Crystal Cruises has lined up 10 of Europe’s most spectacular championship golf courses for exclusive, luxury play during two limited-access “Experiences of Discovery” golf-themed cruises this summer. Hosted by 51-time PGA tour-winner Billy Casper, travellers can strike balls in Spain, Portugal and Monaco during Crystal Serenity’s 13th July voyage or throughout the British Isles on Crystal Symphony’s 25th August sailing.

Courses include:

Edinburgh/Rosyth
• Gleneagles King’s and Queen’s Courses: Overnighting allows for rounds on two aristocratic moorland links.

Barcelona
• Real Club de Golf El Prat: One of Spain’s most exclusive courses, designed by Greg Norman.
• Club de Golf Masia Bach: Challenging and contemporary 18 holes designed by José Maria Olazábal.

Monte Carlo
• Monte Carlo Golf Club: Inaugural Crystal club features sweeping Mediterranean Sea views.

Valencia
• El Saler Golf Course: Pine forests and sea flank this site of several Spanish Opens.

Cádiz
• Valderrama: Voted the 15th Best International Course by Celebrated Living readers.

Belfast
• Royal Belfast Golf Club: Ireland’s oldest fairway, with Belfast Lough and Antrim plateau views.

Lisbon
• Penha Longa Golf Course: This mountainous course, designed by Robert Trent Jones Junior, is considered one of the European Circuit’s best.

Dublin
• Kildare Hotel & Country Club: Inland links designed by Arnold Palmer.

Boutique excursions offer socialising during warm-up refreshments, games, lunch and “19th hole” cocktails in legendary private clubhouses, with Crystal also arranging round-trip transportation, team-pairing, carts and caddies (where available) and club and shoe cleaning and storage. Shoreside activities are complemented by a host of onboard offerings, including parties, awards, golf clinics with PGA pro John Clark, TaylorMade clubs, putting green and two driving ranges for practice-at-sea. Billy Casper will also play and mingle with guests, as well as provide tips and presentations.

“We design these cruises to be a golfing traveller’s dream,” says Philip Ordever, Crystal’s Vice President International Sales & Marketing. “Guests need not worry about maneuvering complex foreign logistics and simply pack their clubs - we take care of everything else in the finest of style.”

Until 30th April, all-inclusive Book Now fares start at:

• £3,800 per person for the 12-night “Spanish Serenade” voyage from Monte Carlo to Lisbon onboard Crystal Serenity visiting Marseilles, Barcelona (overnight), Valencia, Malaga, Gibraltar and Cadiz. Departs 13th July.
• £3,458 per person for the 11-night “British Isle Brilliance” voyage round trip from Dover onboard Crystal Symphony visiting Edinburgh (overnight), Belfast, Dublin, Holyhead, Waterford, Portland and Guernsey. Departs 25th August.

Crystal Cruises’ passion for creating unique luxury experiences both on land and at sea have helped earn the company top ratings from international travelers for two decades.

For further information visit www.crystalcruises.co.uk or to book please click here to find your local ACE travel agent.

In 2012, Crystal Cruises is offering almost 30% more Crystal Adventures exploring Europe’s extensive Jewish heritage. A predecessor to the ultra-luxury line’s new Christian heritage tours, the popular programme gives Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony travellers the opportunity to intimately experience Jewish culture and history. The boutique outings visit neighbourhoods, museums, monuments, synagogues and more sombre sites in, or near, Palamós, Berlin, Stockholm, Copenhagen, Dublin, Hamburg, Rome, Odessa, St Petersburg and Israel.

Highlights include:

• Haifa: A kibbutz, the ancient holy city of Safed, Golan Heights and a second-century Jewish burial ground.
• Girona: El Call, one of Europe’s best-preserved Jewish Quarters, by Segway or on foot.
• Dublin: The homes of Dublin’s Jewish Lord Mayors and ex-Israeli President Herzog, the first dedicated day school and Jewish cemetery.
• Stockholm: The Jewish Museum and three local synagogues, from Stockholm’s first (1790) to one whose interior is originally from another synagogue in Hamburg.
• Berlin: Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp, the Grosse Hamburger Strasse deportation area, Otto Weidt’s broom-making factory and the 205,000-square-foot Holocaust Memorial (two different excursions).
• Athens: Athens’ Jewish Museum, containing 8,000+ domestic and religious artefacts from 2,300 years of Greek Judaism.
• Odessa: Kosher refreshments, Ukraine’s only Jewish history museum, Shomrei Shabbos synagogue and Beit Grand Jewish Cultural Centre.
• Hamburg: Neuengamme Concentration Camp Memorial, home of 100,000+ WWII prisoners.
• Ashdod: Jerusalem’s Western Wall, Old City and Holocaust artefact-filled Yad Vashem memorial.

“Due to their enormous popularity, we’re continuing to develop niche excursions that connect travellers to their special interests,” says Vice President, International Sales & Marketing, Philip Ordever. “Our Jewish guests welcome the opportunity to experience their heritage around the world. However, even non-practitioners of the faith relish gaining first-hand insight into different cultures, and Jewish culture is particularly fascinating for its long and storied impact upon so many areas of the world.”

Half-day and full-day adventures start at $75 per person, with two-person Private Options also available in Rome, Haifa, Berlin, and Odessa. Crystal Serenity’s October visit to Israel further offers trips to Galilee, Tel Aviv and other Jewish-related areas, by coach or helicopter. Kosher options and Jewish services are also available on select Crystal cruises.

