Crystal Cruises Receives 9th Consecutive Award

[Jason]

Crystal Cruises Receives Ninth Consecutive World's Best Award From Readers of Conde Nast Traveler

Wednesday October 13, 4:28 pm ET

Luxury Line Achieves Personal Best With Its Highest-Ever Score

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- For an unprecedented ninth year in a row, Crystal Cruises has been named "World's Best Large-Ship Cruise Line" in the coveted Conde Nast Traveler Readers' Choice Awards marking nearly a decade of continued excellence from the innovative cruise line. Crystal's overall score of 94.6 is the company's highest-ever rating.

"We are honored to be at the forefront of our industry and remain steadfast in our commitment to provide a luxury vacation that continuously excites and rewards our sophisticated guests," says Crystal President Gregg L. Michel. "Each year we continue to innovate, to introduce new onboard programs, and to differentiate the Crystal experience. Nine consecutive years as the world's best large-ship cruise line speaks to the consistency and stature of a Crystal vacation."

Crystal's winning formula of delivering the best service, space, quality and choices has earned it an enviable reputation among savvy travelers and industry experts worldwide. The line invests a significant amount of time and resources to evolving the Crystal experience, with shipboard and shoreside employees embracing the company's Six-Star Crystal Basics, a multi-point credo for anticipating and fulfilling guests' needs.

"This recognition also credits our dedicated staff for their unfaltering talent and creativity," continues Michel. "It is gratifying that their efforts and choices have been recognized by the readership of Conde Nast Traveler magazine."

For the last 17 years, the Conde Nast Traveler Readers' Choice Awards have been considered among the highest honors in the travel industry, celebrating the best-of-the-best hotels, airlines, resorts, cruise lines, cities, rental car companies and islands as voted by the well-traveled readers of Conde Nast Traveler. Tabulated from over 20,000 votes, the results are pulled from the largest independent poll of consumers preferences, second only to the US Census.

Large-ship cruise line (vessels carrying 500 or more passengers) scores are percentages based on the "excellent" and "very good" votes from the subscribers in the categories of itineraries, crew/service, food/dining, cabins/design, and events/activities.

Former "Friends" TV star Paul Rudd presented Michel with Crystal's "World's Best" award at a celebrity-filled gala affair in New York City on October 7th. Among the other celebrity travelers unveiling the triumphant world's best winners were Christy Brinkley, Glenn Close, Angela Bassett and Bernadette Peters. A complete list of the 2004 Readers' Choice Awards appears in Conde Nast Traveler's November 2004 issue.

This year, the luxury line also became a nine-time consecutive recipient of Travel + Leisure magazine's World's Best Large Ship Award, and it continues to earn the highest accolades from noted travel magazines and guidebooks.

Crystal's three sister ships -- the 940-guest, 50,000-ton Crystal Harmony and Crystal Symphony and the 1,080-guest, 68,000-ton Crystal Serenity -- are among the most luxurious vessels cruising the world. Their unique size in the luxury market allows for exceptional service, space, choice and quality with generous amenities and elegant accommodations.

The Six-Star rated liners feature grand lounges, a lavish spa outfitted in accordance with the principles of Feng Shui, extensive exercise facilities, complimentary golf, yoga and Pilates instruction, Asian and Italian specialty restaurants, the only Caesars Palace at Sea Casino afloat, and the popular Computer University@Sea, offering 24-hour e-mail and internet access, as well as hands-on instruction, expansive decks, two pools, award-winning cuisine and entertainment, and exquisitely appointed staterooms, more than half of which offer private verandahs.