Crystal Cruises unveiled its 2016 and early 2017 itineraries. Highlights for the luxury cruises include returns to Alaska, New Orleans, and the Philippines; expanded West Coast, Central American, and Caribbean; choices; three trips through Antarctica; inclusive land programs in Berlin and Montréal; a pan-Pacific Grand Cruise; and two completely different World Cruises (in 2016 and 17). In total, Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity will sail 74 five- to 102-day voyages around the world over the approximately 15-month period.
2016 Year Overview
- 60 cruises, 77 countries, 86 overnights in 48 ports, and 245 ports around the world
- Almost half of the year’s itineraries (29) are 10 days or less, including one five-day and two six-day cruises for the first time ever, along the Pacific Coast.
- New overnights ports, such as Antwerp, Ibiza, Papeete, Bora Bora, Berlin/Hamburg, Bali, Punta del Este, Colon, Ushuaia, and Haifa.
- A record number of double overnight (two nights in a row) ports (14), including San Diego, Amsterdam, New Orleans, Stockholm, St. Petersburg, Istanbul, Venice, London, Lisbon, Barcelona, Sydney and Melbourne.
- 27 Maiden Calls include Aitutaki, Cook Islands; Arendal, Norway; Bandol, France; Catalina Island, California; Corinto, Nicaragua; Crotone, Italy; Easo, New Caledonia; Fukuoaka, Japan; Gaspé, PQ; Hoonah, Alaska; Isla Margarita, Venezuela; Karlskrona, Sweden; Kavala, Greece; Kirkwall, UK; Klaksvík, Faroe Islands; Korsakov, Russia; Mystery Island, Vanuatu; Nanaimo and Prince Rupert, BC; Port Canaveral, Florida; Portree, Isle of Skye, UK; Port d’ Alcúdia, Majorca/Balearic Islands, Spain; San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua; Sibenik, Croatia; Terre-de-Haut, Guadeloupe, French West Indies; Samaná, Dominican Republic; and Virgin Gorda, BVI.
- Returns to less-visited destinations: Argostoli, Kefalonia Island, Greece; Chania/Souda, Crete, Greece; Kralendijk, Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles; Gdañsk, Poland; La Rochelle/La Pallice, France; Mariehamn, Finland; Montego Bay and Ocho Rios, Jamaica; Nuku’Alofa, Tonga; Nuku Hiva, Marquesas Islands; Ponta Delgada,The Azores; Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala; Rangiroa, French Polynesia; Sanary-sur-Mer, France; Tarragona, Spain; Sarandë, Albania; Waitangi, Bay of Islands, New Zealand
Itinerary Highlights
- A 102-day World Cruise sailing round-trip from San Francisco for the first time, with five segments beginning in Sydney, Bali, Singapore, Shanghai and Tokyo.
- The line’s first summer Alaska season in five years, only this season with shorter seven and 10-day itineraries.
- Two new Northern Europe cruises to/from Berlin, with a complimentary three-night Berlin land package.
- Two January/February voyages cruising Antarctica and South America, including a new route round-trip from Buenos Aires.
- Eight five- to 22-day cruises to or from California in the winter, spring, and fall including:
- New Hawaiian islands itinerary round-trip from San Francisco.
- New San Diego round-trip, visiting Catalina Island for the first-time ever.
- Two new Panama Canal cruises: from Chile to Miami and Miami to San Francisco.
- New Caribbean & Central America cruises:
- A return to New Orleans after a decade-long absence, with three voyages (one round-trip)
- Two voyages to/from Colón, Panama
- Sailings including seldom-visited islands such as Jamaica and Bonaire, as well as luxurious locations such as Turks & Caicos, St. Barts and Virgin Gorda for the first time.
- Expanded explorations of Central America in both years, with visits to Nicaragua, Guatemala, Honduras, and more Mexico again.
- A New England-Canada season with a local overnight on land in Montreal, plus seven, eight, nine-, and 10-day voyage options, including a round-trip from New York.
- Ten seven-, nine-, and 12-day Mediterranean cruises in spring and fall, including a return to Israel and to Athens as a “turnaround” port.
- Five voyages to or from Asia, with multiple ports in South Korea back on the calendar,
- A return to Sydney for its world-famous New Year’s fireworks display on an Auckland-Melbourne holiday cruise, with a second holiday voyage round-trip from Miami.
2017 (1st Quarter) Summary:
- Ninety-four-day “Ultimate South America” World Cruise round-trip from Miami starting Jan. 10, comprised of six segments sailing on Crystal Serenity through Antarctica, the Amazon, and to/from Colon, Valparaíso, Buenos Aires, Rio, and Barbados.
- Ninety-nine-day pan-Pacific Grand Cruise aboard Crystal Symphony, starting Jan. 5, and comprised of seven segments sailing to/from Melbourne, Sydney (round-trip), Bali, Singapore, Hong Kong, Incheon, and Tokyo, and featuring several new and seldom visited Polynesian ports and Crystal’s first return to the Philippines in 18 years.
- Fourteen Maiden Calls: Alotau and Kiriwina, Papua New Guinea; Boracay and Romblon Islands, Philippines; Iquique and Castro, Chiloé Island, Iquique, Chile; Isle of Pines, New CaledoniaMatarani, Peru; Champagne Bay, Vanuatu; Portobelo, Panama; Santo Tomás de Castilla, Guatemala; Stewart Island, New Zealand; Takamatsu, Japan; and Trujillo, Peru.
- Ports less visited: Antofagasta, Chile; Guadalcanal, Honiara, Solomon Islands; Port Vila, Vanuatu; Rabaul, Papua New Guinea; and Yasawa-I-Rara, Fiji
The 2016 and early 2017 cruises are now available for booking with limited-time, all-inclusive Book Now fares starting from $1,785/person until June 30.
For more information, visit www.crystalcruises.com.