Thirty-five, 7- to 14-night all-inclusive, luxury European cruises offer limited-time Book Now, Cruise-Only fares if booked by 30th April. Prices from £2,166 per person (based on Crystal Symphony’s 11-night voyage from Southampton to Hamburg departing 21st May) including flight from Hamburg to the UK, overseas transfers and 11 nights in a deluxe stateroom with picture window on an all-inclusive basis.

Crystal’s passion for creating exclusive, eye-opening luxury shore-side experiences are cornerstones of its Crystal Adventures programme, earning the line top ratings for two decades.

For further information and reservations please call Crystal Cruises on 020 7287 9040 or visit www.crystalcruises.co.uk.

Adrenalin junkies; shutterbugs; film, theatre and jazz buffs; foodies; political opinionators; whole body lifestylists; amateur gardeners; lifelong learners; golfers; ballroom dancers; and other zealous hobbyists need only look to Crystal Cruises for luxury holidays that indulge their passions next year. 14 “Experiences of Discovery®” themes are being offered on 28 Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony voyages in 2013, expanding 2012’s programme with two new themes and more theme cruises overall. Travellers can explore their interests with complimentary, hands-on activities, rousing performances, educational presentations and expert instruction on board, as well as optional Crystal Adventures ashore (where available).

New themes include:

• Photography: Top international photographers will lead presentations, hands-on workshops and shooting expeditions along North America’s East Coast.
• Esprit du Grand Prix: VIP Monte Carlo Grand Prix experiences on shore will be accompanied by presentations on Formula One racing, royal Monaco and other related topics.

Returning themes include Big Band and Ballroom Dance; Film and Theatre; Wine and Food; Golf; Jazz; Ocean Views (world affairs expert panel discussion); Comprehensive Creative Learning Institute (enhanced enrichment curriculum); Emerging Artists (young performers from LA Music Centre’s Spotlight); President’s Cruise (hosted by Crystal President Gregg Michel); Crystal Society (gathering past Crystal cruisers); and Gardens and Floral Design, which expands its theme to include gardening design and technique classes, as well as visits to stunning local gardens. After taking 2012 off, Mind, Body, and Spirit has also been brought back by popular demand, with three voyage options for 2013.

“From exclusive expert access to just meeting other travellers with similar interests, our guests love the many sophisticated ways Crystal offers to revel in, and satisfy, one’s intellectual, artistic and physical thirsts on an Experiences of Discovery cruise,” says Philip Ordever, Crystal’s Vice President of International Sales & Marketing.

Until 30th June 2012, Crystal’s 2013 theme cruise “Book Now” fares start from £2,658 per person/double occupancy for a 10-night Big Band voyage from Miami to Lisbon departing 31st March. Price includes return scheduled flights, overseas transfers and 10 nights in a deluxe stateroom with picture window on an all-inclusive basis.

Crystal’s award-winning, luxurious offerings always include a diverse selection of thought-provoking, scholarly, and sophisticated enrichment activities that provide extensive on-board choices for cultured world travelers.

For further information visit www.crystalcruises.co.uk or to book please click here to find your local ACE travel agent. 

Between May and September this year, Crystal Cruises’ guests in Northern Europe can hike, drive, ride, fish, climb, sail, row, bob, fly or surf in destinations from western France up to the Arctic Circle and over to Iceland. The ultra-luxury line has set more than 100 new boutique Crystal Adventures to take maximum advantage of the region’s abundant outdoor opportunities and stunning natural beauty. 

On new outings, outdoor enthusiasts can:

• River Raft Iceland’s glacial Hvitá River (outside Reyjkavik).
• Rock Climb Ireland’s Mourne Mountains (CS Lewis’s Narnia-inspiration) outside Belfast, or rappel down a Dalkey quarry after taking in the view of Dublin. 
• Surf in Biarritz, with Quicksilver’s world-class surf school instruction (from St-Jean-de-Luz).
• Tank-Drive a vintage WWII battle tank for two miles near Portland.

• Helicopter over Paris and Versailles (from Honfleur), Bordeaux wine country or Iceland’s recently-erupted Eyjafjallajökull volcano (from Reykjavik).
• Olympic Wheelbob down Lillehammer’s Olympic Bob & Luge Track outside Oslo.
• Horseback Ride through the “Garden of Ireland”/County Wicklow, Finnish countryside and forest near Helsinki or mountains outside maiden call Akureyri, the latter on the back of Icelandic horses descended from the Viking Age.
• Kayak past colourful Copenhagen via its harbour and canals or the natural beauty of coastal northern Norway (from Tromso).
• Hike the chalky Dorset coastline in Portland or Norway’s highest mountain, Mount Ulriken (in Bergen).
• Fish the Finnish Archipelago, Geirangerfjord or near Reykjavik (sea angling).

• ATV or 4x4 Drive through North Cape’s gateway, Magerøya Island (Honningsvåg)orpast glacial Icelandic landscape to either a lobster lunch or snowmobile adventure (Reykjavik).
• Boat past Helsinki’s seaside villas and lighthouses by catamaran; discover caves and orkas in maiden call Heimaey, Iceland by RIB or motorboat; spot puffins on a RIB sea safari to Runde Island (near Ålesund, Norway); or scout for sea eagles by Zodiac in Lofoten, Norway (maiden call).
• Soak weary, post-activity bones in a natural geothermic/volcanic lagoon en route to stunning Godafoss, aka “Waterfall of the Gods” (from Akureyri).

