This was published 6 years ago
Crystal Cruises launches private Boeing 777 Crystal Skye plane and new river ship Crystal Bach
New babies are always the cause for celebrations, particularly if they are as big as Crystal Cruises' latest additions.
It's all go at Crystal Cruises. Within the space of a couple of weeks, the uber-luxury company celebrated the arrival of its 88-passenger Boeing 777 Crystal Skye in Las Vegas and christened it and its new river ship Crystal Bach in Germany.
The plane was christened with the traditional bottle of champagne being smashed on its hull, and it has a godfather – Matthew Upchurch, chief executive officer of the elite travel network Virtuoso. Crystal Skye, which is probably the most lavishly appointed aircraft in existence, is available for private charters; it will make its inaugural flight on September 30, transporting a group of pampered passengers from Hong Kong to Africa and Tahiti. And, as the saying goes, if you have to ask the price you can't afford it.
Crystal Bach is the second river ship for Crystal Cruises, but the first to be purpose-built. Crystal Mozart, which the company bought and completely overhauled, started cruising in July 2016. Bach accommodates a maximum of 110 passengers in considerable luxury and sails 10- and 14-day itineraries along the Rhine, visiting Belgium, The Netherlands, Switzerland and Germany.
"The fact that she is Crystal's first-ever new-build river ship means that we had the opportunity to go beyond the best and create a luxury river cruise experience that is truly unprecedented," said Crystal's chief executive officer and president, Edie Rodriguez, at the christening. "She is the first – and, until her sisters join her – the only all-balcony, all-suite river ship."
In another industry first, Crystal Bach and the ''Rhine Class'' ships will have all their suites positioned above the water line, featuring king-sized beds and personal butler service. The ships will carry kayaks, bicycles and speedboats for excursions. Crystal Mahler, Debussy and Ravel will make their debuts over the next few months.
Crystal also announced multimillion-dollar makeovers for its two ocean ships, Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony. Symphony is the first to go under the knife, in November 2017; by the time it arrives in Australia in February 2018 it will show off an array of redesigned suites, dining venues and public spaces.
More penthouse suites will be added to both ships, which means they will accommodate fewer passengers overall; Symphony will carry 848 passengers and Serenity 980 after the updates. So the passenger-space and passenger-crew ratios will be even more impressive than they are already.
Serenity and Symphony will meet in Sydney on February 17 for a World Cruise Gala. The world voyagers onboard can expect a spectacular event – and they can even swap ships for the journey home.
SHORE THING
THE PORT
Bordeaux, France
WHO GOES THERE
River cruise lines that dock at Port de la Lune in the city centre include APT, Croisi-Europe, Scenic, Uniworld and Viking. A few smaller ocean ships (up to 255 metres long, such as Azamara's and Oceania's) can dock there; larger ones dock at Verdon, 98 kilometres away on the Atlantic coast.
WHY WE LOVE IT
The whole city centre is a UNESCO World Heritage site and its elegant boulevards and medieval quarters are peppered with lively bars, restaurants and shops. Modern marvels include the Jacques Chaban-Delmas lifting Bridge and Cite du Vin wine museum.
TAKE A TOUR OR GO IT ALONE?
Bordeaux's riverfront is one of the most beautiful in the world – and cruisers have a dress-circle position. Within a few minutes' walk is the Place de la Bourse – the 18th-century Palais and its magical 21st-century water mirror. A guided walking or cycling tour takes you into the Golden Triangle (the historic heart of the city) and to the Grand Theatre, Esplanade des Quinconces and the medieval St Pierre district. If you prefer to explore independently, walking is the best way to go; there are also tram and bus systems.
MUST SEE
Cite du Vin opened in 2016, for a brilliant, interactive wine-history experience; 13th-century Cathedral of St Andre, where you can climb the Pey-Berland tower for stunning views of the city.
MUST EAT
Dedicated gourmets will check out Michelin-starred Cafe Opera, Le Pressoir d'Argent and Joel Robuchon's establishment in La Grande Maison; regional food fans should sample dishes such as Pauillac lamb, Bazas beef, Arcachon Bay oysters, foie gras and, if you're brave, lampreys in red wine sauce.
NEED TO KNOW
The next annual Bordeaux Wine Festival will be held from June 14-18, 2018. It coincides with the arrival of the Tall Ships Regatta.
ESSENTIALS
ca.france.fr/en/discover/bordeaux
CRUISE SCEPTIC
MYTH: DINING TIMES ARE TOO RIGID
REALITY: Most cruise lines offer "anytime" or "freestyle" dining in the main dining rooms, so you decide when and with whom to dine.
NEWS
Making history
For the first time in cruise-industry history a woman seafarer is navigating the Galapagos Islands as captain. A native of Ecuador, Nathaly Alban took command of the recently refurbished, 100-passenger Celebrity Xploration in August. She has 12 years' experience sailing the Galapagos and in 2006 joined Celebrity as third officer onboard Celebrity Xpedition. Alban said of her new role, "It is a great honour and privilege – I'm overwhelmed with positive emotion. I told my family many times that I would be wearing white one day and be the first woman to serve as a captain on a ship in the Galapagos. Now it's happening and I'm committed to delivering the very best experience for all guests onboard." Celebrity has three luxury expedition ships in the Galapagos, offering six itineraries to 15 islands and a variety of packages.
See celebritycruises.com/galapagos
Viking Down Under
Viking Cruises' fourth ocean ship, Viking Sun – which only started sailing earlier this year – will be the line's first ship to visit Australia when it arrives in February 2018 on its sold-out world cruise. From December 2018, the fifth ship in the series, Viking Spirit, will spend three months sailing between Sydney and Auckland. They are almost identical, carry 930 passengers each and have proved to be a highly successful addition to the 64-strong Viking river fleet. "Our ships are like no other, contemporary yet classic, spacious yet intimate," said Michelle Black, managing director, Australia and New Zealand. "They certainly boast more than their share of wow factors and we're thrilled to have Viking Spirit based here for summer 2018-19."
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