Archive for the 'Crystal Cruises' Category

It’s a beautiful morning at sea here on Crystal Symphony. Today, I am putting Crystal to a test. Are Crystal’s activities and enrichment programs the same old, same old, or does Crystal have something truly fresh to offer?  Read more... (327 words, estimated 1:18 mins reading time)

For more than 15 years, Crystal Cruises has been voted world’s best resort – on land or at sea. During the next 11 days, on a cruise from Miami to Costa Rica, I’ll put Crystal to the test: World’s Best? Fact or Fiction? Follow along and chime in at Cruise Specialists’ Facebook page.

Tattoos. Murder. Secrets. And Stockholm. Only one of these things is normally associated with a luxury cruise line, but with Crystal Cruises’ new Crystal Adventure, “Stieg Larsson’s Stockholm,” guests can discover a little Scandinavian intrigue first-hand in 2011.

With more than 46 million books sold worldwide, deceased Swedish author Stieg Larsson’s Millennium book series has made him the biggest novelist to come out of Europe since J.K. Rowling.  Read more... (281 words, 1 image, estimated 1:07 mins reading time)

Crystal Cruises’ fall voyages are now on sale with newly reduced fares from as low as $2,400 per person and new Penthouse and Verandah savings up to $8,000 per couple.

Beginning with its August 26 Mediterranean cruise on Crystal Serenity and its first 2011 Canada/New England cruise on Crystal Symphony, Crystal is offering new savings on every one of its 22 fall cruises, including both Christmas/New Year departures.  Read more... (96 words, estimated 23 secs reading time)

Sip a local Pinot Noir while overlooking Sideways wine country. Soar new heights in an XJ5 Flight Simulator.  Master the delicate art of filleting fresh salmon.

Crystal Cruises has set dozens of Crystal Adventures ashore for its spring voyages along the Pacific Coast–many of them brand new. Designed to suit a broad range of interests, excursions explore the historical, culinary and outdoorsy culture of the area.  Read more... (289 words, estimated 1:09 mins reading time)

Mea culpa, lo siento, my bad. Someone straightened me out about Crystal and the Mexican Riviera. How I got confused about the coming Symphony schedule, I have no idea. When Crystal execs told me this was their final Mex Riv cruise, I thought they meant FINAL, not final until next time. I do know that Crystal is excited about the upcoming Pacific Coast cruises, but excitement aside, Symphony, contrary to what I thought, will be heading to the Mexican Riviera once again:  Read more... (610 words, 15 images, estimated 2:26 mins reading time)

Our first stop on this 10 day Mexican Riviera Cruise was Cabo San Lucas. Many people stayed on board.

They were the smart ones.

I used to love Cabo San Lucas. A few visits later, I liked Cabo San Lucas. Today I joined Crystal and have no plans to come again. Cabo has a construction jones. Stuff pops up with no particular guidelines, and thus, like a weed, comes the ugliest building in North America.  Read more... (427 words, 11 images, estimated 1:42 mins reading time)

This is the last time Crystal will visit the Mexican Riviera, at least for the foreseeable future. Last, but not least, as this is a 10 day cruise and includes ports in the Sea of Cortez.

Fifteen years ago, my wife, Michael, and I sailed on Symphony’s inaugural out of New York to Los Angeles. I remember walking onto the ship and seeing the rain of water next to the sculpture. That is about the only setting that I still recognize.  Read more... (547 words, 8 images, estimated 2:11 mins reading time)

An elegant lunch - with a view.

The photo above was snapped yesterday from the balcony of stateroom 720 on Seabourn Sojourn during a transit of Norway’s UNESCO World Heritage Geirangerfjord. Avid cruisers know that small ships such as Seabourn Sojourn, carrying a maximum of 450 passengers, can easily navigate the Norwegian fjords and dock or drop anchor in small ports of call where the big ships can’t.  Read more... (335 words, 2 images, estimated 1:20 mins reading time)

Lunch with a view.

The photo above was snapped yesterday from the balcony of stateroom 720 on Seabourn Sojourn during a transit of Norway’s UNESCO World Heritage Geirangerfjord. Avid cruisers know that small ships such as Seabourn Sojourn, carrying a maximum of 450 passengers, can easily navigate the Norwegian fjords and dock or drop anchor in small ports of call where the big ships can’t.  Read more... (318 words, 2 images, estimated 1:16 mins reading time)