Other new boutique excursions that focus on the arts and off-beat experiences (and require less adrenalin!) include:

• Blown Glassmaking near Saint-Malo: Fashion your own blown glasswork at a local studio.
• Venturing Off-the-Beaten-Path in Berlin: Explore living as the locals do, with shopping at the fruit and vegetable market, riding the Underground and going inside a typical local apartment.
• Painting in St Petersburg: Take a painting master class at Russia’s largest private modern art gallery.
• Evening Walking with a Night Watchman in Copenhagen: Take a different type of walking tour, at night, with a traditional uniformed - and informed - local “night watchman.”
• “Titanic Experience” in Belfast: Visit the new Titanic museum on the centennial anniversary of the ship’s sinking.
• Gourmet Dining and Wine Tasting in Bordeaux:From slow food to Médoc wine, join local experts in exploring the region’s legendary estates, including a gala dinner at Château Haut-Bailly.

Many Crystal Adventures offer new Private Options for couples. For even more intimate time on shore, guests can also custom-craft a Crystal Private Adventure or take an Overland Adventure, such as a two-day trip to Moscow from St Petersburg. 

Until 30th April, “Book Now” fares for Crystal’s Northern Europe cruises start at £2,166 per person/double occupancy for an 11-night sailing from Southampton to Hamburg departing 21st May. Price includes flight from Hamburg to the UK, overseas transfers and 11 nights in a deluxe stateroom with picture window on an all-inclusive basis.

Crystal’s passion for creating exclusive, eye-opening luxury shore-side experiences is the cornerstone of its Crystal Adventures programme, earning the line top ratings for two decades. 

For further information and reservations please call Crystal Cruises on 020 7287 9040 or visit www.crystalcruises.co.uk

Gandhi, US Generals, novelist Jeffrey Archer, celebrity floral designer Paula Pryke and the casting genius behind Modern Family are just a few of the highly-esteemed enrichment speakers scheduled to appear onboard ultra-luxury Crystal Cruises in Europe this year. The top-calibre Special Interest, Destination and Celebrity Guest Speakers will provide insight into global topics, local culture or their own life and wisdom on individual Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony voyages from May through December.

These speakers are the cream of the crop in their fields, with such luminaries as:

• Arun Gandhi (9th May Barcelona to Southampton) – Peace activist, founder of the M.K. Gandhi Institute for Non Violence and grandson of Mahatma Gandhi.
• Lord Jeffrey Archer (29th June Venice to Istanbul) – Best-selling author of 15 novels including Kane & Abel and the recent Clifton Chronicles series.
• Paula Pryke (25th July Lisbon to Rome, “Floral Design” theme) – British celebrity floral designer.
• Jeff Greenberg (24th May Dover to Rome) – Emmy Award-winning Casting Director of Modern Family and Frasier.
• General Anthony Zinni (21st May Southampton to Hamburg) – Four-star U.S. Marine Corps General and former Commander in Chief of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM).
• Dinesh D’Souza (13th July Monte Carlo to Lisbon) – Top public policy-maker and political conservative author.
• Jon Sigurdsson (8th May New York to London) – Icelandic geologist who studies glaciers and volcanoes throughout Europe.
• Owen Ullman (23rd July Stockholm to Copenhagen) – News editor of USA Today.
• General Nick Halley (25th August Dover Round-Trip) – Military commander during Vietnam, Grenada and Desert Storm, and now leadership and terrorism expert.
• Joel Harper (12th October Athens to Venice) – Celebrity trainer for Dr. Oz, Olympic medallists and PBS’s best-selling Firming After 50.
• Eric Burns (5th November Istanbul to Barcelona) – Emmy Award-winning NBC News correspondent and former host of Fox News Watch.

Other noteworthy names joining Crystal’s European cruises include Astronaut Mark Kelly and wife, former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, Master Chef Nobu Matsuhisa and legendary football coach Don Shula as well as a host of other presenters, instructors and entertainers. As part of a new “Local Insights” programme this year, Crystal is also bringing onboard local European dignitaries and experts to share “insider” information on the region’s life and customs.

“Our world travellers are not only adventure-seekers, they’re knowledge-seekers, so our onboard presenters need to deliver smart, stimulating and shrewdly entertaining enlightenment that not only provides food for thought, but also sparks lively discussion among guests throughout our voyages,” says Philip Ordever, Vice President International Sales & Marketing. “As the ‘World’s Best’ cruise line, we bring nothing but the world’s best minds onboard to enrich guests’ overall holiday experiences."

Crystal sails through Europe on 35 seven- to 14-night voyages from March to December 2012, offering intimate, luxury access to the eastern and western Mediterranean, Greek Isles, Black Sea, northwest Africa, western Europe including Iceland and the British Isles, the Middle East, the western and eastern Baltic Sea, Scandinavia and Arctic Circle. Several voyages offer themed activities and entertainment, such as “Wine and Food”, “Golf”, “Big Band” and “Emerging Artists.”

Until 30th April, “Book Now” fares for Crystal’s luxury Mediterranean cruises start at £2,519 person/double occupancy for a seven-night voyage from Rome to Venice departing 6th August onboard Crystal Serenity. Price includes return scheduled flights, overseas transfers and seven nights in a deluxe stateroom with picture window on an all-inclusive basis with up to $500 per stateroom onboard credit. Shipboard credits of up to $3,200 per stateroom are available on selected Mediterranean voyages in 2012 if booked before 30th April.

Crystal’s award-winning, luxury cruises always include a diverse selection of thought-provoking, scholarly, and sophisticated enrichment activities that provide extensive onboard choices for cultured world travellers. 

