Photo credit Crystal Cruises
“World’s Best” Crystal Cruises has unveiled its 2016 and early 2017 itineraries, besting several of its own industry-leading records: more maiden calls (41), more overnights (119, 40 of them “double” overnights), more shorter (five- to 10-day) cruises, and an earliest-ever itinerary announcement – with fares available and open for booking — for the ultra-luxe line. Highlights for the luxury cruises include returns to Alaska, New Orleans, and the Philippines; expanded West Coast, Central American, and Caribbean; choices; three trips through Antarctica; inclusive land programs in Berlin and Montreal; a pan-Pacific Grand Cruise; and two completely different World Cruises (in 2016 and 17). In total, Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity will sail 74 five- to 102-day voyages around the world over the approximately 15-month period.
2016
Year Overview:
- 60 cruises, 77 countries, 86 overnights in 48 ports, and 245 ports around the world
- Almost half of the year’s itineraries (29) are 10 days or less, including one five-day and two six-day cruises for the first time ever, along the Pacific Coast.
- New overnights ports, such as Antwerp, Ibiza, Papeete, Bora Bora, Berlin/Hamburg, Bali, Punta del Este, Colon, Ushuaia, and Haifa.
- A record number of double overnight (two nights in a row) ports (14), including San Diego, Amsterdam, New Orleans,Stockholm, St. Petersburg, Istanbul, Venice, London, Lisbon, Barcelona, Sydney, and Melbourne.
- 27 Maiden Calls include Aitutaki, Cook Islands; Arendal, Norway; Bandol, France; Catalina Island, California; Corinto,Nicaragua; Crotone, Italy; Easo, New Caledonia; Fukuoaka, Japan; Gaspe, PQ; Hoonah, Alaska; Isla Margarita, Venezuela; Karlskrona, Sweden; Kavala, Greece; Kirkwall, UK; Klaksvik, Faroe Islands; Korsakov, Russia; Mystery Island,Vanuatu; Nanaimo and Prince Rupert, BC; Port Canaveral, Florida; Portree, Isle of Skye, UK; Port d’ Alcudia,Majorca/Balearic Islands, Spain; San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua; Sibenik, Croatia; Terre-de-Haut, Guadeloupe, French West Indies; Samana, Dominican Republic; and Virgin Gorda, BVI.
- Returns to less-visited destinations: Argostoli, Kefalonia Island, Greece; Chania/Souda, Crete, Greece; Kralendijk,Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles; Gdansk, Poland; La Rochelle/La Pallice, France; Mariehamn, Finland; Montego Bay andOcho Rios, Jamaica; Nuku’Alofa, Tonga; Nuku Hiva, Marquesas Islands; Ponta Delgada,The Azores; Puerto Quetzal,Guatemala; Rangiroa, French Polynesia; Sanary-sur-Mer, France; Tarragona, Spain; Sarandë, Albania; Waitangi, Bay of Islands, New Zealand
Itinerary Highlights:
- A 102-day World Cruise sailing round-trip from San Francisco for the first time, with five segments beginning in Sydney,Bali, Singapore, Shanghai, and Tokyo.
- The line’s first summer Alaska season in five years, only this season with shorter seven and 10-day itineraries.
- Two new Northern Europe cruises to/from Berlin, with a complimentary three-night Berlin land package.
- Two January/February voyages cruising Antarctica and South America, including a new route round-trip from Buenos Aires.
- Eight five- to 22-day cruises to or from California in the winter, spring, and fall including:
- New Hawaiian islands itinerary round-trip from San Francisco.
- New San Diego round-trip, visiting Catalina Island for the first-time ever.
- Two new Panama Canal cruises: from Chile to Miami and Miami to San Francisco.
- New Caribbean & Central America cruises:
- A return to New Orleans after a decade-long absence, with three voyages (one round-trip)
- Two voyages to/from Colon, Panama
- Sailings featuring rarely-visited islands like Jamaica and Bonaire, plus luxurious favorites such as Turks & Caicos, St. Barts, and Virgin Gorda for the first time.
- Expanded explorations of Central America in both years, with visits to Nicaragua, Guatemala, Honduras, and moreMexico again.
- A New England-Canada season with a local overnight on land in Montreal, plus seven, eight, nine-, and 10-day voyage options, including a round-trip from New York.
- 10 seven-, nine-, and 12-day Mediterranean cruises in spring and fall, featuring a return to Israel and to Athens as a “turnaround” port.
- Five voyages to or from Asia, with multiple ports in South Korea back on the calendar,
- A return to Sydney for its world-famous New Year’s fireworks display on an Auckland–Melbourne holiday cruise, with a second holiday voyage round-trip from Miami.
2017 (1st Quarter) Summary:
- 94-day “Ultimate South America” World Cruise round-trip from Miami starting January 10, comprised of six segments sailing on Crystal Serenity through Antarctica, the Amazon, and to/from Colon, Valparaiso, Buenos Aires, Rio, andBarbados.
- 99-day pan-Pacific Grand Cruise aboard Crystal Symphony, starting January 5, and comprised of seven segments sailing to/from Melbourne, Sydney (round-trip), Bali, Singapore, Hong Kong, Incheon, and Tokyo, and featuring several new and rarely visited Polynesian ports and Crystal’s first return to the Philippines in 18 years.
- 14 Maiden Calls: Alotau and Kiriwina, Papua New Guinea; Boracay and Romblon Islands, Philippines; Iquique and Castro, Chiloe Island, Iquique, Chile; Isle of Pines, New CaledoniaMatarani, Peru; Champagne Bay, Vanuatu; Portobelo,Panama; Santo Tomas de Castilla, Guatemala; Stewart Island, New Zealand; Takamatsu, Japan; and Trujillo, Peru.
- Ports less visited: Antofagasta, Chile; Guadalcanal, Honiara, Solomon Islands; Port Vila, Vanuatu; Rabaul, Papua New Guinea; and Yasawa-I-Rara, Fiji
The 2016 and early 2017 cruises are now available for booking with limited-time, all-inclusive Book Now fares starting from$1,785/person until June 30 at www.crystalcruises.com.
Crystal Cruises’ 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 more information and Crystal reservations, contact a travel agent, call 888-799-4625, or visit www.crystalcruises.com.