Does Crystal/Oscillators package matter?
Yes, the package can make a big difference. It's much easier to get an HC-49 crystal to start up than the equivalent  HC-49S, for example. Smaller crystals will also have a lower maximum drive level, which will cause aging if you overdrive. They also have worse pullability (probably not an issue for your application). Read the crystal datasheet and make sure it matches up to what you need:

Will the crystal start up reliably across all conditions?
Will there be too much current, causing the crystal to age prematurely?
Does it have the frequency tolerance that your application requires? What about across temperature?