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Crystal heralds 2007 itineraries

Crystal Cruises is introducing its 2007 collection of ultra-luxury worldwide cruises for Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity.Featuring 152 different ports, the rich 2007 roster of 63 exotic, romantic, historic and tropical itineraries, range in length from seven to 109 days for the line’s 12th annual World Cruise.

New for 2007 will be a return to a season cruising Asia, a call in Israel for the first time since 1999, Antarctica, more seven-day cruises than ever before, more overnight stays, an emphasis on more ports per cruise and eight maiden calls in Chile, Norway, Vietnam, Tunisia, Lithuania, Mozambique, Mexico and Russia.

Recognizing that its luxury travelers are seeking grand experiences of the destinations, the line has planned cruises around Carnaval in Rio, the Tall Ships regatta in Stockholm, and the Military Tattoo in Edinburgh, in addition to several days in Beijing, St. Petersburg, and Cape Town, among others.

“Ashore, Crystal will maximize the experience of a destination with hundreds of fascinating cultural, active and highly specialized Crystal Adventures, including safaris and one-of-a-kind tailored experiences,” says William Smith, senior vice president, sales & marketing.

“On board Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity, guests will continue to find incomparable service, space, choices and quality with a continued focus on spa, fitness and stimulating, sophisticated learning opportunities.”

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Crystal Serenity kicks off January 2007 with an easy seven-day Caribbean cruise before setting off for her grandest voyage, the World Cruise.

Available in seven segments, the cruise begins in Miami and circles around South America and Antarctica across to Cape Town and up the eastern coast of Africa to Dubai, followed by calls in the Middle East and Europe.

The acclaimed vessel spends the late spring through fall cruising on several different eastern and western Mediterranean itineraries, as well as Black Sea and Canary Islands cruises.

A southern Trans-Atlantic crossing via Bermuda repositions Crystal Serenity for late fall cruising in the warm waters of the Panama Canal and Caribbean, including a tropical Caribbean holiday cruise.

Crystal Symphony will begin 2007 with four prime season Panama Canal and two Mexican Riviera cruises, followed by a Trans-Pacific cruise that repositions the ship to Asia.

Spring Asia itineraries include two China and Japan cruises with three-day overland stays in Beijing and two exotic Southeast Asia cruises offering Vietnam, Thailand, India and Myanmar. Crystal Symphony travels from Dubai through the Suez Canal for a Middle Eastern voyage, followed by a Western Europe cruise from Rome.

The ultra-luxury vessels spends the summer in northern Europe on a series of Baltic cruises (with three days in St. Petersburg); a British Isles cruise; a northern Europe cruise including Hamburg, Amsterdam and Bordeaux; and a Norwegian fjords cruise across the Arctic Circle to Spitsbergen.

Crystal Symphony’s grand Trans-Atlantic cruise, featuring stops in Iceland and Greenland, repositions the ship for New England/Canada fall foliage cruises.

Panama Canal and Caribbean cruises take the chill off late fall. Crystal Symphony celebrates the Christmas holidays and the New Year with a festive Mexican Riviera voyage.

Complete day-by-day itineraries will be posted on Crystal’s website by December 30, 2005. Cruise fares for the full collection will be available in January. Crystal Cruises’ full-color Cruise Guide will debut in early 2007, followed by an annual Cruise Atlas.
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