Ultra-luxe Crystal Cruises has launched its complete 2013 worldwide cruise collection -- becoming the first of the luxury cruise lines to release its entire 2013 calendar and fares, as well as open all cruises for bookings. For travelers who like to plan ahead, ’13 is a lucky number as “Book Now” fares offer guests the best prices for early bookings made by February 28 or June 30, 2012 (depending on cruise departure).
Significant changes, such as many more shorter cruises distinguish 2013 Crystal’s 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; and Skiathos, Greece; Manta, Equador; Salaverry, Peru; Chacabuco and Cape Horn, Chile; Jakarta, Indonesia; and Langkawi, Malaysia
- More shorter/7- to 10-day sailings (29 overall) -- more than 250% increase in shorter cruise offerings in Europe
- 74-day World Cruise with a comprehensive focus on South America
- 9-7-12-day cruise-length rotation in Europe for choice of shorter or longer back-to-back options without repeating ports, plus Saturday departures for most 7-day sailings
- 98-day/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, and Tuscany’s Il Palio di Siena
- 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-day 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, U.S.
- 15 renowned waterways, including New Zealand’s Milford, Doubtful, and Duskey 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 fall, 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 the holidays.
Early bookings offer maximum savings on 2013 itineraries, including:
- $4,000/person full World Cruise savings
- $700 or $1,000/person savings for seven- to 24-day sailings
- “Save Now, Save Later” -- 20% savings on 2014’s World Cruise for booking the 2013 World Cruise (or segments thereof)
Two-for-1 fares begin at $2,595/person, including “Book Now Savings,” free round-trip air transportation (or generous air credit), airport/ship transfers, and all-inclusive amenities such as complimentary 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.
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