Tag: Crystal Cruises
Crystal Cruises Celebrates Resumption of Ocean Cruising
Crystal Serenity Sets Sail for the First Time Since 2020
Crystal Cruises celebrated the resumption of its ocean cruise operations as Crystal Serenity set sail from the Port of Nassau on her Luxury Bahamas Escapes, a seven-night voyage exploring the islands of The Bahamas. Crystal Serenity will now homeport in The Bahamas through November for her series of Luxury Bahamas Escapes cruises, featuring a unique all-Bahamian itinerary.
After more than a year of anticipation and planning, the long-awaited return to cruising was celebrated with a Homeporting Inauguration Ceremony in Nassau by Crystal executives, Bahamian government officials including the Honourable Minister Dionisio D’Aguilar and Director General Joy Jibrilu from The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, and dignitaries from the Port of Nassau.
Guests boarded Crystal Serenity for the first time since spring of 2020 and were enthusiastically welcomed back by the joyous and eager officers, staff and crew of Crystal’s flagship. A Junkanoo parade entertained guests in a lively Bahamian tradition of music, dancing and colourful costumes at the pier. The ship received a water cannon salute as she left the harbour with the sounds of Crystal Cruises’ signature sail away song “What A Wonderful World” by Louis Armstrong as the musical backdrop for this milestone moment.
Guests will enjoy the exuberant and distinctly Bahamian send off by a 15-member Junkanoo band on every Luxury Bahamas Escapes voyage as the ship departs the port of Nassau.
Crystal Expedition Cruises Announces 2023-2024 Deployment
2023-24 Crystal Endeavor Deployment
Crystal Expedition Cruises announced the full roster of 2023 voyages as well as two early January 2024 itineraries for its luxury expedition yacht Crystal Endeavor. The first ever “Made in Germany” Polar Class Six (PC6), all-suite, all-veranda ship will feature 27 world-spanning itineraries, taking guests on adventurous journeys to new and remote corners of the globe in bespoke luxury and comfort on the line’s state-of-the-art vessel.
Highlights include polar expeditions, remote island explorations, immersive voyages to Japan, Russia’s Northeast Passage, cruising into the heart of Seville, and more
Thoughtfully crafted itineraries range from 10 to 28 nights and will offer intrepid travellers a diverse range of adventures including expeditions to the Arctic and Antarctic; South America and offshore islands; Cape Verde and the Canary Islands; the Mediterranean and Western Europe; the British and Scottish Isles; Iceland and the Faroe Islands; Norway, the North Cape and Svalbard; the Russian Arctic and the Northeast Passage; Japan and the Inland Sea; the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia’s Raja Ampat archipelago; and Australia including New Year’s Eve in Sydney.
Five consecutive remote expeditions explore Antarctica, the Antarctic Peninsula, the Falkland Islands and South Georgia beginning in January through March 2023, featuring magnificent icebergs and glaciers to thriving colonies of chinstrap, Adélie and gentoo penguins as well as whales and basking seals. The Falkland Islands and South Georgia offer amazing wildlife experiences including abundant seabirds, regal King penguins and an impressive fur seal colony. Beyond the Antarctic Circle more isolated and pristine experiences abound, allowing for landings and expedition stops and more opportunities for helicopter flightseeing.
Two remote Ross Sea expeditions in Antarctica in early January 2024, explore snow and ice-covered landscapes and marine rich waters along a route rarely travelled and called “The Last Ocean” as it is so pristine, remote and untouched by humans. The expedition team will attempt visits to the well-preserved huts and outposts of historic explorers Sir Ernest Shackleton and Captain Robert Falcon Scott, expedition time capsules preserved by the cold and ice.
- Expedition Antarctica (Remote Expedition)
- 11-night, January 7 – 18, 2023, Round-trip Ushuaia, Argentina
- 11-night, February 6 – 17, 2023, Round-trip Ushuaia, Argentina
- Falklands, South Georgia & Antarctica Wildlife Expedition (Remote Expedition)
- 19-night, January 18 – February 6, 2023, Round-trip Ushuaia, Argentina
- Beyond the Antarctic Circle (Remote Expedition)
- 14-night, February 17 – March 3, 2023, Round-trip Ushuaia, Argentina
- Falkland Islands & South Georgia Wildlife Expedition (Remote Expedition)
- 15-night, March 3 – 18, 2023, Ushuaia to Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Antarctica & The Ross Sea Expedition (Remote Expedition)
- 22-nights, January 6 – 28, 2024, Hobart, Australia to Dunedin, New Zealand
- 22-nights, January 28 – February 18, 2024, Dunedin, New Zealand to Hobart, Tasmania
Two South America voyages showcase world-renowned cities, beautifully preserved history, and the natural beauty of Brazil’s Green Coast, where remote beaches and abundant bays provide the perfect chance to explore with the ship’s ocean kayaks. A trans-Atlantic voyage begins with calls along the Brazilian coast and the chance to discover the marine and ecological splendors of UNESCO-listed Fernando de Noronha archipelago and explorations in the island country of Cape Verde.
- Exploration in Brazil & Argentina (Destination Exploration)
- 10-night, March 18 – 28, 2023, Buenos Aires, Argentina to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Atlantic Explorer: Brazil, Cape Verde & The Canaries (Destination Exploration)
- 15-night, March 28 – April 12, 2023, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to Canary Islands, Spain
Two Mediterranean voyages of cultural discovery blend explorations of picturesque isles and iconic cities. Guests can choose to experience the mystique of Marrakesh and the Moorish history of the Alhambra en route to the Balearic Isles and the Côte d’Azur, or explore the charms of Provence, the treasures of Barcelona, and the chance to cruise into the very heart of Seville for a rare overnight.
