Crystal Cruises
At the heart of every Crystal cruise lies the 'Crystal Difference', highlighting the company's mission: to provide its guests with the finest travel experience available. It is this commitment to service that has promoted Crystal Cruises to become a first class luxury operator. Since 1996, readers of various travel publications, such as Cond Nast Traveler (1996-2003) and Travel + Leisure (1996-2004), have awarded Crystal Cruises the industry's most coveted ranking: World's Best Large Cruise Line.
Crystal Cruises was incorporated in 1988 in Los Angeles under parent company Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK). With over a hundred years, experience in the shipping industry and 800 ships in operation, NYK is a longstanding expert in the seagoing business. Crystal Cruises' first ship, Crystal Harmony, formally entered service in June 1990 and was christened the following month by her Godmother, Mary Tyler Moore. Her sister ship Crystal Symphony was launched by Angela Lansbury in 1995. Catering to 940 guests and supporting 545 staff each, Crystal Harmony and Crystal Symphony are less than half the size of today's mega-ships. However, at 50,000 tons, they are large by luxury-ship standards with considerable space dedicated to spa and learning facilities, entertainment, dining options, open decks, various amenities and staterooms.
The youngest of the Crystal ships, 68,000-ton Crystal Serenity, was launched in July 2003 under the watchful eye of Godmother Dame Julie Andrews. With her increased carrying capacity of 635 crew members for 1,080 guests, Crystal Serenity has one of the highest staff-to passenger ratios of any luxury ship. All of the management and 80 percent of the crew are seasoned veterans from either Crystal Harmony or Crystal Symphony, offering the company's many repeat guests the opportunity to sail on a new ship with familiar crew faces.
In maintaining their dedication to the overall experience Crystal Cruises offers original shore excursions and custom tailored private off-ship adventures.
Room With A View
On all Crystal ships, more than half of the rooms (85 percent on Crystal Serenity) open onto verandahs. A perfect setting to enjoy morning tea, be served a full breakfast or dinner, read a book, or simply enjoy the view.
Even the minimum category staterooms feature separate sitting areas with love seats and coffee tables, desks or vanities. All guestrooms have queen-size or twin beds, a large closet with both padded and wooden hangers, ample drawer space, shower and bathtub. Little extras to make every guest feel important include Aveda products, fresh fruit and flowers, bathrobes, plush slippers, umbrellas, and English mohair lap blankets. Other amenities include Internet access, televisions with DVD players, laundry and dry-cleaning service (or guests can use complimentary guest laundry facilities), twice-daily housekeeping, and complimentary 24-hour in-stateroom dining.
Wining and Dining
Gourmet cuisine is served in a number of elegant venues including the spacious Crystal Dining Room where guests can enjoy four or five course menus daily. Boasting the largest cellars at sea, Crystal ships offer an extensive wine selection. They also offer casual restaurants and intimate specialty restaurants with menus designed by celebrity restaurateurs such as Nobu Matsuhisa, Piero Selvaggio, and Wolfgang Puck.
Entertainment
Crystal offer a wealth of onboard activities, including unique educational programmes, lectures and world-class entertainment. Guests can find entertainment to suit their mood, from soft jazz and piano, a Broadway-style production or variety show - which may include a classical musician, a Broadway vocalist, a pop singer, comedian, juggler, ventriloquist, instrumentalist or other respected performing artists.
Around The World
Crystal Cruises' worldwide itineraries cover Europe and the Mediterranean, North America, Panama Canal, Mexican Riviera, the Caribbean, South America, Asia, the Pacific Ocean, and the Indian Ocean. Cruises range from seven days to world cruises of 100 days or longer. This year Crystal ships will visit over 150 ports in more than 50 countries gracing all seven continents.
Highlights include several cruises along the Dalmatian Coast on Crystal Serenity - with eight calls in Dubrovnik and maiden visits to Split, Korcula, and Zadar in Croatia. Other new ports of call include: Ravenna in Italy; Porto Cervo on the island of Sardinia; Izmir in Turkey; and Velos, Greece. To its winter South America series, Crystal Symphony adds a cruise to Antarctica, marking the ship's second visit to the region since February 2003. Crystal Symphony will make 14 maiden calls including Nesebur, Bulgaria; Roatan Island, Honduras; and Seno Eyre Fjord, Chile.
In 2006, Crystal Cruises will travel the globe on a new route to include maiden calls to Libya, Reunion Island and Mauritius. Departing from Los Angeles and finishing in Southampton, England the 106-day World Cruise aboard Crystal Serenity is guaranteed to set new standards in long-haul voyages.
Written by Keltie White
