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Wrap Up the Holidays With Seasonal Festivities and Savings Aboard a Luxurious Crystal Cruise
Christmas in the Caribbean. Thanksgiving in the Tropics. Hanukkah transiting the Panama Canal. This year, luxury cruise specialist Crystal Cruises wraps up the holidays with celebrations of the season, convenient domestic departures, and, on select cruises, special savings for families with children of all ages.
"Perhaps the greatest gift a family can enjoy during the holidays is quality time together. At Crystal, we go the extra mile to ensure our ships provide a festive ambience with all the trimmings and traditions of the season," says Bill Smith, Crystal's senior vice president of marketing and sales. "And with special savings offered on a variety of itineraries, a holiday at sea aboard one of our floating resorts is a wonderful present for oneself or the entire family."
Crystal Cruises' creative programming and special promotions are designed to appeal to the expectations of its savvy clientele. Whether they're couples with children, or extended families enjoying a reunion, guests will enjoy the finest cuisine, entertainment, accommodations and service available on the high seas.
Christmas & New Year's
Aboard Crystal Harmony, Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity, guests will find a decidedly festive yet supremely sophisticated ambience. In keeping with the line's dedication to offering an ultra-luxury vacation experience, $100,000 of seasonal decor -- such as handcrafted ornaments, ornate sleighs, Old English toy soldiers and a dozen twinkling Christmas trees -- will adorn each ship.
Christmas Eve promises a traditional Christmas Eve Dinner held in the elegant Crystal Dining Room; a Christmas tree lighting ceremony hosted by the Captain -- complete with Christmas carols, cookies and hot chocolate; holiday tunes in the Avenue Saloon piano bar; gingerbread houses adorning the dining room, lounges and Crystal Penthouses; and holiday gifts for all guests.
Clergy will also be aboard to conduct a Christmas Eve Mass or a Protestant Christmas Eve service.
Christmas Day brings complimentary eggnog, served at 11:00 am, followed with a gala Christmas buffet at noon. A Chocolate Tea Time -- and the arrival of Santa Claus bearing gifts for Junior Cruisers -- is scheduled for the afternoon. Crystal's innovative and talented Repertory Theatre at Sea will perform "A Christmas Carol," and the festivities culminate in an extravagant Christmas Day Dinner.
Holiday-themed films, shown in The Hollywood Theatre, include "How the Grinch Stole Christmas," "Miracle on 34th Street," "A Christmas Story," "It's a Wonderful Life" and "Mannheim Steamroller's Christmas Live," as well as other popular new releases.
In-stateroom television programming is equally as festive with such classics as Tony Bennett's "A Family Christmas," Irving Berlin's "White Christmas," Johnny Mathis' "Home for Christmas," "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation," "The Santa Clause," "Scrooged," "White Christmas," "A Charlie Brown Christmas," "The Year Without Santa Clause," and "The Nutcracker Prince."
New Year's Eve features an array of activities throughout the day and into the wee hours of a brand new year. An opulent, gala New Year's Dinner will be served in the dining room, followed by drinks, dancing, and a New Year's Eve Variety Show. Last but not least, guests can revel in the traditional New Year's Eve Countdown with a balloon drop in the ships' Atrium.
On New Year's Day, guests wake to complimentary Bloody Mary parties, and New Year's Day brunches with champagne and mimosas.
All three Christmas/New Year's voyages are 14 days and operate, conveniently, roundtrip from US ports, with the added value of up to 2-for-1 savings on each cruise. Guests already booked aboard Crystal Harmony's December 21st "Caribbean Holiday" cruise departing from New Orleans have the opportunity to "stay and save" by extending their cruise from the preceding December 9th cruise for as little as $997.50. A child under 12 can sail for free when sharing a stateroom with two adults, and fares start at $3,495 per person.
Crystal Symphony's "Tropical Holiday" travels from Ft. Lauderdale on December 22 with rates beginning at $5,445 per person.
Crystal Serenity's "Pacific Holiday" explores the Mexican Riviera, leaving from Los Angeles on December 22 with fares starting at $6,445 per person.
Hanukkah
Considered the most joyous of the Jewish holidays, Hanukkah or "The Festival of Lights" (December 8-15), will be celebrated with traditional and nostalgic festivities including the nightly lighting of the Menorah commemorating the oil that burned in the Holy Temple for eight days rather than the expected one. Traditional fried foods such as latkes and loukoumades -- deep-fried pastry puffs dipped in honey or sugar -- symbolizing the magic of the holiday will be served alongside the more contemporary butter cookies and pretzels in the shape of Hanukkah symbols. A rabbi will also be onboard each ship to conduct services.
With departures to the Caribbean, South America or through the Panama Canal, Hanukkah cruises include: Crystal Harmony, December 9, 12 days from Ft. Lauderdale to New Orleans, available at special fares as low as $1,995 and a reduced 5% single supplement; Crystal Symphony, November 28, 17 days from Buenos Aires to Ft. Lauderdale with rates starting at $3,995; and Crystal Serenity, December 7, 15 days from Ft. Lauderdale to Los Angeles with fares beginning at $4,495.
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving cruises allow Crystal's award-winning culinary team to showcase their talents with a traditional -- albeit stylized -- five-course meal.
Families will enjoy the nostalgia of Thanksgiving with a tropical twist on any of three itineraries to the Caribbean, South America or the Panama Canal: Crystal Harmony, November 18, 11 days from Costa Rica to Ft. Lauderdale with fares as low as $1,695, including the opportunity to "stay and save" on the subsequent December 15th cruise departing roundtrip from Ft. Lauderdale for just $997.50; Crystal Symphony, November 10, 17 days from Ft. Lauderdale to Buenos Aires with fares starting at $3,995; and Crystal Serenity, November 20, 7 days roundtrip from Ft. Lauderdale with rates beginning at $2,850. Guests already booked on Crystal Serenity's November 9th Trans-Atlantic voyage from Lisbon to Ft. Lauderdale will have plenty to be thankful for when they can "stay and save" for only $1,190 on the subsequent Thanksgiving cruise.
Fantasia - for Junior Cruisers
Aboard all three ships, Crystal has invested tremendous resources and creative passion into the continued evolution of Fantasia, the main venue for children's activities. On Christmas/New Year's sailings, and cruises with a large number of children, Junior Activities Directors are onboard to create age-appropriate programs themed to the holidays and destinations.
Among Fantasia's amenities are custom designed built-in kiosks for Sony Playstation(R) video games, personal computers complete with entertainment and educational software, arts and crafts stations, and movie nights with popcorn and pizza.
The ships' Library offer more than 1,500 titles, including a selection of children's books and DVDs for the television/DVD units that are standard in all staterooms. In addition to a dedicated children's menu in the main dining room, the popular poolside Trident Grill serves hot dogs, hamburgers, pizza, sandwiches and frozen yogurt and ice cream throughout the afternoon.
Triple-berth staterooms are available in a range of categories, as well as suites and connecting staterooms. Cribs are available when requested in advance, and babysitting service is also offered.
On cruises with Junior Activities Directors, families may plan their days and nights according to "Surf Runner," the children's daily newsletter detailing scheduled activities and delivered to each child's stateroom the preceding evening.
Fares quoted are based on per person, double occupancy accommodations. For additional information, contact a travel agent or call 866.446.6625. Families can also visit the luxury line's website at www.crystalcruises.com.
Expires: 12/15/2004
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