For further information and reservations please call Crystal Cruises on 020 7287 9040 or visit www.crystalcruises.co.uk

Croatian noble lands, Crimean Tartars’ stomping grounds, Madrid and Odessa’s art worlds, colourful Italian Riviera cliffs and Dubrovnik-by-air are just a selection of more than 45 new “Crystal Adventures” shore outings offered during Crystal Cruises’ 2012 Mediterranean season. With 19 voyages planned from the Canary Islands to southwest Russia this March to December, travellers have plenty of seven- to 14-night (or longer, if combined) options to explore the region from the luxurious base of the world’s best cruise ships, Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity.

New active and cultural off-ship experiences along the western and eastern Mediterranean and Black Sea include:

• Dubrovnik: Snorkel secluded coves, ride horses through wealthy Konavle countryside, visit the former Ranjina noble family estate, enjoy the coastal view from a helicopter 1000 feet up or make a pilgrimage to Medjugorje, Bosnia, known for six reported Virgin Mary sightings.
• Split: Climb the vertical coastal cliffs of outdoorsy hotspot, Omis.
• Sevastopol: Explore coastal Ukraine’s military history, join the Black Sea Navy Ensemble in local folk songs and dances or tour the homes and tombs of Crimean Khans.
• Odessa: Study Odessa’s art history at its modern art museum and renowned local galleries, or enjoy an evening concert designed exclusively for Crystal guests at the Philharmonic Society Concert Hall.
• Porto Venere/La Spezia: Trek the narrow, medieval streets, beaches and cliffsides of Cinque Terre’s Monterosso.
• Valencia: Zoom to Madrid’s “Fifth Avenue” via high-speed train for clothes and art browsing or stay close-to-home sampling local delicacies in a tapas crawl.
• Barcelona: Attend a private mass with the ship’s priest at Gaudi’s infamous Sagrada Familia.
• Monte Carlo: Play 18 holes of golf overlooking the Mediterranean Sea at the championship Monte Carlo Golf Club.
• Palamos: Walk through Greco-Roman ruins in Empuries, Salvador Dali’s surreal castle refuge in Pubol or Santa Clotilde Garden atop Costa Brava cliffs.
• Corfu: Top off a day of local lace-making and private estate wine tasting with hands-on Greek cooking lessons, including baking bread in a traditional olive wood-fire outdoor stove.
• Samos Island: Share a traditional Samian feast with local villagers or survey Hellenic archaeological ruins.
• Zadar: Be welcomed into the village of Burnifor a taste of small-town Dalmatian life.
• Arrecife: Voyage underwater in a submarine discovery of Canary Island waters, or go where plant and animal life are almost void amongst the lunar-like, volcanic landscape of Timanfaya National Park.

Local overnights on most voyages offer expanded opportunities to explore the region’s diverse activities and sites, day or night.  Guests can review all Crystal Adventures, including new, more intimate Private Options for many popular group activities, at www.crystalcruises.co.uk

“Crystal specialises in creating unique ways to experience destinations,” says Philip Ordever, Vice President International Sales & Marketing. “With more than 400 ‘Crystal Adventures’ in total in the area, we’re offering travellers not only the most luxurious, easy and safe way to explore ‘The Med’ this year, but also the most innovative ways to intimately access the land and people.”

Until April 30, “Book Now” fares for Crystal’s luxury Mediterranean cruises start at £2,519 person/double occupancy for a seven-night voyage from Rome to Venice departing 6th August onboard Crystal Serenity. Price includes return scheduled flights, overseas transfers and seven nights in a deluxe stateroom with picture window on an all-inclusive basis with up to $500 per stateroom onboard credit.

Crystal’s passion for creating exclusive, eye-opening luxury shore-side experiences are cornerstones of its Crystal Adventures program, earning the line top ratings for two decades. 

For further information and reservations please call Crystal Cruises on 020 7287 9040 or visit www.crystalcruises.co.uk

After a year of planning, Crystal Cruises has now officially begun its transition to an all-quality “All Inclusive”. Launched with the start of Crystal Symphony’s Miami to Lisbon Trans-Atlantic cruise on Monday, guests can now enjoy a generous and impressive selection of complimentary fine wines and premium spirits throughout the ship, as well as open bar service in all lounges and pre-paid gratuities for all housekeeping, butler, bar and dining staff.  Crystal Serenity follows suit with her spring Trans-Atlantic sailing on 8th May.

To satisfy the most discerning of palettes, Crystal’s inclusive spirits feature superior brands such as Grey Goose, Maker’s Mark, Macallan Select, Hennessy V.S.O.P. and Herradura Silver.

Wines and champagnes include higher-end vintages from both boutique makers and big-name wineries, including Beringer Napa Valley Chardonnay, St. Michael-Eppan Sauvignon Blanc Lahn, Edge Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2008, Banfi Chianti Classico Riserva, Castello di Bolgheri Varvára, Chateau Macquin St. Emilion and Jacquart Brut Mosaique, Reims, France.

Dinner restaurants offer recommended pairings nightly, and sommeliers certified by the Court of Master Sommelier remain on hand to assist with wine selections. In addition, there is no corkage fee onboard if one wishes to enjoy wine purchased on shore.

An optional Connoisseur menu features award-winning, renowned and/or rare vintages, select single malt whiskeys and other aged spirits at reasonable in-store prices, as opposed to traditional upscale restaurant and hotel rates. Vintage Room experiences further tap into Crystal’s extensive wine cellar. Silver and Gold Connoisseur Packages of four and six fine wines respectively are also available for on-board gifts. 

