Crystal usually sends one of its two ships to Asia, Australia and New Zealand every winter for sailings out of such cities as Bangkok, Singapore, Sydney and Auckland. The round-trip sailings from Vancouver also include a call at the small Alaska town of Sitka instead of the more touristy Juneau — the latter a mainstay of seven-night Alaska sailings. Stops at Skagway and Ketchikan and a visit to the glacier-carved Endicott Arm fjord round out the trips. Crystal also offers occasional one-way Panama Canal sailings from Florida to the West Coast of the United States. These feature stops in the Caribbean, as well as a full transit of the Panama Canal. A typical 11-night Caribbean voyage out of Miami offered by Crystal includes calls at Tortola in the British Virgin Islands; St. Martin; St. John in the U.S.
Dining and Beverages
The problem with putting helicopters on expedition ships is that the space needed for a helicopter landing pad and related hangars eats up a huge amount of deck-top space. That leaves less room for deck-top features such as outdoor pools, lounge areas, restaurants and bars. These regularly scheduled voyages visit each year some of the world's most exotic vacation destinations, among which are Hawaii, South Pacific Islands, Australia New Zealand, Southeast Asia, Alaska. Crystal Ocean cruise ships call on over 180 ports in 60 different countries worldwide.
Cruises
In January, Crystal signed a partnership with Ensemble Travel Group (1968-founded consortium, member-owned and run organization of ~850 independent travel agencies in the USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand). Under this deal, Crystal provides an onboard amenity program, Ensemble Travel-hosted voyages, and access to discounted cruises for travel agents. After being acquired by Abercrombie & Kent Travel Group in 2022, the company was officially relaunched in February 2023 as just "Crystal", opening bookings for past guests on February 13th, and for the general public on February 22nd.
Crystal Serenity Deck Plan
Crystal River Cruises was a division of the old Crystal Cruises (managing 4x newbuild riverboats) and a separate branch offering fully all-inclusive deals. The product was marked by gourmet dining, expert enrichment, high-class entertainment, top-luxury amenities and impeccable service. In each port along the itinerary were offered culture-themed tours and excursions. In some of the ports, the river ships had overnight stays allowing tourists to enjoy high-class gourmet dining experiences at Michelin-starred restaurants ashore and also exclusive evening events and entertainment on board. Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony will visit 144 new destinations in 2025 — combined, the ships will visit 112 countries and 281 ports on 73 sailings. Some highlights include Svalbard, Norway, where guests might be able to see the northern lights; Monaco for the Formula 1 Grand Prix; and New England and Canada just in time for fall foliage season.
SAIL THE BALTICS & NORTHERN EUROPE
The award-winning ships will soon embark on itineraries around the globe, immersing guests in incredible locations. Voyages will travel throughout the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, Canada and New England, Alaska, the Caribbean, through the Panama Canal, the Middle East, Asia, Australia, and New Zealand. If you’re sailing on Crystal Cruises’ yacht, Crystal Esprit, Crystal Cruises’ Expedition ship, Crystal Endeavor, or a Crystal Cruises river ship, some shore excursions are included. However, if you’re sailing on a Crystal Cruises ocean ship, shore excursions will come with an additional charge. You won’t have to pay extra for beverages like wine, Champagne, spirits, or specialty coffees. The specialty restaurants are included as is Wi-Fi, room service, and gratuities.
Crystal RIVER cruise itineraries
Life on board is marked by superior style and sophistication, impeccable service, tranquility, perfection in every detail, one of the best enrichment programs at sea. My first job was impersonating Marilyn Monroe for a show in Japan in the 1990s. It was in Tokyo that I met a dance teacher who told me that I should move to New York if I wanted to do theatre, which at the time I thought I did.
Forward observation deck
At the end of 2015, Crystal AirCruises announced planned purchase of two more aircraft - Airbus ACJ319 (corporate jet with removable extra fuel tanks) and Bombardier Global Express XRS (Canada-manufactured ultra-long-range business jet). Airbus ACJ319 jet's capacity is 30 guests and features 16 lay-flat seats. In March 2016, Crystal revealed plans to build the world's first purpose-built polar class megayacht - Crystal Endeavor. The brand's first-ever expedition ship was initially planned to enter service in August 2018 but due to shipyard issues, the construction was delayed and the delivery was rescheduled for 2021. Crystal's both ocean ships (Serenity and Symphony) are Bahamas-flagged, 5-star rated, with some of the highest space-per-guest ratios at sea. They are also among the industry's most expensive (as cabin rates) and generally operate longer itineraries (2+ weeks in length).
It currently operates only ocean voyages with two smaller-sized vessels (full-scale refurbished in 2023) with all-inclusive travel package deals. Both Crystal ships (Serenity and Symphony) are top-ranked in numerous categories and provide 5-star hotel amenities and superior services, as well as an intimate cruising experience marked by elegance and perfection in every detail. It was founded in 1988 by Japanese shipping company Nippon Yusen Kaisha, and sold to Hong Kong-headquartered conglomerate Genting Hong Kong in 2015.
