Befitting the ultimate voyage, Dame Julie Andrews will kick off Crystal Cruises' 10th annual World Cruise departing Los Angeles on January 15, 2005. The celebrated actress, songstress, author, director and godmother of Crystal Serenity returns as a celebrity guest to the luxury ship she christened in July 2003. Dozens of other noted entertainers and lecturers will join the grand odyssey, while over 300 Crystal Adventures ashore (including 36 new tours) have been set for the 101-day "Empires of the Sun" World Cruise.
Ms. Andrews will join Crystal Serenity for the first segment of the World Cruise, traveling from Los Angeles to Tahiti via the Hawaiian and Society Islands. On board, the award-winning entertainer and best-selling children's book author will interact with guests through a series of Q&A sessions and book signings. Guests will enjoy revisiting some of Ms. Andrews most beloved roles in classic films including The Sound of Music, Mary Poppins and Victor/Victoria, as well as her current feature films, The Princess Diaries 2 and Shrek II.
"We are tremendously honored that Ms. Andrews' first cruise on 'her ship,' Crystal Serenity, will be aboard our World Cruise, our grandest of voyages," says Gregg Michel, president of Crystal Cruises. "The scope of her talent, her warmth, and her style are illustrious, while her contemporary pursuits and sophistication reflect the values of Crystal. She is the perfect complement to this journey of a lifetime."
Celebrating a decade of world discovery and enrichment, Crystal Cruises is renowned for the luxury and enrichment of its World Cruises. Each year the line seeks out the most distinguished guest entertainers and speakers, revealing shore activities, engaging shipboard programs, and exclusive amenities, gifts and events to commemorate the grandeur of a world cruise.
Crystal Serenity's 2005 "Empires of the Sun" World Cruise features an impressive roster of exotic and cosmopolitan destinations, rich in historical, cultural and architectural significance, from the kingdoms of the South Pacific and the jewels of the Far East, to the treasures of the Pharaohs and the empires of Europe. From Los Angeles to London, Crystal Serenity journeys to 42 ports of call in 19 countries on four continents, spending two days in many of the cities along the way. The grand odyssey is also available in six individual World Voyages, ranging in length from 13 to 22 days, sailing from Los Angeles, Papeete, Sydney, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Athens.
In addition to a maiden call at Porto Venere, Italy, ports of call on the World Cruise include (embark/debark ports italicized): Los Angeles, California, USA; Oahu/Honolulu, Maui/Lahaina, Hawaii; Raiatea, Bora Bora, Papeete, Tahiti, Society Islands; Nuku'alofa, Tonga; Tauranga, Auckland, New Zealand; Tasmania/Hobart, Melbourne, Sydney, Hamilton Island, Cairns, Thursday Island/Great Barrier Reef, Darwin, Australia; Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei; Hong Kong, China; Ha Long Bay, Hanoi/Haiphong, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; Bangkok/Laem Chabang, Ko Samui, Phuket, Thailand; Singapore; Male, Maldives; Luxor & Karnak/Safaga, Cairo/Port Said, Egypt; Santorini/Thira, Athens/Piraeus, Greece; Istanbul, Kusadasi, Turkey; Split, Croatia; Venice, Sicily/Taormina, Naples, Sardinia/Porto Cervo, Italy; Lisbon, Portugal, Bilbao, Spain; and, London, England.
A World of Adventure
Each World Voyage features an exclusive complimentary shoreside event in a key destination - six in all for full World Cruise guests - such as a whale watching expedition in Maui; a trip to the Hobbiton movie set from the film "The Lord of the Rings" in Tauranga; a tropical jungle excursion aboard an amphibious army duck in Cairns; sailing along Ha Long Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage Site; or an elegant evening dining amidst the pyramids and Sphinx in Alexandria.
