Lifestyle / Travel

Crystal Cruises May Change Cruising As We Know It

Crystal Cruises has announced an unprecedented expansion plan that includes the launch of luxury ocean, yacht, river cruises — and air travel.

Jul 22, 2015 | By AFPRelaxnews

Crystal Dreamliner

Ā has announced an unprecedented expansion plan that includes the launch of luxury ocean, yacht, river cruises and air travel.

In fact, when you factor in ports of call, it could be said that the luxury cruise liner will cover all the main bases — travel by land, air, and sea — when it launches Crystal Luxury Air.

Set to take off in 2017, the 787 Dreamliner will be reconfigured to seat 60 travelers instead of 300, who will fly on fully reclining business seats for around-the-world trips.

Twenty-eight-day itineraries will include stops to about a dozen destinations ā€œ…to which major airlines do not offer nonstop service,ā€ as well as stays at luxury hotels, restaurants and world-class entertainment.

The concept is not far off from a Four Seasons-branded program that launched earlier this year, offering all-inclusive, around-the-world trips aboard private luxury jets.

 Crystal Esprit

Meanwhile, late this year the company will also launch Crystal Esprit, a 62-guest, 3,000-tonnage vessel designed to offer a ā€œboutiqueā€ ambiance, the first of the companyā€™s Yacht Cruises program that will set sail in the Seychelles Islands, Dubai and Adriatic Coast.

CRYSTAL CRUISES OFFERS FIRST HYPOALLERGENIC SUITES

Activities aboard the yacht cruises include two-passenger submarines, zodiacs, water skis, wakeboards, kayaks, jet skis, fishing, scuba and snorkel equipment.

Crystal Esprit Bahamas

After making its foray into air travel, and trying to carve a new niche market in boutique yacht cruises, Crystal will also raise anchor on three newly commissioned ships in 2018, configured to offer a luxurious, at-sea experience that takes cruising up a notch.

That means increasing the average space ratio from 60 tons per person on a typical luxury cruise ship to 100 tons of space.

Crystal Exclusive Class ship and Residences

The new Crystal Exclusive Class will also feature Crystal Residences, 48 homes built on the top deck that will offer affluent cruisers their own little community, with a private restaurant, reception and facilities.

And at 600 to 4,000 square feet, (56 to 372 square meters), the residences are billed as the largest on the high seas.


 
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