Onboard the Crystal Symphony During Its Return to Service - Condé Nast Traveler
Onboard the Crystal Symphony During Its Return to Service.
Posted: Fri, 08 Sep 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Ports within British Isles
Note that, in a luxury touch, Crystal also stocks top-of-the-line Muck Boot brand waterproof boots on board for passengers to use during landings and also gives out new, high-end parkas to each passenger on expedition sailings that are theirs to keep at the end of trips. Crystal Endeavor also offers an almost hidden, close-to-the-waterline outdoor observation area at its very tip that may be one of the ship's great secrets. Home to its own hot tub as well as lounge chairs and other seating, it is the perfect vantage point to view the passing scenery. Other major public areas on Crystal Endeavor include the top-of-the-ship Palm Court, an observation lounge and bar and the centrally located Crystal Cove lounge. The former, which can seat up to 100 passengers at a time, is within a glass-enclosed, multiuse space at the back of the ship called the Solarium that also features a small indoor pool and hot tub. Open for breakfast and lunch, it serves up a diverse range of dishes from made-to-order omelets at breakfast to burgers, pasta and grilled fish at lunchtime.
Familiarize yourself with the layout of our ship, and delve into a world of innovative experiences and expertly curated spaces from our world-renowned restaurants to our cutting-edge Spa, and university at sea. The Two-Bedroom Crystal Suite with Panoramic Balcony-Window sleeps up to 5 guests and comes with butler service. This elegant room features 2 bedrooms with en suite bathrooms, a fireplace with ambient lighting, a separate dining area, and an extra powder room. With Crystal Cruises you won’t find mega-ships like Royal Caribbean or discount party ships like Carnival. What you will find are luxury ocean and river ships along with a yacht and an expedition ship.
And the Glenns' grandson, Tate, has been sailing on Crystal Serenity since he was two. Every Crystal river cruisetour itinerary included food-and-wine themed excursion to Michelin-star restaurants in major European cities. In April was launched the Crystal Referral Program encouraging past guests (loyalty program members) to refer their family, friends, and colleagues to travel with Crystal Cruises. For every first-time Crystal cruiser a past traveler refers, the new customer receives 5% cruise fare discount, while the past guest receives the 5% value in OBC/onboard credit applicable towards a future cruise. The company's sustainable travel policy (part of the Crystal Cares program) was implemented on June 8, 2019. By this fleetwide initiative, all plastic straws were completely eliminated and replaced with paper straws.
Crystal Cruises Reschedules Chairmen's Cruise - Cruise Hive
Crystal Cruises Reschedules Chairmen's Cruise.
Posted: Fri, 01 Mar 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]
It is with great excitement and pleasure that we introduce our new Cruise Director, Vicki Van Tassel. Sailing on Crystal Symphony, Vicki not only brings her unique brand of comedy to our ships but also a wealth of experience and vibrant energy. The first sailings will be a Mediterranean cruise of Crystal Serenity on July 31 from Marseille and Crystal Symphony, scheduled to depart September 1 from Athens.
"It will definitely not be the same Crystal because of the work that they're doing on the ships, the work we're doing with itineraries," Anderson elaborated. "But it will have the four pillars that Crystal has always had, which is quality, service, space and choice." When you choose to apply (and are approved) for a new credit card through our site, we may receive compensation from our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear.
For example, some ports require a lot of paperwork, which can be frustrating, so I’ll joke about it while at the same time managing guest expectations. Many times, people have said to me, “You joke about what we're all thinking, and we love that. You bring levity to a challenging situation,” and to me, that is the best compliment anyone can give me. My job is to make guests feel comfortable and add a bit of cheerfulness to make everyone feel at home.
For even more space and luxury, check out the Expedition Suite with Verandah. This expansive suite features 2 bedrooms in over 1,200 square feet of space. Each bedroom features a king-size bed, bedside iPads, and interactive TVs. Each bedroom has an en suite bathroom with dual sinks, heated floors, Jacuzzis, and separate water closets. Many loyal Crystal guests say that stepping aboard Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony feels like coming “home.” The main reason is the cruise line’s consistent and expedient service, provided by a crew that is as loyal to Crystal as its most frequent guests are.
This all-inclusive cruise line doesn’t have a large fleet, but what they do have focuses on total luxury and intimate, small ship sailings. Another indulgence onboard Crystal’s ships is the cozy and well-stocked Library, where fans of historical fiction, travel memoirs, thrillers, and even romance novels can find something to enjoy as they relax during sea days. If movies are your preferred entertainment, both ships also feature the Hollywood Theatre, which screens recently released films as well as classics. Normally, Crystal's around-the-world voyages begin and end in either Florida or California (or both; the line sometimes offers the option of joining its world cruises in either state as the ship makes it way around the world). The sailings are seven nights in length, which makes them among the shortest sailings on Crystal's schedule. But the itineraries are a bit different than most seven-night Alaska itineraries offered by the big-ship lines.
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