Luxury Operator Crystal Cruises Announces Fall Discounts

July 27, 2009 – From up to $3,000 off per couple and up to $2,000 per couple in shipboard credits to group and family incentives, Crystal Cruises is providing exceptional value and variety, as well as luxury, for discriminating travelers.

“A Crystal vacation, along with consistently being voted ‘World’s Best’ by savvy travelers, is an inherently great value. Every detail of the Crystal experience is attended to with special care,” says Bill Smith, Crystal’s senior vice president. “When travelers realize the amount and scope of these offers, they will find the savings are extraordinary.”

Celebration Savings
To celebrate of an unprecedented 15 years as “Best Large-Ship Cruise Line,” up to $1,500 per person savings off most fall Mediterranean, South America, Amazon, New England/Canada, Caribbean and Transatlantic voyages.

All Inclusive – As You Wish
Up to $1,000 per person spending credit on most cruises to customize one’s vacation with experiences that are personally meaningful – from fine wines to Crystal Adventures ashore.

Crystal Family Memories Program – Two Savings Options
For six full-fare berths: $500 credit toward a Crystal Private Adventure, kids under 17 sail free, plus other perks

For 10 full-fare berths: One complimentary berth, plus all of the above perks.

Round-trip Miami Panama Canal Combo
Save more than $1,000 and enjoy a $1,000 per person ‘All Inclusive – As You Wish” shipboard credit for the 22-day combination of two Panama Canal transit sailings.

Big Savings on Thanksgiving Voyages
Save 50% or more off Crystal Symphony’s wine and food focuses, Amazon journey, or Crystal Serenity’s jazz cruise through the Caribbean, both departing November 22.

Value Collection Sailings
Save up to 50% on seven sailings through the Panama Canal, South America, New England and Canada, Caribbean and the Amazon, and a transatlantic crossing.

Crystal Assurance Plan
Crystal’s price guarantee protects guests if the fare for their stateroom is later reduced, plus offers reduced cruise fare deposits, deadlines and cancellation periods.

Combo Cruise Savings
Guests booking two or more fall cruises back-to-back can save up to 5% on the fare for each voyage.

Onboard Booking Savings
Guests booking a future cruise on board receive up to 4.5% off their next cruise.

Crystal Cruises Offers 100+ Shore Excursions for New England Canada Cruises

August 5, 2009 – For its fall New England and Canada itineraries, Crystal Cruises has set nearly 100 diverse Crystal Adventures ashore. With dozens of options to suit most any interest, and 18 brand new excursions, nature-loving adventurers can ride reversing rapids in St. John; foodies can perfect their preparation of croque-monsieur in Montréal; and history buffs can re-visit immigrants’ tales from Ellis Island in New York City. The seven- and 11-day voyages, aboard the award-winning Crystal Symphony, begin October 1 with a new seven-day cruise from Boston. Most cruises are between New York and Montréal.

"Our guests are well-traveled and eager for experiences that are fresh, intriguing and fun," says John Stoll, Crystal's director, land programs. "New England and Canada ports lend themselves to active and cultural experiences that really highlight the charm and beauty of the region."

Shoreside highlights in 2009 include:

* *NEW* A bird’s eye view of the Big Apple – New York City by helicopter;

* *NEW* UNESCO City of Design – Exploration of Montréal’s rich graphic, fashion, architectural and urban design;

* *NEW* Kayaking adventure down the St. John River in New Brunswick;

* *NEW* An exclusive limousine experience through picturesque Acadia National Park in Bar Harbor;

* America’s Cup sailing experience in Newport; and

* Exploration of Québec’s spectacular Montmorency Falls, Côte de Beaupré, Canyon Ste-Anne and Island of Orléans.

Crystal’s New England/Canada voyages include visits to Boston; New York City; Newport; Bar Harbor; Halifax; St. John; Prince Edward Island; Québec City; and Montréal. The 11-day, October 19 and October 30 cruises offer enhanced Smithsonian and President’s Cruise Experiences of Discovery programming, respectively, and are also available in shorter seven-day segments.

