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Luxury cruise specialist Crystal Cruises reports that soaring sales for its 2010 cruises continued through the end of January. Bookings for the month were 205% greater than for the same month in 2009. Additionally, to date, new-to-Crystal guests booked for 2010 are 89% of totals for all of 2009.

The update comes shortly after announcing record bookings for its week ending January 11 and its highest January sales in more than five years for same year bookings.

Where do luxury travelers want to go in 2010?

• Crystal's European cruises are generating some of the strongest sales farthest out. Understandable, since the line has more than 30 different itineraries in Northern, Western and Eastern Europe, including cruises to the Black Sea, British Isles, Greek Isles, Dalmatian Coast, Baltic, French and Italian Rivieras, North Cape and Canary Islands in its cruise collection.
• Crystal Symphony's new holiday cruise in Hawaii is expected to sell out soon.
• Crystal's fall Canada/New England season is booking at impressive 2007 and 2008 levels and approximately 30% ahead of last year at this time. Many of Crystal's huge base of Crystal Society members (repeat guests) have added one of the new seven-day fall Mexican Riviera cruises to their travel plans because they are only seven days and cruise roundtrip from Los Angeles.
• While the booking window is increasing (travelers booking farther out), there continues to be substantial close-in reservations - even for very exotic two-week cruises. Of the line's two Australia/New Zealand cruises, one is completely full, while the second is continuing to book closer in.

"The close-in booking patterns for 2009 are shifting dramatically," says Bill Smith, Crystal Cruises' senior vice president, sales & marketing. "Savvy travelers and travel agents recognize the value and reputation of Crystal's luxury cruising in 2010, and that we deliver an incomparable experience of service, space, quality and choices. Along with the strong bookings from new Crystal guests, our very loyal Crystal Society members continue to come back - discovering Crystal's many new itineraries and voicing overwhelming compliments for the major redesign of Crystal Symphony."

Adds Smith, "I'd like to think it was Crystal's 20th anniversary that is bringing everyone out this year, but it's probably our guests' pent up demand to celebrate their own anniversaries, birthdays, family getaways, reunions, special interest trips and the emotional enrichment of travel that is nearer and dearer to their vacation hearts."

For more information and Crystal reservations, contact a travel agent, call 888-799-4625, or visit www.crystalcruises.com.

SOURCE Crystal Cruises

Zagat recently released the results of its first cruise line survey revealing that travelers named Crystal Cruises as their "favorite" among mid-sized ships. The ultra-luxury line was also the winner for Top Facilities and Top Activities.

The survey, conducted on ZAGAT.com, covers 22 major cruise lines as voted on by 2,379 regular cruisers.

The announcement comes less than a month after Conde Nast Traveler readers voted Crystal Cruises as the "Best Large-Ship Cruise Line" for a 16th year and, in August, Travel + Leisure readers voted the ultra-luxury line as the "World's Best" for a 14th consecutive year. Crystal Cruises has also recently been awarded Best Luxury Line by editors at Cruise Critic, trade magazines and leading travel agents.

"We are very pleased that experienced cruisers are rating Crystal as their favorite," says Gregg Michel, president of Crystal Cruises. "The choices of sophisticated facilities and the array and quality of activities aboard Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity are resonating with guests who want their port experience embellished with an interesting and fulfilling shipboard experience."

Crystal Cruises' ultra-luxurious Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony are renowned for their service, space, quality and choices, as well as innovations and value. In 2010, Crystal Cruises celebrates its 20th anniversary with an array of value-added promotions, including two-for-one pricing, up to $1,000 per person All Inclusive - As You Wish spending credits, free airfare with most cruises and a price guarantee. The ships sail worldwide on itineraries through the Mediterranean, Australia/New Zealand, Southeast Asia, India, Middle East, Baltic, British Isles, North Cape, Africa, South America, Panama Canal, Caribbean, Mexican Riviera and New England/Canada. New seven-day cruises in 2010 complement a variety longer itineraries offer more choices to sample the line's lauded Crystal Experience.

SOURCE Crystal Cruises

For the week ending Tuesday, October 20, Crystal Cruises announces a surge of new bookings for 2010 since the luxury line announced reduced and value-added pricing. The ultra-luxury line enjoyed a 70% increase in new bookings since four weeks ago.

Additionally, Crystal reports more than a 100% increase in booking revenue for 2010 versus the same time last year for 2009.