“Our all-inclusive offers a luxuriously comfortable guest experience that focuses, as always, on incredible quality and impeccable execution,” says Philip Ordever, Vice President of International Sales & Marketing. “This all-inclusive transition further enhances the extraordinary ease and value of a Crystal holiday.

Until 30th April, “Book Now” fares start from £2,290 person/double occupancy for a 12-night transatlantic voyage from Barcelona to Miami departing 9th December onboard Crystal Serenity.

Crystal’s passion for taking care of guests in an inviting environment of extraordinary space, quality and choices has earned the company more “World’s Best” awards than any other cruise line, resort, or hotel in history.

For further information and reservations please call Crystal Cruises on 020 7287 9040 or visit www.crystalcruises.co.uk.

With other luxury cruise lines yet to dip their bows into 2014’s seemingly far-off waters, Crystal Cruises’ early-2014 preview itineraries are now open for booking. Seventeen voyages visiting 74 ports in 34 countries are available for January to April 2014 on Crystal Serenity and January through May on Crystal Symphony. “Book Now” fares offer savings of up to £1,200 per couple until 30th June 2012.

Distinctive, less-cruised, less-easily-accessible lands like Ghana, Mauritius, Brunei, Burma, the Cook Islands, Tonga, Sao Tome, Senegal, Namibia and Angola complement holiday favourites such as the Cayman Islands, Panama Canal, Thailand and Hawaii.  Crystal is not only maiden calling in Luanda, Angola; Lombok, Indonesia; and Malacca, Malaysia, but also returning to several destinations not visited in years, such as the Andaman Islands, India; Okinawa and Tokyo, Japan; the UK’s Pitcairn Islands; and Jakarta, Surabay and Ujung Pandang, Indonesia.

All voyages but one offer overnights in local ports-of-call, including “double overnights” in Yangon (Myanmar/Burma), Yokohama, Ho Chi Minh City, Cape Town, Hong Kong, Singapore and Shanghai. Winter/spring voyages range from 12 to 26 nights, in addition to a five-segment, 89-night World Cruise.

“We were the first cruise line out of the gate to share 2014 itineraries last December, and travellers have been anxious to book ever since,” says Crystal Vice President of International Sales & Marketing, Philip Ordever. “Experienced cruisers recognise that Crystal not only offers incredible value for a luxury holiday, but our itinerary offerings for 2014 are incredibly innovative, with easy, intimate access to authentic cultures and holiday memories.”

New routes include:

World Cruise:

• Los Angeles toSouthampton, departing 18th January 2014.

• Rare visits to USA’s Mariana Islands and Guam.

• Multiple Asian segments, one with three Vietnamese stops.

• Rounding Africa from Mauritius Islands to Morocco, with three South African stops and amaiden call in Luanda, Angola.

• Combine with 5th January’s Panama Canal voyage beforehand to sail all the way from Miami to the UK.

Trans-Pacific:

• Back-to-back Polynesian explorations, beginning with an unusual southern Trans-Pacific cruise, stopping at Easter Island, Pitcairn Islands, Mo’orea and Papeete (overnight), then continuing on to the Cook Islands, Tonga and Fiji. (Departures on 8th and 20th January 2014).

• 15-night Tokyo to Los Angelesocean-crossing, with just one stop/overnight in Honolulu, ideal for sea day lovers (departing 1st May 2014).

Unusual Asia:

• Java/South China Seas: Four Indonesia ports-of-call, including a Bali overnight plus Malaysia and Brunei visits (departing 28th February 2014).

• Andaman Sea: 14-night Southeast Asia cruise with three stops in Malaysia, an Andaman Islands visit and two nights in Myanmar (departing 12th March 2014).

• “All-China”:  10-night Chinese voyage features a Hong Kong overnight, double overnight in Shanghai and optional three-day, add-on land package to Beijing (departing 9th April 2014).

• Japan-China: Three stops in China and four in Japan, with one night in Osaka and two in Shanghai (departing 19th April 2014).

Until 30th June 2012, “Book Now” fares for 2014 start from £2,047 per person (cruise only) based on a 12-night “Southern Seas Soliloquy” from Valparaiso to Papeete departing 8th January.

Crystal Cruises’ resort experience always includes a host of complimentary amenities, from enlightening enrichment speakers and fitness classes to pampering pillow menus and specialty restaurant dining including the cuisine of Nobu Matsuhisa. Starting this spring, holidays will also include complimentary fine wines and premium spirits throughout the ship, open bar service in all lounges and pre-paid gratuities for housekeeping, bar and dining staff.  Crystal’s passion for taking care of guests in an inviting environment of extraordinary space, quality and choices has earned the company more “World’s Best” awards than any other cruise line, resort, or hotel in history. 

For further information and reservations please call Crystal Cruises on 020 7287 9040 or visit www.crystalcruises.co.uk

As if free flights and all-inclusive pricing weren’t enough, ultra-luxury Crystal Cruises has announced it will be offering a generous shipboard credit of up to $3,200 per stateroom on selected Mediterranean voyages in 2012 if booked before 30th April.

This offer, which is exclusive to the UK and is based on two people sharing a stateroom, is valid on 14 of Crystal Serenity’s Mediterranean itineraries departing between 19th June and 28th November 2012.

