Author Paul Theroux served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Malawi in the 1960's.
Travel/fiction writer Paul Theroux is among the notable speakers joining Crystal Serenity's fall Mediterranean cruises
Paul Theroux + Linda Ellerbee + 40 New Crystal Adventures + 5 Diverse Itineraries = Crystal's Rich Fall Mediterranean Season
Tuesday May 31, 5:14 pm ET
Luxury Cruise Represents One of Europe's Best Travel Values
LOS ANGELES, May 31 /PRNewswire/ -- This fall, Crystal Cruises' Crystal Visions® Enrichment Program lectures, classes and shoreside Crystal Adventures are as rich as its Mediterranean port content.
Travel/fiction writer Paul Theroux and broadcast journalist/author Linda Ellerbee are among the notable speakers joining Crystal Serenity's fall Mediterranean cruises. Ashore, luxury specialist Crystal Cruises is introducing 40 new Crystal Adventures to its roster of almost 200 varied tours in the Mediterranean from September through November.
Five diverse 11- and 12-day itineraries offer the luxury of exploring as many as six different countries on a single voyage. Each features at least one overnight and evening stays in port. Cruises depart from Venice, Athens, Rome or Barcelona and visit such romantic destinations as the south of France, Greek islands, and seaside towns in Turkey, Croatia and the Amalfi Coast.
"With fewer crowds and slightly cooler weather, the fall is an ideal time to visit the Mediterranean," says Bill Smith, Crystal's senior vice president, sales and marketing. "Additionally, savvy travelers will appreciate the exceptional value of a 2005 European cruise on Crystal Cruises, given the dollar's weak standing against the Euro and the resulting high prices of Europe's top luxury hotels. Crystal Serenity's unique combination of choices, quality, service, space and value is particularly compelling this year."
Crystal Serenity's fall Mediterranean season is abundant in stimulating lectures, classes and evening entertainment on board, as well as special interest, limited availability experiences ashore. New authentic culinary experiences, exclusive enrichment and even adrenaline-filled adventures include:
* Amarone wine tasting and local fare at a renowned Tuscan villa (from
Venice);
* A private tour of the Vatican Museum (from Rome);
* Advanced and beginning scuba diving in Sorrento's Punta Campanella;
* Helicopter tours of the Dolomites (from Venice) and the Amalfi Coast
(from Sorrento);
* Off-road 4x4 excursions in Valletta and Funchal; and,
* Zipping around Nice on a Segway® Human Transporter.
And golf at some of the world's most renowned courses:
* Malaga's venerable Real Club de Campo;
* The Jack Nicklaus-designed course at the Montecastillo Hotel & Golf
Resort in Cadiz;
* The Green Course at Casablanca's Dar Es-Salam Royal Golf Club;
* The superb Real Club de Golf de Tenerife; and,
* Lisbon's stunning Penha Longa Golf Course.
All shore tours can be researched and pre-reserved online at www.crystalcruises.com prior to departure.
With Crystal Visions® Enrichment Program lecture series, the onboard experience is as rich as the port content. Highlights include:
September 8 - 20; 12 days; Rome to Venice; and,
September 20 - October 2; 12 days; Venice to Athens
* Dr. Lewis A. Sussman, professor of Classics at the University of
Florida, provides insight into the history of the Greek and Roman
worlds.
* Richard Karras of the Society of Wine Educators shares his extensive
knowledge of the region's best vintages.
* Progressive classes in Italian are taught by a certified Berlitz
language instructor (offered on all five fall itineraries).
October 2 - 14; 12 days; Athens to Rome
* Linda Ellerbee, multi-Emmy Award-winning television producer and
author of the new memoir Take Big Bites: Adventures Around the World
and Across the Table, provides a look at her life including her
successful fight against breast cancer.
* Paul Theroux, renowned travel novelist discusses his acclaimed books.
* Dr. Howard Clarke, professor Emeritus of Classics at the University of
California, Santa Barbara shares his insight on Greek and Roman
mythology.
October 14 - 25; 11 days; Rome to Barcelona; Sotheby's Institute Cruise
* Chantal Brotherton-Ratcliffe is a respected Old Master paintings
expert at Sotheby's Institute of Art in London.
* Corrado Amice, Italian tenor, performs favorite arias of his homeland.
October 25 - November 6; 12 days; Barcelona to Lisbon; Golf Cruise
* Susan Reed, editor in chief of Golf for Women, is joined by a PGA golf
pro to host play at some of the world's most established courses
(listed above).
Depending on itinerary, ports of call include: Nice/Villefranche, France (overnight); Monte Carlo, Monaco (overnight); Florence/Livorno, Portofino, Sardinia/Porto Cervo, Sorrento, Naples and Sicily/Taormina, Italy; Corfu and Mykonos, Greece; Kusadasi, Turkey; Dubrovnik and Split, Croatia; Valletta, Malta; Malaga/Granada, Palma de Mallorca, Cadiz/Seville and Canary Islands, Spain; Gibraltar, UK; Casablanca, Morocco; and Madeira/Funchal and Portimao, Portugal.
Eleven- and 12-day cruise fares begin at just $3,695 and $3,995, respectively, and are based on per person, double occupancy accommodations.
The Crystal Difference
Aboard the luxurious Crystal Serenity refined elegance meets casual simplicity. With an emphasis on innovative product differentiation, the renowned Crystal experience is distinguished by classic service, abundant space, extensive choice, and quality, providing worldwide vacations that bridge the best of land and sea.
The 1,080-guest, 68,000-ton Crystal Serenity is among the most spacious and luxurious vessels cruising in the luxury market. Its unique size allows for smooth sailing and a wide range of innovative facilities, generous amenities and elegant accommodations. Her luxurious features include grand lounges, a lavish spa outfitted in accordance with the principles of Feng Shui, extensive exercise facilities, complimentary golf, yoga and Pilates instruction, specialty restaurants (Nobu's cuisine at Silk Road), the only Caesars Palace at Sea® casino afloat, and the popular Computer University@Sea®, offering 24-hour e-mail and internet access, as well as hands-on instruction, expansive decks, two pools, award-winning cuisine and entertainment, and exquisitely appointed staterooms, more than half of which offer private verandahs.
Crystal Cruises has consistently earned the travel industry's most distinguished hospitality awards and guidebook ratings, including the best large-ship line award in the most recent readers' surveys conducted by Conde Nast Traveler and Travel + Leisure magazines.
