Starting next month, travelers can book their luxury yachting vacation with Crystal Yacht Cruises, the most recent innovation from Crystal Cruises. As Crystal Esprit charts new waters with its maiden voyage this winter, Crystal Cruises is unveiling the complete itineraries and fares for 2016 through the beginning of 2018. The routes were first made available for booking exclusively for Crystal Society members Crystal's repeat guest program and will be open to all travelers September 1.
At their guests' fingertips are water skis, wake boards, kayaks, jet skis, fishing, and snorkel equipment. The new routes mark Crystal's first-ever offering of immersive itineraries focused in warm waters and reaching remote and coveted locales not easily reached by larger cruise ships. The extravagantly appointed yacht outfitted for adventure, both, on board and ashore is set to call in ports never before visited by Crystal's acclaimed ocean vessels, Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity.
On seven-day itineraries that reposition seasonally, Crystal Esprit will take guests to stunning locales including the Seychelles, Adriatic Coast, Oman, Abu Dhabi, and Dubai, immersing guests in the destinations. The yacht's first guests will sail December 23, 2015 on a route round-trip from Mahe/Victoria, Seychelles, with visits to neighboring islands. The yacht's maiden voyage offers an inclusive post- and pre- cruise New Year's Eve Extravaganza in Dubai, complete with three- or four-night accommodations at the extraordinary Dubai Taj Hotel and spectacular fireworks display
In 2016 through the beginning of 2018, travelers can visit:
Indian Ocean (January-March) Sailing round-trip from Mahe/Victoria, Seychelles, with optional two- and four-night inclusive Dubai Land Package;
Cosmopolitan Emirates (December) Sailing round-trip from Dubai, calling on such ports as Muscat and Khasab, Oman; Abu Dhabi and Sir Bani Yas Island, UAE; and Doha, Qatar;
Holy Land (March/April/November) Sailing from Limassol, Cyprus and Aqaba, Jordan, calling in Haifa, Eilat and Ashdod, Israel;
Mediterranean (April-November) Sailing various routes from Venice, Italy; Dubrovnik, Croatia; and Athens, Greece, calling in charming Croatian spots along the Dalmatian Coast and picturesque Greek Isles.
"One of the most compelling and thrilling new elements that Crystal Esprit offers our guests is itineraries filled with destinations they've not been able to visit on a large cruise ship before," says Crystal President & CEO Edie Rodriguez. "The Crystal yachting experience will take our travelers to locales with the same spectacular beauty and culture, but a more intimate atmosphere."
Most of Crystal Esprit's seven-day itineraries have been specifically developed and deployed to allow travelers to combine two voyages into longer 14-day vacations.
The vessel is an extravagantly appointed yacht, delivered to Crystal Cruises by Genting Hong Kong (GHK), and extensively redesigned to reflect the stylish elegance for which Crystal is renowned. The 62-guest, 3,300-tonnage yacht will offer intimate, exclusive, and immersive experiences with a boutique ambiance. The all-suite yacht will feature posh, high-end finishes and modern technology, and is outfitted with some decidedly extreme features, like a two-passenger submarine, four 10-passenger zodiacs for special excursions and a 12-passenger Wider 32-foot super yacht tender for special boating adventures. Additionally, at their guests' fingertips are water skis, wake boards, kayaks, jet skis, fishing, and snorkel equipment.