Of over 300 shore excursions offered during the World Cruise, 36 are brand new, offering guests a wide range of active, cultural, adventurous and historical opportunities in each destination. Examples include:
- Biking down the 38-mile Haleakala Crater approaching speeds of 20 miles an hour in Maui;
- Snorkeling among a true coral garden and view beds of rare pearl oysters in Raiatea;
- Sipping on fine chardonnays and sauvignon blancs at Auckland's most established wineries;
- Witnessing the miracle of nature as 300 to 750 little "fairy" penguins make their way ashore at Melbourne's Summerland Beach after a busy day of fishing;
- Exploring Brunei's unique wilderness rainforest at the Ulu Temburong National Park, home of the Proboscis Monkey;
- Learning the essence of Asian cooking at the Chinese Cuisine Training Institute in Hong Kong;
- Riding an elephant through a tropical forest featuring fabulous views of Chalong Bay, or taking a kayak adventure through Phang Nga Bay in Phuket; and,
- Visiting the Gulbenkian Museum in Lisbon to view one of the world's finest private art collections of Egyptian, Greek and Roman antiquities.
A World of Enrichment
As part of Crystal Cruises' renowned Crystal Visions Enrichment Program, some of the brightest names in entertainment, journalism, politics and literature are confirmed to travel aboard one or more of the shorter World Voyage segments, including:
Linda Ellerbee. Famed broadcast journalist, author and multi-Emmy Award-winning television producer, writer and moderator, Ms. Ellerbee will discuss her illustrious career, and share compelling stories about her successful fight against breast cancer.
TexHarris. Recipient of the US State Department's Distinguished Honor Award and two-time president of the American Foreign Service Association, Harris will offer insights into his 35 years as a US Diplomat.
Chris Ogden. A best-selling biographer who for many years wasTime magazine's chief foreign affairs correspondent, Ogden today covers politics and foreign affairs for Time's international editions.
Dr. "Bob" Froehlich. Chairman of Investor Strategy for Deutsche Bank, Dr. Froehlich is highly regarded on Wall Street as a dynamic and entertaining lecturer, who also appears regularly on a variety of financial television programs on CNBC, CNN and Fox News.
The entire World Cruise features Crystal's Wine & Food Festival with world-renowned chefs and wine experts sharing their talents at lectures, special meals and tastings, both on board and ashore.
World Value Fares for the full 2005 World Cruise start at $38,504 per person, double occupancy, and include round-trip First or Business Class air transportation (depending on stateroom category) from a Crystal Cruises North American air gateway city, private car airport/ship/home transfers, pre-paid gratuities, $1,000 shipboard spending credit, complimentary visas for US and Canadian citizens, luxury overnight hotel accommodations and gala bon voyage party in Los Angeles the night before embarkation.
World Value Fares for the shorter voyages begin at $4,955 per person, double occupancy, and include complimentary pre-cruise hotel accommodations. Crystal Cruises also offers specially-priced air fares to those guests booking any of the single World Voyage options.
With the launch of Crystal Serenity, Crystal Cruises expanded on its own award-winning formula for mid-sized luxury ship cruising. While similar in style and elegance to her two sister ships, Crystal Harmony and Crystal Symphony, Crystal Serenity offers even more dining venues, more penthouse accommodations, more staterooms with verandahs, more entertainment lounges, and more fitness and spa options (among other features). At 1,080 guests and 68,000 tons, she is the largest ship in the Crystal Cruises fleet and boasts one of the highest space-per-guest ratios and crew-to-guest service ratios in the industry.
Crystal Cruises has won the travel industry's most distinguished hospitality awards and guidebook ratings, including the best large-ship cruise line award in the most recent readers' surveys conducted by Condé Nast Traveler and Travel + Leisure magazines.
For additional information, please contact Sharon Viotto at Cruise Planners, call toll free: 888-799-SHIP (7447) Visit the agency's website at: www.designacruise.com
Sharon Viotto is the owner/operator of a "Cruise Planners" Travel Agency an American Express Travel Services Representative located in Rockville Centre, New York.
