Travelling on the Crystal Cruises annual sales gala is always an interesting experience. An impressive senior management team always turns out, including the President and all the senior VPs, and all are anxious to explain exactly how they have enhanced their particular part of the on-board experience over the last year.

Now whilst many consider the fact that Crystal Cruises’ failure to place an order for a new ship is something of a negative, you can look at this another way. 100% focus on the on-board product leads to great results, and anyone who has travelled on Crystal Symphony recently – launched in 1995 and still looks as if she is just out of the yard – will bear witness that ‘tired’ is not a word you could ever apply to a Crystal ship.

Crystal Serenity is scheduled for a dry dock refurbishment later this year, which will include the creation of a new Crystal Cove and Plaza with circular bar, new carpeting and colour schemes, the conversion of twelve AA grade staterooms to eight Penthouses, a new Crystal casino layout and new slot machines and refreshment of the shops will amount to an investment of $14.8million

Meanwhile on board both ships, the positive attitude of the Crystal team is one that many companies attempt to emulate, but which is deeply ingrained in the product over a number of years. In addition, constant changes and investments are being made over and above the hardware changes, to include reviewed lighting throughout both ships, luxury lounge chair covers, kimonos and beach bags in every stateroom, new “Life Fitness” gym equipment, “Tour de Spin” spinning classes on both ships, “Kinesis” private classes in gym, new fresh orange juicer machines and a “Crystal celebrations” photography programme on demand.

Crystal is renowned for its entertainment and enrichment programme which makes it a very appealing choice for longer itineraries. Recent innovations are new shows – “Gotta Dance”, “Curtain Call 2” and “Route 66”- ; a contemporary book club during World Cruise 2009; Passport to Music PLUS – new Yamaha classes; a fabric and silk painting programme on World Cruise 2009; new International TV networks; a Jazz trio on the world cruise; new social networking (facebook etc) classes in CU@Sea; a “Technology Concierge” to assist with new gadgets such as ipods, cameras, iphones etc; and at long last the much heralded Cheese Sommelier programme starts in October.

Much emphasis has been placed also on enhancing the land programmes, to appeal to a range of different age-groups and tastes, and to make return visits to various ports of call desirable. In addition, information about the shore programmes is made available well in advance, so the whole experience can be planned at the time the cruise is booked.

A new series of Extreme Luxury excursions includes such adventures as Private Ferrari programmes in Florence and Pisa; extreme speed Lamborghini driving experiences; Yacht programmes; gliding and hot air ballooning .

In addition, in 2009 the “Experiences of Discovery,” collection gives a special-interest focus to selected cruises including Fashion & Style; Ancient Civilizations; Tennis; Emerging Artists; Photography and Chance & Fortune.
Existing favourites such as the Wine & Food Festival, Film & Theatre Festival, Mind, Body & Spirit, Golf , Ballroom Dance, Big Band, Jazz, Cabaret at Sea, Smithsonian Journeys and Comprehensive Creative Learning Institute will return once more for 2009

A very recent addition to the spa and health programme is acupuncture, along with a menu of Chinese herbs revered for restoring and enhancing health, beauty and longevity. A menu of optional acupuncture treatments focuses on weight loss, pain management, stress reduction, detoxification, smoking cessation, facial rejuvenation and even sea sickness.