Last month my friend and I traveled aboard Crystal Cruises’ Crystal Symphony through Canada and New England. Let me just say that Crystal Cruises delivers an excellent product from start to finish.

Beginning with my private transfer, booked through Crystal Cruises, we were picked up from JFK airport in New York City in a very large SUV and taken to the New York cruise pier. The driver was friendly; the vehicle was clean and extremely spacious for just the two of us. Once at the cruise terminal the check-in process was a snap!  No waiting in lines, since we had an overnight in port we were able to arrive later than normal, about 8:30pm and were escorted right to our stateroom.

Aghios Nikolaos

I joined the Crystal Serenity on May 11, 2010 for the Seaways of Antiquity cruise sailing from Rome to Athens via Sorrento, Taormina, Aghios Nikolaos, Kusadasi, and Mykonos!  My friend and I were able to board early in Civitavecchia (port for Rome) and leave our carry-on bags with an attendant while we enjoyed lunch in the dining room with welcome glasses of champagne.  Off to a good start! 

Many seasoned travelers dream of one day visiting Antarctica, but now a handful of Crystal Cruise guests will get to experience the below freezing temperatures first-hand by embarking on a new two-day excursion to King George Island.

Six brave Crystal guests on the Symphony’s 19-day Antarctic Holiday cruise departing December 20 from Buenos Aires will get to take part in the “Extreme Overnight Adventure in Antarctica”. These bold adventurers will trek through remote villages and a petrified arctic forest once covered by glaciers, to scientific research bases, and to the breeding and stomping grounds of three species of penguin, elephant seals and fur seals.

Ketchikan, Alaska

Crystal Cruises unveiled its 2011 season with returns to Alaska and West Africa, among the 58 cruises visiting 163 ports in 67 countries. The Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity will embark on journeys throughout the Mediterranean, Northern Europe and the Baltic, Alaska, New England/Canada, Mexico, Caribbean, Panama Canal, Hawaii, Australia/New Zealand, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, India, South America and Africa. Crystal Serenity’s 15th annual World Cruise spans 110 days on a new route around east and west Africa.