The shipboard credit – ranging from $500 per stateroom up to $3,200 per stateroom depending on voyage booked - can be used to enjoy pampering spa treatments, interesting shore excursions, Connoisseur’s List vintage wines and select single malt whiskeys, exclusive Vintage Room dinners or simply indulgent purchases from the onboard shops, making a cruise with Crystal better value than ever.

Commenting, Ray Steward, Crystal Cruises’ UK Director of Sales & Marketing, said: “Thanks to our “Book Now” fares, all-inclusive pricing and free flights, there’s never been a better time to book a Crystal cruise. The additional shipboard credit on our popular Mediterranean voyages makes our offering even more attractive and provides our trade partners with yet another valuable tool to help sell our product.”

Crystal Serenity’s 2012 Mediterranean voyages are priced from £2,519 per person (based on the seven-night voyage from Rome to Venice departing 6th August) including return scheduled flights, overseas transfers, and seven nights in a deluxe stateroom with picture window on an all-inclusive basis plus a shipboard credit of $500 per stateroom.

For further information visit www.crystalcruises.co.uk or to book please click here to find your local ACE travel agent. 

The inspiring couple of American astronaut Mark Kelly and former US Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords are boarding a ship of another kind this summer: Crystal Cruises’ Crystal Serenity for a luxury Mediterranean sailing from Lisbon to Rome on 25th July.  Kelly is scheduled to speak to guests about the power of the human spirit, with wife Gabby joining for a special appearance and photo opportunity at end of the presentation.

The couple quickly gained fame in January 2011 when Arizona Representative Giffords was the victim of an assassination attempt - just months before Kelly’s scheduled command of the final Space Shuttle Endeavour flight.  Following more than a year of her intensive rehabilitation for a gunshot wound to the head, and his 17-day trip into earth’s orbit, the heroic husband-wife team have now retired from their government positions while Giffords continues to recuperate.

“We are honoured that, after such a challenging year, Mark and Gabby have chosen to travel on Crystal Serenity. We look forward to Mark sharing their incredible story of love, trials and triumphs with Crystal guests,” says Vice President International Sales & Marketing, Philip Ordever. “It’s tough to compete with a trip to the stars, but we hope a trip in six-star style will come pretty close. We can at least guarantee it will be more luxurious, and give them the ease and comfort they need to rest and recover.”

The 12-night “Romancing the Riviera” voyage starts on 25th July with an overnight in Lisbon before sailing to Gibraltar, Barcelona, Palamós (maiden call), Cannes, Monte Carlo (overnight), Florence/Livorno, Porto Venere and Rome/Civitavecchia.  Until 30th April, “Book Now” fares for the cruise start at £3,996 per person including return scheduled flights, overseas transfers, 12 nights in a deluxe stateroom with picture window on an all-inclusive basis and $500 per stateroom shipboard credit.

Crystal’s passion for taking care of guests in an inviting environment of extraordinary space, quality and choices has earned the company more “World’s Best” awards than any other cruise line, resort, or hotel in history. 

For further information and reservations please click HERE to find your professional ACE Travel agent, Crystal Cruises on 020 7287 9040 or visit www.crystalcruises.co.uk

Crystal Cruises’ guests can now sail through airports in VIP fashion, bypassing the customary stress associated with flying. Door-to-gate porter and escort services, fast-track processes, and access to VIP/Business Class Lounges, where available, are all part of the groundbreaking, new “Crystal VIP Airport Service” – the first of its kind offered by a cruise line.

The personalised, 24/7 luxury service, available for purchase internationally by all Crystal cruisers, utilises worldwide, “on-the-ground” airport resources to facilitate a hassle-free airport experience for guests travelling to and from their Crystal ship. Travellers will feel like a superstar with customised, luxury services that may include:

• Greeting upon airport arrival (inbound, outbound and connecting flights)
• Luggage porter service
• Flight tracking and handling, including assistance with delayed or cancelled flights and related lodging, transportation, meals etc.
• Escorted and expedited check-in, security, customs and immigration
• Entry to restricted-access airport lounges
• Preferred boarding
• Limousine/town car transfers between airport, home, day room, and/or ship

“Thanks to security queues, long treks, uncomfortable chairs and cumbersome luggage, the modern-day airport experience has lost the ease that flying once provided,” says Vice President of International Sales & Marketing, Philip Ordever. “Whether one prefers to travel discreetly, or just minimise inconvenience, this service ushers you into the refined gentility of the Crystal experience from the moment your holiday really begins - when you leave home.”

Packages are available for up to four people, in hubs around the globe, from New York and Los Angeles to Rio and Hong Kong. Prices vary depending on location and the services selected, with amenity menu subject to local laws, regulations and/or airline/airport policies. Guests can log into Crystal’s online “Priority Check-in & Planning Center (PCP)” for specific options correlating to their flight itineraries.

Crystal Cruises’ ethos of warm and friendly attentiveness, proffered by top-trained service staff from around the world, has earned the line a reputation for elevating hospitality to an art form. With no guest request left untended, Crystal has been the perfect choice for luxury travelers for over two decades, earning “World’s Best” ratings more than any other cruise line, hotel or resort in history.

For further information please visit www.crystalcruises.co.uk or to find your local ACE travel agent please click here.

As Crystal Cruises prepares to go “All-Inclusive” next month, the ultra-luxury line has decided to focus on significantly more local shipboard overnights at the beginning of cruises.  For the upcoming European season, Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony have doubled the number of voyages that begin with days (and nights) in port.  The move eases the worry of late flight arrivals, lost luggage, relocating to/from hotels, finding quality restaurants and settling in prior to sight-seeing. This move also enhances recreational choices due to more extensive options being available onboard Crystal’s ships than can be found at hotels on land.

