Plan Your Crystal Cruises Vacation
Winner of accolades and too many hospitality industry awards to count, Crystal Cruises offers a taste of the grandeur of the past along with all the modern touches discerning passengers demand today. Founded in 1990 and owned by Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK) in Japan, Crystal ships, unlike other luxury vessels, are large, carrying upward of 900 passengers. What makes them distinctive are superior service, a variety of dining options, spacious accommodations, and some of the highest ratios of space per passenger of any cruise ship.
Beginning with ship designs based on the principles of feng shui, the Eastern art of arranging your surroundings to attract positive energy, no detail is overlooked to provide passengers with the best imaginable experience. Just mention a preference for a certain food or beverage and your waiter will have it available whenever you request it.
Afternoon tea in the Palm Court is a delightful daily ritual. You're greeted by staff members in 18th-century Viennese brocade and velvet costumes for Mozart Tea; traditional scones and clotted cream are served during English Colonial Tea; and American Tea is a summertime classic created by Crystal culinary artists.
The line's Ambassador Host Program brings cultured gentlemen on each cruise to dine, socialize, and dance with unaccompanied ladies who wish to participate.
Key Crystal Cruises Tips
Are you a first-time cruiser? View our helpful hints and tips on Your Shipmates, Dress Code, Junior Cruisers, and much more! See Tips
Top Reasons To Cruise
- Style in a big package Crystal Cruises are large but notably luxurious and stylish.
- Service Personalized service is a key component.
- Itineraries Exotic worldwide itineraries and numerous overnight port calls are signature elements of Crystal’s voyages.
- Food The food is a good enough reason to book a cruise with Crystal—it’s that exceptional, and the specialty restaurants are complimentary.
Is This Line Right For You?
Choose This Line If
- You crave peace and quiet. Announcements are kept to a bare minimum, and the ambience is sedate.
- You prefer to plan ahead. You can make spa, restaurant, shore excursion, and class reservations when you book your cruise.
- You love sushi and other Asian delights—Crystal ships serve some of the best at sea.
Don't Choose This Line If
- You don't want to follow the dress code. Everyone does, and you'll stand out—and not in a good way—if you rebel.
- You want a smoke-free environment. Smoking is allowed in cabins and in designated areas of public rooms and decks.
- You want a less structured cruise. Even with open seating dining, Crystal is a bit more regimented than other luxury lines.
What To Expect On Board
Food
The food alone is reason enough to book a Crystal cruise. Dining in the main restaurants is an event starring a Continental-inspired menu of dishes served by European-trained waiters. Off-menu item requests are honored when possible, and special dietary considerations are
handled with ease. Full-course vegetarian menus are among the best at sea. Themed to the region you are sailing, lavish luncheon buffets take place on deck on select days at sea. Casual poolside dining beneath the stars is offered on some evenings in a relaxed, no-reservations option. A variety of hot-and-cold hors d'oeuvres are served in bars and lounges every evening before dinner and again during the wee hours in The Bistro.
But the specialty restaurants really shine. Contemporary Asian cuisine is served in Silk Road and the Sushi Bar, featuring the signature dishes of Nobu Matsuhisa. Both ships also have Prego, which serves regional Italian cuisine by Piero Selvaggio, owner of Valentino in Los Angeles and Las Vegas.
Exclusive Wine & Champagne Makers dinners are hosted in the Vintage Room. On select evenings, casual poolside theme dinners are served under the stars.
Crystal has an extensive wine list, including its own proprietary label called C Wines, which are produced in California. Complimentary wines are poured with meals, as is common on other luxury cruise lines. You won't pay extra for any alcoholic beverages, bottled water, soft drinks, and specialty coffees; all are included in your basic fare.
Entertainment
The complete roster of entertainment and activities includes Broadway-style production shows and bingo, but where Crystal really shines is in the variety of enrichment and educational programs. Passengers can participate in the hands-on Computer [email protected], interactive
Creative Learning Institute classes, or attend lectures featuring top experts in their fields: keyboard lessons with Yamaha, language classes by Berlitz, wellness lectures with the Cleveland Clinic, and an introduction to tai chi with the Tai Chi Cultural Center. Professional ACBL Bridge instructors are on every cruise, and dance instructors offer lessons in contemporary and social dance styles.
Fitness and Recreation
Large spas offer innovative pampering therapies, body wraps, and exotic Asian-inspired treatments by Steiner Leisure. Feng shui principles were scrupulously adhered to in their creation, to assure the spas and salons remain havens of tranquility.
Fitness centers have
a range of exercise and weight-training equipment and workout areas for aerobics classes, plus complimentary yoga and Pilates instruction. In addition, golfers enjoy extensive shipboard facilities, including a driving range practice cage and putting green. Passengers can leave their bags at home and rent top-quality TaylorMade clubs for use ashore. The line's resident golf pros offer complimentary lessons and group clinics.