- Andalusia, Morocco & The Mediterranean (Cultural Discovery)
- 11-night, April 12 – 23, 2023, Canary Islands, Spain to Nice, France
- Cote D’Azur, Catalonia & Andalusia Discovery (Cultural Discovery)
- 12-night, April 23 – May 5, 2023, Nice, France to Seville, Spain
Three voyages in Western Europe & the British Isles offer new perspectives on classic itineraries.
A 10-night river exploration navigates the Guadalquivir River and Andalusian countryside to dock in the heart of Seville and transits the Garonne River for an overnight in Bordeaux. A journey to Bordeaux, Normandy and The Hague offers an overnight in Bordeaux and a cruise up the Seine for a two-night stay in Rouen, rich with medieval history and gothic architecture. A springtime voyage of the British Isles explores the Scottish Highlands and windswept Shetlands and offers the chance to dock near Tower Bridge and overnight in Edinburgh a short walk from the Royal Yacht Britannia, now a museum.
- River Discovery: Guadalquivir, Tagus & Garonne (Cultural Discovery)
- 10-night, May 5 – 15, 2023, Seville, Spain to Bordeaux, France
- Journey to Bordeaux, Normandy & the Hague (Cultural Discovery)
- 11-night, May 15 – 26, 2023, Bordeaux, France to Portsmouth, United Kingdom
- Exploration: Springtime in the British Isles (Destination Exploration)
- 14-nights, May 26 – June 9, 2023, Portsmouth, United Kingdom to Edinburgh, Scotland
Three voyages in the Faroe Islands, Iceland & Svalbard take guests to explore Viking history and geological wonders. A destination exploration of Iceland reveals geothermal marvels, thundering waterfalls and volcanic landscapes. The rocky coastlines of the Faroe Islands feature waters patrolled by Orcas and long-finned pilot whales, while a remote expedition in Svalbard offers extraordinary birdlife and the chance to spy polar bears, walruses and seals.
- Scottish Isle, Faroes & Icelandic Wildlife Expedition (Destination Exploration)
- 12-nights, June 9 – 21, 2023, Edinburgh, Scotland to Reykjavik, Iceland
- Expedition Iceland (Destination Exploration)
- 10-nights, June 21 – July 1, 2023, Round-trip Reykjavik, Iceland
- Arctic Adventure: Iceland, Svalbard & The North Cape (Remote Expedition)
- 15-nights, July 1 – 16, 2023, Reykjavik, Iceland to Tromsø, Norway
Three voyages in Russia feature Remote Expeditions including an epic 28-day transit of Russia’s Northeast Passage offering the chance to see polar bears, walruses, seals, Arctic foxes and seabird colonies, and to explore Russian history and culture on Solovetsky Island, a UNESCO gem on the White Sea. A 17-night Russian Arctic Expedition & The North Cape voyage visits the Severnaya Zemlya Archipelago off the coast of Siberia and provides a taste of the Northeast Passage for guests whose schedules call for a shorter itinerary. A 17-night expedition from Anadyr to Tokyo spotlights brown bears and herds of reindeer on the Kamchatka Peninsula and Steller sea lions in The Kuril Islands.
- Russian Arctic Expedition & The North Cape (Remote Expedition)
- 17-nights, July 16 – August 2, 2023, Round-trip Tromsø, Norway
- Northeast Passage (Remote Expedition)
- 28-nights, August 2 – 30, 2023, Tromsø, Norway to Anadyr, Russia
- Expedition: Kamchatka, The Kurils & Hokkaido (Remote Expedition)
- 17-nights, August 30 – September 16, 2023, Anadyr, Russia to Tokyo, Japan
Four voyages explore Japan showcasing sweeping adventures in a timeless empire steeped in tradition, lore and natural beauty, from the mountain ranges of Kanazawa to the UNESCO-listed castle ruins in Hagi. Voyages explore Japan in autumn, draped in a fiery splendor of garnets and golds, and feature breathtaking Japanese gardens, Samurai shrines and Buddhist temples as well as snow-capped mountains, pristine beaches and cultural treasures.
- Russian Far East & Japan (Remote Expedition)
- 17-nights, September 16 – October 3, 2023, Round-trip Tokyo, Japan
- Japan’s Cultural & Coastal Discovery (Cultural Discovery)
- 17-nights, October 3 – 20, 2023, Round-trip Tokyo, Japan
- Autumn in Japan: Gardens & Empires (Cultural Discovery)
- 16-nights, October 20 – November 5, 2023, Round-trip Tokyo, Japan
- Island Explorations of Japan (Destination Exploration)
- 16-nights, November 5 – 21, 2023, Tokyo, Japan to Taipei, Taiwan
Three voyages exploring Indonesia & Australia featuring winter escapes to exotic isles and balmy shores. Explorations in Indonesia include Komodo Island and the spectacular coral reefs of the Raja Ampat archipelago, as well as calls in the Philippines and Borneo. A Holiday Expedition in Australia includes an overnight in Cairns, gateway to the Great Barrier Reef, Christmas Day enjoyed on an overnight in the idyllic Whitsunday Islands, and the chance to ring in the New Year with a double overnight in Sydney.
- Philippines, Borneo & Indonesian Quest (Remote Expedition)
- 16-night, November 21 – December 7, 2023, Taipei, Taiwan to Bali, Indonesia
- Expedition to Bali, the Raja Ampat & Queensland (Remote Expedition)
- 16-nights, December 7 – December 23, 2023, Bali, Indonesia to Cairns, Australia
- Holiday Expedition: Great Barrier Reef to Tasmania (Destination Exploration)
- 14-night, December 23, 2023 – January 6, 2024, Cairns, Australia to Hobart, Australia