Crystal Visits All 7 Continents in 2005!

Hi Everyone,

I received this press release from Crystal Cruises and thought it
would be of interest. If you have missed any of my news' postings,
they are available on my web site.

Best regards,
Ray
LIGHTHOUSE TRAVEL
800-719-9917 or 805-566-3905
http://www.lighthousetravel.com



Crystal Cruises Visits All Seven Continents in 2005 on a Record Number
of Cruises

LOS ANGELES, March 29
Crystal Cruises unveils its 2005 worldwide itineraries with a record
number of cruises visiting 185 ports in 64 countries to all seven
continents, including a 101-day World Cruise. For 2005, Crystal
Cruises is balancing its award-winning, luxurious onboard experience
with more port intensive itineraries; a greater variety of shorter,
closer-to-home cruises; and 14 maiden calls. In all, the luxury line
is offering a selection of 95 cruises aboard the luxurious Crystal
Harmony, Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity.
Crystal Cruises opened the books just a few weeks ago and already
bookings are 94% ahead for 2005 versus the 2004 bookings made at this
time in 2003. The 2005 Cruise Guide, a preview to the full Atlas
currently in production, publishes this week and is available by
calling 866.446.6625. Itineraries and fares are also on the website at
www.crystalcruises.com . All Crystal cruises are booked exclusively
through travel agents.

Highlights of 2005 include:

* A 101-day World Cruise -- Beginning in Los Angeles on January
15 and
concluding in London, the 2005 World Cruise aboard Crystal
Serenity
marks Crystal Cruises' ninth World Cruise and will include a
passage
of the Suez Canal and sailing the Mediterranean. The ultimate
voyage
is available in six segments.

* Antarctica -- To its winter South America series, Crystal
Symphony
adds a cruise to Antarctica, marking the ship's second visit
to the
region since February, 2003.

* Alaska cruises with two glacier experiences on each cruise --
Glacier
Bay or Hubbard Glacier and the newly added Tracy Arm. Ten
12-day
Alaska cruises round-trip from San Francisco plus a new
seven-day
cruise round-trip from Vancouver.

* More port intensive European itineraries -- overnight visits
on most
cruises, an average eight ports on 12-day cruises (in addition
to the
embarkation and disembarkation ports), plus a three-day,
two-night
shipboard stay in St. Petersburg on most Baltic cruises.

* New fall Mexican Riviera season -- Crystal Harmony will make a
total
of eight cruises roundtrip from Los Angeles to the Mexican
Riviera,
including four seven-day itineraries and four 10-day cruises.

* Shorter itineraries -- Crystal is adding a record number of
seven- and
eight-day cruise opportunities, with
-- four seven-day and two eight-day voyages on Crystal
Symphony,
-- five seven-day cruises and one eight-day itinerary on
Crystal
Harmony and
-- two seven-day cruises aboard Crystal Serenity.
-- A total of 14 shorter cruises have been set for Alaska,
Europe,
Caribbean, New England/Canada and Mexican Riviera.

* Close-to-home itineraries complement exotic voyages --
-- 32 cruises sailing round-trip from domestic ports, for
those who
appreciate the convenience of leaving and returning from a
U.S.
port-of-call;
-- 23 cruises that begin or end in a domestic port,
representing 57%
of the 95 2005 cruises; as well as
-- 40 voyages showcasing the world, including Europe, Asia,
South
America and a World Cruise.


"As evidenced by the strong advance response, Crystal Cruises' 2005
itineraries reflect the diverse interests of luxury travelers today,"
says Gregg Michel, president, Crystal Cruises. "Some relish more
exotic destinations, extended stays in ports, and more port intensive
cruises, while others prefer to luxuriate on Crystal's floating hotels
from closer-to-home destinations. We also know that some luxury
travelers are intrigued by a combination of experiences that can
include a more exotic trip during one season and a more convenient
trip in the next. We've designed a cruise collection to appeal to
both."

Crystal Serenity

Crystal Serenity kicks off the year with a Mexican Riviera cruise
before embarking on the 101-day World Cruise, which concludes with a
rich European port segment. In the spring and summer, Crystal Serenity
will offer 16 Mediterranean cruises, adding two seven-day
Mediterranean cruises to its collection of 12-day journeys. In the
fall, Crystal Serenity heads back to North America, from Lisbon to
Fort Lauderdale, on a Transatlantic crossing that includes an
overnight visit in Bermuda. In late November, Crystal Serenity makes a
10-day Caribbean cruise round-trip from Fort Lauderdale with an
inaugural call at Grand Turk in the Turks and Caicos. A Panama Canal
cruise positions Crystal Serenity back on the West Coast for a
Christmas/New Year voyage to the Mexican Riviera, round-trip from Los
Angeles.

