The US sweeps the 2012 Crystal World Cruise Games bringing home 87 medals followed by the UK and Japan in third place!

By Lynn and Buddy Lewis, World Cruise Hosts

The 17th Annual Crystal World Cruise Games took place aboard the Crystal Serenity. For ten days, competition was fierce in 37 events with 2-4 events each morning and afternoon on sea days. The Crystal World Cruise athletes competed in sports as varied and intense as paddle tennis, basketball, lap swimming, sudoku, golf putting, solitaire, speed walking, cribbage, table tennis, and gin rummy!

The World Cruise Games began with a traditional opening ceremony complete with a torch lighting in Victory Park (Crystal Cove). A parade of flags carried by athletes from each nation started the festivities, followed by music, singing, and dancing. Each competitor was given a commemorative World Games t-shirt, and winners received a bronze, silver or gold medal.

Presiding over the games was the ship’s captain as President of the World Cruise Games and the Hotel Manager as the Mayor of Serenity Village. Gold medal Olympic gymnasts Kathy Rigsby and Peter Vidmar were onbard to cheer the Crystal athletes and present the medals. Additionally Rigsby and Vidmar provided enrichment lectures about their quest for Olympic Gold and how their lives have been influenced by their Olympic experience.

The crew had a great time participating in their own day of competition as well as conducting and judging all events. Their final event was a tug of war between departments and a slippery pole contest which ended with the Hotel Manager’s fall into the pool to rousing cheers and laughter from crew and guests alike.