On September 21, Crystal announced new 2010 pricing with Two-for-One fares, All Inclusive - As You Wish spending credits and a price guarantee for all cruises plus Free Air for most cruises and even Free Business Class air for Penthouse accommodations on European cruises. The new pricing resulted in an average of 8.3% lowered cruise-only pricing - and nearly a 20% reduction on some Mediterranean cruises.

Crystal Cruises enjoyed more good news this week when it was voted the "Best Large-Ship Cruise Line" by the readers of Conde Nast Traveler magazine for a record 16th year. In addition to an overall winning score of 92.7, Crystal outscored all other large-ship lines for its service/crew, itineraries/schedules, food/dining and design/layout.

"Experienced travel agents and discerning travelers have been telling us our new offers are very compelling and I'm delighted to report they've kept our Reservations and Sales staff very busy," said Gregg Michel, Crystal's president. "For years, reputation and destination have been leading drivers for guests making their vacation decisions. In this economy, strong value is also a key ingredient."

Crystal Cruises just published its 2010 Cruise Guide and expects to have 2010 Cruise Atlases in the marketplace within a week. The new materials detail Crystal Symphony's and Crystal Serenity's global itineraries and the new pricing.

For more information and Crystal reservations, contact a travel agent or call 888-799-4625, or visit crystalcruises.com.

SOURCE Crystal Cruises

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. is ramping up its commitment to growing the South America cruise market with the official opening of a new office in Sao Paulo, Brazil, the first Royal Caribbean company-owned office in the region.

The event is marked today by a formal visit by Royal Caribbean International President and CEO, Adam Goldstein, highlighting Brazil as a key region earmarked for both investment and growth.

"The cruise market in Brazil is one of the fastest growing in the world, and with increased investment and commitment, we aim to accelerate this trend," said Goldstein. "In late 2009 Royal Caribbean International will have two ships - Vision of the Seas and Splendour of the Seas - dedicated to the Brazilian market which represents a significant uplift in available cruise departures. Reinforcing the positive knock-on economic benefits that cruising brings and improving cruise selling awareness are key objectives of my visit to Brazil. I look forward to Royal Caribbean International's expansion in Brazil and in the entire South America cruise market."

The new Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. office, located in Sao Paulo, will support the commercial and operational efforts in Brazil of the company's three cruise brands - Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and Azamara Cruises - and will continue to further its international expansion plans, supporting the growing demand for cruise itineraries departing Brazil and around the world.

The opening of Royal Caribbean's Sao Paulo office comes at a key time for the burgeoning Brazilian cruise business. In the last eight seasons, the number of guests embarking on cruises from Brazil grew 623%, with an average growth of 33% per year.

In addition to marking the official opening of the Brazil offices, Goldstein is also meeting cruise industry representatives from ABREMAR, the Brazilian association of cruise lines, and local authorities from the Ministry of Tourism, the Port Authority and the Commission of Tourism and Sports of the Federal Chamber.

Working alongside ABREMAR, Goldstein will be highlighting key benefits of the growing cruise industry to Brazil including international visitor attraction and increased revenue opportunities for related services such as hotels and land tours.

Plus, the official visit also will see Goldstein convey best practice examples from ports of call around the world that have improved port and destination infrastructure and services to attract growing cruise guest numbers.

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. holds a leading role in ABREMAR, since the company's Brazil managing director, Ricardo Amaral, was appointed as the new President earlier this year.

"Leading ABREMAR and growing the cruise industry in Brazil complements my role with Royal Caribbean," said Amaral. "ABREMAR estimates that during 2008 to 2009, the cruise industry in Brazil was responsible for generating almost 40,000 jobs and almost US$340 million in related expenditure. The cruise market in Brazil has a huge growth potential. There is a lot still to be done and many challenges to face, but it is our first goal for the main cruise lines and related services to work successfully together in order to stimulate the expansion of the market."

When Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. appointed cruise veteran, Amaral as managing director for Brazil in January 2009, it was the company's first such appointment in the South America region. The cruise market in Brazil has grown from 70,000 cruisers in 2001 to over half a million guests in 2008.

New for the 2009-2010 season, Royal Caribbean International will offer 21 departures of three and four-night cruises from the port of Santos with the 2,000-guest Vision of the Seas and 1,804 guest Splendour of the Seas. Also available are five, six, seven and eight-night cruises onboard Vision of the Seas and Splendour of the Seas from December 2009 including cruises dedicated to Christmas and New Year celebrations, for a total of another 21 sailings.

SOURCE Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.