Crystal Harmony

Crystal Harmony spends the winter cruising the Panama Canal and
Mexican Riviera, including an option departing from San Diego. In the
spring, Crystal Harmony returns to Asia for a series of 14-day
cruise/land programs in China and Japan, which include a complimentary
three-day land package in Beijing. The summer finds Crystal Harmony
back in Alaska, round-trip from San Francisco for most of the season.
In the fall, Crystal Harmony begins a new fall season cruising the
Mexican Riviera. In December, the luxury vessel will reposition
through the Panama Canal to New Orleans, whereby she'll conclude the
year with a new 12-day Christmas/New Year cruise round-trip from New
Orleans to the Caribbean.

Crystal Symphony

Crystal Symphony begins the year with a unique Panama Canal cruise
from Fort Lauderdale down the West Coast of Peru and Chile to
Valparaiso, a cruise that offers fascinating excursions to the
Galapagos Islands and Machu Picchu. The luxury vessel will remain in
South America through February for two cruises around Cape Horn and
through the Chilean Fjords, including an 18-day voyage that features
three days cruising around the Antarctica Peninsula.

In March and April, Crystal Symphony will cruise through the Caribbean
and Panama Canal, respectively. Following a Transatlantic cruise,
Crystal Symphony will spend May in the Mediterranean and then head
north for a series of Baltic, North Cape and British Isles cruises. In
September, she'll head west across the Atlantic to begin a New
England/Canada fall foliage series. Come November and December,
Crystal Symphony heads south for more tropical cruises in the Panama
Canal and Caribbean, rounding out the year with a festive
Christmas/New Year cruise in the Caribbean round-trip from Fort
Lauderdale.

The Crystal Experience

The 940-guest, 50,000-ton Crystal Harmony and Crystal Symphony were
joined by the 1,080-guest, 68,000-ton Crystal Serenity in early July
2003. For the eighth consecutive year, luxury cruise line Crystal
Cruises has been named the "World's Best Large-Ship Cruise Line" in
Travel + Leisure and Conde Nast Traveler magazines' annual readers'
surveys. The line's spa, fitness, entertainment and enrichment
programming continues to earn the highest accolades among consumer
polls as well as respective critics.

Choices are at the heart of the Crystal experience. Crystal's
distinctive combination of features has distinguished its ships and
services in the luxury cruise market:

* Exquisitely appointed staterooms and suites, more than half of
which
offer private verandahs. All accommodations offer Frette
robes, two
hairdryers, European featherbeds, down comforters, and a
choice of
luxurious pillows, among other amenities.

* Complimentary non-alcoholic beverages, including soft drinks,
bottled
water and specialty coffees.

* Caesars Palace at Sea casino, the only cruise ship casino
operated by
a famed gaming establishment.

* European dining staff.

* With up to seven dining venues, Crystal offers a choice of
open
seating in its specialty restaurants or classic assigned
seating in
the Crystal Dining Room, with the same table and same waiter
who can
anticipate one's personal requests.

* Each ship features the classic dining experience plus at least
two
specialty restaurants, including Silk Road and The Sushi Bar
on
Crystal Serenity, featuring cuisine by the noted Nobu
Matsuhisa.

* A classic Bistro, for specialty coffees and gourmet snacks
throughout
the day.

* Full Promenade Deck for jogging and walking.

* A cinema for large-screen viewing of recent releases and
classic
films.

* Feng Shui-designed, state of the art spas and fitness centers,
offering group exercise classes, yoga, Pilates and personal
training.

Ray Goldenberg wrote in message . ..
Hi Everyone,

I received this press release from Crystal Cruises and thought it
would be of interest.

Crystal Cruises Visits All Seven Continents in 2005 on a Record Number
of Cruises

Very long commercial snipped

Ray,

It is interesting that looking at itineraries on their site, the
Antarctica "Visit" is just sailing along the peninsula. If that is a
visit to Antarctica, then using the same logic, one could claimed to
have visited every city they've flown over on a coast-to-coast flight.

Just one guy's $0.02

Ray in NH