Celebration cruise fares for fall New England/Canada itineraries start at $2,575 per person, double occupancy, and most include up to $500 per person, ‘All Inclusive – As You Wish’ shipboard credits.

MSC Poesia's Holiday Cruise Discounts

(August 10, 2009) – When you ring in the holidays with family, Caribbean style on MSC Poesia’s Dec. 20, 2009 7-night Eastern Caribbean cruise, you can celebrate with big savings.

MSC Cruises’ “The More the Merrier” offer on a roundtrip cruise from Fort Lauderdale allows guests to pay the regular early booking rate on the first stateroom and 50 percent off the early booking rate on a second stateroom. The promotion is valid when four guests are booked in two staterooms.

For example, rates for interior staterooms begin at $699 per person for guests in the first stateroom, while the two guests in the second stateroom pay $349.50 each. Rates for an oceanview stateroom begin at $899 per person for the two guests in the first stateroom and $499.50 each for two guests in the second stateroom. Rates for a balcony begin at $1,049 each for the first stateroom and $524.50 each for the second stateroom.

Guests can be booked in the same category or in different categories; if they are booked in different categories, the 50 percent discount applies to the lower category.

“The More the Merrier” offer is valid on new bookings made by Aug. 31, 2009. All rates are cruise-only, per person. Government fees and taxes for all guests are additional. Both staterooms must be booked at the same time and with the same booking number.

This Dec. 20 “Happy Holidays, Caribbean Style” itinerary includes Christmas Day at sea and port calls in San Juan, Puerto Rico; St. John’s, Antigua; Philipsburg, St. Maarten; and Nassau, Bahamas.

Bermuda Government Welcomes Cruise Ships Again

Over the years, the cruise industry and the Bermuda Government have had a love hate relationship. When the cruise ships sails to Bermuda, the local hotels and restaurants complain because, cruise passengers sleep and eat on board the ships - leaving hotel rooms and restaurants empty. Rightfully so since passengers are using the beaches and attractions but generating very little revenue. The government reacts by limiting the number of ships calling at the island in hopes that hotel bookings will increase. When they restrict the number of ships, a good number of tourists find the hotels and eateries very expensive and opt not to go to Bermuda at all.

After a year or two of lost revenue or reduced tourism, Bermuda welcomes the cruise ships and their passengers back.

Last year Bermuda decided that they no longer wanted ships to call at St. George and Hamilton. All ship calls would be at the Royal Navy Dockyard and passengers would have to ferry to Hamilton or St. George - if wishing to visit those locations. Mid-way through the year, the Bermuda Government, in a turn of events, started a major effort to attract upscale cruise lines back to Hamilton and St. George. This effort did attract some upscale cruise lines to make occasional calls at these locations, but none on a regular basis.

In 2008 and 2009, only 4 ships will regularly call at Bermuda for more than one day. Changing their minds, the Bermuda Government decided that they wanted to welcome the cruise lines back, offering to allow cruise lines to open up their casinos in port after 10:00 PM. Casinos are a major source of on-board revenue for cruise lines. Previously the casinos would need to remain closed until the ship left port.

In 2010, two additional ships will be calling at Bermuda, spending extended time in the port. The Veendam will be the only ship offering calls at both St. George and Hamilton, while Celebrity Cruises will be returning to Bermuda after a 3 year absence calling at the Royal Navy Dockyard. Celebrity Cruises Summit will be sailing from Cape Liberty, Bayonne, NJ and Holland America's Veendam will be sailing from Manhattan.

These 2 ships will be calling at Bermuda, in addition to, the Norwegian Dawn (from NY), Norwegian Spirit (From Boston), Grandeur of the Seas (from Baltimore & Norfolk, Va) and Explorer of the Seas (From Cape Liberty, Bayonne, NJ) which are expected to continue to sail to the port thru 2010.

With 6 ships having extended stays at Bermuda, it is anticipated that cruise fares may drop in 2010 to this popular cruise destination.