar is because of the chefs and our connection to them. But to experience this intimacy one must dine at the sushi bar. It is almost a game for the chefs and for the passengers opposite the glass cases, where the ingredients are precisely currated for display.

We feel as if we are sitting at a baller’s black jack table, except there are four dealers across from us, dealing cards so high and wild they never need to deal another (context taken from the Stranger Song by Leonard Cohen).

These culinary masterpieces, these stacks of California rolls and transparent slices of yellowfin are placed over the glass like chips placed before each player, and the chefs quietly lean back pretending not to look at you as they clean the edge of their knife, but are waiting for your reaction. These dishes not only delight the senses but also leave lasting impressions on the palate, ensuring memories that linger long after the meal.

We had a shared funny experience at the sushi bar the other night, dining next to seasoned fellow passengers. A group of Travel Agents walked in and one of the agents passing by the sushi bar said to the chefs, Namaste, which literally means ‘bowing to you’… a nice sentiment, but wrong culture. The chefs all quietly chuckled while focused on their craft and the head chef smirking, saying in a low voice… ‘but we are Japanese....’. It became even funnier when the same agent walked out and repeated the phrase….

I have since brushed up on my Japanese… Otsukaresama deshita (Thank you for your hard work).

It was during our 2020 world cruise fête tragique, that I became hooked on cold sake, but it might just be the really cool carafe it is served in. How they form a ball of ice inside larger then the opening is a mystery.

Then we moved onto dessert–– sesame ice cream. Say no more…..

And of course, without further ado, the dress.