“By adding more overnights to the cruises, especially at embarkation, travellers only have to unpack once, yet get even more time to experience a culture, while still having their Crystal home as a luxurious base,” explains Vice President International Sales & Marketing, Philip Ordever.

Overnights at the disembarkation ports of Venice, Barcelona or Istanbul, for example, allow guests to see significantly more of the final destination without having to move to a hotel or rush to the airport to fly home. Crystal has also added overnights to the middle and/or end of the majority of cruises this year.

26 large cultural capitals and smaller destinations renowned for their charm are featured in North America, the Pacific and Europe from March through December, with 69 overnights planned in Europe alone.  A sample includes:

• MEDITERRANEAN, including the BLACK SEA and MIDDLE EAST (43 overnights/10 ports): Venice, Ashdod, Istanbul, Odessa, Barcelona, Lisbon and Monte Carlo
• BALTIC and NORTHERN EUROPE: (21 overnights/4 ports): Stockholm, Copenhagen and St Petersburg, with five cruises featuring two nights (“double overnight”) in the latter
• WESTERN EUROPE and UK (5 overnights/4 ports): Edinburgh, Bordeaux and Reykjavik
• NORTH AMERICA: (9 overnights/4 ports): New York, Quebec City, San Francisco and Montreal
• SOUTH PACIFIC, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND: (6 overnights/4 ports): Papeete, Auckland, Melbourne and Sydney, with a huge complimentary VIP New Year’s Eve celebration during a double overnight in the latter.

Crystal’s new strategic planning evolution will extend through 2013 into 2014, with more than 85% of next year’s 64 itineraries offering two or more days in port and a more than 50% increase in overnights on embarkation day.

Until 28th February, “Book Now” fares for 2012 start from £1,766 per person (based on a seven-night voyage from Barcelona to Rome departing 8th April) including return scheduled flights, overseas transfers and seven nights in a deluxe stateroom with picture window on an all-inclusive basis.

The renowned Crystal Experience has been rated “World’s Best” more than any other cruise line, hotel or resort in history.

For further information and reservations please call Crystal Cruises on 020 7287 9040 or visit www.crystalcruises.co.uk.

With almost a dozen dining choices on each ship, Crystal Cruises’ most popular daytime gathering spot, The Bistro, is expanding to evening hours. Reflecting the space’s European-style sidewalk café ambiance, the complimentary menu will offer “small bites”, desserts and “midnight” snacks, along with premium wines and flavoured coffees. The new nightly café debuts in April on Crystal Symphony and in June on Crystal Serenity, shortly after the ships go all-inclusive.

The Bistro has long been a meeting place for cruisers due to its central location and quick, easy access to continental breakfast, fresh fruits, afternoon snacks and wide selection of teas and coffees, from morning to late afternoon. Signature Guy Buffet china and Six-Star service remains at night, but the gastronomic offering is greatly expanded:

• 6pm to 8pm: Charcuterie of cured meats, prosciuttos and pâtés, plus international cheeses paired with premium wines and champagne.

• 8pm to 11pm: Artisan cheeses with complementary accompaniments such as truffle honey and fig chutney, plus an assortment of fresh fruits and desserts including a chocolate fountain and petit fours handmade by onboard pastry chefs, with finewines, digestifs and hot drinks.

• 11 pm to 12am: Late-night munchies such as mini-sandwiches, freshly-baked pizzas, quiche, tandoori chicken and trendy beef “sliders.”

“In traditional Crystal luxury fashion, our evening Bistro brings onboard the elegance and international panache of a European café experience—a central place to meet, people-watch and enjoy a glass of wine or espresso and a snack,” says Vice President International Sales & Marketing, Philip Ordever. “In addition, this expansion really enhances the culinary and social options for guests who spend a full day sightseeing and like to mix up their evening dining.”

Casual dining on deck is also offered most evenings with a new Chinese “Comfort Food” menu enhancing the gourmet choices on Crystal Serenity.

Extraordinary culinary experiences are a hallmark of every Crystal holiday. The ultra-luxury line’s extensive, innovative choices include coveted cheese and wine cellars overseen by on-board, certified cheese and wine sommeliers (Court of Master Sommeliers-certified); fresh, chef-like cocktails served by certified mixologists; gourmet dining options at every meal, whether in the Crystal Dining Room, at afternoon tea or in Nobu Matsuhisa and Piero Selvaggio’s specialty restaurants; and, starting this spring, all-inclusive premium spirits, fine wines and champagnes throughout the ship.

Until 28th February, guests can enjoy up to £625 per person in “Book Now” Savings on 48 remaining 2012 worldwide itineraries, including 25 seven- to 15-night voyages visiting the Mediterranean from March through December.

For further information and reservations please call Crystal Cruises on 020 7287 9040 or visit www.crystalcruises.co.uk.

Crystal Cruises, known for its ultra-hands-on service, has announced a first-of-its kind check-in process that will ease embarkation procedures for all guests. Effective today in every Crystal embarkation port, “Crystal Fast-Track Check-In” eliminates 100% of ship check-in procedures in port terminal waiting areas, transitioning guests from dock security to the Six-Star comfort of Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity lounges.

