On our cruise radar this week, we have anniversary celebrations, big discounts, the largest Bvlgari boutique at sea in Asia and more.

Crystal Cruises’ 30th anniversary

In 2020, Crystal Cruises will celebrate its 30th anniversary with a year-long celebration including commemorative gifts, savings and special events aboard its ships. The luxury cruise line first launched on 24 July 1990 when Crystal Harmony sailed from San Francisco on a 12-day inaugural voyage to Alaska.

Crystal has designated 30 sailings spanning its four brand experiences – Crystal Cruises, Crystal River Cruises, Crystal Yacht Cruises and Crystal Expedition Cruises – for special 30th Anniversary savings in 2020. Crystal Society members will receive double their regular savings, now totalling 5%, while new-to-Crystal guests will enjoy 2% savings on the select voyages.

These savings are in addition to two-for-one fares and Crystal’s Book Now Savings, which rewards travellers who book early with up to USD 5,000 per suite. To take advantage of these special offers, bookings for the “30th Anniversary Collection” must be made by 30 June 2019.

“The Crystal Family continues to grow with each new voyage”

“We are immensely proud of Crystal’s legacy of offering luxury travellers the very best experiences in the world for 30 years, and are grateful to the world travellers who have journeyed with us and the travel advisors who have been integral to our success along the way,” said Crystal’s president and CEO, Tom Wolber.

“While many of our guests have been on this journey with Crystal since the beginning, the Crystal Family continues to grow with each new voyage. It’s our pleasure to celebrate this milestone with travellers in a meaningful way – with great value and the opportunity to experience all the diverse travel experiences Crystal now offers.”

Elite Moment Photo Contest

Dream Cruises is now accepting entries for this year’s Elite Moment Photo Contest.

To celebrate DreamElite’s second anniversary, the cruise line has added a runner-up category for both the Voter Award and the Elite Award. In addition, every member who has successfully uploaded photos or voted in the contest will be rewarded with Dream Points.

The members uploading the photos receiving the highest and the second highest number of votes at the end of the voting period will be the winners of the contest. The champion will receive a complimentary Genting Dream/World Dream Balcony Stateroom 2-night cruise for two.

Photo submission is until 30 June 2019 while the winners will be announced on 25 July 2019.

The largest Bvlgari boutique at sea in Asia

Cruise retailer Starboard Cruise Services and Royal Caribbean International have collaborated on the onboard retail experience on Spectrum of the Seas, the cruise line’s first ship in the Quantum Ultra class.

For the first time, Starboard introduced ‘The Boutique’, a shopping area limited to guests staying in the ship’s Golden Suites, where guests book shopping experiences with a retail specialist or host for an intimate look at the ship’s offerings in a luxurious setting.

Spectrum of the Seas carries Marc Jacobs and Titoni of Switzerland, two brands that have never before been available on the Royal Caribbean fleet. Other firsts-at-sea in Asia include Breitling and Jo Malone.

The ship also features an 890-square-foot Bvlgari boutique, the largest ever designed by Starboard and the biggest at sea in Asia. Other luxury spaces include Tiffany & Co and Omega boutiques, as well as a Cartier Espace.

Vancouver & Alaska Cruise Holiday

Canadian Affair, the UK’s holiday company to Canada, is partnering with the luxury cruise line, Cunard, to offer a ‘Vancouver & Alaska Cruise Holiday’ for its 2020 holiday programme which is now on sale.

Prices for this 12-night journey of discovery start from just GBP 1,568 (USD 1,965) per person including 2 nights’ accommodation in Vancouver, a 10-night full board Alaska Cruise with Cunard, and direct return flights from London Gatwick to Vancouver.

Guests can expect elegant art deco interiors, luxurious accommodation and an array of locally-inspired dining choices aboard Cunard’s newest ocean liner, Queen Elizabeth. They will glide through the Inside Passage to Alaska, pausing to explore Skagway, Sitka, Ketchikan and Victoria with the help of an expert guide.

Dream in Blue discounts

Paul Gauguin Cruises is offering up to USD 500 Shipboard Credit per stateroom on select 2020 voyages during its ‘Dream in Blue’ promotion when booked by 31 July 2019.

Shipboard Credit can be used toward indulging in a spa treatment at Deep Nature Spa, purchasing a souvenir in La Boutique, booking a shore excursion aboard The Gauguin, and more.

Additionally, Paul Gauguin Cruises is offering savings of 50% off standard all-inclusive cruise fares on all voyages, plus included airfare from Los Angeles or San Francisco.

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