By utilising a new barcode on each guest cruise ticket, a new ticket scanning system and the consistency of Crystal’s own onboard crew, the cruise line is accelerating the check-in required on the first day of sailing. As is customary, in each embarkation port, porters load guests’ luggage onto the ship and guests observe required local security procedures as they enter port terminals. However, instead of processing documentation in the terminal, guests are whisked through and ushered onboard to complete registration and receive their room keys/boarding cards with photo identification.

“Travellers want to start their holiday as soon as possible,” says Philip Ordever, Crystal’s Vice President International Sales. “By enhancing the ease, comfort and speed of embarkation day logistics, our guests get instant access to the ship and can enjoy the luxury of the Crystal Experience all the sooner.”

Crystal’s ethos of warm and friendly attentiveness, proffered by top-trained service staff from around the world, has earned the line a reputation for elevating hospitality to an art form.  With no guest request left untended, Crystal Cruises has been the perfect choice for luxury travellers for over two decades, earning “World’s Best” ratings more than any other cruise line, hotel or resort in history.

For further information and reservations please call Crystal Cruises on 020 7287 9040 or visit www.crystalcruises.co.uk.

Ultra-luxury Crystal Cruises has launched its complete 2013 worldwide cruise collection – one of the first of the luxury cruise lines to release its entire 2013 calendar and fares, as well as open all cruises for bookings. For travellers who like to plan ahead, ’13 is a lucky number as  “Book Now” fares offer guests the best prices for early bookings made by 28th February or 30th June, 2012 (depending on cruise departure).

Significant changes, such as an increased number of shorter cruises, distinguish Crystal’s 2013 repertoire of 64 itineraries visiting 62 countries and 226 ports-of-call worldwide. Due to the overwhelming popularity of its Northern Europe itineraries in 2012, Crystal has opted to switch its initially scheduled vessel deployment: Crystal Serenity will summer in the Baltic, North Cape and British Isles (in addition to spring and summer Mediterranean seasons), while Crystal Symphony will spend her summer in the Mediterranean. 

Other new highlights include: 

• 16 maiden calls: Baie-Comeau and Havre-Saint-Pierre, Québec; Çanakkale, Turkey; Castellón de la Plana, Spain; La Spezia, Italy; Lunenburg, Nova Scotia; Natal, Brazil; Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England; Santa Marta, Colombia; Skiathos, Greece; Manta, Equador; Salaverry, Peru; Chacabuco and Cape Horn, Chile; Jakarta, Indonesia; and Langkawi, Malaysia
• More shorter/seven- to 10-night sailings (29 overall) - more than 250% increase in shorter cruise offerings in Europe
• 74-night World Cruise with a comprehensive focus on South America
• 9-7-12-night cruise-length rotation in Europe for choice of shorter or longer back-to-back options without repeating ports, plus Saturday departures for most seven-night sailings
• 98-night/eight segment Australasian Grand Cruise from Auckland to LA
• Cruises beginning and ending in Reyjkavik, Bali, Brisbane, Dublin and Kōbe
• 25% more port days, including cruises without any days at sea
•  Strategic scheduling around local events: Monte Carlo Grand Prix, Seville’s La Fiera de Abril
• More than 85% of voyages with two or more days in port
• Three-day, complimentary pre- or post-cruise Beijing land package with two cruises (one of which also includes three days in Shanghai)
• Increase of 10-night New England/Canada itineraries
• More than 50% increase in shipboard overnight stays in port on embarkation day
• Antarctica for the holidays - Crystal is absorbing the extra cost and planning efforts to meet the new environmental requirements
• Returns to ports less-frequented by Crystal: Murmansk, Russia; the Shetland Islands; Izmir, Turkey; Isle of Man; Cartagena, Spain; Newcastle, Australia; Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadaloupe; General San Martin/Pisco, Peru; Pusan, Korea; Agadir, Morocco; Trogir, Croatia; Savannah and Baltimore, US.
• 15 renowned waterways, including New Zealand’s Milford, Doubtful and Dusky Sounds; Norway’s North Cape and Svartisen Glacier; Glacier Bay, Alaska; the Chilean Fjords; Halong Bay, Vietnam; the Amazon and Saguenay Rivers; and Panama Canal

In all, Crystal Symphony kicks off 2013 with a super-VIP New Year’s fireworks gala in Sydney, then remains in the region, exploring Australia, New Zealand and Asia prior to a European/Mediterranean-focused summer, North American autumn and Central/South American/Antarctic holiday season ending in Chile. 

Crystal Serenity’s 2013 routing begins in the Caribbean before heading to a South American World Cruise, then Europe for most of the year before returning to the Caribbean/Central America for Christmas. 

Early bookings offer maximum savings on 2013 itineraries, including:

• £2,500 per person full World Cruise savings (valid until 28th February)
• Up to £625 per person savings for seven- to 24-night sailings (valid until 28th February or 30th June depending on cruise departure)
• “Save Now, Save Later” - 20% savings on 2014’s World Cruise for booking either the full 2013 World Cruise or segments of it (2014 sailing  must be booked by 30th April 2013)

2013 prices start from £2,384 per person, including “Book Now Savings”, free round-trip air transportation, overseas transfers and all-inclusive accommodation including amenities such as gratuities, fine wines and spirits, specialty restaurants (including the lauded cuisine of Nobu Matsuhisa), Open Dining by Reservation®, and stimulating onboard entertainment and enrichment.

Crystal’s passion for taking care of guests in an inviting environment of extraordinary space, quality and choices has earned the company more “World’s Best” awards than any other cruise line, resort, or hotel in history. 

For further information and reservations please call Crystal Cruises on 020 7287 9040 or visit www.crystalcruises.co.uk.